Summary: What is worst? Losing your heart or letting your beloved ones lose their very souls? A heartless soul may be not so heartless. The place where the heart resides may be not within. To protect the heart, would you be willing to risk your soul? Ulquiorra, Orihime, Karin, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Grimmjow.
Disclaimer: Since I am not J.K. Rowling or Tite Kubo I am perfectly fine to assume that I do not own Harry Potter books, characters, events or anything related; same goes for Bleach. But if you happened to think otherwise… go seek mental help. Please.
I'm Spanish speaker, so, if you detected any error in grammar or spelling, be a sweetheart and point it out to me; help me improve, people! And since I'm more familiarized with Harry Potter books in Spanish and Bleach Spanish subbed I will appreciate if I mess up with the terms and you notify me, so I can make the pertinent corrections. I'm consulting wikias and HP-lexicon while writing this story, so I hope there would be not too much mistakes.
Since I wasn't able to come with a better title, I decided to call my fic Kingdom Heartless, because I love Kingdom Hearts, even if I haven't been able to finish a game (I blame the tendency of my electronics to die and not my procrastination and lack of ability for this); the story is in no other way related to Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios creation (should this have been in the disclaimer?).
I'm gonna make some major changes to the book I'll be focusing on and the books after that (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and up); this is because there will be Bleach characters in the story and those changes have to happen because they are going to be there and do stuff; also, this is fanfiction, and I can do it happen in my story if I want to (XD); if something that happens in the book remains the same I will only mention it briefly or not mention it at all, because I still can't decide if my principal Capital Sin is sloth, pride or wrath… let's set it between sloth and pride: wrath is a pride derivation in my case (go check the 4th book for the first ten chapters, 'cause I'm starting the story in the Hogwarts Express).
What else should I say before starting…? Well, I support Ulquihime and HitsuKarin mainly, so expected them; others shippings perhaps (you ask, I'll see what I can do), just get in mind this isn't Noah's Ark or a matchmaker show and therefore I will not be focusing on getting dates for every character (I have already made that mistake in a previous fic… lesson learned… well). There would be cameos from a few characters from various animes, shows, books, whatever; most of them are not that important (they are just for fun and because I'm a huge Bleedman fan), but a few are primordial, so pay attention. I'll try to handle this story as similar as hollowly (or humanly, or shinigamily, or wizardly, depends on whatever you are) possible to the books and the anime (haven't read manga… shame on me; I'm trying to redeem myself as you read this). I'll welcome constructive criticism (if you just like to critic to feel better about yourself, restrain…), send your suggestions (if they fit the general idea/sketch I have for the fic and I like them I will use them, giving you your rightful credit, of course; maybe even a cameo!, if you like that).
There was supposed to be two prequels to this fic but I think it would be better if I add those to the current story as flashbacks, mentions, etc. Don't worry; every doubt would be handled with time.
Attacks, spells, Japanese and Spanish in cursive; translations and clarifications at the end of the chapter.
I don't like long Author's Notes; therefore, this will be the only one, unless I got something important to say. I will be answering reviews personally by PM (to clarify doubts, give explanations, share cookies recipes…); if I think some question or anything you say should be share with others readers, then I will post it on the next chapter update or in my deviant account as a diary entry if I think it is too spoilerish (link will be provided); that way you can chose if you want to read it or not. If you review with a "Good story", "Bad story", "I love Ichigo", "Cookies!", or "Where am I? Who am I?" review, don't expect a reply: I'm too lazy.
And finally, thank you for reading this fic.
Kingdom Heartless.
Chapter One.
El Trenecito Rojo Lleno de Gente Muerta.
Ichigo finished stowing his sisters' luggage just as the train hissed loudly and began to move. He took sit beside Yuzu with a hearty sigh…
And Rukia hit him in the stomach with a rather heavy trunk.
"Oi, Ichigo! You haven't stored my luggage yet!" complained the smallest shinigami in the compartment.
"Mine neither," Renji stated with a smirk, launching his trunk into the Substitute Shinigami's belly.
"Would you help me with my suitcase too, Kurosaki-kun?" asked Orihime cheerfully.
"Why doesn't Ulquiorra do it?!" Ichigo threw Rukia and Renji's trunks away while sending daggers to the both of them.
"Here is mine, Kurosaki. Be careful; there are valuable things in there," Ishida instructed, presenting Kurosaki a heavy suitcase.
"Do it yourself!"
"Ichigo…"
"Not you too, Chad…" The Substitute Shinigami groaned.
"Teh-he… winner…"
"SHUT UP, KITTEN!"
"Who the hell are you calling 'Kitten', Bastard?" Grimmjow jumped forward, ready to fight.
"Onii-chan! Don't fight!"
"What problem do you two have with kittens, ne?" The black cat asked gloomily.
"If you are gonna fight do it outside," ordered Rukia, hitting the two rivals on the head.
"WE ARE ON A TRAIN!" Ichigo shouted.
"So?"
Karin sighed deeply and took out a book.
That promised to be such a nice trip with the Kurosaki siblings, Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji, Inoue Orihime, Ulquiorra Cifer, Ishida Uryuu, Sado Yasutora, Grimmjow Jaggerjaquez and Shihoin Yoruichi sharing a train compartment.
-o-o-o-
Draco Malfoy, bored from the tranquil travel and done gloating with his friends and followers (at least for the present time) was wandering the train, escorted by two apes known as Crabbe and Goyle, looking for something to do, or (more accurately) someone to torment. While looking into one of the many compartments in the train he saw a rather interesting group of persons that caught his attention immediately; a bunch of teens and three young girls dressed in regular muggle clothes. Seeing teens and young girls in the Hogwarts Express wasn´t that extraordinary since the train was full with students, but due to the teens ages (must be around 16 or 17, maybe even 18…), the fact that he hadn't seen them previously in his three years at the Witchcraft and Wizarding School and some interesting news he had heard from his father that summer, the event demanded further investigation.
So he threw the door open and invited himself in.
"Who are you?" the boy demanded to know. "I haven't seen you before."
"It's quite rude to ask someone's names without introducing yourself first," Uryuu stated while pushing up his glasses.
Malfoy's cheeks turned a rosey color. He was about to respond with a nasty come-back before thinking it carefully and closing his mouth slowly.
"Draco Malfoy," the wizard announced giving the Quincy a calculating look. "These are Crabbe and Goyle."
"Ishida Uryuu," answered the aforesaid bowing his head slightly.
"My name is Kurosaki Yuzu; these are my brother Ichigo and my sister Karin," introduced the brunette kid with the black cat resting on her lap, pointing at the dark-haired, bored looking girl at her side and the orange-haired, frowning teen sitting on the floor in front of her.
"I am Inoue Orihime," the red haired beauty chirped from her seat before indicating at the boy whose hand was intertwined with her own while his eyes were focused in the world outside the window, uncaring to the events within the compartment. "And this is Ulquiorra Cifer."
"Kuchiki Rukia, pleased to meet you," announced cheerfully the extremely short dark-haired girl with her foot resting on… a lion plushie?
One by one, the occupants of the compartment introduced themselves; until it was the Sexta´s turn, that's it.
"Tche. Why should I say my name to this shitty pipsqueak?" Grimmjow, arms resting under his head, smirked from his place across the floor.
"Shitty… Pipsqueak…" Draco repeated quietly, as to making sure he had just heard that: his cheeks turn a redder tone than before and his hands closed into trembling fists.
"This idiot is Grimmjow; don't mind him; he's harmless once you give him a bowl of milk and a yarn ball," Ichigo stated nonchalant.
"Indeed." Ulquiorra agreed without turning around.
"Just because I don't have a reason to kill you, doesn't mean I won't go with it," Grimmjow spitted, sitting straight. "As a matter of fact: I DO have a lot of reasons to kill you, SO SHUT YOUR TRAP HOLES, BASTARDS!"
"Whatever you say… Kitty."
"THAT'S IT, CARROT-TOP!"
Thanks to Chad's quick reflexes, Grimmjow was restrained just in time to prevent him launching himself against the carrot-top, who was being held down to the ground by pineapple-top.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing, moron?" Carrot-top shouted indignant.
"Keeping you from attacking Kitten, what else?" explained Pineapple-top, not letting loose.
"DO YOU WANNA DIE TOO?!" The blue-haired cat howled.
"Do you really think I'm gonna fight a psycho killer with my sisters here?!" demanded Ichigo.
"… No…?" answered Renji.
"Then release me, you dumb-ass!"
"But you are moronic enough to provoke a psycho killer with your sisters present," pinpointed Ishida.
"…" Ichigo sweat dropped. "Okay… I'm gonna shut up from now on."
Rukia looked at them, rolled her eyes and huffed. "Idiots…"
Malfoy observed the scene development warily, not knowing what to think of these guys. At his back, Crabbe and Goyle recoiled.
Deciding to not let the loonies intimidate him, Malfoy cleared his throat and said: "I hadn't seen you in Hogwarts before…"
"More likely because we have not been in Hogwarts before," answered Uryuu. "We are exchange students from Japan. We are here to learn the Occidental conventions and magic."
Malfoy sent him a calculating look. "Would you happen to be the Grim Reapers?" he asked slowly, casually; however, Grimmjow's reaction made him step backwards, stomping into Goyle.
"SAY THAT AGAIN!" shouted the feline hollow, murder clear in his eyes.
"I feel rather insulted," Ishida glared at the wizard coldly. "I demand you to apologize."
"Grim Reapers?" Ichigo asked.
"That's English for Shinigami, Moron," Rukia explained.
"Hey! I'm not a moron!" Ichigo protested. "And you don't have to act so offended just because someone called you Shinigami!" He said to his non-shinigami companions.
"Yes, we have," Ulquiorra informed him.
"You are offended too?!"
The argument quickly escalated to epic proportions, being its main actors the Quincy, the Sexta Espada and the Substitute Shinigami. Draco decided it was better to withdraw, and so he exited the compartment, listening to the commotion inside and speeding up at the shout of 'Hey! The pipsqueak didn't apologize!', followed closely by his two cronies.
-o-o-o-
The bright red express rattled in the rails swiftly. A heavy rain pitter pattered against the train; the glasses were foggy, allowing Orihime and Yuzu to get engaged in a Tic-Tac-Toe match on the window. Rukia and Renji followed intently the development of the match, cheering every time a move was made. Ulquiorra was just sitting there, listening to the mp3 device Orihime had insisted in giving him a while ago. Uryuu was sewing. Chad and Karin had gone for a walk. Grimmjow was crounched on the floor, soundly napping. And Yoruichi was making herself comfortable on top of Ichigo's head.
The compartment door slide open, revealing a chubby woman, pushing a cart full of threats.
"Do you want anything from the trolley, dears?" asked the woman warmly.
"Oh, yes, please!" Orihime jumped excited from her seat (walking unaware over Grimmjow's stomach in her haste) and rushed to the witch.
"What are these?" She questioned, pointing at a red bag.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans," explained the woman sweetly.
"Every Flavour? Does it have chocolate, mayonnaise, red bean and sardine?" Orihime's eyes sparkled as she mentioned those… tastes.
Ichigo massaged his temples.
"Of course, Sweetie."
"WHAT?!" The Substitute Shinigami's jaw almost hit the floor.
"Great! I'll have them! What are those?" She asked, pointing to the next item in the trolley.
Fifteen minutes later, the cart strolling away, Orihime was busy trying to convince Ulquiorra to eat a chocolate frog that actually jumped!, while Rukia was complaining about the candy manufacturer's discrimination against rabbits to a scorning Ichigo.
-o-o-o-
So far, it had been a nice trip in Hogwarts Express for The-Boy-Who-Lived; Harry and Ron had been talking about the Quidditch World Cup with Dean, Seamus and Neville, while Hermione ignored them, trying to memorize the text books before the term had began… Until Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, had intruded their compartment and started to mock them, mainly Ron's family and new robe…
"Hey, Malfoy," Fred greeted cheerfully from the hallway, sticking his head through the door. "So nice to see you!"
"Yeah! We were dying to ask you something…" George nodded by his twin's side with a bright smile.
"What exactly did you say to the Grim Reapers? We want to know so we don't make the same idiot mistake…"
"They seem really pissed off; EXTREMELY PISSED OFF, I TELL YOU!" declared George dramatically.
Draco paled visibly while Crabbe and Goyle exchanged a worried glance and stepped apart from him.
"Why should I care?" Malfoy asked trying to feign indifference, but his voice had a small tremble in it. His throat had become dry in just a second and his hands too sweaty. His gray eyes wandered to the hallway, in the direction of the Shinigamis' compartment.
"Are you stupid? –Why am I asking?- They are Grim Reapers for Merlin's sake!" stated Fred matter-of-factly. "If half what I've heard about them is true, I wouldn't dare to look them at the eyes… even less to insult them in their faces!"
"They are not Grim Reapers…" Malfoy muttered quietly, swallowing a knock in his throat, before storming out of the compartment. Crabbe and Goyle exchanged a quick glance before following suit.
"Is it true?" asked Seamus with wide eyes. "There are Grim Reapers in the train? I thought it was a joke!"
"You thought wrong," George smirked as he entered the compartment. "We just saw them."
"They are really young… and pretty in some cases," Fred informed with a flirty smile.
Ron huffed and rolled his eyes. "You are kidding."
"Like my colleague here told Malfoy: we wouldn't dare to joke about them," informed George. "We are not suicidal, not like Malfoy, at least…"
"Apparently, Hogwarts is hosting many exchange students from Japan and some of them happen to be Grim Reapers," informed Fred.
"Seriously? Grim Reapers?" Hermione questioned; her eyes shone and her lips curved in the way they did when Professor MacGonagall was teaching something rather difficult.
"Grim Reapers?" Harry questioned confused. "You mean Death?"
"No. Grim Reapers are wizards." Hermione waved her hand in dismiss. "Muggle culture uses them as personifications of Death, but they are wizards, none the less." She then turned back to the twins. "How do they look like?"
"Like any other human," Fred shrugged. "Honestly, I was expecting them to be Snape's look alike, but they seem pretty normal; ones more than others, but still…"
Neville shivered and recoiled to the closest wall.
"Someone cares to explain what is so special about Grim Reapers?" said Harry, earning an approval nod from Dean, who seemed as lost as he was.
"They are necromancers," Ron said. "You know… Really Dark Art related to the control of Death. They have some kind of Army; they choose powerful wizards and recruit them."
"Well, they do use some kind of necromancy…" Hermione nodded slowly. "But the most important thing is that they perform powerful magic wandlessly and…"
"Let me tell the rest, Hermione! Grim Reapers are demons slaughters," Fred explained. "They hunt the demons the Death Eaters took their name from; these are kinda like thestrals; you can't see them if you haven't seen Death before. They are supposed to have white-boned liked heads -like they are using masks or something- and attack both muggles and wizards to eat their souls and regular magic doesn't affect them."
"Let's say they are like Dementors mean big brothers," said George.
"…I thought Dementors were Dementors' mean Big Brothers," Harry stated.
"Well, take us as example: we are Ron's mean big brothers…" George explained.
"But Percy is his big brother too," finished Fred.
"As sad as it sounds."
"…What are Thestrals?"
"Mutants breeds between a horse and a lizard that you can't see if you haven't seen someone kick off the bucket."
"…Okay…"
Ron leaned over his seat, frowning at the ceiling.
"The Ministry asked them for help back when You-Know-Who was in power;" he said darkly. "Who better than Grim Reapers to fight Death Eaters, right? I mean, they fight the real thing! Well, Grim Reapers refused and stated that they were not going to get involve in wizards' problems!"
"They didn't help him either, Ron," Hermione reminded the boy, but he just ignored her.
"Most people think that, if Grim Reapers had helped fighting him, we might have defeated him within days," George explained calmly.
"Just imagine how many people would have been alive now!" exclaimed Ron with anger.
His brothers sighed. "Some wizards still take it too personal…"
Harry's stomach flinched as questions began to rush into his head… Would his parents might be alive if the Grim Reapers had helped fighting Voldemort? Would Sirius be a wanted criminal? Would Harry himself have a lightning scar on his forehead…?
"Why didn't they help?" Harry asked quietly.
"They are not supposed to get involved into wizards' issues," George shrugged.
"But they are now," Ron muttered grumpily.
"However," Fred kept on, ignoring his younger brother's outburst, "Dad says wizards shouldn't blame Grim Reapers; they have his hands full with their demons and have never ask us to help them."
"If Grim Reapers didn't handle those demons, You-Know-Who would have been the last of our troubles…" George nodded. "Just imagine a bunch of invisible soul-eater demons with immunity to magic roaming freely everywhere… I mean, Dementors, you can fight those, but real Death Eaters…"
"Not a nice perspective," Fred shook his head.
"Nope. Not nice at all."
There was a short pause while they all registered the information.
"There are Quincies also," Fred commented.
"And it seems they hate being compared to Grim Reapers." George added mischievously. "That's why Malfoy had such urgency to go hide in the toilet…"
"I thought they were extinct!" Hermione gaped.
"I thought they were a story!" Ron exclaimed
"What you mean?" Harry asked annoyed by the previous pattern repetition.
"Quincies were extremely powerful wizards, able to manipulate magical particles into solid objects. Grim Reapers has supposedly exterminated them two centuries ago," Hermione explained. She then turned to the Weasley twins. "Are you sure they are Quincies?"
"At least that is what one of them was screaming," Fred nodded.
"Was he fighting with the Grim Reapers?" Ron questioned eager.
"As a matter of fact, yes, he was."
"But true be told, they seem to get along fairly well," George looked at the ceiling, playing innocently with his thumbs.
"What?"
"Yeah, they were fighting like you and Hermione do, but with more offensive language and eccentric gestures."
"So… you mean they are…friends?" Ron questioned as if someone had just suggested that Draco Malfoy spend his free-time feeding the poor and homeless or Snape teach little orphans to read during summer vacation.
"It seems so."
"How can you befriend the ones who annihilated your kind?!" Ron protested.
"I don't know, maybe they take therapy?"
"What are they doing here, in the Hogwarts Express? Grim Reapers and Quincies I mean…" Hermione questioned suddenly.
"We already tell you; there are plenty of Japanese exchange students in the train; the Grim Reapers and the Quincies just happen to be among them."
"We think this is what is supposed to happen at Hogwarts this year," commented Fred.
"That certainly would explain Percy's teasing this summer," George agreed.
"And Bill's comment at the station."
"But doesn't explain Mum's behavior," sighed George. "She would have been totally freaked out if she knew there's gonna be Grim Reapers in Hogwarts this year."
"Like any other sensitive wizard," sighed Fred. "So, we think she didn't know there was to be Grim Reapers among the exchange students."
"Still, there is something that doesn't fit the picture…"
After a short period of absolute silence, Ron sprang out of his seat.
"I've got to see them!" He announced.
"They are not zoo animals, Ron!" Hermione reprimanded to deaf ears, since the red-haired was already in the aisle.
"Should we follow him?" Harry asked.
"Yes, we should," Fred sighed. "Some of those guys seemed quite unstable."
"And Ron does have a big mouth."
~Hollow Platinum Cup~
"Platform 8... Platform 9… Platform 10. Platform 9 ¾ should be here somewhere…" muttered Kurosaki Isshin scratching his beard in deep thought.
"Platform 9 3/4? That doesn't even exist!" snarled Ichigo, dropping his and his sisters' luggage loudly.
"Ichigo! Be more careful with Yuzu and Karin's suitcases! And stop being so negative! Platform 9 ¾ must be near…"
"Yeah… Let me know once you've found it…" muttered Ichigo through clenched teeth, stretching his arms and leaning his back against the wall that divided Platform 9 and 10…
And falling through it with a loud 'PAF'..
"Well done, Ichigo! You found it!" cheered his father.
"Good job, Kurosaki-kun!" congratulated Inoue.
"Idiot," snarled Grimmjow grinning widely.
TRANSLATIONS:
El Trenecito Rojo lleno de Gente Muerta (Spanish): The Red Choo-Choo full of Dead People.
…
Okay, that's all. I guess this chapter didn't have that many foreign terms…
I think I made Malfoy OOC in this, please tell me what you think and why.