Disclaimer insert here: I don't own or have ever owned Bleach or Rosario Vampire. Please buy their stuff however to support them poor bastards. Thanks.
All characters belong to their rightful owners, any OC I create are purely for entertainment use only. As usual an M rating is for future violence, dismemberments, gore, language, very foul language, and of course mature scenes will be in, but don't expect a ton of them. Again enjoy your time here.
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Japanese translations and reedited by regfurby 09-2017. A guide is provided at the bottom of each chapter.
Updated April 11, 2018.
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Response to Reviews Corner 2 has been moved to the bottom.
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"Speech"
'Thoughts'
'Memories'
"Shiro/Inner Moka when sealed/Shōgetsu"
"Zangetsu"
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"We need to talk about what you did with Ichigo."
Shiba Kurosaki Tier
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Shuffling to the side, the young Vampire allows the older teen to enter her room. There is no way for her to avoid the blonde mate of Ichigo's now. As soon as the Vizard is in her room, Moka shuts the door and makes her way to her kitchenette to make tea for herself and her guest. She watches the other Yōkai as she looks around the room from her place in the middle, not bothering to sit yet. Soon the water boils and the red-eyed beauty pours two cups and brings them to the living room, where she hands her guest one.
"Thank you Moka." The Vampire can't help but notice the lack of honorifics this time.
"You're welcome Tia-san."
The other woman lets out a huff and speaks. "If we are to find some way to become classmates and club-mates Moka, I would like to do so without the honorifics if you don't mind. It uses up valuable air."
The Daiyōkai can't help but grin at that. "I've never heard it put quite that way before Tia."
"Blame Ichigo and Shōgetsu for that."
"Shōgetsu?" The Vampire looks at Tia questioningly.
Taking a sip and looking far away, Tia considers her words for a moment before she answers. "She is part of Ichigo's life you could say, and a very powerful influence in his life. Also the reason I am here now Moka. It's because of what you did today that I am here to make a deal with you."
"A deal? What kind of deal?" The Vampire asks but is completely taken aback by the woman's words.
"I had a long talk with Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari. I know all about you and Tsukune's little arrangement."
Moka closes her eyes and takes deep calming breaths. Her friends told this stranger about how she…no how Omote would drink Tsukune's blood every day. She wants to kill her three friends in a very painful way as she tries to reason out why they would betray that which is considered a very private act for Vampires.
"Why?"
Now the blonde turns fully towards the Vampire and looks her straight in her eyes. "Because I can sense your weakness, even now you're weak Moka. It's very easy for my kind to find those that are weak and hunt them down. In your case I felt it even with your seal on that you were not at your full strength. It was only after you drank from Ichigo that I could better judge your Yōki as you call it. It is impressive, it could rival many of our own people in strength someday, but now it feels incomplete. It's as if something is missing but I don't know what it is yet."
"How can you tell I am weak? No one can or should be able to sense that."
The blonde woman eyes her carefully before she speaks. "Moka, I have fought in many wars, hunted many times and I was very good with certain skills of my people. I can tell when an enemy or prey is weak or wounded. You were that weak until after you took Ichigo's blood. Before you ask, he is fine and his blood has already replenished, which is why I am here actually. I spoke to him and we have made an agreement between the two of us. He will give you blood in the morning and any time after you train with him."
Shaking her head the Vampire turns her back to the blonde before she replies. "No."
"No? What do you mean no?"
"I can't Tia. After what hap…"
Tia glares at her. "Shut it Moka, I know all about what happen with Aono. I know you blame yourself for his death and I know you blame your blood for doing it. But what did he choose? Why do you think he did it in the end Moka? From what everyone who knows both you and Tsukune told me, it seems the boy loved you and was willing to take that chance to save you. Just like Ichigo once did for Rukia, for Orihime, and for me."
The Vampire whips around in fury, her eyes wet from unshed tears as she begins to scream at the other woman. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?! HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT I AM FEELING OR WHY I FEEL THE WAY I DO FOR HIM?! WHAT MAKES YOU OR ICHIGO THINK YOU KNOW THE PAIN I AM IN?! HUH, TIA, JUST TELL ME HOW!"
"Because Ichigo died twice for his friends and I almost lost those I consider Kazoku. We deeply know the feeling of loss, Moka." The blond Vizard says to her quietly.
Moka stares at Tia in shock. "Wh…What?" The Vampire stutters out weakly.
Tia shakes her head slowly, sympathy evident in her eyes. "You were there, listening to him when he spoke to your friend. He knew you were there only afterwards, but I get the feeling you heard him that night, am I right Moka?"
"He…He did say he paid for it in blood and…but I thought he was talking figuratively. Not that he actually died." Her eyes are now completely wide.
Waving her hand, Tia pats a place in front of her for the Vampire to sit. Moka reluctantly sits in front of Tia, her hands still shaking from anger and from shock, but she manages to keep a tight reign on her emotions while she waits for the blonde to speak.
"When I first approached Ichigo after hearing what your friends told me I was apprehensive about what my mate would say to me. If there is anything I should remember it's his willingness to help his friends and Kazoku no matter what might happen to him. I will tell you the full story Moka, but now I am going to tell you why we have made this decision. First off Ichigo won't suffer any ill effects from you drinking from him; his body is more than capable of handling the blood loss. As I said, he has already replenished his blood and he suffered no harm from what you did. The second point is something I had a hard time deciding on, but if you're going to help him train, then you need to know why."
Looking to see the young Daiyōkai is listening, Tia continues. "The second reason why I need you to train him is simple Moka. His body needs to get stronger for the day his power matures."
"His power is still maturing? I thought he was just wounded badly in your war you fought." The younger teen replies back questioningly.
"What I am about to tell you stays between us Moka. If we are to agree on this, you need to know exactly what you are getting involved with. The moment you agree, your life is in danger from our race, but I can't, no, I won't keep it from you because you deserve to know why Ichigo died twice. So if you agree I will tell you, if you don't then I will leave and we will do the best we can without you."
Moka stares into the eyes of the woman across from her. She can see that the other woman is being serious about what she has said and what she will do no matter whether or not she agrees to it. Moka finds herself torn; she wants to know the reason why Ichigo has supposedly died twice. But she also fears that the same thing that happened to Tsukune could possibly happen to the orange-haired man. She knows that he is the exact opposite of shy and gentle Tsukune, but at the same time Ichigo reminds her of Tsukune's selfless bravery and protective attitude. His little demonstration back in the Headmaster's office showed her that much. And during their spar, she could feel his power, even if it was almost on par with hers she knew something was off and now is her chance to find out. Looking down at her tea for a split second, she makes up her mind.
"I accept Tia."
Moka hears Tia whisper something so quiet even her hearing can't make out what she is saying; however she feels the power coming from the other teen as it pulses around them in a quick burst.
"Now no one can hear us talk. The minute I tell you this Moka, your life will be in danger, the things I am about to tell you have been closely guarded for a reason. Do you understand what I am saying?"
The Vampire nods seriously. "Yes, Tia I do."
"Last chance."
Shaking her head with confidence, the young Vampire gives her final consent.
"Listen to me speak first before asking any questions." Seeing a nod, Tia begins to tell her the truth. "Ichigo is human, I am not. However we are what we say we are. We are Vizards, but we do not serve the Death Gods, the Shinigami like the Headmaster would have you believe. We ourselves are Shinigami, and we are also hybrids. Ichigo is a Shinigami who was born with a Hollow in his soul. I was a Hollow who gained the power of a Shinigami, who later became a Vizard when I bonded my soul with Ichigo's and my Zanpakutō spirit was born from that bonding. Ichigo's Otou-san is a Shinigami who was a former Taichō for Soul Society who married a human woman some twenty years ago I think. I'm still not sure of the reasons why, but someday I hope to learn the truth. As for his Imouto, thankfully they were born without a Hollow in their soul, but otherwise they are the same as him. Shinigami and human hybrids."
Seeing Moka's stunned look, she continues. "I know this going to be difficult to believe but the true forms of Ichigo and I are souls; well, I am a soul in a false body called a Gigai, while he still has his human body. It is one of the reasons why our powers are focused on Reiryoku, the strength of our soul. Now I will tell you the true history of Ichigo and I and remember Moka, not a word until I am done. Are you ready?"
The Vampire takes a deep breath and steels herself. "Y-Yes."
Tia takes one look at the Vampire's waiting eyes and inclines her head.
'Your life is about to change forever Moka.'
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Kurumu stands under the hot water, letting the constant flow wash away her stress after the long conversation she, Mizore and Yukari just had with the blonde Vizard. She has never felt so worn out after being questioned for so long. Just remembering the power the woman had briefly exerted during dinner makes her shiver; she knows they cannot hide anything from Tia. Every inch of their memories were searched for time they had spent with Tsukune and examined, nothing was hidden from the green-eyed woman and if she thought they were holding back, the flash of yellow in her eyes made them spill their darkest, most intimate thoughts.
When all was said and done, Tia entered deep thought for ten whole minutes, her eyes glazing over before suddenly regaining her focus and leaving without saying anything. Tatsuki had watched the other girl's interrogation without a word being said between the two of them, but after Tia had left she apologized for her friend's bluntness and wished them a good day. With the two new students gone, they finished their dinner in silence before one by one leaving for their own rooms, she and Mizore were the last two to leave. Upon reaching their room, Mizore headed for the bathroom to take an ice-cold bath, while she herself left for the common bath to take a hot shower. Kurumu held her hands against the wall and rested her head against it, feeling the water take away all of her pain and her tears. Retelling her history with Tsukune, reopening the barely healing wounds were almost too much for the young Succubus to handle, the only thing she has to hold her sanity intact is the Yuki-Onna who is most likely waiting for her now.
Soon the water begins to go luke-warm signaling the end of her shower. Stepping out of the stall, she wraps one towel around her chest, wrapping the other around her wet hair. Grabbing her toiletries, she makes her way to the sinks to brush her teeth, and when she looks at herself in the mirror only one thought comes to her mind.
'How could I?'
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Mizore sat in her bath thinking about Tsukune and the events leading to his death. She had grown to love the human so much, but she knew in her heart that it wasn't going to happen. All signs pointed to his feelings being stronger for one of them above all, no matter what form she took. Pink or silver, it didn't matter; she had seen the looks he gave both when he thought no one was looking, the slight disappointment on his face whenever Kurumu interrupted them in the morning when he tried to have a quiet moment with Akashiya Moka.
Wrapping her arms around her legs, the Yuki-Onna lays her head on her arms, closing her eyes as she remembers telling Tia how she used to 'observe' Tsukune every chance she got. Seeing the look of amusement on the blonde's face makes Mizore sigh in reflection as she knows how her own behavior looks like to an outsider. Even though it is a racial behavior for all Yuki-Onna. Each time she thought she was done answering questions, the Vizard proved herself to be a skillful inquisitor, nothing was held sacred to the woman. Going over each of her interactions with Tsukune and the Vampire with a fine-tooth comb and digging up memories that she would prefer to leave buried.
When the interrogation was finally over the Vizard had just stared off into space for a long time before abruptly leaving. Her friend Tatsuki seemed unfazed by what had happened, just saying that Tia was probably having an internal argument, but at least she apologized for her friend's behavior. Mizore notices the water getting warm, so she pulls the plug with a sigh and lets the water drain out of the tub. Standing up, she turns on the shower head and lets the ice-cold water run down her body for a few minutes, washing off the last of the lukewarm water before turning it off. Freezing away the excess water on her body and allowing it to fall off her in gentle snowflakes; she shakes off the snow before stepping out of the tub and walking over to the mirror. Looking at her pale reflection in the mirror she can only think of one thing.
'Sorry Moka.'
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"Do you have any questions Moka?" Tia asks when she finishes her story.
'Where do I even begin?' Moka thinks to herself.
The Vampire sitting across from Tia just sits there numbly, trying to grasp that the woman sitting across from her is dead and has been dead for years. That both she and her mate Ichigo are warriors who fight not only the physical plane but also the spiritual one. She goes over everything she has heard and soon begins to form the questions she wants to ask, the things she needs to know.
"So you used to be a Hollow." Moka begins.
Tia nods. "Yes, I was a Hollow, an Arrancar before I became a Vizard. I served Aizen because he promised me power to protect my Fracción. I served him loyally, but he betrayed me and left my Fracción to die. I owe him nothing and when Shōgetsu told me how he died, I rejoiced at hearing that his actions were repaid tenfold."
"And Ichigo is a Vizard too?"
"Yes, he is still called a Vizard but he will become something else when his power fully merges with Shōgetsu. After that he will become what we call a Transcendent Being."
Moka furrows her eyebrows. "What does that mean Tia?"
The former Hollow looks at the Vampire before she explains to her. "His existence will grow beyond anyone's understanding Moka. His power will dwarf even Aizen's at the height of his ascension during the Winter War, but it will come with a price. His former allies will likely see him as a threat and could take action against him if they learn about this before he can finish the merger with Shōgetsu."
Moka can't help but frown more deeply at this. "Why would they be afraid of him Tia? I don't understand, if Ichigo became that powerful, wouldn't they see him as a great asset instead?"
Tia shakes her head. "Because he is someone they can't control, Moka. He has demonstrated a few times in the past that he won't listen to them when it comes to matters concerning his friends, his comrades and most importantly those he calls Kazoku. When Orihime was taken, he had already made up his mind he was going after her and damn the consequences from Soul Society. He has never played by their rules Moka, he will always do what he believes is the right thing to do and they cannot tolerate that."
"So that's why you are here then, to finish this merger in secret." The Vampire deduces with surprising insight.
Tia smiles at the teen across from her. "Yes, and it will give him time to train as well. Ichigo's body is now able to handle the amount of stress his power will exact on it, but he has yet to get accustomed to using it. That is why we need you to push him every day if possible, to force his body to its limits as it prepares for the change."
Tia notices a shift in the demeanor of the Vampire at those words. Sensing something else is going on, she gently prods the Vampire teen. "Moka, what's wrong?"
Not even answering, Moka simply holds up her true seal. Tia only looks at it in confusion, forcing Moka to tell her what it is.
"This is my other half Tia. When I put this on, I will be sealed away, unable to do anything for Ichigo or for anyone else. The only hope I have left is if Ichigo can truly take it off for me, if he can't I am stuck with my other half in control until someone else finds a way to take it off without killing her."
The Vizard frowns and makes a note to discuss this with the others. "Then it's a chance we are going to have to take Moka."
"I'm…I'm afraid though, Tia." Moka says while she stares forlornly at the silver cross. This is the first time she has ever admitted to feeling such an emotion. "I'm afraid I'll be sealed away for good this time."
"Then don't put it on Moka." Tia suggests to her quietly.
"I have to, Tia. The Headmaster won't let me stay here if I don't and…and I have to let her out sooner or later so she can see him as well."
Tia feels her heart twist a little. "Omote you mean."
Moka chuckles drily. "Yeah. I guess they really did tell you everything, didn't they?"
"Yes, but that isn't the only reason you want to remain unsealed, isn't it?"
Nodding her head the Vampire answers truthfully. "I know what she will do and how she will react when she learns the truth Tia. I will be powerless to stop her or help her and she will be completely vulnerable to those who wish her harm. Ruby-Sensei says she won't be harmed, but after Tsukune, who's to say?"
The blonde Vizard places a hand on her shoulder. "That's also why we want you to move your room next to ours and Tatsuki's, Moka. This way we can watch over you while you are sealed and, well, just keep you safe to be honest. I know you think its fine now but if there has been an attack on Ichigo already, who's to say they won't go after any one of you too?"
Moka fixes her with a piercing red gaze. "Can you really keep us safe Tia? I'm guessing your power is vastly superior to ours which is why you aren't afraid of Yōkai in general, but I heard this incident with Ichigo started with the culprit infiltrating and destroying your rooms."
Tia's eyes twitch slightly. She's still irritated by that incident. "We have taken steps to rectify that, and any new intruders will be... unpleasantly surprised. Do you want to see my true form, Moka?"
Moka's eyes widen in surprise, but there is only one answer she can give.
"Yes."
Tia stands up and pulls out a yellow pill from her pocket. "This is a Gikongan Moka, also known as a Mod Soul. It allows me to leave my body so I can fight in my soul form if need be. It will take over my Gigai and keep it safe for me."
Moka watches as the Vizard pops the pill into her mouth, and the sight she then witnesses is something she will never forget. Stepping away from the body of the young teen girl is a goddess in her true glory. Gaping at her, the first thing Moka notices is that the woman standing next to her body is much more mature looking then the teen she was. Moka stands up and reaches out hesitantly, and touches the soul form of the woman before her. She is amazed that she can even do so.
"How can I touch you Tia?"
"Because of your Yōki Moka, those with high amount of either Reiryoku or Yōki can see, hear and touch us in our spirit forms."
Looking over the spirit in front of her, Moka realizes that her beauty doesn't conceal the fact that she is an imposing figure. Tia's clothes are a mixture of black, white and blue. The bottom part of her outfit is a white and blue dress that ends just above her ankles where a pair of black zōri can be seen. Her white vest stops just above her belly button to expose her well-defined and tanned abs, while her arms are covered down to her wrists by black sleeves extending from her tube top shirt. The vest she notices zips up from the bottom to the top with a collar that ends just under Tia's nose, effectively concealing her lower face.
"Tia, why do you hide your face?"
"It is left over from when I was an Espada." She unzips her vest, exposing her wrapped chest and her beautiful face. "Back when I was a true Hollow, my mask used to cover my lower face, leaving only my eyes visible to my enemies or prey. I would unzip my vest when I wanted to intimidate my opponents. But since I no longer have a mask, the vest is just what it is, a reminder of my former life."
Sitting back down, Tia notices Moka's eyes looking at the Tsuka of her Zanpakutō sticking from behind her back. Reaching back with one hand, she grabs the Tsuka, then slowly pulls Tiburón from her sheath and lays the Zanpakutō across her legs as she sits and motions for the Vampire to do the same. She notices that Moka never takes her eyes off of the blade, and when the young Vampire points at the blade hesitantly, Tia obligates her.
"This is my Zanpakutō, Tiburón. Zanpakutō are more than just blades, you could say that this is simply a physical representation of her soul." The Vizard runs her hand lovingly down the length of her partner and smiles at the pleased thrum in response to her gentle caress.
"Is that thing alive then?" Moka asks her curiously.
"You call me a thing? Psst, you're one to talk Moka-chan. That seal is alive as I am."
Shocked, Moka jumps up and steps back into a fighting stance as she stares at the new addition to the conversation. Quickly giving the newcomer a once-over, she notices the similarities almost immediately as she compares the younger version of Tia still standing before her and the older version sitting down with the third woman who had suddenly appeared in the room. She points a finger at Tiburón and shakily asks.
"Tia, what or who is that?"
Tia looks reproachfully at her Zanpakutō spirit. "Tiburón what are you doing outside? I was going to gently talk about you and then bring you out once she was ready."
Tiburón pouts. "Well, being called a thing hurt my feelings Tia-chan. I just couldn't let that go, besides she has some gall to call me a thing when she has her own twin under similar circumstances. I know because I can feel her in that cross over there." The Zanpakutō says while pointing at the seal that had fallen on the floor.
Seeing Moka still giving Tiburón a wary look, the Vizard gently picks up the cross and sends a small amount of Reiatsu into the seal, then almost drops it from the feelings inside of it. Looking up at the Vampire, she can only shiver at the despair, self-loathing and darkness of the emotions that are coming from within the silver cross. Now she understands the fear the Daiyōkai has about putting the seal back on, the feeling of being trapped in that dark place forever would certainly drive anyone mad.
"I understand now Moka. I'm sorry." The blonde says while holding up the seal for the Vampire to take.
Moka takes the seal and slowly sits back down as she watches as the Zanpakutō spirit sit beside her wielder in seiza position. Tiburón simply smiles at the Vampire and looks at her wielder in amusement at the situation. Tia gives her a cocked eyebrow before turning back to Moka.
"Sorry about that Moka, she can…well, Tiburón is a handful sometimes, especially when she and Shiro get together and start acting up."
"No problem. But how is it possible for her to be out like this?" Moka can't help but look at the Zanpakutō spirit.
"Oh that's easy. Tia-chan is close to achieving her Bankai, so it's not a problem for me to come out from our inner-world and play with her."
"Bankai?" Moka looks between the two in confusion.
"For Shinigami, Bankai is the epitome of their strength. For a select few of us, it's just another weapon in our arsenal. For Ichigo it's no longer his greatest form. He can go a step beyond that now. When he finally accepted his Hollow for what it was, he gained his Vasto Lorde form, his Hollowfied form. That plus his Bankai is a truly terrible thing to face in battle."
"His Hollow form, the one you call Shiro right?" Moka quizzes them.
Tiburón's face breaks out in a blush as she answers. "Shiro-kun is indeed Ichigo-kun's Hollow. He is also my mate."
-Moka goes wide eyed at that. "Your mate!? Is that even possible Tia?"
Pinching the bridge of her nose, the woman speaks with a hint of exasperation. "Yes they are mates. I can feel them from time to time going at it like rabbits. Yes, Tiburón I have felt your couplings with Shiro as has Ichigo by the way. Neither of us can sleep nor doing anything else for that matter when you two go at it like dogs in heat. You two forget to suppress your Reiatsu during your more entranced moments."
Four faces get deep blushes at Tia's awkward admission of her both her and her mate's Zanpakutō's more amorous moments. After a few moments of silence, Moka poses her next question to the blonde woman.
"Tia, I think I understand you both a little better now. So my next question is this, what are you two really doing here? I know you said you are hiding out while Ichigo merges with the Hōgyoku or Shōgetsu, but why here and now?"
Tia turns towards her almost-twin who gives her a look. "She has a right to know Tia-chan. If she is to help Ichigo-kun get stronger, she should know why we are here. Besides I like her, she reminds me of you and Rukia. She can kick ass and she has a quiet disposition like you. Smart and analytical, doesn't really seems to scare easily nor do I think she'd run from a good fight."
With a sigh, Tia turns to face Moka. "Because the Headmaster really wants us to train your club for a possible war."
"A…A…a war?" The Vampire is shocked by her statement.
Shaking her head in response to the question, Tia elaborates. "A possible war is brewing between Yōkai and humans Moka. He wants us to replace Tsukune in his pursuit of the perfect team of humans and Yōkai to fight against a group known as Fairy Tale, a group that wants war to break out between humans and Yōkai. However, with Tsukune-san's death, he had to find someone to replace your friend. Somehow he got in contact with our Sensei, and it was because of our Sensei that Ichigo, Tatsuki and I were sent to this place. I think your Headmaster was going to bring Suki anyways once he exposed her as a Witch."
"But why Tia? I mean I never heard of…" Moka stops as she begins to think over everything she and the others had been through since the beginning of the school year. All the different events now playing out in her mind as she sat there thinking; from the horrors of the Public Safety Commission, Witch's Ranch and then finally the fight with the Outcasts. Each time it had gotten harder and harder to deal with the problems, fighting against stronger and stronger Yōkai, until what had happened to Tsukune.
"Did he plan on…I mean, to Tsukune, did he?" She asks as horror and rage begin to build in her, preventing her from forming a coherent sentence.
"No Moka." Moka sees Tia giving her a look of regret. "I'm not going to lie to you. The Headmaster was originally planning on making Tsukune your mate. But a Vampire deliberately stalled him while he was trying to get a holy lock or something to him during that battle. I don't who that Vampire was, but she delayed him long enough and Tsukune…"
Moka's entire body trembles with rage and sorrow, knowing now what she has truly lost. "I'll kill her." She whispers, red eyes slitting with anger as hot tears start to roll down her cheeks.
The Vampire suddenly finds herself being held by the Vizard's two arms, Tia hugging her close even as she whispers to her. "Don't let your anger rule you Moka. I know this is hard for you to understand, but in battle if your emotions get the best of you, you will lose. Take your anger and focus it on your training with Ichigo and I promise you when the time comes, we will help you exact your revenge. At least now you know that it wasn't your fault, someone else deliberately took him from you."
Moka surrenders herself to the warmth radiating from the body of the Vizard and she lets her emotions run wild, her tears falling freely at the thought that she wasn't the one truly to blame for Tsukune's death, that there was someone out there who kept the Headmaster from saving Tsukune. She buries her head into the chest of the older teen as she cries for Omote's loss and the loss of her own budding feelings for the brown-haired boy. He was loyal to a fault and it was that loyalty that killed him. She grieves as she wonders what if they just had more time, just a little more time, and then the Headmaster might have gotten his wish and been able to save Tsukune. If anyone had a chance at her heart, Tsukune was the choice that she had unknowingly accepted. A human who had breached her heart and she had been on the brink of allowing it to go forward with Omote taking the lead. But he was gone now and now she has nothing left but revenge to motivate her. To avenge Tsukune's death by killing the person who took him away from her and from Omote.
Whispering between her sobs, she tells Tia her heartfelt wish. "Help me get stronger Tia. Help me punish those who killed Tsukune...please..."
Patting the Daiyōkai on her back, Tia gently answers. "We will help you. Ichigo and I will make you stronger, and we will not let Tsukune's murderers get away from this. I promise."
"Thank you." She doesn't move as she silently sobs her grief away.
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Ichigo sits watching Tatsuki as she tries to enter Jinzen for the better part of the last hour. He feels her Reiatsu as it fluctuates back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness. He can tell she is getting closer with each of her attempts, she spoke that she felt a pulling sensation the last time and that was why they were going to give it one more try before calling it a night. Tia had left them with a barrier around them before she had set out to find the Vampire and offer her the deal he had agreed to earlier.
"Ya sure you want to be a juice box King?" Shiro asks him lazily.
Seeing that Tatsuki isn't likely to go anywhere, Ichigo easily slips into his inner-world to find his Hollow lazing about near the beach of Tia's contribution to his new world. Looking at his white reverse-copy, he snorts as he sees the Hollow lazing about on a beach chair wearing only a pair of surf shorts, holding a tanning reflector under his chin. Near him Zangetsu is also staring out towards the horizon, his hands clasped behind his back and clearly enjoying the gentle ocean breeze that blows around them.
"Where's Shōgetsu? Thought she'd be here too." Ichigo asks while looking around.
"I think she is still holed up somewhere yet King. She rarely shows up anymore except to take a break now 'n then. She has ta put a lot of effort into our merger." Shiro mutters.
Glancing at his Hollow sideways, he can actually see that Shiro looks a little miffed and even somewhat worried about the being that had saved his and Zangetsu's hides not too long ago. Ichigo turns to his long-haired mentor and sees him standing there, eyes closed and seemingly lost in thought, or so he thinks until the Zanpakutō spirit suddenly speaks to him.
"Ichigo, I think Arisawa-san is trying to get your attention. You should return now."
"Yeah, sure thing guys, see you two later then." With that their wielder disappears just as quickly as he had arrived. The white copy looks over to the dark-clad man.
"So Zangetsu, you worried about our King yet?"
"Not yet Shiro, he and Tia-san thought this through well enough. As they pointed out, his body is no longer subject to 'normal' human limitations anymore. So allowing the Vampire to drink from him is a small price to pay in order for her to train him every day. However I do hope he doesn't extend the offer to any other Yōkai while we are here."
Shiro snorts in agreement as he voices his opinion as well. "Yeah, like to that Succubus, King wouldn't live long enough to explain to our Queen why he was letting her 'feed' off of him. Besides if that book is right, the way her kind feed, ain't exactly something Tia-sama would allow to happen anyways. Though it does surprise me she'd allow that bloodsucker to have a go at him every day, from the way them others talked about it, it kinda sounds like some Vampire kink or something."
Zangetsu frowns thoughtfully. "I do believe it to be considered something unusual for a Vampire to have a willing host of some kind. Does make one ponder if he would be considered a familiar to the Vampire, as the old-wives tales go."
Glancing at the older male with a hint of amusement, the white Ichigo gives him a black-toothed grin. "Well that would be damn funny if those other Yōkai thought that way too."
"What would be funny Shiro?" Shōgetsu says as she suddenly appears next to his head.
Flailing suddenly at her appearance, the Hollow falls out of his impromptu tanning bed and he immediately starts ranting at the Hōgyoku. "Gahh Shōgetsu, why do ya have to do that every shitting time!? Can't you do what the rest of us do just once woman!?"
The woman only pouts slightly as she gives Shiro her best puppy dog eyes. "But Shiro-kun it wouldn't be any fun now would it? Besides it keeps you on your toes."
Shiro only looks at the woman incredulously for a sec before he shakes his head in annoyance as he climbs back into his beach chair. "Che, whatever. Anyway we were talking about King being the living transfusion bag for his pet Vampire."
Shōgetsu gives her master's Hollow a smirk as she sits down next to him. "You are mad that it ain't the Succubus aren't you Shiro-kun? I wonder what Tiburón-chan would…."
"Are..you..trying..to..get..me..skinned..Shōgetsu..?" The Hollow grits out angrily.
Patting his cheek lightly, Shōgetsu gently takes Shiro's chin in her hand and begins to explain the reasons why. "Shiro-kun, first you must understand that Vampires, like many Yōkai, must use their own body's energy, their Yōki to augment their skills, strengths, or do whatever specialty it is they are capable of. For the Vampire, they are considered the Elite of the Yōkai world because of their superior strength and their keen tactical abilities as well. They are well-rounded but do suffer from debilitating deficiencies, such as a crippling weakness to water and several special alloys designed to seal their power. Moka-chan has one such...a limiter I think it is called, but hers is unusual as it houses a separate conscious entity, the one called Omote or Moka-chan by the other Yōkai. Though I do wonder what will happen if Ichigo takes her seal off every day...will it cause her seal to weaken or maybe fail altogether?"
"Why not have the King's friend or even better Tia-sama just use a Kidō barrier or seal to cancel out the effects of the Vampire's seal?" Shiro says as he closes his eyes and lies back once again on his beach chair.
Shōgetsu and Zangetsu both look at the Hollow being with blank looks as they think along the same lines.
'That's not a bad idea. / That is an impressive thought.'
"Shiro-kun I am impressed." Shōgetsu says as she looks down at the relaxing monochrome.
Smirking while keeping his eyes closed, the grinning Hollow replies back. "I'm just using my instincts Shōgetsu-chan; it would be the natural thing to do if you don't want it to break."
The pure being looks over at the other spirit, who simply shrugs his shoulders before turning back to face the sun and wind. Turning to face the ocean as well, Shōgetsu can only wonder what kind of life she would have been given by that miserable bastard before Ichigo freed her, if she had allowed him to know how sentient she really was. Although she has looked back over her own existence many times, the day she remembers most is the day she became self-aware. The day was not a particularly noteworthy day, but what was special was the fact that it was her first exposure to the humans of Ichigo's world. It was also the day that she had accidentally awoken each of their innate powers. She smiles inwardly as she thinks about the burnt-orange-haired girl, Orihime. She was truly her greatest accomplishment other than what Ichigo would become in a matter of time. Orihime was in-a-word, a goddess. A goddess with the purest heart and soul of any being she has ever encountered so far. It was truly a pity that Orihime had faltered for just that brief moment on the dome of Las Noches, but the price of that failure and the reminder of what her actions have cost her will only serve to strengthen Orihime's heart against any other corruptive influences in the future.
Sighing to herself, Shōgetsu looks up at the clear sky; yesterday it had been stormy as Ichigo chased the damn snoop who had broken into Ichigo's and Tia's room and then escaped after wounding him in the shoulder. For the rest of the day, the three of them had to deal with scattered showers as he moped around until Tia got him out of his funk with her own unique way. The pale beauty that was the Hōgyoku smiles as she thinks about how all their lives had changed once she had them in Ichigo's inner-world. She looks first at Shiro and then at Zangetsu, her family now; hers, Ichigo's and now Tia's and Tiburón's. And when the day comes that both Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki are once again able to come home, she smiles as she wonders how her master is going to react.
Feeling re-energized, Shōgetsu sits down on a beach chair next to Shiro as she closes her eyes and once again focuses their joint Reiatsu into fusing together into a single whole.
'Thank you Aizen, for making Ichi-kun the person he is today. Thank you for opening my eyes to your true colors. I now have the life I want.'
XXXX
When Tatsuki's eyes open, she sees that Ichigo is also in Jinzen, possibly because of the arrangement he and Tia had talked about earlier in the evening. She can't help but stare at her friend as she remembers the conversation earlier between him and his wife. Wife. Such a strange word to say when speaking about the orange-haired numbskull sitting across from her, but if anyone did deserve happiness it should be him. Tatsuki only sees a peaceful look on his face when he isn't conscious. Something Orihime had told her when she decided Ichigo would be the last person she would see before her kidnapper came for her. Now all she can do is watch Ichigo's face as she waits for him to regain his consciousness.
Soon she sees Ichigo stirring as he comes out of his own Jinzen, his brown orbs slowly regaining their focus as he stretches himself stiffly. She smiles as she watches him look around the room before turning his attention back towards her.
"Hey Tatsuki, anything happen while we were gone?"
"Nothing Ichigo. I think I did it though." She says with barely concealed excitement.
Ichigo immediately looks interested. "You did!? What did you see?"
"Well I found myself inside of my old dojo in Karakura with a man standing on the other side of the mats from me. He was tall, dark-skinned and was well-built like Chad, but he had this calm aura about him. We talked for what seemed like forever and then he tried to tell me his name. The thing is I couldn't hear it. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't understand him." She ends with a frown.
"That's because you have only just met Tatsuki, in time you will hear his name but for now you did well." Tia says as she enters the room.
Both Tatsuki and Ichigo turn towards the blonde, watching as she kicks off her shoes before entering the dorm room. She seems exhausted as she tiredly walks towards them and offers them a weary smile before sitting next to Ichigo and laying her head on his shoulder.
Ichigo gently takes her hand, squeezing it slightly as her fingers automatically entwine around his. "How did it go with Moka?" He asks her softly.
"It went well. I told her the truth Ichigo." Tia says as she closes her eyes.
Ichigo grimaces before asking the next question. "Do you think she understands the danger we put her in Tia?"
Nodding her head yes, Tia tells the two the entire story from the time she first arrived after Ruby-Sensei to the time she left not so long ago. Her words start to trail off and grow softer, and soon after she finishes her story, soft snores begin to emanate from the tired Arrancar as she has fallen asleep leaning against her mate. Scooping her up into a bridal carry, Ichigo lays her down on her futon and covers her with a blanket before motioning to Tatsuki to head on back to her room through the newly installed double doors.
Just before she closes the door, Tatsuki hears Ichigo speak to her. "You are doing great Suki. It won't be long before you hear his name, so don't worry okay?"
She smiles briefly at him. "Yeah, sure Ichigo. Good night."
"Night Suki."
XXXX
A heavy knocking wakes the occupants of the room the next morning, both aquamarine and brown eyes squeezing shut to deny the truth that someone is trying to wake them. After Suki left, Ichigo had stayed up late talking to Tiburón in his inner-world while going over how to teach the hybrid Witch Kidō with Tia the next day. Afterwards she had repeated to him the entire conversation that had taken place and added a few of her observations of the Vampire teen. The first of the two emotions that had stood out to her was Moka's grief over losing someone she finally admitted she had been falling for. The second was rage that someone, specifically another Vampire, had a deliberate hand in the Aono's death, something that Moka wouldn't forgive.
The knocking begins to get louder and longer as the two Vizards still refuse to move or acknowledge the person at their front door. That is until a voice starts shouting for them to wake up.
"Tia, Ichigo! I know you are in there! Wake up! You wanted me here at nine so wake up!" Moka's irate voice shouting from the other side of the door finally gets them to stir.
"Ichigo, get the door." Tia mumbles while drooling on his naked chest.
Pushing Tia off his chest, a half-asleep Ichigo wipes the wetness away as he rolls off their futon and stumbles to the door, opening it to see a fuming Vampire standing on the other side. Before she can begin to rant at the man standing blearily in the doorway, she blushes as she realizes he is only wearing a pair of pants and unwittingly looks over his well-toned body. She had suspected as much, but seeing him standing there bare-chested only confirms her earlier observations of the man. Ichigo is not like Tsukune. Whereas the Aono was frail and weak looking, Ichigo is not. Tia had told her the night before that Ichigo's body would reflect any and all of his spiritual training and now it is clearly being shown to her front and center.
Furiously trying to contain her blush, she sputters as she finally collects her thoughts. "Took you long enough Kurosaki, I've only been knocking for the last ten minutes. So are you going to invite me in or keep me standing here?"
Ichigo barely manages to stifle a yawn. "Come in Akashiya. Give me a sec to grab a shirt and wake Tia. Be right back." He says while stepping to the side.
Sniffing once, she strides by Ichigo and walks to the center of the living room where she gets a good look of their room. The shared room is well furnished by someone with taste, at least for the standards of the human world. As her eyes pick-up on more details, she notices they have a laptop with an internet connection, something which no other room she knows of has. The other obvious feature she notices is the double doors to one side, most likely connecting to Arisawa Tatsuki's room. Turning around to face her host, she suddenly finds herself alone.
"Kurosaki? Kurosaki!?" A small chill goes down her spine at the realization that even in his half-asleep state, Ichigo had managed to slip past her completely undetected. A fact that is underscored when his voice calls out from within the bedroom.
"Hold your horses Akashiya. I know. I know."
Ichigo finally makes his way back into the living room, with Tia following behind him, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she uses his shirt to guide her. Yawning again, the orange-haired man stops in front of Moka and tilts his head to the side, exposing his neck to her.
"What are you doing Kurosaki?" Moka says as she eyes him warily.
Confusion laces his face as he looks into the red-slitted eyes of Moka before stifling another yawn. "I thought you came here for my blood, right? That was the deal you and Tia made last night. So drink away."
Moka is taken aback by his declaration. "It's not that simple Ichigo. It…It is considered an act of intimacy for my kind." She says while her face grows flushed.
"Ah, yeah. Don't worry about it okay Moka. You can drink my blood here and not out in the open like you did with…" He winces and cuts himself off abruptly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Allowing a sad smile to form, she steps into Ichigo's space as she lowers her head. "It's fine Ichigo-san. As I told Tia last night about what it means for my kind, for you to still allow it makes me…Well it makes me grateful for your agreement. It isn't normal for anyone to willingly allow a Vampire to take their blood."
Ichigo sighs. "Listen, I know about what you did before. Tiburón told me about it last night, so don't worry about it okay. Like Tia said, it won't harm me if you drink once a day and any time after we train. I'm guessing that you also like fresh blood better than those blood transfusion bags you have to drink from."
Without even a hint of embarrassment, she answers him truthfully. "There is no comparison Ichigo-san."
Titling his head to the side, he gives her a crooked smile and gestures to her again; she looks at him, then at Tia to see her watching them with a small smile, then back at Ichigo again. With a blush, she extends her fangs as she approaches his neck and with a final nod from the blonde still standing behind him, she sinks her fangs into Ichigo's vein. She once again feels the flow of his blood as her mouth hungrily coaxes the life-giving liquid out and into her mouth; swallowing the first mouthful, she once again finds herself in bliss by the sheer power and richness of his blood.
Moka closes her eyes contently as she gently draws out more and more of Ichigo's blood, it tastes so very different from Tsukune's and she knows the one thing that Tsukune's blood had lacked, its power. She had known since yesterday that Ichigo's blood was not normal and it was only after Tia had explained to her why, that she recognized why it was so addicting to her after her first taste of it. Ichigo's blood was filled with life, power and spiritual energy, all of which were extremely addictive to a Vampire like her. It is a good thing that she is able to control her instincts when feeding. Soon she finds herself full and withdraws her fangs before sealing the wounds with a lick of her tongue and her saliva. Stepping back with a smile and a pleasant warmth flowing through her body, Moka notices a curious look on Ichigo's face, it is completely blank.
"Ichigo?" No response. "Is he okay Tia? He looks like he's out cold."
Chuckling, Tia replies. "No, he's okay. I think Shiro and Zangetsu are…teasing him right now."
Moka recognizes the names of Ichigo's Zanpakutō spirits. "Teasing him why?" She asks Tia curiously.
Laughing now, Tia points at Ichigo, who is still out of it, and tells the Vampire what they are calling him now.
"Living juice box? Why is that so…Oh." Moka blushes now that she realizes what Tia is talking about. "Wait, so he can still talk to his Zanpakutō spirits in his mind?"
"Oh yes he can, and sometimes I even think he regrets it now and then..."
"Like you haven't Tia-chan? Ehmm maybe me and Shiro should get some alone time in your mind, or even better…"
Tia's eyes go wide as she growls under her breath at her own personal menace. 'Don't even think about it Tiburón. If I so much as hear that damn song again, I'm gonna personally rip your tongue out.'
The Hollow pouts. "But Tia-chan it's our favorite song. Here let…"
'TIBURŌN!'
"You're no fun Tia-chan. I'm going to see Shiro, see ya."
Before she can say anything, Tiburón is gone. Mentally face palming at the antics of her Zanpakutō, she already knows what's going to happen in a few seconds.
"Dammit Tiburón!" Ichigo screeches suddenly, his eyes refocusing before screwing shut in chagrin, then he reopens them to look at Tia with wide eyes. "What is she doing Tia?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Tia slides an arm around her mate and gently kisses him. "Don't ask."
"Don't ask what?" Tatsuki asks as she walks through the double doors leading to her room. She is already dressed for the day's training, wearing a set of dark sweats and sturdy sneakers.
Two voices groan out loud with the answer. "Our Hollows."
Snorting, Tatsuki makes her way to the kitchen where she fills the tea pot and gets the water boiling. "Oi, why don't you two get yourselves a shower and I'll keep Moka company. And for the love of god, take separate ones."
"Yeah, yeah." Ichigo says as he grabs Tia's hand and walks her to the bathroom where he lets her go with a whisper then enters their bedroom.
Smiling, Tia sends Tatsuki a quick wink before teasing her friend once again. "Ya know Tatsuki, the more the merrier I always say."
The martial artist rolls her eyes. "I told you Ichigo isn't my type. Besides it would be like kissing family. Thanks but no thanks."
"Your loss." Tia says as she disappears behind the closing door.
Moka stands there looking first at the bathroom; then at the bedroom when Ichigo strolls out with a bunch of clothes and toiletries with only a towel covering him and heading into Tatsuki's room. She turns to look at Tatsuki, only to see the Witch making two cups of tea and acting as if everything is normal.
"Tatsuki, is this..?" Moka asks helplessly while pointing at the closed bathroom door then at Tatsuki's room.
Looking at the Vampire in confusion at first, the hybrid Witch realizes what she is asking and answers her. "Yeah, that is what mates do Moka. For them at least. Tia calls it their quiet time, Karin calls it their moaning time."
Once again the look of puzzlement shows on the silver-haired beauty. "Karin?"
Tatsuki snickers. "Karin is Ichigo's Imouto. She knows about their little trysts in the shower. She told me that she had to tell his other Imouto, Yuzu, that the water lines were old and that was making the sounds."
Blushing faintly, the Vampire looks at the bathroom one last time before she joins Tatsuki at the kitchen counter where a steaming cup of tea is waiting for her. Gently picking it up and blowing on it she forms her next question.
"Tatsuki, how is it that you and Ichigo are friends and didn't know about each other?"
Staring into her cup for a moment, Tatsuki takes a moment to answer the question. "Ichigo and I grew up together since we were five. He used to train at my dojo until his mother's death." She glances up to see the tightness around the Vampire's eyes. "After that we fell into a quiet companionship until high school when everything changed. I'm guessing you know most of the story then?"
The Vampire nods in affirmative. "She told me most of it, but what about you? Tia said to ask you about yourself."
Tatsuki sighs bitterly. "I didn't do anything. At that point I had no powers other than being able to see spirit bodies. Even my best friend kept me in the dark about her powers. But I knew when she disappeared, who I had to …"
As Tatsuki's voice trails off, Moka looks at her with understanding. "I understand if you can't talk about it yet Tatsuki." The Vampire says, remembering several events in her own past that she still has difficulty bringing up.
Placing her cup down, Tatsuki stares longingly out of the kitchen window. "It's not that I can't talk about it, it's just... it was a really low point in our friendship. I accused Ichigo of many things that weren't true and when I finally got the true story from other people, I felt really horrible about it. He didn't blame me though, he had every right to be mad at me but he never once blamed me. That's how Ichigo is; he will never hold a grudge against his friends, well except for one now. He was like a brother to Ichigo until he spit in Ichigo's face literally for having Hollows as friends. I guess he never understood that about Ichigo. He could make anyone his friend, even Hollows."
Moka observes the black-haired witch for a moment. "You admire him don't you Tatsuki?"
Tatsuki gives her a small smile. "Hard not to Moka. At almost sixteen he saved two worlds and no one will know it but us. Now he has to hide from the very same people he saved because if they knew what was in him, they'd try to kill him. The sooner this merger is over, the safer he will be. The only thing he is worried about is..."
The Vampire tilts her head curiously. "Is what, Tatsuki?"
"Did Tia mention anyone named Kuchiki Rukia by chance?" Tatsuki asks shyly.
The blush on the Vampire's face says it all to the hybrid Witch. "Yes she did. I…I didn't know what to think when she told me that."
"I can guess." Tatsuki smirks as she remembers her own feelings when she got Ichigo to spill that secret. "So why did she tell you?"
"'To make sure I knew the truth' is what she said, the reason why you are really here besides helping us for this upcoming war between Yōkai and humans. She also promised to help me get revenge for Aono-kun's death."
Hearing the pain in Moka's voice at the last part, Tatsuki can see that the wounds are still reopening every time any of the Newspaper Club speaks about Tsukune Aono. She knows that was also how it was for Ichigo and Orihime when they both lost their loved ones. Ichigo buried himself in violence and protection, while Orihime hid herself in her shyness and over-active imagination. The closest Tatsuki had come to losing a loved one was Orihime being kidnapped, and she still feels shame at her reaction to it that day. Feeling the silence grow somewhat depressing, she is relieved when the voices of the two they are waiting for make themselves known.
"Tatsuki can you make us some tea while we get dressed?" Tia says as she enters the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around her body.
"Sure." The hybrid Witch replies easily, already reheating the tea and taking out another two cups.
"Good, as soon as we are dressed we can get some breakfast and then put in some Kidō practice in this morning. After that you will be studying magic with Ruby-Sensei and Yukari."
"Okay Tia, sounds good."
"Moka."
The Vampire looks up with red slitted eyes. "Yes Tia."
"We'll wait until later to switch your seal. There is something we want to ask first." Tia says before shutting the bedroom door. Moka looks at Tatsuki, who simply shrugs at her.
"We'll tell you the rest when we train later on, Moka."
"I would like that Tatsuki."
XXXX
Three hours later, Tatsuki, Kurumu, Mizore and Yukari are all recovering while they watch Moka and Ichigo pound the stuffing's out of one another. Moka isn't holding back, using every means at her disposal to land hits on the orange-haired maniac fighting her. Ichigo isn't pulling his punches either, Moka having told him that if she even thought he was doing so, she would kick him into the afterlife then hunt him down to kick him back into the world of the living again.
"Tatsuki-san why is he doing this? I mean, is it really worth having Moka-san beat on him?" The youngest Witch observes with a wince as another crash heralds the landscape being deformed yet again.
"Hmm? He isn't losing if that's what you mean. If anything he seems to be enjoying himself. I don't think Ichigo's happy unless he gets to fight every now and then."
Pulling her lollipop out, Mizore gives the newest member of their group a skeptical glance. "This is his idea of fun?"
Tatsuki lets out a chuckle at their evident disbelief. "Yeah, this is fun for him. At our old school, he and our friend Chad would beat up the local punks and thugs who tried to start anything with them. Anyone they deemed a threat to our school and our friends were fair game, although they also they had this sort of unspoken rule about watching each other's backs. I can't tell you how many times we had to patch them up when they came to school all bruised and bloody."
Kurumu rolls onto her back as she looks at the sky. "So what was it like going to school in the human world Tatsuki-san? I mean I have heard stories but I've never had a chance to talk about it with anyone."
Tatsuki leans back on her hands as the sounds of the two gladiators going at it continue to fill the air. "It was boring really. I mean, I had a few close friends, but we kept to ourselves mostly. Being only first years we hadn't had much exposure to the upper-classmen at all."
"So you have a lot of human friends then?" Kurumu asks as she leans her head towards Tatsuki.
"Let's see...my best friend is Orihime. She is the sweetest person I know and now she is part of Tia's Kazoku as well. Tia adopted her after she saved Tia's life. Then there is Ichigo my oldest friend, and Chad because he and Ichigo are as close as brothers. Then I got to meet Tia and Rukia because of Orihime. Then the others of our group are acquaintances from middle school. We had one friend who left because he didn't approve of Ichigo and Tia's relationship."
"Why's that Tatsuki?" Yukari Sendo asks as she watches the object of her obsession land a good round-house kick on Ichigo.
"They are polar opposites you could say. Uryū wasn't keen on Vizards much because they serve the Shinigami that he dislikes, his family comes from an older line of humans who protected human souls and objected to Shinigami influence."
"At least he wasn't a Quincy." Mizore spits out.
No one sees Tatsuki's eyes narrow in surprise. Careful not to seem too interested, she moves back to her original position as she casually asks why that was.
"Ah why's that Mizore?" She sees every head turn towards her in both anger and disbelief.
"Quincies hunt us Tatsuki-san. They kill us every chance they get and what's worse are their human offspring who lack their powers. They kill us with the stolen artifacts taken from other Yōkai they kill. Damn Knights of the Order."
Tatsuki looks at the three girls in horror. "They kill you. Why?"
"Because we aren't human Tatsuki-san. They call us beasts, animals, soulless. They kill all of us, even the babies if they can. Horrible crimes are committed against us because they see us as less than animals. That is why many Yōkai fear and hate humans and openly showing ourselves to them could get us killed."
Looking around quickly, she speaks in a low voice to the three girls. "Don't tell Ichigo that please."
Kurumu sits up at that point as she stares at the hybrid. "Why Tatsuki-san? Is Ichigo a Quincy?"
"No, it's just…Damn hold on a second. TIA!"
In a burst of static the person who was watching the two duelists fight is standing before the four young Yōkai women. "Yes Tatsuki, what's wrong?"
Sheepishly rubbing her head, she recounts the small exchange between them. Watching as the beautiful Vizard's eyes go from uninterested to furious at the end of the explanation, she sees Tia turn slightly towards the Vampire and her mate as they continue to spar, before speaking quietly.
"No one tell Ichigo."
The three other girls look at each other in tense confusion before Yukari speaks up. "Why Tia-san? Is there something you're not telling us?"
Turning her full attention on the four Yōkai looking at her, she gives them a glare unlike anything they have seen yet. "Yes Sendo-chan there is a reason. Ichigo has a friend that is a Quincy."
"What!?" Three teenagers cry out in shock and horror.
Fortunately, Tia has already set up a Kidō barrier to make sure her mate and the Vampire don't hear them; glaring at the three girls, she drops a precise spike of Reiatsu on them to silence their shouting. "The Quincy is, was a friend of Ichigo's who fought with him during the war. He is almost like a brother to Ichigo, so if you tell him that his friend is a possible murderer, I don't know how he is going to react. For now keep this between us until it becomes necessary to tell Ichigo."
The Yuki-Onna visibly grits her teeth, looking at the Succubus and the young Witch before speaking up coldly. "Before we agree, Tia-san, tell us why you three know a Quincy?"
Glaring at the snow woman with a hint of anger, Tia replies heatedly. "That is not my place to tell you Shirayuki-chan, but if I find out that you told him anything about this, there will be a price to pay. Ichigo's history with the Quincy is a touchy subject, and I don't want anything to distract him from his studies. Understand me well, I won't repeat myself again. Until I say otherwise, any mention of what the Quincy have done in the past is to be kept quiet from Ichigo."
Watching as the Yōkai agree begrudgingly, Tia lets the Kidō barrier drop then turns to see both Moka and Ichigo both lying on the ground, finally spent from their two hours of sparring. Giving one last backwards look at the group of Yōkai girls staring sullenly at her, she makes her way to the two spent warriors, hearing Moka complaining to Ichigo about his sloppy footwork, while he retorts with a comment about her getting too predictable with her kicks.
"Are you two done playing with each other?" Tia asks without hiding her amusement.
Two heads turn in her direction, one with a scowl, the other with a face of semi-rage before seeing the smile greeting her. Moka narrows her eyes at the blonde woman standing over her and Ichigo before she snorts and waves her hand dismissively at the woman.
"His footwork lacks finesse and his lack of style is most disconcerting. There is no rhyme or reason in how he fights; it's as if he makes it up as he goes." The silver-haired Daiyōkai snipes at Ichigo as she hits him on the arm once again.
Growling as he gets punched on the arm again, Ichigo finally sits up and sends a glare at the smug-looking Vampire. "I will have you know that, that style of fighting does exist and it does have a name. Just because you haven't encountered it before isn't my problem Moka."
Turning a hard stare back at the man she folds her arms under her chest making her assets stick out more than she realizes. "Are you sure it exists Ichigo? I have never seen that style before unless it is one of those secret styles only Vizard's know. So is that it Kurosaki-sama?"
He glares back at her. "Yes it is Moka, and if you play nice, I might even teach it to you, unless of course you are too clumsy to learn it." He adds with a smirk at her obvious annoyance at him.
Narrowing her eyes dangerously at him, Moka pokes him in the forehead. "Well what's it called then baka?"
Ichigo rubs his forehead while shooting a glare at the offender. "Well for you information Miss know-it-all it's called Hakuda. Most learn it early on, but me and Tia have only just mastered it for your information, so I haven't really had a chance to use it outside of sparring with Tia. Is that enough for you, smartass?"
Tia watches their exchange with mild amusement in her eyes. She is beginning to like Moka more each time she is around the young Vampire maiden, her attitude while a bit arrogant does remind her of Rukia when she is admonishing Ichigo for his manners or lack thereof.
'Must be a noble thing.' The blonde Vizard thinks as she continues to watch them trade barbs with each other.
Deciding now is a good time to break for lunch, she interrupts the two. "Ichigo, I think that is enough for now, why don't you grab Suki and get ready for lunch? I want to talk to Moka about her seal real quick, if you don't mind?"
Seeing the Vampire nod, Ichigo gives Tia a smile. "Yeah, sure thing Tia. Here let me help you up Moka." He says as he gets up and extends towards Moka.
Taking it, Moka notices how rough but soft it is at the same time. She thought that for someone who fights with a sword his hands would be coarser. But her thoughts are put to rest when he easily pulls her to feet without any sign of effort on his part. Quirking an eyebrow, she realizes that he isn't even tired anymore which she now knows is because of his immense reserves of Reiryoku having empowering and modifying his body. As he lets go of her hand she feels a sense of warmth still remaining in her hand, looking down at it, she wonders what it is.
"I'll see you at lunch Akashiya." Ichigo says with a bit of fake sarcasm.
"Sure thing, if you're not too tired Kurosaki." She rebuts immediately.
Smirking as he gives his wife a kiss on her cheek, he starts to move away until Tia says something to him. "Aren't you forgetting something Ichigo?"
Turning back to his mate with confusion on his face, he sees her eyes darting towards the Vampire, who is now looking embarrassedly down at the ground. Groaning at his lapse of memory he walks up to the Vampire and quietly mutters to her.
"Sorry, I forgot."
"No, I am sorry that you have to do this for me Ichigo, but thank you anyways." She looks him in his eyes before she leans towards his now tilting neck, extending her fangs; she is once again rewarded with his blood.
Drinking only for a few seconds, she doesn't want to take too much from him even if his body will recover quickly. What they are allowing her to do even now is more than enough for her to keep her thirst down with the tomato juice; she no longer feels the pangs of hunger she has endured in the past month. Slowly she sheaths her fangs and seals his wounds with a gentle lick. Stepping back, she sees Ichigo's eyes are closed but notices a scowl on his face before she hears him mutter under his breath again.
"Call me juice box again Shiro and I will be in there to kick your ass."
Both girls begin to laugh as he walks out of hearing range while still obviously pissed at his inner-Hollow. Tia turns towards the Vampire as her laughter dies down and sees a smile on the other girl's face. Never seeing it before, she comments on it.
"You have a beautiful smile Moka."
The reaction isn't one she expected to see, as the Daiyōkai blushes deeply while looking at the blonde with some shock.
"T-Thank you I guess Tia. I haven't had a reason to smile until lately." Her eyes gain a bit of sadness to them then.
Before the Vampire gets too involved with her past, Tia changes the subject quickly. "Moka, we want to ask you for a favor."
"A favor?"
Touching the temporary seal now back around Moka's neck, Tia looks at her. "We want to try using Kidō to neutralize the properties of your seal as a backup plan in case Ichigo fails in his attempts to remove the real one from your collar. We have a few days before the semester starts, so do you want to try?"
Caressing the temporary seal hanging from her choker, Moka nods her head but adds a request as well.
"Tia if it works, the Kidō...all I ask is that the day I put it back on, I would like the others to be there as well. Omote is…she is going to be hurting once she fully understands what I did to Tsukune. It would help her if familiar faces are with her when she finds out and if it becomes too much for her, I'll need your help so I can have the time to help her grieve before letting her out again."
The blonde Vizard nods solemnly at her. "We will Moka, promise."
Seeing the Vampire grace her with a grateful smile, Tia takes Moka's arm and leads the Vampire back towards the dorms and the others.
'It's gonna be rough Moka, but we'll be there for her.'
XXXX
AN: Well that is it for this installment for Welcome to My World. Big thanks to both Tahuka and Okami Princess for being my beta readers once again. Now for some news, I will be releasing my DxD crossover within the next few weeks, so before anyone groans and moans, it will only be 1 or 2 chapters only before we get back to Destiny's Path. It's a filler story for now until Destiny's Path is finished and then it will become a main story for me. A word about it as well, it will somewhat darker version of the LN because to be honest I don't want it to revolve around Issei too much, he will be a big part of it but I want it to center on Ichigo and Rias first and foremost. Also I have decided that Masaki's past will be very different than canon because I want it that way. AU means exactly that an alternative telling of the story, for me I have to give big thanks to Okami because without her this thing was dead on arrival. In other words a lot of her ideas will come to life in the story which believe me, is because her ideas were seriously pretty damn good, better than mine even. So we will see you in a few weeks with the first chapter or two and then back to Destiny's Path. One last thing, because I am somewhat anal, I'm going to do 7 chapters for it to even that one out. Sorry.
Liam
XXXX
Response to Reviews Corner 2:
Lancelot Seiten 1: Easy answer is because I wanted to and other than that I just picked Rukia because I have Orihime in one story and this might be the only story I will do so. As for Tia, I think out of all the Bleach characters she and Ichigo do go good together, I think at least. Finally Moka has been a favorite of mine since I first read the manga, which I now waiting patiently for the next volume to go on sale hopefully soon.
crankiestnebula: Sorry for the shorter chapters but it has been easier for me to write more often now.
Also thanks for those of you who see my spelling errors and such, don't hesitate to send me a PM to let me know alright, it makes me go back to fix them as soon as I can. Also I have asked Tahuka to go back over my earlier chapters and give them a good working over. Hopefully once back in school, Tahuka will have the edited versions done for me to repost so look for an update on them in Destiny's Path letting you all know. So once again enjoy the chapter and see you soon.
Translations List
Honorifics
-san (さん) : Used to address people with a generic level of respect (equivalent to Mr/Mrs/Ms)
-sama (様) : Used to address people with a higher level of respect (equivalent to Master/Madam)
-chan (ちゃん) : Used to address people with familiarity (usually females)
-kun (君) : Used to address people with familiarity (usually males)
-dono (どの): Used to address people with great respect (equivalent to Lord/Lady)
-ue (上) : Used to address one's parents with great respect
Addressing people by their family name without honorifics can be seen as disrespectful.
Addressing people by their given name without honorifics implies a high degree of familiarity.
People may not always use the same honorific when addressing the same person; it depends on the situation and what they are feeling at the moment.
Special
-tachi (たち) : Used as a suffix to refer to a group
Family Titles
Chichi (父) / Otō (お父) : Father, usually addressed as Chichi-ue or Otō-san/sama (also written as Otou)
Haha (母) / Okā (お母) : Mother, usually addressed as Haha-ue or Okā-san/sama (also written as Okaa)
Ani (兄) / Onī (お兄) : Older Brother, usually addressed as Aniki or Onī-san/sama (also written as Onii)
Ane (姉) / Onē (お姉) : Older Sister, usually addressed as Aneki or Onē-san/sama (also written as Onee)
Otōto (弟) : Younger Brother, usually addressed as Otōto-san/chan (also written as Otouto)
Imōto (妹) : Younger Sister, usually addressed as Imōto-chan (also written as Imouto)
Sofu (祖父) / Ojī (お爺) : Grandfather, usually addressed as Ojī-san/sama (also written as Ojii)
Sobo (祖母) / Obā (お婆) : Grandmother, usually addressed as Obā-san/sama (also written as Obaa)
Oji (叔父) : Uncle, usually addressed as Oji-san (not to be mistaken with Grandfather/Ojī-san)
Oba (叔母): Aunt, usually addressed as Oba-san (not to be mistaken with Grandmother/Obā-san)
Itoko (いとこ) : Cousin (can be written with different Kanji depending on age, gender and which side of the family they come from)
Oi (甥) : Nephew
Mei (姪) : Niece
Kyōfu (教父) : Godfather, usually addressed as Kyōfu-san/sama
Kyōbo (教母) : Godmother, usually addressed as Kyōbo-san/sama
Ōoji (大叔父) : Great-Uncle, usually addressed as Ōoji-san
Ōoba (大叔母) : Great-Aunt, usually addressed as Ōoba-san
Sōsofu (曽祖父) : Great-Grandfather, usually addressed as Sōsofu-sama
Sōsobo (曽祖母) : Great-Grandmother, usually addressed as Sōsobo-sama
Relations
Otto (夫) / Goshujin (ご主人) : Husband, usually addressed as Goshujin-san/sama
Tsuma (妻) / Oku (奥) : Wife, usually addressed as Oku-san
Musuko (息子) : Son, usually addressed as Musuko-san
Musume (娘) : Daughter, usually addressed as Musume-san
Magomusuko (孫息子) : Grandson
Magomusume (孫娘) : Granddaughter
Sofubo (祖父母) : Grandparents
Ryōshin (両親) : Parents (also written as Ryoushin)
Fūfu (夫婦) : Married Couple
Kyōdai (兄弟) : Brothers (can also refer to Siblings in general)
Shimai (姉妹) : Sisters
Itoko (いとこ) : Cousins
Kodomo (子供) : Children
Mago (孫) : Grandchildren
Kazoku (家族) : Family
Shinseki (親戚) : Relatives
Nakama (仲間) : Comrades
Tomodachi (友達) : Friends
Senpai (先輩) : Senior (also written as Sempai, can be used as a suffix '-senpai')
Kōhai (後輩) : Junior (also written as Kouhai, can be used as a suffix '-kouhai')
Sensei (先生) : Teacher, Doctor, Respected Person
Deshi (弟子) : Student, Apprentice
Informal
Tō-chan (父ちゃん) : Dad (also written as Tou-chan)
Kā-chan (父ちゃん) : Mom (also written as Kaa-chan)
Nī-chan (父ちゃん) : Big Bro (also written as Nii-chan)
Nē-chan (父ちゃん) : Big Sis (also written as Nee-chan)
Jī-chan (父ちゃん) : Gramps (also written as Jii-chan)
Bā-chan (父ちゃん) : Granny (also written as Baa-chan)
Disrespectful
Oyaji (親父) : Old Man
Jiji (爺) : Old Geezer
Baba (婆) : Old Crone
Bō (ぼう) / Bōzu (ぼうず) : Boy (also written as 'bou/bouzu', can be used as a suffix '-bou/bouzu')
Boya (ボヤ) : Boy (literal translation, used as a suffix '-boya')
Insulting
Teme (てめ) : Jerk, Bastard etc. (can be used as a suffix '-teme')
Dobe (どべ) : Dumbass, Moron etc. (lit. Dead Last)
Baka (バカ) : Stupid
Hentai (変態) : Pervert
Chibi (チビ) : Midget, Runt
Gaki (ガキ) : Brat (can be used as a suffix '-gaki')
Speech
Yare Yare (やれやれ) : My my (exasperation)
Ara Ara (あらあら) : My my (surprise)
Maa Maa (まあまあ) : There there (comforting / calming down)
Moshi Moshi (もしもし) : Hello (greeting over a phone)
Hai (はい) : Yes
Ano (あの) : Umm...
Are (あれ) : Huh?
Yosh (よし) : Alright! (excited)
Yosh yosh (よしよし) : Good good (approval)
Itadakimasu (いただきます) : Let's eat (appreciative)
Gochisousama deshita (御馳走様でした) : Thank you for the feast (appreciative)
Arigatō Gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) : Thank you very much
Dōitashimashite (どういたしまして) : You're welcome
Ohayō (お早う) : Good morning
Konnichiwa (今日は) : Hello/Good day
Konbanwa (こんばんは) : Good evening
Nicknames
Geta-Bōshi (ゲタ帽子) : Hat-and-Clogs (refers to Kisuke's choice of clothing)
Yagi-Ago (山羊顎) : Goat-chin (refers to Isshin's scruffy beard)
Ichigo (苺) : Strawberry (a play on Ichigo's given name)
Ichi (一) : Shortform for Ichigo (一護)
Tats (竜) : Shortform for Tatsuki (also written as Tatsu)
Suki (好き) : Shortform for Tatsuki (also means to Like)
Hime (姫) : Shortform for Orihime (also means Princess)
Yori (ヨリ) : Shortform for Yoruichi
Nicknames
Bōgu (防具) / Kendōgu (剣道具) : Kendo Armor/Equipment
Men (面) : Face Mask and Shoulder Protectors
Kote (小手) : Hand and Forearm Protectors
Do (胴) : Torso Protector
Tare (垂れ) : Groin and Leg Protectors
Sune-ate (脛当て) : Shin Protectors
Bokken (木剣) / Bokutō (木刀) : Wooden Sword
Shinai (竹刀) : Bamboo Sword
Keikogi (稽古着) : Upper garments
Hakama (袴) : Lower garments
Soul Society
Sōtaichō (総隊長) : Head Captain (also written as Soutaichou)
Taichō (隊長) : Captain (also written as Taichou)
Fuku-Taichō (副隊長) : Vice-Captain / Lieutenant (also written as Fukutaichou)
Kidō (鬼道) : Way of the Demon, the Shinigami Spiritual Arts (also written as Kidou)
Hadō (破道) : Way of Destruction, Spiritual Arts focusing on attack (also written as Hadou)
Bakudō (縛道) : Way of Binding, Spiritual Arts focusing on capture (also written as Bakudou)
Kaidō (回道) : Way of Returning, Spiritual Arts focusing on healing (also written as Kaidou)
Locations
Seireitei (瀞霊廷) : Court of Pure Souls, the Inner District of Soul Society
Rukongai (流魂街) : Wandering Soul City, the Outer Districts of Soul Society
Dangai (断界) : Precipice World, a Dimensional Corridor linking Soul Society to the Human World
Daireishokairō (大霊書回廊) : Great Spirit Book Gallery, the Repository containing all the Knowledge and History of Soul Society
Shinōreijutsuin (真央霊術院) : Spiritual Arts Academy
Urahara Shouten (蒲原商店) : Urahara's Shop, owned by Urahara Kisuke
Rosario Vampire
Yōkai (妖怪) : Monsters (also written as Youkai)
Daiyōkai (大妖怪) : Greater Monsters (also written as Daiyoukai)
Yōki (妖気) : Demonic Energy (also written as Youki)
Yōkai Gakuen (妖怪学園) / (陽海学園) : Monster Academy (also written under the fake name of Living Sea Academy)