Quetzal - Hello my friends sorry about the delay on this, but at least I have a good excuse! I am extremely sick, And I have to say being told I have a 50/50 chance of dieing if I go off my meds is….. Unnerving …. Just a bit ya know? ^-^. I knew pneumonia was bad but not that bad! Ack! Apparently if I was even the slightest bit worse they would have thrown my ass in the hospital, as it is I got a horrifyingly large needle to the ass and some antibiotics that are stronger then the shit they give you for anthrax….some how that doesn't make me feel better about this.. Q-Q Apparently as long as my meds work out ill be fine in a week or two but until then I get to suffer feeling like I'm being repeatedly hit with a pick axe in the chest if I accidentally breath to deep. Wish me luck hopefully I'll be good enough in a week I can survive being up at a cabin in the northwoods for 3 days the only way I'm not going is if they do decide to toss me in the hospital! ^_^
Any ways I hope you like this chapter I hope we'll be back into the real action next time Rukia should be getting hauled off around end of 11 of 12 sometime not sure completely.
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Chapter 10 - As was that
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"Well, that was kinda weird." Seras said thoughtfully from her spot stretched out on the side of a sky scraper Ichigo snorted from his spot nearby.
"No shit, you going to try to kill me again any time soon?" He asked Seras shot him an offended look.
"I didn't really even want to attack you the first time!" She huffed. "You made me stop, sanity went out the window, and you had to die" She said with a grin ichigo rolled his eyes.
"Right." He drawled Seras snorted and rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to the blade in her hands, it had appeared at some point during the fight and had kept her from getting blown off the building. It was odd looking that was for sure the handle was slightly curved and about three feet long echoing the blade which was also about three feet long and curved with a sharper curve at the tip about 8 inches long, she knew she had seen this kind of blade before but she couldn't quite place….ah ha! Now she knew why it looked familiar as one of the memories her master had left her floated to the surface. This was a falx, a Romanian sword, he had seen them used before though she had no memories of him ever actually using one.
"Sweet." She muttered in appreciation Ichigo glanced over at her questioningly. "I just remembered where I had seen a sword like this before." She explained he nodded before going back to staring at the sky in boredom. Zangetsu had told them it would be a bad idea for them to wake up until their powers had equalized or something to that effect, the damage to the buildings of Ichigo's inner world seemed to be repairing itself slowly but steadily though, so she took that as a sign they wouldn't be here to much longer. Ichigo had been, pardon the pun, over the moon when it occurred to him after the fight that he knew his zanpoktou's name now, Zangetsu had seemed happy as well though he was more difficult to read then Integra when she was in one of her moods. Something Seras hadn't thought was possible, the soft click of claws was her only warning a moment later before her own zanpoktou pounced on her looking entirely to pleased with herself. Seras groaned and shoved the horse sized fox off as Ichigo laughed, she shot the fox an annoyed look. "What the hell was that about?" She demanded the fox smirked.
"We have things to do little Draculina, you can't laze about the whole time." She said Seras frowned.
"And what exactly is there to do here?" She asked the fox raised an eye brow.
"Not here your own soul child. Your inner world was not stable before that is why I led you here to stabilize the connection and get your respective energies to stop trying to rip each other apart, now that you've leveled off you have thing to do there, now COME." The fox turned on her heel and walked away towards the shadowed bases of the skyscrapers. Seras gave Ichigo a long suffering look which only made him laugh, she sighed and got up wondering what exactly was wrong now before following the fox zanpoktou.
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Seras had been expecting several things when the fox led her back to her own inner world, 6 frazzled looking shinigami were not one of them, she stared at them blankly. "The hell?" She asked looking at the fox in confusion. "I never ate any shinigami what the hell are this lot doing here?" She asked the fox sighed looking annoyed.
"You didn't but some of the hollows you absorbed have hence they as well as all the other spirits those hollows had consumed are now a part of you. Unlike the human souls though these shinigami have the strength to have a form here unless you specifically try to suppress them." The group of shinigami tensed at these words watching her warily, she caught their looks and rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on, stop looking at me like that! Why would I do that?" She snapped at them, the older looking one with a white coat over the normal black shinigami uniform snorted.
"Your a hollow of some kind why wouldn't you." He responded she glared at this.
"Ok first I'm a vampire not a hollow as your thinking of it. Second I'm not even that anymore apparently as I just absorbed some of my cousins shinigami powers when he got part of mine, so I honestly don't know what I am anymore." She snapped the shinigami looked taken aback.
"Your cousins a shinigami?" He asked confused. "What division is he from?" He asked Seras gave him a baffled look.
"Division? Ichigo's never even been to soul society, he got his powers from Rukia originally, he's only had them a few months." She answered, one of the younger looking of them with and odd looking trio of hair clips snorted looking disgusted.
"Pathetic." He sneered the others rolled their eyes at him. "The bitch gave her power to a human? And he lets a hollow live? Disgusting" Seras glared at him before shooting across the space between them and slamming the brat into a tree her hand at his throat.
"I think were going to need to set down a few ground rules for you brat." She snarled the boy stared at her fangs wide eyed in terror. "1. Do not mock me 2. Do not mock my family and 3. This is my soul brat, you do as I say or else you will suffer. Am I understood?" She finished fangs only inches from his face, he squeaked and nodded franticly. Seras dropped him and turned back to look at the others. "Anyone else have anything to say about my family?" She asked coldly, the other four younger looking shinigami shook their heads looking weary. The older man in white smiled wryly.
"I see no reason to insult you as you do not seem to be a normal hollow." He glanced at the fox. "No hollow would have a zanpoktou spirit, though I would ask that you not manhandle the kids like that in the future." He said drily Seras snorted.
"No problem, but you can't say he didn't deserve it." She said pointing down at the shivering kid by her feet.
"Can't argue with that, he did need to get nocked down a few pegs. Now if I may ask, who exactly are you?" He asked politely Seras winced.
"Oh right sorry about that, I am Seras Dracula, Vampire and fledgling of Vlad Dracula." She said with a smiled.
"Dracula's real?" Asked one of the kids looking wide eyed she grinned and nodded.
"Since your a part of me you'll get to meet him at some point too, and no the myths do not do him any justice, he far scarier." She said the two who apparently knew who Dracula was looked like they couldn't decide if the prospect of meets the legendary Vlad Dracula was the coolest thing ever or something to panic over. " Now who are you lot then?" She asked, the man with the white jacket answered first.
"I am captain Shiruba of the fifth division I was killed by the hollow Grand Fisher while trying to rescue these two during a failed training mission(1). Not sure how the bastard got the drop on me, it was strong but not that strong." Shiruba said looking annoyed, the two other shinigami standing next to him looked rather ashamed, the girl spoke first.
"My name is Sora academy trainee." She said quietly staring intently at her feet, her long black hair fell into her face as the 14ish looking girl practically hid behind Shiruba. Seras nodded and looked to the boy next to her he had short spiky black hair, bright green eyes, and looked to be around 16 or so, a wry grin covered his face.
"Names Kiro, academy trainee as well, died in stupidly heroic fashion, its nice to meet you Seras-san." He said Seras grinned and nodded she knew she'd get along great with this kid for sure.
"Right I'm Tora." Cut in the only other girl of the group, she looked to be about 20ish and had dark blond hair pulled back in a tail. Grey eyes glinted with a distinct air of mischief. "I only got here yesterday like those two." She pointed to the still shivering teen on the ground and the other boy next to her. "The Captain and the trainees were already here when we got here. I was with the sixth division "
"I'm Soren of the 4th devision." Added the spiky blond haired boy next to her. "And the shivering lump at you feet is Kuchiki Yuki." Seras blinked in surprise at that and looked down with a raised eye brow.
"Hu...that girl Rukia I mentioned who gave her powers to my cousin is a Kuchiki." Yuki snapped his head up and looked at her in horror, she sniggered and walked over to the captain looking thoughtful. "Well introductions are nice and all, but what exactly am I supposed to do with you guys now? I don't know if I can just let souls go and even if I can I don't know how." She shrugged Shiruba sighed and nodded.
"I had assumed as much, its not really bad here though. Things could be far worse."
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A day later
Ichigo winced as he cracked his eyes open. Even in the light of one of the back rooms of Urahara's shop his eyes burned, he squinted and glanced to his left spotting Seras's coffin next to him, he stared at it for a moment before reaching out and giving the lid a sharp shove. A loud angry hiss answered him and Seras popped up glaring at him. "What the hell was that for! It's barely sunset!" She snapped at him Ichigo just snorted.
"I'm not arguing with Urahara by myself, if I'v got to suffer so do you." He responded and glanced around the room. "Why is it so fucking bright in here?" He asked irritated Seras looked thoughtful for a moment before answering.
"Its pitch black Ichigo." She said drily he blinked and looked at her incredulously.
"Like hell it is." She just snickered looking amused.
"Our zanpoktou did say we absorbed some of each others powers right? Looks like you've got my night vision at least." She frowned suddenly before lashing out at inhuman speeds and grabbing his wrist. "And my claws." She added inspecting the inch long ice white talons the teen now sported. Ichigo looked blankly at the claws for a moment before sighing looking annoyed.
"Those are going to be kinda hard to hide." He muttered she nodded looking thoughtful once more as she glance around the room.
"Just how bright does it seem in here to you?" She asked Ichigo frowned.
"Like midday sun after 3 hours in a movie theater." He answered she winced.
"We going to need to find you some sun glasses before we open the door, if pitch black is hurting your eyes like that I don't want to stick you in a well lit room. You'll probably go blind."
"Where the hell are we going to get sun glasses right now?"
"I may be able to help with that." Zangetsu cut in Ichigo hissed in pain a moment later as a bright flash momentarily blinded him.
"The hell?" He growled reaching up rub his eyes only to encounter something on his face, he frowned and pulled the glasses off realizing they looked almost identical to the visor like sun glasses Zangetsu wore only a bit darker. "hm...Thanks Zangetsu." He said with a smile putting the glasses back on. "I didn't know you could do something like that."
"Your welcome Ichigo, and most zanpoktou wouldn't know how to do that." He said sounding faintly smug.
"They look good on you Ichigo." Seras agreed. "Now lets go bother Kisuke!" She added jumping the rest of the way out of her coffin and pulling ichigo to his feet. A minute later Seras was grinning as she poked her head around the corner to see where Kisuke was sitting at the little table before gliding around silently, she was just about to pounce when she abruptly found Benihime's razor sharp blade at her throat, she huffed looking annoyed as the shop keeper grinned at her. "Why how nice of you to join us Seras-san!" He said brightly Seras rolled her eyes.
"How'd you know I was there?" She asked Kisuke smirked.
"I could hear Ichigo breathing." He explained pulling the blade away from her throat, she glared over her should at the rather bemused looking Ichigo.
"Um...Sorry for breathing to loudly?" He asked she mock snarled at him.
"You should be!" She snapped.
"Enough Seras." Cut in Walter she blinked in surprise before spinning around her gaze falling on the old butler.
"WALTER!" She sqeed loosing the angry vampire attitude instantly and all but tackling him in a hug, he chuckled and ruffled her hair.
"Its good to see your alright Seras you had me rather worried I would be informing Alucard of your death with the stunt you pulled." He said she shot him an apologetic look knowing very well how that would have gone down.
"Sorry I was thinking on my feet, and draining some of his power was the only thing I could think of to help. You can blame the rest of that debacle on Ichigo's zanpoktou."
"So it was his fault? I had thought so, but do either of you know what it actually did?" Asked Kisuke brightly.
"Well..." Seras and Ichigo exchanged looks before Seras started to explain. "Zangetsu used the dormant spell in my blood to tie mine and Ichigo's souls and power together, but the seal isn't like the one on Alucard. Ichigo can tell me what to do but I don't think it really can control me if I'm motivated, it also resulted in some of our power being exchanged I'm not exactly sure how much, but I'v got a zanpoktou and Ichigo's sporting some vampiric traits already." She shrugged at this Kisuke snapped his fan closed looking serious for once.
"What kind of traits exactly?" He asked sharply.
"I seem to have gotten her night vision and some cool claws but aside from that nothing yet, but it hasn't really been very long who knows what else might crop up." Ichigo answered Kisuke nodded frowning.
"I'm guessing your night vision is the reason for those sunglasses? Very nice sun glasses by the way I don't remember anything like that in the room you too were in. Where did you get them?" He asked.
"Er...there Zangetsu's...not really sure how I'm borrowing them but it works for now." He answered looking a bit apologetic Kisuke however was still frowning.
"Who's zangetsu?" He asked Ichigo looked rather embarrassed about having now explained that in the first place.
"Zangetsu is my zanpoktou." He said a faint grin on his face, Kisuke grinned at this.
"Very good Ichigo you learned his name. You said you have an Zanpoktou as well now Seras?" He asked Seras nodded.
"Yes, I'v talked to her, she's annoying." He smirked at that.
"You don't know her name though?" He asked she shook her head no. "Well, I suppose we can do nothing but wait to see what comes of this." He pointed at ichigo with his fan. "If anything else changes tell me immediately, especially if you get the sudden urge to kill everything in you immediate vicinity." Ichigo gave him an incredulous look at that.
"What the hell kinda..."
"This is no joking manner boy." Walter cut in staring at him intently. "Even if you weren't turned in the true sense, your connected to Seras and gaining her abilities. I see no reason to doubt that you may develop blood lust at any time. Better to warn you now then you wake in the center of a massacre later." Ichigo hesitated and shot a look at Seras she gave him a grim smile.
"The one time I ever really went into blood lust I just killed everything around me, I'm sure you remember that one Walter?" She asked glancing at him, he nodded looking a bit sad.
"I still regret that we lost all those soldiers that day, but you did well." Seras blushed.
"Thanks Walter...I was wondering though, could you get away with shipping my Hallconnon here? Please? I want to see if I can blow up hollows with it." She gave him the puppy dog eyes at this, he only rolled his eyes at this before smirking. Turning he picked up a duffle bag that had been sitting on the ground behind him and pulled it over.
"I have something better I was meaning to give you once I thought you could handle it before you were forced to leave, the poor thing has been languishing in my work shop ever since." Seras leaned forward looking like a little kid on Christmas morning, she had seen the kind of things that came out of Walters workshop after all. With a flourish he pulled out a handgun. Seras looked at it intently, it was smaller then the guns Alucard used but certainly not something a human could fire all the same. It was painted black with deep red on the grip and in the name etched on the side. "The Coyote." He said with a grin even Kisuke looked interested (what self respecting scientist didn't like things that blow things up?) "This is in part a scaled down version of the Jackal, it fires a .44 magnum round 8 to a clip. I also brought you three clips of ammo for it, they are a fairly standard blessed sliver rounds you shouldn't have to much difficulty in acquiring more."
"Nice..." Muttered Ichigo as Seras stared at the gun with a rather gleeful expression no doubt imagining blowing up hollows with it."
"Walter, you rock." She said after a moment as he handed the gun over to her to look at.
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(1) This would be one of those significant things about her eating Grander Fisher that I mentioned the other will come up at some point. In the anime Grand Fisher specifically says that he had eaten several shinigami and I love to complicate my characters lives.
Quetzal - yes I know the spec's for the Coyote come off a bit lack luster but I'm fighting the sleeping pills as I finish this up and get it out to you, if you see something really stupid tell me i might not have caught it the way my head is right now...so ya...i'm going to sleep now...ZZZZZZZZZ