A/N: been a while, still no beta-reader so i apologize for the mistakes that i overlooked, as they say-every writer is virtually blind to his/her own mistakes (or something like that) that's why no matter how many times i re-checked this, slight errors still managed to escape my scrutiny!
Disclaimer: bleach is still not mine, not unless by some miracle i suddenly happen to be kubo tite!
On The Wings of an Angel
Chapter 11: Surprises
"Zaraki Kenpachi...Taichou, I would appreciate it if you refrain from murdering my new fuku-taichou." Hitsugaya Toushiro had just been on time to stop the crazily murderous captain from picking up a fight with his new vice captain. Inwardly Toushiro gritted his teeth, Of all the captains this girl could mess with, why this monster of a shinigami? It's just her first day under my department and she has brought down such an ordeal for me already! It's more trouble than she's worth. Toushiro had gone searching for Hikaru when she didn't show up two hours after her supposedly scheduled meeting with him at the tenth division's head quarters. He was warned, or rather-threatened by no other than her father-Ichigo, about Hikaru's "poor" sense of direction and being the honor-bound young man that he is, he had taken it upon himself to search for her personally-or at least that was what he was keep on telling Hyourinmarou when he asked about it. He kept his arms loosely hanging by his sides, every muscle in his body tensed and poised to draw Hyourinmarou at any moment. He's not certain how Zaraki would react on his request-which sounded more like a command.
"Oi, Brat. Who are you to order me around huh? Huh?! Fine by me! I would spare her, only if you fight me Brat. I've been itching 'fer years to try my sword on you, you know." Kenpachi let out a blood-chilling laughter. Toushiro tensed. He had wanted to avoid fighting him if possible, but this is Zaraki Kenpachi, the chances of getting away from him unscratched is rare. The chances of getting away from him alive is almost non-existent.
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Hikaru had been too awed by Hyourinmarou's presence, she had momentarily forgotten her Taichou. You came. You really came! Hikaru cried mentally. Hyourinmarou turned to look at her.
"You can see me?", If dragons could raise their eyebrows, Hyourinmarou would have done so in surprise.
"Yes, I saw you the first time we met-at Yamamoto's office. It's my gift...to see the spirit forms of zanpakutos...I am Hikaru, and you are?" Hikaru eagerly asked, Hyourinmarou would have answered her if only Toushiro had not drawn him from his sheath. Looks like a fight with Zaraki is inevitable. Hikaru heard the clashing of swords before she felt the powerful reiatsu resonating around the area. She was momentarily stunned, adjusting her own reiatsu so that she can move without trouble, she followed the movements of swiftly blurring black and white shadows. She gasped in surprise. Hitsugaya Toushiro is fighting the giant shinigami captain. The girl with cotton-candy pink hair clapped cheerfully as she sat at the top of a brick wall observing them. Hikaru's blood went cold at the sight, without thinking about it, she had summoned Tsubasa. The gathering of light in Hikaru's hand had drawn attention from the two fighting shinigamis, they paused; curious as they sensed a powerful reiatsu along with the light. Kenpachi made a move towards Hikaru, Toushiro blocked his path.
"Move." had it been just any other shinigami, he would have probably fled in fear or wet his pants.
"Zaraki, stop this right now! Leave her alone." Toushiro declared, narrowing his eyes in determination. What could this girl be? Yamamoto-taichou told me she's special but I didn't expect her to have such massive reiatsu! She's rousing Zaraki's battle lust just by being there!
Kenpachi, was too fired up to stop. He slashed at Toushiro who refused to go bankai on a fellow captain. Blood splashed on Hikaru, Toushiro's blood. Hyourinmarou took most of the blow and managed to save Toushiro from a lethal death wound, still Kenpachi had made a deep gash on his left arm, despite his best efforts to defend himself.. Against his wishes, Toushiro fell on his knees panting. Damn! I have to go bankai if I want to keep up with him!
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Hikaru held Tsubasa in her hands, her eyes never blinking as Zaraki turned towards her. She knew when exactly she should move in order to deflect his attack but Toushiro shielded her with his body. Everything happened within an eye blink. Hikaru saw Zaraki made a slashing motion; something wet hit her face, she raised her hand up to feel her face instinctively and was horror struck with what she saw. Blood...Taichou is bleeding...
Then Hikaru saw Hitsugaya fell on his knees. Shifting her grip on Tsubasa, she prepared for Kenpachi's attack. Her eyes were once again, devoid of any emotions. If this giant wants to have a fight with me, I'll give him a fight he won't forget... Hikaru swore to herself. Kenpachi went directly at Hikaru the moment Toushiro fell.
There was a resounding sound of metal grating against metal as Ukitake-taichou's twin zanpakuto trapped Kenpachi's sword, effectively stopping it from slashing anyone.
"Kenpachi, stop it this instant." Ukitake said in a quiet but deadly voice. The look in his eyes no longer gentle and kind but hard and determined, his aura sizzling with barely leashed control. Kenpachi seemed to be shaken out of his blood lust for he straightened himself and haughtily said, "Gah, I don't fight weak people. 'Fer a moment I thought that kid is at least half of what her father is and that brat worthy as an entertainment. Yachiru! Let's go. Show is over."
"Ojiji you're a party pooper! Ken-chan was having lots of fun! Then you had to stop it! Yachiru stuck her tongue out at Ukitake. "Aa! Ken-chan, you're bleeding! Come on Ken-chan! Yachiru will tend to your wounds! Let's go!" Kenpachi looked down at his right arm, he is indeed bleeding and from a deep wound too. So, the brat has some fangs too huh... He thought smirking contentedly. For once, Yachiru didn't jump on Kenpachi's shoulder. She took him by the hand instead and led him away from the group chatting about white-haired party poopers.
Toushiro smirked despite his wounds. So, he managed to wound the invincible Zaraki Kenpachi. His efforts were not in vain after all. He had promised himself since the day he lost Hinamori that, no matter how strong his opponent is, if he's going to go down, he will take a piece of them with him. He wouldn't let what happened to Hinamori repeat itself ever again. He knows that he had gotten much stronger than before and this incident had proved it. He didn't even use bankai to be able to wound Kenpachi.
"Hikaru, are you all right?" Ukitake asked his student. Ichigo and Rukia had told him about Hikaru's temper problem and how she seems to be a completely different person when angered. He could still feel Hikaru's dark reiatsu emanating out from her. "Calm down, child. There's no need for you to be angry." Ukitake patted Hikaru's hand. It seems to have an effect for Hikaru snapped out of her dazed state and shifted her gaze on Toushiro.
"Tai-taichou! I, I'm sorry!" Hikaru said before bursting into tears. She could fight hollows or menos without batting an eyelash but the battle she had just witnessed between shinigamis had rattled her nerves. Hikaru wiped her eyes on the sleeves of her shinigami robes.
"Toushiro, you're bleeding. You must have Unohana look at that nasty gash."
"Hai, taichou." Toushiro replied coldly, avoiding eye contact wit his new fuku-taichou, it has been so long since he last saw a female cry in his presence. It was bringing up painful memories of Hinamori which he thought he had already forgotten. Besides, healing magic is at the least of his skills. "Kurosaki, ask Ukitake-taichou to bring you to the tenth division headquarters. Be sure that you don't get lost again." with that, Toushiro flashed stepped away.
Hikaru sniffed, her shoulders sagged and her knees felt like jellies. She had blown it. Her chance of being the best shinigami will never come true. It was just her first day and she had blown it. How will she ever face her captain again? How will she face her parents? Hikaru tensed at the thought, Mom! It was the reason why she got lost in the first place! She felt that there is something wrong with her mom, "Jushiro-ojichan! Do you know where Mom is? I think something is wrong with her!" Hikaru gripped Ukitake's yukata.
"Calm down, Hikaru..." Ukitake patted her head.
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Ichigo paced outside Unohana's clinic, his stomach doing several somersaults. God, Rukia! What have you done to yourself this time? Ichigo cursed silently. No matter how hard he tried to think about it, he couldn't find any reason why Rukia had fainted. Sure, Rukia looks fragile but she's damn tougher than most female shinigami he knows! Maybe it's because she's been too long in the human world and going back to Soul Society after such a long time is a trauma to her spirit self...He concluded, much for the sake of his inner peace. Yeah, it's probably that. I must calm down...But Ichigo felt a sudden drop in his stomach, a different kind of 'somersault', much like the same sensation he had when Hikaru was attacked by Urahara, 9 years ago. He suddenly thought about his daughter. Oh crap! Don't tell me now she's gotten herself in trouble again! Ichigo was torn between staying to stand guard over his wife, or go running around Soul Society to look for his daughter when Unohana came out of the clinic looking grim.
"Ichigo...take a seat first. There's something you have to know..." Unohana started.
Ichigo felt like he was about to vomit, he doesn't like the way Unohana sounds. He paled, sweat trickled down freely at the side of his temples, his heart quickened its pace, for a moment he thought he'd faint. He managed to sit down on one of the stools that seemed to be there just for purposes like that.
"You see, Ichigo, Rukia is..."
"Unohana-taichou..." Toushirou called for Unohana who happens to be be in some deeply serious conversation with Ichigo.
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"What?! My Mom fainted?! Jushiro-ojichan I must go to her! Where is the 4th division healing quarters? Please Oji-chan, I have to see her!" Hikaru pleaded. Jushiro knew that he won't be able to keep up with her flash steps if what he heard from Yoruichi is true, so he gave her the simplest yet dependable instruction he can.
"See that big Sakura tree? Use your shunpo to get there fast. 4th division headquarters is right beside it, you shouldn't have any trouble at all. I'll be behind you, don't worry. Now go." Ukitake ushered her as he saw reluctance in her eyes, yet the strong anxiety regarding her mother's health won and she flashed stepped away from him in such speed that he almost couldn't follow. He smiled. He didn't miss the term Hikaru used to address him just now, she had called him Jushiro-ojichan. He felt a warm feeling spread in his heart. He knew that Hikaru would be a good shinigami, if not the best.
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Ichigo held his breath at Unohana's words, but then the Brat interrupted. He wanted to hit Toushiro on the head for the wrong timing. Wait! Isn't he supposed to be with my daughter by now? Then Ichigo saw the bloodied arm that Toushiro was cradling.
"Holy crap! Oi, punk! Where have you been? Where's my daughter? You didn't get her hurt, did you?!" Ichigo ranted as he suddenly bolted from his seat ready to go bankai on Toushiro.
Toushiro just stood there unflinching as Ichigo threw death threats at him.
"Ichigo, Don't make me repeat myself, you are in the healing quarters. You shouldn't be too loud in here." Unohana had spoken softly but the glare she threw Ichigo is anything but soft. Ichigo was effectively silenced, although his glares could've killed Toushiro.
"Now, Toushiro, what has happened to you? Aren't you supposed to be teaching Hikaru how to be your fuku-taichou?" Unohana proceeded on interrogating the young captain as she administered her healing skills on his wounded arm.
"Hai." was Toushiro's laconic reply, he wasn't about to say what happened, especially since Kenpachi has a "thing" for Unohana and if she learns that Kenpachi had been out for a blood bath again, who knows what she would do. Then Kenpachi would surely go after his head.
"Unohana-taichou, not to be demanding or anything but, what the hell ails RUKIA?!" Ichigo couldn't help but yell the last words. He had been too tensed for his own good for crying out loud.
Unohana calmly turned towards him and said, "Ichigo, you're going to be a father again." then she smiled kindly.
"What?" Ichigo asked, his mouth opening and closing without another word.
"Rukia is pregnant. There's nothing wrong with her. Congratulations." Unohana simplified the news for his dull head.
Just then the door banged open and a blood streaked Hikaru entered the room.
"Mom?!" she screamed frantically for her mother. Ichigo took one look at her daughter's bloody face and he had fainted.
Toushiro was blushing furiously at the news he overheard.
"Dad!"
A/N: well? How did that turn out? Review please!
Trivia: Hikaru means light in japanese, it is because Hikaru wields a light-type zanpakuto but there's more to it than that- Hikaru is actually from Hisana and Rukia's name Hi for Hisana and karu for Rukia (ruka:karu) and thus: HIKARU! (just thought i have to share that tidbit of info to you guys!)
also since there seems to be inconsistency in my spellings shall we settle with the zanpakuto spelling? Too much o and u confuses me to no end! thanks! And don't forget to review guys so that i'll post faster! I ain't perfect but i'm trying to minimize my mistakes for you!
