Chapter 43

Adaptation

"Oh, you two have got a lot of nerve showing your faces around here! Give me one, one solid reason, why I shouldn't beat the crap out of you both for not coming to school?!"

"Besides it being against the law? ...It was summer vacation," said Aaron dryly, cleaning out his ear. "Since when have we been required to show up to class? That's the point of a vacation."

"Yeah. Take it easy, Prez," said Sasune. "Look! We brought you back a bottle of sunscreen! It's SPF sixty."

Momoka Yoshida, the president of Class 2C, stood with a vein pulsating on her forehead. Her trembling eyes moved from Aaron, who was busy looking up at the clock on the wall, to Sasune, who was shoving the aforementioned bottle of sunscreen into her face.

"I DON'T WANT IT!" she roared, slapping it out of his hand. "You two aren't taking this seriously at all! And dammit, Higuchi, class literally just started! Stop looking at the damn clock and pay attention!"

Smacking his lips, Aaron regretted not skipping school. He would have if he had known he would face so much trouble first thing in the morning.

It had been a few weeks since he had returned from Soul Society. He still hadn't gotten back into the habit of leading the life of a high school student. Just the fact he felt naked without his Zanpakutou made him realize how accustomed he was to constant fighting.

He had not only gotten used to it but subconsciously accepted it.

"WHAT DID I JUST SAY, HIGUCHI?! God, you're the embarrassment of 2C!"

Momoka's shrill voice worsened his throbbing headache. Nails against a chalkboard was like a symphony in comparison.

"...Were we supposed to come in for something?" he asked, desiring to know the reason he was being chewed out. His brown eyes wandered back onto the clock. Unbelievably, only a minute had passed since he last checked. He felt ill. Perhaps time in his world moved slower than in Soul Society.

"...You seriously forgot?" Although still outraged, Momoka's mouth opened in total shock. "Y-You idiot! What was the last thing we talked about before summer vacation?! Are you really telling me you forgot all about the class project?!"

The puzzled look Aaron gave her was all the confirmation she needed. All that was left to determine was how best to strangle the life out of him.

Sasune hand shot into the air. "Oh! There's something I forgot to explain!"

"What?" Momoka asked testily. "What could you possibly have to add, Ishida?"

"I do remember the project you're talking about! I just completely forgot until now!"

"Oh. That's good." Except, it wasn't. Momoka slugged him across the mouth, causing everyone in 2C to gasp. "ARE YOU SOME KIND OF IDIOT?! IF YOU REMEMBERED, THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU AND HIGUCHI COME TO SCHOOL?!"

"We were busy, ma'am!" Sasune replied, holding his bloodied lip. The punch hadn't done anything to ruin his chipper mood. "We had damsels in distress to rescue!"

"...Excuse me? What?"

"Ignore him. He's crazy," said Aaron quickly. "What the hell is this project you keep going on about?"

He seriously hadn't a clue.

"Why am I not surprised to hear that, Higuchi? When are you ever enthusiastic about class projects?! I swear, you're…!"

"The embarrassment of Class 2C. Yeah, I got it the first time."

He dodged a Momoka's fist on instinct alone. Both he and his attacker were surprised at his swiftness.

"Wait, have you been...training over the summer or something?" Momoka asked suspiciously. "Why in the world are your arms so big? W-Wait! It doesn't matter! You're just trying to distract me!"

Aaron wasn't sure how. He saw no further point in arguing and figured she would run out of steam eventually.

"Dammit! I lost my train of thought!" She scowled at him, further aggravated when he didn't flinch like usual. "Anyway, we were supposed to make sandwiches for all the faculty members! Not that you would remember this either, but they had a company picnic over the summer. I put you in charge of getting all the ingredients together! Or, are you going to tell me you somehow forgot even that?"

"Huh?"

Aaron was still lost. He ducked his head whenever the class president handed out jobs. It definitely wasn't something he'd willingly volunteer for.

"Since you didn't bothering showing," said Momoka gritting her teeth, "we had to scramble to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead! We were completely embarrassed in front of the school board! That Class 2B stole all the glory with their damned baked goods!"

From the way Momoka bit her fingernails, Aaron would have thought someone near and dear to her had died. "I'm...sorry?"

By the time he realized he shouldn't have said that, Momoka had already launched her fist toward him again. He blocked before even reacting to it, again leaving them lost for words.

"...Are you really Higuchi?" she asked. Her eyelids narrowed.

The door slid open before he could answer. "Excuse me. This is Class 2C, right?"

Momoka, with unadulterated rage burning on her face, replied, "That's what the sign above the door says, right?! What do you want?! Can't you see we're busy here?!"

She became as rigid as a statue. The Red-Haired Beast, Konoka Mitsumi, was staring back at her. It was too late to eat her words. Her death certificate was as good as signed.

"A-Ah…" was all she could get out as sweat poured down her pale face. Everyone else in the room put their heads down hurriedly, lest they be destroyed as well.

More than accustomed to the effect she had on others, Konoka only sighed and made her way over to Aaron.

"Yo, Higuchi. Can you help me out? My teacher sent me over here for some markers."

"How's it going, Mitsumi? Oh, I think we've got some extra ones. Give me a sec."

"What are you guys doing?"

"Being yelled at."

"For what?"

"For something I don't remember."

"Don't tell me you skipped out on the summer project?"

"You can't read minds, can you?"

"Nah. Our class got saddled with that crap too. We did baked goods or whatever. I just had Jives order some pastries from a bakery so I didn't have to be bothered."

"Damn. Why did I think of that? Then again, I didn't remember the project in the first place."

Konoka chuckled. "You're hopeless sometimes, Higuchi."

Aaron grinned. "More like all the time from the looks of it."

Class 2C had already forgotten about their 'hide and be invisible' plan. They were busy peeking up at the two at the head of the room. Mesmerized, they couldn't believe Aaron was not only talking to the Red-Haired best but having a casual conversation.

"Oh, here are the markers, Mitsumi."

"Thanks again. I'll see you around."

"Sure."

On her way out, Konoka ogled Class 2C. All of them drove their heads back onto their desks. Rolling her eyes, she left, slamming the door behind her. Everyone, save Aaron, yelped.

With the threat finally gone, they turned back to Momoka. She still wasn't moving. Her classmates feared she had gone into cardiac arrest.

"Oy! Prez! You alright, Prez?" Sasune waved his hand in front of her face. No dice. "Anybody home?"

"R-Red-Haired...Beast!" was Momoka's last words before suddenly collapsing. The whole class got to their feet and surrounded her.

"Ah, come on, Prez. If you die now, you can't finish yelling at us," said Sasune.

"What's her problem?" wondered Aaron. "Did something happen?"

#

After the defeat and capture of Sousuke Aizen, Soul Society deemed it fit to have the he Hougyoku on round the clock guard. They assigned the Onmitsukidou to the task. Security was airtight. Those guarding it needed to be identified every fifteen minutes to ensure there were no traitors. Even Captains of the Gotei Thirteen were strictly prohibited from from the premises without the proper security clearance from the Captain-Commander.

And yet, none of those precautions had helped. A lone individual had managed to butcher everyone in their path, leaving the moonlit hallway strewn with corpses. At the end of it stood the door cutting the Hougyoku off from the outside world. With blood dripping from their blade, the assailant stood before it.

"Kidou…" they said upon pressing their hand against the steel. Though unseeable with the naked eye, there was a powerful barrier separating the thief from their prize. One wrong move meant being immolated. Gazing at their smoldering limb, they commended the fine work. "No average Shinigami could do this. There's no doubt—this is Kisuke Urahara's work ."

"As much as it loathes me to admit, you are correct. So, the Captain-Commander's hunch about someone coming after the Hougyoku wasn't just paranoia."

The thief whirled around. Illuminated by the full moon, Captain Sui-Feng of the Second Division stood opposite them.

"Still, to think a lone person would come here rather than an army," she mused. "You either have guts...or you're a complete imbecile."

"Good evening, Captain. Your speed is as good as they say. I didn't even sense you."

"Cut the crap!" Sui-Feng snarled. "Who are you?! You've got a lot of nerve sneaking around wearing the uniform of the Onmitsukidou and impersonating one of my men!"

"You caught me. It's just too bad you hadn't done so earlier. You could have saved the lives of your subordinates."

In the blink of an eye, Sui-Feng drew her Zanpakutou. She meant to finish things in one blow. She was instead astonished to find the intruder had managed to parry with their own blade.

"Yes, you are fast," they said, smiling underneath their mask. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to marvel at your speed. If you don't mind, I would like to know the counterspell to that barrier. You may not have created it, but you aren't a slouch with Kidou yourself. I'm sure you must know someway to break it."

Sui-Feng jumped back, bothered the thief talked as if they knew her. "...To be able to defend against one of my attacks as well as kill all of the highly trained guards I assigned here. I think it's about time you told me who you are!"

"If you really must know...I'm a dead person."

Sui-Feng paused before asking, "...And what the hell does that mean?"

The intruder unraveled the black coverings on their head and mouth. Long, brown hair fell down their back. Their amber eyes flickered under the light of the moon.

"...A woman," said Sui-Feng. "Now I'm really interested in finding out who you are."

"I just told you. I'm a dead person, but if you need a name so badly, it's Arashi. Arashi Mitarashi."

The mere mention of that name sent shockwaves of confusion through Sui-Feng. "...I thought I told you to cut the crap! Arashi Mitarashi is dead!"

"Yes. I am. Again, as much as I'd like to chat with you, I'm out of playtime. If you won't give me the counterspell willingly, I'll just have to learn it from you by force."

"I don't know who you think you are, but you've some nerve challenging a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen so leisurely! I'm afraid it's going to be your last mistake!"

"So headstrong. I presumed the leader of the Onmitsukidou would've been more level headed. Oh well…" The woman claiming to be Arashi Mitarashi held out their sword. "Flood everything in sight, Ekitai Ouji."

Sui-Feng couldn't believe her eyes. It didn't make any sense.

Yet, the corridor filling with water clones was something she couldn't deny was real. Her head whipped all around. Any escape routes had been cut off, her incredible speed aside.

"What's wrong? You look shaken, dear Captain."

"How are you able to use Arashi Mitarashi's Zanpakutou?!" Sui-Feng roared. "Just who the hell are you?!"

"What an odd question. I've already stated that I am Arashi Mitarashi. Farewell, Captain Sui-Feng. I guess the Gotei Thirteen is about to be down four Captains now instead of three."

#

Another day of school was in the books.

Speaking of books, Aaron had his nose deep in one, scrunching his face at the incomprehensible math problems staring back at him. No matter how many times he reread the explanations on how to solve the equations, he was unable to wrap his head around them.

"...Whoever created calculus can kiss the blackest part of my ass."

Second semester should have been easier than first. Crossing a busy intersection, he peeled himself away from his work and sighed at how wrong that assessment was.

"I didn't used to suck so hard at this..."

He waited for the wait signal to display walk before he and a few dozen other people crossed the street. Unlike him, they appeared to know what they were doing in terms of handling their daily life. He felt out of place, like he was stuck in someone else's skin. It was strange seeing everyone in normal clothing and not the black robes of a Shinigami.

Get it together already, Aaron...

He loosened his collar, turning another corner toward the monorail station. It wasn't particularly hot, though the sweat coating his forehead made him a bit wary. Brushing it away, he opened his math book again in an effort to gather his scattered thoughts.

"Maybe I should ask Sasune to tutor me."

That was likely a no go. They had been back in their world only a short while. Sasune was, unfortunately, back back to his old shenanigans.

"...He's at that damn maid cafe again. I don't even have to call him and check."

There was no helping the helpless. He shrugged.

Bringing up that infamous cafe made him think of someone entirely different. He stopped in place and lowered his book, feeling incredibly crummy all of a sudden.

"I wonder how Kana's doing…"

The idea of her being in danger was preposterous. She was in the midst of the strongest Shinigami around. She promised she would come back to the living world as soon as she got her powers back. Knowing her, she was probably boozing it up in some bar with Rangiku Matsumoto. Aaron smiled at the thought.

But, he still couldn't shake the bad feeling lingering over him. It was closer than ever, leading him to move his gaze up from the sidewalk.

"What the…?"

There was a girl in a red jogging suit standing there. In spite of his surprise, that wasn't so odd.

Except, he was one-hundred percent sure there hadn't been anyone there moments ago.

The girl glowered at him in a manner that made him sweat even harder. Noticing that only the two of them were around didn't make him any less anxious.

"Can I...help you?" he inquired gingerly.
"'Can I help you?'" the girl repeated in a mocking tone. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to like that?! I'm not some lost little girl at the zoo!"

Aaron's eyes shrunk in confusion. He hadn't been thinking that until she brought it up. She was short and thin enough to confuse for a child, even if her seething tone didn't match.

More important than her random outburst was the sword tied to her back. Aaron wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed it to begin with.

Okay, unless I'm back in Soul Society, that's probably not normal. ...And illegal.

"Hey! Pay attention" she shouted, tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm talking to you, baldy!"

."'Baldy?'" That was a new one. Aaron shook his head. "Look, do you need something from me or not? Otherwise, I really have to get home and study."

Although remaining visibly heated, the freckle-faced girl calmed down a little. "You're Aaron Higuchi, right?"

Alarmed, Aaron answered, "...It depends on who's asking."

"Oh, don't give me that shit! I wouldn't have followed you if I didn't already know you're him!"

"...Then why did you bother asking my name?"

The girl's cheeks grew bright red. "S-Shut up! I'm the one in charge here, baldy! Stinkin' baldy!"

Raising an eyebrow, Aaron patted down his full head of hair. "Erm...o-okay. You're the second weird girl that showed up out of the blue and knew who I was. Let me guess—you want me to go with you somewhere."

"Well, it looks like you're not as dumb as you look, baldy."

"Please stop calling me that."

His new acquaintance proudly pointed at herself as she proclaimed, "I'm Hiyori Sarugaki!"

Aaron's mouth lifted in annoyance. He didn't ask for her identity. Frankly, he didn't care.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hiyori screeched. "I just introduced myself!"

"So?"

"Scratch that. You are an idiot." Hiyori rolled her eyes. "Listen, baldy! When someone introduces themselves, you have to give them your name back!. It's only fair!"

This was despite the fact they had already established that she knew full well who he was. Again, her way of thinking confounded him.

Reluctantly, and only to move on to more important matters, he mumbled, "...Aaron Higuchi."

For whatever reason, Hiyori was splitting her sides with laughter. Aaron might not have had a clue why, but he was definitely offended.

"What the hell kind of a name is Aaron?!" she said, snorting. "You're better off letting me call you baldy, baldy!"

"Cut the crap!" Aaron was no longer in any mood for games. "Are you going to tell me why the hell you're here or not?!"

Hiyori got serious too, so serious that she drummed her fingertips on the hilt of her blade. "...Like I said, you're dumb. Didn't you already figure out that I'm taking you with me? And by the way, you don't get a say in the matter. Shinji didn't say I couldn't chop off one or both of your legs if that's what it took, so it would be in your best interest to come along quietly!"

"...Shinji? What are you going on about now?"

Hiyori was done talking. Cringing, Aaron dropped down to one knee on account of her immense spiritual pressure.

It's on the level of a Vice-Captain! No, a little bit higher…!

Something about it wasn't right. He couldn't put his finger on it precisely, though it was eerily familiar.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Hiyori, far too pleased for Aaron's liking, lifted her hand above her head. "Or, do I gotta show you so you stop giving me that dumbass look?"

The 'dumbass look' she spoke of only worsened when Aaron got an eyeful of the white mask on her face. It wasn't just that. The yellow eyes. The black sclera. The menacing rows of teeth.
"You're...a Hollow?" he asked breathlessly.

"A Visored," she corrected. Her words were distorted. There was another, deeper voice underneath hers. "Just...like...you."

Aaron couldn't even begin to make sense of what she was claiming. He never imagined there were other people like him and Ichigo Kurosaki.

People with Inner Hollows.

"What? Did you think you were special?" said Hiyori. "We know all about you and that Kurosaki kid!"

Aaron stammered, "What are Visoreds?! And how can you just summon that mask like that without going insane?!"

Hiyori smirked and moved her mask to the side of her head. "Curious, are we? Good. If you really want to know, you're going to have to…"

"HOLLOW! HOLLOW! HOLLOW!"

Both Aaron and Hiyori nearly had a heart attack. They also realized whatever was shrieking like the damned was coming from Aaron's pocket. He reached inside of it and pulled out something he had forgotten all about.

"The Substitute Shinigami badge?"

The eyes on the skull in the center were glowing.
"T-Turn it off already!" Hiyori screamed, covering her ears. It wasn't helping. The horrid clamor was piercing through her skull.

"I-I don't know how!" Panicking, Aaron flipped the badge all over for some sort of button or switch. "Wait, I get it! This must work like Kana's Denrenshiki."

Which meant the badge wasn't saying 'Hollow' for the fun of it. That begged the question of why there would be a Hollow in Hino now of all times. Aaron presumed that with Arashi Mitarashi gone, things in his hometown would go back to normal.

"Damn! Even if there is a Hollow, I don't know how to transform into a Shinigami without Kana!"

"Hey, baldy! Quit ignoring me!"

Aaron wasn't doing it on purpose, but he really was paying Hiyori no mind. He was too deep in thought. Incidentally, he placed the Substitute badge up to his forehead. The moment it made contact with his skin, his Shinigami form came bursting out of his now lifeless body. Bewildered, he patted himself down.

"...You're kidding." He grinned. "Okay, so maybe this creepy badge is useful after all."

He still had a big problem though. Peering at his 'corpse,' he wasn't sure what to do with it. Leaving it out in the middle of the street for even a couple of minutes would probably cause an unwanted scene.

"...Screw it."

He would just have to be quick. Every second he wasted was another the Hollow had to hurt someone. He Flash Stepped toward its spiritual pressure, finding doing so as easy as climbing onto a bike after a few years.

For the first time that day, he felt comfortable, relaxed.

"G-Get your ass back here!" Hiyori exclaimed. "We're not finished yet!"

Aaron, looking back at her, said, "Can you watch my body for me? Thanks!"

Hiyori wasn't sure how, but she was left alone, unless his husk counted as company. Kicking it in frustration, she cried, "I'm going to kill that kid!"

#

The spiritual pressure was close. Aaron, Flash Stepping across a forest, knew it wouldn't be long now.

"It's been awhile since I've had to worry about a Hollow. It's almost nostalgic."

The apprehension he felt melted away when he noticed something curious.

He was traversing through the very same forest where he first met Kana. He wasn't sure if some unseen force was trying to tell him something, or it was simply an odd coincidence.

He didn't have time to mull it over.

"There you are," he said, hearing a familiar howl. It was a Hollow alright. Landing in a clearing, Aaron drew his sword. "Now then, where did it go?"

Something crashed right behind him. He turned around and quickly lifted his Zanpakutou to block a strike that would have carved him in two. The force from the blow sent him soaring back, though he kicked off a tree, breaking his fall.

"Pretty strong," he mumbled. "Ugly too."

It was smaller than he imagined. It barely reached up to his chest. The way it hopped around made him wonder if it was supposed to be a frog.

Not in the mood to ask, he used the same tree to launch himself like a rocket. In one stroke, he lopped off the creature's arm. It roared in anguish.

"Damn. I missed," Aaron noted. He had meant to slice its mask in two. He went in for another attack, intending to do just that. That was when the Hollow spat something at him. At the last moment, he darted out of the way. "What the…? Tell me that isn't snot…"

Whatever it was, the Hollow began spewing it all over. Aaron Flash Stepped here and there. His speed came as a surprise to him. He hadn't been nearly as swift before his trip to Soul Society.

"Alright, I've had enough!" he cried, ducking another glob of the strange fluid. He released his Zanpakutou and then swung it down. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

He only wanted the massive wave of blue energy to get rid of the annoying Hollow. He hadn't meant to incinerate half the forest along with it. Gazing at the burning ruins before him, Aaron shot his hand over his mouth.

"I'd...better get out of here before…"

His instincts kicked in, and he dodged another Hollow right as it was about to pounce on him.

"He brought a friend? Don't tell me you guys were twins or something?"

More of the frog-like Hollows crawled out from behind and the tops of the trees.

"Alright. You brought the whole family then…"

Aaron noticed himself surrounded before long. The Hollows howled at him in unison.

"Okay. This isn't weird at all." One Hollow was all he had sensed when coming there. A drop of sweat fell from his face as he peered all around him. "It's like...somebody set a trap."

Trap or not, he readied to fire off another Getsuga Tenshou and be done with it.

"Wha…?"

All of a sudden, he felt sick to his stomach. His vision blurred, whereas burning pain shot through his skull. Screaming in pure agony, he toppled over, assured he was about to die.

This was the 'bad feeling' that had been hanging over him all day. He felt foolish for not realizing where it stemmed from sooner.

"D-Dammit!" he snarled. "So...y-you're going to get in my way yet again, huh?!"

Somewhere, he could hear his Inner Hollow laughing up a storm. Perhaps it was delighted to be surrounded by its kin.

Speaking of which, the Hollows were closing in on him. A few took the liberty to spit more 'snot' at him. It pinned him to a tree. He changed his mind on his earlier assessment and saw it was instead some kind of powerful adhesive. He felt he might have been able to break free if only his whole body didn't feel like lead.

"...You're gonna die too, you know," he wheezed as a white mask began forming on the right side of his face. "Is that alright with you? ...I know you can hear me."

Perishing at the hands of a group of Hollows after surviving Soul Society wasn't how Aaron pictured going out. He almost wanted to laugh. It was clear his Inner Hollow was happy with both of them biting the dust if it meant spiting him until the very end. Sensing his consciousness slipping away, he tried in vain to rip the mask away.

A Cero obliterated the group of Hollows, much to his bewilderment.. Either his eyesight really was going screwy, or someone had gone to the trouble of saving him. He got his answer when the person in question landed in front of him and then cut him free.

"That's what you get for trying to fight when you can't even control your Inner Hollow, baldy!"

Hiyori Sarugaki stood over him, glowering at him like he was lower than the worms in the dirt. It made him almost wish he was still in the clutches of those Hollows.

"You'd better get down on your hands and knees and thank me for bailing your ass out!"

"T-Thank you," Aaron said through strained breaths. "And...sorry."

His earnest apology threw her for a loop. She slid her mask off of her slightly blushing face and curled her lips. "...You're a creampuff. Looks like you really need our help after all."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

With a smirk, she replied, "The other Visored and I...we'll teach you to keep that Inner Hollow of yours under control. In exchange, all you gotta do is join us. A pretty sweet deal, right? What do you say?"

#

Aaron, frustrated beyond belief, was ready for the day to be over and done with. He was glad there was no one around to bother him as he headed home. He felt himself liable to hit something.

"Get out of there…" he said, rapping his knuckles against his forehead. There had always been another voice mingling amidst his own thoughts. It was dull and barely audible, but it had been there without a doubt. He had tried to ignore it, perhaps even convince himself it was a figment of his imagination. Out of sight, out of mind.

But now, the voice was so loud, he wanted to bash his skull into a wall to drive it out. As promised, it strove to invade his psyche and take control. His Inner Hollow had only ever been a problem when it interrupted one of his fights. That's why he never took it seriously. After today, however, he knew he had been a fool to neglect the matter for so long.

His troubled mind settled back on Hiyori's offer. "Who the hell are these Visored? What do they want with me?"

Controlling his Inner Hollow, as Hiyori suggested, was a strange prospect. Sure, it had saved him more times than he could count, and its immense power was enviable. Even so, he could see no good in having such an irksome thing lingering over his shoulder.

He would rather it disappear entirely.

It would continue getting in his way like it had today. Balling his fists, he got that it was trying to make a point. So long as he didn't submit, it would use every opportunity to screw him over.

He lifted his head, spotting something out of the corner of his eye.

"Mitsumi?

Konoka was further down the street and walking beside a black-haired man he didn't recognize. There was nothing strange about the scene, yet, more worry swept over him. The two disappeared around a corner right as he decided on calling out to her.

"Hey, stupid."

Someone tapped on his shoulder. Already worked up, he turned around and took a fighting stance. However, he lowered his fists once he saw his older sister staring at him blankly.

"...What are you doing?" she asked.

"...I don't know," he replied sheepishly. The bevy of grocery bags Izumi held gave him a convenient way to change the topic. "What, did you buy everything the store had?"

Rather than confirming, she shoved the majority of her purchases into his chest. "Carry these for me."

"...If you're going to ask a favor, ask it before making someone do it." His griping aside, Aaron did as she requested. He was relieved to see the bags weren't as heavy as they looked. "What's all this about anyway?"

"Hey, don't question your big sister. Just get walking already."

"Don't pull that card if you aren't ever going to act mature."

"Touchy, touchy. Who got your panties into a knot this time, Bro?"

"What the hell do you mean 'this time?'"

So much for walking home in peace, Aaron thought.

What was that Sasune said? Just grovel and beg for forgiveness?

"Ma's coming tonight," Izumi announced just then. "That should cheer you up."

Aaron froze. "...What?"

"Yeah. She's got a night off for once. So, we're gonna make her a huge dinner!"

"She's...coming home…?"

Aaron could count the number of times he had seen his mother since he got back to the world of the living on one hand. She was the very definition of a workaholic. Per his sister's claim, elation spread over his troubled visage.

"Then...I guess I'm cooking up a storm tonight," he announced with vigor. "Stay out of the way. You're just going to burn down the kitchen."

"True," replied Izumi with a hearty laugh. Only moments later did she suddenly put her brother in a headlock. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?! I'd only burn a couple of pots and pans, you know!"

Choking to death, Aaron tapped her arm feverishly. No matter how strong he had gotten, she was one opponent he had no hope against. She let him go after brief deliberation.

"What's the matter?" she asked, frowning slightly. "I thought you'd be more happy Ma is coming home for once."

"Am I making a face or something?" Aaron raised an eyebrow. He really was pleased to hear the news about his mother. "I'm fine."

"It's not that you're 'making a face' or anything, but…" Izumi's nose wrinkled. "Something about you is different. It's in there. Whatever it is."

She pointed at his heart. He froze again. It shouldn't have been possible, yet…

Can she actually...feel the Hollow inside of me?

"Stop looking like that already. You're depressing me too."

Pulling at his cheeks, Izumi hoped to pinch the sadness out of him.

"Why do you have to keep beating me up?" he whined.

"If something really is bothering you, you can come to your big sis and tell her, alright?" Izumi slapped her chest proudly. "I'll listen to anything my dear, little brother has to say."

That was easy for her to boast about. The issue wasn't something Aaron yearned to discuss.

Not unless his sister knew a way to make his Inner Hollow go away forever.

Izumi snapped her fingers. "Ah! I know what it is now! I bet all this talk of making dinner reminded you of Kana's home cooking. You really miss her, huh?"

Aaron, turning bright red, leered away and answered, "N-Not really."

Admittedly, he would rather sample Kana's food than his own. While he was no slouch in the kitchen, her food would fit well in a five-star restaurant. He was certain his mother agreed. He had some big shoes to fill.

Still, even Kana wouldn't have been able to do anything about his Inner Hollow. All the talk of family dinners and old friends were only distractions from the elephant in the room. Shutting his eyes tightly, he felt lost, hopelessly lost. This wasn't a problem he could solve by simply training as hard as he could. Sheer will power wouldn't do the trick either.

"Okay, Aaron. No more joking around."

He snapped back into reality to find his sister giving him a piercing stare. He flinched, even taking a step back. As he held his breath, he had a sudden urge to run.

"If there's something you want to tell me," said Izumi quietly, "do it now. It's something important, right?"

"N-No. I don't know what you're..."

"Quit screwing around!"

Birds scattered from treetops. Everyone walking by stopped to behold the spectacle. Izumi, having shouted loud enough to wake the dead, covered her mouth. The damage had already been done though.

"...Do you think I'm an idiot?" she said in a softer tone. "I can feel it. It's inside of you. It's like...one of those monsters you're always fighting. A Hollow."

Aaron didn't confirm or deny her claim. The color merely drained from his face.

"Do you remember when you trained with Mister Hat and Clogs? What happened back in that Shattered Shaft?"

There was no way Aaron would ever forget. That had been the very definition of hell. He was still amazed he had made it through all that with his life.

"During that time, you and that Kurosaki kid came out wearing masks. That has something to do with this, right?"

Aaron suspected as much. Urahara had mentioned he and Ichigo would transform into Hollows if they didn't regain their Shinigami powers fast enough.

What the man had failed to mention was the possibility of both things occuring.

" ...Answer me already, Aaron! Are you a…?!"

"Hello. I'm...not interrupting anything, am I?"

Sasune Ishida shot his hands up defensively. Both Aaron and Izumi looked ready to jump on him. They relaxed after seeing a friendly face, sighing at exactly the same time.

"Boy. You two really are related," the Quincy said in jest.

"Sasune." Aaron hoped with every fiber in his being his friend hadn't overheard them. "N-No. You came just in time actually."

He could feel Izumi glaring a hole into the back of his head.

"H-Hello...erm...Izumi." Sasune, shaking as if he was in the middle of a blizzard, gave an awkward bow. "How have you...uh...b-been?"

Though incensed with her brother, Izumi put on a phony smile. "Good. Did you get a little taller since I've last seen you, Sasune? I swear, you and Aaron here used to barely reach up to my waist. How's your luck with women nowadays? Still rotten?."

Blushing up a storm, Sasune hid his face behind his hands. "T-That's not it! The fish just aren't...erm...biting. Y-You know…"

Him laughing like an idiot completed his 'flustered school girl' look in Aaron's opinion. He hadn't the slightest clue why Izumi and only Izumi turned his friend into a babbling idiot.

"Wasn't he madly in love with Inoue awhile ago?"

Still having trouble forming words, Sasune managed to spit out, "So...uh...what are you two up to? That's a lot of food."

"Dinner for our mother," replied Aaron.

"Wanna come?" added Izumi. "There's gonna be plenty to eat."

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I already made plans," said Sasune. "Uryuu and I are going to share a meal tonight."

"...And he knows that, right?" asked Aaron skeptically.

Sasune's nostrils flared. "O-Of course he does! You talk like I'm some sort of pest."

Aaron wasn't going to touch that one.

"I am a responsible older brother," Sasune continued, sticking his chest out, "and our many near death experiences in Soul Society made me realize something. The precious moments I have with Uryuu won't last forever. I need to make the most of them. Also, we seriously need to talk about this whole sewing women's clothing thing."

"...And does your brother agree with all that?"

"Oh, shut up already! You're just jealous you don't have a little brother to boss around!"

"Considering I already have enough trouble dealing with the one sister I have...yeah, I'm okay with that."

"I heard that," snarled Izumi, smacking Aaron upside the head.

"Have fun. Oh, and tell your Mom I said hi." Sasune began walking away with a wave. "Don't burn anything, CT."

"You're talking to the wrong person."

Izumi rammed her elbow into her brother's stomach this time, making him holler in anguish.

"One more thing." Sasune took the time to gander up at the setting sun. While the skyline being bathed in amber light was a breathtaking sight, the chilly wind that swept past him prompted him to say, "...Be careful if you're going out tonight. Something sinister is in the air."

"...And what's that supposed to mean?" Aaron questioned as the Quincy vanished down the street. "He thinks he's really funny. ...Jerk."

"Don't be that way. You just don't have a sense of humor," said Izumi. "I wonder why he doesn't have a girlfriend by now though. He's a pretty handsome guy."

"You won't be saying that when he finally manages to slip his hands down your shirt."

"You say something, Bro?"

"Nothing at all."

Rubbing his arms, Aaron too felt it was strangely cold. There was only a slight wind blowing. He blamed his clammy hands on an awful feeling swelling up in the pit of his stomach.

"...Maybe that guy wasn't talking crazy for once."

END