Bleach Shadow Luster Arc

Chapter 2

Thud! The sound of a large wooden staff thrusting into the floor, echoing through out the main hall of the 1st Division. This signified the beginning of a Captain's meeting and all were present, standing in a perfect line facing one another. Out of all the Captain's present, only Kurotsuchi Mayuri's showed a clear sign of stress.

"The Captain's meeting is called to order! I assume from what happened a few days ago, you all know why you're here." Genryusai said, and took a seat.

"The strange black entity that was seen flying over the 13th Division's headquarters, and several others if I'm not mistaken." Ukitake softly responded, with Kenpachi simply grunting.

"You had it easy. That thing crashed right through the 11th Division. During the middle of an interesting battle too..." He said with a scowl.

"If I'm not mistaken, according to the reports, this thing came from the 12th Division's headquarters. But the reason why it was there has yet to be explained." Unohana went on to explain, with Mayuri letting out a low growl.

"The entity was contained perfectly using the finest technology we had to offer. The entire incident occurred because of a lack of understanding for what it was we had." Mayuri stated.

"Then it wasn't the finest technology if you failed to contain it." Byakuya bluntly replied.

"Woo! He's got you there, Captain Kurotsuchi." Kyoraku seemed almost entertained by the comments circling the room.

"Oh shut up! Both of you! You have no idea what we are dealing with!" Mayrui snapped back at both of them.

"Enough! Captain Kurotsuchi, I believe it's best if you share with the council all the information you have on this so called "entity". We must have a better understanding of what we are to encounter when we track it down and eliminate it." Genryusai went on to ask.

"... It unfortunately may not be so simple. You see this wasn't acquired in the field at all but rather created in the lab about 8 years ago." Mayuri threw up his arms and shook his head.

"Created? By who?" Unohana asked, taken back by this knowledge.

"That is only vaguely known. You see one of my subordinates was working on some research about Hollow's and their reiatsu to invent new technology to find them faster and respond to Hollow threats with minimal casualties. However, as he delved deeper into this project's research he began to access old archives normally restricted to someone of his level." He explained, Ukitake raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of archives was he accessing?" He asked. Mayuri held his finger with the overgrown nail as he prepared his answer.

"This is where it becomes most interesting. They were old research documents confiscated from the 5th Division's headquarters. It seems the former Captain Sosuke Aizen was conducting research on the similarities between the reiatsu of both Shinigami and Hollows, finding the missing link that made us similar to Hollow. Such an idea was thought to be taboo, so the archives were hidden with the express instructions that only a Captain could access the files. Somehow this subordinate must have gotten access to them when I had overlooked them for my own research. With that knowledge it is quite possible he was trying to make..." Mayuri trailed off.

"You can't mean... Another Hogyoku?" Hitsugaya said, eyes wide open. Mayuri simply chuckled.

"No, such an idea was beneath him. He tried to take it one step further by actually artificially synthesizing his own Hollow reiatsu, and tried to merge it with some of his own reiatsu. The result was that strange black entity. Of course he was apprehended and dealt with before he had any opportunity to do anything else with it. And so, seeing as he wouldn't give up the secret to what it was exactly he created a team of scientists and I studied it for several months. Sadly, it yielded nothing and sat there for years as a black lump. Completely uninteresting and as we felt, unworthy of our time. Until it grew rapidly and broke free of containment with enough reiatsu to cause a black out through out the entire headquarters." Komamura stepped forward after Mayuri had finished explaining all of this.

"If I may, the 8th Division also experienced a black out momentarily during the time of the incident." He admitted.

"Heh, so that's why we had one too. I thought the generator was just acting up..." Kyoraku said nervously, scratching the side of his head.

"The 10th Division also experienced this." Hitsugaya added.

"Then you understand what we're dealing with is no ordinary entity. We may be looking at the world's first true Shinigami Hollow hybrid. Not anything like the Vizards or the Arrancar. But a whole new species... Who's abilities may be limitless for all we know. Like I said, we didn't get to understand much of it ourselves beyond what I just told you." Mayuri sighed.

"Hmmmm... This is quite serious. If with a reiatsu surge it can cut the power between 4 different headquarters, we are dealing with a threat to not only Seireitei, but the world of the living. We have no idea where it went, or where it could be hiding. I want dispatches to investigate the matter. I would request the services of the 6th, and 2nd Divisions to investigate Soul Society for this monstrosity's where abouts with the 11th Division on stand by if it is found." Genryusai gave out the orders.

"Yes, Captain Commander." Soi Fon replied.

"What about the 12th Division? We may need to collect important data." Mayuri argued.

"You've already done enough, Captain Kurotsuchi, and your actions will be dealt with later." Mayuri growled lowly when Genryusai said this. "Also, I would like the 13th Division to deploy to the world of the living to investigate if it may be there, or has been witnessed by any of the Shinigami stationed there." He went on to finish.

"D, deploy? My, it has been a while since I've been to the world of the living... But I will accept." Ukitake seemed a little nervous to be heading to the real world for some reason, to which Kyoraku just chuckled.

"You lucky duck. You've got the easy job from the sounds of it." Kyoraku made light of the situation.

"It's settled. You are all dismissed." Genryusai gave a swift thrust of his cane into the floor once more to signify the meeting had ended.

In the world of the living it was morning, and Ichigo yawned and stretched as the rays of the sun hit his face. He came downstairs after having showered and gotten dressed to the scene of his family eating breakfast. His father quickly jumped out of his seat and tried to jump kick Ichigo.

"Good morning son!" He shouted as Ichigo blocked the kick, annoyed his dad was testing him right from the get go. Isshin made a second attempt to attack with a punch, but that too was blocked and know the two had locked arms.

"Come on dad! It's 7 in the morning!" Ichigo griped.

"Heh, you've learned well. I suppose your reflexes are sharp enough today." He unlocked arms with Ichigo and took a seat at the table. Ichigo followed and sighed as Yuzu placed the food on the table.

"It's ready! Be sure to eat it all everyone!" She said with a cheer. As everyone dished up, Isshin leaned in closer to Ichigo to get a good look at him.

"So, Yuzu tells me you came into the possession of a dirty magazine yesterday..." He stated quite bluntly, causing Ichigo to almost choke on his food.

"T, that wasn't mine! It belonged to somebody else!" Ichigo tried to explain.

"Yeah right. That's a really lame lie big brother. You're such a pervert." Karin seemed almost disgusted to hear about this.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. You're just a healthy young man! Although I will inquire about how someone as young as yourself were able to acquire such an item later." Isshin said, almost in a threatening way.

"I changed my mind, you're both perverts." Karin added.

"It wasn't mine!" Both Ichigo and Isshin replied at the same time. Both Karin and Yuzu, and even Ichigo stared at their father for a moment. He seemed quite dumbfounded, seeing as no one asked him if it was his. He then broke the tension by clearing his throat. "H, hrm. Better eat fast Ichigo, you don't want to be late for school."

"Yeah, yeah." Ichigo just sighed, hoping this whole thing would just blow over eventually. After the circus that was breakfast, Ichigo couldn't help but think about some of yesterday's events. In particular he remembered about the girl who had defeated the Hollow and rescued the boy. 'It was strange... I would have thought another Shinigami would have at least acknowledged I was there, but she just took off. Was she hiding something? Or maybe there was just another Hollow she needed to deal with...' As he thought this, a girl ran in front of him and turned a corner.

"Sorry!" She said as she rushed past him. She was wearing the same uniform issued at his school, but this girl was no stranger. She was the girl from the day before, Ichigo knew this.

'That was her! I know it was! I'd recognize that hair anywhere!' He thought as he turned around the corner in pursuit. "Hey, wait!" He shouted, but it was too late. She already was no where to be seen. He walked down the path a little and looked around for her. He seemed disappointed and also confused. 'Just what is going on around here?' He then turned back the way he came and headed towards his school. As the students were getting settled in, he set his school bag beside his desk and slumped in.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime quickly greeted him with a warm smile.

"Yo, Inoue." He said with a sigh and held his hands behind his neck. She looked on curiously, as he could tell he was stuck thinking about something.

"Is everything ok?" She asked. Ichigo gave a nod.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just... Saw something strange yesterday. It was a Shinigami, and she saved this little boy from a Hollow. She seemed skilled, but when I stopped to ask who she was she just took off. And then earlier today I saw someone who looked just like her, but when I tried to follow her she disappeared. It was weird." He explained as Orihime did the best she could to listen to him and nodded a few times.

"Hmmm... It probably was just a coincidence, I run into lots of people that look like you and Ishida-kun. Even people that look like me!" She said with a smile.

"... Really?" He gave her a blank stare. She paused for a moment and then chuckled nervously.

"Well, not really anyone that looked like me. I guess I was trying to just make a good example Kurosaki-kun." She went on to say, scratching the side of her face with one finger. Ichigo just gave a light chuckle.

"You're probably right. I might just be thinking about it too much. I'm sure its nothing." He said reassuringly. The class began to settle down a little with everyone taking their seats as their teacher, Misato, entered the room.

"Alright alright, settle down you guys! I want you all to listen up and listen well! I know its like something out of a manga to be having to announce new students that arrive in my class so often. But for some reason all the new kids keep coming to this room, so I hope you'll treat this one as you would your own! She's new to Karakura town and apparently transferred here from Tokyo!" When she said this, some of the students murmured amongst each other as if this was something significant. Ichigo didn't really pay much heed to it as he continued to listen to Misato. "Now then, I'd like to introduce our new student, Tamiko Shirahata. Tamiko, welcome!" She said as the new girl stepped in. Ichigo's eyes went wide when he saw that this new girl, Tamiko, was the same girl he had seen yesterday. The Shinigami.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you all. I'm looking forward to working with you. And maybe one of you might just be lucky enough to get a date off of me in the future." Tamiko gave a wink to the class, and caused some of the guys to chatter amongst themselves about her statement. As she scanned the class, she noticed Ichigo who was just staring at her. She went a little wide eyed too, and tried to look away as she took her seat. 'Crap, I didn't think he'd be here. Great...'

'It's her! She's here in my class... Just who is this person? Is she following me?' He thought to himself, continuing to stare. Inoue couldn't help but notice Ichigo's expression and looked back at Tamiko.

'Is she the one he was talking about...?' She looked down at her desk, thinking about this.

After a long school day was over and the bell rang, Tamiko was attempting to walk away as fast as she could from the school.

'Please don't follow me, please don't follow me, please don't follow me...' She thought over and over again, quite nervous that she had been found out.

"You! Wait!" Ichigo said, catching up to her.

'Rats...' She then turned to face him and gave him a nervous smile. "Wow, didn't remember my name and you're stalking me. Making quite a first impression aren't you?" She teased.

"I saw you yesterday. I know you're a Shinigami. Why did you run away when I tried to talk to you?" He asked.

"First of all, I got places to be. I'm pretty busy you know. Second, you might want to put a lid on that Shinigami thing." Tamiko turned around and tried to walk away.

"Well at least tell me why you're here. Which Division are you with? Why are you in my school?" Ichigo began to push with his questions. Tamiko turned a heel, and her expression clearly showed she was frustrated.

"Now you're starting to get annoying! I don't know what you're talking about, alright? Just leave me alone!" She yelled at him.

"What are you hiding...?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes, now becoming quite suspicious of her. Tamiko glared at him as he stared back at her.

"I'm not hiding anything." She growled, looked off to the side.

"Did you get that gigai from Urahara?" Ichigo asked yet another question, irritating Tamiko further.

"Hey! Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said as she ran to catch up with Ichigo and Tamiko.

'Great, now I get to be grilled by this guy and the air head.' She groaned with frustration.

"Inoue... Wait, I need to ask this girl something." Ichigo looked back at Tamiko.

"My name is Tamiko, not "you", or "girl" buddy." She puffed her face up.

"Kurosaki-kun, is this the Shinigami you saw yesterday?" Orihime asked.

"Ugh, I don't know what you guys' problem is with me, but I'm just trying to do my job. And if you wouldn't mind I don't feel like telling you both my entire life's story! So would you just-" Before she could finish what she was saying, a familiar alarm sound rang from Ichigo's pocket. He pulled out his badge to see it was indicating a Hollow was near by.

'Figures.' He thought as he looked back up to see that Tamiko also had a badge that looked exactly like his, indicating the Hollow. "Wait a minute... You're-" Before Ichigo could finish what he was saying, Tamiko popped a green pill to swap herself out for a modsoul. As a Shinigami she quickly took off, leaving behind Ichigo and Orihime. The mod soul quickly walked away as well with a strange grin on her face.

"K, Kurosaki-kun... She had a badge just like yours..." Orihime stated with a look of concern.

"I know... She's... Another Substitute Shinigami."

To Be Continued