rockbabyval: :)
Illidan the Half Demon: Yeah, I really liked the fight between Rukia and Shirayuki. It almost was like a parent letting go of their child in a strange way…I don't know…maybe I hang around children too much.
Sakura02: Boo, Biology! The only good thing about that class was that Michael was in it :)
Sayonara Yasashii Akumu: I don't know. It's the name of the villain Zanpaktou in Bleach.
Scarlette Shizuru: She'll get better…eventually :)
DoctorWhoRules: Thank you.
XeniaKunoichi: Ichigo's like a super hero. He always shows up just in time to save the day.
Demon King Sin: Thanks
Mizora-san: Thank you and you're welcome :)
Yerashi9921: Sorry for the long wait! Here's the next chapter!
Hitomi blinked as she heard people shouting. She looked up to see a group of shinigami running towards her and the unconscious Rukia. She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there with Rukia, but she was certain Ichigo should have returned by now. She stood up abruptly and scrambled out of the crater.
"Hitomi, you need to come with us to get your wounds checked!" One of the shinigami protested.
"I'm fine." Hitomi shouted back, already running off. "You guys take care of Rukia! I'll catch up later!" She ran through the destruction of Soul Society, her eyes darting every which way to see if she could find Ichigo. "Ichigo-san, where are you?"
"Yo, Hitomi-sama. What are you doing out here all alone?" Kazeshini appeared before Hitomi, twirling his blade lazily in his hand.
Hitomi stumbled back a few steps before glaring defiantly up at the Zanpaktou. "Get out of my way, Kazeshini. I've got to find Ichigo-san."
Kazeshini cackled and roughly ruffled Hitomi's hair. "You've gotten awfully sassy. Don't worry; Muramasa is dealing with that guy. Pretty soon, we'll have another Zanpaktou comrade."
Hitomi shoved Kazeshini's hand off her head. "Get out of my way." She repeated, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword.
"You'd really draw your sword against me? I'm hurt, Hitomi-sama. Really, I am." Kazeshini said with a sneer. "You're still a kid. You can't beat me or any of the other Zanpaktou."
Hitomi jutted her chin out defiantly, her hands only slightly trembling. "Please move, Kazeshini."
Kazeshini was about to retort when he suddenly perked up. He straightened up and stepped away from Hitomi. "I'll leave ya alone for now, Hitomi-sama. I've got to go deal with that fool that thought he could control me."
"Kazeshini, wai…" Hitomi held her arms up protectively in front of her face as Kazeshini disappeared in a tornado of black air. "Shuuhei-fukutaicho…" Hitomi wavered for a moment, unsure whether she should try and find Shuuhei or continue her search for Ichigo. Hesitating for only a moment longer, Hitomi resumed her search for Ichigo. "Please be okay, Shuuhei-fukutaicho…Ichigo-san…"
Hitomi was brought up short yet again after only a few minutes of her resumed search. She frowned as she had never seen the person standing in front of her before. He was very tall with a long black jacket and shades shielding his eyes from view. She could tell from his energy that he wasn't a shinigami. "Whose Zanpaktou are you?"
The man looked curiously at Hitomi. "You must be Hitomi. Ichigo has mentioned you a few times."
"You must be Zangetsu." Hitomi said cautiously, unsure if he would attack her or not. "Where's Ichigo-san?"
Zangetsu continued staring thoughtfully at Hitomi. "He's…busy right now. I don't think it would be wise for you to interfere." He watched with mild interest as Hitomi brushed past him. "Did you not hear me?"
"I heard you. I'm just ignoring you." Hitomi answered simply. When she received no answer, she looked over her shoulder to see that Zangetsu had disappeared. She frowned, but shrugged it off. She turned back around to find yet another Zanpaktou before her. This time, it was one near and dear to her heart.
"Hitomi-hime, please don't take another step." Oniyuri said softly, holding his sword out before him.
"I've got to find Ichigo-san." Hitomi said, her heart twisting painfully in her chest as she unsheathed her own sword. "Please move, Oniyuri. I don't want to fight you…"
Oniyuri hesitated for a moment. "You can't. If Muramasa catches you, you'll be in danger. I'll knock you out if that's what it takes to stop you."
"I don't understand." Hitomi whimpered out, on the verge of frustrated tears. "Why are you all doing this? What does Muramasa want with me?"
"I can't tell you!" Oniyuri shouted, clearly frustrated. "But, I won't let him take you. Why won't you just listen to me? Find somewhere to hide where Muramasa can't find you."
"I can't do that." Hitomi said. "Oniyuri, if you don't move, I'll fight you."
Oniyuri immediately crouched down into a fighting stance. "You can't beat me, Hitomi-hime."
The Zanpaktou and the little girl launched themselves at each other, their swords crossing together. A loud clang rang through the air as the two leapt away from each other.
"Tobikau, Oniyuri!" Oniyuri commanded.
Hitomi immediately leapt to the side, narrowly dodging one of the razor sharp blades of air Oniyuri sent towards her. She ducked and dodged, doing her best to avoid Oniyuri's attacks as she slowly pushed forward. She flinched as she couldn't completely dodge some of the blades, her arms and face getting cut in the process. Once she was close enough to Oniyuri, her blade swept out at Oniyuri.
Oniyuri barely managed to jump back in time. "You can't win, Hitomi-hime. You're weak. You rely on everyone around you to take care of you. You got kidnapped by Aizen and weren't even able to escape on your own. There's no way you can beat me the way you are."
Hitomi cried out as Oniyuri sent a barrage of slashes towards her. She leapt to one side to avoid the brunt of the attack, not noticing the ones rushing towards her. She gasped as her entire body was slashed. She fell to her knees, blood dripping from all her wounds. She'd never been hurt like this before. This pain was worse than when Allon had tried to crush her. She could feel her forehead burning and she cried out.
Oniyuri took a hesitant step back as the familiar light wrapped around Hitomi before he too was enveloped by the light.
Hitomi blinked as she was still sitting on the ground, but was now in her teenage body. When she looked up, there was no longer a child Oniyuri before her, but a full grown man. Hitomi couldn't help but to giggle when she saw Oniyuri still had his ears and tail, making his towering demeanor seem less imposing.. "You're so cute, Oniyuri."
Oniyuri flushed. "Shut up, Hitomi-hime!" Once again, he crouched down into a battle stance. "Are you prepared. I won't hold back."
"Neither will I." Hitomi promised.
Once again, the two lunged towards each other. Hitomi blinked as Oniyuri's eyes suddenly widened, his gaze on something over her shoulder. Hitomi turned to look behind her. She didn't see anything, but she felt Oniyuri shove her out of the way. She winced as she fell to the ground. "Oniyuri, what…" Her forehead was no longer burning and she was once again a child.
Oniyuri too had reverted to his smaller form just before he collapsed to the ground in a puddle of his own blood.
"Oniyuri, are you okay?" Hitomi whispered as she knelt beside her Zanpaktou. When she got no response, she gently shook his shoulder. "Oniyuri? Answer me, Oniyuri. Answer me!"
