Don't own
Lucky 13
Chapter 7
After a grueling weekend at the Urahara shop Hoshi finally found himself back in the halls of Karakura High. He had reached a deal with Urahara; he and Yomi would be allowed to stay, but in exchange he would have to watch the shop a couple times a week. He was also having daily sparing sessions with Yoruichi. He winced at the thought of it, the pain in his shoulder from their first session reminded him sorely that he was out of practice. Which was why his current destination was the gym.
"I hope they still meet today." He mumbled to himself. He reached the gym and opened the door and inside he saw the schools martial arts team practicing, it had been over a month since the last time he had been here. He looked over and found the one he was looking for, he crept quietly up behind the girl. In an instant he lashed out with a kick, on instinct the girl turned and blocked the kick before giving a smirk.
"Welcome back." Said one Tatsuki Arisawa.
"Good to be back." He responded in kind. "Hope me being gone for so long hasn't gone to your head, remember I'm still captain of this little team."
"Ha, you seem kind of rusty." Her grin widened. "If you want the title back you'll have to take it from me."
"With pleasure." He said as he kicked off his shoes and took a fighting stance. They stared intently at each other before squaring off. Hoshi aimed a blow at Tatsuki's torso, however she deftly dodged and counter with a sweeping kick, Hoshi caught her ankle and pushed it away throwing her off balance, he immediately took advantage of the opening and landed an open palmed thrust in the center of her chest knocking the wind out of her briefly. After catching her breath she looked up and smiled.
"Looks like you still pack a punch Hoshi, suit up and we'll continue the practice."
"I think I'm the one who gives the orders around here." He smiled but then went into the changing rooms and opened his locker and grabbed his uniform. "Right where I left it." He gagged as the smell hit it. "Probably should have washed this first." Sometimes the enhanced senses the Dog gave him weren't always the best thing, but he never turned them off. He slipped off his shirt pausing slightly to stare at the symbol etched into his chest. There in the middle of his chest exactly where a hollow hole would be was the blood red symbol for cat. He disregarded it after a moment and continued about the task of donning his uniform. He walked out and went to continue on with the practice.
Later
Hoshi walked back onto the street of Karakura Town, the practice had gone rather well and the team had been glad to have him back, as he walked down the street Tatsuki ran up beside him.
"Hey Hoshi!" she yelled.
"Yeah." He responded the cigarette he had just lit hanging loosely from his mouth.
"Still have that bad habit I see." She chided jokingly. "But who am I to judge everyone has at least one. So what brings you back here I would have thought you quit for good after…" she trailed off.
"You can say it Tatsuki, after the accident." He took the cigarette out of his mouth and let out a puff of smoke. "I remembered something my mother told me before she died. She wanted me to live life the way I wanted to; so wallowing in self pity had to stop."
"Well seems you already started, you're mom would have never let you get those tattoos." Hoshi paused to look at the symbols etched into his wrist, he never really gave much thought to them before, the marks of his power; he only ever used them while training.
"Oh these." He said holding his wrist up. "Got bored and well… I guess I wasn't really thinking that night." He laughed as they continued to walk along. "Say you don't usually walk home with me."
"I don't, you live the opposite way from me remember."
"Oh yeah back when I was home, I've kind of changed locations since then."
"You moved? To where?"
"An old friend of the family took me in, he runs a candy shop. He's letting me live there in return for helping out sometime."
"I think I know that place, haven't been there in awhile."
"Yeah but Yomi just loves it there." Hoshi said not realizing he was speaking in present tense.
"What?" asked Tatsuki puzzled slightly by the statement.
"Yeah I used to take her there all the time before…" Hoshi trailed off putting on a sad face, hoping to cover up for his previous slip of the tongue.
"Oh sorry for bringing up any bad memories."
"What oh no, it's not your fault." He said putting on smile in an attempt to dissuade her. "It looks like this is where we part." They said as they arrived at a corner. "The shop's this way. It was nice seeing you again Tatsuki." He turned to walk away from her.
"Hey Hoshi wait a sec…"
"Yeah." He stopped and turned around. "The regional martial arts championships are coming up next week."
"They are, I forgot about it's probably too late to register."
"Yeah it is, but you see I'm in it."
"Really good for you."
"But um you see we're allowed to bring guests to watch our matches and my parents will be out of town and can't make it…so…"
"You want me to come as your guest." Hoshi asked
"Um yeah."
"So it's a date huh?" he asked with a devilish smirk on his face
"Like I'd go on a date with you, I just thought you'd want to go."
"Of course you did." He turned and walked away. "See ya Tatsuki." After walking a short distance he stopped and took one last long puff oh his cigarette and dropped it to the ground. "I know your there Yoruichi." A black cat jumped off the roof of a nearby house onto the ground.
"So that's your type." The cat said slyly
"Huh what're you talking about?"
"A girl who can take care of herself, and who's pretty but not a show off; I'd say that fits your little friend to a T."
"Quit dreaming Yoruichi, Tatsuki's just a friend; she's the only one who ever could match me when it came to fighting, and it take a lot of guts to be a woman in this field."
"The more you ramble the more infatuated you seem." Yoruichi laughed. "Now c'mon Kisuke says you're late for your shift."
"Yeah, yeah wouldn't want to disappoint the master." He griped as the duo walked down the road.
Later that night
"Yo free-loader!" shouted Jinta rather loudly stirring Hoshi from his studies.
"What is it Jinta? And keep it down Yomi is sleeping." He whispered harshly motioning to his sister fast asleep on Hoshi's bed, he'd move her to her own bed later.
"The boss has a job for you." Jinta placed a decent sized package onto the desk. "He needs you to deliver this to the Kurosaki Clinic, directions are on the box." Jinta then took that moment to leave the room.
"Kurosaki? Why does that name sound familiar." Hoshi sighed as he picked up the package. He walked out onto the streets and opened up the set of directions. "How does he expect me to read this chicken scratch?" After wandering around for about half an hour Hoshi managed to make enough sense of the directions to find himself standing at the doorstep of the home/clinic. "Looks like a nice place." He knocked on the door. After a few moments it opened and found himself staring face to face with the orange haired Shinigami. "Oh yeah Ichigo Kurosaki." He said in realization.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo yelled rather loudly.
"Nice to see you too."
"ICHIGO!" a booming voice yelled and Hoshi watched somewhat amused as an older man drop kicked Ichigo away from the door. "Is that any way to treat our guests." The man turned to face Hoshi. "I am sorry for son's disreputable behavior."
"Uh yeah, my boss wanted me to deliver this to you." Hoshi said presenting the package
"Oh yes the lollipops I ordered from Urahara Shop." He reached out and took the package and at the same moment heard the low growl of the Tiger in his head as its power unconsciously activated. Once again he was greeted by double vision, in one eye he saw Ichigo's father in the other he saw the same man but this time dressed in black robes and a white sash tied around his shoulder, a sword hung at his side.
"Why the hell would you need lollipops?" Ichigo asked getting off the floor, Hoshi seeing the same double vision for Ichigo.
"For all my child patients of course."
"Well um you got your package so I'll be going then." Hoshi turned sharply and preceded to walk swiftly away.
"Hey you wait!" Ichigo yelled chasing after him.
"ICHIGO!" and once again the orange-haired Shinigami found himself flat on his back as he was kicked by his father. "You let your guard down!" Meanwhile Hoshi had managed to run a fair distance away from the Kurosaki household.
"I'm going to kill that bastard shop keep!" he muttered angrily.
Kill him, nya? The Cat whispered sinisterly. I can help you with that, nya.
"Shut up you stupid Cat, the collar will keep you from coming back."
That thing, nya. It only helps contain me; you still have to try, nya. The more negative emotion you have the easier it is for me to come out, nya. He taunted. Suddenly the power of the Dog flared and Hoshi just narrowly dodged the incoming swipe of a hollow that had appeared behind him.
"Why now?"
They sense my power, nya. Hollows eat other Hollows to grow stronger, nya. Not that they'll ever eat me. NOW REND HIM, NYA! Hoshi cringed at the screeching voice of the Cat. However Hoshi never got the chance as the hollow was destroyed by a projectile of blue energy.
"What the?"
"I wouldn't move if I were you Juuni. Not until I figure out what you are." Hoshi turned to face to face with a clean cut boy wearing glasses standing in front of him; a bow and arrow of pure energy aimed straight at his heart.
And so it ends, sorry this took so long I have World of Warcraft now. Well next time the pace picks up as Ishida's challenge to Ichigo brings countless hollows to Karakura town, but when a Menos Grande makes its grand appearance will Hoshi be able to contain the Cat's ravenous appetite in the presence of such a meal?
