Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does.
A/N: so I'm just making a slight correction here. This fic does not have anything to do with Imperfect Reflection now. Mei is Hisana's daughter and I have this whole big idea of a prequel which I'll write immediately after I'm done with this one [minor correction in chapter 1: (Mei,) the raven-haired girl]. The other fic that I mentioned "Amaranthine" (by Hazel Rayne 008—no, I don't own it—) is still in the scene and this might be a bit of a spoiler but if you haven't read it, you'd need to know that Hisagi Sayuri's mother (Reina) who was the protagonist therein was actually Aizen's daughter. No, I'm not hinting on where this is going yet *runs and hides*
Gamble
The sun had finally sunk down, the last of its faint orange rays blanketed by the relentless, ever-approaching darkness each night would bring. Cold grey eyes stared out of a window of the huge mansion, impassive and calculative. In front of her, lay sheets with elaborate calligraphy, drying slowly, silently complaining about the utter boredom in those neat black lines and curves. A soft knock on the floor broke the silence and she turned her head around to see a petite woman popping out from under the trapdoor. The characteristic impish grin and vivid mass of flashy pink hair were what announced Kusajishi Yachiru's presence even before her bubbly voice did.
"'sup, Ice-head?" she yelled.
"Seeing how it is all but useless, I should still, for the hundredth time, request you, Yachiru, to keep your voice low," Mei said monotonously as she collected her calligraphed sheets and laid them on a neat pile in one of the drawers, never to be touched again. "If otou-sama were to find out I failed his repeated efforts to seal off your elaborate network of tunnels in the manor, I should have to start searching for new accommodations."
"I can imagine," Yachiru grinned. "Anyway, let's go."
"I…" she hesitated, neatly catching a bundle the pink devil threw in her direction. "… don't think it is a very good idea now, Yachiru…"
"Whaaaat?" she pouted, exaggerating her disappointment. "Meicchi dun tell me yer ditchin' me now."
"But… Yachiru, my position has changed. I am going to have to be responsible now," she looked at her and then at the floor.
"Trash. Come on, Ice-head, you an' I have been long time buddies. Who's gonna help me wipe the floor with 'em dickheads if ya ditch me now," she threw up her hands. "Besides, nothing much has changed really."
"But if somebody were to find out…"
"Has anybody till now? The camouflage is just too perfect, Ice-head,"
"I… suppose…"
"Yosh," the imp grinned triumphantly. "Let's go."
"Uh… huh," Mei looked around timidly, something very uncharacteristic of her perfectly stoic demeanor. Kusajishi Yachiru just always knew the right plugs to pull.
The little bar on the outskirts of the 67th Rukon district was not so much a dismal place, but one couldn't call it the best idea of throwing a party. Three of the shinigami sat at a corner table, apart from the milling crowd of the academy students.
"Honestly, Ritsuko, I can't believe you'd let your sister throw a party in a place like this," Kaien said, sipping on his drink idly.
"Who am I to tell her not to," a brown-haired girl seated next to him replied with a little smile as she scanned the crowd for Aika. "So long as she's having fun."
"Which reminds me, Kurosaki-kun, why is Masaki not here?" Sayuri, who was seated on the other side, inquired. "Sakurada-san especially invited her too."
"Like I'd let my little sister be here, drinking," Kaien glared into his drink.
"Aww, Kai-chan," Ritsuko teased. "Masaki isn't that little, you know—"
"She's still a kid."
"Elder brothers, I swear," the two females on either side muttered together and grinned.
"She's been having a hard time, Kurosaki-kun," Sayuri sighed. "Needs some time out."
"I know, but this place—"
"Elder brothers, I swear!" this time, it was followed by a short laugh shared by the three.
"Which reminds me, Ritsuko-san," Sayuri said. "Your department up to any good?"
"If you're asking about the visored research, not much," she grinned. "But if you're talking about the—"
"Oh my God, really?!" Sayuri gushed. "Kusajishi-fukutaichou is going to be so proud of you!"
"Hahaha, I hope so," Ritsuko laughed. "Nemu helped too."
"What?" Kaien looked at the two in confusion.
"Never mind, Kaien, it's umm… a shinigami women's association thing," Ritsuko suppressed a giggle.
"Oh then I can imagine the research and development department is up to no good," Kaien grunted. "I still have nightmares about those monster candies you made last time. The image of a hairy Ikkaku-san… I shudder at the thought of it."
"You can't expect anything less of our president, Kurosaki-kun," Sayuri giggled. "Ah, and about the research and development department being involved… it'ssss top secret," Sayuri piped down to an exaggerated whisper as Ritsuko suppressed another giggle.
"Yes, yes, I'd lose my seat on the squad if Kurotsuchi-taichou were to find out," Ritsuko cried.
"Am I in the right place?" Haru looked around from where he stood at the entrance of the bar, scratching his head.
"Haru-kun, I'm so glad you came," Aika almost flew at him, sending the tattoo-eyebrows guy in a frenzy of embarrassed stutters.
"Uh, yeah, not like I'm not allowed or anything…" he said, relief washing over his face as he saw the three familiar shinigami on the far table. "Wow, Ritsuko-nee is here too."
"Eh, well yeah she's my sister after all!" she said. "Where's Mei-chan? Oh, don't tell me, Haru-kun, she didn't come for real?"
"Did you actually expect her to, Aika?" he rolled his eyes.
"I wished she would," she muttered, looking around at a gambling table. "Oh by the way, care for a game?"
"Wouldn't hurt," Haru shrugged, walking behind her.
"I wouldn't, if I were you," came the bubbly voice of Kusajishi Yachiru out of nowhere.
"Ya-Yachiru-san," Haru jumped. "How—when did you get here?"
"Just when ya were plannin' on emptying yer pockets, tattoo-eyes," she grinned, gulping down her drink. "Oh I am so disappointed Chibi-kun didn't show up. It's so boring without him."
"I did invite Taeru-kun," Aika frowned. "Not that I expected him to come though."
"I think I'll pass on the game," Yachiru eyed the table. "Yer gonna lose anyway."
"I'm not losing, Kusajishi," Aika smirked. "I grew up in Rukongai. You'd think I'm a pro at it by now."
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," Yachiru grinned evilly.
They sat around the table which was mostly crowded with strange figures.
"Got money, ye chimps?" a husky man glared at them.
"Plenty," Aika smirked. "Deal me in. Haru-kun, you playin'?"
"Sure," he glowered back at the big man. "I'm not losing."
They dealt cards and to Haru's surprise, Aika played expertly, cleaning out one man after another. Haru concentrated but he hadn't played poker much and was soon floundering for anything in his pocket he could bet.
"Ya done, dude?" a raspy female voice said from across the table. Haru shrugged. Now that he was out of the game, he got to notice how the people around the table had come and gone. There was a drunk, hungry looking guy wiping off sweat from his forehead every time he lost money, another man who just smiled as he dealt, Aika was still in but from her frown he could tell she was having some hard time. Yachiru was still sitting impassive, grinning as one after the other, men got wiped out. The latest addition on the table was the raspy-voiced girl sitting dignified in her tattered robes and unnaturally messy black hair. One side of her face was covered in uneven flicks while the other side had bandages and a patch covering her eye. All in all, he could not make out the mysterious face at all, wondering how she could manage to see through her hair with the good eye.
"Whatcha starin' at, punk?" she said in her raspy voice, turning in his direction as he looked to his sides and back.
"You're… talkin' to me?" he scratched his head.
"Yeah, tattoo-freak," she growled. Although he couldn't see her eyes, he was pretty sure she was glaring at him. He looked down, a little embarrassed, as she expertly dealt the cards. Somehow, her voice and accent sounded out of place. Like it was superimposed.
"Oh goodness, I am finished," Aika groaned. "Ritsuko-nee is going to kill me when she finds out I lost all my money."
"You lost all of it?" Haru blinked. Surprised that a pro like her had lost to the fake woman.
"Told ya I wouldn't try," Yachiru smirked.
"Why, you know her?" Haru asked, looking back at the mysterious girl who had wiped out the last person on the table.
"You could say… we're ol' time buddies. I showed her how t' play," Yachiru grinned, winking back at her. Haru stared as she got up and handed the spoils to the pink-haired midget, a smile evident behind all the bandages and hair.
"You're gonna hand it all over to her?" Aika blinked at her. "You didn't even need the money, why were you even gambling?"
"That does not concern—none 'f yer friggin' business, missy," she let out an exaggerated raspy cough. "See ya later, Yacchin."
"I think I should get back too now," Haru muttered. "Thanks for today, Aika. It was fun. Ja na."
He stepped out in the dark alley, scanning the area around with narrow eyes. The dark silhouette in the distance was almost out of sight when he decided to sneak up on her with his shunpo. Before the girl could scream, he had her pinned, his hand covering her mouth. He ripped off the eye-patch as she stared through her messy hair, his eyes widened.
"I knew it," he cried.
"Well, Haru, impressive that you saw through the whole disguise," the familiar ice-cold voice left no doubt whatsoever about her personality.
"M-Mei… oh… God, I can't believe this," he let go of her as she adjusted her hair and snatched the eye-patch from him. "What a sneaky bitch you… duh, Mei… how long have you—"
"Does not concern you, Haru," she said, back to her normal impassive self. "And, yes, I believe I do not have to tell you that you shall not be speaking a single word about this to anyone, or I shall—"
"I'll choose death over it, Mei," he shuddered at her purely murderous freezing stare.
"It will be a very slow, painful torture—"
"I get it already, Mei, you don't have to elaborate."
"Good," she brushed her ragged clothes lightly, suppressing a smirk that did not suit her blown up disguise.
"But, honestly, Mei—"
"Not another word, Haru."
"Okay, fine, fine," he muttered. "Eh, what now?"
"Did you hear that just now, Haru?" she stopped dead in her tracks, looking around.
"What are you—" he stopped as another definitely louder howl echoed in the night air. "That… was that a hollow?"
"I cannot say for certain," Mei said, taking off in flash-step, Haru following right at her heels. "That sound was similar to a hollow's but the reiatsu…"
The roar was the only thing pointing them in the right direction for the reiatsu was almost unnoticeable. And strange, like something they had never come across before. They landed in a little clearing, uncertain of what to do next.
"Shit," Haru cursed. "I didn't carry my zanpakutou."
"Heavens," she noticed the same thing after her hand instinctively groped around for the sword. "We shall have to retreat, Haru. And inform someone—"
Another howl froze the two of them dead and they stared at the strange sight right in front of them. The strange reiatsu suddenly surged high enough for them to knock their knees.
"This… creature… is not a hollow," Mei managed a whisper.
"Run, Mei," Haru yelled. "We gotta run."
A/N: Hee so I just felt that Yachiru must have an awful effect on Byakuya's daughter since she often leaves the stoic noble speechless and floundering xD
I know this chapter seemed a little rushed but I was just having a hard time writing.
And this is just super sad that I did absolutely nothing during the loooong, blessed holidays and now that my head is a little clearer with the ideas, the college is about to reopen *groans*
But I shall try to update soon!
Thank you for reading.
Please leave review.