DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH
A week has gone by since the Ghost communicated with Rukia. She has tried to talk to him many times since but he never responds. Nevertheless, she can still feel him watching her and he even leaves her more hollows to kill, all though she can feel him watching her as she does. She finds it only slightly irritating that he is always around but she gets extremely annoyed when he doesn't answer her when she tries to talk to him. After only being 'allowed' to kill three hollows that night her anger gets the better of her.
"I WANT TO TALK TO YOU FACE TO FACE." She shouts. She stands there waiting for an answer for what seemed an eternity. Then she yells again, "COWARD!" followed by her walking down the street. Again she is surprised and all her anger melts away when she turns a corner and sees words written on the sidewalk again.
I'm sorry midget but we can't. AND I AM NOT A COWARD! Rukia just stands there and blinks at the response, reading it over and over. When her mind finally realizes that he called her a midget her anger swells and she yells again.
"DON'T CALL ME A MIDGET YOU POMPOUS ASS. AND YES YOU ARE A COWARD FOR NOT SHOWING YOURSELF TO ME!" she huffs and walks away. She doesn't even realize that she walked over more words until she hears a noise behind her. She spins on her heels to see what it was hoping it was the so called ghost so she could make him into a real one. She then sees the writing on the sidewalk and goes to it.
Her anger seethes as she reads the words. Ok Dwarf. Don't worry you'll meet me face to face one of these days. I don't doubt you will need my help soon. But remember, I won't help unless you ask for it. Oh and DON'T TELL PEOPLE WE TALKED! Rukia was slightly taken aback at finding out he knew she talked about him. She couldn't wait to get back to Uraharas that morning to tell him all about it. She even decides to tell Kyone once she gets up. Maybe even go on patrol with her for a little bit so she will join her tonight.
When her patrol finally finishes she waits for Kyone to wake up with Urahara. She decides to let Kyone sleep in a little so as to get on her good side. So now she sits with Urahara regaling him of last nights events.
"Interesting. It seems our ghost has a bit of an anger issue. Have you gotten the chance to see him while he writes the notes or have learned to trace his reaitsu?" Urahara asks.
"No he seems to be able to hide it pretty damn well when he isn't fighting. But when I get to where he has fought, there is such a powerful residue. He seems to be pretty powerful. The souls he rescues more often than not are silent about him. He makes them promise not to say anything about what happened and definitely not anything that pertains to him. Do you think it may be a shinigami that was banished or exiled?" Rukia asks.
"It is possible, except no one knows this reaitsu. Of all the shinigami that have come here none of them recognized it although some find it familiar to another reaitsu. They can't place either though." Urahara replies.
Shortly after Kyone comes in and she begins her tale again telling Kyone everything. Then to her surprise, Kyone asks if she can come on patrol with her tonight. "I really want to see if we can find this ghost. I feel him sometimes but not very often. Usually only when I fight, but he seems to follow you around everywhere. I think that if I keep my reaitsu hidden I might be able to sneak around and find him since he won't know that I am with you. I'll even leave after you so we look even less suspicious."
Urahara just chuckles, "Good luck, but don't be disappointed if you don't find anything. I have already told you that he can smell a trap. But I do wish you good luck, I would like to know what the ghost looks like and why he does what he does."
That Night
Rukia is walking through the city feeling the eyes upon her. She has been on patrol for nearly six hours and she hasn't felt Kyone or the ghost reaitsu once. Due to their careful plan, Kyone was going to leave twenty minutes after Rukia and follow her by her reaitsu while looking for the ghost. She was beginning to think Kyone didn't come.
"Where is she?" she says. When she turns the corner she gets her answer by way of writing on the sidewalk.
Your friend is about a quarter mile behind you. I have to admit she is pretty good about hiding. It took me about ten minutes before I realized she was following you.
With that Rukia turned around and hollers, "Kyone the gig is up come here."
Kyone steps out of some bushes and walks over to Rukia. "Why did you announce that I was there? Now we won't be able to find him." She says.
Rukia doesn't say anything just points to the writing with a glare. Kyone walks up to it and blushes as she reads. "Wow I got a compliment from the ghost."
"I don't see what's so great about that. It's not as though he told you himself. The guy is scared to show his face he must be fat and ugly." Rukia states angrily.
Just as Kyone is about to say something they feel two hollows on the other side of town. They rush as fast as they can and Kyone quickly pulls ahead using her shunpo. Rukia curses herself for not practicing with it more. By the time Rukia arrives one hollow is down deteriorating and another is injured. Kyone has a slash across her chest and she is doubled over using her zanpakotu for support. Rukia quickly enters the fray and with the two of them the hollow dies rather quickly. Rukia goes over to Kyone to begin using her healing kidou when an ominous reaitsu appears. She watches as the sky seems to rip apart and a giant walks out. The thing is at least two jundred feet tall covered in black with a huge white mask.
"Menos Grande," Kyone gasps and both girls just stare horrified. They don't even realize that the menos is generating a cero until it is heading their way. They both react but they are too slow. The cero lands no more than ten feet behind them and they are thrown from the blast. Rukia notices she can't move her arm and when she looks she can see a piece of metal buried in her shoulder. She tries to ignore the pain and struggles to go over by Kyone who is now unconscious bleeding from a wound on her head. Rukia collapses next to her as her own blood loss is making her weak. She looks in the direction of the Menos and realizes it is no longer interested in them but in a man dressed in black with a huge zanpakotu strapped to his back. He is like nothing she has ever seen before. His shinigami robes are tight against his muscled body and he is wearing a mask that covers his face and head. He turns to look at Rukia and see immediately finds herself staring into his piercing amber eyes. She almost gasps at their intensity, at their beauty. She finds herself getting lost in their perfection. She has never seen eyes that beautiful. He just looks at her wound then turns to face the Menos.
Rukia quickly regains herself and hollers at the masked man, "Get out of here, it'll kill you. You don't stand a chance!"
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. But remember what I said, I won't help you until you ask. And just so you know, you are much prettier up close." The man says over his shoulders. Rukia was surprised to hear his voice. Very arrogant, near laughing, melodic, and yet commanding.
Rukia tries to speak but finds it is taking all her energy just to keep her eyes open. The masked man turns back and sees her situation. "Fine," he says, "I am only going to give you this one freebie." The man says before using shunpo to get closer to the Menos.
He is fast. The fastest I have ever seen, faster than my brother even. Rukia says to herself as she watches him reappear directly in front of the Menos. She is wide eyed at the way he just stands there and reaches back for his zanpakotu. She watches as the white cloth removes itself from encasing the massive weapon as the man lifts it with one hand. The size of one blade reflects the power of one's reaitsu. She remembers then she watches on as the masked man releases his hold on his reaitsu and it begins to spill from his body. He is overflowing with it. He must be at nearly a captain's level. She stops thinking as she watches the man lift his sword and bring it down shouting the words, "Getsuga Tenshō". Rukia watches as a huge amount of black reaitsu is shot forth from the blade slicing into the Menos cutting it in half. As the Menos disappears she sees the maksed man in front of her again knelling down examining her wound. She looks into his face searching for his eyes. When she finds them she stares into them, as if trying to see into his soul. She begins to feel herself lose consciousness and closes her eyes. As she begins to drift away she hears him say, "I told you that we would be meeting face to face and that you would be needing my help." There was a slight pause then he said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you and your friend, midget." And with that she lets go and drifts off.
Rukia wakes with a gasp. She sits up and her hand immediately goes to her shoulder and finds it bandaged. She can move her arm but it hurts like hell. She quickly surveys the room realizing that it is the room she and Kyone share. KYONE. She shouts in her head looking around more intensely. She sees Kyone lying next to her also bandaged. Kyone has bandages covering her chest and head. Rukia holds her breath as she listens for Kyones'. Kyone is breathing normal just as she would if she was asleep. Rukia lets out her held breath then winces as the pain in her shoulder reminds her that she had been careless.
"Oh, your awake. How do you feel?" Urahara asks from the open doorway.
"It hurts, a lot. How did we get here?" She asks.
"I brought you here." Urahara lied. "I felt the ominous reaitsu of a Menos Grande and rushed over to see if you needed any help. When I got there you two were unconscious and bandaged. So I decided to bring you both back here to rest."
"How long was I out." Rukia asks accepting his explanaition.
"Three days if you count the night I found you." Urahara replies.
"Three days! What about all the hollows? I have to –" Urahara cuts her off with his raised hand. "It seems our ghost has been busy. I have felt him fighting all over town. The poor guy doesn't seem to be getting any rest. I bet he is waiting on you to get back to work. He has been purifying all the hollows that have showed up since you two went down."
"He isn't a ghost." Rukia says remembering his form and those gorgeous amber eyes and his commanding voice. "He was definitely dressed in shinigami robes and his zanpakotu is a massive blade that is completely black. It has no guard and would stay on his back by being held there with a lot of white cloth. When he touched it, the cloth would just melt away and he wore a black mask that covered his face and head." She sighs, again thinking about those intriguing eyes. "He has the most alluring amber eyes."
Urahara smiles at that. "Did he say anything to you?"
"He told me, 'I'll give you one freebie but next time you have to ask' before he killed the Menos. Then he said I was much prettier up close." Rukia responds looking down trying to hide her blush.
"Wow a Menos Grande? He killed it in one strike? He definitely is more powerful than I thought. What an interesting turn of events. Looks like I was right, he seems to be interested in you."
Just then Kyone wakes with a groan. "What happened? How are we alive? Did you kill that Menos Rukia?"
"No, the ghost did." She states flatly.
Kyones' mood seems to brighten almost immediately. "Did you see him? What does he look like? He must be powerful, did he say anything?"
Rukia groans and tells Kyone everything. When she is finished she looks at Kyone who is looking down with a pout. "What?" she asks Kyone.
"He said you're pretty but didn't say anything about me, when I am definitely prettier than you." Kyone says. Rukia scoffs but decides not to start an argument.
"Alright, ladies, that's enough. You have to hurry up and heal up so you can get back to work. I'll have soul society send a temporary replacement to take care of the hollows and someone fro swaud four to care for you until you are rested.
"Lieutenant Abari." A man says behind a desk.
Renji hurries into the room to present himself in front of his captain. "Yes captain."
""You are going to the human world. Apparently my sister and 3rd seat Kyone were injured in a battle with a Menos Grande." Captain Kuchiki says.
"What?" Renji says, "Is Rukia alright?"
Captain Kuchiki continues, ignoring his outburst. "I want you to take over their duties until they are healed and ready to continue. Give me a report as soon as you arrive. Dismissed."
"Yes captain." Renji says as he exits the building head to the gate that will take him to the human world.
I hope she is alright. I don't know what I would do if she isn't. Why did she fight a Menos Grande without calling for backup? Did she defeat it? I have a lot of questions.
As Renji exited the portal he looks around the human world and immediately notices a powerful reaitsu near a hollow on the other side of town and just as he was about to head towards it, it disappears along with that of the hollow. He is dumbfounded at the sheer volume of reaitsu. That is a captains level. There aren't any captains here and I don't recognize it either. I know all of the captains by heart and that is not one of them. I will have to ask Rukia about that as well.
With that Renji focuses on Rukias' reaitsu and finds her to the east. He rushes there using his shunpo and arrives at Uraharas' shop. He enters without knocking and is immediately met with a fist. He falls back onto the ground holding his nose. "What was that for?" he asks angrily.
A big man with massive muscles and dreads stands over him. "You never enter someone's home without knocking first. Where are your manners?"
"Right, sorry. Where is Rukia?" He asks feeling a little stupid for neglecting common courtesies.
"She is asleep at the moment. She won't be up for a while. Who are you?" a blonde man asks as he steps from behind the tall monster. The man is wearing a rather 'unique' kimono and clogs. His hat has stripes matching his 'unique' kimono. The man carries a cane but obviously doesn't need one.
"I am Renji Abari, lieutenant of the 6th division come here to temporarily replace Rukia Kuchiki and 3rd seat Kyone while they heal." Renji says straightening himself as he gets off the ground.
"Ah, the replacement I requested. I didn't ask for them to send a lieutenant though. Oh well, I am Urahara Kisuke, call me Urahara," he says with a bow, "and this big strapping fellow is my good friend Tessai." Who nods, "I suggest you don't get on his bad side." Urahara says with a smile. "well there will be plenty of time to talk once the ladies wake up. Go ahead and get to work, come back here in a few hours. Don't worry I'll let them know that you stopped by."
Renji glares before speaking, "I want to see Rukia."
"Oh don't worry you will, but I won't let you wake her. You will see her tonight. Tah tah." Urahara says with a dismissive wave. He turns around and walks back into the house while Tessai closes the door.
Renji is dumbfounded. Was I just dismissed? I am a lieutenant! He should show some proper respect! Damn, why do I have to wait to see her? With that Renji turns around to search the city for hollows.
Throughout the day, he randomly feels eyes on him for a minute or two then they vanish. Sometimes he feels the strong reaitsu on the other side of town but by the time he gets there, it's gone. He senses many hollows but when he arrives they are already disintegrating. He tried asking many of the souls what had happened but they just stood there shaking their heads saying they didn't know. So he sent them to soul society without letting them know anything. He had to chase an old man for a few blocks before he caught up to him. He was angry and irritated by the time he returned to Uraharas. He had felt over 30 hollows but only got the chance to kill 12. The others were taken care of before he arrived. Needless to say he was beyond irritated and was not looking forward to spending time with that urahara fellow.
He walked up to Urahars' door and was just about to open it when he remembered the huge fist that had pummeled him this morning. He steps back and knocks. Immediately the door opens and Renji sees Tessais' smiling face, "Looks like you remembered some of your manners."
"Yeah sorry about this morning. Is Rukia awake?" Renji resonds.
"Yes she is. In fact Hanataro from the 4th division just finished healing her. You may come in and see her now. Renji smiles and follows Tessai into the building.
Urahara had just finished telling the girls to not say anything about the ghost to Renji when he suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Rukia!" he shouted as he ran over to her and knelt before her. "Are you ok? What happened? Why did you fight a Menos Grande you should have called for reinforcements?"
"Renji, it good to see you. I am fine. See no wounds, Hanataro healed the little injuries I had. As for the Menos grande," she looks at Urahara who clears his throat.
"I killed it," Urahara says as it was as simple as blowing his nose.
Renji turns on Urahara with an angry glare. "Why weren't there to prevent them from getting injured? That's your job right?"
"No I'm afraid you're mistaken as to what my job here is. I am here to help there two beautiful ladies, - Oww!" everyone looks down into Uraharas' lap to see a black cat with its teeth sunk into his hand. Clearing his throat and removing his hand from the cats' mouth, he continues, "As I was saying, my job is to give shinigami a glimpse of what it is to live in the human world. To broaden their horizons you might say. I am not supposed to get involved in any battles but I couldn't let these two lovely la-" the cat in his lap begins to growl, "I mean shinigami get killed, they bring such happiness into this household." Urahara finishes with a smile. Both girls blush and smile at one another.
"Well Renji, how long do you intend to stay?" Rukia asks changing the subject.
"I am supposed to stay until you are able to return to your duties." He replies.
"I am able to return to my duties tonight. I am fully healed and refreshed. I don't like being cooped up in the house too much." Rukia says.
"And I will return to duty tomorrow. So you can head back whenever you are ready. I am sure you have a lot of lieutenant stuff to take care of." Kyone interjects before Renji can use her as an excuse.
Renji is a little irritated that he is not wanted. But he decides to take it in stride, "I would like to participate in your patrol with you tonight Rukia, then leave in the morning. Your brother told me to give a full report upon my return and I would like to tell him about how your abilities have grown."
Rukia lets out an inaudible groan then looks to Urahara who gives her a slight nod. "Ok, well we leave as soon as night falls so we have another two hours or so." Rukia says.
"Alright, in that case I am going to get some rest before we head out." With that he walks outside.
Rukia really didn't want him to come tonight. She wanted to be alone so maybe, just maybe the 'ghost' would appear and talk to her. She didn't think that he would come around if another powerful shinigami was nearby, especially with the way Renji is about not letting her out of his sight.
It was going to be a long night.