Ok second chapter, here it goes… Tell me what you think
The next morning Ichigo awoke paranoid.
"Was all of that just a dream?" He thought while checking for wounds of any kind.
He then remembered his sword that had seemingly come out of nowhere beforehand and searched all over the room for it, but it was nowhere to be found. When he had given up he trotted down the stairs expecting to see half of his house gone. What he saw when he reached the bottom of the steps shocked him. The house seemed like it hadn't been touched let alone demolished. He then rushed over to where Karin and Yuzu were sitting.
"Is everyone alright? What happened here?"
"What are you talking about Ichigo." They both said in unison.
As soon as those words entered his ears he felt a flood of relief fill his system.
"Was it all just a dream? It felt so real though." He thought to himself.
His train of thought was interrupted however when Isshin ran into the kitchen.
"Good Morning ICHIGO!" Isshin yelled while kicking his son in the chest sending him flying back into the other room.
It was just another ordinary morning if that was what it could be called, and Ichigo couldn't stand another minute of it. So instead of the usual beating he gave his father he took some bread from the toaster and left with a vase of flowers secretly tucked into his bag.
As Ichigo was walking to school he felt the need to tell someone about what had happened, but who would believe him? The rest of his classmates would probably make fun of him and tell him it was only a dream. The funny thing was, was that he still felt that sense of power deep inside of him. Like it could be released the next time he got upset or anything.
Then Without realizing it. Sado Yasutora had quietly approached Ichigo walking right beside him.
Ichigo didn't really like the name Sado so a few years earlier when they had first met, Ichigo would tell him that whenever someone threatens him he needs to stand up for himself, and gave him the nickname Chad, because it sounded tougher.
"Maybe Chad would believe me." He thought but was instantly cut off from that idea when he remembered Chad doesn't really like to voice his own opinions at times.
"Hey Ichigo are you ready for freshmen year?" He said not really caring.
"Yeah I guess. I just hope the first day goes by quicker than all the rest I've had." He said not actually telling him what he was planning on doing afterwards.
Since she had lost all of her powers Rukia was unable to return to soul society. She had heard of a run-down candy shop on the other side of town that secretly sold products that could help needy Shinigami, So the night before she had rushed to the store and begged the shopkeeper to lend her an artificial body or "gigai" so that more hollows wouldn't show up to try to devour her. The man reluctantly gave in to her story of what happened and even let her stay the night.
The man who ran the store most of the time was named Tessai Tsukubishi. He had told her that the man who owned the store was absent and wouldn't be back for some time. All that he said when he left was that the time had come and that he needed to act fast.
"Hey! Freeloader! Wake up! It's time for chores!" a red headed boy about 11 shouted.
Rukia who was still half asleep got up from her bed and grabbed a broom.
"Rukia." Tessai said
"Come over here and tell me again exactly what happened to you last night."
Immediately she dropped the broom and gave the redheaded boy an evil grin before walking towards the table in the middle of the house.
She sat down next to a small innocent looking girl who introduced herself as Ururu the night Rukia arrived.
"So let me get this straight. The boy who you only intended to give half of you powers to took all of it." He said while covering his chin
"Yes, I don't know anyway else to explain it."
"Interesting. It seems that this boy will now have to carry out your duties as a Shinigami until you can fully recover."
"I understand."
"Just remember though. If Soul Society catches you your punishment will be severe." Tessai warned.
"I know and thank you for all your help." She said with a smile while getting up and heading for the door.
She didn't care though, she knew what she had done was the right thing by helping him save his family; the only thing left to do now was to get him to cooperate.
"Hey where do you think your going? You've still got chores to do!" The redheaded boy said quite irritated
"Let her go Jinta it's fine" Ururu said
"What was that? I don't think I heard that right! Did you just try to boss me around?"
"That's enough the both of you." Tessai said
"Thank you again and goodbye I might be back later for some more supplies." Rukia said
"Here take this." Tessai threw a red glove with a skull on it.
"Ah thank you this'll definitely be useful." She said before rushing out the door.
It's first period and Ichigo was already starting to get bored. School was just to easy for him. He had always gotten excellent grades in his classes in middle school only because when he'd get home he'd simply study because he had nothing better to do. He was sure High School wouldn't be any different.
Three seats to the right of him sat Inoue Orihime. Ichigo could vaguely remember a slight crush he had on her in the 7th grade but didn't care enough to ever do anything about it. Besides she could get really annoying at times and he normally liked the silent type.
Behind him sat Chad who was telling Ichigo about how the classes were arranged this year starting with history. But Ichigo didn't pay much attention. He just kept drifting off into daydreaming.
Two seats the right of Ichigo sat a guy with dark blue hair and classes. This whole morning he had been glaring at Ichigo for some unknown reason and it was starting to get bothersome.
"What are you looking at?"
He got no response. So he just turned his head and stared out the window all the while the teacher was talking.
Ichigo was still looking out the window when he heard his name.
"Ichigo Kurosaki." The teacher said
"Might I remind you that you are not in middle school anymore so could you please stand up and tell the rest of the class what caused World War II?"
Ichigo who was still more bored than he could possibly imagine stood up lazily.
"World War II started with the German Invasion of Poland in 1939." Ichigo said with a dull expression.
"Very good that would be an A for you today. Class dismissed."
The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly until 4th period when the announcement of a new transfer student came over the intercom in their classroom.
"Do you know who it is Ishida?" Orihime asked.
"I would have no clue Inoue." He said with a smile.
Meanwhile Ichigo had fallen completely asleep on his desk.
When the new transfer student entered the room the teacher introduced her as Kuchki Rukia.
At hearing this Ichigo sprang up alarmed out of his seat. Which caused all of the attention to switch over to him. He was instantly embarrassed and began to slump back into his chair still wide-eyed.
"Hello everyone I hope to have fun with you all." She said in an innocent little girl voice.
"Ms. Kuchki why don't you take the empty seat next to Kurosaki if you will." The teacher said.
She nodded and began to walk over to him. His and her eyes locked when she motioned him to look at her palm. What he read horrified him. "Make a scene and I kill you on the spot."
When she sat down Ichigo's attention switched from the window to her.
"H-How the, W-Who the, What the fucks going on here!" He thought to himself as he started to panic.
Ichigo then sprang up out of his chair again and leapt for the door
"Excuse me I don't feel good I need to use the restroom!"
Rukia remained however. She thought it would be best for her to stay and meet his friends. After all she was going to be there for a while.
Ichigo was on the roof when he heard the bell ring. It was lunchtime and only two more periods to go until he was supposed to meet Nel again.
"ICHIGO!"
"What is it Keigo." Ichigo said while getting up off the ground.
"What do you think of the new transfer student huh? Pretty cute eh?"
"Eh I guess." Ichigo said with a dull expression.
Just then Chad walked up and Keigo was off asking him if he knew anything about Rukia. Ichigo however was not interested in the least bit about her. If anything he wishes he'd never met her. But then again she did help him save his family.
"I guess I do owe her one." He thought to himself
"Hey Ichigo!" Rukia said as she ran over to him.
"I thought I could find you up here. Can I talk with you in private?"
"Huh? If you've got something to say you can say it here." Ichigo said rudely.
After hearing this Keigo began to get instantly jealous, and ran over to where the two were.
"Ichigo how could you not tell me you knew her." He whispered in his ear.
"I don't know her so back off!" Ichigo commanded.
Chad then grabbed Keigo and walked off towards the stairwell.
"What do you want now? You almost killed me are you back to finish the job or what?" He said hastily.
"No. Last night you took all of my Shinigami powers when I only meant to give you half."
"So why is it my fault?"
"I don't know why you were able to take so much but all of that is in the past. Now you need to fulfill my duties since I am unable to."
At this Ichigo instantly backed off
"No way! Absolutely not!"
"Why not? You were amazing when you took on that Menos Grande all by yourself. Only experienced Shinigami can take them down."
"Because I don't want to ok."
"I thought you'd say that." She said reaching into her pocket.
"By the way how can everyone see you I thought I was the only one."
"It's called a gigai or artificial body we Shinigami use so that we appear to be normal humans." When she had found the glove in her pocket she quickly put it on.
Ichigo had no idea what hit him. Rukia had put that glove on and punched him on the forehead and then all of a sudden he's back in his black kimino. He then looked around to see if anyone had seen what she'd done until he noticed himself lying on the ground behind her and started to panic again.
"What did you do now!" He said
"I released your Shinigami spirit from your human body. Now. We have orders from Soul Society. So get that massive zanpaktuo out and follow me."
Ichigo who hadn't even noticed it was on his back reached for it and began to follow her.
Minutes later as they were walking down the road towards downtown Karakura hundreds of people could be seen running in the same direction.
"You don't think."
"Yes it's definitely the hollow Ichigo don't be so stupid." Rukia said as she began to get her phone out.
"Now go hurry up and find it."
"Why should I?" Ichigo said as he began to walk away back towards school.
"Because if You don't. Who will?"
"It's not my problem." Ichigo said as he got farther away.
Just then a familiar voice screamed out in the distance. Ichigo stopped in his tracks and turned around wide-eyed.
"Lets go!" He said as he grabbed Rukia and dragged her all the way to the source of the screaming.
They were fast approaching the massive fish-like hollow when a ghostly figure could be seen running towards them.
"Nel!"
"Ichigo! What is that thing!"
"It's called a hollow don't worry about it Ichigo will take care of it you are safe now." Rukia said as she tried to comfort the spirit as Ichigo ran to make quick work of it.
"So your names Nel huh? It's a nice name."
"Thank you. But I never got yours."
"It's Rukia, Rukia Kuchki… Ichigo seemed pretty worried about you. Did you know him when you were alive or something?"
"No we had just met yesterday, But I had no idea he was a Shinigami." Nel said with a slight smile
"Oh so your familiar with us." Rukia said a little surprised
"Well my mother was a retired Shinigami from around 200,000 years ago so I know a lot more than you think I do, but this is the first time I've ever seen a hollow."
Rukia was beyond shocked. This spirit was half Shinigami? Maybe that's why she's been able to survive all this time without turning into a hollow, and maybe that's why the Fish-like hollow was after her. After she had realized she had dazed off into thought she looked back over at Ichigo.
"Damn it Ichigo what's taking so long!" Rukia shouted.
"Shut up! I'm working on it!" He said while fending off one of the hollows claws
"I've found you… At long last I've found you…" The hollow began.
"What?" Ichigo said a little surprised that it could talk
"I've finally found you… now I can finish what I started eight years ago…"
"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about but I do know I'm going to kill you." He said getting irritated.
What Ichigo saw next made his heart race…
"Mom…" He said wide-eyed.
"Ichigo No! It's a trick!" Rukia said running towards the scene leaving Nel behind.
As Ichigo was walking towards the sight of his mother Rukia came up from behind and tackled him to the ground.
"Get off of me!" He said forcing Rukia away from him.
"That's not whoever you think it is you idiot." She said pulling him away revealing the lure attached to the hollows head.
"Its name is Grand Fischer and he's been evading Soul Society for 50 years now, and that lure he has can turn into anyone he has killed in the past. So hurry up and finish him before he disappears again!" She said whacking him upside the head.
"So do you mean that he is the one who killed my mother?" He said looking at the ground rather sadly.
"Unfortunately yes." She said pushing him towards the beast.
Ichigo stood up crying. In the short time they'd known Ichigo, Nel or Rukia had never guessed he would be the type to cry. After seeing that Rukia and Nel both knew that there was a lot more to him than he let on.
The next thing they both knew Ichigo had taken his sword and shoved it straight through the hollows neck.
"If it was you who killed my mother and not me… Then I will be the one who will send you to hell!" He said while he lifted his fist to the hollows mask.
The only thing that could be heard now was the agonizing screams of Grand Fischer as Ichigo had broken the mask with his bare hands.
As the hollow screeched and thrashed around in pain two skeletal figures holding what appeared to be a wall sprouted from the ground.
"What is that?" Ichigo said not believing what had happened.
"It's the gates of Hell, It's what happens when a hollow has committed sins in life and a Shinigami decides whether or not it deserves the ultimate punishment." Rukia said cross armed.
Grand Fischer was still screaming when the skeletal figures began to move the wall apart. What lied beyond would make any mortal cower in fear. Flames erupted from behind the wall drawing everything into it. Grand Fischer could not escape his fate was sealed when he told Ichigo the truth of what really happened eight years ago.
As soon as the gates closed and collapsed Ichigo to collapsed on the ground sobbing quietly to him self.
Nel who had felt so much sadness for him walked over to where he was and knelt down over him to comfort him.
"Hey… Are you okay?" She said not really knowing what to say.
He didn't answer.
"Do you want me to leave?"
The next thing she knew Ichigo had clung to her like a lost puppy sobbing on her shoulder.
"Sssh." She said while rubbing her fingers through his hair.
"I'm here for you. Just let it all out."
After a long time of Nel holding him Ichigo had fallen asleep in her arms. Rukia who had been sitting nearby watching the whole thing stood up.
"Don't worry about him. I'll take him home. His family will hopefully cheer him up a little."
"Alright Rukia. Take care of him for me okay." She said with a wink
Rukia gave her a smile and put Ichigo on her shoulders, for a short girl Rukia was stronger than she looks.
"Don't worry he'll be safe with me."
"Thank you Rukia."
Ok next chapter might come a little late since I'll be ridding through New York here in a couple of days so don't get upset if it takes a little while.
