Hello everyone, here's your precious Dakan69.
Hope you enjoy my new story.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even the soundtracks. Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo while the soundtracks and anything else copyrighted belongs each to their originator.
Vaizado no Ashido
Chapter 8: Hot-spot cleaning part 3
(OPENING: Leader – Warrior Inside)
FOURTH HOLLOW-HOTSPOT – MASHIBA MIDDLE SCHOOL – KARAKURA TOWN
When Matsuri and Ashido arrived at the middle school, they saw how the hollows were staying around, but already casting glances on the female Shinigami and the male Visored.
It didn't even take a moment for them to start attacking them both.
„you'll take the right field, I'll take the left one." Ashido commanded.
„understood." Matsuri said while nodding
Both draw their Zanpakutos out before facing the dozens of hollows.
As they killed them, Ashido noticed something strange, something he noticed since all the hollows appeared. Ashido used either his hollow tracking device and his own abilities like Reiraku and/or Pesquise, all methods confirming his theory.
'These hollows here, they are …' Ashido thought.
The reason for Ashido's conclusion of his theory is that none of the hollows seemed to target anyone else but him and Matsuri right now.
Ashido looked around, hoping for a clue, but he couldn't sense anyone.
„Were those the last ones? " Matsuri wondered.
„not quite, there are three remaining." Ashido added while showing with his Zanpakuto towards the remaining Hollows' direction.
The three giant-looking hollows were also coming straight towards the young Shinigami and the adult Visored.
Unknown to them both, a silhouette was witnessing them from afar.
What's more, the silhouette then lifted its right hand, making a snap with its fingers.
Then Ashido and Matsuri noticed something very strange about the three remaining hollows.
All three of them suddenly stopped before changing their direction, running behind the middle school building as if they're running away in panic.
„What the …. Where are they going ?" Matsuri wondered.
Ashido wondered that himself as well until he could sense a weak Reiatsu behind the building as well.
Then it snapped in his mind.
„Follow me !" Ashido shouted.
„yes !" Matsuri nodded while also noticing the weak reiatsu.
Buth used Shunpo this time to arrive as fast as possible.
But when they did, they realized that it was already too late:
Matsuri saw how one of the hollows is holding a girl with its right hand.
At first, Matsuri wondered why they were now taking a hostage until she looked closely towards the captured girl.
„Wait a sec? That girl … " Matsuri shockingly realized.
„yes." Ashido answered, „that's the same girl who could see us back then when the other children here were playing." he added.
„And because she can see us means that …" Matsuri said.
„ … that's right, her spiritual pressure is high to be indeed a 'high-spec human' " Ashido concluded.
„thus a lucrative target for hollows … " Matsuri added concerningly.
„AAAAAHHHH LET ME GO YOU STUPID GIANTS ! " they heard a young female voice shouting out loud while trying to resist the hollows.
Understanding the situation, Matsuri run towards the three hollows to save the black-haired girl, who closed her eyes out of fear while also moving her head away.
By instinct, the hollow with the hostage suddenly opened its mouth, ready to devour the black-haired girl, who also looked in panic.
Matsuri, panicking right now, wanted to use Shunpo, until Ashido stopped her with his left hand.
„WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WE NEED TO SAVE HER ! " Matsuri shouted towards Ashido, whom she saw that he is focused on the girl and the hollows.
„as I thought … " Ashido spoke without concern.
„huh … ?" Matsuri wondered what he's talking about.
„look again." Ashido said towards Matsuri, who turned her face towards the giant hollow with the black girl, not believing what she's seeing.
„i-it stopped as well ?" Matsuri realized, still wondering if she's seeing things.
The little girl, still afraid for her life, opened her eyes, realizing as well that the giant monster stood still.
„let's take some steps back, I want to try out something."
„ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE GIRL ?" Matsuri shouted again at Ashido angrily while the said girl again hit the hollow with her own head on its fist.
„I'll take responsibility … " was Ashido's calm response, which shocked Matsuri, seen by her shocking expression.
Both then really took some steps back while still looking towards the one giant hollow in the middle with the girls.
And as it happens, the hollow stretched its arm down, moving the girl away from its mouth.
Now, Matsuri couldn't understand what's going on at all.
Seeing the clueless on Matsuri, Ashido decided to explain this theory.
„I've noticed it before" Ashido started explaining, „and I'm sure that Shinji, Urahara, and Tessai did the same already." he added.
„when hollows appear in the Human World, they usually go on a rampage, desperately seeking souls to consume … " Ashido continued, „but those hollows right here … they weren't, or rather still aren't, on a rampage."
Matsuri's eyes opened wide in shock, realizing that Ashido is telling the truth. She immediately remembered that when she and Ashido appeared here at this school that the hollows around here only started moving when they both arrived, before that, they really seemed to stay around.
„They seem like a well-organized army following strict orders" Ashido concluded, „ at least that's my impression, not only about those in front of us but also all the other hollows which appeared around the city recently." he added.
„s-so you mean … " Matsuri was about to ask.
„someone's watching us, playing with us all ! " was Ashido's conclusion, since he didn't want to explain it in detail since they need to save that girl right now. Luckily, the three hollows remained silent.
(soundtrack: Bleach OST Creeping shadows)
At first, Matsuri couldn't understand what Ashido is talking about, but then she remembered her and her brother's talk with Seireitou.
„ … the Arrancar? " Matsuri suddenly realized while looking around if one of them is hiding somewhere near, which surprised Ashido at first, only to remember how she could know this.
„possibly" Ashido answered while he looked surprised towards Matsuri, „so Oyabun did explain it to you both? " Ashido asked her.
„he said that during the 200 years while we three weren't around, the Arrancar are on the rise right now and that there might be some traitorous Shinigami being involved as well, but didn't say more, except that Kawahiru-sama himself isn't happy about that development." Matsuri gave the summary of what Seireitou explained to them.
„I see … anyway, whoever is controlling them is playing with us, that's for sure." Ashido answered coldly, because, for a moment, he hoped that Seireitou might have explained to them about that certain information, but realized that he and Shinji have to explain it to them instead as soon as possible.
Ashido and Matsuri then focused again on the hollows. Shockingly, both realized that the girl wasn't moving anymore, probably she became unconscious because the hollow is strangling her too much
„the girl, What are we going to do? " Matsuri wondered.
„I have a plan, but for that, your shunpo needs to be as flawless as possible." Ashido seemed to come up with a solution.
„understood." Matsuri said while nodding, ready to make her best Shunpo as possible.
„well then … " Ashido said while he put his left hand in front of his face.
Matsuri, as well as the three hollows, could feel a change of Reiatsu coming from Ashido himself.
Then, the Gazelle-looking hollow mask appeared on Ashido's face. Ashido himself prepared for his special attack he was about to use.
„Matsuri … " he spoke with a slightly different voice, sounding like a hollow, „ … as I said already, your shunpo needs to be flawless this time, since you'll go for the girl. I'll take on the three hollows."
„WHAT ? But … " Matsuri wanted to protest while turning towards Ashido again but saw that his spiritual pressure suddenly rose.
„understood … " was her final word, putting her Zanpakuto back into her scabbard while preparing for the 'perfect' shunpo as Ashido demanded.
„on 5...4...3 … 2...1..." Ashido counted with his hollowish voice,
„ … GOOO! … " he shouted loudly.
Matsuri used her shunpo, teleporting towards the one giant hollow's right arm, aiming for the little girl.
While Matsuri struggled to take the girl at first, since the hollow seemed to hold her very tight, she somehow managed to release the little girl from the hollows grip.
She took the young girl in her arms while running away to bring her away from the hollows so that Ashido could deal with them.
After putting the girl around her body while Matsuri herself fell down on the ground, she looked at the black-haired girl if she has any serious injuries.
At first, Matsuri couldn't find any wounds, only to realize that the hollow was strangling her, so she checked for her bones as well if they're still intact as well.
But then Matsuri saw some strange red spots on both her arms and feets
'Click'
Matsuri heard the loud noise of how a Katana has been put back into its scabbard.
Turning her head, she saw how Ashido arrived on her right side, the hollow mask still on his face.
When then turning around, she made a shocking expression.
Not only the three hollows were killed, but it seems that it has happened simultaneously as well.
'Is that how strong a Visored truly is? ' Matsuri wondered, the shock on her face still visible while seeing how the hollows dissapeard.
„How is she, " Ashido asked Matsuri about the little girl.
„umm, her bones seem still intact, but there are red spots around her arms and feet she's internally bleeding, what's more, she's unconscious as well, WE NEED TO BRING HER TO TESSAI, I'm sure he knows what to do. " Matsuri suggested.
„there's no time for that." Ashido commented while looking at said red spots on her arms and feet, „ I'm no healing Kido expert, but we still need to act NOW !" Ashido proclaimed.
„But how?, I also do not know anything about healing-Kido, I don't see how we'll save her than to bring her … " Matsuri wondered
„There's another possibility." Ashido suggested out of nowhere.
„huh? " Matsuri wondered.
She saw how Ashido stooped in front of the girl.
Ashido stretched his both hands, putting them over the unconscious girl.
Then Ashido's hands started glowing in dark orange color.
At first, Maturi wondered if Ashido uses healing Kido, only to remember that he just claimed not to be a Kido expert. But then she noticed that Ashido still had his Hollow mask on his head. What's more, the dark orange energy she felt from his arms didn't seem like Kido at all, but it felt more like hollow. Then it hit her.
„Is that some kind of Visored ability ?" She asked Ashido.
„it's called curegeneratión, It's similar to healing Kido, the difference is that only we can use it." Ashido explained.
„I see … " Matsuri concluded, despite having some scruples, she didn't ask any further since now, only saving the little girl mattered.
After Ashido stopped his curegeneratión, he looked around the girl if all inner bleedings have stopped. Luckily, no red spot was visible, which means that he succeeded in healing this girl.
Suddenly, Ashido and Matsuri saw how the girl slowly opened her eyes
„what … " they heard the girl whisper, who tried to remember what happened.
Then, the black-haired girl turned around. But what she saw, made all the memories coming back immediately.
The black-haired girl saw one of those white-masked monsters again, this time one with two heads, each with a gazelle-looking Mask.
„AAAAAHHHHHHH" she cried out loudly in panic, her eyes widening as well.
She immediately used her right feet to kick it away, which she somehow succeeded, as the monster seemed to land on the ground.
The black-haired girl then stood up, ready to attack the double-headed monster again.
„Wait, stop !" the black-haired girl heard a female voice calling her while her hand is being held.
When the black-haired girl turned around, she saw a blue-eyed, light-blond-haired teenage girl with some kind of flower headband surrounding her hair stopped her from attacking the double-headed monster.
„he isn't one of them." the blonde girl claimed towards the young black girl.
The black-haired girl then looked again in front of her.
While Ashido stood up again, his hollow mask disappeared, his peach-red long hair and his grey eyes now visible to Karin.
Ashido then came closer to the black-haired girl, stooping again.
„judging by your feet and the fact that you can stand up seems that you're out of mortal danger." Ashido told the
The girl, angrily pressing her forehead, kicked Ashido again with her right feet, only this time Ashido protected himself with his left arm.
„To hell with your 'out of mortal danger, and what's with that stupid white mask, not only you were carrying one just now, but you're carrying another on you as well. For what purpose anyway? " Karin asked angrily in disbelief.
„Well, that's something I've been also wondering for a while. " Matsuri suddenly commented, agreeing to the little girl's statement.
„Well … " „ … I guess I... like having them ?" Ashido stated, now somehow insecurely.
Both, Matsuri and the black-haired girl made dumbfounded expressions, not really believing his statement.
„Anyway … " the black-haired girl started talking „you two were on the sportsfield some hours ago, right ? You two and two others? " she asked
„so you remember? " Ashido asked her
„of course I remember, no one would forget someone with a red kimono and a scary mask, like of those monsters attached on his body." the girl proclaimed as if she's been asked a dumb question.
„Good point." Matsuri answered while smiling in relief that the girl isn't hurt.
„you're both Shinigami, right ? " the girl asked.
Ashido and Matsuri made a shocking expression. How does this little girl know about the Shinigami?
„beside that creepy mask, you two seem trustworthy enough to ask you questions." the girl stated
„what questions? " Ashido asked with a serious tone.
„about my brother." the black-haired girl said, also with a serious tone.
„your brother ? " Matsuri wondered.
Ashido then became very curious about this girl.
„We could try to give you answers, but first we would like to know your name, if possible." Ashido offered, „oh, by the way, my name is Ashido Kano, but you can also call me 'Ash'."
„and I am Matsuri Kudo, but everyone else calls me 'Matsu' " Matsuri introduced herself.
The black-haired girl hesitated at first but then realized that knowing the truth about her brother is more important.
„my name is Karin, Karin Kurosaki."
Ashido and Matsuri made shocking expressions again.
„Kurosaki ? " Matsuri asked in disbelief while being stared at by Karin. Matsuri then looked towards Ashido, wondering how much they should tell her.
„Am I right to assume that your brother is Ichigo Kurosaki ? " Ashido asked.
„so you know him." Karin realized.
„only by the name" Ashido confirmed, „to make it short, your brother has caused quite a stir for a while, which is why we came to know his name in the first place." Ashido explained.
„what do you mean by that? " Karin wondered.
„there was another similar incident like today, two weeks ago, right ? " the blond girl asked.
At first, Karin wondered what the red-haired Shinigami is talking about, only to remember about the strange change of the atmosphere from two weeks ago, also where she had to help Ichigo's friend and classmate Chad to fight against one of those hollows.
„Yes, I remember now, so what about it? " Karin wondered what this has to do with her brother.
„well, not that we're accusing your brother, but from what we've heard is that your brother is partly responsible for what happened back then." Matsuri stated with a serious tone.
„What? Why should Ichi-nii be responsible ?" Karin asked her in disbelief and also slightly angry since those two seem to accuse her brother to have caused the madness from two weeks ago.
„well, that's what we want to know as well" Ashido stated towards Karin, who realized that those two probably want to interrogate her older brother or something similar.
„I wish I could help you, but my brother isn't here right now."
„he isn't? " Ashido asked while trying to be as surprised as possible since he doesn't want to slip that her brother is practically invading soul society.
„two days ago, he went away for summer vacation with his friends." Karin explained to those two Shinigamis „at least that's what he told my father, but now I'm not sure, and seeing you two here talk about my brother as if he's some criminal … "
Ashido and Matsuri remained silent.
„well, about that …. " Ashido wanted to explain further until ….
„GWOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH"
All three of them looked up at the sky.
„There are more ?" Karin wondered rather afraid.
„It seems, " Ashido said, „said Karin, do you come here frequently ? "
„yes, why? " Karin stated.
„as you can see, I and Matsuri have still work to do, so I would like to talk to you later then I'll try to explain everything about us while you will explain everything you know, how does that sound? "
„I agree, when will we see again ? " was Karin's conclusion.
„as soon as possible, I hope that there won't be too many hollows around until then, can you hide somewhere? " Ashido asked her.
„There's a safe room I've heard of." Karin stated.
„see you again, and stay safe" were Ashido's last words before he and Matsuri separated with Karin
Karin nodded before she ran to said safe room somewhere inside the school building.
Ashido and Matsuri on the other hand jumped in the air, sky-walking while looking around where the new horde of hollows they've just heard growling is coming from.
As they looked around, they saw the hollow horde. It was countless winged hollows flying around. But then they saw something unusual, which made Matsuri's eyes open wide.
„ There ! " Matsuri shouted while stretching her finger towards the horde and Ashido noticed it too.
There's some individual with a black cloak on one of the winged hollow being carried.
What's more, for some reason, Matsuri had a strangely familiar feeling while looking toward that black-cloaked person.
Then they noticed that three of the winged hollows were flying towards them. They saw how two of them showed their claws towards Ashido and Matsuri, both also showing them their blades.
The first one flew over them.
When Ashido and Matsuri turned around, they noticed some noise from down the school area, only to see another individual with a black cloak, which has jumped up, landing on the winged hollow.
Ashido and Mastsuri both had some kind of feeling of familiarity while facing that cloaked person. Ashido even more than Matsuri, since he somehow had a feeling who that is, but didn't want to speak it out since this also concerns Matsuri, for good reasons.
The black-cloaked person, however, stretched its left hand.
Then it snapped again, making the winged hollow fly away, carrying the cloaked person along.
Ashido and Matsuri, who were still shocked by that cloaked figure then saw how the remaining winged bird-like hollows were aiming for them with their claws.
But before any of those hollows could touch them, they were kicked down on the street.
„puh, that's was close! " They've heard another female voice while seeing how the two bird hollows were kicked down before being erased.
After looking up again, Matsuri saw a green-haired girl with an orange scarf and a strange-looking suit.
„ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, MASHIRO." another, male voice could be heard, this time however one that seemed familiar to Matsuri, „WHAT IF THERE WERE SOME HUMANS WHERE THOSE HOLLOWS HAVE FALLEN."
„Oh come on, I didn't neither saw nor sensed anyone down there." the green-haired girl said to the other person, who also just arrived.
The green-haired girl then looked towards Ashido, „hi Ashido, how is it going." the green-haired girl greeted him with a happy, but somehow careless expression.
„Hello Ashido, sorry if we've arrived too late. We would've come sooner, but someone wanted to make a shortcut to the back alley."
„there were hollows, which needed to learn a lesson, no matter if it were weaklings or not."
„M-Muguruma-sempai ? "
„who-..." Kensei first wondered who this blonde girl is, only to remember her, „Matsuri ? Is that you ? " he asked in disbelief.
„you know her Kensei? " Mashidro wondered curiously.
„Yeah … " Kensei said before looking towards Ashido, „what's going on here Ashido ? "
„I'll explain later, lets finish those hollows who are still around, you two also saw it, right? " Ashido stated.
„the cloaked one? " Kensei asked.
„you think those two are perhaps Arrancar? " Mashiro asked as well
„maybe, but it's strange, because Arrancar, or even menos-level hollows, are usually anything but shy trying to hide their appearance, at least that's how those arrancars from before behaved like that." Kensei stated.
„I agree." Ashido said.
The four people wanted to follow cloaked figures until they heard loud familiar noises.
Their cellphones were ringing.
When Ashido opened his cellphone, he saw that he got a message from Urahara, which he also showed Matsuri.
everyone, let's meet altogether at my shop for a briefing
„from Urahara? " Kensei asked Ashido if he got the same message.
„Yeah, let's go ! " Ashido confirmed while commanding everyone to follow him towards the agreed destination.
While all of them were following Ashido towards Urahara's shop, Matsuri meanwhile looked back, wondering why she had that feeling of familiarity when she faced them.
MEANWHILE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN KARAKURA TOWN
After the flight, the two black-cloaked figures jumped down each from their winged hollow's back, coming together on an abandoned building.
„seem's we'll see a lot of familiar faces today, especially you." the first one stated
„as if I care about that." the second one presumably disagreed.
„really? Is that why you took me along then ? "the first one wondered.
„ it's because they're no child's play, especially Ashido. " the second one stated.
(ENDING: Aqua Timez - 1mm)