It's only been forever since this story was last updated, for that I'm sorry ^^; I'm also not terribly happy with this chapter, but it's as good as it's going to get and I'm ready to get it out of the way.
Try to enjoy anyway~
Dark eyes widened with incredulity, a single brow raising as she cocked a slim hip and continued to stare at the red head. "You're kidding, right?"
"No, Rukia." Renji ignored her attitude and went about his morning duties. "They'll be here later. They've both seemed really down lately, it'll be good for them to get out of the house for a while."
Rukia huffed and crossed her arms. She knew Renji was right and she knew why the twins had been in such a dark mood the past few days. Seeing that child in the werewolf's arms had been terrible enough. She couldn't begin to imagine how they had felt after they found the poor girl. The petite woman was still unsure why the monster and that man with the spiked hair were out to get Ichigo and Shiro, though she had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with the creature they had welcomed into their home. Either way, she planned to get some answers soon.
"Is their... friend going to come with them?" She asked the red head. She tried to understand what the twins, especially Ichigo, saw in the creature, she really did. But she just couldn't get over the fact that he was a monster. To her, it was just as bad as having a werewolf in their house. So what if he was a little smaller and feline? He was just as dangerous, just as unpredictable. Everyone knew that wild animals didn't make good pets.
Renji paused before shrugging his shoulders lightly. "Don't know, why? Does it really matter?" He didn't understand why it should bother her so much if Grimmjow were to be with the twins. Sure, the man wasn't exactly human, but that didn't mean he was a bad guy. He seemed nice enough and Ichigo and Shiro certainly liked him. It was clear as day to the red head that the feline certainly like them, that he was protective of them and would defend them against the real monsters that lived out in the forest. That was all Renji needed to decide he could befriend the blue haired man as well.
"It should. He's a monster." Rukia muttered, unable to keep the darkness out of her tone.
"We're not getting into this right now. I'm meeting them uptown soon, I'll see you later." Renji said, not taking her bate and starting another argument. That's all they seemed to do as of late; argue. He wasn't entirely sure why they were even still living together.
The raven haired woman had been more distant and hostile toward him in the past few days than she had ever been before. If she wasn't visiting her brother, than she was trying to start an argument over something stupid or ignoring his existence. Whenever the read head tried to sit down and talk to her about their relationship, about them, she refused to admit that something was wrong and so Renji couldn't get her to talk about it. He didn't know what to do anymore and if he were honest with himself, he wasn't sure he even cared.
The red head walked out the front door, taking a last look at Rukia over his shoulder. He let his confusion and emotions show on his tattooed features and knew she wouldn't notice.
Stuffing his hands deep into the pockets of his heavy jacket, Renji shivered in the chill morning air. His breath puffed out in a steamy cloud before him as he turned down the street that would lead toward the center of town and where he was meeting Shiro and Ichigo.
He was being honest when he told Rukia that he didn't know if the werepanther would be joining them. When he had talked with Ichigo, the Caster had asked if Renji would mind, but he wasn't sure he would be able to convince Grimmjow to enter the town. Apparently it had been quite some time since the feline had last set foot into such a populated area. It seemed understandable from what little he knew about the man.
Renji tilted his face toward the sky as he walked. Not a single cloud could been seen, but the sky still shown grey and the sunlight was feeble. The red head sighed, hoping he and the twins could get back to his place before it rained. He shivered again and realized that it might have been cold enough to snow rather than rain.
••••••
Ichigo peeked his head into the room on the third floor that they had officially deemed as the feline's. The door swung open on nearly silent hinges to reveal an empty room. Not really surprised, the Caster turned about and closed the door behind him. Somehow, he knew that where ever the man had gone, he was plagued with dark, conflicting thoughts. He had the strangest feeling that Grimmjow was thinking about leaving their home, about leaving them. It was like something pulsed and twitched within his mind, something that connected him with the werecat.
The bluenette had hardly said two words since burying the child. He seemed to have a lot on his mind and more than once the twins had caught him looking as though he were in deep thought, absently staring always in the direction of his temple. Whether the feline was aware of what he was doing or not was still a mystery to the two humans. Every time either had tried to approach the subject, Grimmjow brushed it off like there was nothing to talk about. He could certainly be a stubborn cat.
Now, while they were preparing to leave for town, the man had disappeared altogether. Ichigo made his way back down the hall toward the staircase. He was met by his pale copy halfway down, a wide smirk plastered on ashen features.
"You found him?" The Caster asked, genuinely starting to worry. It wasn't that he was afraid Grimmjow had gotten into trouble or that he couldn't handle himself if he had returned to his forest. It was just the thought that he really may have left. He would readily admit that he was attached to the feline and it would hurt to have him leave their home.
"Yeah, he's in the sittin' room" Shiro told his King as the two made their way down the spiral case and to the first floor.
A confused frown marred the Caster's more colorful features as he followed his brother down the hall. "I've already looked in there" He muttered, mostly to himself.
"Probably weren't lookin' in the right place, then" Shiro told him, unable to hide the grin that split his face. He placed a pale finger to his ashen lips in a shushing motion as he crept through the door way and into the room.
Frowning still, Ichigo did as he was bade and crept quietly into the room behind his copy. The curtains in the windows had been drawn against the cold, dull season, casting the room in shadow and a small fire flickered in the hearth. Ichigo let his vision wander across the chairs, his frown becoming more prominent. All the furniture about the room was unoccupied, including the plush chair the feline normally claimed for himself when the three of them were relaxing in the room.
The Caster scanned the room again. Either his twin was finally loosing his mind in earnest or he was missing something. A slight movement caught his eye from off to the side of hearth. The tip of a slim, black tail twitched again and Ichigo let his eyes follow the appendage to rest on a very large, very feline body. Grimmjow, in his four legged panther form, was curled upon the fire warmed tile, asleep. His dark fur nearly matched the dark tile and it was no wonder Ichigo hadn't noticed him at first.
A slight smile resting on his lips, Ichigo crossed the room as quietly as he could. As he approached, feline ears swiveled to follow his movements but Grimmjow made no indication of getting up. The Caster slowly lowered himself to sit cross legged on the hard tile next to the cat and tentatively ran his fingers down the big creature's neck.
The dark fur was warm and surprisingly silky under his touch. Grimmjow looked so much like a natural panther in this form it was almost scary and would have fooled anyone who hadn't seen the man before. It wasn't new to the Caster or Shiro, but neither of them really got to see the creature they had allowed into their home like this very often. He seemed to prefer his human or werecreature form over this one. The few times they had seen him take this form they had only caught glimpses while he ran through the trees.
A slight purr rumbled quietly in the panther's throat as Ichigo continued stroking the soft fur before blue eyes slit open, bright in the darkened room. The feline huffed a quiet sigh and the purr fell away to leave a thick, heavy silence in it's place.
Ichigo paused in his petting, unsure if he had upset or offended the man. Grimmjow raised his head slightly, nudging at the Caster's chest before letting it drop heavily into the human's lap, his tail curling around the man's body as he shifted slightly.
The Caster lifted his hand to hover over the big cat's head. "Can I?" He asked quietly. Grimmjow nodded his head slightly, not moving from where he had lain it and Ichigo gently rested his hand on the back of his neck again. Weaving his fingers through thick black fur, the Caster glanced up at his twin.
Shiro's expression was a mirror of Ichigo's own; his brows slightly creased and the smirk gone from his pale lips. They both knew something was off, something in the back of both humans' minds had told them the feline was deep in thought as soon as his short lived, soft purr had been cut off by the heavy sigh.
The near-albino lowered himself to sit on the floor in front of the Caster and looked the large panther over, taking in his body language and far away look. "Ya ganna tell us wha's wrong, Grimm?" Shiro asked, his lilting voice quiet in the silent room.
A deep rumble left the feline's throat; not quite a growl but certainly not a purr. Black ears flicked and stunning, feline eyes rose to pin the ghostly human in place.
"Tha's not good 'nough, we don't speak 'kitty cat'" The words were taunting, but Shiro's voice was still soft as he tried to get the cat to talk.
Black lips peeled up slightly, revealing the tips of elongated fangs while the bridge of the panther's nose wrinkled at what the pale man had called him. With another soft sigh, the werecat finally decided to speak his mind. "Just thinking..."
The feline's voice was a deep rumble that Ichigo could feel through his pants where Grimmjow was pressed against him. The tail curled around him twitched as the werepanther continued.
"I put you in danger by being here." Grimmjow stated, his unearthly blue eyes drifting away from Shiro and off to the side. "I don't want anything to happen to the two of you because of me, because of the mutts."
Ichigo frowned, his customary scowl pulled at his features as he continued to gently run his fingers over Grimmjow's broad shoulders and thick neck. "You think they'll go against their word?"
"No. You've nothing to fear from Starrk, he's a man of his word." Grimmjow elaborated. Starrk would stick to what he had said when they had agreed to being on friendly terms. The Pack wouldn't lay a claw on he or his humans. Even should something happen to himself, Ichi and Shiro would be safe around the Pack. "but I cannot say the same for the strays..."
The rogue original that was after Starrk's throne was unpredictable. He had already gone so far as to kill an innocent child, enlist the help of at least one human of decent power and had even tried to persuade Grimmjow to help him. It was more than clear to the werecat that this wolf would do whatever it took, and that made him hard to predict. The mongrel had no code, no sense of honor or right and wrong.
"We don' want ya ta leave." Shiro said sternly, seeing where the cat's line of thinking was headed. It didn't matter to him that they may be in danger by having Grimmjow live with them. They could handle a few wolves. And even if Grimmjow were to leave, nothing said the traitorous werewolf wouldn't still come after them just to get at the cat.
The near-albino knew King felt the same way. His orange haired counter part was just as enamored with the blue haired creature as he was, if not even more so. Neither would want the man they had come to care about to leave, even if he was trying to protect them.
"You don't want me to, but what if they attack and you get caught in the middle of it?" Black ears swiveled back to lay flat against the panther's skull, the edges flashing an almost tealish color in the flickering light of the small fire. He moved one of his paws to lay next to his head across Ichigo's lap in an almost protective way. "I...I can't bury either of you... That can't..."
"What if they attack and you're not here?" Ichigo's question cut through the feline's thoughts and his words died in his throat. In a way, Shiro and Ichigo were safer by keeping Grimmjow around.
Feline features seemed to pull downward into an angry frown before Grimmjow snarled and revealed white, gleaming fangs to the darkness of the room around them. Of course, should the wolves attack while the human's were at home, the mutts wouldn't be able to get through the barrier. But Baraggan already knew of the seal, he wasn't stupid. Not many creatures lived to be the rogue's age while being stupid. He would attack them while they were outside of the barrier or send his human partner in. Ichigo and Shiro seemed far to soft when it came to facing another human, they would hesitate and it would cost them.
Grimmjow snarled again, all thoughts of leaving to try to keep the Caster and Undead safe gone out the window and floating away on the chilly breeze. He would stay and any creature that dare lay a hand on either of the humans would feel his wrath. He was pulled from his thoughts by a hand trying to wrap around his large paw and the Caster's voice.
"Grimm...Ouch, that hurts..." Ichigo winced as he gently tugged on the cat's paw that had been resting on his thigh. Whatever Grimmjow had been thinking about had apparently not settled well with the feline and he had tensed up, claws unsheathing and beginning to dig into his flesh.
The claws quickly retracted and Grimmjow, still in his four-legged form head butted the Caster's chest in a very feline show of affection and apology. Both Ichigo and Shiro laughed at the display coming from the once deidad and the near albino couldn't help but taunt the cat.
"D'awww...ain't tha' cute" He said between chuckling.
A slim black tail lashed at the air in a couple of irritated motions before the large feline jumped away from Ichigo too quickly for the Caster to realize what was happening. Grimmjow nocked Shiro to the floor, one paw on either side of his head while he hovered over the pale human. Liquid, golden eyes widened in surprise before they squeezed shut as Shiro laughed so hard he almost had tears running down his pale features.
Grimmjow huffed an irritated breath before a slight smirk worked it's way onto his feline lips. A slight wince flashed across his face, interrupting his smirk and shining through brilliant blue before the grin was back in full force. The small fire danced wildly, nearly blowing out before it settled into a more natural pattern again. Thick, dark fur shimmered in the flickering light as it slowly peeled away and was replaced by sun bronzed and smooth skin.
"What's so funny, human?" Grimmjow purred at the near albino. Thickly corded arms kept him perched to hover above the pale human, his shoulders and back tensed to hold his weight, one hand on either side of Shiro's head still.
Shiro snorted another laugh and whipped at his eyes before prying them open to reply. Golden orbs flashed in the flickering light, haunting in their intensity, as the man drank up the sight hovering over him.
A light dusting of color shading the Caster's features, Ichigo watched his brother reach up and hook his arm around the back of the now very human looking and naked bluenette's neck. The already great view of the man's backside got even better as Grimmjow allowed his upper body to be pulled down when Shiro threaded his fingers through the hair at the base of his neck and tugged. Warm, pale lips slanted over full, pink ones in a simple kiss that was quickly turning heated.
The Caster climbed to his feet. "We... should probably get going if we plan to meet Renji..."
Shiro groaned his disappointment but let the feline pull away and stand up. He climbed to his own feet, taking the bluenette's offered hand. "Alright, King. Ya ready?" He asked Ichigo, brushing himself off a little.
"Of course" Ichigo smiled and turned toward Grimmjow. "You're coming with us, right? Renji invited you as well"
Before Grimmjow could deny the offer, Shiro spoke up, a devious smirk stretched across his face. "'course he is, we might get ambushed by werewolves on the way er somethin'"
A smile stretched across Ichigo's face, nearly a match to the one on his brother's as he watched the feline's blue brow's scrunch into an irritated and unhappy scowl.
The man knew Shiro had only said that to trick him into going with them. He knew they could more than likely handle whatever stray mutt they might have crossed, but after his thoughts had been centering around that very thing for the past couple days, he couldn't quite find it in him to not agree. With a slight curling of his upper lip, Grimmjow muttered a quick "fine." and crossed his arms over his muscled chest.
The twins led the way out the door, locking it behind them. They stuffed the few items they were bringing with them into a saddle bag and mounted their horses. Grimmjow walked off into the forest, unbothered by the season's cold air, and disappeared as the two human's guided their nervous beasts to the path that would lead them to town.
••••••
Peeking through parted curtains, Rukia watched Renji shrink into the distance before he was lost altogether in the small crowd of people. She waited a few more minutes, just to be safe, then trotted down the hallway of their reasonably sized, two bedroom house to grab her things.
The petite woman shrugged into a heavy coat and pulled the hood over her head before shouldering her small pack. She poked her head out the door and looked for Renji one last time before leaving and closing it behind herself.
The cold in the air spoke of coming snow as Rukia hurried down the street. She took deserted back alleyways and small side streets, further insuring she wouldn't bump into Renji or either of the twins by chance as she traversed the town. She ignored the few people she passed by and they returned the favor. She quickly found the location she had been looking for, though now that she knew where it was, it wasn't hard to find.
Taking another inconspicuous look around, the raven haired woman entered the small weapons shop. The bell above the door dinged as it slowly swung shut behind her, clattering about and announcing her arrival. When she didn't receive a greeting or acknowledgement of any type, Rukia hesitantly made her way through the shop.
She passed by rows of hand guns, shot guns, cases of ammunition for high and low caliber weapons. A myriad of hunting, dressing and utility knives of various sizes and shapes hung from pegs and sat on shelves lining the walls. Fancier blades and more expensive guns filled glass cases near the counter, right next to a small stock of various types of candy. Odd, but who was she to judge?
Quietly making her way to the front counter, Rukia found the building seemingly empty. No other customers wandered the isles and the register was left unattended. The building was silent and daunting, as if it were holding it's breath or hiding a secret. She leaned over the counter and peered behind it, looking at the floor for some reason even she didn't know and then tried to look down the hallway that led away from the storefront.
She took one last glance around the empty shop before edging around the counter and sneaking into the opening of the hallway, where she paused to listen again. When she didn't hear anything; no alarms, chimes, footsteps or voices, the woman crept down the dark and narrow hall.
From a shadowed corner of the store, up near the front window and hidden in plain sight, a pair of warm grey eyes followed the small intruder's movements. A kind smile stretched across the man's features as he tipped his green striped hat and climbed to his feet with the aid of a silver cane. Leaving the shadows the shop owner had concealed himself in, he silently walked over to the front door, turned the lock and flipped the open sign around to say closed before quietly making his way back around the counter and following after the oblivious woman.
Pulling a fan from the sleeve of his jacket, Urahara hid his grin as he came to stand nearly directly behind the raven haired woman as she tried to decide whether to open the door to the underground level or not. "Why hello, there" He said in his singsong voice, fan waving slightly before his face as he tapped her shoulder.
Rukia nearly jumped out of her skin and spun around so fast she almost fell. The man before her certainly didn't look threatening and she placed a small hand over her heart while she let her nerves calm down, violet eyes wide as she stared up at him.
"A little lost, are you?" Urahara asked, his smile showing in his friendly voice.
"Uhh...I was just, um..." Rukia stuttered, looking for an excuse to give the mysterious shopkeeper. He seemed friendly and genuine enough but something told her all was not as it seemed. A determined expression settled on her features and she looked back up at him, standing as tall as her petite frame would allow. She was here for a reason and she wouldn't get answers if she didn't try. "No. I'm in the right place."
The fan disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, seemingly out of no where, and the shopkeeper smiled down at her, a glint of mischief in his shadowed grey eyes. "I thought you might be"
Urahara stepped passed her, leaning his cane against the wall before bending to open the cellar like doors in the floor. Cool air wafted to them from below, alive and swimming with unseen activities; nothing like the empty and silent shop above. "Come then, Rukia. We may as well get started"
Rukia frowned as he said her name. She knew she had never told it to this man. She studied him carefully before following his gesture to proceed him down to the lower level of the shop. As she descended the stairs, he followed her and closed the doors behind them, plunging the entrance in an ominous darkness.
••••••
The clouds had steadily thickened and darkened as the three traversed the forest path, casting the sky and visible horizon in a dismal grey. The colorless, lifeless trees only added to the bleak, shrouded appearance and announced that winter was on their heels. The horses' breaths created plumes of warm mist in the cool air before them and Ichigo and Shiro both sat and shivered on their respective animal, hunched over and leaning close the animals' thick necks and pulling their cloaks tight about themselves. The beasts snorted and side stepped in time as Grimmjow showed himself, his taller wereform allowing him to look at the horses at eye level with ease. The feline glanced at the nervous animals before dismissing them and looking forward once more as the humans slowed them to a walk. The fence marking the village limits stood not far up ahead; dismal and deserted this near the forest at this time of year.
His senses told him a couple of small stray creatures lurked the dead forest near by, most likely hoping for a lone human to wander too close to the forest's edge. There was nothing to fear as they seemed more wary than curious about the travelers and accompanying predator and kept their distance from the potentially dangerous group.
"I will await you here" Grimmjow spoke up, his slim black tail swaying back and forth behind him and his thick fur slightly ruffled from the cool breeze. He took a step back toward the tree line when Shiro's stallion brayed and tossed it's mane at the sound of his deep voice.
"Nah, yer comin' wit' us" The pale human said, tugging at his reins gently to keep his nervous horse in control. It stamped but heeded it's rider and let it's big eyes roll to follow the bluenette.
Grimmjow raised a brow and tilted his head to the side in doubt before slipping from his resurrection and into his human form. He shivered ever so slightly as his bare skin hit the chill air and turned to look at the men, a blank look on his handsome features.
"We already planned for that" Ichigo said sheepishly as he turned where he sat and dug around in his saddle bag. He pulled a bundle of folded cloth from it and tossed it the naked bluenette.
Grimmjow caught the bundle and sighed in easy defeat. He had had a feeling he would be forced to accompany the humans into their village and really wasn't surprised that they would even plan for his argument.
He unfolded the clothing and wasn't pleased when he found a pair of those tight jeans the humans wore and a shirt, complete with a jacket and shoes. He raised a brow and gave the Caster a very unamused look.
"You would stand out rather badly if you walked around in this cold in just a pair of gym shorts." Ichigo shrugged. A small smirk tilted his lips as he looked down at the werepanther. He didn't understand how the man wasn't freezing already.
Grimmjow sneered but started to slip into the constricting clothing. If he had to be honest, he was curious about the village and it's occupants. It had been a very long time since he had last visited a human town, since his followers had been killed. He had never had the desire to mingle with humans after the War and had lived in the forest in solitude. It seemed these two human men were awakening all kinds of new desires within him.
As he finished donning the form fitting clothing, he shifted about where he stood uncomfortably, not enjoying how constrained he felt, and glared at Ichigo and Shiro. Oh the things he put himself through for these men. He would have never been caught dead in human clothes before he met these two. The werepanther sighed again and continued to glare at his humans, his lip curling in his unhappiness.
Ichigo smiled as he looked over the man. The clothes could have been a bit looser, as it was now they clung to his muscular form a little tightly. The Caster knew the feline wasn't happy about it, he liked having more freedom of movement than the clothing offered but it was hard to find things that would fit the big man and the tight fit certainly didn't look bad.
"You look good" He said, turning to see what his brother thought. Shiro was still studying the bluenette, a mock thoughtful expression on his pale face. He rubbed at his chin and cocked his head to the side, some of his long, colorless hair falling out of his hood to lay across his shoulder, before finally speaking.
"Not bad, but ya look better naked" A wide, lecherous grin broke out across pale lips and the albino nudged his horse into motion again, pulling his hood down and tying his hair up to keep it out of his way. The beast snorted and began walking toward the gates of the village. He pulled the hood of his fur lined cloak back over his head to hide his ghostly features better as they neared and the sounds of people began to grow louder.
Grimmjow walked beside the humans and their horses as they entered, taking in the sights, sounds and smells that quickly surrounded them. Ichigo and Shiro dismounted and walked their animals behind them, keenly aware of the extra attention they were being accorded by having the strange, blue haired man with them. As they made their way through the streets, the small crowds parted to allow the group through, whispering and pointing in their wake.
"You at it again, Kurosaki?" An anonymous voice taunted, yelling above the din of the small crowds. Shiro whirled around, his protective anger flaring and making his haunting eyes flash with threat. His hood slipped with the movement and he tugged it back into place as King grabbed his hand and pulled him along, ignoring the few comments that seemed to stand out amongst the rest of the noise.
"There's no point in letting them anger you, Shiro." Ichigo said softly. They had known bringing Grimmjow along would most likely stir up more trouble than they usually had to deal with. It wasn't everyday someone like the bluenette walked around the small village and more than likely, the citizens could tell he was something different, even if it was on a small, instinctive level that they didn't even notice.
They approached the large library in the center of town and Ichigo handed the reins of his own horse to his colorless copy before digging the books he had borrowed out of the saddle bag. It seemed like he had checked them out so long ago, when in reality it had only been a couple of weeks. Everything seemed to be moving so fast now that Grimmjow had joined them. He considered bringing the bluenette in with him, but decided against it as the woman he knew would be working would end up asking way too many questions that he wouldn't have believable answers to.
"Stay here, I'll be quick" He bade his two companions and jogged up the short staircase that led to the front door. Pushing the doors open revealed a mostly empty room. A few teenage kids sat around plush chairs talking rather than reading, but Ichigo didn't see anyone else, for which he was thankful. Hopefully this would be a quick visit and they would be able to find Renji before their presence drew any drastic and unwanted attention.
"Oh, hello Kurosaki, sir!" A cheerful, friendly voice called out as the door chimed and announced his arrival. The auburn haired girl waved at him, a wide and delighted smile turned in his direction.
"Hey, Orihime. Just here to return these" The Caster said quietly, approaching the front desk. He set the two books on the smooth wooden surface and gently pushed them toward the busty librarian, hoping that she wouldn't try to create small talk he didn't have time for.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Orihime asked, a genuine smile settling across her features.
"Um, yeah, definitely found it." Ichigo said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. That was an understatement if he ever heard one. He sure had found what he was looking for; in the flesh and very much real and alive. Not only had he found the creature, a myth and a legend, but he and his brother had...well, there was no need for details.
His face tinted a slight shade of pink and the girl in front of him smiled as she logged the books away, oblivious to his thoughts. A commotion outside had the Caster wincing and he breathed out a heavy sigh. Really. Could he not take Shirosaki anywhere with him?
"Uh, well, nice seeing you" Ichigo called to her quickly as he hurried from the library. As he left the building, his eyes automatically scanned the area for white. Chocolaty brown orbs landed on his pale copy, but the sight wasn't what he had been expecting.
Instead of seeing Shiro starting trouble or goading someone into a confrontation like normal, his beloved brother was planted firmly on the ground. Shiro slowly sat up, a slight groan of mixed anger and pain escaping his lips as he gingerly reached up to place a pale, black nailed hand on the side of his head and face. White brows furrowed as the man slowly climbed to his feet.
Ichigo raced to his side, eyes wide and confused. "What happened? Are you ok?" The questions were nearly too fast for the slightly dazed albino to follow and he glanced at Ichigo before his haunting golden orbs began scanning the surrounding area.
"Yeah. 'S a good hit, though." He mumbled, seeing their horses near by, a little spooked but unharmed. He found nothing of the werepanther, however. He hadn't been expecting to be blind sided by an angry man. Someone had started yelling taunting words; something about freaks, monsters, dead people, the usual and nothing new. The next thing he knew, he was laying on the ground and a man was hovering over him, getting in his face. He had pointed a thick finger in the albino's face, screaming and cursing while his buddies cheered him on and laughed from near by.
Of course, he had been getting ready to start retaliating and kicking the man's ass for his under handed tactic, but a flash of blue had quickly ended that line of thinking.
The Caster and his copy followed the sounds of surprise and the pointing of the distracted crowd. As they threaded their way through the small but growing mob, angered, animalistic snarling began to drown out the din and the twins exchanged a glance before pushing forward with more insistence and haste. They both prayed that Grimmjow hadn't revealed himself as the werecat he truly was.
A second growl, a little quieter but just as vicious sounding permeated the air to mix with the first and orange and white brows creased in confusion. Their thoughts swirled around the worst possible scenarios as they fought through the sea of onlookers.
"Get the fuck outta my way!" Shiro yelled, a hand still pressed to the side of his face as he used his free hand to push stunned and staring people out of their way. His hood was thrown back and he couldn't care less if people got a good look at him at that moment. His watery, distorted voice and startling features did the trick and the last few rows of people spun to look at he and the Caster and moved out of the way as if they were afraid of being touched by the pair.
Two men lay on the ground, another hovered near them, kneeling and checking the state of his companions while he warily eyed the beast of a man that had defended the Undead. Grimmjow was in a ready crouch, white teeth bared and blue eyes blazing with an intense light but he was still human. The jacket he had been wearing was torn down the sleeve but the Caster couldn't see if he was injured from where he and Shiro were at.
In front of the bluenette was the second source of the snarling, not so surprisingly, the quieter source. A large hunting hound, probably owned by one of the men that had attacked Shiro, circled round the bluenette, much the way a dog would circle around a spitting house cat, waiting for the opportunity to attack.
The bluenette hissed, the deep sound rumbling through his throat. His pupils began to elongate and take on a more feline like shape but quickly rounded back out as the werecreature fought against his instincts and had the sense to stay in his human form.
Ichigo and Shiro rushed forward, the near-albino walking right up to the man that had hit him. Sneering in the man's face, he spoke up in a calm and deadly serious voice and even managed to refrain from beating the coward's ass. "Ya better call off yer dog er it's ganna end up dead."
The man backed away from Shiro, his eyes wide, but he glanced over at his hound and watched as the beast flinched and jumped back when the blue haired man stalked forward. He placed his fingers between his lips and let out a shrill whistle. The dog tucked it's tail and happily scurried away from Grimmjow to cower at it's master's side, it's eyes filled with primal fear even as it bared curved fangs at the feline.
"Ya ought ta keep yer mutt on a leash." Shiro mumbled as he joined Ichigo and swiftly made their way to Grimmjow. The man's eyes darted toward them, taking in who was approaching him before he glared daggers at the man that had hit Shiro. He began stalking toward the worthless human, his intent clear and the Caster grabbed hold of his hand. The simple gesture was enough to halt the hot tempered man, even though Ichigo wouldn't have been able to even hope to over power the werecat if the need had arisen.
"Hey! Let's not cause any more fights, yeah?" Ichigo mumbled as he started to drag the man away and toward where they had left their horses.
"He attacked Shiro." Was all Grimmjow said as he sneered in the man's direction but continued to allow the smaller man pull him away. His sharp eyes watched the coward flinch at the scathing look he had sent the man's direction before he grabbed his mutt's collar and turned to go the opposite direction they were headed.
"Yeah, but Shiro's a tough guy. He's alright" Ichigo turned to look at his brother, concern showing on his boyish features. "aren't you?"
"Tch. Yeah, I'm fine." The pale man reached up to tenderly brush at the side of his face, sure that he'd have a mark later. He wanted to give the coward that had hit him a taste of his own medicine, but the terrified look on the guys face was good enough. "King's right, Grimm. Le's just hurry an' find Red."
A low growl issued from the man's throat but he nodded and stopped sending threatening looks over his shoulder. Pausing a few feet away from his humans' horses, he waited while they neared the beasts and grabbed up the reins.
They managed to make it to their designated meeting spot with little more than whispered words following after them. Renji showed up a few minutes later, a wide smile on his face as he caught sight of the three men.
"Glad you decided to come along" Renji told the blue haired man walking beside him. It had surprised him when he rounded the corner to see all three of them, and surprised him even more when he realized the bluenette was wearing the most clothing he had ever seen the man wear.
"I hardly had a choice." Grimmjow grumbled as he watched Shiro and Ichigo lead their horses into the red head's stable.
The near-albino's lilting laughter followed his words. "We sorta tricked 'im inta comin' with us" Shiro told the red head as he left the stable, Ichigo following behind him. With their horses safely penned up, they would stay warm and Shiro and Ichigo would be free to go where they please without tugging the animals along.
A slight grin split across Renji's tattooed features as he led the way inside. His home wasn't nearly as large as the twins' but it was a nice place and cozy nonetheless. They stripped out of their jackets and left their shoes by the door, the werepanther all too happy to be rid of the items, before making their way into the main room.
"So where's the midget? She visitin' her brother?" Shiro asked as they entered the kitchen area.
Renji frowned and disappeared down the hall way. The spare room was empty, their bedroom also empty, the bathroom, every room he checked was deserted. He returned a few moments later. "huh, don't know. She didn't say anything about it but I guess that doesn't really mean much"
The red head shrugged it off and made them all something warm to drink before they left the kitchen area to sit down in the smallish sitting room and strike up mostly idle conversation.
Outside, the clouds had finally released their moisture and opened up. Snow slowly floated to the ground in thick, wet flakes that quickly began coating everything in a frigid yet beautiful blanket of white. The wind quietly whistled around buildings and down the streets, driving the last of the citizens wandering about inside and out of the cold.
A lone, mournful howl carried softly through the village. The three humans paused in their conversation and looked to the werecat still quietly taking in his surroundings. He cocked his head slightly to listen but made no other action to indicate he even heard the sound and the three men dismissed it as nothing and went back to catching up.
••••••
Her eyes quickly adjusted to the lower light levels of the basement like space and she was soon looking around as she followed closely behind the strange shopkeeper. He lead her toward the far end of the vast space, passing shadowed shelves and cases as they went. Rukia caught glimpses of jars filled with liquids and cases filled with gleaming weapons and tools and other various instruments.
They approached what the raven haired girl determined to be their destination. The back of the hidden, underground space was lit up much more brightly. Lights hung on long chains form the high ceiling and more were mounted on posable stems and affixed to the floor or work spaces. A large, metal dentist or doctor style chair dominated one side of the lit up area, though it had clearly been modified to suit whatever it's purpose was. A long desk and work table stood directly before them, the surface cluttered with papers, instruments and various vials and test tubes filled with who knew what. The quiet hum of machinery permeated the air, interrupted by the occasional quiet beeping or the sound of air being passed through a tight space.
A figure emerged from the shadows to Rukia's right, making her jump slightly and turn to look at the man. She was faced with a very broad torso and had to crane her neck to look up at who approached. Before her stood the man she had been following all those days ago. His inky hair was left unbound to cascade around his shoulders, the silver bells and sadistic spikes missing but it did nothing to make him look friendlier. A jagged scar started at his hair line and ran the length of his face, across his left eye and creasing his thin lips on that side before disappearing under his chin. His other eye was covered with a black eye patch. The sword belted at his hip, partially concealed beneath the long coat he wore did not escape the woman's attention and she took a step back but didn't loose her look of calm and ease.
"Ah, no need to fear dear Kenpachi" The shopkeeper interrupted the silence and drew Rukia's attention. She glanced at him to find that the fan was back in place, hiding his features again. "He's really just a big teddy bear when you get to know him"
Rukia looked back up at the man named Kenpachi, images of him carrying that small child toward Ichigo and Shiro's house flashing in her mind. "Riiiight. And who are you, anyway?" She asked the shopkeeper who seemed to know everything.
"Urahara, at your service." The man bowed, removing his hat to reveal blond hair as his eyes sparkled in a way that made him look even more mysterious. "We have a third partner as well, but he seems to be absent" Urahara muttered, looking around the scientist's cluttered work station. No doubt the man was out looking for more specimens or some other such activity.
"You must be here for answers, yes? Why else would you risk your life following after Kenpachi" Urahara continued, his kind grey eyes studying the small woman. She really didn't look like much, but then, he knew better than anyone that looks could be deceiving.
Rukia slowly nodded, keeping a wary eye on the two men in her company. They made her nervous, as did being down in an extensive, underground room that no one else knew about. The very air around them was heavy with mystery, as though unspeakable things had happened there.
Urahara smiled behind his fan and sat down on a chair with wheels. "Very well. We are part of a small organization founded many, many decades ago to protect the people and keep the piece between humans and the beasties that lurk the forests."
The woman looked from Urahara, to Kenpachi, her face blank as she rose a single, dark brow in skepticism. She knew of the monsters that haunted the surrounding forests, of course. She had up close proof that they existed. But what this man was trying to tell her didn't sit quite right.
Kenpachi's course baritone filled the room. "She seen me with the wolf the other night, did you forget?"
"Ah yes, that would be why you doubt my words, then" Urahara said, looking back to the raven haired girl. "Kenpachi must do...less than favorable things on occasion. How else do you think we gather our intel?"
"So you're saying you hunt and kill werewolves?" Rukia asked, though she still held her doubts.
"Well, mostly werewolves, but occasionally other creatures as well." Urahara explained, spinning his chair in a circle as he spoke.
"Like were...cats?" Rukia couldn't help but ask. She already had her suspicions the monster living with Ichigo and his dead twin. The creature was the only reason she could come up as to why someone would team up with a werewolf to do...what they had done. Unless of course the man was being honest and they really were just infiltrating to gather what information they could.
"Only if he's causing problems for the surrounding villages, and as far as we can tell, he's only been after werewolves." When the girl didn't react and only stared at him like he had lost his mind, Urahara decided to elaborate. "There is no point in harming the innocent after all."
"You're kidding, right?" Rukia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Innocent? They really thought those monsters could be innocent? They killed people, hunted the forests and stalked the villages. They were monsters and one of them was trying to steal her friend. Then a thought occurred to her and dark eyes widened as she looked up at the beast of a man still standing to her right. "Are you guys...?"
A grin stretched across Kenpachi's face, accompanied by Urahara's laughter. The blond shopkeeper waved his fan in front of his face, mirth showing in his mysterious grey eyes. "No no, we're quite human, though being otherwise would be of use sometimes."
The door that led up to the main floor and the small arms store above opened, spilling light into the darkened area in the front of the underground room. Three heads turned to watch the newcomer enter the area.
A man with strange face paint entered, hardly taking the time to glance at Rukia before he walked passed her and to his laboratory table. "You'll never guess what was in town today" The man said in a strange voice.
"Ah, so that's where you were, Mayuri. Anything interesting?" Urahara asked in a friendly tone.
"Indeed. Three things of interest, to be more precise." The scientist said, rounding his table to begin rummaging through jars of various contents. "They do quite well at masking what they are, but nothing can escape my knowledge. Imagine what a treat it was to watch a werecreature fight in it's human form, well, not much of a fight really"
Urahara's grey eyes widened and Kenpachi growled, loosening his sword in it's scabbard.
"Don't be so hasty." The strange scientist said, waving a hand casually in the air as he continued to dig through his shelves of specimens and tools. "It didn't harm anyone, it was merely defending a ghost. Apparently the people in this little village don't like he and his master."
"No one really likes Shirosaki or Ichigo anymore, they're afraid of them" Rukia spoke up, watching the three men's reactions. They all paused and turned to look at her, surprise on Kenpachi and the scientist's features, while Urahara was again hiding behind his fan. Strange, yellow eyes studied her from behind the man's face paint, taking in her worth, dissecting her. It was an odd sensation that only further set her on edge.
"So you know the Caster and his raised brother, then? I wandered, you are about the right age." Urahara asked behind his fan. His partners both shot him a look that he mostly ignored. "It's a well known tale in this village, a tragic one, really" He told them before turning his attention back to the small, dark haired girl.
"This Caster, he's a necromancer then? He must be one of power to raise another human. And he did well, other than color, the Undead looks normal." The scientist spoke up, whatever he had been hunting for forgotten as he thought about this new development. A Caster strong in dark magic, that was skilled enough to raise a human and have him still look human. It was nearly unheard of.
"He's only just learning what he's capable of. Raising his twin was a bit of a fluke, but he has potential." Urahara commented, beginning to see where the man's line of thinking was headed. "Rukia, is Ichigo still as kind and good natured as when he was but a child?"
"Well, yes... He has a good heart, why?" The confused woman asked. She felt like she was missing something and she didn't like it. Why should they be discussing Ichigo's abilities, and why did they care if he was a good person or not?
Urahara turned back to his partners. "He may be interested in helping, and you know how Undead work. If the Caster joins, so will his twin." A smile showed in the blonds sparkling eyes.
The odd man with the face paint, Mayuri, gave a thoughtful hum. "What of the werecreature accompanying them?"
Pale brows furrowed slightly and the shopkeeper's fan disappeared. "I don't know much of it, only a few rumors that have begun to circulate." A feline werecreature hadn't been seen in decades, it was thought that they had all been destroyed.
"Is it bound, perhaps? Would this Caster be strong enough to do that?"
"I don't believe so. I have little doubt Ichigo is strong enough for that, but I don't think he has the heart to do it. There must be some other reason the creature is tagging along." Urahara said thoughtfully, gently tapping his folded fan against his chin.
"The cat, ghost and some human had apparently saved the child and her family from a group of wolves not long ago." Kenpachi's deep voice put in. He had heard it from the stray he had been associating with. "And he had certainly sought revenge on the werewolves after finding her body."
"Hmm, well then perhaps the werecat may be willing also" Urahara leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his features as he pondered their odds at gaining the support of three potentially very strong allies.
Rukia looked from one man to the next and finally found her voice. "What are you guys talking about?" She asked, a small amount of annoyance seeping into her tone at being left in the dark.
"Ah yes." Urahara turned to her again. They all had heard the tales, passed down from generations of Slayers, of a War intended to end man kind's reign as the dominate species and bring the werecreatures back to the forefront. The ploy had nearly succeeded, an entire people had been brought to their knees and destroyed, sacrificed to save whom they could and a god had been brought down with them. "We have reason to believe there is another great War on the way."
How many of you guessed that Ken-chan and his little group were going to be monster hunters? Just curious! (it was hinted at in early chapters that they would appear sooner or later)
Anyway, what did you think?