Sakura02: She got upset. She's kind of like the Hulk; when her emotions get the better of her, it triggers the flower thing and she grows…yeah…that sounds good XD You know Oniyuri is super adorable and cuddly!
Scarlette Shizuru: Oniyuri is Hitomi's Zanpaktou
Thanks: rockbabyval, Sakura Ichigo Morihiko, SeireiteiFantasy, yerashi9921, Illidan the Half Demon, Sayonara Yasashii Akumu, MJea9Wash, Mizora-san, and Person for reviewing!
Hitomi whipped around frantically, looking for who could have possibly attacked them. There was no one anywhere in sight. She turned her full attention back to Oniyuri whom was bleeding profusely. "Oniyuri, please come back to me." She whispered.
Oniyuri groaned and cracked one eye open weakly. He held out a tiny clawed hand to Hitomi, gently squeezing her hand in his. "Forgive me, Hitomi-hime. I've failed as your Zanpaktou."
"Why'd you go with him?" Hitomi asked, cradling Oniyuri's head in her lap and petting his ears. "Why'd you leave me?"
"I wanted…I wanted to know what he wanted with you." Oniyuri said softly. "I could hear him calling to me. I could hear that he wanted you. I thought if I went with him, I could find out what he wanted with you and protect you. But…I've failed you."
"It's okay, Oniyuri. Please, come back to me." She repeated. "Be my Zanpaktou again."
"Of course, Hitomi-sama. What of Muramasa, though?" Oniyuri asked.
"Leave him to Ichigo-san and the others." Hitomi hissed. She smiled softly as Oniyuri returned to his Zanpaktou form. She picked him up and her smile widened at the familiar feel of Oniyuri with her. "All right, Oniyuri, let's go find Ichigo-san!"
Hitomi stood still for a moment, trying to find Ichigo's reiatsu. As soon as she located him, she was off running as fast as her legs could carry her. The areas she was running through were completely deserted and destroyed, only the lingering smoke an indicator of the vicious fights that had taken place. Hitomi felt Ichigo's presence getting closer and closer to her the faster she ran. Her eyes lit up as she saw Ichigo facing off against Muramasa. Neither was making a move to attack. "Ichigo-san!"
Ichigo didn't tear his eyes away from Muramasa as Hitomi rushed up to him. "You need leave now, Hitomi."
"You should listen to him, Hitomi-sama." Muramasa said coolly. "I would hate for you to get injured needlessly. Your hands are shaking from all that energy you exerted earlier. " He smirked then, as though he knew a secret that amused him greatly. "After all, you don't remember how to properly use your powers."
"I'm not talking to you." Hitomi stuck her tongue out at Muramasa, trying her best to not show her interest in what he had just said. "Because of you, Oniyuri got hurt. I won't forgive you for that." She blinked as Ichigo placed a rough hand on her head. "Ichigo-san?"
"Stay back." He said softly. "I'll beat this guy and then we'll figure out what the hell he's talking about, okay?" He gave Hitomi a brief smile which she returned. He charged at Muramasa then and was unsurprised when Zangetsu blocked his attack. "I thought you'd show up, Zangetsu-ossan." He jumped back just in front of Hitomi. "I'm going to fight to get you back, even if it means actually fighting you!"
Zangetsu sighed. "I want to know which of us is stronger."
Hitomi's eyes widened as Zangetsu began releasing his aura. She'd always known Zangetsu was strong, had seen him in battle, but it was different to feel the aura from a blade being wielded by a shinigami then from the Zanpaktou itself. She flinched suddenly as she heard a strange voice echoing in her head, mocking Ichigo about how he wouldn't be able to fight Zangetsu. "Ichigo-san, who is that?"
Ichigo looked down at Hitomi in surprise. "You can hear him?" His head whipped around as he heard Zangetsu's voice.
"Bankai." Zangetsu said softly. "Getsuga Tenshou!"
"Shit! Hitomi, move!" Ichigo shouted.
Hitomi cried out in surprise as Ichigo roughly shoved her off to the side. "Ichigo-san!" Hitomi screamed. She couldn't see him through the attack. She didn't know if he'd taken the hit directly or if he'd dodged. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him, fairly unharmed. "Are you okay, Ichigo-san?"
"Yeah. Just got the wind knocked out of me." Ichigo choked out as he shakily stood up. "Hitomi, I want you to stay over there and watch quietly, understand? This is my fight and I'm going to get my Zanpaktou back on my own."
"Okay…" Hitomi said quietly. She knew there wasn't much she could do at this point. Kido had never been her strong point and Oniyuri was still injured, resting in his Zanpaktou form for the moment. Hitomi leapt back suddenly as Muramasa appeared before her.
Muramasa raised an eyebrow as Oniyuri appeared, now in his normal form, still bleeding and injured. "My, what happened to you?"
Oniyuri glared up at Muramasa. "Don't…touch…Hitomi-sama…"
"Oniyuri!" Hitomi caught him as he fell, holding him tightly to her. "Don't come any closer." Hitomi hissed as Muramasa took a step forward. She was surprised when he actually listened and retreated a step back. "Leave everyone alone! Go back to wherever it is you came from!"
Muramasa sighed and leaned against one of the pillars to watch Ichigo and Zangetsu's fight. "To think that you remember nothing…that you know nothing…Surely you don't think that man is really your father."
"Stop saying stuff like that." Hitomi snapped. "I know Daddy isn't my real dad. I don't know where I came from and I don't care. Daddy and Matsumoto-mama are my family and so is everyone else in Soul Society. I won't forgive someone like you for hurting them."
Muramasa looked as though he would say more, but his eyes were drawn to where Ichigo and Zangetsu had stopped fighting to briefly speak to each other. He sighed when he heard Zangetsu say that he simply wished to see which of them was stronger, for he had nothing left to teach Ichigo. "What a fool…"
Hitomi tensed as she suddenly heard the strange voice again, whispering that it wouldn't be easy to use his powers. She blinked in surprise when she heard Ichigo answer the voice. She'd have to ask Ichigo later who it was that she kept hearing talking to him. She looked up at Muramasa. "You're the fool. While there are some Shinigami that just use their Zanpaktou for their own gain, there are others that really love their Zanpaktou. Ichigo-san…Rukia-neesan…they all really love their Zanpaktou and want to get stronger with them."
The battle between Ichigo and Zangetsu was reaching its end and Hitomi wasn't sure who would win. It looked as though Zangetsu would win as he slammed Ichigo into a large piece of rubble. "Ichigo-san, get up!" Hitomi shouted. She muttered a quick apology to Oniyuri as the poor little Zanpaktou groaned in protest. Her eyes widened as Ichigo stood up. There was something different about him. For a brief moment, it wasn't Ichigo standing there, but someone that looked like Ichigo, dressed all in white with a white face and hair. The person's eyes terrified Hitomi the most though. When she blinked, the strange man was gone and only Ichigo remained. "Ichigo-san…"
Zangetsu was equally surprised as Ichigo blocked his attack and knocked him away. "It is a waste of time to draw this fight out. Let's end this, Ichigo." He raised his sword. "Getsuga Tenshou."
Ichigo mimicked Zangetsu, a blue aura surrounding him. "Getsuga Tenshou!"
Hitomi's eyes widened as a strange face that resembled the hollow mask she had seen Ichigo wear when he had fought Grimmjow. As both Ichigo and Zangetsu's attacks fought to overpower one another, Hitomi could hear someone cackling from Ichigo's direction. "Oniyuri, hurry up and go back to your Zanpaktou form!" Hitomi shouted suddenly as she saw Ichigo's attack overpowering Zangetsu's.
Oniyuri looked uncertainly over at Muramasa. "But…"
"It's okay! Just hurry!" Oniyuri had just barely changed back when Ichigo's attack overpowered Zangetsu's, causing a large explosion. Hitomi curled up in a tight ball, clutching her Zanpaktou tightly to her. Once the attack was over, she shakily stood up to see where Zangetsu had once been standing, was Ichigo's Zanpaktou embedded in the ground. She grinned and rushed over to Ichigo and away from the shocked Muramasa. "You did it, Ichigo-san!" She shouted as she hugged him.
Ichigo grinned before turning to Muramasa. "It's your turn now."
Muramasa blinked out of his shock and smirked. "Kurosaki Ichigo, did you feel no hesitation in attacking your own Zanpaktou?"
"No." Ichigo said, having to force back a smug smirk as Muramasa's smirk fell. "Zangetsu-ossan is a part of me. I knew he would accept me and my power. Knowing that, I couldn't turn my back and cower when he wanted to fight me. That's our bond!"
"I see…" Muramasa's eyes suddenly widened and he began coughing violently.
"What's happening?" Hitomi gasped as Muramasa became transparent, as though he were fading away.
Muramasa straightened as best he could. "It seems I've wasted too much time on you. I will retreat for now. Hitomi-sama, be assured that I will come for you."
"Hey, wait!" Hitomi shouted as he began disappearing.
Muramasa glared hatefully at Ichigo. "I will remember this, Kurosaki Ichigo."
Hitomi grabbed Ichigo's hand and looked up at him with uncertainty. "What just happened?"
"I don't know…" Ichigo whispered. He gasped as Zangetsu suddenly appeared, kneeling before him. "Are you okay, Zangetsu-ossan?"
"Yes." Zangetsu said as he stood up. "I'm fine now that I'm free of his mind control." He inclined his head to Hitomi. "Forgive me if I frightened you, Hitomi-sama."
Hitomi blinked and quickly shook her head. "No…it's okay…I wasn't scared. What do you mean, mind control?"
"Muramasa awakens and Zanpaktou's instinct and uses it to manipulate us." Zangetsu explained.
"So, he's controlling everyone else?" Hitomi asked. She felt slightly relieved to know that the Zanpaktou were not acting completely on their own, though now she was more worried about them.
"Most likely." Zangetsu answered the small girl. "Ichigo, you really saved me this time."
Ichigo rubbed his head nervously. "The other me helped…" He blinked as Hitomi tugged on his hand impatiently. "Oh yeah…I never did get to explain all that to you. Later, I promise."
Hitomi puffed her cheeks out. "That's what you said last time."
"What will you do now?" Zangetsu asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to go after Muramasa." Ichigo grinned when he felt Hitomi's grip on his hand tighten. "You want to help out?"
Hitomi rolled her eyes. "Yes. I want to stop him from hurting everyone…" Her eyes suddenly widened and she began yanking Ichigo's arm. "We have to go tell everyone how to get their Zanpaktou back!"
Ichigo allowed Hitomi to yank him away. They ran through Soul Society, thankfully not encountering anymore Zanpaktou.
"Ukitake-san!" Hitomi shouted when she saw him.
Ukitake whipped around from speaking with Kyouraku. He barely had time to catch the child flying at him. "Hitomi! Are you all right?"
Hitomi hugged him tightly. "Yes! Ichigo-san and I got our Zanpaktou back!"
Ukitake and Kyouraku immediately ushered Ichigo and Hitomi into the building where they could talk. Ukitake sent a messenger to summon Unohana. Hitomi sat beside Ichigo at the table with Ukitake and Kyouraku across from them. When Unohana entered, she sat at the head of the table. Hitomi let Ichigo explain everything to the three captains. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Oniyuri. She smiled as she felt him slowly recovering.
"So, are Zanpaktou are being controlled by this Muramasa person?" Unohana asked in her soft voice.
"It's not quite that simple…" Ichigo said slowly, thinking back to when Muramasa had taken Zangetsu out of him. "It's not complete brainwashing. He simply amplifies the frustration the Zanpaktou feel daily and lures them to his side."
"The only way you can get them back is to fight them and force them to submit to your will." Hitomi piped up.
"I see…" Ukitake's face broke into a bright smile. "I'm just glad we've found a way to get them back. On a more troubling note, what exactly does Muramasa want from Hitomi?"
Hitomi shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just attract bad guys…" She shuddered, remembering her time being Aizen's prisoner.
Kyouraku grinned over at her. "Don't worry, Hitomi-chan. We won't let you get taken away again. Hitsugaya-taicho would have our heads if we did." His face fell suddenly. "It's going to take a while for everyone to find their Zanpaktou and defeat them in battle."
"Excuse us."
Hitomi perked up at the familiar voice. "Renji-chan!" She rushed over and hugged the shinigami.
"Jeez, Hitomi-sama, just ignore us why don't you."
Hitomi peered around Renji, her grin growing. "Saru! Hebi!"
Saru grinned and scooped Hitomi up, nuzzling her cheek against Hitomi's. "I'm so sorry if we upset you, Hitomi-sama. Are you hurt at all?"
"No, I'm okay." Hitomi grinned as Hebi came over and took her away from Saru. "Oniyuri protected me." She blinked as Oniyuri reappeared. His wound looked a lot better and he was able to stand without looking like he may pass out at any moment. The two shared a brief smile with each other.
Ukitake cleared his throat. "So, what Muramasa said is true; you can speak to all the Zanpaktou. Why didn't you ever tell anyone, Hitomi?"
"They told me not to." Hitomi answered simply as Hebi finally put her down and allowed her to go back to her seat. Oniyuri was close behind her and stood patiently at her side while Hebi whined about being hungry and tired.
"I see…" Ukitake looked thoughtful for a moment.
"So, not to be rude, why did you summon us?" Renji asked.
"Oh, we wanted to see if since you had regained control of your Zanpaktou, they had told you anything." Ukitake answered.
Renji rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "They don't really remember anything. Hitomi, what about your Zanpaktou?"
Hitomi looked at Oniyuri who shook his head negatively. "Nope." She blinked as Renji was suddenly arguing with Saru and Hebi, as the two Zanpaktou called him a moron. Hitomi giggled when Renji began chasing the whining Hebi around the room. "You guys are silly."
Hebi dashed across the table and leapt off just as Renji slid after him. Renji wound up landing right in front of Unohana who smiled eerily down at him, causing him to become very nervous.
Unohana continued smiling. "My, he is a lively one. But, Abarai-fukutaicho, this is the 4th squad barracks and you simply mustn't run around like a child."
Hitomi shifted nervously even though the smile wasn't directed her way. "Poor Renji-chan…" Hitomi clenched the fabric of her pants tightly as she thought back to the last time she had seen Hyorinmaru. Usually when she would see the Zanpaktou, he'd smile at her and hold her hand. The last time she'd seen him, though, he hadn't recognized her. She blinked as she felt a hand on her head.
Ichigo grinned down at the little girl. "It's going to be okay. We'll get them all back."
Hitomi smiled back and nodded. She looked over at Unohana. "May we please go see Rukia-neesan?"
Unohana smiled. "Of course." She instructed Hitomi and Ichigo to where Rukia was resting before standing up, officially ending the meeting.
Hitomi held Ichigo's hand as they made their way to Rukia's room. "Rukia-neesan!" Hitomi rushed over as soon as they reached the room. She gave a quick bow to Isane whom was sitting beside Rukia's bed before turning her full attention to the injured Kuchiki. "Are you okay, Rukia-neesan?"
"I'll be okay." Rukia said softly, smiling at Hitomi and then Ichigo.
Isane sighed. "You really overdid it. I don't want you leaving this bed for a while. You need to rest up."
"Yes, Kotetsu-fukutaicho." Rukia turned her attention back to Ichigo and Hitomi. "I'm sorry, Ichigo…Hitomi."
"Why'd you come back by yourself?" Ichigo asked, no trace of anger in his voice. "I told you that Byakuya wouldn't die that easily.
"I know that!" Rukia snapped. "It's just that…I have a bad feeling about all this."
Hitomi nodded her head. She put on her brightest smile for Rukia. "Don't worry, Rukia-neesan. We'll find Byakuya. Right, Ichigo-san?"
"Right." Ichigo said, grinning as well.
"Thank you." Rukia said softly.
"There you are." Ikkaku walked into the room, his usual smirk on his face as he walked over to Ichigo. "I heard you and Hitomi got your Zanpaktou back. How'd you do it?"
"Ichigo-san, I don't think you should do that." Hitomi protested as Ichigo kicked a slab of wall and sent it flying directly into Omaeda. "You didn't even hit the Zanpaktou…" Hitomi sighed as she went through the hole Ichigo created, followed closely by Ichigo and Ikkaku. She had spent the past couple of hours following Ichigo and Ikkaku around as Ichigo explained to Ikkaku how to get ones Zanpaktou back. She smiled nervously at the two large Zanpaktou. "Hi, Gegetsuburi, Hozukimaru."
"Yo, Hitomi-sama." Hozukimaru grinned at the tiny girl. "You finally ready to join us."
"Nah, she's not going anywhere." Ikkaku ruffled Hitomi's hair. "I didn't think we'd actually run into Zanpaktou here. This is perfect. I can show off my training now."
Hitomi yelped as Ikkaku shoved her roughly away and into Ichigo as Hozukimaru charged at him. "That was rude, Ikkaku!"
Ichigo looked dubiously between Gegetsuburi and Hozukimaru. "Hitomi, you've been seeing these guys since you were a baby?"
"Yup." Hitomi rolled her eyes as Ikkaku and Hozukimaru did the 'lucky dance'. "I know everyone's Zanpaktou."
"And you didn't have nightmares from these guys randomly popping up?" Ichigo asked.
Hitomi actually laughed as Gegetsuburi tired to sneak up behind Ichigo and attack him. She held on tightly to Ichigo as he grabbed Hitomi and leapt up onto a nearby roof. "Nah. They might look scary but they're really nice. Just like their masters." She scrambled out of the way as Gegetsuburi once again launched another attack.
"Hitomi, you stay here." Ichigo ordered. "I'll deal with this guy."
Hitomi sighed as Ichigo disappeared along with Gegetsuburi. She leapt down from the roof and walked over to the nearby steps to wait for Ichigo and Ikkaku to finish their fights. She couldn't see either of them fighting, but she could hear them. She blinked as Ichigo suddenly reappeared, his Zanpaktou drawn. "Did you win?"
"Not yet." Ichigo whipped around and shot an attack at Gegetsuburi, effectively knocking the Zanpaktou out. "Now I won."
Hitomi was about to applaud him when something suddenly flew by them and slammed into the steps Hitomi was sitting on. "Ikkaku!" She shouted, crawling over to the fallen Shinigami's side. "Are you okay, Ikkaku?" She glared over at Hozukimaru as he stepped through the hole in the wall. Hitomi drew her own Zanpaktou and stood protectively in front of Ikkaku along with Ichigo.
"Hitomi, Ichigo, move." Ikkaku groaned out. Shakily, he stood up and stumbled towards Hozukimaru. "This is my fight; don't interfere."
Hitomi was about to protest when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up at Ichigo who shook his head negatively at her. "Ikkaku…"
Just as the two were once again about to begin fighting, Soi Fon, Ukitake, and Kyouraku appeared. "That's enough!" Soi Fon shouted as her squad surrounded Hozukimaru.
Hozukimaru sighed. "This isn't fun anymore. We're done for today."
"What?" Ikkaku shouted.
Hitomi grabbed onto Ichigo as Hozukimaru began spinning his sword around furiously. She closed her eyes tightly as Hozukimaru released a large amount of energy. When she opened them again, Hozukimaru was gone and the 2nd squad was searching frantically for him. "Hozukimaru…" She blinked as Ichigo grabbed her hand. "Ichigo-san?"
"Let's follow him." Ichigo said before chasing after Hozukimaru with Hitomi quickly following after him.
The two chased Hozukimaru down a deserted alleyway. When it looked as though they would catch up to him, Hitomi noticed sakura blossoms floating towards them. She flinched as one cut her cheek and her eyes widened in realization of what was happening. "Senbonzakura!" Quickly, Hitomi unsheathed her Zanpaktou, slashing at the sakura blossoms that attacked her and Ichigo.
It was Ichigo using his Bankai that made the sakura blossoms disappear. "Hitomi, was that…?"
Hitomi nodded, looking up at the sky. "That was Senbonzakura, Byakuya's…" Her voice trailed off as she noticed the figure standing on the roof just above them. "Byakuya!" She shouted as the figure suddenly disappeared.
"What the hell is going on?" Ichigo muttered.
