Disclaimer: The following is a fan-based parody. Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum (rest in peace you saint of a man). Please support the official release.
Chapter 52: Another One Bites the Dust
(Que Story OP – Hello Sleepwalkers "Hyakkiyakou")
Ichigo had been foretold of the coming headache as soon as he came home with Rukia, Ruby, Chad, and Orihime with their Mod Soul companions to discuss a strategy. Ruby had her fellow teammates return back to their own home to retire for the night, if just to have Ichigo save more face in front of his father. He felt a vein or two bulging on his forehead when his father caught sight of his son coming home with three women in tow. Rukia gave a 'believable' excuse to the Kurosaki father that they were studying together for schoolwork. Of course, now Ichigo knew that Isshin was in fact a former shinigami captain and was merely playing with Rukia's lie without her suspecting anything. But it didn't stop the lecherous smile adorning the goofy man's face seeing his son coming home with a beautiful trio, painting a very peculiar image.
"This has to be a dream." Isshin said, his shoulders shaking with pride. "There's no way, but my boy Ichigo has come home with not one, not two, but three beautiful ladies to his home. I mean come on. Though, if that is true, well done-"
Isshin's words were cut off in a harsh gag due to a fist embedded in his gut. Surprisingly, the blow came from Ruby herself as she gave a stern glare to the elder Kurosaki. The three months she had spent living in Karakura Town allowed her to get more or less acquainted with the daily antics that were involved. That included being the subject to Isshin's insanity, and it soon rubbed off on her to use Ichigo's father like a punching bag whenever he went too far. It certainly didn't help when Isshin would include perverted talk of more than one girl.
"There's no way Ichigo has more than one girl." Ruby stated harshly to Isshin. "Because he is mine and mine alone."
Ruby retracted her fist, letting Isshin collapse to the floor holding his stomach aching in pain. From the sidelines, Ichigo had a smug grin seeing his father getting his just desserts from someone else. Yet, there was still a proud look on the man's face.
"Excellent punch Ruby, as expected of my future daughter-in-law." Isshin praised in a groan.
That got Ruby's brows to twitch. In the end, Isshin had the last laugh in the matter. With a sigh, the group of reiatsu-sensitives gathered in Ichigo's spartan room. Ichigo sat backwards on his chair with his head resting on his crossed arms, but Ruby sat on the table behind him with her arms wrapped around Ichigo to keep her boyfriend as close as possible. Orihime and Rukia sat on Ichigo's bed, and Chad sat on the hardwood floor.
Rukia was the first one to speak to the present situation. "What do we do now? Anybody have any suggestions?"
"Well, we now know that these guys can track down the Bounts so we can find them." Ichigo said, sparing a glance to the BDSM doll that housed Ririn. "But I don't think the Bounts will stop with whatever they are doing, at least not quietly."
"What about their abilities, besides their trickery?" Rukia asked.
"The only thing tricky about them is that their reiatsu feels nonexistent." Ruby answered. "I am the only one who can sort of smell them out from whatever reiatsu they have consumed."
"Similar to shinigami, the Bounts have different powers vary from each individual, so any countermeasures will be next to impossible unless we have all of the information." Kurodo said with his ear-arms crossed in front of him.
"I'll say." Ichigo agreed, recalling his encounters with the vampires. "From we can gather, the woman named Yoshino uses some kind of fire attack while that man tonight can turn random objects into serpents. He doesn't seem very dangerous if you can get past his offense, which Ruby and I have no trouble with given our Aura protecting us."
"We have look for more clues to combat them and fast." Said Orihime, with Chad nodding in agreement. "The more time we waste, the more people can die with their souls sucked out."
"I know that, and I'm open to suggestions to stop this mess faster." Ichigo said.
"Hmm, we may have a small advantage already." Ruby mused. "From what we've seen tonight, there is definitely a divide in the Bounts eating souls. Why else would that creep come after Yoshino and demand her return?"
"Maybe we have an ally." Ichigo said in half-wonder. "Rukia, what about the Soul Society? Didn't they give you any information about these Bounts?"
Rukia shook her head. "No, I've never heard of them until tonight. If they knew, they certainly didn't tell me."
Ruby narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Sounds really fishy to me."
Before Rukia had a chance to reply, her cellphone began to buzz. Flipping the device open, she was treated to the frantic screaming of Renji excited to know she was in Karakura Town. The call lasted for less than a minute and concluded with the fact that Renji was one his way to the Kurosaki home. Their attention went downstairs when they heard one of the windows suddenly shatter followed by a pained cry from Isshin. When they came downstairs, it was to find that Renji had indeed crashed through a window and landed on top of the elder Kurosaki.
Ichigo was no amount pissed off that the redheaded idiot broke a window into his home. A dark aura surrounded the three-way hybird as he accosted towards Renji, he was stopped in the middle of greeting the shinigami. Renji's world was filled with pain as Ichigo's right hand clamped down on Renji's skull in an Iron Claw, and he was forced to stare in agitated brown eyes bleeding black.
"You absolute dumbass!" Roared Ichigo, dragging the redhead all the way to his room with everyone else. "There is something called a door that you can use. I prefer not to have my windows broken."
Ichigo forcefully chucked Renji to the floor on his ass, where he gave the orange-haired teenager a heated glare. He was then taken up to speed of the current situation concerning the Bounts, and how the last engagement saw the vampires a real danger to the town. Renji however in his infinite wisdom decided to poke funny at Ichigo by insulting his intelligence.
"At least his brain is leagues more than what's responsible for the red pineapple of yours." Ruby quipped, effectively turning the tables on Renji and saving the room from a possible brawl.
Ruby's words made Renji deflate on the spot as he grumbled under his breath. The girl in question gave a victorious fanged grin, shared by Ichigo as well at Renji's expense.
"So, have you figured a plan?" Ichigo asked Rukia.
The Kuchiki heiress shrugged. "I think we are just going to wing it, as you say."
"Good." Ichigo answered. "I guess we're done for today. We'll continue this tomorrow."
With some pleasant goodbyes, Rukia, Orihime, and Chad left with their Mod Soul partners and returned to their respective homes, the former pair staying at Orihime's. Ichigo was wanted nothing more than to sleep for the rest of the night with his shinigami duties done. He had changed into his sleeping wear and made himself comfortable under the sheets of his bed. Ichigo would have fallen asleep there if it weren't for the alien warmth resting next to him.
The Kurosaki's eyes bugged out in shock staring back at mirthful silver inches away from his face. There on his left side towards the window was Ruby currently snuggling up to him in the same bed. In the wake of everyone leaving, she had stayed just outside the room and her acquired skills in stealth made him none the wiser. She had also changed, wearing tight red pants and a black tank top for perfect comfort.
"Ruby, what are you doing!?" Ichigo shrieked in a whisper.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ruby said, sauntering closer to Ichigo's side. "I want to sleep with you for tonight."
"Ruby." Said Ichigo exasperated.
He tried to move out of the bed, but found that Ruby's arms were entangled around him to prevent any form of mistake. He looked back at Ruby wanting to ask her to let him go, only to see that despite the mirth in her silver eyes her cheeks were blushed a deep crimson. Despite doing the bold action first, Ruby was just as embarrassed as Ichigo was in this intimate contact.
"Please, Ichi-kun." Ruby almost pleaded, her voice soft with affection. "At least try it for this one night. For me."
"... Okay, just don't do anything weird please." Ichigo relented, forcing himself to abandon his embarrassment and trying to ignore the incredible soft sensation of two warm 'pillows' pressing on his left side.
"I promise." Ruby whispered, resting her head on Ichigo's shoulder.
'He feels so warm.' Ruby thought blissfully.
Ichigo watched as Ruby drifted off to sleep, leaving only a peaceful smile on her beautiful face. He found himself quite liking that face that suited Ruby so well. As sleep slowly began to take hold on him, he reached out his calloused hand to brush back a few strands of her crimson-tipped hair dangling over her face.
'This feels... really nice.' Ichigo thought before sleep took him.
(The Next Day)
It was safe to say that both Ichigo and Ruby woke up that morning burning red on their faces, and it wasn't missed by either Isshin or the twin sisters. Isshin's smile at the pair was enough of an indicator of his present thoughts during breakfast and Yuzu was constantly switching glances between her older brother and Ruby that had basically become a de facto member of their family. Karin's reaction was the most pronounced as she constantly stared at the two trying and failing to understand the new dynamic between Ichigo and Karin.
"All we did was just sleep together." Ruby admitted in a mumble.
Karin's eyes widened to the point of popping out when she overheard the little tidbit from Ruby. Isshin for once was trying his hardest to breakdown in laughter or hugging his son in pride. Yuzu's expression was simply a mix of confusion as she was too busy preparing breakfast for everyone.
To the couple's fortune, they were able to leave the house early to get to school. Rukia had blended back into the school livelihood as if her departure was just yesterday all due to a shinigami device that manipulated the memories of the entire school to do so. The only ones unaffected were those in tuned to their spiritual pressure, including Uryu despite having lost his Qunicy powers.
Ruby had not seen her teammates for a while since she returned to the high school academy. She occasionally saw the faces of JN(P)R around with Senna, and took a double take of the surreal scene of Jaune being stalked by a crowd of female admires trying to woo him. Key word being tried as Jaune was too innocent for his own good and rapidly fled for his life. Ren on the other hand never had this sort of trouble with a crowd mostly due to Nora always at his side glaring at any other girl coming close to him. Just those little facts were enough to tell Ruby of how the schools on Earth are a totally different dynamic from Signal and Beacon on Remnant.
It was during recess where Ichigo and his friends were outside that Ruby was walking in the halls of the school until she was nabbed from around the corner. After blinking the daze out of her eyes, Ruby found himself staring back at Weiss, Blake, and Yang all looking at their team leader with eyes of wonder. Yang had Ruby trapped by the grip on the red-tipped raven-haired girl while her face leaned in closer on her 'little sister'.
"You were staying at Ichigo's place last night." Yang stated.
"Uhm, yes." Ruby answered meekly like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.
"You slept with your boy toy, didn't you?" Yang said, a grin spreading her face.
"... Yes." Ruby said, lacking any of her teasing attitude and wanted nothing more than to shrink into her clothes.
"Details, Ruby, I need details." Exclaimed Yang frantically. "How was he? How did he feel when you snuggled close to him? Was it nice?"
Every word from Yang had the effect of making Ruby blush in a darker shade of red than her cloak, and the memory of last night persisted at the forefront of her mind. She had to force herself from releasing a blissful sigh of the memory; how Ichigo felt so warm under her and how his left arm wrapped around her made her feel so safe. However, Yang's words also had the undesired effect on Blake who was blushing a dangerous amount as her mind drifted to more adult interpretations of the blonde's questions. Neither Ruby or Weiss ever saw the small leak of blood flowing down Blake's right nostril.
"... He's so warm..." Ruby mumbled under her breath. "... And he's like the perfect pillow..."
That was all Yang was able to get out of Ruby until she saw the arrancar snap her head to attention. Her reiatsu sensory abilities picked up a rise of Ichigo's spiritual pressure, indicating that one of the Bounts have been detected. She leveled a serious look to Team RWBY, bringing the professional Huntresses to the forefront.
They were soon running out of school grounds and across the town till they had caught up to Ichigo's group. Once they were out of sight, they left their gigais and turned them into Soul Candies to consume later. They arrived at the source of the Bount activity at an abandoned parking lot. RWBY and JN(P)R cringed at the clothes lying in piles of ashes that were previously living people, and the culprit was the asshat from the last night with a woman in his clutches.
Utagawa scoffed. "Not you people."
As soon as Utagawa let go of the woman, Ruby had sprung into action disappearing in burst of sonido. The vampire could not process Ruby's speed before he was sent back by a kick. Jaune, Nora, and Ren settled in the back to prevent the Bount from escape while Ichigo took up the rear guard behind Team RWBY in case they needed his superior firepower.
"Blake, get the woman to safety." Ruby ordered. "Weiss, this guy likes to make a lot of snakes, so make a lot of ice to freeze them all in place. And Yang - smash!"
Yang flashed her leader a grin before bursting into motion with a bang from Ember Celica, her asauchi held in reverse grip in her left hand. Utagawa had recovered from the remains of a wall he crashed only to meet a harsh haymaker from Yang. His body sprawled across the ground till he hit a car with enough force to shatter the windows.
"Wow, you have the most punchable face I have ever seen." Yang mocked as she accosted to the Bount.
Utagawa growled, summoning Fried. "Know your place, food."
The snake whipped out in order to lacerate Yang's skin, but the blonde was able to backpedal away out of range. Utagawa pressed on the attack again to harass RWBY while also creating lashes in the ground. With powers of his Doll, the cracks turned into multiple snakes that surrounded them.
Weiss acted accordingly stabbing Myrtenaster into the ground in her right hand. The blade produced a mystical ice that flash froze the asphalt and the snakes that slithered on the ground. Next, Weiss thrusted forward with her asauchi in her left hand intending to impale the Bount. Utagawa dodged away at the last second, but was left with a deep cut across his stomach from the blade. Ruby struck in his distracted attention to plant a knee into his gut, the blow rocketing him to crash into a car with enough force to shatter the windows.
His vision was filled with blonde hair as Yang picked the Bount up by his collar. His Doll, Fried, tried to bite into Yang's neck, but the serpent received a white bolt of Byakurai aimed perfectly by Ren. Utagawa was then at the mercy of Yang, who had punched the Bount square in the face with enough force to stop a speeding truck.
And Yang began to punch him again and again... and again. Each punch from Yang disfigured more of Utagawa's face from the pristine perfection of immortality to a drunk artist's work of bruises and broken bones. A pile of teeth was piling on the ground at Yang's feet and blood was gushing out from split lips and a broken nose. The sounds of her fists meeting face were becoming more of a squishy sound then the crack of bones.
"Why *BAM* is *BAM* your *BAM* face *BAM* so *BAM* punchable?!" Yang cried ecstatically through gritted teeth.
"... Gwt frwr hwds uff mwe, fru frwdl." Utagawa tried to make words when he was given a rare moment of pause from Yang's onslaught.
Right before she started to punch the creepy and entitled bastard again. However, Yang's arm was held back by the elbow before she could deliver the 30th blow on the Bount. Glancing back, crimson met crimson, and Yang relented knowing that Ruby wanted to take charge now. She knew that the frightening change of Ruby's eyes from their dazzling silver to the black and red eyes of a Hollow meant that Utagawa was in for a world of hurt.
However, the Bount was not to give up so easily to 'food' in his eyes, and his Doll Fried made on last attempt to strike down Ruby with her fangs. The Doll never made it to Ruby's exposed neck and was caught in a vicious vice grip just below the head. Her raw strength as an arrancar tightened her hold on the sentient weapon till it ghostly cries turned into wails of pain.
"Weiss, freeze this thing." Ruby said, tossing up Fried into the air.
A smirk spread on Weiss' face as she pointed her rapier and with a shot of blue dust froze the Doll in a block of ice. Utagawa tried to summon his partner's power, but it was no use as Fried's gaze was aimless trapped in her frozen prison. Suddenly, he found an incredibly strong grip around his throat and was forced to stare into red eyes wrapped in pitch black brimming with enough cold fury to freeze the world down. He was slammed down to the ground and pinned down with Ruby's foot on his chest.
"We can make this so much better for you if you choose to cooperate." Ruby threatened, her voice flat and sharp as her zanpakuto aimed at his heart. "What are you planning taking the souls of the living in Karakura? We know Bounts can survive a soul after it has passed on, so why go the extra mile?"
Utagawa scoffed with an ugly smile. "Why you ask? Well, a fresh, live soul tastes so much better - AAUUGH!"
(R)WBY, JNPR, Rukia, Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad cringed as Ruby stabbed her zanpakuto blade into his side directly into the kidney. She removed her blade the next second, causing a splatter of blood to emerge from the fresh wound, and then punted the Bount across the parking lot to crash into a concrete wall.
"Yang, can you bash him with a car?" Ruby asked in a tone that allowed no quarter to deny her.
Using her impressive strength, Yang heaved up a motor vehicle by a few inches of the ground and ran it toward Utagawa like a battering ram. The Bount cried in pain as his ribs broke and was followed shortly of him coughing mouthfuls of blood. His attention went back to Ruby, her footsteps clicking against the asphalt ground.
"Let's try this again." Ruby hissed, her spiritual pressure rising to create an aura of red around her. "What are you doing eating living souls?"
"Ha-ha-ha." Utagawa laughed through his choking fits on his blood. "Y-You think I will just give you what you want, girl!? I have lived far longer before your forefathers were ever conceived! Do me whatever pain you wish or threaten me with death if you want, it will not matter. If there is one fear that is permanent for the centuries I have lived, it is the punishment of failure by my master."
Ruby forced herself to take in a deep breath. "You know, when I smell your reiatsu, it's like an assortment of different smells from a flower shop or a buffet. Hollows share the same trait, if the smell wasn't so old and disorganized. It is because of all the unique reiatsu you have consumed and it surrounds your own like a shell. But I can 'sniff' through all those scents till I find the core. I find your true self without any of the other souls hiding you away, and all I find is filthy rot! Your soul is so black that you have no remorse for the lives you've not only murdered, but defiled for your sick pleasures."
She knew the moment she felt Utagawa's true reiatsu that Ruby hated this man. He was a man of the lowest scum that ridiculed anyone around him for his own selfishness. It went against Ruby stood for protecting innocent people and her very nature to preserve life. This man would rather see the world burn if it would get a laugh from him.
"Why should I regret an act that is the same of regular man eating sheep or lamb?" Utagawa said without hesitation. "Because that is what you all are. We Bouts are the natural higher order in the world while the rest of you are cattle to fill our bellies. So what so wrong if I can't play with my food if I want?"
"I'm almost glad you're not going to talk." Ruby snarled, her reiatsu screaming murder as her Hollow instincts influenced her mind. "I can't stand to look at you. Someone who has no remorse for the lives he's ruined, just for his own enjoyment. You sicken me."
Jaune, Nora, and Ruby's teammates were sending uneasy looks at the arrancar heated attitude. It wasn't the same Ruby they knew from Beacon, but more of a ravenous wolf out for blood. Her teeth were barred in a snarl revealing her canines, and her hair whipped about slightly from her spiritual pressure.
"What are you going to do?" Taunted Utagawa. "Kill me? Please. You don't have the-"
"Cero."
Light and sound were drowned out as a crimson doom blast encompassed the spot where Utagawa once stood, and when the smoke cleared there was only ashes and the back half of the care Yang used. A couple pairs of eyes stared in disbelief at the arrancar, her right hand stretched with her index finger pointed forward shaking slightly. Rukia had frozen on the spot in shock at the tremendous amount of Hollow reiatsu produced, wondering just what happened to her friend. Ichigo and Yang approached Ruby sensing the discomfort emanating from her.
"Ruby..." Yang said softly, planting a hand on her team leader's right shoulder, "what... happened to you there?"
Yang knew that her 'little sister' had changed drastically from the time she first 'died' shortly after Mistral. But seeing it was an entirely different matter. The Xiao Long was no stranger to killing, but it didn't go right with Ruby who she remembered to be the bubbly girl wanting to be a hero. This was a heavy load for Yang to take in at the sight seeing her kill so suddenly, even if it was such a sociopathic asshole.
"Ruby, are you okay?" Ichigo wondered.
The arrancar glanced back at Ichigo, her right eye shifting back to silver on eye contact with her fellow hybrid. She slightly leaned against his body and her stance relaxed, but her eyes seemed a bit dim.
"I'm fine." Ruby muttered. "That man was disgusting."
"If you say so, but you don't look so cheery." Ichigo noted. "How about on the way back to Karakura High, I'll get you some strawberry ice cream?"
"Really?" Ruby perked up, her wolf ears pointing up adorably. "But... I have my strawberry here."
The remaining three members widened their eyes and exchanged shocked looks. The effect Ichigo had on Ruby was baffling how instantly positive it was. It was almost miraculous how much Ruby opened up to the three-way hybrid just like that. They were still unnerved at the prospect of Ruby being able to kill, but they can rest peacefully knowing Ichigo can always be there to comfort their leader.
I have no excuse for my late update except that university life has no mercy and that I have other stories to work on as well. Luckily I am on break, and you can expect more frequent updates soon with my new free schedule for the week.
So yeah, I killed off Utagawa. Did not really see any value of him being alive like in canon, so I had a little fun torturing the sick bastard. But now that Uryu hasn't gone to the hospital, I am kind of lost how to deal with those annoying Bount twins with their water Dolls. Please leave a review to help me with that.
And here are some new ideas I have been brainstorming.
White Light of Life, a RWBY and Green Lantern crossover.
Summary: "Life. Life is precious." As a silver-eyed warrior, Ruby is naturally tuned to protect life as a hero. So what do you get when you have a simple soul full of love of life and a powerful artifact fueled by life itself? You get the champion of the Entity, the most powerful White Lantern in the universe.
-White Lanterns: Ruby Rose, Summer Rose (resurrected).
-Violet Lanterns: Pyrrha Nikos. (Prepare for yandere Pyrrha.)
-Green Lanterns: Jaune Arc, Oscar Pine.
-Indigo Lantern: Weiss Schnee.
-Blue Lantern: Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie.
-Red Lantern: Yang Xiao Long (may change.)
-Yellow Lantern: Blake Belladona.
This is just food for thought that I wanted to share. Let me know in the reviews.
Red Campione, a second attempt at a RWBY, Fate/Stay Night, and Campione crossover, included in the fanfic world of 'God-Slaying Blade Works'.
Summary: Team RWBY is sent to investigate an ancient temple led by Doctor Oobleck. There they find Gilgamesh himself, locked in the temple as a prisoner as a failure to unite the world under the rule of the gods. He makes Ruby kill him under the threat of the death of her team, effectively making her his legacy and the ninth Campione upon his death. Unfortunately, the prison destabilizes without Gilgamesh there and sends Team RWBY to a new world in the fallout, one worse than the hordes of Grimm. Romance/Adventure/Humor. Important characters include Team RWBY, Shirou, Godou, and Illya.
Slain Heretical Gods by Ruby (planned): Gilgamesh, Oda Nobunaga (Nasuverse), Ares, Ishtar, Gawain, Arjuna (Berserker).
Authorities:
-Gate of Babylon (No explanation needed)
-The Hajunn Reborn: Demon King of the Three Thousand Great Thousand Heavens: The Heavens of the sky fall into a rain of fire that brings utter destruction to the land before her and is effective against deities.
Chant: "The path of my conquest is paved by the innumerable corpses of the gods and Buddha and all living beings."
-Sunshine: Grants increasing strength to the Campione reaching a peak till high noon. Any recognized allies of the Campione will receive a partial share of the power.
-Gugalunna, the Bull of Heaven.
-Sword of War: The great Sword of Mars from the Nasuverse.
-Weapon Mastery: Any weapon Ruby picks up she can instantly master and enhances it to legendary proportions.
These are the Authorites I can think of for Ruby based on the gods she will slay in the story. Let me know the appropriate authorities
Slain Heretical Gods by Shirou: Angra Mainyu, Mordred, Hades, Perseus, Karna, Arthur Pendragon, Rama.
Authorities.
-Unlimited Blade Works: Shirou's own 'Authority' that allows him to copy any blade or blade-like weapon, including powerful magical artifacts. At its peak, it summons Shirou's Reality Marble that warps reality itself into his own personal world where there lies a land of infinite swords.
-Evils of Humanity: An Authority that grants effects to Shirou's weapons that give evils to his enemies that are quite deadly.
-Treasures of the Underworld: Grants Shirou access to the unlimited wealth of the Underworld.
-Vasavi Shakti: The spear of Karna made to kill the gods.
-Brahmastra: Grants Shirou powerful fire-based attacks similar to mana burst.
This is the Shirou from God-Slaying Blade Works, one of my favorite fanfics. These are the Authorities he has as a Campione after slaying Angra Mainyu, Hades, Mordred, and Perseus and the rest are my take on who he will fight next. Let me know what Authorities he actually has from the fanfic, and what he might get from the list of Heretical Gods on his kill list.
Up next is Chapter 53.
Stay in touch. Please, please leave a review.