disclaimer: nothing is mine. Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo
chapter 4
Toshiro was surprised to say the least. Though he didn't show it. He never showed how he felt. Karin had almost been killed, yet she thought she was asleep the whole time! Yuzu kept going on about a truck hitting the house and no one waking up from it. Ichigo was still asleep after fighting that hollow, and Rukia was nowhere to be seen. He guessed she was going to be back though. Someone had to train Ichigo. Besides, he had taken her powers. He doubted she had any left. Wow. It felt so natural thinking about hollows, it was like he had known about them before. Why was it so familiar?
"Is something wrong, Toshiro?" Karin asked.
"How would no one wake up from a truck hitting the house? It doesn't make since." He decided to play along. It might of been that thing Rukia did with the smoke. Just then Ichigo came downstairs not even trying to hide anything.
"Hey Toshiro, do you know whats going on?" He asked.
"Don't you remember last night?" Toshiro didn't even bother to look at Ichigo.
"Well, ya. I thought you wouldn't seeing as no one else does."
"That truck sure left in a hurry though." Toshiro said, seeing Isshine coming up. Well, more feeling. He couldn't explain it.
"Oh no! You too?" Ichigo was starting to panic. Toshiro looked at Isshine.
"Its amazing that Toshiro was the only one who woke up from that, huh?" Karin asked.
"Even more so that no one was even scratched." Isshine added.
Ichigo and Toshiro were walking to there classes when someone bumped into them. Said woman fell on her rear.
"Oh, it's you. Hey Orihime." Ichigo said. Toshiro didn't react.
"What the hell, Ichigo? I knew Toshiro was cold but you? You don't even say 'Im sorry'?" Yelled Tatsuki. Tatsuki was a champion in karate and Orihime was her best friend, Tatsuki took care of her since her older brother Sora died three years ago.
"We got to get to class." Toshiro said.
"Hey, Ichigo. I heard a truck hit your house last night."
"Yeah, I guess thats what happened." Ichigo said. "Hey Toshiro, you saw it right? What did it look like?"
"Couldn't tell. It was too dark to see clearly." Toshiro was no idiot. He wasn't going to lead them on a false trail. He could also tell Ichigo's friends didn't like him. He couldn't tell why though. If he led them on a goose chase then that would give them reason to hate him. Something he had no intention of giving. Then he felt something familiar.
"Hey, you're Ichigo, right?" Ichigo turned to see Rukia standing there," I'm Rukia. I'll be sitting beside you from now on."
"It's you? What are you doing here?" Ichigo yelled.
"You know her Ichigo?" Asked Mizurio.
"Of course not. We've never met before. Right Ichigo?" As Rukia said this she stuck out her hand to reveal a message. 'Make a scene and you're dead.' Ichigo froze in terror. She was threatening him?
"Hey Ichigo. Why are you so late? It's past lunch." Keigo suddenly said.
"Uh, it's nothing."
Later, at break, Ichigo and Toshiro were talking to Rukia, Ichigo wasn't following what Toshiro said though.
"I assume you're still here because Ichigo has your powers and you can't go back to the soul society." It was more of a statement.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said sweetly.
"Don't act like you don't. I remember it clearly." Toshiro said. Suddenly he sounded very authoritative.
"How? I erased your memory." Then she felt Toshiro's spiritual pressure. It was enormous! Even more so than Ichigo's! And it was suddenly freezing. What? Could that be him doing this? It was the middle of the summer, so how? It felt like a blizzard!
Ichigo was having similar thoughts. 'Why is it suddenly so cold? It's the middle of the summer! What is going on? It's like a blizzard is going on!'
At another part of the school, the girl Ichigo bumped eariler, Orihime, also reacted.
"Hey Tatsuki. Why is it suddenly so cold? It feals like a blizzard." She shivered. Snuggling for warmth.
"I agree, it is cold. But not like a blizzard Orihime." Tatsuki said.
back with Ichigo and Toshiro
" Toshiro! Calm down! You're freezing everything" Rukia said as the ground started to frost over.
"What?" Toshiro gasped, he was doing this? He didn't even feel cold! Then again he never did though. Could he have powers like a soul reaper? Could it have something to do with his mysterious past?
"We'll have to talk about that later. For now lets keep to the matter at hand. Ichigo! You're brother was right when he said you have my power. At this point I can not return to the soul society. You will have to take my place until my power returns. You can't ignore this duty Ichigo. You have to be willing to risk even your own life for the spirits. You-"
"Time out," Ichigo said, making an X with his arms,"my monster fighting days are over! That was a one time deal!"
"But you did just fine yesterday." Rukia said.
"I only did that because my family was in danger. I won't go risking my life for people I don't even know!" He said as he started to walk away.
"I see. Then it looks like were going to have to do this the hard way!" She said, pulling on a black glove with a skull on it. Suddenly she jumped at Ichigo and pushed his soul right out of his body!
"Hey! Whats going on? What are you doing?" Ichigo yelled.
"Follow me." Rukia simply said.
Toshiro looked at Ichigo's body. Did she expect that to clean itself up? With a sigh, he hid Ichigo's body and went to follow Rukia.
"So, were are we going?" Ichigo asked.
"Be patient." Toshiro said.
"A hollow is going to attack the spirit of a boy that dwells in this park soon." Just as Rukia finished saying this, there was an explosion and a spider-like hollow chased a boy through the park. Ichigo couldn't let it kill him and started to go destroy the hollow.
"Hold it Ichigo. Just what are you doing?" Rukia said.
"What do you think? I'm going to help that boy." Ichigo said.
"But you don't even know him."
"You expect me to just sit by and watch him get eaten?"
"But you haven't committed to helping every spirit. A soul reaper has to treat all spirits as equals. You can't just help the ones right in front of you."
"SHUT UP AND HELP THE KID!" Toshiro was getting annoyed.
" You don't understand. If he helps this boy, he will have to commit to helping every spirit. He can't just focus on a select few."
" And you can't let one die because of that! You're job is to help every spirit! Ichigo, help him!"
"You don't have to tell me twice." Ichigo sliced the front legs off the spider-like hollow. The hollow fled, but Toshiro could still feel it nearby.
"So, have you made your choice, Ichigo?" Rukia asked.
"Like hell I have. I'm not so noble a person I could risk my life for everyone. Is something wrong Toshiro?" Ichigo asked, noticing Toshiro was just looking at the ground.
Just then, the hollow returned and charged at Ichigo, only to run right into his blade and die.
"Rukia, you said that hollows are drawn to high spirit energy, right?" Toshiro said.
"Yes. Why?"
"Well, my spiritual pressure leaked earlier, right? Is it possible that I attracted a few hollows?" Toshiro said.
"I don't think so."
"Hey kid, if you don't want to run into monsters like that again, you have to pass on." Ichigo said as tapped his head with the hilt of his sword. Immediately a pool of light surrounded the boy and he went through the ground. A black butterfly fluttered away.
Orihime was in her room studying for a test. What she didn't know was that there was a spirit outside watching her. When she closed the curtains, the spirit turned to go somewhere, but as soon as he turned, some hollows came and ganged up on him.
"Someone, help me. AAAAAAH." Suddenly, he found himself in a really dark place. It was like a dessert at night filled with those monsters. They surrounded him, and when they left, he himself turned into a hollow.
Ichigo and Toshiro were walking home with Rukia pestering them.
"You aren't going to leave until I agree are you?" Ichigo said.
"That's the plan." Just then there was the sound of a screeching tires.
"What was that?" Toshiro asked.
When they rounded the corner, the three were surprised to see Orihime laying on the road just as a red car drove away.
"Orihime! Did you just get hit by that car?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes! Uh, uh, I'm fine Ichigo really!" She said.
You sure don't look it. Toshiro thought, as he noticed a strange bruise on her leg.
"Oh, Rukia. How are you?" Orihime suddenly piped up.
"Who the hell are you?" Rukia asked.
"Rukia! Thats Orihime, she's in our class." Ichigo frantically whispered.
"Oh, Orihime! It's nice to meet you." Rukia said as she curtsied.
"You too, Rukia." She returned the curtsy. Her grey eyes betrayed how unsure she was.
"You've been shopping." Toshiro noted, finally taking his attention off her leg.
"Oh that's right. My sushi, spinach, and peanut butter survived too!" Orihime said, as she picked the stuff up.
I'm not even going to guess. Toshiro thought.
What the hell does she intend to make with that? Ichigo thought.
"Orihime, do you want me to walk you home?" Ichigo asked nervously.
Orihime's eyes widened drastically, "Oh, no, you don't have to do that. Bye, Ichigo! Bye, Rukia!" As she finished she crossed the street. Making a point to look both ways.
Did she even notice me? Even after I TALKED? Toshiro thought.
Author notes: So this is the MY first chapter on this. PM me if you see anything different from the rest. I'd like to keep to ExorcistWihite's style for this one. Also Oridhime's ingredients weren't the ones in the show. I could never remember that.
