Kurosaki Ichigo was always a momma's boy. Much to Shiba Isshin's chagrin. To Kurosaki Isshin, it was annoying, but even if his firstborn son never grew out of it, he'd learn how to become a soldier one way or another. It didn't help that Kurosaki Masaki took every opportunity to coddle and shelter their son from the spirit world and even the Quincy Arts.
Masaki, Isshin being too dense to realize, protected their son because of the ever present threat to humanity–and she sometimes thinks spirits as a whole–that endangers even the most seasoned demon slayer. She never cared for her Quincy heritage, and knowledge of Hollows, Shinigami, and Soul Society did nothing to help her beautiful Ichigo–and later her beautiful twin daughters–survive against demons.
A human-made monster needs to be killed by human-made ways. Unfortunately, Quincy, Hollow, and Shinigami all shared a largely inflated arrogance and belief that normal humans were inferior to them.
If Masaki had her way, her children would not know of the spirit world until they were all teenagers at least. She needed her time devoted to teaching them how to kill demons. That didn't mean she didn't write down every single thing she knew about the Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollows, even delving into the old books and texts of her Quincy heritage and rewriting them for her children as well. Just as a precaution in case things went wrong.
As she rushes forward to protect her son from a Hollow she knows wasn't there by coincidence, Masaki regrets not at least teaching them the basics of the world only few can see. As she feels her Quincy powers get ripped out of her soul, tearing it to shreds even as she kills the Hollow, she curses herself–and Yhwach, the fucking coward–for not preparing them for anything.
Prepare for the unexpected, expect the worst, and hope for the best. Something her own mother taught her, ingrained it into Masaki's memories before they even got to the actual training. Masaki will make sure her son won't make the same mistake as she did.
"My... son... my peony... you must... must listen. I thought–more time... I didn't have. The journals–they will... help you and... and the girls." Masaki leaves a blood soaked kiss on Ichigo's slashed left cheek, right under his eye. She starts to cry as her body becomes cold, crying for her children who will now have to fight in two wars, one that they should never be a part of.
She didn't want to leave her son alone. She didn't want to leave her daughters. She didn't want to leave Isshin, the sweet fool.
"Mama... Mama!" Ichigo manages to speak through his choking sobs and wheezes. Masaki forces herself to raise her head, gently cradling her son's face.
"Sh-shhh... You'll... you'll be okay. My peony... you must... must look... after–after the girls. I'm... I'm sorry I-I have to... leave. Love you... I love... you with my–my entire soul," Masaki speaks softly, ignoring her tears that fell on her son's face. She kisses Ichigo's forehead, trying to keep her own sobs at bay.
It fully hits her, freezing whatever blood is left in her body. This was a soul deep problem... she'll likely never see her children again.
"Mama! Don't–don't leave me! Don't leave–leave Yuzu and Karin! Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ichigo weeps as Masaki grows fainter by the second.
"Oyakata-sama..." Masaki whispers, eyes fluttering shut. "My... my child is young... but he... is ready. He will... will be... my... successor..."
"Mama! Please! MAMA!"
Masaki falls limp on top of her nine year old son, crushing his body with hers. A flutter is heard before a crow is seen flying off into the sky. Her bright blue butterfly clip lays limp in her blood soaked hair, a shock of color against the muted orange.
15 year old Ichigo hums a small tune, finishing up the last of his paperwork with a smile adorning his face. His sunset orange hair falls over his shoulder, gently blowing in the night breeze coming from his opened window.
An all too familiar flutter makes Ichigo turn around. He blinks in surprise when he sees a butterfly he knows isn't indigenous in Japan.
"A black swallowtail?" Ichigo lifts his hand, letting the butterfly land on his finger.
He smiles softly and lifts the swallowtail up. "What are you doing here, hm?"
"Oh? Who's coming?" Ichigo asks with a tilt of his head. He senses it before he hears the sound of someone entering his room. Softly falling snow on a deathly freezing day.
Ichigo slowly turns his head, watching the intruder quietly land on his desk. He continues to stare, pinpointing where his nichirin sword was.
The young woman, looking no older than Ichigo himself, wore some form of a uniform that was not known to Ichigo. Her black hair fell over her face and shoulders, bringing out dark amethyst eyes and pale skin.
Ichigo watches her with sharp eyes as she unsheathes the katana attached to her left hip. "It is near..."
"Ara, ara. It's rude to trespass someone's bedroom, you know," Ichigo speaks in a soft voice. He blinks when the female doesn't pay him any attention.
He smiles and lowers his hand, absently noting that the swallowtail has disappeared. He walks forward, his hands clasping together beneath his haori sleeves. Ichigo stops right before the female, watching her glance past him.
"Moshi moshi! It's rude to ignore the person who spotted you!" Ichigo speaks again, waving one of his hands near the female's face. She continues to ignore him.
Ichigo's smile tightens as some of his veins start to pronounce themselves. He lifts his hand and quickly slams it down, chopping the female on her head.
The girl stumbles back with her hands on top of her head. She looks up with a glare and a scowl.
"Ow! You–" The girl blinks rapidly, anger momentarily forgotten "–you can see me. I-I mean to say, you hit me!"
"I did try to get your attention by speaking to you. If you expect to trespass a person's room, you should at least acknowledge them when they catch you," Ichigo says, lowering his hand. His smile returns to its normal cheerfulness as he leans down.
"Now, why are you trespassing my room? Are you here to steal something?" Ichigo questions with bright eyes. The female leans back, staring at Ichigo like he was the weird one.
Well, he generally was the weird one in most cases. This was not one of them.
It was meant to be a simple mission. Stay in the Living World for a week or so, slay Hollows, perform konso, then return to complete her normal duties in Soul Society. Kuchiki Rukia couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen. Good or bad, she did not know.
It was still unclear as she finally travelled to the Living World, in a place named Karakura Town. There was a surplus of Pluses, which meant there was a surplus of Hollows. And then there was this... aura that filled the air. Her nerves screamed at her to keep her distance away from the menacing aura. It was... unnerving, but easily able to be ignored. At least, for now.
Her nerves weren't exactly screaming at her as she stared at this teenager, but she was absolutely sure she had to always be wary around him. It was a completely different type of unnerving as she stares at this boy with a beauty she doesn't think she's ever seen on a person.
Long sunset orange hair was swept out of his face and fell down his shoulders in messy waves. It framed a sharpening jaw, still stuck in between the kid stage and puberty, and freckled skin. Kind tawny colored eyes stared down at her, dark with suspicion and alarm, and a soft smile still kept itself plastered on the boy's face, the long scar on his left cheek stretching from the smile. She passed a glance towards the two marks below each side of his nose, looking almost like holes.
He wore black wide leg trousers, a completely unbuttoned black collared shirt, an unbuttoned pink tinted black vest, and an oddly designed haori. It went from black to scarlet orange, a white butterfly wing design along the entire cloth. A sarashi wrap was wrapped tightly around his stomach.
"N-no. I'm–I am not living, boy." Rukia shakes out of her stupor, glaring up at the boy for the mere accusation. She pushes away the confusion as to why her face feels warm.
"A spirit? Well, whatever you need help with to pass over will have to wait until morning. And do try not to trespass my room again. You're quite fortunate that the swallowtail had informed me of you coming," The boy states with his slightly infuriating soft smile.
"I am not just any spirit, boy! I am a Shinigami," Rukia declares with her posture straight and her eyes cold.
The boy looks down at her with wide eyes before tilting his head. "What is... a Shinigami?"
Ichigo stays sitting across from the Shinigami, eyes closed with no smile in sight. He hums quietly and leans his head back to stare at his ceiling.
"Hm... so you, as Shinigami, help spirits pass over and help protect spirits and the Living World from evil spirits, Hollows," Ichigo summarizes glancing back down at the female. She brightens behind the notepad she had, holding the horrible drawings closer to her chest.
"Yes!" She nods with a triumphant smile.
Ichigo hums again, staying quiet for a few moments. The Shinigami blinks rapidly when the orange haired teenager stands up from the bed.
"You–you don't believe me?! You can see me!" The Shinigami exclaims as she scrambles off the bed to follow Ichigo.
Ichigo turns with a smile, hands hidden inside his haori. "I do apologize, but I don't believe anything I can't see. Unfortunately for you, spirit-san, but I've never met a Shinigami before."
"Now, run along, little spirit!" Ichigo reaches for the doorknob of his bedroom door. "I really must be going. So many things to do."
"Little?! I am no child, boy!" The Shinigami stands up from the bed, raising her finger.
"Bakudō #1: Sai!"
Ichigo instinctively thrashes as his arms are pulled and pressed against his lower back. He whirls around, slamming his shoulder into his door.
"How did she do that? Is she a demon? This is too similar to a Blood Demon Art! No. She can't be a demon... She doesn't have the presence or appearance of one." Thoughts race to figure out how the female had restrained him. Ichigo narrows his eyes as he leans against the door, his hands spasming to try and wrench out of the restraints he couldn't feel.
"Spirit-san... please release whatever you did," Ichigo states, smiling tightly.
"Do you believe me now, boy? Only Shinigami can do that binding spell."
"Yes, yes, but you won't like what I'll do to you if you keep me bound!" Ichigo continues smiling. His eyebrow twitches when the Shinigami ignores him.
She smirks down at him, standing on top of his bed. "I may not look like it, but I have lived nearly ten times longer than you. And you called me a little spirit?!"
"I do apologize, but it's quite hard to tell, spirit-san." Ichigo keeps his smile plastered on his face, hoping it would get the spirit to release him faster. His sword is only a couple meters away.
A faint pink slowly crawls up the Shinigami's neck while her smug smirk stays fixed on her face. Ichigo's own smile turns just a bit sharper in delight.
"In any other situation, I would kill you on the spot, but I am not permitted to execute anyone not named in my orders. Be grateful for that, little boy," The Shinigami states, hand reaching to grab the hilt of her katana.
"Then what are you here for, spirit-san?" Ichigo asks, his smile slowly falling off his face. This spirit is really getting on his nerves.
"I was tracing a Hollow. Unfortunately, I had lost its trail when I reached this house. But, also..." Ichigo doesn't think of anything as he reacts to the Shinigami pulling her katana.
His feet quietly land on top of his desk as his entire upper body leans back to reach for his own katana. He freezes when he sees another spirit crouched in the middle of his room with the pommel of the Shinigami's sword pressed against his forehead.
"No! I... don't want to go to hell yet!" The spirit stares up at the Shinigami in terror and dread.
"Do not fear. The place you're headed to is not hell. It is Soul Society. Unlike hell, it is a peaceful place," The Shinigami explains as the spirit is suddenly encompassed by a soft blue glow.
"What... is this how you help spirits pass over?" Ichigo asks, completely gobsmacked. This wasn't... this was definitely not what he expected...
The Shinigami whirls around and stares at the orange haired teenager with wide eyes. She looks back at the door before facing Ichigo.
"How did you–how did you get there so fast?!" The incredulity in her tone makes Ichigo smile once more. If only her surprise could end whatever was restraining his arms.
"Well, when someone pulls out a sword unprompted, people tend to give in to instincts and adrenaline," Ichigo explains cheerfully. "Now, could you explain what you just did, or break this binding spell?"
"It's called konso. We cleanse the soul and send it to Soul Society. You humans would call it "going to heaven". Now... the Hollow..." The Shinigami turns away, eyes narrowed as she mutters to herself. Ichigo huffs before glancing out of his window.
His entire body tenses under the sudden pressure as a bloodcurdling howl makes his ears ring. He leans further back, hand gripping around the hilt of his sword.
"I was tracing a Hollow. Unfortunately, I lost its trail when I reached this house."
"Tracing a Hollow. Lost its trail..." Ichigo suddenly stands on top of his desk, glancing around his room.
"Spirit-san."
The Shinigami continues to mutter under her breath, looking away from the orange haired teenager. Ichigo jumps off his desk and lands on his bed, taking his katana out of its scabbard as he does so.
"Shinigami!" Ichigo shouts, expression set in a solemn scowl. The black haired female startles out of her thoughts at the shout and turns around. She blinks when she realizes how quickly Ichigo had reached his own bed before focusing on his sword.
"What kind of sword is that?" The Shinigami asks before Ichigo looks over his shoulder. His eyes gleam in anger and alarm, making the female stand straighter.
"Now's not the time! The Hollow's near! Can't you hear it?" Ichigo states harshly.
The Shinigami blinks before her eyebrows furrow. "What are you talking–"
Ichigo turns back around, looking outside his window for anything amiss when an even closer howl echoes through his whole body. He doesn't notice the slight shock as the Shinigami grabs the hilt of her own katana.
A sudden crash resonates from downstairs before a loud scream is heard. Ichigo's stomach drops as he stumbles off his bed.
"Karin! Yuzu!" Not them. Anyone, but them!
"Don't! It's too dangerous for a human like you!" Ichigo glares at the Shinigami before he kicks open his door. He grunts as he falls against the hallway wall, attempting to break free from the restraints.
"Hey! Let go of Karin-chan!" Yuzu shouts loudly before another crash is heard.
"Yuzu!" Karin cries out. Ichigo curses under her breath and starts running down the hall. He gasps when he's suddenly pushed to the ground by a sudden weight, narrowly stopping his sword from slicing up his own legs. The Shinigami jumps off of him and runs towards the stairs.
"Stay there and let me handle it!" The spirit orders over her shoulder. Ichigo grits his teeth with a silent growl, sitting up from the ground.
"Damn you, Shinigami!" He hisses under his breath before he stands up, running after her. He continues to struggle against whatever has bound him, almost falling down the stairs.
He falls against the railing with a grunt and looks up, only to freeze. His eyes widen and his entire body tenses as he stares at the absolute monstrosity called a Hollow holding Karin in its claws.
Blood falls from the monster's hold and the world is swept out from under him. He takes in a sharp breath and takes a step forward. Yuzu struggles to sit up from the fallen wall she was thrown through. She grips her head before collapsing on shaky legs, blood dripping from her mouth. Her fishtail braid hung halfway undone over her shoulder, the violet butterfly clip hanging on only a few strands.
"Karin! Yuzu!" Ichigo shouts, desperation and terror making it sound shrill. Karin looks over her shoulder, wincing at the pain.
"Nīsan! Nīsan, our swords don't–" Karin interrupts herself with a scream as the Hollow's claws pierce into her skin. Ichigo has a full body twitch before he stumbles forward.
"Shinigami-Shinigami! Let go of the restraints! Now! My sisters–"
"I told you to stay back! You'll only get in the way!" The Shinigami cuts him off, glaring at him over her shoulder. Ichigo growls loudly and starts to struggle even more.
"Mama... Mama, I'm so stupid. I should have dealt with her the moment she trespassed!" Ichigo cries out in frustration and anger, his arms straining to break free. "Yuzu, Karin... I will protect you! Mama, I'm sorry. I'll protect them, even at the cost of my own life!"
"Stop it, you fool! If you continue, you'll only harm your soul!" The Shinigami shouts as if Ichigo was the one in the wrong. Ichigo ignores her and tugs one last time at the restraints. Something inside his chest tugs harshly at the sudden pull before his arms are free.
"How did you–" Ichigo rushes past the spirit, twirling his katana in the air to properly grab it as he kicks up his slipper off his foot and catches it at the same time.
"This is for trespassing my house, you asshole!" Ichigo declares loudly, not even noticing the fallen, bleeding body of his father near the broken dining table.
He throws the slipper towards the Hollow's arm. He jumps up and catches Karin when the Hollow drops her with a loud screech. It grabs its own arm as the slipper falls.
"And this is for laying your filthy hands on my sisters!" Ichigo lifts his foot high in the air. He lands a harsh drop kick to the Hollow's head, making the floor splinter apart as the Hollow faceplants through it.
"How–you... how can a human have the strength to land a hit on a Hollow?!" The Shinigami watches with wide eyes, frozen where she stood. Ichigo jumps away from the Hollow before he gently sets Karin down next to Yuzu.
"Are you both alright?" Ichigo asks, quickly checking over his little sisters. Yuzu sniffs loudly, wiping away her tears of frustrated pain, and nods her head.
"What is that? That's not–that's not a demon!" Karin glares at the Hollow in anger as she applies pressure to her own stomach from where the Hollow had pierced her.
"It's a Hollow. It's–I'll explain it later. Stay here. I'll deal with the Hollow," Ichigo says with a smile, turning to face the Hollow as it slowly sits up. "I'm about to figure out a way to castrate this motherfucker!"
Karin and Yuzu smile brightly at their big brother. Karin nudges his shoulder with her fist before staring at the Hollow.
"You can do it Ichigo!" The twins stare at the same time. Ichigo smiles at them one last time before he stands up.
"I will protect them, Mama."
"You may not survive, but it won't make a difference if you don't. Now hurry, stab yourself with my zanpakutō and become a Shinigami." The Shinigami holds up her sword towards Ichigo, both ignoring the howling Hollow as it finishes recovering.
Ichigo gently grabs the hilt, his hands hovering over the Shinigami's. "I must say, this will be the first time I've willingly been stabbed through the chest with a sword, Shinigami-san."
"It is not Shinigami, boy. I am Kuchiki Rukia," Rukia finally introduces herself with a smile. Ichigo smiles back as the Hollow charges towards them.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. See you soon, Rukia-san."
An electric shock sprouts from the center of Ichigo's chest as he bolts awake. He doesn't have any time to gather his bearings before he spots the edge of a loose white cloth in his peripherals. His ears ring loudly before he lets his instincts take over.
Ichigo folds himself in half, avoiding the kick to his head before raising himself up on his arms. He kicks out his feet from below, launching whoever was idiotic enough to attack him flying through his window.
Ichigo breathes deeply after he lands at the end of his bed in a crouch. He glances around his room, searching for anymore intruders, before he sighs heavily.
He rubs his face and groans quietly. "Fucking Goat Face..."
"Nīsan?!"
"Goat Face, stop messing with Nīsan!" The twins burst into Ichigo's room with equal amounts of worry and anger. Ichigo blinks at them before a shaky sigh leaves his mouth.
"Girls, you're alright..." Ichigo states, relief rushing out of his tone. Karin stares at him weirdly while Yuzu blinks back at their big brother.
"...Nīsan? Why wouldn't we be?" Yuzu asks, making Ichigo stare at her. It takes a moment for his brain to catch up before it hits him like a bullet hitting him from behind. He jumps off of his bed and lands in front of his little sisters, immediately checking them over.
"Oh God! Are you both alright? Both of you were so injured last night... where... where are your injuries?" Ichigo pauses his inspection when he doesn't notice any bandages, cuts, or even bruises on his girls.
"What are you talking about? Nīsan... nothing happened last night..." Karin trails off to look away as she thinks. Her eyebrows furrow before she looks back up at Ichigo.
"Nīsan–"
"You've left yourself open, son!" Kurosaki Isshin jumps through the broken window with a large grin. Ichigo doesn't even look at him as he kicks him back out the window.
"Goat Face, please use the door like a normal human being!" Ichigo calls out with a smile before he focuses on his little sisters.
He stares down at them and sighs. "As long as you're both alright... Yuzu, what have you made for breakfast?"
Yuzu stays quiet, glancing between her brother's eyes. Her eyebrows furrow as she reaches to grab Ichigo's hand. He was really worried.
"...I made waffles!" Yuzu exclaims with a forced smile. Ichigo chuckles softly and squeezes Yuzu's hand.
"I'll be down soon. Go ahead and eat," Ichigo says, making his twin sisters look up at him with raised eyebrows.
Ichigo playfully rolls his eyes, his ears turning pink. "I promise I'll be down soon. I have to get ready for school."
Karin's eyebrow raises even higher and Yuzu smiles. Both clearly not believing their big brother before they leave his room.
"Okay, Nīsan!"
Ichigo's shoulders slump as he smiles, indulgent to his sisters' worry. They won't ever believe him again after that one week.
"...eky br..." Ichigo whirls around, hand twitching towards his hip. His eyes narrow when he sees absolutely nothing.
"Oh! And be careful around the hole in the wall, Nīsan!" Yuzu calls from the stairs. Ichigo blinks before peeking his head out from his room.
"...what do you mean hole in the wall? Yuzu?"
Ichigo hums under his breath, ignorant to the whispers as he walks through the school hallways. He brushes back the loose strands falling out of his yakai-maki bun as swayed back and forth down his back and in his face. The bright blue butterfly clip centered perfectly on the back of his head held up the rest of his hair.
"Hey–hey! Look it's Kurosaki-san!"
"Kurosaki-san is so pretty..."
"...you think he'll let me take a picture with him?"
"No way! You have to get through those people first."
"Ichigo? Ichigo!" The orange haired teenager looks over his shoulder at the shout, watching his childhood friend, Arisawa Tatsuki, stalk towards him with Inoue Orihime following behind her.
"Tatsuki! Inoue-san," Ichigo greets with a smile. "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime exclaims with a cheerful smile and a wave. Tatsuki narrows her eyes at Ichigo, looking over what he wears.
He wore the normal school uniform, only his shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing a form fitting black turtleneck and he wore his haori over it all instead of the jacket.
"They're always freaking out, even though you wear the same thing," Tatsuki states quietly before sighing. Ichigo blinks before looking down at his haori.
"What do you mean?"
"It's nothing, Ichigo. Why are you here so late? It's already lunch," Tatsuki changes the subject. Ichigo sighs softly, his smile disappearing. Both Tatsuki and Orihime startle at the unusual change.
"What happened?" Tatsuki asks, stepping forward with a scowl.
Ichigo quickly smiles once more, waving his hands back and forth. "Nothing! Nothing! Well, a... truck ran through my house."
"Oh my God! Kurosaki-kun, are you okay?! Are your sisters okay?!" Orihime leans forward with wide eyes and her hands gripping around her bento. Ichigo just laughs softly, resting his arms inside the sleeves of his haori.
"The girls are okay. I had to wait for some people to come and get started on fixing it and all the insurance paperwork is a nightmare to fill out," Ichigo reassures his friends with a small, but grateful smile. "What did you make for lunch, Inoue-san?"
Orihime smiles brightly as she holds up her lunch and starts to ramble about her odd taste in ingredients. Tatsuki narrows her eyes at the change of subject, staring right at Ichigo's head. Ichigo purposely ignores the stare by smiling with his eyes closed.
"Ara, ara. Such interesting choices today, Inoue-san..." The orange haired teenager trails off with a sweatdrop. Orihime giggles brightly, hugging her lunch to her chest.
"Would you like some, Kurosaki-kun? I have plenty to share!"
"Oh, no thank you–"
"Is everything really okay?" Tatsuki cuts in a quiet tone. Ichigo just smiles and keeps his head facing forward. Tatsuki glances at Orihime before they both glance back at Ichigo.
"Um... O-oh! Since you couldn't make it to school on time, you–you missed what happened this morning!" Orihime exclaims with a nervous grin. The three enter the classroom as Ichigo turns to question his fellow ginger.
"What do you–" Ichigo freezes when he senses softly falling snow on a deathly freezing day. He slowly raises his head and glances over to the center of the snow.
Kuchiki Rukia sat at the once unassigned desk next to his. She smiles cheerfully at everyone around her, wearing the school uniform impeccably.
"...new transfer student! She's really nice!" Ichigo tunes back to what Orihime was talking about. "Kurosaki-kun? Kurosaki-kun, is something wrong?"
Ichigo laughs and waves his hand, forcing a smile on his face when he realizes that he had stopped smiling. "Nothing! Nothing! I... thought I had... recognized the transfer student."
"Oh! Ichigo! You're alive!" Asano Keigo exclaims with a wave. Ichigo smiles at the male teenager as he walks towards his desk.
"Moshi moshi, Keigo-san!" Ichigo greets with a wave before he reaches his desk.
"Oh! You must be Kurosaki-san! I am Kuchiki Rukia! A pleasure to meet your acquaintance!" The Shinigami speaks in a way too cheerful voice, making Ichigo's eyebrow twitch.
"A pleasure, Kuchiki-san..." Ichigo trails off, attempting to stay polite.
"Mama, what the hell have I gotten myself into?" Ichigo turns and sets his bag down on top of his chair.
"Kuchiki-san, pardon me, but have you received any textbooks yet?" Ichigo stares ahead and through the window on the other side of his desk. He slowly turns his head when Rukia doesn't speak up immediately.
"...no, I have not. Would you be willing to let me borrow yours for the moment?" Rukia asks with her hand out.
Ichigo fully turns around, his smile plastered on his face. He glances at her palm, reading what she had written.
"Find a place we can talk."
"Why don't I help you retrieve some? I know where they keep them."
Rukia stares at him before smiling back and stands up with a nod. "That would be lovely, Kurosaki-san! Please lead the way," Rukia answers brightly.
"Right this way then, Kuchiki-san!" Ichigo walks past the Shinigami without another glance.
"Kurosaki-kun? Where are you going?" Orihime asks curiously, the first to notice Ichigo leaving with Rukia right behind him.
"Getting Kuchiki-san textbooks," The orange haired teenager answers as he leaves the classroom. The smile disappears from his face once the door closes behind Rukia. He takes a sharp left and marches towards the doors leading outside.
"Are you sure this is the direction, Kurosaki-san? It seems like you're leading me somewhere else!" Rukia states cheerfully. They enter the courtyard before Ichigo finally stops walking. The wind blows past as the silence becomes tense.
"Shinigami-san..." Ichigo turns his head slightly as his voice goes completely dead. "I am very protective of my little sisters, incredibly so."
Rukia instinctively takes a step back, hand twitching for the sword she couldn't access at the moment. Ichigo turns around fully, fully smiling with his teeth showing.
"Because you saved my sisters last night, I am giving you a chance to answer. If you lie or answer incorrectly... well, because you saved my sisters, I will give you a swift death. Is that understood, Shinigami-san?" Ichigo continues as if he wasn't outright threatening the spirit.
"What are you–"
"What did you do to my sisters to make them forget about last night?" Ichigo interrupts Rukia, pretending like she didn't even speak. Rukia looks up at him with wide eyes, fingers twitching to find anything to protect herself with.
His aura... it felt like thousands of blades were pointed at her neck, inching closer with each passing second.
"...they are human. Shinigami are a secret to the Plus Souls roaming the Living World, as–as well as a secret to humans. We have a device that can make humans forget what they saw. Unfortunately, we can't choose the memories that the old ones are replaced with," Rukia explains slowly before she takes another step back.
Ichigo stares down at her with dark eyes full of suspicion and anger. He turns his head as he closes his eyes, laughing softly.
The aura around them disappears in less than a second. Rukia barely stops her knees from buckling at the sudden change.
"That's good... but my sisters are able to see and sense spirits. It will be safer for them to know about Hollows and the Shinigami. Now that that's over with, what are you doing here, Rukia-san? I thought you would have returned to Soul Society after last night," Ichigo states cheerfully, eyes back to their tawny brown. Rukia swallows back the fear still lingering in her chest and crosses her arms.
"Only Shinigami can return to Soul Society. Until my powers return, I am not a Shinigami." Rukia frowns, eyes glaring down at the ground.
"Your powers are gone? What happened?" Ichigo asks in worry. He gives the Shinigami a cursory glance over, trying to pinpoint any hidden injuries or odd movements. Nothing was out of place... well, besides the fact that Ichigo could clearly tell that Rukia wasn't even human.
"When I stabbed you with my zanpakutō. I intended to only give you half of my powers. You took almost all of them. Now, I'm stuck in this gigai as I heal," Rukia states in frustration, mostly frustrated towards herself.
"How do I give them back? I thought you would be able to take them back after last night? Is it causing you harm to be without your powers? Why are you healing?" Ichigo takes a step forward, genuinely worried despite being wary of the Shinigami.
Rukia raises an eyebrow at him before huffing a quiet laugh. She shakes her head, her cool smirk coming back.
"You can't give them back. They're your powers now. No, it's not causing me any harm. Hollows can still sense me, even without my abilities. I have to hide and wait for them to come back. That is why I am in a gigai, why I am attending this odd school of yours... but it isn't the only reason why I'm here." Rukia stares up at the orange haired teenager as the wind blows past them.
"...what do you mean, Rukia-san?" He asks slowly, having an inkling where this was going.
"Until my powers return, you will take my place as a Shinigami!"
Absolute silence immediately follows after the declaration. Ichigo tilts his head down, shoulders starting to shake up and down. Rukia blinks before staring at him with narrowed confusion.
Ichigo couldn't contain his laughter anymore, attempting to hide his wide smile with his haori. "Oh wow! That's hilarious, Rukia-san!"
"This isn't a joke, Ichigo. You will become a Shinigami–temporarily–in my stead," Rukia continues as her eyebrow starts to twitch. Ichigo continues to laugh while waving his other hand in the air.
"Ara, ara! I haven't laughed that much in quite a while, Rukia-san! You're quite funny, hm?" Ichigo calms down with a hand over his heart and his smile widens into a grin. "I'll help you, Rukia-san, but I will be no Shinigami. My first priority will always be slaying demons, and my second being living as a human. This will be last, understand?"
"Yes. Thank you, Ichigo," Rukia sighs, her posture relaxing in her relief. She pauses as she repeats Ichigo's words in her head.
"My first priority will always be slaying demons."
"What the hell are you talking about? Slaying demons? Is that meant to be a metaphor?" The Shinigami scoffs in her confusion, making Ichigo tilt his head.
"You don't know? Hmm. This may be a problem..." Ichigo trails off quietly as he thinks how he should explain the bloody and seemingly endless war humanity has not known it was currently fighting in.
Ichigo sighs before shrugging, hiding his hands back into his haori. "A problem we will deal with later. Let's go get your textbooks Rukia-san... and fix that unusual speech of yours."
"I think my speech is perfectly fine for learning it in one night!" Rukia exclaims with a finger pointing in Ichigo's face. Ichigo just smiles with a hum and walks past the Shinigami.
"Don't just walk away without saying anything!" Rukia follows with a scowl. Ichigo continues to smile, stifling his laughter.
A bit of an unexpected turn of events... but it looks like it'll be interesting.
Hey! Hope you all like the new story! Honestly, I would have loved to see an actual collab one shot of Demon Slayer x Bleach. I feel like it would be so interesting. Which is why I made this.
The other reason is because Ichigo deserves to be a pretty boy after all the shit he's been through, so he's going to be pretty in this story as said shit fucks him over.
There are slight changes to both sides of the crossover and just to be on the safe side, I will tell you all now that this will most likely have multiple major and minor manga spoilers.
I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Bye!
WhovianWhoudini
