Afloat in the Water
Chapter Three
"Ronin! Wake up, sleepy head!"
"Mmmm…" Ronin opened her eyes and pushed herself into her pillow, Kisuke standing above her with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. She groaned, rolling over to block her eyes from the sight. Despicable man, having the audacity to wake me up…
"Come on! The day is dawned and waiting for your pretty lil face!" Ronin felt a vein pop on her forehead and thrust her foot into his gut, sending him flying into the back wall, his feet twitching. He picked himself up, a drop of sweat running down the side of his face as he dusted himself off and straightened his robe. Ronin crawled out of her bed and stretched, yawning as she looked out the window a moment before reaching for some clean clothes she had stolen from her room the previous day. Kisuke watched her with a calm look about him and she raised a brow. He merely smiled.
"Your ninja friend is out of bed and wandering about outside. I believe he's down by the river." Ronin's eyes widened a little in surprise. She then scurried to the bathroom to freshen up to meet with Kakashi out in the warm, summer day.
I shouldn't be surprised that he's up and moving. He is a ninja after all…but part of me feels shocked, considering his injuries. I guess I underestimated him. She didn't waste time, and sooner than later, she was dressed in her black outfit with her robe, flinging the door open just as she let her finished ponytail drop against her back.
She walked outside and was greeted by the warm sunlight and couldn't help but smile. There was a time she never saw the sun, and each day she woke up to it, she always felt a little grateful. Her skin could get easily cold and she was prone to getting chills sometimes. So she always soaked it up when she was allowed. The air smelled of blooming flowers and the breeze was light and gentle, caressing any available cheek. Ahead of her, the river flowed freely, splashing up on the shore every few seconds due to the naturally fast current. Standing above it was Kakashi, whom looked disheveled and somewhat lost.
He was fully dressed in his Jonin wear, minus his original shirt. He had his headband covering his strange eye and he was glaring down at the water, his fists clenched to his sides. Underneath of his dark colored mask, a frown stained his lips and his hair fell in front of his normal eye, only adding shadow to his despair.
Ronin carefully walked up to him, unaware of she should be cautious with his emotions or his ability to snap at any given time to escape from her. He had a new look of determination to get back home where his people could need him, but she had no intentions of letting him go. Not in the condition he was in. She tucked her bangs behind her ears. "So you've made your way out of slumber. Well done, Kakashi." She spoke carefully. He only gripped his fists harder.
"I need to go back to my village."
"Is there a village to go back to?"
"I have to find them."
"Who is it you have to find?"
"I need to leave…now."
"I can't let you do that." He finally gave her a reaction, rounding on her with a look of shock and a mixture of anger and sadness. She just stared into his eye and kept her cool, knowing emotion would only get in the way of what was best for life, his life. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. But you aren't fully healed as of right now and I would rather you not die after all the work I performed on you." She covered up the real reason she didn't want him to go, but he didn't seem to be listening to her. She twitched. His shock twisted into a cold glare.
"Do you plan to stop me from leaving?" He kept his eyes locked on hers and she saw that his headband had been pulled up, his red eye spinning. She avoided looking into it and smiled at him.
"I cannot let you leave with such a serious wound. You would only get yourself killed." She sighed. "Besides, I would rather fight you when you were fully recovered. It wouldn't be a fair game now." He blinked, taking in a breath to calm himself down a little bit.
"You wish to fight me?"
"I've always been intrigued by the idea of battling with a genuine ninja. I once studied the ninja ways and the cultures, familiarizing myself with different jutsus and even using chakra control to change and enhance my own abilities." He stared at her a moment, shock returning back into his gaze.
That's right…that night in my room, I wasn't able to track her. She had moved so fast, I never saw her moving towards the bed to sit beside me in the chair. I never even heard her! Kakashi kept his eye on her, waiting for her to move. He had a feeling in his gut that she would strike first, and he intended to be ready for her. But at the same time, he was feeling unsure about the situation. He knew better to underestimate people, and he had done just that with her. It would prove to be a major mistake.
"You should never underestimate an opponent, Hatake, Kakashi." She smiled at him again. "And not that I have any say on the matter, but maybe you're underestimating those whom you worry about currently?" She said lightly.
Kakashi's eyes widened and it was then he realized she was right. Not only was he underestimating his possible opponent, but he wasn't holding the faith in Sakura and Naruto that he usually had. What was going on? He shook his head, a bead of sweat running down his brow. He needed to find his center of balance. "I'm such a fool…" He breathed, rubbing the back of his neck. Ronin frowned.
He acts nonchalant, even when insulting himself, but on the inside he must be a wreck…I can tell the war took some effect on him...although I have to hand it to him, he's been trained very well on keeping his emotions in check. She went to his side and with hesitation, put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know I really don't know you, but…if I can be of any help, you can talk to me about what happened in your village." He looked past her to the river, his eyes faraway from where they were. Past the water in the distance, a few houses peeked up from the countryside. She always thought they were misplaced in the busy city.
"You're serious about keeping me here, aren't you?" He asked her quietly.
"A lie has never stained my lips." He searched her eyes a moment, and a smile spread across his face under his mask.
. . .
Kisuke walked back into his shop, giving the two by the river some extra privacy. He stopped at the front counter and leaned against it, resting his chin on his hand and giving a loud sigh. "I've got a funny feeling about those two." He thought about them staring at one another and felt himself grow a little protective. "I don't know about this…" He scowled.
"Hey, Hat and Clogs. What are you scowlin' about?" Kisuke looked up to see Ichigo leaning heavily against the doorway, blood running down the side of his face. His eyes widened. The teen was in his soul reaper form, crimson soaking the front of him as well.
"Ichigo, what-?" The orange haired boy fell, revealing behind him a hollow, which was making its way closer to the shop. Kisuke gripped his cane. "Wonderful."
Ronin felt the air grow tense and she looked up, alarms going off in her head. The air was changing, an evil aura polluting the clear energy that usually enveloped the area. Kakashi looked at her, breaking out of his thoughts at her look of concern. "What is it?" She didn't answer him; instead, she tensed and ran towards the shop. I can never misjudge the feeling of a hollow! She burst through the back door of the Urahara Shop and ran to her room. Reaching inside the doorway, her hand fell upon her zanpakto. She gripped it firmly and ran back out to the front, forgetting the ninja she had left outside. When she came to the front door, she froze at the sight of Ichigo bleeding out on the floor.
"Ichigo."
"Ronin, get him out of here! I'll hold it off and have some fun until you get back!" Kisuke shouted to her while pulling out his own zanpakto. "Benihime." She heard his say and she could picture him running his hand over the blade. She wasted no more time and hoisted Ichigo onto her back.
"What's going on?" She gritted her teeth as she looked up to see Kakashi coming in the back door. Something big was coming.
"Kakashi, GET DOWN!" Suddenly, the hollow crashed into the shop, glass and wood splintering and flying through the air. Ronin quickly jumped back to her feet and began to run, Kakashi following beside her. She headed back to the river, the only safe place to go.
The Hatake followed her, confused at the sudden chaos raining down around them. What the hell was that thing? He thought frantically as they stopped by the water once again. Ronin set the orange haired boy on the ground and looked back to the shop. A cut was slashed above her right eye, blood running down her face. She grunted as she wiped at the crimson, trying her best to clear her vision. "Been a while since I've bled. That bastard of a hollow will pay!" She looked into Kakashi's eye, determination burning in hers. "Wrap him up as best you can. I'm gonna go help Kisuke."
"I can't be of any help?"
"Not yet, Kakashi." Was all she could think to say. He nodded, feeling it best to help the teen who lay bleeding at his feet. Ronin bolted up the hill and he looked after her, wishing he was beside her to help, but knew she was right. Not yet, but soon.
Ronin reached Kisuke's side and gave him a once over, noticing he was wounded…rare for an ex captain. "How bad is this hollow?"
"Bad. We have to strike together." Ronin nodded, gripping the sheathed blade in her hands. She pulled it out from its protective cover and ran her hand over the blade, whispering,
"Kasai-ken!" The sword began to glow, transforming from a long, narrow blade to a double ended zanpakto, the blades shaped as serpent like dragons. She gripped the middle expertly and went to her fighting stance. Kisuke held his own up and together they raised the blades into the air.
Spirit energy began to gather around them, the blades glowing a crimson red. Ronin felt the energy consume her and her hands began to burn from the power. She shouted at the hollow, which continued approaching, letting out an angered roar. It smashed through the remaining walls, clearing the area to strike at them. She gave a malicious smile. "Come on, ya damn coward! Come and get us!" The hollow began to lean over them, opening its menacing mouth and screaming. Kisuke made eye contact with her and they both nodded at each other.
Without warning, the two reapers let down their zanpaktos, releasing the power of bloodlust from the blades and piercing the hollow perfectly in the center of his chest.
. . .
Kakashi finished wrapping Ichigo's now exposed chest and glanced up to see smoke billowing from the shop. "That can't be normal…" A wretched scream filled the air and he saw a red light envelope the surrounding area. He put his arm in front of his face, shielding his eyes as it brightened and the roar from the monster grew piercing. They must've struck it down. It sounds pained. He snuck a peek and saw that the light was dissipating. He checked on Ichigo and sighed. The boy was out cold, his brow knit in frustration from the pain. Now what?
Ronin watched the hollow disperse into the air and took in a relieved breath as the atmosphere became lighter. She reached up to her cut and wiped away the blood, momentarily clearing her vision. She glanced at Kisuke as her zanpakto returned to its original form. "You're out of shape, Kisuke." The man tilted his head back and gave a small laugh.
"Yeah? So are you!"
"This?" She motioned to the cut on her brow. "This doesn't count. I was grazed by flying glass, not the hollow itself."
"Sure…" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He put Benihime back in her sheath and took a look around his demolished store. She took a deep breath and headed back to where Kakashi and Ichigo were.
When she reached them, she found Kakashi standing next to the unconscious Ichigo. He picked his head up when he heard her coming and gave her a look over.
"What just happened?"
"Hollow destroyed. I'll explain later. How's the kid?" She kneeled down next to him and examined his wounds. She touched his bandaged head, her eyes widening as a thought dawned on her. "Wait a minute!" She jerked her head up to look at the blinking ninja.
"What?"
"You…You can see him?" She put a hand on her forehead, forgetting that she was bleeding still. "Why didn't I notice before?" Ronin became lost in her thoughts as the confused ninja stared at her. He must have a large amount of spiritual energy because of his chakra manipulation…the hollow must have come because it sensed him! "Kakashi, we need to get back to the shop."
"But…it was destroyed." She waved her hand, dismissing his words.
"I'm sure Kisuke fixed it up already. Now, let's get back inside!" She picked up Ichigo and was about to walk up the hill when the teen was taken from her. She blinked, watching as Kakashi walked past her, Ichigo cradled in his arms. She followed him, hoping there would be no more hollows nearby.
. . .
"Ah shit." Ronin looked up from the book she was reading to see Ichigo rubbing his forehead. She sighed, marking her spot and setting it down on the nightstand next to the guest bed. She looked at him, her eyes catching his attention and making him freeze.
"We meet again, reaper." He snapped out of it and shook his head, trying to dismiss her unsettling silence about her.
"Why the hell are you here?"
"Don't be such a dumbass. I'm the one who saved you…well, with a little help." Suddenly, she was standing directly over him, making him sink into the pillow. She gave a toothy smile. "How do you feel?" He grunted, sitting up against the headboard as she sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed one leg over the other.
"Like crap." He furrowed his brows and looked into her eyes. "What happened after I stumbled in?" She rubbed her temples, her eyes closed.
"To put it shortly, you came, passed out, and Kisuke and I destroyed the hollow. Lucky for you, I had someone wrap you up before you bled to death." She watched him after she finished, waiting for him to realize what she had said. Ichigo nodded…and then he looked at her with surprise.
"Wait…that guy that you kept here could see me in reaper form?"
"Yes. He's proving to be a very interesting person." She replied.
"What does that mean?" He asked her. She scoffed, becoming impatient with him.
"Think, Strawberry, it means that hollow came after him. It sensed his energy and came scouring for food. He has immense spiritual energy, quite like you, but there is something else."
"Now what?"
"I don't know, yet. I need you to inform Rukia about this to see if she can't figure this out." Ichigo nodded slowly.
"Fine." He tried to stand from the bed, but she was above him again, pushing him down into the mattress with her finger.
"I didn't say now. You can do it tomorrow morning. It's late, you should get some rest…oh, and I'm locking you in." She smiled and walked out of the room, shutting the door and locking it as promised. The teen sat in the bed fuming.
Kakashi sat on Ronin's bed and looked out the window, his mind adrift. He had to get out of there. His village was in ruins and needed all the help it could muster. And there was no telling if surrounding villages would come to help. For all he knew they had been attacked as well. He touched his fingers to his tilted headband, feeling the engraving of the leaf symbol on his skin. "Damn it."
"Damn what?" The Hatake turned to see Ronin at the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes were smiling at him and her brows were raised in question. He hesitated a moment, knowing he shouldn't have been surprised at how fast she appeared there.
"…"
"I told you I will not let you leave. Not until that wound in your shoulder is better."
"Don't underestimate me, Ronin. I have much more experience than a 19 year old such as yourself."
"…Heh…Hahahahahahaha!" Ronin began to laugh, clutching her gut as she doubled over. The ninja scowled at her, offended at her reaction to him. She took a deep breath and wiped a tear from her eye. "Don't eat your words, dear ninja, it is I you shouldn't underestimate."
Kakashi didn't even have time to blink. Suddenly, he found himself wedged against the wall, his hands pinned behind him. Her hand pressed into his wound and he gasped, wincing at the sharp pain. She leaned closer to him, her lips next to his ear as he struggled to think through the pain.
"You are weak, Kakashi. You can't even track my movements, nor can you act quick enough to make a counterattack or escape my simple hold on you." She let go of him, watching as he slid down to the floor, clutching his chest and trying to catch his breath. She kneeled down and gave him a sweet smile as he managed to make eye contact with her. "Forgive me for taking advantage of your wound, but I merely wanted to prove my point."
"Point successfully proven…" He grimaced. She continued.
"You are in no means to try and fight me. And I can even take a guess to say you haven't even built up any of your chakra, am I right?" He shut his eye in reply, his head leaning against the wall.
"…"
Ronin stood and grabbed Kakashi's free hand and hoisted him up off the floor. He let her walk him the short way back to the bed and sit him down. She sat down next to him and pulled out her ponytail, her hair falling against her shoulders in waves. "Can I ask you something?" She looked at him and he nodded, waiting for her to ask. "Did you sense that hollow?"
"Yes."
"Did you sense anything else?"
"…Yes." He looked down at his right hand lying limp in his lap, the other still clutching at his wound. "Something was calling me." Ronin stared at him, her blue eyes entranced by him.
"You there! Yoruichi's friend!" A woman's voice interrupted them and Ronin snapped back into reality, turning around to see a girl with short black hair clad in a school uniform.
"Rukia. I wasn't expecting to meet with you until tomorrow morning." Rukia stared at her.
"You expected wrong. I need to speak with you immediately." Just then, Kisuke walked in, having heard commotion. He smiled.
"Rukia, so nice of you to dro—"
"Shut it, Kisuke, my business is with your daugh—" In the blink of an eye, the Urahara was behind Rukia, one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other covering her mouth. She looked at him, startled by his speed, a sweatdrop dripping down from her brow. Ronin looked away from them, sadness in her blue eyes. Kakashi stared at her and noted how the atmosphere had changed so suddenly. Was Rukia about to say what he thought? I sense an unwanted secret hanging about the air. If what Rukia was about to say what I think…well, whatever it was, Ronin is saddened by it. But why?
Rukia ripped Kisuke's hands off of her. "I apologize for my intrusion, but I have urgent news for an ex reaper." Ronin perked back up as if her name had been called and found Rukia looking at her.
"What wonderful news has the Soul Society for me?"
"Alone. Can we speak privately?" Rukia asked somberly. Kisuke jumped up and smiled at Kakashi.
"Alright! Kakashi, is it? Do you like tea? Well, no matter, I have some that you will absolutely die for!" He chirped, grabbing the jonin and tugging him out of the room, giving him no room to argue. Rukia closed the door behind them and focused her attention on Ronin. Her expression was grave and dark and the 19 year old knew what was coming wouldn't be good.
"Ronin, the Soul Society has received word about the ninja Hatake Kakashi from Konohagakure."
"And what is this to do with me?"
"They have ordered all reapers to kill on sight."
. . .
End of chapter three! It took me a little over two days to post, but I combined two chapters for y'all in return. Hope you liked it and please review! Thanks!
