Disclaimer: I have no chance of owning Bleach. On the other hand I know I could easily control bleach in short order. A poor substitute, but don't harsh on my dreaming. Man has to start somewhere.
This is my take on a severely underappreciated character in the Bleach continuity. I seek to address this wrong and cast him in a new light. Hope ya enjoy.
Calamity
A slight breeze played with golden leaves on its path through a secluded park. A tall gangly man strolled arm in arm with a petite woman who was just beginning to show her pregnancy. Two adorable young girls were chasing each other across the viridian grass, shrieking in laughter.
Turning to his raven haired wife, Don Kanonji considered her for a moment. As always he was in awe of the beautiful creature who agreed to marry her, even after these seven wonderful years. Fiery and outspoken, Hikari loved live with a passion. She had given him the wonderful gift of two daughters, Maiko and Aimi, who quickly stole their dorky father's heart. Now he was about to have a son. A son who he could call his own.
Life was just as good at his job. The brand of clothing his young daughters loved to see their papa strutting about in was being bid on by two extremely well known fashion tycoons, both of whom were eager to incorporate the outlandish clothes into their lines.
Staring into the radiant sunset, Kanonji turned to his wife again.
"You know I always love you right?"
Shaking her head at her fretting husband, Hikari smiled.
"Always dear. Ever since you made up a 17 page song about my eyes, and how they were comparable to the ocean."
Looking sheepish at that fiasco's mention, he quickly shouted to his two little gallivanting women.
"Want dango in just a little bit?"
Cries of delight shattered the air as the inseparable duo tackled their bony father. Shaking in laughter he looked down at his children who had decided to attach themselves to his legs.
"In just a bit I said. Not yet."
"But Papa!"
"Maiko, patience is a virtue."
"You don't say that when Mama is making dinner…"
Suitably chastened by his insightful young child, Kanonji smiled before considering his watch, the only 'normal' item he was wearing.
"Alright alright, five minutes then."
Cheering, both girls hugged him tight before dashing off to play again. Shaking his head at the antics they had just used on him, Don Kanonji relaxed. Life couldn't get better than this. Fate was destined to cruelly agree with him, in the form of yellow eyes surveying the near empty park.
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The Hollow was being extremely patient. After all, that was part of its sole method of attack, which ensured success, and as such it had perfected the art of stealth. Not even a hint of Reiatsu slipped free of its control. That degree of precision had allowed it to survive and even thrive despite Hueco Mundo's dog-eat-dog hierarchy. 127 human souls and 4 Shinigami had fallen victim to the soul eater and these humans it was stalking were standard fare with one exception.
A potent spiritual energy emanated from one male man standing alongside a woman who carried life within her. He practically oozed power the Hollow had never seen outside of a Shinigami Lieutenant that had ripped effortlessly through an entire Hollow hunting pack. Power such as his was rare and even rarer still was energy that unprotected. Better still was that the power was dormant, and not controlled by this man. It would feast well tonight on their souls.
Now, it needed to distract the lanky man to ensure an unhindered sneak attack. Not that the human could present any challenge anyways. Choosing one of his companions to attack should guarantee to grab his attention. Ah, the youngest human, a female child currently chasing a butterfly would definitely prey on his protective side. She would be the first.
Unsheathing a long, bladed claw, the invisible horror stalked towards the unsuspecting child.
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Staring at the idyllic scene before him, Don Kanonji's attention was dragged to witness a gut-wrenching scene that haunted him forever after. Aimi, his youngest daughter, who laughed at everything and loved to dance wherever she went, was falling ever so slowly towards the lush ground. Red tears misted through the still evening air, painting blooming flowers a deep crimson beneath his little girl. Her petite body finally crumpled into an agonizingly still heap, and time unfroze for Kanonji.
Maiko's piercing shrieks washed over him as he raced towards Aimi's form, desperation and shock washing across his unprepared soul. Panic rushed through his veins as she didn't stir or even respond to his touch. Rolling her small figure over his mind caught only one sight before the terror set in.
'So much red…'
Trying desperately to figure out how he could help his daughter, Don Kanonji never saw the rippling form rise up behind him. So caught up in the forlorn situation of his precious daughter, he never had any warning before agonizing pain blasted through his being.
Dropping to his prone daughter's side Kanonji's mind reeled in the torment emanating from his back.
'Where...How…wha…'
Distant cries ringing in his ears, he felt the dark tide of unconsciousness rise. Desperation provided welcome strength as Don Kanonji fought against the unknowing stupor, knowing instinctually to fall prey to it was a death sentence not only for him but for his entire family.
'They need…me…their...pro...tect...or.'
Head reeling in blinding anguish he sat up, pained cry escaping between his lips. What greeted his swimming vision nearly sent him directly into unconsciousness with its sheer monstrosity. The reason Maiko's cries had ceased shimmered behind her arched form. He swore the rippling form turned towards him, as if it was alive. Unbidden, thoughts of tales he heard from his grandmother about bad spirits rose to the forefront of his mind. Spirits that preyed on humans, malicious beings which haunted the edges of civilization.
Soul Eaters.
The second of his daughters, his headstrong Maiko, crumpled onto the now stained grass. Sorrow filled his heart to the breaking point, while a small part of him grew enraged at the creature, no, the shape, his clan claimed to "forever had dealt with". Something that didn't exist outside of stories.
Any doubts Don Kanonji had about Soul Eater's existence vanished like morning dew when he saw a cruel parody of an ivory mask resolve into being from the shimmer. Yellow eyes burning with an obscene hunger bored into his own, promising despair and a tortuous end to his puny existence. Gasping, Kanonji realized with dread that he was not this spirit's next target. Dazed and weeping Hikari was.
Shooting what could only be a smug gaze towards him, the spirit seemed to challenge him. His guess proved correct when a low voice that conjured to his mind slithering scales rasping across rough stone.
"Care to race, human?"
Desperate fear for his wife and unborn child erupted, and without a second thought he threw himself towards Hikari. Dread provided unknown reserves of strength as he sprinted to his wife. Looking over to tell where the monster was, the young husband realized an alarming fact. There was no trace of it, not even a slight glimmer in the hushed air.
Without any warning his desperate flight towards his wife was interrupted scant meters from her as he stumbled over an obstacle that had not been there moments before. Going down in a tangle of long limbs, Kanonji scrambled to get to his feet only to notice where the Soul Eater had appeared at.
Leering with undisguised glee, the spirit leaned over Hikari who was ignorant of the danger above her. Spotting the ashen terror on her husband's face she tilted her tear-streaked face in bewilderment.
"What is it Don?"
Raising a shaky finger, Kanonji pointed directly behind her.
"It's behind yo…"
Tilting its mask mockingly, the Soul Eater berated the terrified husband patronizingly.
"That wasn't part of the game, human. You'll have to pay for that."
Insane grin pasted across the hideous mask, the spirit raised a dripping scythe-shaped talon preparing to strike as Hikari spoke one last time, still unaware of the Soul Eater behind her.
"Do…"
With a rush of air, Don Kanonji witnessed the final and most soul-crushing of that day's calamities. Bile rising in his throat, he turned quickly to the side and vomited from horrifying sight he had been forced to witness.
Weeping in outrage and heartbreak, a singsong voice addressed him, breaking through the haze of pain.
"Shame you didn't play by the rules."
Rising above the devastated man's back, the Soul Eater insulted him once more.
"Give them all my compliments when you see them next. They truly were superb…prey. "
Those words wrought an instant change within Kanonji's mind. Molten rage flared within his soul and a boundless desire flashed into existence, a need to destroy the foul creature desecrating his beloved family's deaths. Part of his soul, locked deep beneath layers of memory and time, woke from its lifelong slumber at its master's dire summons.
Rage and a euphoric rush of power filled Kanonji. Screaming a hoarse warcry, the bereaved husband reached behind him, grasping onto the ghoulish mask. Not giving the monster any time to react, Kanonji yanked forward with all his might, dragging the screaming being down to the grass. Face-to-face with the Soul Eater, Don Kanonji felt a primal instinct take over. Baring his gleaming teeth at the now thoroughly terrified spirit, he spoke to it for the first time.
"Time to die, bad spirit."
Hand locked into an outstretched wedge, Kanonji stuck his entire forearm deep into the eye slot of the creature's mask. Screeching in agony, the ancient enemy of souls tried in vain to escape the furious man. Holding tightly onto his tormentor's false face, Don Kanonji drew back his hand, brutally clawing the insides of the Soul Eater while doing so.
Standing above its thrashing form he noticed a foreign feeling pulsing in his ichor-slicked palm. A burning sense of energy waiting to be released, turning infinitely in upon itself. Acting on impulse, Kanonji cupped both palms around the seething area while pushing from deep within him. With a teeth-grating wail a brilliant azure ball coalesced from the air itself, spinning madly in the confines of his bloodstained hands.
Gazing down at the Soul Eater, who fearfully looked at the shrieking object, Kanonji felt grim vindication as he kneeled before the being. Ignoring the searing pain from his back, he whispered to the monster.
"This is for my wife, my daughters, and my unborn son, Soul Eater."
At that, he opened his hands beneath the ivory mask, releasing the incandescent orb. With a thunderous whine reminiscent of a jet engine, the orb disintegrated into a blinding flare arching into the darkening air. Any final sound the cursed soul could have made were drowned by the release of Kanonji's unknown power. Even as sound returned to the evening air the Soul Eater's body disintegrated into the air, purified by the unassuming fashion designer.
Swaying from the horrendous blood loss and gut-wrenching sight assailing him at every turn, he managed the energy to make it to his fallen wife's side before unconscious exercised its long overdue claim. Deep within his blissfully unaware slumber, the gangly man could not see the jade mask looming over him, nor hear the sentence uttered to his limp form.
"Time to come home."
Just something that was kicking around my mind and archives. Just felt like kicking something out now that I'm stuck here with mono and missing my ship date. Argh gotta look for the silver lining so thank you for reading yet another of my tales. Have a wonderful day and anybody is welcome to review for they often provide me with inspiration or what flaws exist in my writing. Thanks again for reading, MysticalFett over and out.