Chapter Two: First Impressions
"You can see me!?" Apacci yelled out.
"Oh, balls." Yoshiro muttered to himself as he took an instinctive step back. He really wasn't sure what step to take next here. After all, it's not like there's some sort of instruction manual. For what one does when they suddenly found themselves facing. A mysterious, flying animal woman. So he did the only thing that seemed reasonable in the situation.
"Ummm…hi?" Yoshiro said, putting his mastery of language on full display.
The deer-like woman eyed him from her position in the air. Her eyes shifted from a look of surprise to suspicion. As she narrowed her eyes, and she seemed to be scowling. Then she suddenly disappeared with a sound of static. Yoshiro's eyes widened at that and took a few more steps back in surprise. Not knowing where the mysterious person went too. He soon felt himself bump into something behind him. It seemed smaller than him, warm, and a little furry. He quickly turned around and saw the mysterious deer woman directly in front of him.
"How the hell did she manage that!?" The blond thought in surprise as he then noticed something else. He saw a fist-sized hole that was placed in the center of her chest, right below her breast. "Why does she have a hole in her chest and how did I not see that before?" Those thoughts were caught off when the deer woman. Grabbed him with a single hand and lifted him clear off the ground with no effort on her part. Much to his surprise, not every day someone so much smaller. Hoist you off of the ground like nothing. She had to be only just barely over five feet tall. She also couldn't have weighed more than maybe 95lbs looking at her.
"Holy shit you're strong!" Yoshiro couldn't help but blurt out. She seemed to ignore the statement and kept staring at him. Her face seemingly kept scowling behind her mask as she finally spoke to him.
"How can you see me?" Apacci said with a slight growl as more of a demand than a question.
Yoshiro raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Should I not be able to?"
"Not just anyone should be able to see me!" Apcci barked, giving him a glare that was probably meant to be intimidating.
Instead, somehow even with the mask, it felt more like an angry pout in a way to Yoshiro. Not that he was going to say that at the moment. The blond had figured rather quickly. That this woman could easily kill him if she really wanted to. He for one rather enjoyed living.
"Why is that exactly?" He asked. "I need a little more context here."
"Because technically speaking I'm a spirit of sorts you could say. So, I should be pretty much invisible to a human, like you." Apacci replied with a still aggressive tone.
"Look, I've always been able to see spirits, have my whole life. I don't know why but I just have." The blond replied honestly.
"You could just be some soul reaper in disguise trying to fool me," Apacci questioned in return. To the blond-haired human, she was holding.
"The fuck is a 'soul reaper' by chance?" Yoshiro replied in curiosity.
Apacci eyed the human with a little more intrigue as she tried to figure him out. She reached out ever so slightly with her senses. "Your spirit energy doesn't feel like a soul reaper's, just human." She muttered to herself before pulling the human closer to her. So that they were only a few inches apart. She gave a few sniffs, an action that got an odd look from the human. "You don't smell like a soul reaper at all either, just human." She decided to leave out the fact, the human she held. Also held the scent reminiscent of a forest in the spring. A smell she could recall from her past memories. Though she quickly rid her head of these thoughts and re-focused on the task at hand.
"All right, you're just a spiritually aware human," Apacci spoke as she set the human down and let go.
"Thanks…I think?" Yoshiro replied as he re-adjusted his shirt. "Name's Yoshiro Abe by the way." While as odd as the whole initial exchange had been. Yoshiro was willing to chalk it up to a simple misunderstanding.
Apacci eyed the human now known as Yoshiro with a little surprise. She hadn't really expected him to be so cordial with her. After she had for intense and purposes man-handled him. "Emilou Apacci but everyone just calls me Apacci." She decided to reply after a moment.
"So, Apacci what exactly was all that about by chance?" Yoshiro asked.
Apacci eyed him a bit warily but ultimately decided that he meant no harm. "Sorry about all that. It's just I was just caught by surprise when you could see me. I sort of just reacted on instinct a little you could say."
"How long had you been watching me out of curiosity?"
"For an hour or so I'd say."
"I see." Replied the mocha-skinned teen. "If you don't mind me asking why are you all the way out here? Most spirits I see are usually at the graveyards or near them."
"I'm not from around here you could say," Apacci replied. "I came looking for something different to do for a while."
Yoshiro suddenly got the feeling Apacci was like the other spirits he had met. Lonely or just bored and needed someone or something to come along. To help change up their usual routine of things.
"If that's the case want to hang out with me?" He asked innocently.
Apacci eyed Yoshiro with intrigued for a few moments. "Why?" she finally asked.
"Well, I kind of like to spend time when I can with the various spirits around town. Not that many people can actually interact with them. So, I try to make their ghostly existence more tolerable. By hanging out with them whenever possible."
The deer-like hollow gave an honest look of surprise at that statement. A human that could see spirits. That went out of their way to actually spend time with them? That was a new one to Apacci. She contemplated the offer before her for a minute.
"Alright." She said with a slight smirk. "That works for me. If anything you are an interesting human at the very least." Which was the truth, humans weren't known for being spiritually aware. To the point, they could so visibly see and interact with spirits. Not to mention while she would never admit it out loud. She was pretty desperate for some sort of interaction. That didn't involve Mila, Sung-sun, or their mistress.
Yoshiro walked towards the edge of the rooftop and sat down, his legs dangling off the edge. Apacci came over and sat a foot or so next to him. He couldn't help but make note of the deer tail she had. As she sat down next to him.
"I guess we just ask one another something and the other does their best to answer?" Yoshiro mused.
"Works for me, so ask away."
"Well to start and no offense but what are you exactly?" Yoshiro asked. "Of all the spirits I've met in the past. None have ever looked as unique as you, to put it."
"I imagine so, I'm what you would call a 'hollow' you see." Apacci answered.
"That's a new one to me, care to elaborate?"
"I'm a type of spirit, we are born when a normal soul lingers for too long in the living world. Ones you will find mostly here in the living world are just low-level mooks. However, you can find hollows from the weakest to the strongest variety in Hueco Mundo. It's the realm of hollows and where the majority live. Hollows are defined by two distinct characteristics. One, we have some sort of mask or covering on our face and/or head." She used her hands to point at the mask on her face. It looked to be made of the same bone-like material that covered her chest. "Plus, our hollow hole, placement varies from hollow to hollow and it represents our emptiness that we aim to fill. Also, as you may have noticed we are far stronger and faster than humans, along with all sorts of other neat powers and abilities." She explained putting her hands back down.
"You said that spirits like you have an emptiness that you aim to fill. How do you go about that?" Yoshiro asked intently with wonder, looking at Apacci. Fully engrossed with everything the woman was telling him. This was something completely new and incredibly intriguing. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested in learning more about all of this.
Apacci stiffened up a bit at his question. She suddenly became a bit nervous but kept the feeling hidden. "Should I tell him the truth?" She thought to herself. "He could very well freak out and run. Though he hasn't bothered to take off for hills yet after what has already happened. He does seem like a pretty understanding type of person." She internally argued with herself before she finally made her choice. "I'll just tell him the truth and hope for the best."
"Well, you see." She said with a bit of trepidation. "The emptiness acts like a pang of hunger for us. That we aim to satisfy by consuming…" She paused a little before saying. "The souls of the dead, even other hollows."
Yoshiro's eyes widen a little and then narrowed a bit as he then looked away from Apacci. He simply sat there in deep thought for a few moments as an awkward silence started to take hold. Then he looked back up at the hollow woman beside him and calmly spoke.
"Tell me…have you ever eaten any human souls?"
"No" She replied quickly. "When I became a hollow there weren't any kind of other spirits around me, so I just took off to Hueco Mundo to start hunting. Plus, even as a basic hollow. I retained enough self-control to keep myself from killing the first thing I saw. Though I'm one of the few who managed to keep such control upon turning."
Yoshiro remained quiet in thought before speaking his reply. "I see, while I have to admit it's certainly a surprise to hear that and even a little unnerving understandably." Apacci instinctively fidgeted a little. "However, I am not going to hold it against you. Simply because it's just your nature for what you are. It's your innermost instinct, no different from nature and instincts all beings have. I don't see how you can be blamed for just having to follow your very instincts and survive as needed."
Apacci sat there looking at Yoshiro completely dumbstruck. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew soul reapers would always see her as another thing to be killed. She had assumed that humans being how they are, would be the same. A human would see her as probably nothing but a monster after such a revelation. Not him though, not only did he not see her as a monster. He also seemingly understood the nature of a hollow. If someone had told her before now, that she could find a human which such understanding. She probably wouldn't have believed them.
"This guy is something else." Apacci mused mentally.
"Are you ok?" Yoshiro spoke as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You look like you kind of spaced out there." Apacci flinched a little at the touch but didn't pull away.
"Thank you. Most people in the world wouldn't be so understanding. Hearing you say that means more than you think for someone like me." Apacci replied softly.
"No problem." He responded gently. "I always try to keep a very open-minded and understanding view of things. I've found such an approach tends to make things in the world a lot easier to deal with and handle." He said with a smile. Apacci gave a small smile of her own in return.
"So, is there anything else related to the consuming thing to know?" Yoshiro asked as he moved his hand back.
"Yes actually." She spoke much more calmly and assure of herself. "You see, consuming other souls and hollows is how we for the most part grow our power and eventually evolve to our next stage of existence."
"Kind of like a Pokémon?" Yoshiro wondered.
Apacci wasn't sure what a Pokémon was but made a mental note to ask later about it. "Yeah sure, anyways hollows have four main states. There's our base for when we first are born, the Gillian state where we take on this giant lumbering form. Then there's the Adjuchas state where we shrink down in size and take on a more animal-like appearance. Finally, there's the Vasto Lorde state, this is the most powerful form of a hollow. Which is what I am, and few hollows ever achieve such a state. We have a much more human appearance but still retain certain characteristics from our Adjuchas state."
"That's actually really incredible when one thinks about it." Yoshiro mused. I just got one more thing to ask. It's about what you called me earlier. What exactly is a 'soul reaper' and why do you hate them so much?"
Apacci suddenly seemed rather serious and she stared off into the distance with her eyes narrowing. "Soul reapers." She said with a noticeable hint of venom. "Soul reapers are another soul like beings who exist to ferry the souls of dead humans from the living world to their world. Also, their job is to kill people like me."
"Wait, what?" Yoshiro asked in surprise.
"They hunt us down whenever they can find us, believing us to be impure beings. Viewing us nothing more than monsters to be destroyed. They also have their own set of abilities and powers. Including a sword that allows them to do all sorts of crazy shit, though the powers differ from person to person. They call what they do to us 'purification' but for us, it feels like nothing short of being killed for simply existing."
Apacci turned to Yoshiro and looked at him directly into his eyes. "You want to know the real messed up thing about this? One of the biggest reasons a soul becomes a hollow, to begin with, is because the soul reapers fail to find and ferry them to their other world in proper time. There are a few other ways one becomes a hollow but that's the main one. At the same time, I can understand why soul reapers exist, to begin with. While me, my companion's and our mistress always had enough control. To never go after normal souls or kill humans for theirs. Many of our kind when there first born tend to be pretty bloodthirsty and uncaring. Even as they evolve most tend to hold on to these tendencies, as is the norm of Hueco Mundo for most. Someone has to keep them in check otherwise kami only knows the damage they would cause. Still doesn't change the fact that soul reapers would still try to kill me on sight. Despite the fact, I don't cause any kind of trouble. Even though I've never hurt any normal souls or killed any humans. They would treat me no different from the more bloodthirsty and murderous of my kind."
Yoshiro's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the statement, looked directly back at Apacci with a serious and upset expression. "That's utter bullshit. You come into existence because they fail to do their jobs and then they have the nerve to demonize you because of their own failures. That really pisses me off. I can understand having to deal with the ones that cause trouble. Though the fact they would treat the more level-headed and in control, just the same. Is something I find rather ridiculous in my mind. His expression then changed to something akin to care and concern. "Apacci" He calmly said. "If you find yourself in trouble with these soul reapers while here, feel free to come to me and I'll help you however I can, ok?"
Once again, Apacci was dumbstruck by this guy. He barely knew her and here he was saying how he would help protect her. "He reminds me so much of Lady Halibel."
"Look Apacci." Yoshiro began. "I know we haven't known each other very long at all but I don't see a monster when I look at you. I see a person, a person who was dealt a bit a rough hand by the world. Someone who has had to struggle in ways I honestly couldn't even begin to imagine. Suffering hardships for no other reason than simply existing and the fact there are others who would try to kill you for that reason is wrong. You shouldn't have to suffer for things out of your control. If anyone comes around and says otherwise, well they can just go ahead and fuck off." He ended with a grin.
Apacci could her face blushing from behind her mask at his words, as she gave a grin of her own in return. "Thank you." That was all she could say, she couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. She was moved by the boy's conviction and genuine honesty of what he said.
"Well then, that's enough questions on my end. What do you want to know about me?" The blond spoke.
"Well the first thing is, why are you at a place like this to practice your music?" Appaci wondered.
"Simple really, this spot is secluded enough for me to practice without disruption. Also, enough of the light around here provides sight for me to see what I'm doing and the view of the Karakura at night from up here is quite nice." Yoshiro answered.
Apacci took a look at the illuminated Karakura. "It's a nice sight, I'll admit that. Next question, where the hell is Karakura exactly?
Yoshiro laughed a little. "Karakura is located in Japan."
"Japan really?" Apacci quickly looked Yoshiro up and down. "While my memories of my human life are a bit blurry. I do remember enough to know, that you don't look like a typical Japanese person. No offense."
"None taken and I can explain that." Yoshiro mused. "I get pretty much all my looks from my mother, she had wild blond hair, and mocha skin as well. She was the daughter of a native Hawaiian woman and a blond-haired guy from California. Though her eyes were an aqua-green color, mine are more of an emerald. At least that what I was told by my father when I was younger. I only have a few pictures of my mom back at home, to confirm it all. The technical term used here for someone like is 'Hāfu' in truth."
"You turn a lot of heads walking down the street I imagine?" Apacci spoke.
"I do at times, though not always for the best reasons."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just not everyone likes my unique appearance. I get some stares and glares in the bad kind of way. Some people have even tried to corner me and beat me up. Not that it ever worked, once those moments came around. It always ended with me walking away and them getting carted off in an ambulance." The blond replied.
Apacci laughed at that. "Good, those bastards deserved it then for trying to pull that kind of thing. I sort of know what it's like."
"How so?" Wondered Yoshiro.
"In Hueco Mundo, female hollows are fewer in number. They also tend to be hunted more by the male ones. Since their perceived as being weaker and easier to kill. Male hollows will pair up in groups to corner a female hollow and kill her." Apacci said with some anger lacing her voice.
"That's….well…holy shit," Yoshiro replied a little disturbed by that news. "That is so much worse compared to what I deal with."
"Different world, different standards, I did say most hollows tend to be bastards. They also tend to be male at that."
"No wonder you and your fellow female hollows banded together. Almost seems like a necessity. I'm surprised you put up with guys at all." Yoshiro said.
"Hey, I'm here talking with you aren't I?" Apacci said with a smirk. "Just because all men in Hueco Mundo, seem to rage-fueled assholes. That doesn't mean I'm so short-sighted to think all men are that way. Hell, I wouldn't be against being with a guy, if I found a nice enough one."
"I can get behind that."
Apacci looked at Yoshiro with an inquisitive look in her eyes. "Are you gay by chance? Not that such a thing would bother me at all. My companions and I have all cuddled up with each other at one point or another, to put it. Nothing, serious mind you. More of a friend's with benefits sort of deal really."
"That's cool and to answer your question, I'm bi-sexual." The mocha-skinned teen replied.
"Nice, so am I!" Apacci chimed.
Yoshiro couldn't help but chuckle at that. "To think the only other bi person I've met so far in my life. Just happens to be a deer-person spirit being from another realm of existence. You can't make this kind of shit up."
Apacci laughed as well "Ain't that the truth? So I gotta ask, any kind of past boyfriends or girlfriends?"
"Just a couple flings. Once with a boy, another with a girl. Nothing serious and we only ever got to second base."
"Ok then, next question. Anyone else in this town besides you I should be aware of that can also see spirits?" Apacci asked.
"Only one that I know of," Yoshiro replied. "My friend Ichigo Kurosaki is the only person besides me who can. Good guy, a few years younger than me, orange hair, likes to read."
"A few years younger than you?"
"Yeah, he just turned thirteen. Truth be told all my friends are all a few years younger than I am. I never really had any friends of my own age. Then one day before I really knew it. I suddenly a quite a few of them and I just happened to be the oldest one amongst them. Not that I really mind, they all sort of look up to me since I'm the oldest. I look after them all the best I can. Everyone in our little group is unique in some way it seems. And in all honesty, I don't think any of us would have it any other way." The blond explained.
"It's interesting you say that." Apacci chimed. "That's sort of like what it's like for me and the little group I'm in back in Hueco Mundo. We're different and unique in our own way. Though in a weird way all our differences mesh together rather well. Even if it doesn't seem like they should. Anyways, sounds like you have quite the interesting friends."
"You know while the others can't see you. Maybe sometime if, the right opportunity comes. I can introduce you to Ichigo?" Yoshiro mused.
"I don't know?" Apacci replied a bit sheepishly. "Not everyone may be as accepting of getting to know someone like me. As you have after all."
"Ichigo may be young but he's more mature than anyone would think someone his age would be. Don't worry, if it makes you that nervous. Then it can happen when you want it to." Yoshiro then proceeded to pull out his cellphone.
"What's that?" Spoke a curious Apacci.
"It's a 'cellphone', long story short. They're devices that allow mainly long-distance communication. Though they can have other purposes like checking the time and whatnot. Were these not a thing when you were still a living human?" Yoshiro wondered.
"Well my memories from my human life are a little patchy but no I don't recall those being a thing."
"Anything memories from your human life that stick out at all? That you care to share?" Asked the blond.
"Hmmmm.." The deer like Vasto Lorde went as she thought to herself. "Well, I can recall something called 'Back to the Future from then. Whatever that is, apparently it was a brand new thing."
"Huh, 'Back to the Future is a movie from 1985," Yoshiro said. "Just how old is she I wonder?" He thought before deciding not to voice that question. He'd rather not do something to accidentally piss her off. He chose to look at his cell phone for the time. "You know it's getting pretty late, most places I could think to show you. Are getting ready to close for the night. I imagine you're still interested in knowing more about the human world. I can give you a crash course of sorts back at my place if you want? Since it's a weekend, my plans are open."
Apacci looked a little aback by such an offer. "Why?"
"Cause, I like to help my friends." Yoshiro simply replied.
The deer-like Vasto Lorde raised her eyebrows in surprise at that from behind her mask. "Friends? One night of getting to know each other a bit and we're now friends?"
Yoshiro shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? I'd be happy to have you as a friend if you'd have me as one." He finished with a smile.
Apacci looked away in thought for a few moments before turning to face Yoshiro again. "Alright, sure. Friends, it is then." She said with a smile of her own.
"Let me gather up my stuff and we'll be off." Yoshiro mused as he stood to gather his things. Once he had gathered his things, he made his way back down the stairwell. Apacci keeping pace right next to him.
"What the hell is that?" She questioned when she saw Yoshiro approach an odd-looking device.
"This is a motorcycle, something used as a means of travel by humans like me." He explained as he secured all things to his Harley. "I'd offer you a spot on the passenger seat but with all my stuff strapped in place. It doesn't leave any real room."
"Don't worry about it," Apacci replied. "I can just follow you by flying in the air."
"Fair enough, just follow me." Yoshiro secured his helmet on his head and started his ride.
Apacci was caught a little by surprise by the loudness of the odd machine. Though that surprise turned to interest. She smirked a little as she felt a sudden strong sense of intrigue about the device.
Yoshiro gave a few revs before setting off back home with his new friend following close behind. Apacci looked around in wonder as she followed Yoshiro. Taking the various sights of Karakura as she followed the blond. Making notes of places that caught the most interest, for her next visit.
After a while they both arrived at Yoshiro's place, he opened up the garage and parked inside. As he got off his Harley and closed the garage. He looked to notice Apacci staring at the Camaro in curiosity.
"By the way." The blond started grabbing the Vasto Lorde's attention. "If you noticed the windows at the front of the house. On the second level, that's my room. Just for future reference."
"Good to know I'll see you there." Apacci simply replied as she then phased through the garage door back outside.
Yoshiro stood in blinking for a few seconds. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot she's a type of ghost. So she can do shit like that." He muttered to himself as he went into the house and up to his room. He walked in to see Apacci sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Neat little room you got here. Way better than anything back in Hueco Mundo that's for sure." She stated.
"Considering what you've told me about the place, that doesn't surprise me. So anything that catches your eye?" Yoshiro asked as went to his dresser to pull out some fresh clothes.
"What's that thing by chance?" Apacci asked pointing at his computer.
"That's a computer, it's a special type of device that exists in the living world these days." Yoshiro spent the next few minutes. Giving a basic rundown on the features of a computer and how they all work. "Feel free to get on and try it for yourself."
"Don't mind if I do." Apacci chimed as she took a seat at the computer. As she began to browse, a random thought crossed her mind. "Hey Yoshiro, your parents out of town or something? I know that humans your age tend to live with parents still." She realized immediately she had said something wrong. When she turned her head and saw a sad expression on the blond's face.
"I…I don't have parents anymore." He replied sadness lacing his voice. "My mother died giving birth to me. My father died a few years back in an accident. I've been living here all by myself ever since."
Apacci looked down a little ashamed. She could tell how touchy the topic was for him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such a sensitive topic."
"It's alright." Yoshiro quickly replied. "You couldn't of known beforehand, so don't beat yourself up about it. I'm gonna take a rinse in the shower, feel free to explore things a bit."
Apacci nodded her head and went back to searching for things on the computer. As Yoshiro headed off to the shower. He walked back into his room about fifth-teen minutes later. Dressed in a plain black t-shirt, grey pajama pants, and socks. To something, he wouldn't have expected.
"YES! Oh Yeah! That's it! Just like that!"
Yoshiro walked into his room to hear porn blaring on his computer speakers. He saw Apacci staring at the screen, mouth agape, and if he could see her face. He'd of noticed it was red enough to practically be a signal flare.
"Apacci what the hell!?" Yoshiro exclaimed going over to her. "Why are you watching porn!?"
"I was just browsing around on your computer." She began not bothering to take her eyes off the screen. "I noticed you had a bunch of these links saved, to the same website. So out of curiosity, I clicked on one of them." She finished explaining pointing at the saved links on Yoshiro's web browser.
Yoshiro had a look of horror on his face at the implications. As his own face went red from embarrassment.
"By the way, what the hell is 'Otokonoko' by chance?" Apacci asked pointing at one of the other links. Before he could give an answer, she followed up with another statement.
"Did…did she just start taking it in the ass?" As she went back to the still playing video.
Yoshiro slapped his palm to his face and dragged it down. "Can you please for the love of everything stop the video?" He spoke in exasperation.
"Fine," Apacci replied pausing the video. "Why are humans putting this sort of thing out there. To be seen so easily by everyone else?"
"Well, you see…" From that point, Yoshiro did his best to explain the porn industry and how it related too to the internet. Then Apacci said something that would forever haunt him.
"How come you know so much about this and why do you have so many links saved to this site?"
Yoshiro couldn't help but fall into a thousand-yard stare.
"Can we please just pretend this didn't happen and move on?" He managed to ask.
"Alright fine." Apacci agreed and closed everything.
Waiting a few minutes to let that awkwardness pass. Yoshiro had an idea. "So, you mentioned earlier about, kind of remembering the 'Back to the Future' movie. Want to watch it?"
Apacci's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Sound's great to me!"
Yoshiro pulled up a second chair and had Apacci move to the side. He got on his computer and pulled up 'Netflix'. He quickly explained to Apacci when she inquired that. Such sites were ones where more socially acceptable movies were put on. He pulled up the movie and started playing it.
"Damn that was fun to watch!" Apacci exclaimed as the film finished. "I had forgotten almost everything about it."
"Glad to see you enjoyed it," Yoshiro replied before letting a yawn. "Damn, it's almost four in the morning. I'm not going to be able to stay much longer I think."
"I should probably get back to Hueco Mundo as well. Any longer and my companions may get far too suspicious about what I've been up to." Spoke the Vasto Lorde.
"I'll walk you out," Yoshiro spoke and made his way out of his room.
Apacci almost told him that she could have just summoned Garganta from within his room. Though she appreciated the gesture and decided just to go with it. She followed and stopped with him. Once they were both a few steps outside of his front door.
"I have to say tonight has been a weird night but exciting and fun none the less." Yoshiro mused.
"I have to agree," Apacci replied. "Tonight's been the best fun I've had in I don't know how long. I can't wait to do it again."
"No problem, we're friends after all. Summer break just started so my schedule is more or less an open book."
"Perfect. I can't promise I'll be able to come every day. That'll raise too much suspicion from my friends in Hueco Mundo. When I can make it over, I can just use Garganta right into your room." Apacci spoke.
"That's works well enough for me." Yoshiro stated. "Though if you're so worried about raising your friend's suspicions. You could always just bring them with you sometime?"
Apacci seemed nervous at that suggestion. "I don't think that would be the best idea at the moment. I don't know how well the would take to me being friends with a human. Not to mention they don't even know I came here to the human world tonight. Plus, the biggest issue at hand. Is that all companions are also Vasto Lorde's like me. Having so many of us gathered in the human world in a single place. Could draw unwanted attention from the soul reapers. No matter how well we hide our presence." She finished explaining.
"That's fair enough I'd say," Yoshiro said not wanting to push the subject. He figured it was best to allow Apacci to handle that side of things at her own discretion.
Yoshiro then heard an odd zipper sound and saw a dark opening rip open in reality. Right in front of him and Apacci. The Vasto Lorde stepped in and looked back at the blond.
"See ya around Yoshiro," Apacci said with a smile.
"I look forward to it Apacci." Yoshiro replied with a smile of his own.
Apacci gave a quick wave good-bye and walked further into the Garganta. Which soon close behind and disappeared. Leaving no trace of its existence.
Yoshiro stood in place for a few moments. Letting all of the night's events replay in his mind. "What a crazy night but I really hope to see her again soon."
"Meow."
Yoshiro turned his head to see what looked to be a stray black cat. Saunter up next to him. He bent down to more closely examine to see if there was a collar and tag of sorts. He didn't see any and gave a gentle scratch behind its ears. Earning a pleasant purr from the feline.
"Well aren't you a pretty little kitty. A stray to by the looks of it." The blond spoke as kept petting the cat. Before he could think to do anything else, the cat walked off and out of sight. Yoshiro just shrugged his shoulders before turning on his heel. Heading inside to go to sleep for the night.
A distance away, the cat stopped in an alleyway.
"I'd best tell Kisuke about this." The cat said in a male voice, swishing its tail back and forth a bit. "Isshin will need to know as well. He and his family are close to that young man after all."
A/N: Hello readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story thus far! Chapter two is in the books for this rewrite. I kept some bits from the original chapter and cleaned them up. While making a few alterations to them. I also expanded the overall interactions between Yoshiro and Apacci. I wanted to give more overall weight in their initial meeting. Then what there was in the original, I hope I succeeded. Next is chapter three and I honestly don't think I'll change a lot with that. I'll clean it up and probably make a few alterations but overall. It probably won't change that drastically.
Not much else to say, so stay tuned for more. In the meantime, please leave a review as they do help keep me motivated to write. Please like and fav if you have not already and stay safe, stay healthy. I'll see you next time. I'm out!
Edit 10/10/21 to fix some typos.