Oh My Kichigai!
By Uchiha Xairylle

Chapter Ten : Am I Dead Or Am I Dreaming?

Ken'ichi did not know why he was walking home with the twins. Genki and Hachirou had plagued him to invite Ryu to hang out with them at the arcade after school. He knew they were after Yui and they were using Ryu to get to her. Well, Ryu was cool since they shared weird experiences from their parents at least when they talk about it. Besides, he spent one hell of a time playing King of Fighters with him and eye-hand coordination was never so challenging until then. As for Yui, Ken'ichi did not understand what it was with this girl that his friends liked so much. She was edgy and she was bossy. She hated him. She hated boys. She hated weaklings. She hated stuck-ups. She hated the world for all he cared. What's to be interested about? Ken'ichi was in no way interested in her hobbies, her quirks, her foibles or her next attempt to slam something against any part of his body. She had tried to hit him twice this day and him being able to dodge and block did not please her. He had made an enemy out of this witch and he just might forget she was a girl and let his fists do the talking.

"Otousan will not be happy knowing that you blew your allowance." Yui was telling Ryu and the boy pouted at her as he fixed his honey blonde locks from being slightly blown by the gentle breeze from the afternoon.

The raven-haired Kurosaki boy thoughtfully checked his pocket with his hand and sighed. Goodbye, allowance. Byakuya-ojisama would have to pay another visit if he wanted some extra cash. But Ken'ichi would trade a whole month of allowance for a baby brother or sister — whichever the stars provide.

"IYAAAAA!" a shirll female voice shrieked and Ken'ichi looked up to see a girl probably aged five who was running for her life towards them. He gasped. This was not a person. It was a spirit. Ken'ichi gasped as the girl ran past him and he looked towards the direction she had come from. There was a monster after that girl — the monster that ate spirits, what was it called?

"A Hollow." Ryu said with a blink and Ken'ichi could see him touch something on his hand.
"Ken'ichi, please run home now." Yui said as she straightened and flicked her wrist, "Something came up."

"I'm not leaving the both of you." He said, "I'm not going to run away when that monster tries to eat you up like what he was supposed to do with that girl."

The twins gasped and looked at each other before looking at Ken'ichi and asking, "You saw her?"

"Aa." Ken'ichi nodded.
"But you don't have any means to—"

A roar and a shaking sound cut whatever Yui was going to say. The strong gust swept over the area and Ken'ichi could feel something humid against his dry skin as the hairs on his skin stood up in a tinge of weirdness. Not once had he encountered something like this and while other people would have their knees shaking in fright, Ken'ichi was more bewildered about how this monster looked like.

"Ken'ichi, go home!" Yui wanted to glare at him but was busy minding her surroundings.
"I don't need you to tell me what to do!"

Yui gasped and looked at him. He was still standing? That strong gust was reiatsu and even she, with the training she had received, wavered a bit upon feeling it. But this… this… this Kurosaki kid was able to hold his ground with less effort than she thought. But she was not able to sense anything from him at this time.

Kurosaki Ken'ichi. He was definitely something if not someone.

But right now, Ken'ichi was too busy trying to feel where the hell the monster was to even realize that Yui was staring at him — staring as she tried deducing who this person was. And that was her weakness.

She was as open as a scarecrow in a field.

"Yui!" Ryu yelled and in a flash, his arm had swung, "Santen Kesshun! I reject!"
"What! NO!" Yui shouted.

To Ken'ichi's surprise, from Ryu's hand shot three light beams and formed a triangular shield in front of them, effectively blocking the large mass of fist that was going to ram her body. Ken'ichi would've expected a normal girl to scream but judging from what Ryu did, Ryu was not a normal boy and he should expect that Yui was not a normal girl either.

"He saw it!" Yui told Ryu but was looking at the four-legged Hollow with three eyes and two arms protruding from its back.
"I had no choice!" Ryu answered back.
"Go home now, you idiot!" Yui was telling Ken'ichi, "I can't assure you won't get hurt in the crossfire!"
"Crossfire my ass!" Ken'ichi said sternly, "Your god damn muscles are tensing! I can feel it from here!"

How did he figure that out?

"Here it comes!" Ken'ichi shouted and Yui looked back, extending an arm and immediately drawing an arrow out of thin air. At the same time, six lights from Ryu's hand shot towards Yui. Yui was now holding a bow with a fitted arrow and six more arrows of light were hovering steadily beside her as if waiting for release. Ken'ichi could've sworn he was watching a movie but he did not blink.

The Hollow then charged and Yui released and seven arrows shot towards the monstrosity which hollered more in irritation than in pain. Yui cursed and proceeded to draw another arrow. Six arrows appeared from Ryu's hand and steadied beside the girl again. She released. They shot. Another roar.

"Ryu, can you control those arrows?" Ken'ichi was looking at Yui who drew and attacked consecutively with seven arrows. It prevented the Hollow from stepping too close but at this rate, they were not going to be able to kill it.

"No." Ryu replied, "Although I can release my own arrows at will, the ones coming out now are simply responding to Yui's reaction. Their hers and not mine but she can't control them. It just happens that whenever she draws an arrow while I'm around, the Rikka reacts on its own."

"Not good. Seven arrows released like that won't do much." Ken'ichi grunted as he looked around for anything to use to hit the Hollow.
"Well, I don't see you doing anything!" Yui growled while continuing to release arrows.

Ken'ichi would've argued if he wasn't feeling a weird sensation. All this energy around him felt so weird and he could feel a spark of warmth from his stomach. It was like something wanted to be released, to be called, to be used. Whatever it was, Ken'ichi was sure it was inside him and that it could help — it would help. But how to access it? He had no clue.

"I'll divert its attention." Ken'ichi said now, "Look for the weak spot. It must have a weak spot."
"We're not involving—"
"Are you fast enough?" Yui cut Ryu's words as she continued firing arrows.
"Yui, we can't—"
"Was that a question? Of course, I'm fast enough." Ken'ichi grinned, "You watch out for an opening."
"Okay." Yui nodded and released yet another seven arrows, "Ryu, keep an eye out for Ken'ichi's back."
"But, Yui…!"
"What is it with you?" Ken'ichi growled at the other male, "I'm not incompetent. I may not be able to fire anything at will or what but…"

"Stop jabbering and get to work." Yui smirked with another release. Ryu looked at his sister. She was not at her limit but she had consumed half of her reiatsu trying to protect him and Ken'ichi. Yui never really wanted to involve other people when fighting with Hollows so for her to agree to a diversion by Ken'ichi, then there was probably something special about him. Whatever it was, he should ask later.

"Here I go!" Ken'ichi announced and kicked off the ground.

Yui grunted.

"About time."

Ken'ichi darted like a bullet and the Hollow was alert enough to see a young boy full of reiatsu speeding towards him. It roared in what was supposed to be laughter as its arms lifted to crush him. But the boy was fast and he dived and rolled away, grabbing a metal pipe that was conveniently lying around. His fingers wrapped against it. It was a bit heavier than a wooden sword but considering his adrenaline, it was negligible. Especially now that one of its paws was coming at him!

What he learned from training kicked in and Ken'ichi rolled away. As soon as he was able to, the boy swung at the monster's leg. It roared in pain and annoyance. Ryu gasped. That was a reiatsu-influenced attack! He was sure of it because an ordinary metal pipe would've dented if it wasn't influenced with reiatsu. Ryu looked at Yui. She had felt it if not seen it but she was busily keeping an eye out for a good opening to say anything.

Ryu swallowed.

Who was this Kurosaki Ken'ichi?

Ken'ichi was side-stepping as if it were normal for him to dodge limb after limb coming at him. There was no way this boy did not receive training! The Hollow roared. Ken'ichi gasped upon feeling something surge from the monster's body.

It was going to blast him with something!

"SANTEN KESSHUN!" Ryu was quick enough to say the incantation as the large ball of light and power formed and shot out from the Hollow's mouth.

"I REJECT!"

Ken'ichi felt the strong force bounce off the triangular shield. Wherever that projectile went, Ken'ichi did not know. What he knew was that he was open as hell! He had a shield in front of him but not at his sides.

The Hollow knew that.

Giant paw at three o'clock!

"KEN'ICHI!"

If it were Yui or Ryu or both who screamed, he could not decipher. Ken'ichi could've sworn his senses were more than jarred and ragged and torn from all different places. He bounced off something, hit something but he was unable to do anything. Something was weird. Something was not right. He felt the street against his back but the pain was not like he had expected him to. Good grief. He felt like he skidded light years away from the spot he had been.

"Oh no!" Yui gasped. Ken'ichi forced his eyes to snap open. Had something happened? He sat up but his knees were too wobbly to immediately get up. He tried steadying his vision to find his companions but what he found was something more confusing.

Why was there a chain on his chest?

By instinct, he followed the chain with his eyes.

"What the hell…?" Ken'ichi spat out upon seeing his body lying unconscious on the street. He looked at himself and then at his body then at himself and back to his body.

What was going on?

Even before he could do anything, the chain broke. Ken'ichi did not know what the hell that chain was but its breakage didn't look like it was something good. But it brought something new to the table.

What used to be a chain turned into a red silky length of what seemed to be cloth — scarlet cloth!

Instinctively, he reached for his chest as the red cloth disappeared. He felt horribly weird upon seeing this but he could not describe what he felt when he saw himself. Why was he wearing a black haori and hakama!

Like a predator smelling blood, the Hollow charged for him. Ken'ichi was too dazed and torn between the two situations before him to figure out what to do. He could see the large monstrosity coming at him at the same time his body was lying on the freaking street like road kill!

Shit, he could already be dead to say the least!

"Shinigami…" Ryu muttered as he eyed Ken'ichi. Yui wanted to curse so badly but she had been taught to concentrate properly even in a situation as intense as this one. But the facts that were unraveling were a great distraction especially to her brother who was too taken aback to even figure out what to do. The Hollow was stepping towards a Shinigami sitting duck and its large foot was going to step on Ken'ichi's body.

No choice.

"SANTEN KESSHUN!" Yui announced in her shrill ten-year old voice and the six arrows around her disappeared, "I REJECT!"

A three-pointed shield formed beneath Ken'ichi's body and the Hollow's limb. The Hollow roared upon realizing this and Ken'ichi snapped to attention.

"Not good!" Yui released a single arrow. The Hollow roared at the girl and turned its attention towards her.

"I'm sorry! I was too slow!" Ryu said as he watched his sister wince. She had been firing arrows consecutively in the past few minutes and it was taking its toll on her. Ryu grabbed his sister by the wrist and led her away as swiftly as he could so as not to get hit by the large monster that was coming at them.

"Ken'ichi, you idiot!" Yui was the one dragging Ryu all of a sudden as they darted for Ken'ichi who was now trying to get up. Ken'ichi wanted to glare at her as she came closer, gripped him by the arm and forcefully pulled him up to his feet. His knees wobbled a bit but he forced his body to support his weight.

"Draw!" she said as she drew out another arrow and six more formed around her. The Hollow was coming at them.
"What?" Ken'ichi asked.
"Ken'ichi, you have a sword. Use it." Ryu told him and the young Shinigami looked at his hip.

A katana!

Ken'ichi wanted to ask why the hell there was a katana ready for use but since the situation called for it, he was now just thankful. He quickly posed into the stance he knew. It was weird upon feeling his fingers around the handle but it was even more astounding when he drew. It was a real sword.

His Ojisama was right. A real sword was heavier!

No time to ponder.

Ken'ichi kicked off and swung. He could see an attack coming.

Dodge to the right!

The large limb crashed on the street. Ken'ich could feel the fragments flying around but it was too trivial compared to the matter at hand. Somehow he felt lighter and it was good. Yui was still aiming, waiting, watching… The opening was coming at any minute now but she was afraid their reiatsu would not be enough.

"Ryu, ready up your arrows."
"What?"
"I said ready up your arrows and fire with me!"
"But…"
"Don't make me say it again!"

Ryu swallowed and nodded. And with a deep breath, he began to mutter something. For some reason, he found it easier using the Rikka than to tap into his Quincy powers. In an instant, his ring dispersed and six arrows were hovering around him in a fashion identical to Yui's.

Ken'ichi yelled as he kicked off from the wall. The Hollow twisted to meet him. Yui's eyes widened. There it is!

"Aim for the open eye!" Yui told Ryu.
"Okay."

Ken'ichi raised his sword and brought it down from the Hollow's head. It roared as the blade tore through its mask and seconds later, thirteen Quincy arrows shot through the open crack. There was a howl of pain from the Hollow and it backed unbalanced as Ken'ichi landed. It fell with a loud and strong resonance before dispersing before the children's eyes.

"We… we did it!" Ryu blinked, "But I'm out of arrows for today."
"Ken'ichi." Yui said as she and her brother walked towards the Shinigami boy, "Why didn't you—"

Another roar cut whatever it was the girl was going to say. Another Hollow appeared before them. Ken'ichi cursed. They had not done anything yet when another fell. Yui shrieked. It was the first time Ken'ichi ever heard her shriek.

"Not good." Ryu was looking at the Hollows before them as he backed.
"What?" Ken'ichi asked and followed suit.
"Ryu…?" Yui was backing as well.
"Menos grande. Adjuchas." Ryu gulped and wiped the sweat on his chin, "But I could be wrong."
"What does that mean?" Ken'ichi blinked.
"It means let's not take chances." Yui bit her lip, "And make a run for it."

"Aa." Ken'ichi nodded. They would've sprinted off if Yui did not pull Ken'ichi back and yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU, STUPID! Get back into your body!"

Ken'ichi glanced back at his body on the street.

"You mean I'm not dead?"
"No, you idiot! Get into your body!"

"I don't know how!" Ken'ichi complained and the girl groaned but even before she could insult him, Ken'ichi rushed to his body and picked it up. Yui wanted to raise an eyebrow but decided she could do it while running.

"I feel so stupid carrying myself on my back!" Ken'ichi complained as he dashed with the two. Surprisingly, they were able to keep up.

"Yui-chan, they're going to blast us! This is going to be big!"
"We better do this together."
"I doubt it'll do much, though."
"It won't do anything if you don't have will power, you…"

Ken'ichi wasn't looking but there was a strong energy that was forming behind them.

"NOT GOOD!" Ken'ichi shouted, still feeling horrible for carrying his weight on his back.

"SANTEN KESSHUN!" they chorused but were not able to finish. Yui's body gave out and she stumbled forward. Ryu caught his sister and the three stopped as the girl groaned. Ken'ichi cursed loudly when one of the Adjuchas landed on their other side. Sandwiched by two monstrous things! How wonderful!

Ken'ichi gulped. Goodbye, world. They said your life was supposed to flash before you before you died. Right now, either he was too petrified to see the images or the images were too scared to flash in his head.

"I REJECT!" A definitely older female announced and in an instant, two triangular shields covered them from either side. Ken'ichi gasped. It was the same technique! But Yui and Ryu had not done anything yet! So who…

A blue light shot one of the Adjuchas and it bellowed in retaliation but dropped dead and dispersed. Yet, again, that was Yui's arrow except this one was a hell lot stronger. Who could it be?

"Yui…! Ryu…!"

Ken'ichi saw a ginger-haired woman approach them and he noted that the hairpins on her head were similar to the ring that Ryu wore.

"Okasan!" Ryu exclaimed.

Their mother? That explained it.

"Orihime!"

Ken'ichi looked up and his eyes widened upon seeing a glasses-wearing raven-haired man who was standing with a kick-ass webbed bow with a fitted arrow. It was the same technique! This man was their father! Ken'ichi swallowed as he waited for him to release but the attack never commenced.

"First Dance."

Ken'ichi's ears perked up. He knew that voice.

"White Moon."

A circle of white light formed under the Hollow and from there shot up a white light that froze the monstrosity. Ken'ichi's mouth was open as the light died down. This was a familiar feeling. Somehow, he remembered seeing such a thing before. When was it? Where? Why can't he remember properly? Thoughts probed his head as he looked at the Hollow encased in an icy prison.

But that was it. The sight would not last long because a giant sword was brought down from the air, slicing the ice and the Hollow in it. The ground shook with a roar equal to the battle cry…

… from a man with orange hair, a black haori and hakama.

What? There was only one man in Karakura with orange hair and that was…

"Ichigo?" Uryuu's bow dispersed and Ichigo looked back and his eyes widened. Ken'ichi could see his mother in the same outfit walking towards them.

"Ichigo?" Uryuu blinked as his bow dispersed.
"Uryuu?" Ichigo blinked.
"Rukia?" That was Orihime.
"Orihime?" Rukia's eyes widened.

Ken'ichi grunted and looked at his own face on his own head that was resting on his own shoulder that he was carrying on his own damn back.

It was aggravating!

"Riiiiight! And I'm Ken'ichi. Ryu. Yui." He pointed sarcastically, "Now that we're done introducing ourselves, can someone tell me what the hell is going on!"

- End of Chapter 10 -

Author: Yay, chapter 10! I hope I'm not late and I hope I didn't disappoint you with how Ken'ichi discovered he was Shinigami. Of course, it doesn't end here and the whole situation will get complicated. If you followed my trilogy, I guess I didn't have to tell you. –glomps you- Thank you for reading! Please review! The twist is yet to be revealed! Bankai to us all! –does a silly dance- And thank you for the e-given things especially those who added me on Friendster and DA. I have seen several quoting from my stories and I am really happy and flattered. I hope you post a link to my trilogy or my page if possible. Thank you and I love you all! –glomps and smooches-