Author's note: I'm sorry for not updating all this time. I'll try to be punctuall from now on.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Or else Aizen would be long dead =(
Enjoy.
Heartbeat 7: Alice and Alice's descendant.
"What the hell is this?" exclaimed an extremely shocked Kurosaki Ichigo.
"Are you blind? It's a giant baby chick." Commented Kuchiki Rukia while looking him with a surprised look.
"Well I know it's a chick but chicks aren't supposed to be that big." Bellowed Ichigo horrified pointing at the giant baby chick, which was looking at them with its big wondering eyes and chirping happily.
"Ah is it really that weird?" asked Matsumoto Rangiku scratching her head wondering why Renji, Kira and Hisagi where staring at the giant baby chick as if it was ready to eat them.
"Well animals of that size are dangerous aren't they? Unpredictable." Stated Renji as he caressed the edge of his sword.
"Oh please don't feel threatened. This one is very friendly. It's one of Yachiru-san's pets." Said Hinamori with a big smile to reassure everyone. However Ichigo, Renji, Kira, Hisagi and Hitsugaya who was silent up till now stared at her even more horrified.
"That thing is a pet?" asked Hitsugaya as calmed as he could.
"Aha!" replied Hinamori as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Did she use a spell to make it that big?" asked Hitsugaya. Hinamori's smile froze and she said as she started twirling her fingers nervously.
"Well that was an accident, she didn't mean to."
"So it wasn't born like that. We won't be seeing any giant chickens around." Said Renji obviously appeased.
"Don't be silly Renji. There are not that big animals. The only animals out of the ordinary you'll see are those boars." Said Matsumoto.
"I don't get witches." Thought the men of the company while something moved in the bushes. Immediately everyone was on guard. Eight pair of eyes got fixed in the bushes waiting to see what would emerge from inside them. A wild boar? Another monster of the Northern Woods? A lost student of the Magic School? A giant mutated potato?
"You are late Bun-girl!" exclaimed a short pink thing that jumped out of the bushes. The surprised party watched as a little pink haired girl jumped to Hinamori's lap and started rubbing herself like a cat.
"Yachiru-san you surprised us!" exclaimed Hinamori as recognition lightened in her eyes.
"You are familiar with her?" asked Ichigo, still not letting his sword.
"Yes! She's the one we're visiting." Explained Hinamori as she patted Yachiru's head. The little girl jumped to the ground and stared at the rest of the company with an inspecting look. Then she smiled and said.
"Hello! Bururin, Cinderella, Weird-eyebrows, Carrot top, Gloomy, Tattoo guy and Shiro-chan! My name is Kusajishi Yachiru!"
"…"
"Who's Carrot top?"
"There's nothing wrong with my eyebrows!"
"Don't call me Shiro-chan!"
"Why Gloomy?" o
"Come on guys don't yell at her." Scolded Matsumoto crossing her hands and mimicking Ise Nanao's strict look.
"Didn't you hear her Rangiku? She made fun of my eyebrows." Hissed Renji pointing at the still smiling Yachiru.
"But they are weird." Agreed Matsumoto.
"Still we've got names." Hissed Hitsugaya.
"You'll have to forgive Yachiru-san, but she never remembers any names." Said Hinamori with an apologetic smile. Everyone turned to her direction surprised and Kira asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that she never bothers memorizing the names of those she meets so she comes up with nicknames for them based on appearance." Explained the girl.
"I see. Hey Rukia what's Cinderella for? Does she know you were adopted in the Kuchiki family and your social status changed?" asked Ichigo.
"Who knows? I've never met her before." Replied Rukia skeptically.
Hitsugaya noticed that Yachiru opened her mouth to say something but Hinamori put a hand on her shoulder and silenced her.
"Anyway mina-san (everyone) now that we've found Yachiru-san let's get going." Suggested Hinamori.
"Oh right! There're some wild boars waiting for us!" reminded Renji as a wide grin spread on his face.
"Ok Bye Piyo-chan!" said Yachiru as she waved to the big baby chick, which squeaked cheerfully in reply.
The company started walking again while admiring the unusual and weird trees that surrounded them. Actually the five men were the ones who were gazing the trees, which bore unknown fruits, or they had shining leaves. For the four witches all those were something normal. They chose to share stories from their time to the Magic School, which was built in the edge of the Northern Woods.
"Hey say, isn't it dangerous to built a school near such a dangerous place?" asked Hisagi.
"It's only dangerous for very young witches. After a few years of training it's nothing. When I was a student we liked organizing tests of courage here during summer vacations." Informed Matsumoto.
"Yeah only the complete strangers with magic and civilians are in danger if they come here alone." Agreed Rukia.
"Aha. That's very reassuring." Said Ichigo.
"Why Ichigo can't you defend yourself?" asked Rukia grinning wildly. "And you are a prince, I pity your people."
"Hey!"
As one of the daily fights of Ichigo and Rukia was about to start Yachiru stopped and made a signal to silence everyone.
"What's wrong shrimp?" asked Renji as quietly as he could.
"There're boars in the area." Replied the little girl in whispers.
"Oh it was about time! I had started wondering what he had come here for." Said Ichigo. "Alright Yachiru where are they?"
The two princes and the three followers gathered around the little girl to hear her say where they could find the infamous boars. As for the three other witches they started searching for a good spot for a picnic.
"Look at them! They are a bunch of kids." Said Matsumoto smiling widely.
"Come on they are not that bad." Said Hinamori as she moved her hand and a tableware got unfolded.
"Look at them Hina-chan. They have all squished around Yachiru and are all listening to her instructions." Said the woman as she pointed at five men squatting around the pink haired girl.
"I'd like to have a picture of them." Commented Rukia.
"By the way Rukia why the Cinderella remark?" asked Matsumoto seriously.
"Ah that…"
"That's because she's Cinderella." Remarked suddenly Yachiru.
"Eh Yachiru-san what are you doing here? Aren't you sharing your knowledge about the boars of the woods with the boys?" asked Hinamori.
"I've teached them what I know. Now they must go on on their own." Replied the little girl seriously. "Besides I got to meet the two descendants I haven't met yet, it's so exciting!"
But before anything else could be said a wild boar stormed out of a shrub with an excited Renji riding it.
"When did this turn into rodeo?" asked Rukia surprised.
"Hey Rukia you should try it as well!" exclaimed Renji as he waved back at the petite girl.
"That's right Rukia hop on!" bellowed Ichigo as he followed Renji riding another boar.
"Don't talk to me. I don't know you." Bellowed Rukia.
A few hours later Ichigo, Renji Kira and Yachiru, who had joined them in their hunting, were lying under the shadows of the trees out of breathe. Hisagi and Hitsugaya were in better shape because they had decided against riding the boars. Kira was on the same wavelength but an over-excited Renji dragged him in one wild round of boar riding.
"Man that was awesome!" said Ichigo as he was wiping sweat from his face.
"Well we came here to have fun." Said Matsumoto as she opened a lunch box full of sandwiches. Rukia agreed, as she put out from the only basket they were carrying several refreshings. Hitsugaya watched in amazement as several dishes were put out of this single basket but then he remembered that he was in the witch kingdom and a basket that can fit an infinite number of food and drinks was a normal there.
While he was eating he heard Rukia asking Yachiru.
"May I ask you something Yachiru-san?"
"Of course go ahead!"
"How did you know that I was the descendant of Cinderella?"
"Oh! That's easy. I always recognize a descendant of the five founders of magic because I'm the descendant of Alice!"
"Seriously? I should have known. This kind of eccentric behavior is befitting a descendant of Alice."
The whole conversation was made while whispering so Hitsugaya was the only one who eavesdropped it. Later when they found themselves returning to the palace Hitsugaya approached Hinamori and asked her.
"Did you know that Yachiru as the descendant of Alice? Does she know you are descendant of Snow-white?"
"Of course! She knew it ever since she laid her eyes on me for the first time." replied Hinamori as curiosity drifted on her eyes. "Did you find out due to her eccentric behavior?"
"No. I heard Kuchiki asking Kusajishi the same thing." Confessed Hitsugaya.
"I see. Are you wondering about Alice's story?" asked the girl as she turned her eyes to the little girl.
"I won't deny that I'm interested in the five founders of magic." said the young prince as if he was embarrassed for admitting it.
"Well the descendants of Alice always recognize the descendants of the other founders because Alice was the first queen and because she came from over the seas." Said Hinamori.
"What?!"
"That's right. Alice arrived in Uverworld from a land beyond the sea. That's why she was a little strange for a witch. She had unusual powers too. When she arrived here she was very young. She had awakened as a witch but she was different than the others. She didn't feel the desire to destroy, on the contrary she insisted that witches should use their powers to create. At the beginning everyone thought she was a naïve little kid and ignored her but as she rose in hierarchy and power she voiced her opinions without fear. She had the chance to meet some of the others founders of magic and along with them she founded Velonica."
"So there's actually one story of the five great witches that doesn't talk about bloodbaths?" asked the white headed prince with something like a smile on his face.
"No, the truth is that Alice had to fight for her dreams. At her time we had the first civil war of our race. In order to be able to create a kingdom where witches could live in peace without having to deal with humans she raised her wand against those who even now like to terrorize humans." Said Hinamori quietly and bitterly.
After that silence fell between them and only the whispers of Rukia and Ichigo were heard. Yachiru was running around and Renji was trying to stop her because she was annoying him. Hisagi was trying to impress Matsumoto and poor Kira was actually dragged by Renji. Then Hitsugaya asked.
"You said that the descendants of Alice always recognize the other descendants. Any idea why?"
"It has been established that Alice was the who gathers the four other witches since she became the queen. For that reason it is that her descendants recognize the others. Moreover it is said that all the descendants always have good relationships and no matter the situation they are on the same boat. It's as if there's some kind of bond between us." Explained Hinamori skeptically.
"… It sounds like it's hard to be one of them." Said the boy looking down his feet.
"Oh no it isn't. It's just the past that's complicated." Said Hinamori as smiling broadly. "You are just a witch of an important lineage that's all. It's not that important anymore." Hitsugaya looked again at the young witch and said.
"One last thing. Is Kuchiki the descendant of Cinderella?"
"It seems so."
Author's note: That's it for today. Next time will be obviously Cinderella's time 3
