This is Post-Beta
I did for editing on my own before this was post and I got some good feed back. So I might go back and review some of my older stories. I should have a Beta for my Tenjho Tenge crossover but I forgot who it was. So I have to figure that out.
I also wanted to get the first years out of the way and deal with second years in the next chapter. The groups of characters, mainly Ganessa's year, are mostly background characters. While Chiffon's and Elizabeth's have an actual role to the plot.
The pool part was mainly done because of Ticy. Throughout the series including the Manga I've yet to see Ticy actually go swimming. Which Kind of bugs me, I mean she is slowly gaining a more significant role in the series.
So the next chapter will be the Second years versus Ichigo. Mainly Chiffon and Ticy with Elizabeth's group.
Also Kazuya is still part of the story. He actually has a role unlike the other Limiters who are nothing but background characters. They have names yeah but lets face it we barely see them doing anything aside for a freezing here and there.
I'm currently working on two projects; one is a new cover image for this story. The other is still up for debate mainly because I'm not sure if I'll still want to do it or if I can work out the kinks in it.
As for the poll, it's not really doing anything aside for saying, "I like this character". Personally I'd like a little more reason of WHY that Pandora should be partnered with Ichigo. Seriously through poll aside it's leaning toward Elizabeth.
As for my next chapter of one of my stories it may take a while to do mainly because I got a new computer and I'm working on the kinks in it. Plus it may take some time for me to learn windows 8 ugh. I also need a new writing program cause office cost money which I'm saving for my next anime convention.
It had been several days since he met both Elizabeth's group along with Chiffon and Ticy. Ichigo could feel how sore his body was from nearly pulling every muscle in his very body.
Chiffon hadn't given him a break since they started training. He was glad that she wasn't going easy on him. He sparred against Ticy in swordplay, sharpening his reaction time and speed against Chiffon's Illusion turn. He felt like he was getting a good work out, at times it helped keep his mind off his current situation.
He walked over to his bed and fell flat on the mattress. While he lay on his bed he turned to the window and looked at the Katana lying against the window. The blade was one of Kisuke's inventions, the weapon when drawn from its scabbard created the volt weapon blade from the hilt.
The Carnival was the day after tomorrow he was going to face his class first. He had seen some of the Pandoras from his class. He didn't really see them as a problem. He was mainly concerned about fighting the second years, mainly Chiffon since every blow he landed on her broke the blade of the sword. Sometimes he wondered if her clothes were as hard as her volt weapon.
"Fighting Chiffon and Elizabeth is going to tricky." Ichigo mumbled into his pillow. He had just finished taking a shower before he fell on his bed face first. It was Saturday and yesterday had been the last day of the training with Chiffon and Ticy. He rolled on to his back and stared at the ceiling. "Might as well sleep in." He put arms behind and relaxed his body.
"Ichigo are you awake." Ichigo could hear Arnett through the door. He growled under his breath. He guessed sleeping in was out of the question.
"Yeah, I'm awake, why?" He wondered why Arnett was at the boy's dorm so early.
"We're all going to the pool and were wondering if you wanted to come?" Ichigo got off his bed and walked over to the door.
"The school has pool?" Ichigo wondered aloud as he opened the door and saw Arnett behind Attia with her hand covering the small girl's mouth. "Why are you covering her mouth?" He could see how mad Attia was.
"I'm making sure she didn't yell." Ichigo didn't really believe Arnett's reason for silencing the small second year.
"Ok, back to my first question, this school has a pool?" Ichigo said raising an eyebrow questioningly.
Ichigo was surprised that the school had a pool. The school was devoted to train both Pandora's and Limiter's to fight the NOVA, and to have a pool on top of that he found somewhat odd.
"Yep, there's also a movie theater." Arnett replied brightly.
Ichigo started to see the school more of a normal school than a school for military use.
"Sure why not. I need a day to relax and swimming sounds like a good idea." He was sure he saw his trunks among the cases. He went back into his room and went through the cases looking his trunks.
"You have a lot of suitcases." Arnett commented noticing all the cases piled up in a corner of the room. "I'm going to have to pick up a larger one when I get a chance." He had to find time to go dig up that time capsule. He figured it would be buried near the house.
"You done yet." Ichigo heard Attia's impatient voice. Arnett had obviously stopped covering the short girl's mouth.
"No, I've got so many suitcases that I don't remember what's in what." He found one of the library books he checked out. He finally found his trunks among the cases. He still hadn't been able to open the white & black cases. "Ok now I'm done you Hobbit." He grabbed his trunks and put them in a plastic bag along with a towel. They left the boys dorm and start walking toward the pool. None of the other Limiters were awake at the time to see them leave.
"Ichigo, you told us why you're here, but you never mentioned how you got here." Arnett was curious if he had signed up for this or if he was paid to come here. She knew Attia had been poking around to find out more about him, but she hadn't really found anything that wasn't confidential.
"Why does it matter?" Ichigo didn't exactly see the importance of how he got here and to him, he'd rather not remember being forced into this. "Let's just say I'm not here by my own choice."
"You were forced to come to Genetics?!" Arnett was surprised that someone could force Ichigo do something that he didn't want to do. Though she wasn't forced she had a vague idea of how he felt. Her father pushed her to become a Pandora despite how she felt. Though it wasn't like she didn't want to become a Pandora, she just didn't want to leave her father behind.
"Yeah and there's no real point to go back now, the only thing I have left of my friends and family is a time capsule they left." Ichigo wasn't sure if he was saying too much and if the whole thing about him being from the past was top secret. "So how is your search for a Limiter going for you two." He wanted to change the topic and avoid taking about the how he got to the situation he was in now.
"We haven't found anyone yet, though we're going to try and find someone before the second carnival." Arnett told Kurosaki. She hadn't really been looking. She had mostly been preparing for the carnival herself. She was determined to beat Ticy so Elizabeth could fight Chiffon.
"And what about you?" Attia frowned. She could tell Ichigo was changing the topic to keep away from the topic of how he got to West Genetics in the first place.
"I'm still not sure about this whole Pandora and Limiter partnership. So far I only know that it's required." He wasn't sure about the whole relationship behind it and how exactly were they suppose to pick. "I'm still not too sure about the whole thing especially the first room visit." He figured it wasn't dirty otherwise he would have been told something from Yu-mi and Elize. If he had looked to the other two he would have seen both of the Pandora's cheeks turn red. They eventually reached the door to the pool and went down the flight of stairs and into their respective locker rooms.
Arnett had deactivated the texture for her clothes and started putting on her on Black Bikini. "You think we should've told Ichigo about Elizabeth swimwear or lack of swimwear?" She wondered what Ichigo's reaction would be.
"He'll find out when he sees her." Attia stated as she finished putting on her swimsuit. Attia was still bugged by the fact she had little to nothing on Ichigo. All she had given Elizabeth was his blood type, where he was born and where he lived. She had the month and day when he was born but not the year. She had next to nothing on him and it was driving her up a wall.
Arnett could see Attia deep in thought. "Still mad that you've got jack shit on Ichigo?" She wasn't going to let up on the fact that she had nothing on Ichigo even some of the basic stuff was missing like who is parents were.
"Shut up! Don't you find it strange how we have nothing on him?" Attia snapped, clearly losing her patience
"It's because the people he's working for, like to keep their secrets, secrets." Another voice entered the conversation.
Arnett and Attia turned to see Elizabeth along with Chiffon and Ticy. Attia saw a folder in Elizabeth hand.
"And they prefer we don't go sticking our noses where they don't belong." Elizabeth handed the folder over to Attia, while Elizabeth deactivated her texture along with Chiffon. Attia went over the folder while Arnett looked over her shoulder.
"Most of this is blacked out." Arnett pointed out observing the obvious. Chiffon knew that most of it had also been edited just incase someone opened their big mouths and started talking. The blacked out parts were just to mislead anyone reading it to believe that what they read was real. In short the whole file was a fake just to get Elizabeth and her friends to stop digging around.
The file made the Soul Society appear as a secret organization of Exorcists that had stay out of the public eyes since the beginning of time. It kept the spiritual involvement to a bare minimum so that if any of the projects were approved it would easily fit in with together or if Ichigo let something slip by mistake it could be easily push away from the actual truth. It contained no information on Ichigo's powers, fights or his heritage. Chiffon knew the truth along with the select few who also knew. The only truth in the file was his involvement and his actions.
"I hope your satisfied now Attia-san." Chiffon finished putting on her swimsuit. Attia was anything but satisfied. She felt insulted that Chiffon could easily get the info, but she couldn't show it. She felt that the Soul Society was hiding something. If they wanted to stay a secret they wouldn't just give this file away. Elizabeth appeared to be satisfied with the information however and exited the locker rooms. The group went into the room and saw Ichigo standing on the edge of the pool while Creo and Ingrid were in the water.
"What took you two sooo…WHAT THE HELL?!" Ichigo was surprised when he saw Elizabeth buck-naked as she entered the room. Ichigo slipped over and fell face first in the water. He quickly resurfaced and snapped "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NAKED?!" Ichigo was completely red from head to toe along with a dark red blush across his face.
"It feels more natural." Elizabeth stated her reason shrugging and seeing no problem with it.
"That's NO reason to wander around in the nude." Ichigo mumbled as sank below the water's surface.
Elizabeth and the others watched as the Ichigo sank below the water.
"Wow he was really red." Arnett noted after seeing Ichigo turn red, she kind of expected a nosebleed from him as well. "I hope he remembers to come up for air." Arnett went over to the side where Ichigo had fallen in and stood there.
The others watched from the side with Arnett except Attia who dived into the pool. They crouched down and waited to see if he lost conscious. Ichigo resurfaced for air only to get an eye full of cleavage. Ichigo instantly turned red and went back down below the water. While Elizabeth and the other where confused by what just happened.
"It looks Ichigo can't handle dealing with woman that easily or anything sexual involving the opposite sex." Chiffon smiled she watched as Ichigo pop up on the other side of the pool.
Arnett and the others started laughing, and Ichigo felt his pride once again take a huge hit from them laughing. He knew that they weren't mocking him. He noticed Elizabeth actually laughing but had a smile on her face.
"Isn't Ticy swimming?" He noticed that Ticy wasn't dressed in a swimsuit but just in her normal uniform.
"She never does. I keep trying to convince her too, but she never does. All she does is stay on the side." Chiffon whined as she sat on the edge of the pool. Elizabeth dived into the pool while Arnett just jumped in.
"Why not just push her in?" Ichigo suggested while he kept his head his above the water.
Elizabeth rose back to the surface right next to Ichigo "Volt Texture doesn't work in water, so she'd also be naked." Ichigo was glad no one had pushed her in and that he the water didn't go below Elizabeth's shoulder. He heard a splash and saw Arnett standing where Ticy was.
"Even with the rank of third strongest of her year, she's still bullied." Ichigo wasn't too surprised by it. Her personality was the main reason she was picked on in the first place, not her points. He watched as Ticy rose to the surface and quickly covered up her assets. "Maybe you should put on swimsuit Ticy." She only nodded before she rushed out of the pool.
"I'm kind of surprised people still pick on her, since that's main reason why your guys whole year got wasted by Chiffon." Ichigo had heard the story from Ticy and knew that Ticy's humiliation was the reason for the slaughter.
"She always gets in our way during the carnival and prevents us from fighting Chiffon." Arnett snapped she was tired of Ticy getting in their way during the carnival.
"Sounds like she's protecting you all from getting killed by Chiffon." Ichigo saw it more of her protecting the other from getting destroyed. He could see the others giving the idea some thought about he said.
"Whether or not its true, we still must face similar dangers as Pandoras." Ichigo turned to Elizabeth's voice and saw her floating on her back with her breasts in plain view. Ichigo felt his face turned red at the sight. The door opened from the girls except Ticy partially hide behind it.
"Ticy, come on out. You look very cute in your swimsuit." Chiffon tried to get Ticy from behind the door. Ticy just shook her head refusing to be seen by the other.
"Someone might have to drag her out." Ichigo suggested and watched as Chiffon went over and took Ticy hand in hand and pulled her out of the doorway. After coming out of the doorway everyone could see Ticy in a pink two-piece with a hexagon pattern like a turtle shell. "Well she's out from behind the door and she's not naked."
"I only swim like this in enclosed pools not in public." Elizabeth informed Ichigo as she floated past him. He was partialy glad that she didn't swim in the nude in public. He heard a splash and saw Chiffon had push Ticy into the pool.
Ichigo watched as Arnett and Creo started swimming after Ticy like sharks. "I guess if they can't beat her during the Carnival they're going to tease her in a pool." He saw Ticy swim toward him and hide behind him and begin using him as a shield against the others. He figured she wasn't about to go on land knowing Chiffon would just push her back in. He knew Chiffon meant well or at least he thought he did. "I hope your not just picking on her because she beaten you two during the carnival."
"We're not going to hurt here just get a little playful payback." Arnett stated with a smile.
Ichigo didn't believe Arnett's explanation. Creo and Arnett floated right in front of him.
"How do you guys even work as a team during a Nova clash with these grudges?" Ichigo knew that teamwork was key during a Nova clash not many Pandora could take on a Nova single handily. "And Ticy, a little space would be nice." He didn't want to say it out loud but Ticy's body was a little too close for his personal comfort.
"We put aside those feeling and grudges along with anything else that may interfere with us while fighting the Nova."
Ichigo turned back a saw Marine in her two-piece. He looked to see where Attia and Ingrid were. He hadn't seen or heard from them for a while. Attia was setting in one of the chairs on the side and reading something in a folder, while Ingrid was relaxing in the water.
The rest of the time he was at the pool went somewhat smoothly. Arnett and Creo tried to catch Ticy as they were planning on teasing her as pay back for getting in their way. Chiffon got back in and became Ticy's shield. Elizabeth appeared to do more of actual swimming the rest. Ingrid and Marine stuck together most of the time. Attia sat in the chair for most of the time reading the folder her had with her.
He had to leave a bit early mainly because he had to return the books he had borrowed from the library in the nearby town.
Sunday passed by pretty quickly mainly because he slept in most of the time. When he woke up he did his basic exercises to get his body ready for the Carnival, tonight. They seemed to hold the Carnival at night for some reason, he figure it was because the Pandoras could use the darkness to their advantage. He also had to mentally prepare for the fight against his new friends. He knew they might take advantage of their relationship. The school had placed extra points on his head to get Pandoras to target him. So he had bulls eye target painted all over his body. He took a shower. He had to be ready for deployment into the arena within the next hour.
"Smile, huh." Ichigo had thought about what Chiffon had said. He wasn't too sure about the idea. Smiling while fighting someone sounded like something he'd see Kenpachi or his hollow self do, the idea didn't set well with him.
After finishing his shower he got dressed and went straight for the locker room. He felt the cold air crawl over his skin. However it felt relaxing despite the fact that he was participating in a gladiator fight. He got to the locker room and checked the locker he was assigned to. Inside were the combat uniform and a headset. He changed into the combat uniform he was given. The uniform consisted of white shirt with a dark blue vest and fingerless gloves. "I don't see how this is suppose to protect us from the Nova's attacks." Ichigo said giving himself a look over.
Ichigo entered the arena and got a good look at the various structures around the area. He was the first one in the arena mainly as a handicap, which was a slap to the face. He walked around the arena and found a platform that looked a like good place to wait for his opponents. He waited for a while until a group of Pandora had gathered around the platform. "Ganging up on me huh, not as tough as you think you are." Ichigo drew the blade. He heard the blade materialize as he drew the sword. "So who's first?" he smiled. He watched as the group of Pandora began to back away from the platform. He could even see some of them shaking. "Well if you're not going to come up here…" Ichigo tossed his sword like a javelin. The blade went straight through a Pandora and the woman fell to her knees. "…then I guess I'll come to you." Ichigo got down from the platform and started walking toward the group.
"He's unarmed, get him!" Several women charged at him only to be disarmed and cut down by their own weapons. More of the Pandoras backed away after seeing their comrade's cut down with their own weapons.
"You think just because I'm unarmed, that I'm weak." Ichigo grabbed his sword from the Pandora and pulled it out and started toward the group with a smirk on his face. However in the night the smile had a sinister appearance to it. "Then you're in for a nasty surprise."
"It looks like he's enjoying himself." Chiffon muttered to herself as she watched the live feed with Ticy. They watched as Kurosaki cut down Pandora after Pandora from the first year class. They watched as Ichigo cut down two more Pandoras, one with their own weapon and one with his own blade. Ticy wasn't surprised, after seeing Chiffon snap almost nothing could surprise her now. "Ticy, if he tries to attack me, don't stop him." She wanted to see if he could actually go toe to toe with her in a fight.
Ichigo was supposed to be the one being hunted not the other way around. He had pretty much cut down one third of first year students. He had kept the smile on his face through the Carnival. "Looks like Chiffon was right, I feel pretty good. Though I better not let this get the better of me."
Ichigo heard the faint whistle of projectile flying through the air. He caught the arrow in mid flight. He was attacking from long range. He looked around to see if he could find the Pandora in the dark, but he didn't have much luck. He kept walking waiting for them to fire the next arrow and try and location the attack with just sound. He wasn't placing any money on the idea. He again heard the faint sound among the silence and caught the second arrow. He looked around but couldn't find them.
"Crap, I'm going to have to find a way to lure them out or find them."
He wasn't really sure how he'd go about either. He was use to his enemies coming to him. He decided to lure to a location where there would be only a few hiding spots and then hunt them down from there. It wasn't his best plan, but it was better than having none at all. Along the way he cut down several more Pandora.
He eventually reached an open area where there was one place for cover and he was using it. He peeked around the corner to see if he saw anyone coming. He saw something coming toward him. He tossed the sheath to the side of who ever was coming toward him. They turned to the sound of the scabbard hitting the ground. Ichigo charged the Pandora and swiftly cut them down before they could react.
He saw several lights coming from the sky. The light belonged to a helicopter that was coming to pick up the Pandora and get them medical attention. "I guess they're here for you and your friends." He looked down at the Pandora that he had taken down. He watched as their Volt Weapon broke apart from it form. He confirmed that the person he had slain was the one shooting at him.
Ichigo had been cutting down Pandora for a while. Ichigo guessed it had been nearly been at least an hour since the Carnival started. He cut down nearly everyone from his year. He guessed there were at least six or eight people left. He hadn't seen a hair of any of the Pandora since the last one he took down. He also hadn't seen any helicopters since they picked the last Pandora.
He started hearing footsteps coming from possibly the last group of Pandora. He waited for the group of Pandora to come in to view. He recognized the group from one of his classes, but he couldn't remember their names. The group of consisted of a red haired woman with a pole arm with an axe head. Another woman had dark blue hair while her weapon was a chain with a weight on it. The third one had medium length orange hair and carried twin swords.
Ichigo watched as the group of three tried to surround him with their few numbers. The woman with the weighted chain tossed the weight at him. Ichigo stepped aside and dodge the chain. He then swiftly dodged another attack from the orange haired Pandora as she tried to strike him from behind. He quickly cut her down straight after dodging. Her body collapsed on to the ground.
Ichigo saw the chain retreat back to its user. Ichigo wasted no time and charged at the girl. She quickly panic and throw the weight at Ichigo again only to have the attack deflected. The pole arm user attacked as he charged the dark blue haired Pandora and knocked away the pole arm user with the sheath. Ichigo cut down the chain user and then her red hair friend. He walked over to the red hair Pandora "How many are left? Is it just you two?" He wanted know how many were left to hunt down.
"Ganessa is the only one left," She was afraid of what Ichigo would do to her if she didn't answer. "Please don't kill me." she whimpered as she lay on the ground bleeding.
"I'm not going to kill you. Those injuries can easily heal and wouldn't leave a scar. If I was planning to kill you, I'd just cut your head off or cut you in half." Ichigo wasn't planning on killing any body all he wanted to do was get his message across. "Ganessa huh, I guess I'll have to hunt her down."
"Hunt me down, I'm the one hunting you." Ichigo looked up to see a dark red head with twin tails with a curl at the end standing on one of the larger structures.
"If you're hunting me then how come you're the last to face me?" Ichigo didn't see her volt weapon so it was either a S.S.S. weapon or she hadn't deployed it yet.
"I waited for you to earn enough points to help me earn my rightful spot as first rank." She made it sound like she had already won the fight.
"You make it sound like you're already going to win." Ichigo hadn't learned the rules about the Carnival since he knew the points meant nothing to him. "So she waited until I got enough points to send her straight to the top." He thought as he waited for her to make her move. Ichigo flipped her the bird "You want your points come and get them!"
Ichigo watched as Ganessa jumped from her perch and charged toward him "Chains of Confinement." Ichigo watched as the weapon materialized from her back. The chained flails flew straight toward him, but were deflected with his bare hand.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a green horn." Ichigo watched as the Pandora frustration became visible on her face.
In the observation room several men dressed in military uniforms watched the fight between Ichigo and Ganessa. Sister Margaret also watched as Ichigo deflected each of Pandoras attacks. Chiffon had given her updates on Ichigo's training over the days. His innate abilities had increase over the days. She knew that the first years wouldn't pose much of a threat. They lacked actual combat experience. Seeing the slaughter of the first years reminded her a lot of Chiffon's summer Carnival. She watched as Ichigo caught one of the chains and pulled Ganessa to him only to be stabbed by Ichigo sword. "Call all second years and tell them to prepare for the Carnival." She announced.
The intercom came to life and relayed the Sister's announcement "All Second year Pandora prepare for the Carnival." Each of the second years dropped what they were doing and went toward the locker room to prepare for the second round of the Carnival. Normally each year had their Carnival at a separate time. However the Chevalier had decided to have each class's Carnival be held one after another.
Chiffon and the others had finished equipping their Volt Textures and waited at the door to the arena. In half an hour the second years would be let into the arena and the second round of the Carnival would start.