Disclaimer: I don't own. If that wasn't completely obvious, do you think I would be writing fanfiction if I owned this amazing show? Anyway, Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.
"I can't believe them!" Ichigo grumbled under his breath walking away from the police station. "To think, I was arrested for teaching some punks a lesson."
"You know that you deserved it." Rukia smugly reminded him as she perched on the railing of the bridge in her soul reaper form. Ichigo had finally been freed from jail after spending a night in the pen, so he was not exactly in a good mood (as if he had one).
"What are you doing here, Rukia?" Ichigo glared at her then blinked in surprise. "Rukia, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see that you don't get into anymore trouble, Ichigo." Rukia smiled her sickeningly sweet, evil smile.
"But, if you're here then who is watching over my house?"
"Captain Hitsugaya is there with Karin and Yuzu." Rukia answered waiting for the explosion from the teen and she didn't have to wait long.
"He's where?" Ichigo growled as steam began escaping his ears.
"He is at your house eating breakfast with your sisters." Rukia kindly answered ignoring the teen's rage.
"Why did you leave them?" Ichigo screeched running down the bridge in the direction of his house.
"If he's still there when I get back, then there will be heck to pay." Ichigo grumbled his dust trailing back to the bridge where Rukia remained perched on the railing.
"I better go stop him," Rukia sighed jumping from the rail and flash stepped appearing in front of Ichigo.
"WHAT?" Ichigo ran into her outstretched fist throwing him painfully back into the concrete, and gaining the attention of several pedestrians.
"Look Mom, there's a strange man fighting with a trash can." A little boy pointed to Ichigo arguing with Rukia while standing in front of the trash can, but sadly no human saw her – only the trash can.
"LOOK YOU CAN'T KEEP ME AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Ichigo pointed to Rukia and raised his fist.
"Ichigo, people are starting to stare." Rukia calmly stated glancing around.
"I DON'T CARE!" Ichigo screeched causing many people to take a few steps back from the enraged teen.
"Mom, is that man alright?" The boy asked watching Ichigo stalk toward the trash can.
"Ichigo you need to remain calm."
"Calm? Calm? CALM! HOW CAN I STAY CALM WHEN YOU LEFT MY SISTER ALONE WITH THAT HALF-PINT OF A KID!" Ichigo screamed.
"Do you think we should call someone?" One pedestrian whispered to another who quietly nodded his head pulling out a cell phone from his pocket.
"Ichigo there is nothing to worry about. Captain Hitsugaya is a respectable and trustworthy young man. You have nothing to prove your suspicion of him." Rukia pointed out as she vainly attempted to reason with Ichigo.
"There is plenty to worry about! You left him alone!" Ichigo stomped up to her glaring down at the shorter soul reaper, and the humans watched him glare to the trashcan.
"They are not alone, Ichigo. Your father is with them." Rukia pointed out taking a step back from him, after all this is Ichigo and he is especially pissed off right now – Kenpachi would have a field day.
"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER?" Ichigo jumped for Rukia but she easily jumped away leaving poor Ichigo to crash into the trash can. Trash flew all over the sidewalk leaving a lovely banana peel to sit on his head. The pedestrians backed away from the teenager as his face changed to a lovely burgundy.
"Oh look Ichigo, the nice men in white coats are here." Rukia pointed to a white caged van pulling up to the side of the road. Two men in white coat and pants stepped from the vehicle and slowly approached Ichigo. He could see one of them held a straight jacket to his side continuing his slow approach.
"Uhm," Ichigo gulped calming to a more reasonable temperament.
"You've done it now, Ichigo. I tried to stop you, remember that when they drag you away." Rukia smugly answered. Ichigo glared back at her.
"Now sir if you'll come with us." The nearest man slowly walked up to Ichigo.
"Why would I go with you?" Ichigo returned to his sour self, his glare froze the two men in their tracks.
"Sir, we have reason to believe that you are not mentally fit." The man with the straight jacket slowly explained.
"What?" Ichigo asked confusion written all over his face.
"They think you're crazy." Rukia answered for him.
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Ichigo pointed back toward Rukia glaring at her.
"Yes sir, we will make sure the trashcan will be punished." The nearest white coated man explained as he continued his approach.
"What do you mean? I'm not talking to the trashcan. I'm talking to the girl standing behind the trashcan." The coated men and the pedestrians looked over to Rukia but sadly they had no spiritual talent and so only saw empty space.
"Sir, there is no girl standing behind the trashcan." The man with the straight jacket explained looking over to the empty space. Rukia cleared her throat and pulled her sword from its sheath. It was then Ichigo finally remembered one very important fact: humans can't see soul reapers.
"Uhm, it appears that you're right." Ichigo shyly exclaimed.
"Yes that's right." The white coated man still approached him.
"I'll just be on my way. I apologize for the trouble." Ichigo replied backing away further from the men.
"Will you be alright sir?" The nearest man asked Ichigo.
"Yes, I'll just go on back home." Ichigo tried to explain.
"We could give you a ride if you'd like." The one with the straight jacket motioned for the truck.
"And let you take him to the Loony bin, not likely." Rukia walked up beside Ichigo nudging him to move away.
"That won't be necessary. I'll just be on my way." Ichigo waved walking away from the scene and the crowd parted giving him plenty of room to move past.
"Good-bye." Ichigo waved bye and turned a corner when he sprinted down the block before anyone could follow him.
"I tried to calm you down." Rukia appeared beside him in a flash earning yet another glare from the orange haired boy. However, the most recent incident forced him to hold his tongue.
"Hey, you're learning." Rukia smirked up at him enjoying his stunned silence. "Since you're not yelling at me in front of another crowd it shows you have learned to keep your temper in check." Ichigo glared down at her but kept his silence with the other people walking around. Oh, how he wanted to yell at her but he didn't want another visit from those nice men in white coats, as Rukia put it.
"You really should do something to relax. Might I suggest a crossword puzzle, or a jigsaw puzzle perhaps, or you could read a book. Reading has always helped calm me down. My favorite story is the one about the little cinder girl. Although it was not very nice how her sisters treated her but in the end she gets to marry the prince. I wonder who that story is based on." Rukia chattered on keeping pace with Ichigo's quickened pace. He ignored her prattling but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
"The story of Cinderella is just a story someone made up a long time ago." Ichigo complained coming up to a shady bookstore.
"But, it was in a book and there are very important things found in books-"
"A BOOK!" Ichigo cut Rukia off when a wonderful idea struck him, and just as they were passing the store that would most likely have the item he needed.
"What about a book?" Rukia looked around when Ichigo ran into the store.
"Ichigo? Where did you go?" Rukia looked around surprised that she had lost him.
"How did I lose him when his spiritual energy is nearly as strong as Captain Zaraki?" Rukia pondered walking down the street in search of her charge.
Ichigo was so preoccupied with his current "break Toushiro up with my sister" plan he didn't pause to think of the consequences.
...…
"Do you really have to go, Toushiro?" Karin asked almost complaining as they stood in Urahara's living room.
"Yes, Karin, I have to go." Toushiro answered smiling over to her.
"I have paperwork to do and I'm sure Rangiku hasn't done any of the work in the office. If I don't get back soon, then I will be swimming in paperwork before I know it." Toushiro answered drawing a chuckle from Karin.
"Yeah, it's not as if you're already surrounded by stacks of work that's taller than you." Karin chuckled at this statement and Toushiro glared. He hated for people to point out his lack of height, even his girlfriend.
"Karin," Toushiro growled in irritation.
"Yes Toushiro?" Karin asked in complete, fake, innocence.
"You know how I hate for anyone to bring up my height, even you."
"Oh come on, you're still a kid. I'm sure you'll grow into your attitude with time." Karin smirked at him to his annoyance.
'Okay, why do I come down here again?' Toushiro grumbled in his mind. Karin suddenly stepped up to him and kissed him quickly on the lips just as the Senkai gates were opening.
'Right, that's why.' Toushiro's mood brightened and he got over his annoyances. Karin knew how to control Toushiro's moods, and he didn't even know why.
"See you later, Toushiro." Karin waved to him before he ran into the gate followed by a hell butterfly.
"You certainly enjoy playing with Captain Hitsugaya's feelings, don't you Karin?" Urahara pointed out to Karin.
"It's not that I enjoy it, but he's a lot easier to be around when he's not complaining about his height. I find it much safer for everyone if his mood brightens just before he leaves." Karin happily explained. She turned toward the front door as she began heading for her house.
"Bye, Kisuke." Karin headed toward the front door then she called out, "let me know when Toushiro comes by again." Karin walked through the doors without hearing Urahara's reply.
"Will do, Karin," Kisuke waved to the closing door with his fan. "I certainly will tell you when the little captain comes to call." Urahara whispered to the empty room.
...…
Ichigo burst through the doors of his house with the book he had purchased at that store. He couldn't remember the name of the shop, but the surprise at his purchase played through his mind.
"'Worlds of Azarath'," Ichigo read the title of a black book with blood red bindings. The letters appeared to be an ancient cursive written in black along the cover. He also noticed the cover seemed to have a gold gate with a haze of red flowing through the bars, it was within this haze the title had been emblazoned.
"This looks like an interesting book," Ichigo opened the cover ignoring the small gust of wind and slight flicker of lights at that exact moment. He chalked the atmosphere to bad lighting within the dimly lit store.
'Let's see what we've got,' Ichigo skimmed the table of contents: Introduction (skip that), Various Worlds (looks promising), Spells (here we go). Ichigo quickly flipped the book to the third chapter to be met with a warning. He ignored this as well (he doesn't like instructions). Flipping a few more pages, his eyes scanned over a title reading – banishing a foe or sending him away.
'This is perfect.' Ichigo chuckled closing the book and walking up to the cash register.
"Excuse me," he hailed a nearby clerk organizing returned books on a cart, "I'd like to buy this book." He placed the book on the counter. When the clerk looked at the book, he blinked in surprise and looked up to Ichigo in confusion.
"Sir, are you sure you want to buy this book?" The clerk pointed to the front cover. He was able to read the letters as plain as day; little did he know that no one else in the store was able to make out the markings or determine the language it was written in.
"Yes, please. Is there a problem?" Ichigo asked eyeing the clerk in confusion.
"No, it's just that we haven't found anyone who can read this language."
"Are you sure? I can read it plain as day. The title is 'Worlds of Azarath.' How difficult is that?" Ichigo asked reading the title and looking back to the clerk. The clerk looked closer at the book, but he only saw lines resembling a mix of hieroglyphic and sanscrit, or some type of mix. Let's just say he couldn't read it and hadn't found a linguist who could decipher the text.
"Well," the clerk still hesitated. They had received this book about three months ago from an online seller for a really good price, but they only saw the impossible text upon opening the box. The manager was upset but decided to put the book in circulation in the hopes that somebody who passed through the doors would be able to take the useless book off of his hands. Sadly, that hadn't happened until now. The manager had made it very clear: sell that book as soon as possible, no matter what.
"Okay, sir," the clerk typed up the price, accepted the money and placed the book in a shopping bag. He watched Ichigo walk out of the store with small reservations tickling the edge of his mind.
'Should I have done that?' The clerk watched Ichigo pass the window and continue down the street out of his sight. 'Well, it's too late now. At least, we finally got rid of that book.' The clerk thought putting the incident out of his mind, but still he couldn't get rid of that uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Ichigo ran up to his room ignoring Yuzu as she cooked dinner in the kitchen. Throwing his door open, he bolted to his bed where he tossed his new purchase on the covers. The commotion awakened Kon from the closet, peeking around the doors he saw Ichigo grinning like a madman. Kon knew Ichigo only made that face when he was thinking of one person, or revenge on one person: Toushiro Hitsugaya.
'This can't be good,' Kon thought in his mind staring at Ichigo throwing the book open on his desk and giggling over the words written on the pages. Kon hesitated from exiting the closet since he remembered Rukia's warning: "You are a substitute soul and so he can become a soul reaper if he swallows your pill so you have to make sure you don't get out of that stuffed lion."
'Oh man, if Ichigo sees me then he'll use me to go after Toushiro again, especially since Rukia still has his soul reaper badge.' Kon contemplated this predicament when Ichigo suddenly stalked toward the closet. Kon ran to the back just as the door opened. He expected to be grabbed by the orange teen, but Ichigo ignored him, choosing instead to hunt through the top rack looking for an important item.
"HERE IT IS!" Kon nearly jumped out of the stuffed lion with Ichigo's shout of triumph. He blinked at the teen holding two white candles in his hand before the closet was submerged into darkness once again.
'What is he up to?' Kon cracked the door open to monitor Ichigo's peculiar behavior.
Ichigo placed the two candles on the desk then pulled a picture out of Karin and one of Toushiro. You couldn't really call the latter a picture because Ichigo had crumpled it and stabbed at it so much, there was only a faded outline of a once beautiful portrait. He leaned one picture against a lit candle, and the other against the second lit candle.
"Okay, this is ready. Now," Ichigo flipped the book open searching for that spell he found at the book store, "here it is." He slammed his finger on the words of the page and carefully read the spell in his mind for a few minutes. He sat down on his chair only to jump up at the hard square currently occupying his desk. Ichigo grabbed the book and read the title: 'Cinderella.' He scoffed at the book flicking it onto his bed and thinking back to Rukia believing every word of that fairy tale.
"Gotta focus," Ichigo stated mentally reviewing the spell one more time.
"Now I'm ready," Ichigo stood from the chair and kept his eyes trained on the book. He took a deep breath and carefully recited the spell.
"A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Ichigo recited the spell accurately and waited. He waited, and waited but nothing happened.
"Oh great, it was a dud. Looks like I wasted my money on this trash." Ichigo's spirit flared in anger before he grabbed the book to throw it away. However, a phenomenon he had not expected made him finally think this was not such a good idea. The book glowed in a white light before a beam shot through the ceiling into the sky. After the light disappeared, Ichigo slowly stepped back just as a hazy red smoke started to leak from the book. The haze traveled along the floor grabbing him at the ankle and began to pull him toward the book.
"ICHIGO WHAT DID YOU DO?" Kon yelled jumping from the closet. He grabbed the teen's hand desperately trying to stop Ichigo from being pulled into the book. However his efforts were futile, as the smoke took hold of him slowly dragging the pair into the binding. The red smoke only poured out faster and with more ferocity than before as it engulfed the room. The smoke poured out of the ceiling and through any holes it could find. Yuzu screamed when the smoke trapped her downstairs in the kitchen.
'What did I just do?' Ichigo thought before he fell into darkness within the pages of the book.
...…
Karin was walking back toward her house when she saw red smoke billowing from her roof and spreading through the door and windows.
"YUZU! ICHIGO! DAD!" Karin screamed running to the house as she tried to save her family from what she perceived as a fire currently engulfing her house. The smoke engulfed her and she let out a blood curdling scream before she fell into darkness.
...…
"CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA!" Rin screamed bursting through the office door gasping for breath. Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto gaped at the young soul reaper who just tore down their door in his haste to reach them.
"What's going on here?" Captain Hitsugaya demanded as the twelvth division member gulped in large breaths of air.
"I just came from . . . surveillance," he gulped in a gasp of air, "Karakura . . . red smoke . . . came from Kurosaki clinic." Rin gasped out. Toushiro gasped and darted out of the office.
"Captain," Rangiku ran toward the door, "thank you for the message." She thanked the soul reaper who nodded then passed out on the floor. Rangiku darted out of the office and flash stepped to catch up with her captain. They came up to the Senkai gate where other Captains and various soul reapers were standing guard at the door.
"What's going on here?" Toushiro demanded of anyone who would listen.
"So, I see that you made it here," Shunsui nodded toward Toushiro without breaking eye contact with the door.
"Akon recorded the smoke in the city just a few moments ago. I sent Rin out to fetch you," Jushiro explained stepping up to the little captain.
"What about the Kurosakis?" Toushiro demanded to know. Jushiro looked sadly at the young boy then he closed his eyes slowly shaking his head.
"We don't know. Our instruments cannot penetrate through the smoke." Jushiro's report stunned Toushiro into silence. He transferred his gaze to the gate where he glared at the door in a rare state of fury.
"We have not detected their souls leaving the city, so it is very likely they are all still alive." Captain Kuchiki's words calmed Toushiro relieving some of the anger from his freezing spirit energy.
"Do you know what this red smoke is?" Captain Hitsugaya asked.
"We don't know if it's smoke at all. It resembles a fog more than smoke." Captain Kuchiki explained.
"How so?"
"The cloud travels over the ground. Smoke would climb toward the sky and would be dispersed by the wind. It appears the wind has no effect on this cloud, fog, or whatever this thing is." Captain Kuchiki calmly explained as he watched Captain Soi Fon walk up to the group. All the captains had felt Toushiro's spirit energy begin freezing the air. Now that he was calmer, the ice cloud slowly dispersed into the air.
"I want to know where Ichigo is." Kenpachi demanded stomping up to the other captains with Lieutenant Kusajishi riding atop his shoulder.
"We are unable to locate him." Captain Unohana explained to the blood thirsty captain.
"Let me down there, and I'll find him." Kenpachi chuckled, his eye twinkling in anticipation of a fight with the substitute soul reaper.
"I cannot allow any such act, Captain Zaraki." Head Captain Yamamoto demanded to the other captains."Until we know the nature of this substance, no soul reaper is allowed to return to the soul of the living." He stared at Toushiro Hitsugaya who clearly had other plans in his mind, like going down to find Karin and her family.
"Not one Soul Reaper." Yamamoto nearly yelled staring at Toushiro Hitsugaya.
"Head Captain Yamamoto, we have soul reapers in the world of the living. Someone needs to go check on them." Captain Hitsugaya tried to reason with the head captain.
"No," Toushiro blinked at the Head Captain's refusal, "I cannot risk any of that smoke or fog to enter soul society. I'm sorry, but we must wait." Head Captain Yamamoto turned from Captain Hitsugaya who continually glared at the head captain then over at the senkai gates. Captain Ukitake gently placed his hand on Toushiro's shoulder.
"I'm sure they'll be fine, Toushiro." Jushiro whispered. His heart went out to the young captain, especially with his love caught in the middle of this fog.
"I don't think blocking the gate will do any good, old man." Captain Kyoraku yelled out as he still watched the gates. He saw a few wisps of the red smoke leak through the edges and center of the door. More and more smoke began leaking through until the entire door was engulfed by the smoke. Toushiro glared and he pulled Hyourinmaru from his sheath preparing to attack this smoke, even if he didn't hit it, at least he would be doing something and wouldn't feel so helpless.
"Well, old man, do we attack?" Shunsui asked resting his hand on the swords at his belt. Head Captain Yamamoto watched more and more of the smoke enter soul society.
"It looks like the gates couldn't hold the smoke in anyway." Toushiro angrily stated but he patiently awaited orders. A peak of the smoke seemed to angle toward the group and move from side to side almost like it was looking for something.
"Do you see that?" Captain Soi Fon exclaimed as she pulled her sword from it's sheath.
"It appears to be searching for something." Captain Ukitake noted as the peak angled further into the courtyard.
"Or someone," Shunsui noted pulling his swords as he expected an attack. The smoke "looked" from side to side until it centered on one soul reaper. Shunsui looked from the peak of the smoke to the person, it was Toushiro Hitsugaya. The peak drew back then launched itself at Captain Hitsugaya.
"CAPTAIN!" Rangiku yelled just as Toushiro flash stepped out of the smoke's path. He appeared on a roof top and attacked the smoke.
"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" The ice dragon that emerged from the sword slammed into the smoke only to pass through it striking the ground. Toushiro gasped at the failed attack. He flash stepped again, to avoid another attack, he appeared on another roof top at the opposite end of the smoke.
"Growl, Heineko!" Rangiku sent her attack at the smoke, but as Toushiro discovered – the attack was useless since the smoke opened holes in "itself" to avoid any attacks.
"Scatter, Senzonbakura," Byakuya sent his attack in hopes that his sea of petals would damage the smoke. Surely, the smoke could not avoid all of the petals coming from all sides at once. Alas, the petals struck the smoke only to disappear in the fog.
"Watch out, this smoke eats attacks!" Shunsui explained jumping back as the smoke advanced on his position. Toushiro dodged another lunge from the mysterious fog, which for some reason or another wanted him very badly. While he was preoccupied with the smoke attacking him, Toushiro Hitsugaya failed to notice the smoke that waited behind him. Toushiro spotted more smoke behind him, but he was too late when the smoke wrapped against his ankle. His cry of pain drew every eye upon the small captain.
"CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA!" Rangiku ran over to him and tried to attack the smoke but she was engulfed by the smoke.
"Rangiku!" Toushiro called out but he started feeling light headed as the smoke crawled slowly up his leg consuming his waist and creeping up to his chest. Memories of Karin drifted through his mind, but as the smoke swallowed more and more of his body her picture became fainter until she was nothing more than a shadow then she disappeared altogether. The smoke fully engulfed Toushiro Hitsugaya to the horror of the other soul reapers.
"No," Shunsui exclaimed before the smoke collapsed engulfing the other captains who had been trapped inside the circle. The smoke hung on the ground where the Captains and Lieutenants of Sereitei once stood.
Omake:
*Ichigo is floating in a red haze of smoke.*
Ichigo: I think I went a little too far this time.
Kon: Gee, YOU THINK ICHIGO! *Kon tries to kick but flips in the area, apparently lacking gravity.*
Rukia: What are you guys doing here? *She swims over to them.*
Ichigo: I don't know.
Kon: It's his fault. *Kon points to Ichigo who glares back.*
Rukia: Excuse me, *she wears that calmly insane smile.*
Kon: Ichigo did this.
Rukia: I thought that's what you said. *Shoots over to Ichigo and proceeds to pound him as hard as she can in the zero gravity smoke.*
**On another continent far away from Japan:**
Cloaked figure: Where is it?
Cowering figure: Um, where is what? *Sweat pouring from brow.*
Cloaked figure: My book.
Cowering figure: Oh, that. *Coughs and shrinks away from her.* I don't know. *Long gulp in fear.* I sold it.
*Silence*
Cloaked figure: Who did you sell it to? *Dark shadow flowing from figure to tower over the cowering creature.*
A/N: Okay, this is a continuation of the Spin off to the Miscommunication Series: Insanity. I am going to make this story a type of parody. But to let you know: everyone is completely fine. I've been playing with this story in my mind for several months but I didn't know how to word it.
A/N2: Anyone care to take a guess as to who the cloaked and cowering figures are? Hint: not an anime series.
Let me know what you think.