Here's another chapter for my dedicated readers, (Sob, I'm noticed, I'm so happy! Anyways I'm almost done chapter 8 so you won't have to wait long to read what happens next.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!
Chapter 7- Soul Society Festival! Firecrackers, Karaoke, Sake, and Pain!
It had been several days since Shinn had learned to use his new shikai. However he still sensed Yami's lurking presence deep in his mind. However more important matters were at hand. It was time for the annual Soul Society Cherry Blossom Festival. It was a ancient celebration that was enjoyed throughout the Rukongai. It was a grand festival of fireworks, treats, and fun.
"Karaoke…!" Hana cried punching her fist into the air.
"So enthusiastic," Koji murmured, "She's almost in a nice mood today!"
Now the fist met his head.
"…Sake!" Cho cried as he raised his cup, "Everyone always loves the sake!"
"…Food!" Koji and Saito cried laughing out loud.
"…Fireworks!" Rei added jumping up.
"…And cherry blossoms!" Miho cried raising her arms happily.
Shinn just watched them all with a small smile.
"They're completely crazy," He thought smiling.
"So what's our job?" Saito asked.
"5th Division's helping out set up the fireworks," Rei explained.
"I'll give you three weeks worth of my pay if you aim hit Hana with a firecracker," Koji whispered to Shinn.
Shinn smiled nervously as Koji laughed and slapped him on the back.
"Alright, so we're to report to the docks in one hour," Rei ordered, "We'll be assigned under Vice-Captain Hinamori Momo,"
"Alright!" Saito cheered, "I love Asian chicks!"
Rei and Hana methodically began stomping the complete crap out of him.
The group left the meeting hall and headed towards the dock that led to the Mizu Ocean.
"Ohayo everyone!" Hinamori greeted as the group walked down the docks.
"Ohayo Hinamori-kun!" Saito cried before Hana tripped him into the sea.
"Ohayo Hinamori-san," Shinn replied.
"Oh," Cho remarked waltzing up and taking her hand into his, "My names Cho, but you can call me 'beautiful' baby,"
Rei and Hana once again displayed their amazing powers by throwing him into the ocean with Saito.
"No need to be so formal," Hinamori giggled, "Just call me Hinamori,"
"How about 'Hinamori-chan" Satio asked struggling out of the water.
Hana stomped on Saito's hand's knocking him back in without looking away from Hinamori.
"So what are our orders?" Rei asked.
"Well, the ship has to be loaded up with the gun-powder so I'm sure the boys would love to help," Hinamori explained while Koji, Cho and a completely drenched Saito nodded eagerly, "And the girls can help me with setting out fireworks,"
Rei ordered Miho and Hana to follow her while Cho, Shinn, Koji, and Saito were sent to load up the ship.
"Wonder what's in these things?" Cho asked as he hefted a crate.
"Who knows?" Saito asked as he set one crate down.
"Maybe its food!" Koji cried ripping one crate open.
"What's in it?" Cho asked.
"Black powder," Koji replied, "Here Shinn, takes this one up will ya?"
He passed the open crate over to Shinn.
"You idiot!" Rei cried, "Don't open the crates!"
"Burn! Howl into the night's fire…" Hana began.
"Don't!" Hinamori cried, "That crate's filled with…"
"…Unleash Burning spell the 4th!"
The ball of fire struck the crate Shinn was carrying.
There was a blast and Shinn could be seen soaring into the sky.
"…gunpowder," Hinamori sighed.
"Don't worry," Miho remarked, "Shinn's too nice to get mad over something like that,"
"When do you think he's gonna land?" Cho asked as he watched the little black speck that was Shinn fly higher.
"Who knows?" Saito replied as he went back to loading the crates.
The girls set to distributing an equal amount of gunpowder into the firing slots.
"This stuff smells horrible!" Hana complained as she poured a bit of the black powder into the tube.
"Well it'll be worth it once we launch the fireworks!" Miho chirped.
"I know," Hana sighed, "But why do we have to do this job?"
"Because then someone else would have to do it!" Hinamori replied cheerfully, "Better it be us!"
"She sounds exactly like Shinn," Hana muttered.
Soon all the preparations were set and the group went into the cabin to celebrate.
"There should be some tea and water in here," Hinamori said cheerfully, "Help yourself to anything in here,"
"And here we go!" Cho cried who was already rifling through the stock.
He held out a bottle of his beloved sake.
"S-s-sake?" Hinamori gasped, "B-b-but…"
"S-s-sake?" Shinn echoed.
"Try some," Cho replied, "It doesn't the heart good!"
He poured out a shot for everyone and kept the bottle to himself.
Shinn took a hesitant sip and choked immediately.
"That's the spirit!" Saito laughed downing his own with ease.
Hana immediately motioned for a second glass as did Koji and Rei.
"Ack..how can you enjoy this?" Hinamori asked coughing.
Michelle's eyes widened when she swallowed then they sorta half-closed and she began swaying.
Cho insisted that everyone have at least four shots each and pretty soon everyone was completely drunk except for Shinn who kept politely stirred the second shot that was handed to him.
"So tell me," Hinamori whispered crawling onto Shinn's lap, "Do you have anyone special in your life?"
"Um…Hinamori?" Shinn stammered confused (course because she was getting reeeeeal close to him), "Are you alright?"
"Uh…not really," Shinn replied as his face got redder.
"What do you think of me?" She asked.
"Hinamori-chan!" Saito wailed.
"You're very nice and um…cheerful, hardworking…" Shinn desperately tried to find things to say.
"Do you think I'm pretty?" She asked leaning closer towards his face.
"Um…" Shinn stuttered.
Suddenly Renji kicked the door open and it slammed into the two tangling them on top of each other.
"Oy!" Renji shouted, "Have any of you…"
His eyes drifted to Hinamori laying on top of Shinn.
"Shinn!" Renji shouted, his eyes on fire, "That's a felony you know!"
"It's not like that!" Shinn wailed.
Renji was about to teach him a lesson when he sniffed the air.
"Is that my sake?" Renji asked as his eyes opened wide.
Rei giggled and pointed to Shinn.
"It was him!"
"Wha…no!" Shinn cried.
"It's true!" Miho added smiling widely (course she's drunk).
By now Shinn had detached himself from Hinamori and ran out with Renji chasing him.
"Wow, Shinn can run fast!" Miho giggled them collapsed on top of Hinamori in a fit of laughter.
The two began laughing uncontrollably and soon the rest were clutching their sides laughing.
Soon the parade was in full swing. People were around eating lunch and talking and laughing. Kids were playing games and causing mischief among the stalls and Patrol 18 was walking though these same stalls. Shinn rejoined his teammates after (sob) agreeing to pay for the squandered sake but deep down he really didn't mind. He was fed, given a bed, friends, and clothes, what more could he want?
"Look at all the goodies!" Koji laughed grabbing a little out of every bit of food.
"Um…sir?" The stall manager asked, "How exactly are you to pay for this?"
"Put it on Hana's tab," Koji replied then ran when Hana freaked out.
"WHAT?" Hana screamed, "You greedy cheapskate!"
She was about to chase him when the manager blocked her path.
"That'll be 200 kan," The manager informed.
Hana seethed as she handed the coins to the manager.
Saito was busy checking out the chicks running the noodle stall.
"So, when do you get off work?" He asked.
"I'm hungry, but not for noodles," Cho whispered.
Shinn was busy helping himself to a bowl of ramen while the girls took turns slapping the crap out of Cho and Saito.
"Poor guys," Shinn sighed as he slurped a helping of the spicy noodles.
Rei and Miho walked down the stalls buying little snacks and treats while chatting about nothing in particular.
"So have you ever visited the real world?" Rei asked.
"Oh, I'm still too new to be somewhere like that!" Miho answered as she handed a piece of confetti to little kids running by.
"It's an exciting place," Rei chuckled, "It's changed since I was alive,"
"Oh, is it pretty?" Miho asked, "I can't remember it it's been so long!"
"It's very beautiful," Rei replied.
Suddenly a bell clanged indicating it was time for the annual karaoke dance.
"Karaoke!" Hana cried.
Shinn smiled at Hana's excitement.
"Good luck…ahh!" Miho cried as Hana grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the line up.
"You think I'm gonna let you hide from this one?" Hana asked as Miho desperately tried to claw away.
"Bye Miho-san, bye Hana-san!" Shinn waved cheerfully.
Miho wailed as she was resigned to her fate.
Suddenly Shinn was yanked away by Saito, Cho, and Koji
"We're gonna perform too!" Saito cried.
"Waaah!" Shinn cried as he was dragged by the three of them.
Rei and Hinamori smiled as the younger patrol members were led off both willingly and unwillingly.
When Saito, Cho, and Koji (Shinn hid behind his taller teammates and remained quiet) sang it was obvious they were all drunk.
"And I will always loooove yooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Cho wailed.
The crowd winced at the constant voice cracking but politely clapped.
"I think the crowd wants an encore!" Saito grinned.
"NO!" The crowd screamed.
Others preformed and the crowd cheered and laughed as the men and women sang (or wailed or screamed). Even Renji (completely plastered) sang a drinking song along with 8th division captain Kyouraku Shunsui which Hinamori and Nanao had to drag off when they had both collapsed in a drunken sleep.
Even the other captains and vice-captains sang (horribly) in front of the crowd. Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika sang as well which the crowd playfully booed.
Hana and Miho stepped up with the mikes in hand.
Everyone hushed as Hana raised her microphone.
(Tribute to my friend Ciara whom this character is based on)
Evanescence-
Going Under
"Going Under"
Now I will tell
you what I've done for you
50 thousand tears I've cried
Screaming
Deceiving and Bleeding for you
And you still won't hear me
(I'm
going under)
Don't want your hand this time I'll save myself
Maybe
I'll wake up for once
Not tormented daily defeated by you
Just
when I thought I'd reached the bottom
I'm dying again
I'm
going under
Drowning in you
I'm falling forever
I've got to
break through
I'm going under
Blurring and Stirring the
truth and the lies
So I don't know what's real and what's
not
Always confusing the thoughts in my head
So I can't trust
myself anymore
I'm dying again
I'm going under
Drowing
in you
I'm falling forever
I've got to break through
So go
on and scream
Scream at me I'm so far away
I won't be broken
again
I've got to breathe I can't keep going under
The crowd went wild and Hana waved smugly at her talent.
Patrol 18 clapped happily from their spot on the grassy hill.
"No wonder she like karaoke!" Koji remarked, "It's the only time people think she's nice!"
"Hana-san has a pretty voice," Shinn remarked.
"Too bad they don't know how cruel she is in reality," Cho smirked.
Hana smiled one last time before Miho went up blushing deep red.
"Good luck Miho-san!" Shinn called out.
She waved to her friends then raised the mike.
(Tribute to Michelle whom this character is based on, also a tribute to Lacus Clyne from Gundam Seed)
Lacus Clyne- In the Silent Night
In
this silent night, I'm waiting for you
During that time, your
smile has faded away
Now that a little time has passed,
Fond
memories start to resurface.
At the place where stars
fall,
I'm always wishing for your laughter.
Even though we're
apart now
We can meet again, right?
From when has my smile
faded this much
Since it was shattered by one mistake
Change
only the precious things into light and
Go beyond the sky with
fortitude.
To the place where stars fall,
I want my
thoughts to reach you.
I am always by your side
Since I will
embrace that coldness.
Even though we're apart now,
We will
definitely be back together.
In the Silent Night…
The crowd cheered wildly as much as they had when Hana had preformed.
"I've never noticed how pretty Miho-san is when she's singing," Saito remarked, "She's almost as
hot as those Asian chicks at the noodle stand!"
"Miho is very good," Cho remarked, "I wonder if she…"
Rei kicked Cho in the head before he could finish the thought.
"Pervert," Rei muttered.
Shinn smiled as Cho protested his actions were entirely noble.
As soon as the girls were able to make it back to their friends without getting glomped or adored they set off to find a place to eat under the cherry blossoms.
"Here's nice," Rei remarked as she spread the picnic blanket across the hill.
Shinn helped Hana gather firewood while Cho and Saito went to get water from the stream, all the while Miho and Rei set up the food.
"Hey Shinn!" Hana called out.
"Hmmm?" Shinn murmured as he gathered a pile of dry twigs to his load.
"What was with you that day in the forest?" Hana asked.
Shinn dropped his armload.
He managed to maintain a cheerful composure however.
"Oh, I was just a bit feverish," Shinn replied.
"What!" Hana cried, her eyebrows narrowing, "Don't give me that bull…"
"Looks like we have enough wood," Shinn interrupted, "Let's get back now,"
Grudgingly she decided to leave the matter alone for now.
"Here's the water," Saito called out as he hauled a bucket of water up the hill.
Shinn and Hana came back carrying an armload of firewood.
"And here's the firewood," Hana added dropping her pile onto the grass.
Miho gathered the wood and she and Rei set to making a fireplace.
Shinn climbed a cherry blossom and quickly found himself asleep with the sweet scent of cherry blossoms.
Cho, Saito and Koji looked longingly at the food which Hana was setting out but had strictly told them not to touch.
Rei had lighted a fire while Miho set the pot over it.
"When is the food ready?" Koji wailed.
"Soon!" Rei snapped, "Now get the plates!"
"How come Shinn doesn't have to work?" Saito complained as he gathered sets of chopsticks.
"Oh he will," Hana grinned evilly, "Hey Miho! Can you wake up Shinn?"
Miho nodded then climbed up to wake her friend.
"Shinn," She whispered shaking him slightly.
He merely rolled his head the other way.
"Shinn," She whispered again trying to wake him.
Shinn remained sleeping blissfully.
She looked around quickly to make sure none was watching then she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
The effects were remarkable if not funny. Shinn tumbled out of the tree and landed on his head.
"Why'd you do that?" Shinn cried blushing terribly.
"Well, you woke up," Miho giggled, "That's good enough,"
"Lucky Shinn," Saito sighed as he set the bowls out.
Shinn sighed but soon helped setting up the lunches.
"Wow," Koji remarked, "This all looks delicious!"
"Hana-chan and Rei-san prepared most of it," Miho commented as she set down a set of cups.
"Well I am good at it!" Hana laughed as she poured seven cups of tea.
"Hana is not very modest," Cho murmured throwing his voice so that is sounded like Shinn was saying it.
Hana easily kicked Cho in the head.
"Why'd you hit me?" Cho wailed.
"Because Shinn always uses that damn 'san' suffix," Hana replied, "Plus I could see you moving your lips!"
The group of friends soon relaxed and began enjoying their meal.
"Damn Koji can shovel it down," Hana remarked.
"Koji-san must enjoy Hana's cooking," Shinn remarked.
"It's alright," Koji mumbled through mouthfuls, "But I'm just really hungry so anything tastes good right now,"
Hana chucked her cup of tea into his face.
"Miho-chan, our most Splendid Blossom of Beauty, how are you enjoying the picnic?" Cho asked.
"Oh…um…it's very nice," Miho replied cheerfully.
"And how about you Shinn?" Cho asked leaning towards him, "Are you finding this picnic simply delightful?"
"Um...very much so Cho-san," Shinn replied nervously hoping Cho would back away from him.
"Cho, you realize Shinn is a guy, right?" Saito asked.
"So?" Cho replied, "A beautiful person should be noticed,"
Shinn's eyes bugged out and he tried to slouch away.
"You sick troll!" Hana cried punching him in the face.
"Whhhaaa!" Cho cried as he tumbled down the hill and into the stream.
"Hey, do you think with my hair wet I look all sexy?" Cho called out from the stream.
"Rei-san," Hana turned with pleading eyes, "I know public use of kido is frowned upon but…"
"Do it," Rei replied without even looking up from her bowl.
A series of blasts and explosions accompanied by the occasional wail could be heard.
Koji and Saito both made a stab for the last piece of salmon.
"It's mine!" Saito cried, "Back off you glutton!"
"Glutton?" Koji snarled back, "I deserve the piece because I'm the strongest here!"
Suddenly Rei walked up and plucked the piece out from the two sets of chopstick's grasp.
"I get it," Rei declared popping it into her mouth, "For having to listen to you to whine,"
Meanwhile in another section of the Rukongai…
"Have the Menos been assembled?" Aizen asked a figure standing next to him.
"As you have requested," Tousen Kaname replied crouching.
"Excellent," Aizen murmured, "Have them attack the North Quadrant then spread out from there, with the rumors spread of my appearance in the Material World most of the captain are preoccupied,"
The two walked away from the cliff that overlooked the Soul Society.
"Hey!" A shinigami officer cried, "Did you sense that spirit pressure?"
"It stinks of hollow!" Another shinigami snarled.
Suddenly a massive black shape loomed over the North Rukongai district.
"I-I-Impossible," He whispered, "A Menos Grande!"
"In the Rukongai!" Another cried, "But how!"
The massive hollow opened its mouth and unleash a torrent of black energy that consumed the three shinigami on patrol.
Soon several more Menos Grandes materialized.
"This can't be happening," A shinigami whispered, "This…it's just not possible!"
The Menos's blast showed him before he died just how possible this was.