Hello readers, hope you all had a good week. Thankfully, it's been raining buckets here where I'm at, so that means no outside chores, which also means I managed to get some much-needed writing done. To be honest, I was starting to fall behind a bit on my saved-up chapters.
Just a little warning to everyone, the next semester for college starts in a few weeks, at the end of August, and I don't plan to do any writing for the first two weeks so I can get back in the groove of being in school and organizing my time to write. If everything works out, I should be able to continue my writing for everyone, but I do need to point out that it is still possible that that may not be the case. I'll be sure to keep you all informed on that matter.
Got two reviews to answer, plus a double feature of 'Spades's Banter' to make up for last week. So let's begin…
Beenjammin0421: That's a very good question, a well thought out one. Sadly, I can't really answer that one at the moment, as it may spoil the story a bit later on. I can tell you that I'm sure you would be very happy when we get to that part of the story. Again, sorry for leaving the question open my friend.
Jasss22: You're welcome, Jasss.
And now, on to the Banter…
I guess we'll start with what you had to say for Chapter 25. I'm glad you liked our little drinking scene with Rangiku, as I did promise in the past that I would include Timothy having a few drinks. In case you're wondering if the 'Five-Count-Knockout' is real, I can assure you that it is 'very' real. Long story short, it was introduced to me by a friend, I tried it once, and ended up sprawled out on the floor after my 'friends' decided to use my face as an art canvas. Ooooh yeah…good times…not. As far as 'possession', I guess you mean Gamuza assuming control over Nel's body. It may seem a bit odd right now, but as the story progresses, it will make so much more sense, promise.
For Chapter 26, you really must have liked the fight if you gave me a 10, lol. I am aware that little Nel's 'Super Acceleration' was her version of sonído, but seeing as we don't have little Nel in this story, I found another use for the technique; hence the 'Justa Subsónica'. All of the Espada had multiple attacks while released, so I thought a speed-of-sound charge attack was perfect by using the 'Super Acceleration' as a basis. Moving on to Tim's Bankai, well, that attack isn't the only one he's got access to, lol. Just wait until his next major fight. Mwa ha ha ha.
Questions…
25.1: Like beenjammin's question, I can't really give you an answer just yet. I will give you two that Ichigo and Nel will have a conversation or two on the matter in the future.
25.2: Considering how he has a fit when people call him by his full first name, I would have to say he would be livid by being called 'Captain' all the time.
25.3: Well, my question to you is: what makes you think it's 'not' going to happen at some point? Lmao.
25.4: I actually agree with your observation; Toshiro, for being the 'prodigy' he is, really doesn't have a solid win under his belt. Well, you don't need to worry about that, as he still has a few good battles left to go for him.
25.5: I would, but the music would distract me very easily, I've tried. But if I could, I would change the music to fit the environment I am writing about at the time.
26.1: I can't really say anything about 'Naruto', as I have never seen it yet. I have heard way too many good things about it, and I do plan to see it sometime in the future, but I simply haven't gotten around to it yet.
26.2: That's a good question, but not one that I know the answer to. I did try to do some research on that matter, but found nothing. As they do not show to know that much Spanish, besides the names of their attacks and techniques, in the Anime or Manga, I plan to keep true to the original atmosphere and say no during this story.
26.3: Not at all. In fact, I actually helps me if I get stuck. When I first came up with the concept of this story a long time ago, my original plan was for Kit to successfully return herself to her previous form, where her and Tim would live happily together. But as time went on, the thought of having him in a relationship with Nel kept bugging me. Hence why I started that first poll to determine pairing possibilities, to get the reader's opinions on them. In the end, Nel won it all. As far as the relationship between Tim and Kit, that will be covered in this chapter.
Alright, enough yapping from me. On to the chapter.
(I DO NOT OWN BLEACH; ITS CHARACTORS, NAMES, LOCATIONS, OR STORY! THAT HONOR BELONGS SOLELY TO TITE KUBO AND HIS TEAM! ONLY THE OC, AND RANDOM NAMES NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOKS OR ANIME ARE MY OWN!)
Chapter 27
(A Second Chance)
Urahara Shop, Present
Upstairs, Timothy was laying down next to Nel while Orihime used her Shun Shun Rikka to heal the both of them. He was giving occasional grunts of pain as her healing powers slowly reversed the multiple broken ribs.
The teen looked at him with pity and concern. "Nel was badly burned Tim, but you should have had me heal you first. Your injuries are far worse than hers are." She stated in a bit of panic.
He hissed again with a growl. "That may be Orihime, but 'I' was the one who burned her. If anything, I deserve what happened to me." He responded.
The teen lowered her head a bit. "That's…that's not true, Tim. Mister Urahara told me what happened over the phone, and I really don't think that it's your fault. You…you did what you had to do to save Nel. I don't think she would be mad at you for it."
The man glanced at her as he let out a pained breath. "I honestly hope you're right, Orihime. I feel guilty enough with just being the cause of her injuries."
She lowered her head more. "Tim…is everything…going to be alright, now that Captain Hitsugaya knows about her?" she asked in worry.
Timothy sighed heavily as he closed his eyes. "He says he won't say anything for now, but I honestly can't say for how long. It seems like Rangiku is defending her the best she can without getting on the Captain's bad side. Rukia and Renji are both trying to help as well. For now, she's safe. But I really think it would be wise to start thinking of somewhere else to hide her."
Orihime quickly looked at him in surprise. "You mean…make her leave?" she inquired.
He shook his head. "I don't know, Orihime." He answered in a heavy breath. "Right now, I'm just trying to consider possibilities." He admitted.
They then heard the door to the room slide open, causing them to look and see Kitsune walking in with salty residue on her cheek fur from tears. She closed the door behind her and stood there with her head low.
Timothy rose a brow at her. "Kit? What's wrong?" he asked in worry.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He knows." She answered.
His eyes widened a bit. "I hope you don't mean what I'm thinking you mean." He stated, earning a nod.
The spirit then looked up at him with sorrow in her eyes. "Yes. He knows about you and Nel." She affirmed.
Timothy dropped his head back with a loud moan while Orihime's eyes widened. "Wait…What 'about' Tim and Nel?" she inquired.
Kitsune looked at her, then back to Tim. "Tim and Nel both have feelings for each other." She answered finally.
Orihime nodded. "I know. Remember, I actually…um, helped with that?" she pointed out.
The spirit shook her head and returned her glance to the teen. "Deep' feelings, Orihime. As in 'love' each other." She corrected.
The teen gasped quietly, then turned back to Timothy, who sighed and nodded with closed eyes. She then turned back to the spirit.
"But…what does that mean? If…Captain Hitsugaya knows…won't Tim be…punished?" she inquired with worry, causing Timothy to look at her as well.
Kitsune walked up and knelt down next to the teen's healing barrier with a deep breath. "He definitely wasn't happy about it, I can easily say that much. As far as what he'll do about it, I honestly have no idea. I basically 'pleaded' with him to just let them be. But he's so damn bullheaded and determined to see Nel as nothing more than an average hollow, that I doubt he'll stay quiet for long." She said with a wave of her hand.
Timothy scoffed heavily. "Well, I think I made it blatantly obvious what will happen if he tries to hurt Nel." He commented.
His partner glanced down at him. "Trust me, I 'reiterated' it to him as well that you meant exactly what you said. I like Captain Hitsugaya, Tim, and I really hate seeing him as a potential enemy right now." She stated firmly.
They turned their heads to the door when they heard a low knock. "Who is it?" Timothy asked calmly.
"It's Rukia…and Renji." A female voice answered.
"Come in." Kitsune returned.
The door slid open, then the two friends walked in with Renji closing the door behind them. They both walked up to them where Rukia knelt down and Renji sat with his legs crossed. Both of them had worried looks on their faces.
"We're sorry things happened this way, Tim. And we wanted to tell you that…Renji and I were both planning to tell the Captain sometime soon anyway." The shorter woman admitted.
Timothy grunted as he propped himself up on his arms with a raised brow. "You were planning on telling him? I thought you told me you wouldn't." he stated in annoyance.
Renji crossed his arms and looked at him nonchalantly. "It was only a matter of time until Captain Hitsugaya found out about her, Tim; as we just witnessed. We figured it would be best to break the news to him piece by piece, letting him see for himself that she's really not the kind of person we believed her to be."
Rukia nodded. "Please understand Tim, it was only to help Nel in the future." She assured.
The younger man scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and now that he actually knows, we can see that it wouldn't have mattered." He commented.
"Don't be so quick to judge Captain Hitsugaya, Tim. He can be quite impatient, and may judge others a bit too quickly, but give him time to watch and see who Nel is for himself." Rukia advised.
Renji snorted at the man. "You standing up to him and threatening him like that sure as hell didn't help things." He pointed.
Timothy glared at him, earning a glare back from the red-headed man, before dropping his head back down with a light thump. He then took a deep breath and let it out with a low moan.
"Alright…I guess my temper got in the way again. I'll apologize to him later, but it still got to me when he became so adamant that she was his enemy, when she is clearly not." He admitted.
Kitsune looked down at him. "Trust me Tim, I understand fully how you feel. I shouldn't have lost my temper with him either, so we both own him an apology. But right now, he is the one person we don't want to piss off."
Renji rose a brow at her. "So that's why the Captain was so much more agitated when he came back upstairs. Let me guess…you threatened him as well?" he observed.
The spirit dropped her head in shame, earning a head shake from Rukia. "You two really are a lot of trouble. I'm really starting to feel sorry for Captain Komamura."
The pair quickly turned to her. "Hey!" they almost yelled in unison, causing Orihime to chuckle a little.
"I'm so glad that Captain Hitsugaya is at least giving her a chance. I was so afraid that he would take her away to be killed." She said with a smile.
Timothy looked at her and nodded, then turned back to Renji. "So, what happens now?" he inquired.
The short woman sighed heavily. "That's why we're here, Tim. We have to take Nel's zanpakutō away from her." She admitted hesitantly.
His eyes shot wide as he turned to her. "You have got to be kidding! After what just happened downstairs with Gamuza, you 'really' think she's going to be pleased if we took her away from Nel?! She's likely to take Nel's body over again and 'give' the Captain a reason to kill her! That is, if 'she' doesn't kill 'him'!" he growled.
Renji quickly held his hands up to calm him down. "Hold up, Tim. We're aware of that, and so is the Captain. But, until he can possibly consider trusting her, he doesn't want her armed. Considering the circumstances, I'm sure 'Gamuza' will understand. Afterall, we're not removing her from Nel's inner world, we're only taking away her ability to fight for the moment."
Timothy shook his head. "I understand where he's coming from, but I still think it's one of the worst ideas imaginable. Either way, I strongly suggest you guys wait until Nel wakes up. That way, she'll at least be here to talk Gamuza down if she gets too angry. I managed to just barely talk her down last time. But if she takes over again, I very highly doubt that I'll be able to do it again." He advised.
Rukia nodded. "I agree. After what we saw, the last thing we need is for her to take over again. We'll tell the Captain that it would be best to wait until Nel wakes up, but either way, she is going to have to give her zanpakutō up. If anything, this will at least help to start building the Captain's trust towards her."
He nodded back. "I understand. Thanks for telling me, instead of just taking it. And again, sorry I lost it back there." He said in a sad voice.
Renji waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I think you shocked the Captain more than you did us. Although he might not be too happy with the fact that you basically disrespected him, I think it's safe to say that you managed to gain some of 'his' respect in the process. It's not every day that you come across someone who's not afraid to stand up to a Captain."
Rukia nodded, then sighed. "Well, we need to get going. We'll let the Captain know that it's best to wait until Nel wakes up before taking her zanpakutō, but I strongly advise you let us know the moment she wakes up, Tim." she said as her and Renji stood up.
Timothy scoffed lightly. "I still think it's a very bad idea, but I'll be sure to let you know. And thanks for your help guys, I really appreciate it."
The two friends grinned at him, then nodded. "Sure thing, Tim. Later." Renji returned, then waved as the two of them left the room.
The Lieutenant took a deep breath and let it out as he laid back down. Kitsune then looked at him with concern.
"Tim." she started.
"Hm?" he answered as he looked at her.
"I'm sorry…about the Captain finding out about you and Nel. It just…slipped out. I really didn't mean to." She said in a saddened voice.
He gently waved her off. "He would have found out soon anyway, Kit. Rangiku's not stupid, and would have figured it out, then she would have blabbed it off, and he would have heard it. So, it's probably best he heard it from you. Considering how angry with him I was at the time, I would have likely attacked him and ruined everything. So, don't worry about it."
"Tim." Orihime started next.
He lowered his head to her. "Yeah?"
She smiled sweetly at him. "I'm glad you and Nel are working out so well. And I'm sorry that things have happened this way. She's really nice, and she doesn't deserve to be treated like a monster. I'm sure once Captain Hitsugaya sees her for who she really is, he'll come to accept her. You just need to give him time is all." He reassured.
Timothy smiled back and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Orihime. At the moment, that's really all I 'can' do." He returned.
The teen nodded with a hum of acknowledgment. "I'm almost done healing you guys, so you should probably get some rest, Tim." she advised.
"I'll get some rest later, Orihime. But right now, I think it would be best if I kept an eye on Nel. There's no telling when she'll wake up, and I would prefer if I was here when she does. She'll likely be in a distraught state when she first wakes up, and it would help her greatly if she saw someone close to her first." He pointed out.
Kitsune shook her head gently. "I can keep an eye on her, Tim. I'm not that tired right now, and you really do need to rest. You honestly have no idea how lucky you are that Gamuza didn't kill you, and that your Bankai lasted long enough to end the fight. And that reminds me, you did a wonderful job with using your Bankai for the first time in combat, Tim. I honestly expected you to have a couple of failures with using its unique ability. Good job." She offered with a smile.
He gave her a thumbs up as he returned the smile. "Thanks to you and Kisuke's training." He stated, then dropped his hand. "I really hate to admit it, but your training really helped. So out of curiosity, is that the strongest it can get?" he inquired.
She shook her head again. "No. Earlier, you were only using one flame at a time as projectiles. But, as your spiritual pressure gets stronger, you'll be able to handle more than a single flame per shot. The more flames you use, the bigger the explosion, but also at the cost of projectile speed. The more you use, the slower it gets. Also, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you this before Tim, but when you use a flame as a projectile, you are also sacrificing that flame; meaning that every time you use that technique, the less flames you'll have to move around with. So, you'll need to be considerate about the situation when you use it. As I've told you, when all of your flames are gone, your Bankai will disappear, along with your Shikai." She informed in a cautious manner.
He nodded in understanding. "So, you're saying that if I use all of my flames with that attack, I can't use Shikai or Bankai anymore?"
"Not for a while you can't. Unlike most Shikais and Bankais that'll recover along with the user's spirit energy, yours actually takes some time to recover on its own. Of course, the speed that it recovers at is dependent on your spirit energy. The more you have, the faster the flames will regenerate. But as you know, they can 'only' regenerate while sealed. As long as you don't push it too far, you'll be fine. You didn't use but maybe a little over a dozen flames, so your Bankai should be fully recovered by tomorrow morning. If you had used all of them, it would have taken at least a week to recover." She added.
"I'm finished." Orihime stated as she dropped her barrier.
Timothy slowly pushed himself up, and was once again amazed by the young teen's very impressive ability. He felt absolutely no pain where his wounds were, not even any soreness in the muscles.
He closed his eyes and shook his head with a kind smile. "I still can't get over how amazing your powers are, Orihime. You really give Squad 4 a run for their money. Thank you." He commented.
The teen held up her hands and waved him off timidly. "Oh no, it's really not 'that' impressive!" she insisted.
Kitsune waved her off gently. "Don't be like that, Orihime. You don't need to be so embarrassed every time someone complements you on your abilities. You should be proud that you have such an amazing power. If Tim had gone to Squad 4, or any other hospital, he would have been out of action for a week, if not longer. Yet, you managed to fix him up in less than a half hour. So please don't doubt yourself." She comforted.
The girl dropped her hands and smiled. "Thank you, Kit. It's really nice to hear that from you." She stated.
Timothy nodded firmly at her. "It's all true, Orihime. Really, I can't thank you enough." He assured.
Orihime nodded with a wide smile. "Thanks. I need to get going, I'm sure I'll probably be in trouble when I get back to school." She admitted with a hand behind her head.
His face then fell. "You didn't have to leave class to fix us up, Orihime. We would have understood. Kisuke should have known better." He moaned.
The teen quickly shook her head. "Oh no! I told mister Urahara that I was grateful he called me! Healing my friend's injuries are far more important than school, Tim! I'm always happy to leave class to help!" she assured.
"Still, these injuries, although quite painful, were not life threatening. Tessai's healing would have been enough at least until your classes were over." He insisted.
Kitsune almost glared at him. "Tim, leave her alone. She did the right thing. She believes that your health was more important, so she came; and I agree with her. Besides, you don't have the right to talk about missing classes when you were far worse in high school." She mocked.
He glared back. "You were no better yourself, vixen. You were the one who kept jumping out the damn window to go window shopping for dresses."
She growled at him. "I was sixteen! Everybody back then skipped class every now and then! So, don't try to make me look like the bad guy here! At least I didn't waste my time fishing at a lake that had 'no' fish in it!"
Timothy froze and began to sweat. "I told you to never speak of that! How were we supposed to know there were no damn fish in there?!"
The spirit held her chin in her hand with a hum. "Hm…maybe the fact that there was a 'No Fishing' sign posted there?! That should have been a dead giveaway!" she shot back.
"That doesn't mean that there were no fish in the damn water!" he pointed out.
She narrowed her gaze at him. "It 'does' mean that you shouldn't have been fishing there in the first damn place!" she stated firmly.
He growled and waved her off while Orihime laughed wildly. "Whatever, vixen. The point is, is that she shouldn't make it a habit to leave class for every scratch I get. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate it Orihime, but I definitely don't want you getting into trouble because I was dumb enough to let myself get hurt. So please, only do it when I'm 'actually' at risk of dying?" he pleaded.
The teen calmed down a bit from her laughing and nodded. "I promise. But please don't be afraid to call me if you really need my help, Tim." she asserted.
The man nodded with a small smile. "I will. Again, thanks for the help, Orihime." He said kindly.
She nodded with a hum and stood up before giving him a swift bow. "I'll be leaving now. See you later Tim, Kit." She said as she rose.
The pair waved at her as she turned and left the room. Dropping his hand, Timothy then stood up as well and started stretching out his arms, causing him to grunt lowly in relief as the tension in his arms gave away.
"I hope she wakes up soon." Kitsune commented, now looking at Nel next to her.
Timothy dropped his hands to his side and looked at the woman as well. "So do I, Kit. But I'm 'really' hoping that what Gamuza did won't have any adverse effects on her. She was trapped in her own mind for a long time, and there's no telling what it could have done to her." He stated.
Kitsune nodded slightly. "Yeah…You really should get some rest, Tim. I can stay here and keep an eye on her. I'm sure she'd be just as happy to see me as she would you." She said, then tilted her head a bit. "Well…maybe not 'as' much, but I'm sure she would still be happy." She corrected.
He shook his head. "No. I want to be here when she wakes up, Kit. I'll sit down and lean against the wall to rest up a bit if it makes you feel better, but I'm staying here." He stated firmly.
She sighed, but nodded. "Alright. I guess I'll join you then." She finished, then stood up and followed him to sit back down against the wall near the door.
He sat down with his legs crossed, while she had her legs extended out in front of her, her tail resting in her lap. He then looked down at her furry appendage for a moment before raising a brow and looking at her.
"You know, as odd as it sounds, I don't think I've ever asked you what it feels like to have a tail." He commented.
She rose a brow at him in surprise and confusion, then looked down at it. "Um…different…I guess. To be honest, I've actually never even thought about it. I mean, I can feel it and all, but the thought never really crossed my mind about how it feels. I guess…natural would be the best way to explain it." She then looked back at him. "Why?" she inquired.
He simply shrugged a shoulder. "Just curious I guess. But then again, the tail isn't really the only thing new about your body. You've also got your long nose, or mouth, whatever you wanna call it."
Her face dropped. "It's called a muzzle, Tim. Really?" she deadpanned.
The man held up his hands. "Alright, muzzle, I'm sorry." He offered, then dropped his hands. "The point I guess I'm trying to make, is that I don't really recall you ever having an issue adjusting to your new body." He rephrased.
The spirit hummed. "I guess not. Like my tail, it all just felt natural to me. I can't really explain it."
He hummed back and turned towards Nel's sleeping form. "I guess…even after twelve years…it's still a bit weird to see you looking like that. Do you…ever miss your old body?" he inquired.
Kitsune glared at him with a growl. "Tim, I swear to God that if you start your damn sulking about this again, I am going to beat you senseless. We've been over this I don't know how many times now." She warned.
"That's not exactly what I was asking, Kit." He advised, still looking at Nel.
She rose a brow at him in curiosity. "Then what is it?" she pressed.
He turned to her with a saddened expression. "I never told you Kit, but lately…" He paused for a moment, then turned back to Nel. "I've somehow found myself…I really don't know how to put it, but…happy…that we're here now." He admitted.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean, Tim?" she asked in concern.
Timothy let out a deep breath. "What I'm saying, is that while I am sad about us dying and all, I'm not exactly…mad about it. I guess…I've come to accept my new life. In fact, as weird as it sounds…I prefer it over my old life." He looked back at her with a softened gaze. "I know it's not my fault what happened Kit, but…do you miss your old life? The way things used to be? Are you happy being what you are?" he asked calmly.
Her own gaze dropped before she turned to the sleeping woman in front of them. "I can't really say that I don't miss it Tim, because there are some things about being alive that I do miss. All our friends, family, just the living life in general. I would be lying if I said I don't miss being alive. But there are so many more things about our new lives that I find enjoyable. Sure, being a spirit like this can be annoying at times; not being able to walk around freely like I used to and such. But I have to admit that…"
The spirit lowered her head a bit. "As weird and stupid that it might sound Tim, I actually like being what I am. I really enjoy being your partner. And…" She dropped her head lower as tears began to form in her eyes. "I'm ashamed to admit it…" she started, then looked back at him as the tears started running down her fur. "…but I feel…like our lives are better like this. You and I had so many problems during our marriage Tim. But we loved each other so much that we wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives with each other."
She turned back front and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them. "But ever since the truth came out, that I was technically not your wife anymore, and was instead your partner, I somehow felt…relieved. From the time we started dating, to that horrible night, I 'always' loved you, Tim. I feel so horrible for saying this…"
The spirit was stopped when he rested a hand on her shoulder. "Say what you need to, Kit. I can assure you, I'm not going to hold anything against you." He reassured.
Kitsune nodded. "Our marriage didn't feel right, Tim. I wanted it, more than anything I wanted it. But it honestly felt like it just wasn't right. That we were not supposed to be together in that way." She turned her head towards him and rested the side of it on her knees with a deep breath. "But the moment you allowed me to be a part of your inner world, everything somehow felt…perfect. I felt…content…and happy. It felt like…I was 'supposed' to be there. Like our entire marriage was just a useless act. And I feel so horrible for feeling and thinking like this. I feel like I've betrayed you, Tim. After everything you've done for me, I feel like I'm betraying you." She admitted at last.
Timothy took a deep breath and sighed as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side, resting his hand on top of her head. She leaned back into his chest and sniffed with her head down.
"Kit…you're not betraying me. Our marriage was…rough…to say the least. We 'both' gave each other hell in our own ways during that time. I guess I should be honest myself and tell you that I know how you feel." He stated.
She glanced at him curiously. "You mean you felt the same way?" she inquired.
He took another breath as he nodded. "It hurts to admit it, but yes. I never realized it until about two weeks ago, when you and Kisuke were talking about something, or whatever. But as I thought about it, I came to realize that our marriage didn't feel right. I felt that we were supposed to be together, but also that marriage wasn't the way. And that's when I realized that…having you as a partner like this…felt so much better. And that was why it hurt me. I felt like I was being selfish by being happy to have you with me like this, and you being stuck as a spirit like this."
The spirit hummed. "I see what you're saying Tim, and I understand why you would feel like that. But to be honest, I really don't mind being like this. Like I said, it's annoying at times that I can't go wherever I want, when I want; but besides that, as stupid as it sounds, I actually enjoy being a part of you like this. I finally feel like I belong somewhere."
Timothy looked down at her. "So, are you saying that you prefer this life over the one we used to have?" he inquired quietly.
She rested her head on his chest and sighed deeply. "Yes. I feel like living like this, as your partner in life and combat, is better than the one I had when I was alive. I miss my friends and family, but I can honestly say that I feel far happier living like this, as your partner rather than your wife."
He pulled her head in a bit tighter and nodded. "Somehow…I feel the same way, Kit. I guess…our lives as husband and wife…were never supposed to be." He said in sadness.
Kitsune nodded. "I think so as well, Tim." she confirmed, then pushed herself up and rest a hand on his shoulder while smiling at him. "So how about we restart our lives together as the way they were supposed to be, as partners?" she offered.
Timothy smiled back and nodded as he held out a hand. "Partners then."
She took his hand and shook it before giving him a wide grin. "Guess that means I can take my teasing to a whole new level, huh?" she teased.
His face then dropped. "I hate you." He moaned.
The spirit started snickering as she wiped the dried, salty residue from her tears out of her fur. "Well…you're stuck with me now. So, you might as well get used to it." She stated, then leaned back against the wall.
Timothy slapped a hand to his face and moaned. "Your teasing should 'not' be a part of this deal." He commented.
Her grin grew wider before she leaned back against him and got close to his ear. "So, when's you and Nel's wedding, Tim?" she teased again.
His face grew bright red as he turned to her. "Damn you! You fucking, evil vixen!" he hissed in anger.
Kitsune then cackled under her breath evilly. "Oh yeah, this life is soooo much better." She admitted.
Timothy moaned as he dropped his head back against the wall with a thump. "God, please have mercy on me…and kill me." He pleaded into the air.
Asano Residence, Present
"So, let me get this straight…" Ikkaku started.
He and Yumichika, along with Renji and Rukia, all decided to go to where he and his friend used as a temporary residence while assigned to the team. He and Yumichika sat on one couch, while Renji and Rukia sat on the other across from them.
"…You two idiots knew about the Arrancar woman that Tim and Urahara were hiding, and you thought it would be a good idea not to tell the Captain?" he asked in disbelief.
Rukia rolled her eyes at him. "No, of course we didn't think it was a good idea." She corrected. "In fact, we wanted to tell the Captain about her, but we both promised Tim we wouldn't say anything." She stated.
"Yeah." Renji followed. "We were actually planning on telling Captain Hitsugaya about her soon, knowing that he was going to find out before long anyway." He added.
Yumichika sighed. "Regardless, you should have at least included Ikkaku and I in on the whole thing; that way, we could have helped you bring the news to him in a more fashionable manner." He said informatively.
"Yeah, you guys should have known we would have given you a hand. I personally don't care what she is, as long as she's a good fighter." He gave off a brief chuckle. "She sure gave Tim a run for his money."
His friend side glanced him. "Need I remind you Ikkaku, that the being you saw fighting Tim was not actually the woman we are speaking of. 'That' was something else." He reminded.
Rukia nodded firmly. "Yes. From what Kisuke said, the person Tim was fighting was actually the spirit of her hollow powers, Gamuza. Luckily, Tim was able to convince her to stop and return Nel's body to her."
Ikkaku waved her off. "It doesn't matter who it was. From what I saw, she seems to pretty good in combat. I think my Captain would have fun fighting her." He commented.
Renji turned to him with an unamused expression. "Don't even think about it, Ikkaku. Not only would you get her killed, you would piss Tim off. And as I'm sure you can imagine from the way he stood up to Captain Hitsugaya, he would very likely make it his one goal in life to end you." He pointed out.
The man chuckled darkly. "I'd welcome that. Besides, I'm not gonna say anything. Like I said, I don't have a problem with her, and if the Captain said he ain't gonna report her, then I ain't gonna say anything either."
Yumichika smiled a bit and nodded. "Yes. I believe that Tim may in fact be correct in his statement about her not being a bad person. From what I've seen, she seems to act just like we do in terms of personality. I think we should work harder to help the Captain see her for the person she is."
The conversation was halted when the door to the apartment opened, where everybody turned to see Rangiku walking in with slumped shoulders, and a very distraught look on her face. The woman moaned loudly as she closed the door behind her.
Renji rose a brow at her. "Sounds like Captain Hitsugaya gave you an earful." He commented.
The woman walked past him to drop down on the couch next to Ikkaku, crossing her arms and giving off a loud and childish huff.
"The Captain's being so mean! He kept yelling at me because I went shopping with Nel; when I had no idea what she is! And now he wants to talk with you two!" she complained, looking at Renji and Rukia.
The short woman moaned lowly. "You owe us for this, Tim." she stated in a growl.
Renji nodded. "You're damn right he does." He added before standing up.
"Regretting helping him now, are we?" Ikkaku mocked.
The red-headed man tilted his head with closed eyes. "Not really. I knew I would get an ass chewing once the Captain found out about her; but now that that time has come, I am really not looking forward to it." He corrected.
Yumichika smirked at him. "Yes, well, just be aware that you leave here with my condolences." He teased.
Renji glared at him with clenched fists. "Shut up, Yumichika!" he yelled back.
Rangiku reached behind Ikkaku and slammed her fist down on top of the 5th seat's head. "Yeah! Keep your mouth shut!" she added.
Yumichika placed a hand where she hit him and glared at her. "How dare you mess up my beautiful hair, you tramp!" he insulted.
Rukia and Renji's jaws dropped. "Ok, this is where I move." Ikkaku stated as he quickly got up.
And not a moment too soon, as the blonde-haired Lieutenant was instantly diving across the couch and landing on top of the, now unfortunate, 5th seat. The poor man was quickly smothered in endless punches and slaps from his attacker.
"What the hell did you just call me, Ayasegawa?!" she yelled as she continued to mark him with numerous bruises.
Renji, Rukia, and Ikkaku watched with wide eyes as the busty woman continued her onslaught that was very likely to send the poor man to his grave. Their heads all dropped as the two 'warriors' rolled off the couch and kept on with their assaults on the floor.
"I think it's time for us to go, Renji." Rukia stated, still in a bit of shock.
"Get off me, you ugly old hag!" Yumichika yelled as he pulled Rangiku's hair back, forcing her head back with a yelp of pain.
"I think that would be a good idea, Ruks." The dumbfounded Lieutenant returned.
"Ugly old hag?! I'm going to give you a haircut just like Ikkaku's, you damn peacock!" she yelled back as she started pulling the man's hair as well.
"If it wasn't for the fact I have to make sure they don't tear the place down, I'd join ya." Ikkaku stated with a bit of disappointment.
"You dare to mock my beautiful feathers?! For someone who possesses too much extra fat in her chest, you have some nerve to make fun of something so beautiful!"
Ikkaku's eyes widened, while the jaws of the people next to him dropped to the floor. "I think it would be best if you 'did' come with us, Ikkaku." Renji stated firmly, causing Rukia to nod very quickly.
"That does it!" Rangiku yelled as she wrapped her hands around the smaller man's neck and started shaking him vigorously. "You're going to die here, Yumichika!"
Orihime's Apartment, 10 Minutes Later
Toshiro sat in the window sill of the spare bedroom that he and his team used for their commanded center. Orihime was still in school, and it would be another few hours before she came home. That was why he had decided to use the room to have his little 'talks' with his subordinates.
He heard the front door open, then close a few seconds later, causing him to let out a throaty growl before he lowered his head with closed eyes.
"It's about time you two got here." He commented as he lifted his head to the group in front of him.
He was surprised to see, not only Renji and Rukia like he had intended, but also Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Rangiku. Not only that, he had to raise a brow when he noticed that the last two had numerous cuts, scratches, and bruises all over their arms, legs, and faces.
"What the hell happened?!" he demanded in an annoyed tone.
Renji sweat dropped, then rolled his eyes towards the two. "It's…best we don't go into details, Captain."
Toshiro dropped his brow and growled. "Why are they here? I asked for you and Kuchiki only." He stated.
Rukia shook her head firmly. "Trust me Captain, it was necessary in order to prevent…unnecessary damage to a human's residence." She informed with a similar face as Renji's.
The Captain slapped a hand to his face and pulled it down with a moan. "Why did I have to get stuck with a bunch of idiots?" he complained. He dropped his hand and crossed his arms as he stood from the sill and glared at them. "Whatever, just go in the other room and stay out of trouble." He instructed.
The three officers nodded, then left the room with Ikkaku closing the door behind him. Toshiro stared at the two subordinates in front of him with anger.
"Now, you two have some explaining to do." He informed in a commanding tone.
Rukia sighed and took a step forward. "It's my fault, Captain. I found out about Nel some time ago and kept it a secret for Tim. He and I told Renji only a few days ago. Tim was afraid you would try to kill Nel right off the bat if you found out about her, and was honestly trying to find a way to break the news to you without causing an incident." She informed.
Toshiro nodded in confirmation. "That still doesn't explain why you thought it prudent to keep this information from your commanding officer." He stated, then turned to Renji. "And you, Lieutenant Abarai, you should know better as a Lieutenant. I seriously doubt Captain Kuchiki would be pleased to know that his Lieutenant is keeping dangerous secrets from his commanding officer." He warned.
Renji rose a brow. "What dangerous secrets, Captain? Tim and Kisuke both told you that Nel is not dangerous. And with all due respect, you can't use what happened earlier as an example." He pointed out.
The short Captain narrowed his gaze. "I disagree, Lieutenant. Regardless of 'who' was in control at the time, the woman is still dangerous. She nearly killed Lieutenant Durn, and you both know that."
Rukia took another step forward and held out a hand. "Captain, didn't you say you would hold off on judging Nel outright? Didn't you say you would give her a chance to prove herself?" she pleaded.
The man looked at her with a firm face. "Yes, I did say I would hold off on judging her, but I want you two to understand the serious situation you are in. Lieutenant Durn is not the only one who would be in serious trouble if this doesn't pan out. Both of you would also be punished for insubordination, because you 'both' knew about her, and neglected to tell me about it. To put this simply, both of your fates are in Lieutenant Durn's hands. So, you had better hope that all of this works out, for your sake." He warned further.
The two friends bowed low to him. "Yes sir." they returned in unison before rising.
Toshiro nodded. "Good. And what about the woman's zanpakutō?" he inquired.
Renji placed a hand behind his head and ruffled his hair a bit. "Well, the thing is Captain, considering what happened earlier, it's very unwise to take her zanpakutō away from her…at least until she wakes up." He stated.
The Captain moaned in annoyance. "I am aware of that. But nonetheless, I do not want that woman armed."
The Lieutenant dropped his hand. "Captain, can't it at least wait until she wakes up? The last thing we need is Gamuza getting pissed off again. Kisuke has a barrier up that prevents Nel from leaving, so it's not like she can go anywhere anyway." He pleaded.
Toshiro sighed heavily in defeat. "Fine. But the moment she wakes up, you 'will' take her zanpakutō. And that is not up for debate. Am I clear, Lieutenant Abarai, Kuchiki?"
They both nodded firmly. "Yes, Captain." Rukia answered.
"Good. You are dismissed. And be sure to tell those two idiots in the other room that the next time they decide to try and kill each other, I'll arrest them both." He ordered.
Renji and Rukia both sweat dropped. "Uh…yes sir." Renji returned, then left the room, followed closely by Rukia who closed the door behind them.
Toshiro stared at the door for a moment longer before taking his hand and rubbing his temple with an exasperated breath.
"I know that this is nothing more than a bad idea. That fool had better be right about that woman." He said in a whisper.
The alarm on his soul pager then went off, telling him that there was a hollow alert somewhere close by. He let a sigh of relief as he fished into his pocket for his soul candy dispenser.
"Perfect timing. This is just what I need to get my mind of this nonsense." He stated as he pulled the small device from his pocket.
He pressed his thumb to the top of it and ejected one of the mod souls inside into his mouth, swallowing it. His spiritual body ejected from his faux one, where he turned to it with a stern face.
"Make sure those fools don't kill each other." He instructed to the mod soul.
The soul nodded, then turned and left the room as he climbed onto the window sill and leaped into the air.
Urahara Shop, That Evening
The sun had just begun sinking below the horizon when Nel finally began to wake up. Her brows furrowed a bit before she slowly opened her eyes a little. She stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, until a small, but sharp pain in her head forced her to close them back.
Twisting to her side a bit, she started pushing herself up to a sitting position and started rubbing her temples to alleviate the pain a little. She took a relaxing breath as she felt the pain being soothed away steadily.
She suddenly remembered what happened earlier, causing her to gasp silently as her eyes shot open. She then quickly started looking around her to see that she was back in her room, and not only that, but that it was getting dark outside.
The woman turned to her left, and her eyes went a bit wider when she saw Kitsune sitting against the wall, and Timothy lying down sleeping with his head in her lap. She had her head leaned back and eyes closed as she massaged his head gently with her hand.
Nel swallowed, then twisted her body a bit to face them more. "Kit?" she called out.
The spirit's eyes shot open and she jerked her head to the woman, then smiled calmly. Before Nel could say anything further, Kitsune held a finger to her mouth, telling her that she needed to talk quietly.
Nel nodded, then the spirit dropped her hand. "He's been keeping an eye on you nonstop the whole day. He finally passed out about fifteen minutes ago. How you feeling?" she asked in a whisper.
The woman pulled a hand up and rubbed the side of her head. "My head hurts, and I'm a bit sore, but I guess I'm fine. Kit…what happened? After Gamuza…released my Resurrección, everything went dark. I don't remember anything past that." She asked in worry.
Kitsune's face dropped, then she looked at her partner. "You promise not to hate him, Nel?" she inquired.
The teal-haired woman's eyes widened a bit. "What? Why would I hate him, Kit? Tell me, what happened?" she pleaded.
The spirit glanced back at her in sadness. "He won't admit it fully, but…Gamuza almost killed him, Nel." She informed, causing the woman to gasp in shock. "I swear to you Nel, he tried to avoid fighting her as long as he could, but in the end, he had no choice. He had to use his Bankai against her."
Nel dropped her head in shame as tears began to form in her eyes. "I'm so sorry…I put him through this."
Kitsune gently shook her head. "No Nel, you didn't. Gamuza did. She was doing everything she could to try and kill him. You tried your hardest to keep her from taking over, you warned us to get away from you to protect us. You did everything you could to stop all this, but Gamuza's hatred towards Tim was too much for you to handle. None of this is your fault, Nel. I've already had to talk Tim out of that idea, please don't make me do the same with you." She begged.
The woman looked back at her in shock. "Tim…thinks that…all this was 'his' fault?!" she demanded.
The spirit nodded. "In part he did. He definitely felt responsible for all the wounds and burns you received. Even though Orihime's healing left nothing behind, it still tore him up that he had to do that to you in the first place. But you don't need to worry about that, I managed to convince him that it's not his fault what happened. So, tell me, do you…feel any different than before what happened?" she questioned.
Nel sighed heavily, but shook her head slowly. "Besides a headache, I don't feel any different from before." She answered.
"And Gamuza?" Kitsune asked further.
The woman nodded. "She's not talking right now, but I feel her inside me. I still can't believe she was able to do that. I…I never thought it was possible. And now…" She dropped her head again and balled her fists. "Now I'm afraid…that Tim will want nothing to do with me. I let Gamuza take control…and hurt him."
Kitsune balled her free fist tightly. "Please don't say that, Nel. Tim is scared to death, but not because of what Gamuza did, but because he honestly began to think he had lost you. Nel…look at me." She instructed, causing the woman to do so. "Whenever Tim is sad, or worried, it rains harder in his inner world. And when he made the decision that he would rather kill Gamuza, essentially killing you as well, just to prevent Gamuza from killing you herself, it basically turned his inner world into a swamp. It broke his heart that he had to be the one to potentially kill you, Nel. And it broke mine, too."
She then looked back down at a sleeping Timothy in sadness. "You honestly have no idea how much he cares for you, Nel. He even stood up in front of Captain Hitsugaya, and openly threatened his life if he was to attack you."
Nel's eyes went wide as saucers. "He…He knows?!" she asked in fear.
The spirit glanced back at her and nodded. "Along with the rest of the team. Although he was very reluctant to do so, the Captain's agreed not to say anything…at least for now anyway. Renji, Rukia, and Rangiku all managed to convince him to give you a chance to prove you're not the bad monster he thinks you are. And I hate to tell you this Nel…but the Captain also knows about Tim's feelings for you."
The woman closed her eyes tightly in anger, pushing the tears in her eyes out and down her cheeks.
"How did he find out?" she inquired in a broken voice.
"The way Tim stood up to him gave it away. He asked me in private about it and…I kinda screwed up and admitted it without meaning to. I'm sorry, Nel." The spirit said as she ducked her head in shame.
Nel shook her head softly. "It's fine, Kit. I'm sure it was an accident. But…now I'm worried what it'll do to Tim. I don't want him to risk more than he already has for me."
Kitsune stared at the woman intently. "Nel…didn't Tim already tell you he loved you?" she asked, getting a reluctant nod back. "Well, you should know him well enough by now to know that he wouldn't let things like the Captain knowing about his feelings for you get in the way. You know he could care less about what other people think about him. Do you doubt him?" she questioned.
The woman glared at her with firm eyes. "No!" she hissed a bit too loudly, causing the spirit to quickly raise a finger to her mouth again to silence her and making Nel slap a hand over her mouth. Nel took a calming breath before lowering her hand and sighing. "No, I do not doubt him, Kit. I know what others say about him doesn't matter to Tim. But do you honestly think he would take the risk and not regret it later when the soul society hates him for it?" she pressed.
The spirit nodded her head firmly. "Yes Nel, I do. I know for a fact he would never regret his feelings for you, no matter what happened. And if you truly feel for him the way you say you do, then you wouldn't regret it either. So don't worry about how the Captain feels about you two being together, and worry only about you two."
Nel sighed with closed eyes and nodded. "I do feel strongly about him, Kit. I really do." She then opened her eyes and gave the spirit a firm stare. "But do you honestly think him and I can live together peacefully? I honestly don't care about being hunted by the soul society, but I don't want to put Tim through that hell because of me." She admitted.
Kitsune snorted at her. "You think that will stop him? You should know that it wouldn't. I love the fact that you are putting his safety and wellbeing before you, and I know he does too, but you're only going to upset him by staying away from him because you're worried he'll regret being with you. He'll never regret being with you Nel. God, you're just as bullheaded as he is sometimes." She said with a roll of the eyes.
The woman growled with narrowed eyes. "I am not!" she asserted.
The spirit rose a skeptical brow at her. "Really? I keep telling the both of you over and over to stop worrying, and yet both of you refuse to do so. This is the last time I'm going to say this Nel, so clean that crap outta your ears and listen closely. Tim loves you, and he will do 'anything' for you. He has risked everything for you, 'because' he loves you. He will 'never' regret being with you. After everything he's done, it should have been painfully obvious. Don't take this the wrong way Nel, but Tim is my partner and I have to put this out there. If you can't get all this through your head, and see that he would truly do 'anything' for you, then maybe you don't really deserve him." She declared with a serious face.
Nel flinched in inner pain before she turned away and held her knees to her chest, her head now buried in them. Kitsune maintain her stare as the woman in front of her began to weep. A moment later, Nel held her legs tighter and sniffed.
"You're right." She admitted in a teary voice, then look back at the spirit with a flooded face. "I don't deserve him. After everything he's done…everything he's said, I'm still questioning him. Questioning myself." She held her knees even tighter as she gritted her teeth. "But I want to fix that. I want to be with him. So, I'm asking…please give me another chance." She begged.
Kitsune scoffed and smiled. "You don't need to ask Nel. As long as you realize that you need to trust that Tim knows what he's doing, I'm all for you two being together. It may take me constantly bashing it into his head, but he trusts you. And don't worry about the Captain, or anyone else knowing about you two. If the two of you truly want to be together, then nothing can stop you." She comforted.
The woman smiled and nodded. "Thank you." She said in a broken voice.
The spirit then grinned evilly, causing the Arrancar to start fretting, knowing that grin anywhere. "If you 'really' want to thank me, I've got a little task for you. One that very well may just help improve you two's relationship." She said in a dark tone.
Nel's eyes went wide with fear as she swallowed hard. "Uh oh…" she whispered.
Timothy then stirred from his sleep, causing both women to look at him. "Morning sunshine." Kitsune teased.
He moaned at her. "Oh, shut up. Damn vixen." He scowled as he got up, stopping when he saw Nel now awake. "Nel! Are you alright?!" he asked in worry.
The woman was still a bit frozen in fear from the spirit's earlier proposition, so she looked back at the spirit to see her voicelessly mouthing 'We'll talk later' to her.
"Uh…" she tried, but choked up, causing the spirit to hold a finger up to her mouth, telling her not to say anything. "Uh, yeah…I'm fine, Tim. What about you?" she asked back, now sweating.
He rose a brow in confusion as to her odd behavior. "Uh…I'm fine. I got beat up pretty good, but otherwise I'm good." He answered.
Kitsune lowered her hand. "Before I forget Nel, Captain Hitsugaya wants you to give up your zanpakutō." She informed, trying to change the subject.
Her eyes widened a bit. "He what?"
Timothy sighed as he sat straight and nodded. "He states that he doesn't want you armed, Nel. So he's instructed that you have to give up your zanpakutō. Considering how the whole thing 'should' have gone, this is easily a small price to pay. I'm sure you know he's not going to do anything to Gamuza, but he's only concerned for his team's safety. I'm sure you, and hopefully Gamuza, understand."
"Understand my ass! Who the hell does that puny, white-haired brat think he is?! Telling you to give up my blade?!" the spirit seethed.
"It doesn't matter Gamuza, Tim's right. We shouldn't even be alive right now after what you did in front of the Captain, but he's still going to give us a chance. Letting him hold onto your blade, at least just for a little while, will help us in the future." Nel argued.
Gamuza scoffed heavily. "Whatever. I guess even I can't really argue that one. But I swear to you, that brat had better make sure you get my blade back, or so help me, I'll make his death a slow and painful one." She warned.
Nel held a hand to the side of her head and started rubbing it. "She's definitely 'not' happy about it Tim, but she does understand. As long as you can guarantee that I'll get her back, I will give her to him."
He nodded firmly. "I promise, you 'will' get Gamuza back, Nel. I swear it, to both of you." He said with a serious face.
She nodded back. "Alright. But now that the Captain knows about me, what happens now?" she inquired.
Timothy gently waved her off. "Just act normal. Show him that you're not here to hurt us or anything. It'll take some time, but I'm almost sure he'll come around and see you're not a bad person, Nel. But, although he hasn't said anything yet, I'm pretty sure he gonna want to keep you confined to the shop. If he brings it up, I'll try to plead with him to give you at least a day here and there to walk around. Granted, you'll obviously have to have someone with you. Other than that, I don't think there's any changes to your daily life here." He informed.
Nel let out a brief sigh and nodded. "I'm worried, Tim. I'm afraid he might do something." She admitted.
Kitsune snorted at her. "After Tim's standoff with him, I seriously doubt he'll do anything, Nel. Besides, Captain Hitsugaya is 'not' that kind of person. I promise, he's not going to just up and attack you without a very good reason." She comforted.
Timothy glanced at the spirit. "Nevertheless, we really need to start thinking about other ways to hide Nel. If Captain Hitsugaya informs the soul society about her, she definitely can't stay here. I doubt she'll even be able to stay in Karakura town." He pointed out firmly.
A knock on the door drew everyone's attention. "Come in." Timothy answered in a low voice.
The door slid open, where Rangiku walked in and waved at him. "Hey guys." She greeted with a smile.
The three friends all rose a brow at the numerous bruises on her body. "What happened to you, Rangiku?" Kitsune asked in a bit of shock.
The woman gave her a firm glare. "Yumichika's funeral." She stated in a hiss.
Timothy began sweating at her tone. "I don't think I wanna know." He admitted reluctantly.
The busty Lieutenant then looked at Nel, before sliding the door shut and planting a hand on her hip. Nel shirked a bit under the woman's stare, and flinched when she suddenly started laughing.
"Oh, you don't need to be so worried, Nel." She stated with a wave of the hand. "I'm not really happy that you kept your true identity from me, but I really don't see you as a threat. Definitely not as a 'monster'." She reassured.
Nel breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Rangiku. But, are you really not afraid of me?" she inquired.
The Lieutenant shook her head. "Of course not. You seem just like an ordinary person to me. I may even have to take you shopping again." She announced with glee.
Timothy and Kitsune both froze at the thought of seeing Nel wearing, not revealing, but still provocative, clothing again. Their eyes went wide as they unintentionally looked at the woman and imagined the woman in those clothes, a trickle of blood running from their noses.
Although she was currently materialized, Kitsune was still able to hear anything that her 'roommate' had to share. And what he said next was something that she and her partner were very happy to agree with.
"Do not…be present…for that." 'Johnny' warned, earning a swift nod from the two.
Nel tilted her head at them, not sure why they suddenly started nodding. "Tim, are you two ok?" she inquired.
He quickly nodded again. "Yes! Just fine! Why, don't I look fine?!" he shot out very quickly.
Rangiku smiled evilly at him with crossed arms. "What's wrong, Tim? Don't you 'want' to see Nel looking good in new clothes?" she questioned.
The pair froze again, knowing that the damned, busty Lieutenant just unknowingly backed the two of them into a corner. If Tim said no, it would definitely hurt Nel's feelings and cause her to think she wasn't pretty to him. But, if he agreed, they both knew that it would be a very, 'very' long and excruciating nightmare.
'Damn!' / 'Damn! / 'Damn!' all three of them thought in perfect unison.
He really had no choice, this was easily a 'lesser of two evils' situation; and making Nel happy was by far the least evil of them all.
"Of course! I'd love to see you try out some new outfits, Nel!" he answered…very reluctantly.
Then the best idea came to Kitsune's head, the one idea that just 'may' save them both. She turned to the female Lieutenant and rose a brow.
"I don't think Captain Hitsugaya would allow that, Rangiku." She pointed out.
Timothy's eyes shot open even wider as he glanced at the spirit next to him. He honestly couldn't believe he had not thought of that unintentional 'lifeline' sooner. He and 'Johnny' both let out mental sighs of relief, knowing that there was 'no way' the Captain would ever allow it. There was a God afterall.
Rangiku waved her off nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it, Kit. I had a little talk with him and suggested that if she's going prove she's not a monster, a good way would be to have her around humans. He agreed, so tomorrow, we're going out and seeing 'how you do' around humans. Not only that, he wants you to come along so you can brief me on everything you know about her." She informed.
…A God that outright hates them.
Kitsune's face dropped as she began crying in her mind. Timothy turned his head to give the spirit a firm glare of death.
"I am going to kill you, vixen!" he hissed in a whisper.
She rolled her eyes back to him with sweat running down her fur. "That is if 'Johnny' don't kill me first." She commented.
"She speaks…the truth." He said in a very dark and demonic voice; a voice that would have scared Timothy, had he not been too busy being furious with his partner.
"You will wait your damn turn, 'Johnny'!" he growled at the spirit.
"As long…as she…still lives…when you…are finished…I am…content…with waiting." He informed.
Rangiku clapped her hands next to her head, holding them there as she spoke. "Well then, that settles it! Tomorrow, we're going to get you some new things to wear, Nel!" she informed.
Both partners dropped their heads in epic defeat. "I want to die." They moaned in unison.
Nel looked at the pair with worry. "Tim…are you sure you're alright?" she pressed.
Timothy sighed heavily, then nodded. "Yeah Nel…I'm just peachy." He stated in a moan.
Rangiku then touched a finger to her chin and hummed in thought. "I wonder if Yoruichi is doing anything. It'd be nice to have another opinion." She commented.
The next sound that echoed through the room was the sound of two loud thumps as Timothy and Kitsune's bodies fell away from each other and dropped to the floor. The thought of the most evil, and seductive person on the planet joining them and picking out clothes for Nel proved to be too much, and rendered them both unconscious.
Nel quickly jumped to her hands and knees with wide eyes. "Tim!" she yelled out in worry.
Underground Training Area, Present
Kisuke stood next to a large boulder at the very far end of the training grounds, his cane in his hand with a solemn look on his face, deep in thought. But his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Yoruichi flashing into existence a short distance away.
"What the hell is going on, Kisuke? I leave for a few days, and you let everything fall apart." She said as she stopped walking and crossed her arms with a serious expression.
The shop owner turned to her with his 'innocent' smile and placed a hand on top of his hat. "Why Yoruichi! Whatever could you mean?!" he asked in a 'cheery' voice.
The woman glared at her friend. "Don't play dumb with me, Kisuke. I know something happened here today. And not only that, but Captain Hitsugaya somehow found out about Nel. So, stop with the games and tell me what's going on." She demanded.
The man's 'smile' vanished as his face turned stern instantly. "Yes, Captain Hitsugaya and the others are aware of miss Nel's true origin. For the moment, it would seem that Hitsugaya has agreed to postpone alerting the soul society about her. We're very fortunate in that regards, at least for a while." He informed.
Yoruichi nodded. "And the other thing that happened?" she questioned further.
Kisuke dropped his head. "It would seem that the spirit of miss Nel's hollow powers has found a way to take over her consciousness." He stated.
The woman's eyes went wide. "That's impossible! As if an Arrancar having their own hollow spirit inside wasn't enough, now you're saying that it's possible for them to take over?!" she asked in shock.
Her friend lifted his head enough to look at her past the brim of his hat. "You're right, it shouldn't be possible. As you know, Ichigo is currently away, training to master control over his inner hollow. Although it's still a part of his inner world, Ichigo's inner hollow is not entirely a part of him. He is basically a human with hollow powers, and a spirit that governs those powers. Nel however, 'is' a hollow, with a hollow spirit that 'is' a part of her. Nel and Gamuza are essentially the same being, but split into two different entities. Nel's mind 'is' Gamuza's, and vice versa. Where Ichigo's inner hollow can assume control of his mind and body, it's not possible for a being to take over a mind that is already their own." He educated.
Yoruichi tilted her head a bit. "So, if it's not possible, then how the hell did Gamuza manage to do it?" she inquired.
He shrugged his shoulders a bit. "I can't say. My only guess is that somehow Nel's body and mind must be shifting from what it currently is, a hollow." He offered.
She rose a brow. "Shifting? Into what? Are you trying to say that Nel's mind and body are changing into something else?" she questioned harder.
Kisuke nodded. "Surely you must have noticed miss Nel's steady change in personality. When she first arrived here, she was a calm and calculated warrior. But if you were to sit down and talk with her now, she talks and acts closer to that of a normal woman. Not only that, but she also possesses many emotions now that she certainly didn't have when she first arrived."
Yoruichi gave the man a firm stare. "What are you saying, Kisuke?" she asked in a low tone.
He raised his head a bit more to her. "I'll need to do more research, but I believe it's entirely possible that miss Nel is somehow becoming more human." He informed cautiously.
The woman's eyes shot wide. "Are you telling me that Nel is becoming a human?!" she demanded.
He shook his head slowly. "Not entirely. That, I know for certain, 'is' impossible. An Arrancar, from what we have seen, is basically a half and half mix of hollow and human, with the full hollow part of them sealed into a zanpakutō. But in Nel's case, it seems that her human half is steadily becoming more dominant. That would explain how Gamuza was able to take over today. With the shift of her body and mind's core composition going more towards that of a human's, I believe that is what allowed Gamuza to try and assume dominance. As you are aware, the stronger of two entities will always gain superiority over the other. Gamuza's 'full hollow' self, was trying to gain that dominance over miss Nel's growing human side." He clarified.
His friend shook her head with a sigh. "So, let me see if I have this straight, Kisuke; you're saying that Nel's mind and body are becoming more and more human as time goes by, and that, because of that, Gamuza was able to try and assume control over her?"
Kisuke nodded slowly. "Essentially, yes. As I said, more research is required in order to confirm whether or not this is truly the case."
She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, worried about her new friend. "How could this have happened, Kisuke?" she inquired in a depressed voice.
The scientist lowered his head. "My only conclusion is that exposure to the Hōgyoku is the cause. If the Hōgyoku was able to turn miss Kit from a human soul into a zanpakutō spirit, it's safe to say that allowing an Arrancar to become more human over time is entirely possible as well. This is not something I had originally thought possible with the Hōgyoku, so this is all new to me as well. For now…" He paused to look back at the woman. "…it's in our best interest that we keep a very close eye on miss Nel. We need to be wary of any other possibilities that could result from her mind and body's transition. Gamuza's attempt to take control may not be the worst we can expect." He warned.
Yoruichi gave the man a firm stare. "Kisuke…this isn't another one of your experiments, this is a living, breathing being we're talking about here. And not only that, but that being is a friend of ours, and someone that Tim, another close friend of ours, holds very dear." She cautioned.
Kisuke grinned at his friend. "So, you knew about that, did you?" he teased.
The woman narrowed her gaze at him. "Of course I did. Don't forget that 'I' was the one who started getting those two together. And don't change the subject, Kisuke. You know full well that Tim will lose it if something was to happen to her. That woman has managed to dig her way into all of our hearts, and we would all suffer if something happened to her. So, you'd best keep that in mind when you decide to do your 'research' on her." She warned further.
The man smiled at her. "Showing little faith in me, are we?" he teased again.
Yoruichi briefly flashed over to him and delivered a swift 'chop' to the top of his head. The man dropped down while clutching his head with a pitiful moan.
"Stop being such an idiot, Kisuke. I'm serious here. I'm sure you're just as worried about what this could do to her as I am." She growled in annoyance.
He lifted his head to her with a frown. "Of course, Yoruichi. How could you think I wouldn't be?" he whined.
The woman narrowed her gaze at him with an annoyed, throaty growl, causing him to quickly wave his hands at her in a placating manner.
"Alright alright! I'll be careful while looking into this! Just calm down!" he pleaded.
She nodded firmly at him. "You better, Kisuke, or Tim's the one who would obviously be the most furious. And I think it would be wise not to mention any of this to either of them. Knowing him, he's likely to get all depressed again."
The man stood up as he rubbed his head through his hat. "I agree. Telling either of them would only serve to make the situation worse. Especially considering that Gamuza would very likely be furious about it. I'll let you know if I find anything else out. For now, I think it would be best to focus more on keeping Captain Hitsugaya content with her. We were very fortunate that he agreed not to report her."
The woman nodded again. "That's true. I'll do what I can to help the situation regarding that, while you focus on finding out more about Nel's dilemma. Hopefully, we can solve both problems quickly." She proposed.
"Agreed. If this does get out though, it'd be best if you went to the soul society to help keep this from turning into false rumors." He advised.
She turned away and sighed. "Yeah, it would. But I'm not sure how much good it would do. I'm sure I could get Kyōraku and Ukitake to help, and I might even be able to get Komamura as well. He's Tim's Captain, and is not the kind of person to judge others too quickly. Unohana would definitely help." She named off with her fingers.
He gave her a solemn look. "You know that won't be nearly enough." He commented.
The woman glanced back at him. "It's better than nothing, Kisuke. So, let's hope it don't come to that."
Kisuke nodded firmly and returned his hand to his hat. "We should return upstairs. Miss Nel woke up not too long ago, and I'm sure she'd like at least a brief understanding as to what happened." he advised calmly.
"Don't tell her too much, Kisuke." She cautioned.
He nodded again, before the two friends vanished in shunpo.
When they reappeared back upstairs, they found Rangiku sitting at the table with Nel, Timothy, and Kitsune; the latter two with very distressed looks on their faces.
The female Lieutenant widened her eyes a bit in glee when she saw the golden-eyed woman standing there and looking at the two partners with a raised brow.
"Oh, Yoruichi! You got a minute?!" she asked with a happy demeaner.
The woman smiled and nodded. "Sure. What's up?" she asked back, causing Timothy and Kitsune to moan loudly.
Rangiku smiled back with a hint of a grin. "I wanted to take Nel shopping tomorrow, and I was hoping you might want to come and help us pick out some outfits." She offered.
Yoruichi looked back at the very distraught forms of Timothy and Kitsune before giving her trademark, suggestive grin. She still owed Timothy a bit for his comments the other night, so this was the perfect opportunity to get him back…'legally'.
"I'd love to." She answered.
Timothy's head then dropped onto the table while Kitsune started to whine under her breath. "Please…whatever God exists…please…kill us now." She begged into the air in a low voice.
Yoruichi's grin quickly grew into a very wide, and toothy one. "I saw a few outfits the other day while walking around that I think would look 'perfect' on Nel." She teased further, causing Timothy to lift, then drop his head again twice more.
"I just want to die…" he moaned.
Nel turned to him with a small frown. "If…it really bothers you Tim…we don't have to go." she offered.
He quickly shot up and waved her off with wide eyes at the sound of her saddened voice. "No! I said it's fine, Nel! I just…had a few things to do is all!" he lied, trying to keep her happy.
Yoruichi simply couldn't believe how owned the poor man was. But at the same time, she couldn't help but admire how much suffering he was willing to go through for the woman next to him. She was actually starting to feel a bit jealous.
But jealousy could wait. Right now, this was too golden of an opportunity for the woman to have some fun with the three of them.
"Come on Tim, I'm sure Nel would gladly appreciate you complementing her on how good she'd look in the clothes I've got in mind." She teased.
Timothy glared at the woman. "I don't even want to 'begin' to imagine the kind of 'clothes' you would pick out, damn demon!" he hissed, earning a quick nod from Kitsune.
"I agree! I'm still haunted by your little show the other day!" she added.
Yoruichi glanced at the spirit, thinking of all the possible ways she could tease her with the way she just opened herself.
"My Kit, I had no idea you swung that way." She mocked.
The spirit's eyes shot wide open as Timothy and Nel's jaws dropped and Rangiku burst out into a fit of laughter. Even through all the fur on the woman's face, the golden-eyed woman could easily see the tomato-red blush plastered on the spirit's face.
"I…I do not! That's not funny, Yoruichi! I am 'not' into women! Stop telling everyone your damn lies!" she yelled as she propped herself on the table, glaring at the woman.
Yoruichi rose a brow and crossed her arms. "Oh? Then why did my 'little show' get you all worked up? Come on, Kit. You can be honest with me. It's not bad to admire another woman…at least not in today's society." She informed.
The spirit slapped her hands on the table again. "I am not interested in women!" she asserted in a growl.
Nel looked at her with calming face. "She's only teasing you, Kit. You know that." She stated.
The seductress then glanced at the teal-haired woman. "And what about you, Nel? You seemed to enjoy it just as much as Kit did."
The woman's face went red as well before she glared at her. "No, I didn't! It was just unexpected!" she yelled.
Yoruichi finally looked at Timothy with a very amused grin. "Better make your move quick, Tim. Otherwise, these two lovely ladies just might go for each other." She 'warned' in a suggestive manner.
His face was now red as well at the thought. He was so shocked by the woman's comment, that it never registered in his mind that the two women next to him were instantly leaping over the table and hurtling right at the evil demoness.
"I'll kill you!" Kitsune yelled as she flew through the air.
Her hands were held out in a gesture to grab the woman, followed closely by Nel who had a similar face of fury that the spirit did. But both women crashed into the wall in a pile of arms and legs when Yoruichi flashed out of the way at the last second.
Rangiku was literally on the floor and holding her sides as she laughed so hard, her lungs threatened to burst. It only took a couple of seconds for the two women to untangle themselves before they were on their feet and chasing Yoruichi through the shop.
"Get back here, you damn demon!" Nel yelled as she split off from Kitsune and tried to corner the golden-eyed woman.
Timothy managed to recover from his shock enough to turn and notice that Kisuke was sitting down across from him, holding up his cell phone and recording the entire thing. The Lieutenant rose a brow in disbelief.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked in shock.
The shop owner glanced at him and smiled widely from behind his fan. "Come now Tim, don't you find this the least bit enjoyable?" he inquired.
"Aren't you worried about your friend?" he shot back.
The man chuckled lowly. "Please Tim, do you honestly believe that those two would ever be able to catch the 'Goddess of Flash'? I don't think so. Right now, all their doing is wasting energy." He informed with a wave of his fan.
Timothy's face dropped with a moan. "I hate you all." He stated, then turned back to the women's adult version of 'ring-around-the-rosy'.
"God damnit Yoruichi, hold the fuck still!" Kitsune yelled loudly as the said woman simply stepped to the side and let the spirit run by, crashing into one of the shelves.
"You're mine!" Nel followed, only for her target to step right back to the same spot from before and let her crash into another shelf as well.
Rangiku was 'still' laughing her ass off, causing Timothy to turn his eyes to her. "It's not that funny, Rangiku." He stated.
The woman rolled over to face him with tear of laughter in her eyes. "Your…right it…it's not!" she stated between laughs. "It's freaking…hilarious!" she finished, then continued her laughing spree.
Timothy groaned as he started rubbing his temples. "I really don't know how this can get any worse…" he moaned.
"What the hell is going on in here?!" a voice yelled, the one voice he definitely did 'not' want to hear at the moment.
He quickly looked up with wide eyes at the same time that Yoruichi's two aggressors stopped their assaults and slowly turned to see Captain Hitsugaya standing in the front doorway; his fists clenched at his side and a furious look on his face.
"I spoke too soon." Timothy moaned further after slapping the hand from before onto his face.
Toshiro glared at his Lieutenant. "Rangiku, you want to explain all this?" he asked/demanded.
It was at this time that Rangiku had finally stopped laughing, sweat beading down her face as she looked back at her superior in worry.
"Um…Hey Captain…The girls were just having…a little fun?" she tried, but failed as it only made the short man even madder.
"I can see that! I sent you here to retrieve the woman's zanpakutō, not for fun and games!" he growled.
Timothy then stood up and looked at him firmly. "I' will get it for you, Captain." He announced.
The man nodded. "Be quick about it, Lieutenant. My patience is already at its limit, and it would not bode well for you to test it any further." He warned.
The Lieutenant stared back at him. "Noted, Captain. One second." He said, then left the room.
"And you…" Toshiro started, turning to Nel. "…I assume Rangiku told you about her and Lieutenant Durn taking you out into the city?" he inquired.
The woman stood straight from her still frozen position and nodded. "Yes sir. She said that I was to tell her everything about me."
The Captain nodded firmly. "And you had better not leave anything out. I'm giving you this one chance…'Nel'…so don't screw it up." He warned.
Nel gave the man a swift bow. "I won't, I promise." She assured.
She rose back up as Timothy reentered the room, Gamuza's blade in his hands. He came to a stop in front of the shorter man and held the weapon out to him with a very firm gaze.
"Unless you want Gamuza to pay us another visit Captain, I strongly urge you to take good care of it. She's not exactly happy I'm giving her to you." He stated.
"You have nothing to fear, Lieutenant. And once 'Nel' has proven herself to me, I will consider returning it." He said in return, accepting the blade from Timothy.
Nel then held a hand to her head and moaned quietly, causing Timothy to turn to her. "I assume that's her getting mad?" he observed.
She nodded in confirmation. "She's really giving me an earful right now."
Toshiro looked at her and rose a brow. "Well tell 'her' she can calm down. I already said you will get it back once you've proven yourself."
Nel winced a bit as Gamuza started yelling in her head. "Captain, please don't upset her." She begged.
Timothy nodded. "Yes, please don't." he furthered.
The Captain growled in annoyance, but finally let it go. "Rangiku, we're leaving." He instructed.
The woman quickly got up off the floor and ran toward them. "Yes Captain." She said, then stopped and turned to Timothy. "I'll be here early tomorrow so we can get going, Tim. See you then." She informed with a smile.
His face then dropped, along with his shoulders. "Please…don't hurry on my account." He moaned.
Rangiku chuckled as she turned and left the shop, running up to walk beside her Captain. Everyone watched as the two officers rounded the corner, where Timothy turned to Nel.
"Is she still going off?" he inquired.
Nel sighed and nodded. "She is 'very' upset right now. I knew this was a bad idea." She commented.
"I know Nel, but doing so will help the Captain trust you more. Just ask Gamuza to please be patient, and trust us." He pleaded.
She gave him a sorrowful look. "That's honestly asking for a lot right now, Tim." she informed.
He nodded. "I'm know, but we 'all' need to keep calm, or this could end up going the wrong way. And I seriously doubt even Gamuza would want that."
Nel shook her head. "No, she doesn't. She says she'll calm down, but she also says it's on you."
"She don't have to worry. She knows where I stand in all this. I thought I made that very clear to her this morning." He stated firmly.
The woman nodded. "Apparently you did, since she's actually listening to you." She remarked.
He hummed with a smile. "I'm glad." He said, then sighed heavily. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I 'really' could use a drink or two right now." He stated with a moan.
Kitsune and Nel both quickly nodded. "I could probably use more than just a couple." The spirit informed.
"I'll have a couple as well, Tim." Nel followed.
Yoruichi then threw a hand up in the air. "Ah, what the hell…I guess I'll join you guys."
Timothy turned to glare at her. "I swear to God Yoruichi, I am 'not' in the mood for any more of your teasing tonight. It has been a 'long' fucking day, and I would 'really' like to enjoy at least a little peace and quiet tonight." He warned.
She waved him off gently. "Alright. You don't have to be so rude about it, you know."
He scoffed at her words. "Yes, actually; I do." He returned.
Kitsune glared at her as well. "He actually does, Yoruichi. It's really the only way to stop you." She hissed, still furious with the woman.
The golden-eyed woman groaned loudly. "I swear, you guys are no fun!" she whined.
Timothy sighed heavily. "I am not even going to dignify that with a response, Yoruichi." He moaned as he left the group to grab the drinks.
"You two 'do' realize that you're going to have to fix my shop up…right?" Kisuke inquired from the table.
Nel and Kitsune's faces dropped as they started sweating. They then looked around at the carnage that they had caused while trying to catch the elusive demon. All three of the center shelves were on their sides, their contents scattered all over the floor, and hardly 'any' of the wall mounted shelves had anything left on them.
"…Shit." Kitsune groaned.
Nel sighed heavily, then side glanced the spirit. "I hate that damn demon." She whined.
Kitsune rolled her eyes to her. "Join the fucking club." She returned.
Both women sighed once more in unison as they dropped their shoulders, then split up and began cleaning the monstrous mess they caused.
Ok, it seems Nel is safe for the moment. Not only that, but Tim and Kit have finally found their closure on what happened to the spirit, and have finally decided to move on with their lives as partners instead of lovers. A bit sad for sure, but now Tim can move on and look more into his feelings for Nel without having to worry about betraying Kit.
Moving on to Kisuke and Yoruichi's private meeting, I'm sure a lot of you are starting to get the picture as to what I have planned for Nel in the future. But don't let what was said in this chapter lead you astray; keep your minds open, or you'll be in for a hell of a shocker, lmao.
That's all for this week readers, I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you all next week. Laters.
