AN: Yes, I've started a new fic. Don't worry, I'll keep continuing The Forbidden Son fic later. I've just had the urge to write a crossover story entailing both Bleach and Naruto. Oh well, see you at the bottom.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach or anything cool for that matter...
Chapter 1: The Guardian Angel
A boy of around 17 years old could be seen sprawled spread eagle on the ground. This boy was no ordinary person; rather, he was no ordinary individual. The young teenager with his distinguishable whiskers and deep oceanic colored orbs (eyes) slowly stirred from his deep slumber. The boy was vastly different from how he had looked two short years ago. For one thing, he was taller. His hair was cropped short to accommodate his new plastic headband. He was also wearing a black uniform-style jacket with an orange zipper that featured several buttons on the waist and sleeves. He had decided long ago to rid himself of his orange tracksuit. Covering his entire body was a short-sleeved red coat with a black flame pattern along the hemline.
Grasping his temple, the boy shakes his head momentarily before pausing in thought. Looking down, he is surprised that he is in his current attire. Realizing immediately that he was not in his bed, let alone his room, he gazes around at his surroundings. Much to his surprise, he was met with the sight of pure white. In fact, the scene was too white that it was nearly blinding him. Squinting, Naruto shades his eyes slightly before carefully picking himself up.
"Where am I? Where's Hinata?" This unconscious thought quickly riled the boy up in a rational panic. Looking frantically for any signs of the white-eyed beauty and- most importantly- his wife.
Noticing movement to his right, he instinctively grabs for a kunai from his back pouch, except… he grasps air instead of his trusty ninja tool.
"What the-"
Too late, a figure appears directly in front of the now nervous boy and flicks him on the forehead. Being caught off guard for once in many years, the boy stumbles back clumsily before regaining his balance. He then gives the unknown person a look of confusion and caution.
The figure appears to react at the boy's behavior by eliciting some sort of sound while shrugging uncontrollably. Baffled at this, Naruto was about to ask what was going on before the figure in front of him twirls.
From twirling, it seemed the figure was able to unwrap the veil that was covering them, and Naruto was now able to see the true appearance of whatever it was he was looking at. The boy's eyes go wide with surprise at the now revealed person in front of him.
A tall woman with pale skin and eyes a light shade of blue with blonde hair stared warmingly back at the boy. She was wearing a turquoise-colored gown with a white underside and silver high heels. Naruto quickly realized the woman was actually giggling the entire time. Scratching his head in thought, he decided that the girl was harmless, for now anyways…
"It's about time you woke up, silly boy!" The woman cheerfully pointed out while putting her hands together for emphasis. She then narrowed her eyes at the boy, much to his growing dismay. "Wait a minute, you were pretending to sleep weren't you?" She huffed out cutely.
A stunned look graces the young shinobi's face at the girl's accusation before he decides to just get the usual greeting out of the way.
"Uh, I'm sorry but I don't know what's going on… umm…" There was an awkward pause and the girl didn't help to resolve it since she kept looking back at Naruto with an imploring smile much to his growing discomfort. "What's your name?" He asked finally.
"Kami."
Coughing immediately after hearing that name, the boy had to let that fit of coughing pass before regaining his composure. "I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say your name was Kami?"
Nodding her head, the girl drew her pointer finger into the air and spelled her name 'Kami' to emphasize her point.
"What? The most powerful and oldest deity in the universe is actually a girl who looks no older than me?"
"Heh, hehehehehehe!" Naruto had unexpectedly bursted into a nervous fit of laughter. The young looking girl merely tilted her head in confusion. "Damn, all those years of eating ramen must have made me gone insane." He rationalized before continuing, "This is a dream. Yes, this is definitely just one big weird dream."
"Well, you're kind of correct in that assumption." Glancing quickly at the girl who now had her pointer finger to her lips in a thoughtful expression, Naruto gives her a questioning look. "Hmm, I think it would be easier to explain all this to you if my lovely assistant was here to help us out." And with that statement she claps her hand to no one in particular.
…
…
"I wonder if she is lost again?" Kami asked mostly to herself out loud whilst sighing. Putting her pointer finger once more to her right ear like an earphone, she taps her foot with impatience. "Kami to heaven, Kami to heaven, can heaven's lost property please report to the heavenly gates? I repeat, can heaven's lost property please report to the heavenly gates? Thank you." Her voice from the celestial intercom cuts out with a satisfying static click.
Waiting several more moments longer, a new figure finally flaps down from the sky, erm thin air, ugh, at this point it really didn't matter to him.
When the figure gets closer, Naruto could see it was another girl except this girl had brilliant feathery wings protruding from her back. She had long rosy pink hair that was tightly secured with dark pink ribbons. She had an "ahoge" which is the long strand of hair that protruded out of her hair. She also had emerald colored eyes. Calmly, she strolls up to the both of them, an emotionless look plastered on her face.
"Master, I am here as you requested." She states while bowing much to her master's tired sighs and groans.
"Dear me, how many times have I told you not to call me that, Ikaros?"
"Master, you have approximately told me that-"
"On second thought, I don't really need to know." Kami gasps, desperate to avoid the infinite number counting from her socially "special" angel.
"Of course, master." She answers back while bowing again.
Rubbing her temple with growing annoyance very much evident on her face, Kami turns her attention to the young man who had been watching the entire interaction with a look of absolute disbelief.
"Anyways, what were we talking about again? Ah, yes, your so-called dream? How should I put this? You're actually more dead than dreaming per se…"
Letting that statement sink in, Naruto's jaw slams into the ground. "Wh-What? You killed me?" He yells in absolute shock and panic.
Waving her hand out in submission, she grabs her assistant and pushes her towards Naruto in hopes of quelling his crazed state (Actually, she was being used as a meat shield more or less.)
"Naruto, you are not dead," Catching this, he pauses his meltdown and looks up optimistically, "not yet anyways." Hearing this, he goes back to freaking out much to Kami's irritation. Ikaros continues to stare at the forlorn boy with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.
"Calm down, Naruto. You are not dead in either options." Kami clarifies, finally managing to quell the boy's biggest concern for the moment.
"What do you mean by options?" He asks carefully.
"So we're finally at the million dollar question, huh?" Kami states with a tired huff.
"Million what?"
"It is a form of currency adopted by western society. The lowest amount being the penny. Then the nickel. Then-" But Kami quickly interrupts Ikaros's explanation.
"Point is, Naruto, you have only two options to choose from, and that is why I have induced you into this dream-like state in the first place." Not waiting for the boy's response, she continued talking while raising one finger up into the air, "Option 1: You wake up next to your beautiful wife, have two energetic children, live a long a fructuous life and grow old and die and the usual stuff." She explains nonchalantly. Obviously, she didn't care for this option. "Or you pick the better option and be reborn into a shinigami…"
Giving her a look of disbelief, Naruto glances quickly at Ikaros for any signs of humor; however, she didn't seem to be laughing at the clearly farfetched comments. "You want me to become a Grim Reaper?"
"Actually, a Soul Reaper. The Grim Reaper position has already been taken, kid. Sorry, but you should have applied for it before the creation of the universe." She joked while stifling another fit of giggles and putting her hand in front of her mouth in a weak attempt to do just that.
"Ignoring the fact at how crazy that remark is even, why the hell would I choose option 2?" He demanded with seriousness. He was met with an equally serious look from Kami.
"True, option 1 will give you happiness, an infinite amount of happiness during your long, healthy life." Nodding his head at the notion, Naruto continued to listen intently, "But option 2 will give you the same amount of happiness, and even more during death." Kami explained. "If you haven't realized it already, your world is not the only one that exists." The blonde haired boy raised an eyebrow at this. Clearly he wasn't expecting that revelation, but he had learned long ago to expect the unexpected. "Because of this, each world is connected to one another in some form or another. Imagine the worlds being connected like a web- each strand housing its own life. If one strand breaks, then the next strand will break and so on. Eventually, it will be a long and destructive sequence of unfortunate breaks. And I would have the frustrating task of repairing it and starting all over again. But, you can prevent all that by being reincarnated into a Soul Reaper."
"What? How?" He asks innocently.
"When one becomes a Soul Reaper, or a soul for that matter, their spiritual self no longer needs the hindrances that a physical body would need, thus, the statement earlier about you being dead. In actuality, you will no longer have a body that is just a normal human body but rather the manifestation of your soul that will be able to interact with both the spiritual and physical existences to some degree…"
"I wouldn't have said it any better, Ikaros." Kami complimented the pink haired angel while petting her on the head much to her pleasure at being rewarded. "As to why you would choose option 2? Well, you would still be saving lives. Honestly, you could save countless lives, not to mention an entire universe that includes your world especially. And for being all powerful and what-not, that means a lot."
Scratching his chin in thought, Naruto understands the importance of his answer.
"Damn, I shouldn't be surprised that Kami would know about my weak spot dealing with saving peoples' lives." Internally groaning, he knew right away the obvious answer he now had to choose because of who he was as a person and as a ninja. Plus, if he rejected the option, there was a good chance he would regret the decision and the repercussions would eventually catch up with him later- most likely his home world being utterly destroyed.
"Will I be able to say goodbye to my wife and friends then?"
Shaking her head solemnly, Kami looks away for a moment before returning her attention to the now depressed boy. "I will tell you this. You might, MIGHT, be able to see your wife again during your mission. But I cannot promise you anything."
Nodding and smiling at the thought of possibly seeing his wife again, Naruto regains his composure. "I will see you again, Hinata. I swear on my soul…" He mentally vows before returning his attention back to the cheerful goddess. Unbeknownst to him, Kami mentally smirked at his reaction since the boy took her declaration for face value. If only he had worded his question clearer or delved deeper, the seventh Hokage would have felt so much better. But this was all part of the goddess's overarching plan and it was going accordingly.
"Why can't you just solve the problem and use your god powers to make everything right?"
"True, I could do that. But…" She paused while taking on a thinking pose. "It wouldn't be any fun then!" At this statement, Naruto face-faulted hard into the floor. Quickly getting back up, he glares at the guilty looking woman.
"What the hell? Do you think this whole thing is just one big game?" Naruto yells out with escalating anger.
"Perhaps, perhaps not. Regardless what I think and can do, you should focus on what you can do, child." Kami points out. The boy shakes his head before letting out a defeated sigh. He knew either way that he was going to have to do something or else risk letting a universal disaster occur, no thanks to Kami to whom he didn't really believe she truly meant what she had said about her not caring earlier. From meeting with her for the short period of time, he knew the goddess was much more than the goofy, childish person she showed him as being. This also meant that there was some other reason as to why she needed his help. Shaking his head, he looks back at her with an exasperated expression.
"So, I'm guessing I 'died' then?"
"Yep, you sleep walk into the kitchen and choke on a ramen noodle." Kami says simply with a smile.
…
"I die by choking on ramen?" Naruto asks incredulously. Seeing a nod from the girl, Naruto grabs his hair in despair. "After all I've been through, my most beloved food kills me in the end?"
While Naruto was complaining about his manner of death, Ikaros turns her head so she's looking at Kami with a confused look. "Master, you told me Naruto simply disappears and is presumed dead after 10 years." Naruto's ear twitches at this comment from the innocent looking angel.
"What? You were joking about me choking on a piece of ramen?"
"Oh silly, of course I was joking. Like you said earlier, after all you went through, your manner of death should be representative of your life. In this case, you die mysteriously. Yes, very honorable and heroic I must say." She states while shooing her hand without any sense of thought.
"Kami, I seriously doubt you're sane."
"Like they say, 'The most powerful beings are the craziest,' tehehehehehe." She giggles. This makes Naruto sweat-drop and Ikaros tilt her head at the odd exchange between the two people.
"Now that we've got the pesky details out of the way, I think it'd be best if I explained to you your duties, abilities and the other important stuff. Your one and only mission are to protect and to aid one of your fellow shinigami or rather substitute Soul Reaper if we're being picky about it."
Naruto groans at this explanation. "You want me to babysit?"
"Call it as you see fit, but in simple terms, yes."
"Fine, what's their name."
But he was answered with a shake of the head from the woman, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. In time young one. However, it will be a lot more complicated than a simple escort mission, I guarantee you that much. Moving on, you will have all your previous human abilities. Obviously, since you freed the Bijuu, you will no longer have any of their powers. That especially includes Kurama's." Nodding his head, he understood perfectly well. Still, he was a bit sad that he would never be able to talk with the pesky fox again.
"At least, you won't be using his powers like you were typically accustomed to before in your old world…" Kami mentally chuckled. Oh how she loved to mess with the poor, unsuspecting boy.
Snapping her fingers, Naruto's attire turned into a traditional school uniform, much to the boy's surprise. "Now, you are officially a shinigami. Traditionally, you wouldn't become one so easily but then again I am Kami. If anyone questions how I was able to give you shinigami status, tell them it's because I'm goddamn Kami!" She yells with fire in her eyes.
"Yeah, okay." Naruto says simply. He was quickly getting used to the women's eccentric nature.
"As for your current attire. You will be attending a high school in Karakura Town. That is where you will meet your fellow peer."
"Great, now what's their name?" He asked forwardly, clearly not excited about attending school again. Seeing the goddess waving a piece of paper at him, he grabs it and opens it up. It's completely blank inside.
"Not yet, kiddo. It will reveal the boy's name after you attend the school." This made Naruto grumble with frustration at the women's childish nature while tucking the piece of parchment into his pant's pocket.
"Now to some new pieces of information- your shinigami powers. Let's see…" She thought while tapping her finger against her lips. "Oh, that's right. Every shinigami has a Zanpakutō. It's usually a sword-well it actually is, stupid me. But for you it will be your father's famous kunai, the Hirashin Kunai." Naruto nodded at this statement. It was a pleasant surprise that he would be using something he was familiar with. "And here's another rule breaker: You will be in spirit form the entire time. However, you will still have a physical body. You'll learn later how useful and convenient this exception to the rule will really be. You'll also learn about the many other useful pieces of information later that pertains to being a shinigami as well."
"One last thing. If anyone asks you why you're such an exception to the traditional rules, you'll say?"
"Because Kami said so." Naruto answered back easily.
"And why did Kami say so?"
"Because it's goddamn Kami." He finished while rolling his eyes at the ridiculous rehearsal. Seriously, no one would believe that statement and would probably think he was being a pompous asshole.
"I knew I chose the right person for this job!" The woman cried out with tears of joy. "Well, it's time for you to go and save the universe. Farewell, brave warrior!" And with a snap of the fingers, Naruto disappeared into the background.
Ikaros, who had been patiently waiting throughout the entire interaction, gazed at her master with a stoic expression. "Master, why did you not tell him that I would be accompanying him on this mission?"
"Because then it would ruin the surprise. Yes, he loves surprises!" She answered back while twiddling her fingers and grinning mischievously.
"I still do not understand why I must follow him for this mission. He is clearly capable of succeeding without my help." Ikaros points out while glancing back at where Naruto had originally been standing.
"Alpha, prepare to leave immediately." Kami commanded seriously. Without asking or questioning the sudden request, the angel bowed and took flight back up into the heavens as gracefully as she had landed earlier.
"Oh, you poor thing. Even I, Kami, can't teach you everything about the world below the heavens." She inwardly frowns while turning her back. "Maybe you both can learn a little from each other." And with that closing thought, she disappears as well.
"Ugh, damn my head hurts again." Naruto mutters out with disdain while picking himself up from off the ground. He really hoped that this would not be a daily occurrence. Looking up, he sees a rather large looking building looming over him. "Huh, this must be the school Kami was talking about earlier." Noticing the Karakura High School banner on the building only further supported the boy's guess.
Remembering what he was supposed to do, he reaches down into his pant's pocket. Grasping the note, he swiftly unfolds the sheet of paper and reads the ink that was written inside of it. "Hmm, Strawberry. That is an interesting name…" Crumpling up the piece of paper and tossing it aside, the boy takes a deep breath and walks into the building with a determined look on his face.
"Whoa, check out that kid with the blonde hair!"
"Hey, I've never seen that boy before. He must be new here."
"Oh my, he's so cute! Wait; are those whiskers on his face? That is so freakin cool!"
Naruto blushed slightly at that last remark. Even after all these years, that simple observation was always embarrassing for him. That was the overarching chatter that was being said from the students who noticed him in the hallway. Naruto passed several classrooms before he realized that he had no idea which classroom the boy was even in. Face-palming himself for his stupidity, Naruto scans the hallway until he spots a friendly looking student who, he guessed, might be able to help him in his search. Strolling speedily through the crowded hallway, he finally reached that particular student.
"Hey there, I was wondering if you could help me find a certain boy? His name is Strawberry." This made the student give Naruto an odd look before he suddenly bursted out laughing at the alternate translation of the name.
"Oh, hahaha, you mean Ichigo? Yeah, he's in Miss Ochi's class. Her classroom is literally right behind you." The student answers while pointing towards a classroom that was directly behind Naruto. He then waved goodbye to the irritated boy while still very much laughing out loud at the misinterpretation.
"Umm, okay then?" Naruto shrugs his shoulders with indifference before turning a 180 and walking into the classroom, not caring whether or not he interrupted it. He wasn't a student here; at least, that's what he kept telling himself anyways. And he sure as hell wasn't going to start acting like one now.
"Now can someone please tell me the answer to this equatio-"
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, the name is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm here because I'm looking for a student named Strawberry Kurosaki. So, where are you, cupcakes?" Naruto practically shouted out while searching the room for the important student.
"Hey, who the hell are you calling cupcakes, jackass? And my name is Ichigo!" An angry voice was heard in the middle row. Following the source of the sound, the shinobi turned shinigami was amused at the sight before him. The voice originated from a boy with spiky orange hair that was arguably the most distinguishable feature about him. He had peach skin and brown eyes. The said boy was now standing with his fist pumping towards Naruto in a threatening manner.
"… Hehehehe," Naruto turned his head slightly while putting his hand to his mouth in a teasing manner in a weak attempt to hide his laughter. Alas, he failed blatantly at this attempt. It didn't help that Naruto was using the other hand to point at the boy's pronounced hair, which the boy could clearly tell was being made fun of at the moment.
"Damn you. I'm going to kick your ass-"
"That's enough from the both of you!" Misato declared commandingly. She then gave both boys a glare before whacking Naruto on the upside of the head and told him that interrupting her class like he just did was inexcusable. "Sheesh, I swear, every year there's more delinquents in my class than the previous ones." She mutters before telling Naruto to sit in the back corner. He tried to argue that he wasn't in her class, let alone even going to this school. But understanding the look the teacher gave him made him shut up and to follow her directions since his previous experience with that similar look didn't end well for him either when he argued. Grumbling, he walked down a row of desks before he finally reached 'his' student desk.
"Why do always get bullied by women?" Naruto thought depressingly while slamming his head on the desk.
"Now that we're past that, I would like to introduce you all to a new student. She just recently transferred here from another town."
"That's funny, I'm technically new here but she didn't give me the same treatment." Naruto mentally complained sulkily. But when he saw the other new student, he nearly choked himself to death from the unexpected reunion with a certain angel. "Ga-Gah, Ikaros? Why the hell is she here?" She was currently in a school uniform and standing right next to the teacher.
Bowing, she gazes up towards the class with her usual emotionless expression before introducing herself. "Hello, my name is Ikaros. Pleased to meet you all."
"Ikaros, why are you here?" Naruto yells out while mimicking the pose Ichigo had several moments earlier.
Turning her attention to the clearly baffled boy, she bows once more at him. "It's nice to see you again, master Uzumaki."
The class's reaction to this was pretty logical. They were pretty stunned at what the girl just called the new student.
"Did she just call the new kid, master?"
"Man, that is some kinky-ass shit right there."
"I wonder if she's a masochist?"
Glancing back and forth across the classroom with growing dread, Naruto quickly waves his hands out in front of him in a futile attempt to refute the outrageous claims. "N-No you misunderstand. She didn't call me master. Isn't that right, Ikaros?" Naruto begged to Kami that her personal assistant would spontaneously obtain some social sense. Unfortunately, his prayers were not heard. Actually, maybe they were heard but the goddess simply reveled in the boy's suffering. If that was the case, Naruto had to remind himself to bring this embarrassment up to her the next time they talked.
"That's incorrect. I did call you master, master Uzumaki." The angel stated with a monotone voice.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Naruto was freaking out. He had no idea on how to escape this ridiculous situation. Thankfully for him, the teenager with orange hair rescued him from his awkward situation.
"Miss Ochi, my stomach hurts." Ichigo complained indignantly while standing up from his desk.
"O-Oh alright. You may go to the nurse's office then." The teacher nodded at the boy's request.
"Umm, yeah, me too! I ate too much ramen this morning and I, uh, also have a really bad stomach ache. Yes, that's it!" Naruto frantically claimed. The teacher frowned at this claim, but still thought little of it since she didn't want to deal with them in the first place. So, she allowed Naruto to leave the classroom. Both boys rushed out of the room with inhuman speeds much to the class's shock and awe. Ikaros had a puzzled look on her face after seeing the boys leave. Nevertheless, she was internally perplexed at the whole ordeal.
"S-So, Ikaros, do you think you can answer this equation?" Miss Ochi asked hesitantly, pointing to the blackboard. She was pretty sure this whole weird commotion was over by now. Ikaros, studying the equation and computing all the variables and mathematical formulas, looked at the teacher with a bored expression.
"I will try." She said simply before walking over to the blackboard and grabbing a piece of chalk and beginning to write her answer. After several seconds, she backed away from the board and gave the teacher a questioning stare. The teacher, currently gawking with her mouth wide open and eyes bulging, was perturbed at what she saw.
On the board, Ikaros had written the word 'Master' as her answer much to the teacher's complete bewilderment. "Why do I always get the delinquents?" She mentally cried to herself before banging her head against the board, repeatedly. "Why me, why me, why me?" She screamed in utter despair. The stoic angel continued to stare at the frustrated teacher with a look of bemusement.
Outside the classroom, the two boys were currently in a heated staring contest with one another for obvious reasons. Ichigo, because of recent events, was very wary of this new individual and did not know what to think of the person in front of him. Naruto on the other hand stared back since he thought the boy in front of him didn't seem to be anything special. Honestly, Naruto was miffed by the whole idea that this boy could affect the entire universe. Realizing that other students were staring at the two of them while passing through the hallway, Ichigo decided to take their little confrontation somewhere more private. He signaled for Naruto to follow him. Frowning, Naruto nodded back slowly. He knew the boy wanted to question him. Whatever, he mined as well get them out of the way since it was inevitable.
Narrowing his eyes while scowling, Ichigo turned around and began leading the whiskered-faced boy to the roof with his hands in his pockets.
Once there, Ichigo glared at the new student with a sense of prejudice. "Who are you and how do you know my name?" Ichigo demanded with a dangerous tone. "He couldn't possibly be another one of them, could he?"
But Naruto answered back by studying the spiky haired boy for several moments before letting out a tired sigh and putting his hands behind his head in a resting position. "Strawberry, this may seem crazy, believe me I would think so too, but I'm here to… watch over you." He finally said. "Wait, that sounded kinda stalkerish. Shit, I should have worded it better so that I didn't come off as being a creep."
Ichigo just gave the now revealed boy a deadpanned squint. "You're… watching over me?" To this, Naruto slowly nodded his head in slight shame. "Uh, that seems kinda stalkerish and creepy…"
"Damn it, kid, I'm starting to think that accepting this mission was a huge mistake. Screw the universe if I have to deal with you!" Naruto pouted while waving his arms wildly in the air in a childish manner since the orange haired teen pretty much relayed what he was just thinking perfectly.
"Who are you calling kid? You look practically my age!" Ichigo shouted back angrily. "Wait, what about the universe?"
Huffing out with disdain, Naruto curls his lips and looks the other way. "Forget it. A kid with a carrot top for a head doesn't need to know about adult stuff."
Clenching his fist, Ichigo grits his teeth while trying desperately to quell the flaming urge to beat the boy in front of him into a pulp. "I wouldn't be talking, kitty face."
"You take that back right now, cupcakes!" Naruto replied back furiously.
"Kitty face!"
"Cupcakes!"
"Kitty face!"
"Cupcakes!"
Both boys were now within centimeters of each other's faces and both grasping one another's collars. After several more harmless insults, the two boys separate and become content with just glaring at the other.
"So, you were looking for me because you need to watch over me?"
"Yep,"
"Fine, who sent you then?" Ichigo asked carefully.
"Kami."
"…"
"…"
"You're- you're joking, right?" Naruto scratched the back of his head in thought. It was natural that the boy would question him about that. Hell, Naruto could hardly believe it too and probably would have never believed it if he hadn't actually had met her in person.
"Yeah, and she has given me a mission to tag along with you since the fate of the universe is dependent on you." He revealed to a still shocked looking teen.
"Does that mean you're an angel or something?" Ichigo asked in disbelief still not fully believing the boy's outlandish claims.
"I'd say I was something."
The skeptic boy observed the blonde haired individual for a couple seconds before crossing his arms.
"So you're telling me that Kami sent you here to follow me, right?" Getting a tired nod from Naruto, he continued with his summary. "And that I have the power to change the universe based off my actions?" Again, Naruto nodded in confirmation.
"So, do you believe me?" He asked simply. However, Ichigo had a growing tick mark throughout this whole spiel.
"Oh I believe you, along with flying pigs and the tooth fairy!" He cried out with vexation before grabbing the boy again.
"Stop messing with me, dammit! Why are you really here?" Understanding that his explanation was clearly not being accepted, he pushed the teen off him with ease and brushed himself off of any dirt.
"I'm tired of trying to get it through your thick, stubborn head that I'm really here to help you." Naruto exclaimed. "Look, I truly want to help you. Forget about what and who I am and let's just focus on the main point. I. Am. Here. To. Help. You!" He sounded out to Ichigo in a manner a six year old would understand perfectly well.
Growling a little at how he was being treated, Ichigo turns away from the boy. "Fine, but just stay out of my way."
"No can do, cupcakes." Naruto grinned much to Ichigo's surprise since he wholeheartedly expected the boy to just agree with him so he could get away. "Oh, and since I'm new here, I'd appreciate it if you gave me a tour around the… world." He asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"This kid's right, he's not human!" Kurosaki rationalized before palming his face in annoyance. "Whatever, I'm going home," He took a couple steps through the door before pausing mid-stride and turning his sights back onto the blonde haired boy, "wait, don't tell me…"
"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I don't like doing this either." Naruto confessed honestly. Groaning once more, Ichigo mumbled about his dumb luck and continued walking down the stairs with Naruto grudgingly in tow.
Once they were a fair distance from school, Naruto decided to make small talk with the obviously irritated teen.
"Whoa, what are those hunks of metal with wheels?"
"Cars…"
"And what are those boxes?"
"Vending machines…"
"Is there a ramen shop here?"
"Why do you feel the need to ask me every little thing, do I look like I care?" Ichigo finally muttered out. The boy's questions were really grinding on his nerves.
Before Naruto could retort, both boys sensed a presence behind them. Peering back, a girl with burnt orange hair and slender yet curvaceous figure could be spotted hiding behind a lamppost.
"I don't think they saw me. Good job, Orihime, you're like a ninja!" She mumbled to herself proudly while clasping her hands in celebration. Both boys sweat-dropped at the girl's clueless remark.
Pointing at her, Naruto tilted his head so he was looking at Ichigo with the same disconcerting expression as his. "She does know we can see and hear her, right?"
Shaking his head tiredly, he walks up to the innocent girl. "Orihime, why are you following us?" He asks in a gentle but serious tone. This elicits a small squeal from the suddenly surprised girl at being found out.
"And he doesn't freak out when she's practically stalking him…" Naruto complained while pursing his lips and crossing his arms in aggravation at the unfair treatment he was receiving from his spikey haired acquaintance.
"Ich-Ichigo, umm hello there! I didn't see you coming, hehe." She giggled nervously. Ignoring the obvious fib, Ichigo asked again why she was following them. "Erm, Ichigo, I need to discuss something with you alone…" She says while leaning past Ichigo and indicating for the new student to leave.
"Sorry pretty lady, but I can't leave the vicinity. But if it makes you guys more comfortable, I'll just go check out that vending machine over there," He points towards a nearby vending machine. Without even getting an acknowledgement from them, he darts past them with excitement and curiosity on his face.
Frowning at the boy's weirdness, Ichigo turns his attention back to his longtime friend.
"Ichigo, where is Rukia?" Ichigo's eyes go wide at this simple question. The tone of her voice indicated that she was dead serious about the question. "Why does no one remember her? What is going on around here?"
"So I'm not the only one who remembers her too?" He lets out a sigh of relief from knowing that he isn't the only one who found it odd that she seemed to have vanished from this world. Glancing back at the blonde haired goofball, he noticed that the boy was easily entertained with the machine, and it looked like he wasn't going to get bored with messing with it anytime soon. Taking a deep breath in, he decides that he should fill her in a bit about everything that's been happening.
Ten minutes later, a deeply engrossed girl was still listening to the boy's explanation.
"You see, Orihime, Rukia had to go back home to Soul Society. That's where she will be happiest."
The girl narrows her eyes at the boy's explanation. She knew that boy did not believe the last sentence he just told her. It also contradicted the last ten minutes of what was just explained to her by the teen. "You don't truly believe that, do you?" He looks at her and curses himself for letting his true feelings leak out. Biting his bottom lip, he shakes his head in denial.
"You're right, I don't. She belongs here. And I know exactly what I have to do now," Ichigo finalizes before nodding appreciatively for her insight and sprinting towards a certain shop.
Smiling happily, she watches the boy leave until she realizes that he was originally with another person. Glancing back toward the vending machine, she is mystified to see that there is no longer anyone there. Her curiosity for the boy had quickly piqued since he had some involvement with Ichigo. Shrugging to herself, she turned back and continued her walk back home.
"Stop following me, kitty face!" Ichigo yelled over his shoulder to the person following him from the shadows. After sprinting off and leaving Orihime, he totally forgot about his stalker from earlier.
"Don't be such a pansy, kid," Naruto replied back boredly while keeping pace easily with the irritated looking boy. "And if you really had wanted to get rid of me, you would be running faster than you are now."
"I'm sorry I'm not a five star athlete! Maybe next time I'll hire a personal trainer to teach me how to run faster just so you can shut the hell up!" He hollered back sarcastically. Naruto was about to retort about how that wouldn't do shit until something crashed landed into the ground directly in front of them; making the two of them stop in their tracks.
Peering through the smoke of debris, they soon saw a figure walking out of the crater. Seeing the figure created two different reactions from the boys.
"Shit, I forgot all about her." Naruto muttered while face-palming himself for what seem to be the umpteenth time that day.
"Hey, isn't that the new transfer student? What was her name again?" Ichigo thought out loud while scratching his head.
Sighing, Naruto walked up to the now revealed person, and pointed at her. "Ichigo, this is Ikaros. She is an actual angel." At this truth, the boy's eyes twitched at another crazy claim. Although this time, there was some proof to his statement. The proof was in the form of feathery wings protruding from the girl's back.
"Well isn't that just great? I needed more headaches today," Ichigo groaned out loud.
Shaking his head at the teen, Naruto then looks back at Ikaros. "Let me guess, Kami wanted you to watch over me watching this brat?" Seeing a nod from the angel, Naruto rubs his temple in annoyance. Man, that girl was going to be the death of him one of these days.
Recovering from his daze at the mention of Kami once again, Ichigo notices that the sun is almost already fully set much to his nuisance.
"Damn it, I really don't have time for this. If I don't hurry now, I'm going to be late for training!" He explains while dashing past the two without explaining further. Sure, an angel falling out of the sky was something important, but the boy's priorities were focused on getting stronger so he could save his precious friend. If that meant ignoring the pink haired angel in favor of getting to his destination, then damn it he will.
"Training? Hell yes, now we're talking, Strawberry!" Naruto fist pumps the air in joy. Ignoring the yell from Ichigo about how his name is not strawberry, Naruto digs into his pocket and pulls out a bag of chips.
Watching the boy eat the bag of chips, Ikaros wonders why he has not gone after the funny haired looking boy. Still, that bag of chips did look pretty good…
"Huh, you want some, Ikaros?" Naruto asks innocently after noticing the angel practically eyeing the bag of chips the entire time. Seeing a nod, he hands them over to her to which she begins to carefully eat them. Raising an eyebrow at this, he ignores it and decides that he should probably catch up to the boy. "Okay, Ikaros, it's about time we get down to business and see what this world really has to offer." He says while nodding and running in the direction Ichigo had run off to.
Seeing the boy disappearing, Ikaros quickly follows suit and soars into the sky once more to follow him easily from the skies.
"Hey, Mr. Hat-and-Clogs, I'm here." The spikey haired teen yelled out in front of the store.
"…" Several more seconds passed before another tick-mark formed on Ichigo's forehead.
"Hey, I know you're in there! Stop being an idiot and open the door!"
"Yeah, yeah here I come." An older voice answered back. After a few more moments, the door finally opened revealing a tall, lean-built man with light skin and gray eyes. What stood out most about the man was his dark green and white bucket hat. He was currently sporting a dark coat, with a white diamond pattern along its bottom half, and a dark green shirt and pants underneath.
Seeing the boy, the man takes out his fan and begins waving it whilst covering his face.
"Hello there, kid! Welcome to Urahara Shop! How can I be of service, child?" The eccentric man said in a teasing manner. This form of mockery made the teen's eyebrows twitch with exasperation.
"You can drop the welcoming act. You're not fooling anyone, that definitely includes me!"
Mr. Urahara laughs at this, and puts down his fan in a giving up manner. "Okay, okay you got me. But Ichigo, from the way you talked last night, I never would have thought you to be late ever." Putting his right hand to his mouth, he gapes at the boy with mock surprise. "Could it be you're having second thoughts? Or perhaps, you're not interested in Rukia anymore? Oh my, how scandalous, Ichigo, even for you." The man cooed. However, before Ichigo could yell at the man for being such an idiot, he silences the boy with a humorless look. "Besides, would you mind telling me why there are two unknown people hiding behind you?" He asks while pointing in a certain direction behind Ichigo. Eyes widening, Ichigo turns and follows the man's finger and sees the two people from earlier walking from behind a wall. The girl, now was back to normal-normal being she had no wings this time.
"Damn, how did he know they were even there?" Ichigo questions to himself while gazing back at the man. The more time he spent with the man, the more he would never cease to amaze him. It was a grudging respect at best, but it was still respect for the man.
Naruto was still deciphering on how the man was able to find them out, "How the hell did the man know we were there? Unless, he can read-"
"That boy, his Reiatsu (spiritual pressure) is incredible." An awestruck Urahara observes. Returning his attention back to the teen, he shakes his head in thought. "He might even have more than Ichigo's…" He trails off in thought, "This begs the question, who is this boy?"
Feeling the hard gaze coming from the man, Naruto shifts his weight with uneasiness. Yeah, that man could definitely sense his chakra.
"Uh, Mr. Urahara, these are my… friends." Ichigo forcibly stated much to his reluctance of even accepting that notion.
Hiding his face behind his fan again, the shopkeeper stays silent for several tense seconds. Finally, the man puts down the fan again, and this time, he is smiling like a jovial kid.
"It's very nice to meet you two. Can I offer you some candy?" He offers excitedly much to Naruto's disbelief and caution.
"What is up with this man? Why is he treating us like guests? It was pretty obvious that he was studying us and knows that there's something different about us compared to normal humans…"
"Candy? What is candy?" Ikaros replies back genuinely.
"Wha-what? You mean, you've never had candy before?" Seeing her shake her head, the man rushes up to the girl, and grips her hand while starting to cry. "You poor lady. To have been denied something so great, so tasty, I must right this wrong!" The man exclaims passionately while the girl continues to watch the crazy man with a puzzled stare. "Now just stay right there and I'l-gah, let go of my ear, Ichigo!" The man was currently being dragged inside the shop by the spikey haired teen that was now grasping the man's right ear and scowling at the whole situation.
Naruto couldn't help but be reminded of his old sensei. "Ouch, it still hurts..." The boy mentally chuckles sadly at the sentimental thought.
"Shut up, old man. We need to have a quick chat." Glancing at the two people still awkwardly standing in place, Ichigo tells them that he needs to have a very quick discussion with the shopkeeper. Seeing the two of them nod their heads, he enters the shop with the man in tow.
After they closed the door, and he was sure that they weren't being eavesdropped on, does he let go of the man's ear. Rubbing it for comfort, Urahara pouts to him how he could've ripped it off.
"So, do you know who they are? Or, more importantly, what they are?" Quitting his façade, the man leans over to a nearby window and watches the two interacting with each other. The blonde-haired was currently scolding the girl for some reason. Apparently it had to with something she had done earlier since he could see no wrong.
"Since you don't actually know them, and both of us have never met them. My first guess would be that they're shinigami's. However…" He trails whilst still watching them. "I don't get that vibe from them."
"Yeah, same here- especially the blonde haired boy. He said something about him being a guardian angel or something and that he was tasked by Kami to watch over me." Ichigo explained while scratching his head in disbelief.
A flicker of surprise crossed the man's feature for a mere second before he hid it was a stoic look. "Kami, huh?" He mumbles mostly to himself. "I wonder…"
"Yeah, kinda stalkerish isn't?" The orange haired boy continued, now totally lost in thoughts.
"Ichigo, these two people are here to help you." Kisuke states much to the now shocked teen.
"Wha-Now wait just a damn minute! You sound exactly just like that blonde haired brat!" He points accusingly at the man. "Do you know these two people or what?"
Closing his eyes, the man shakes his head. "No, I don't. In fact, I have never met these people in my entire life."
"So, then, why-"
"Because their boss is a valuable customer of course! As a shopkeeper and a man who loves the pleasures money brings, I could never forget a person like that!" Kisuke announces cheerfully with a large smile. Ichigo face-faults at the lighthearted explanation much to his ire.
"So then, who the hell is the boss?" Ichigo demands while waving his fist at the man.
"Nu uh, I can't tell you." He shakes his finger sternly at the boy.
"And why the hell not?"
"Customer privacy." He chuckles.
"I give up." The boy groans while exhaling. Looking back at the two people standing outside, he sighs and moves toward the door. "Well, from what you said and what I've seen from them, they're harmless." Getting a nod from the shopkeeper, he opens the door and waves them in. After they walk in, Kisuke Urahara leads them to the back of the store and lifts up a panel. Underneath it, is a ladder that leads directly down into what looks to be a bottomless pit.
"Nope, I'm not going down that to who knows where." Naruto commented nervously.
"Huh, and here I thought you were a tough guy." Ichigo smirks while beginning to descend.
"Says the kid who complained his tummy was hurting."
"Shut up, you said the same thing!"
"At least I didn't say it first."
"What difference does that even make?"
"All of it."
"Yeah, well at least I'm not-"
"And we're climbing, people. And we're climbing…" Kisuke interrupted the two's banter. He had successfully positioned Naruto while he was arguing with the teen into the hole much to the boy's now terrified look and surprise.
"Sneaky bastard. I have to remember to keep an eye on this guy." Naruto warned to himself. Realizing the position he was in, he had no choice but to climb down.
When they got all the way down, all three people gasped at what they saw.
"Holy shit, it's an enormous underground training ground!" Naruto thought with amazement.
"Where the hell are we?" Ichigo tried to reason.
"I'm so freakin awesome." Kisuke complimented to himself with no shame.
Once they got to the bottom, they met up with the three other people who worked with the shopkeeper. Subtly, Kisuke gave them a silent signal that indicated to them that now wasn't the time for questions and that the two new guests were not dangerous, not yet anyways. Getting a nod from all three of them, he steps forward in front of all of them.
"No way, this place is amazing! Who would have thought there would be a subterranean training ground underneath my store the entire time?" The shopkeeper hollered with fake shock and awe.
"Oh quit the acting, you knew this place was down here the whole entire time. Still, I will admit it's pretty impressive." Ichigo admitted back impassively.
"Impressive? This place is freakin awesome!" Naruto cried out with joy and stars in his eyes. "Crazy hat dude, how were you able to make this place?"
Shaking his head, the man turns away with a grin adorning his face. "Sorry, but I can't tell you. It's a trade secret."
"Hmph, you and your secrets, Mr. Urahara." Ichigo mutters disdainfully.
Looking back at them, namely Ichigo, the man's joking look immediately turns into a serious one.
"Alrighty then, are you ready to begin step 1 in your training process, Ichigo?" He asks to him directly.
"Huh, step 1? What the hell is step 1?" Ichigo questioned the mischievous man.
Smirking, he lifts his hat up so his eyes are showing and peers directly at the teen. "Why, to get your shinigami powers back of course."
~Omake~
Adventures with Ikaros Part 1:
"Mmm mmmm mm," Kami hummed while tending to her divine garden. She had been so busy taking care of it that day that she had sent her personal assistant to do her daily tasks and other simple duties that she personally told her to do.
"I wonder where she is now..." She thought out loud. The chores she listed on the to-do-list for the angel stretched for miles. Because of this, she knew the angel would not be done with her day's work for quite some time. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if it took her a whole week to fin-
"Master, I have returned."
-ish all her tasks.
"Ikaros, how are you back already? Have you finished everything that was on the list?"
"Yes, master, I have finished everything that was on the list that you instructed me to do." She replied back with her usual monotone voice.
"That's impossible! It would have at least taken me a whole day- A. Whole. Freakin. Day! And I'm Kami for freaks sakes!" She thought with dread quickly creeping up on her.
"Really, Ikaros? You did EVERYTHING on the list?" Kami emphasized. She was getting really nervous about the situation.
"Master, I did everything you requested, even that last second request you shouted to me while I was leaving to do what was on the list."
"Last second request? When? What? Who? Where?" She furiously racked her memory for that specific moment in the past. "Dammit, lives are a stake here! Remember, dammit!"
And in that moment, the hands of death descended upon our goddess's heart when she realized the potential mistake. Craning her head mechanically back to the oblivious angel, she stared at her with her eyes wide-open and mouth agape.
"Ikaros, dear, did you happen to water the plants?" Watching the angel go into deep thought, Kami did the one thing she had never had to do during her entire, infinite existence, and that was to pray. To whom, it didn't really matter at this point. It could've been Chuck Norris for all we know, as long as they answered her prayer, she would take anything.
"If you mean the planet, then yes, I did." Ikaros finally answered back stoically.
"…"
"Master, are you alright?" She asked worriedly, noticing her master's face was turning a deathly pale color.
"Heh hehehehe, no wonder she got done so fast. There wasn't anything left to do because it was all washed away." She cried mentally to herself.
"Ikaros, I meant that I wanted you to water the plant, Itea (Genus of about 10 species of shrubs and trees)…"
"… Shall I water the plant, Itea, now?"
"No, Ikaros, it's too late for that now!" Kami yelled while pulling out her hair.
"I'm sorry master, I have failed you."
Looking back at her, she sighed before patting Ikaros on the head. "It's okay. It's my fault for having you do all those things." The angel's eyes go wide at her master's sympathy and she smiles with her eyes from the happiness she feels for having a great master. "I'm just going out on a limb here, but, how much water did you give to the planet?"
"…"
"Ikaros…"
"…"
"IKAROS!"
"I was taught by you that to know when to stop watering a plant, you had to wait until the soil started leaking out water and that indicated for you to stop watering."
"… Oh dear."
And that is how the biblical flood came to pass…
Yeah, I added Ikaros from Heaven's Lost Property since I thought she would fit in well into the story. How? Well you'll just have to keep reading. As for how powerful Naruto is right now? Probably a low captain since he's getting readjusted to his new world and new shinigami abilities. If you haven't noticed already, this story will start off during the beginning of the Soul Society: Sneak Entry Arc. Well, if you have any questions, I'll be sure to answer them in the next chapter. Until next time, ciao!
