Does Man Make The Monster?
Shorts 1
(A/N So until I can get all my ducks in a row as far as the main story is concerned I am going to post a couple of non-continuity shorts, er, vinaigrette thingies? IDK. It might get me motivated into really writing again. FYI for all the readers late to the game, I had posted a poll and right after I became very unwell and put a lot of things on hiatus. This story being one of them. So that's why there are a couple of oddities here, like this little… Whatever this is going to be that I am writing. Now when I do get the ball rolling again, I will leave these up only to keep up with the reviews properly. So people don't go, "WTF is this?" Again these are random things not meant to be part of the main continuity. Take them for what they are; little jokes and stupid shit. Thank you.)
SOUNDS/sounds
Thoughts
"ICHIOOOO! OH MY GOD! LOOK," Akane yelled, her cell phone in hand.
Said person jumped from the sudden loudness of his partner rushing into his office. It hadn't been long since Ichigo came back from patrol. In fact he barely even sat down before she hurried inside in what he assumed was a panic.
"Wh-what's wrong?!" Ichigo asked, almost getting back to his feet.
"Look at this! Watch," she clicked something on the screen of her phone. "Lumos!"
Her phone's flashlight came on. Ichigo just stared at her and the phone with a dull confused look.
"Now watch this! Nox!" the light turned off. "Ha! Cool, huh? I read about it on social media but I thought it was a joke! It actually works! Lumos!"
She flashed the light his face rapidly. He closed the eyes and turned his head away from her phone.
"Nox! Isn't that just the coolest thing ever?! I can cast a Harry Potter spell via my phone!"
"Hey, that is cool. Let me see that."
Ichigo got up to his feet and she handed him her phone. He looked at it a little.
"Press the mic in the Google bar," she pointed out.
"Okay… All right. Let's see… Wingardium leviosa!"
He gave the phone a swish and a flick, before tossing the phone out the door.
"ICHIGO!"
"Hey, look I got it to kinda sorta float!"
"You're a dick," Akane yelled, running out into the hall to grab her phone.
"Only when I'm tired and have lights flashed in my face," he replied, shutting the door behind her and locked it. "Alohomora that."
(This only works with certain Android based phones. My Samsung Note does this. I freaked out my hubby showing him this. BTW the new movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is kick ass! I loved it! It was nice seeing other characters.)
Touka finished up her classes and hurried over to the café. She couldn't wait to tell the others what she saw earlier that day. Tsukiayama getting owned by an apple wielding elementary school student. Every time she thought of it she would snicker and it caught the teachers' attention a couple of times. She told Yoriko about at lunch. Her friend found it funny but given Yoriko didn't everything about that creepy bastard she could truly appreciate it.
Touka climbed up the stairs with a small grin on her lips. She opened the door and the bell rang overhead. She quickly made a beeline for the bar. She had to tell the first person she saw; that person being Kouma.
"You aren't going to believe what I saw today," Touka said almost proudly. "Tsukiyama g—"
"Tsukiyama got hit in the face with an apple by a little human boy?" Kouma answered, setting out a couple of clean cups onto a tray.
"Yes…" Touka deflated her good story ruined. "But how did you…?"
"I saw it too. I about pissed myself I laughed so hard," Kouma chuckled, trying to fight from laughing again. "I'm sorry, but I already told everyone. Right down to the cop bit."
"Cop? What cop?"
"Right after both of you left he got up and kicked that apple square into the chest of an officer."
"H… How did I miss that?!" she choked out.
"Well, you left. Cop chased him down around the block. Don't know anything beyond that," Kouma said, picking up a pot. "But it was pretty damn funny to watch."
Damn it. This was supposed to have been my funny story! She grumbled, stomping towards the back to get changed for work. Then I didn't even get to see everything! Shit!
Ichigo hurried down the stairs. He wanted to be early this morning getting to the police academy. He had been in trouble recently for not showing up on time. He wanted to make sure he showed when I was supposed to.
"Good luck today, my boy," Isshin said, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand.
Ichigo paused at the front door and look back at his father, his police cadet shirt slung over his right shoulder.
"What for?" Ichigo asked, looking puzzled.
"Well, I mean… You're learning firearms today, right?" Isshin asked as Ichigo rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Just wishing you good luck."
"Oh, yeah… Thanks," Ichigo said, slipping on his shirt and straightened it out. "I've been looking forward to this for a while now. We went over safety, laws, and parts this week now it's time to actually put everything into practice."
"I know, that is why I am wishing you the best of luck," Isshin grinned, taking a sip of his coffee. "Not like anything bad is going to happen. Heaven forbid."
"Why am I getting the bizarre feeling that you're expecting something to go wrong? I feel like you're jinxing me?"
"Wh-what?! No! Of course not! Why would I do that?! I can't believe you would think that of your loving old man," Isshin made a mad dash towards Ichigo and put him into a large bear hug! "Why I only wish for the utmost best for you! My first born! My baby boy! Do you not trust me and my words? This hurts me deeply."
"Not as much as this will," Ichigo stomped down on his father's sock clad toes!
"EEEEYOW! Ow! Ow!" Isshin released him and grabbed his ailing foot. "H-how could you do that!"
"Oh, stop being a drama queen!"
Isshin quickly recovered and sighed, putting his had hand on Ichigo's shoulder.
"I really do wish the best for you today! Make no mistake about that! I know you'll do perfectly fine!"
"I still feel like you're expecting something bad."
"Absolutely not! Again this pains me to hear that lack of faith in me. Now you get going before you're late for class."
Ichigo stepped back and went over by the door to grab his shoes. He still felt like his father was expecting the worst. That secretly didn't help his confidence any. This was his first day with a gun after all. He opened the door and started out.
"Seriously! Good luck out there today, son," Isshin gave Ichigo the big thumbs up.
Ichigo shook his head and groaned, before closing the door. He still couldn't shake the feeling he was setup up for failure.
00000000000000000
Ichigo returned home in more than just in an ill-tempered mood. He knew it. He just knew that his dad was expecting the worst for him. He opened the door to his home only see his dad waiting with a large bag of ice in one hand and some good pain meds in the other.
"So… How did today go?" Isshin asked with a large over the top grin. "A riffle, right?"
"I hate you so much right now," Ichigo jerked the bag of ice form his old man's hand and placed it on his large black eye.
"At least you didn't shoot yourself in the foot," Isshin laughed but Ichigo found no humor in it. "I get a few like you from time to time. I just had a hunch. So you landed on your ass, didn't you?"
"I'm not answering that!"
"You so landed on your ass."
Ichigo just glared at him before turning towards the stairs.
"You want these now or later?" Isshin held out the pill bottle.
"Shove them up your ass!"
Ichigo hurried up the stairs in a fit of rage. Isshin waited a moment or two before Ichigo ran back down and grabbed the offered bottle, before dashing back up the stairs again.
Something still hadn't settled well with Mado. Ichigo's suicided seemed… He didn't know how to put it. It felt wrong somehow. He knew the CCG did their official investigation and it was ruled a suicide but even after that… Mado still couldn't shake the strange feeling he had about the whole incident. One such thing was the bizarre attack on him and Hayashi by that child "ghoul." He questioned the ghoul part. He moved a lot like one and his is speed not found in a human but… He was well too seasoned and noticed the odd body language the boy had displayed. One was never even trying to display his kagune.
Even if a ghoul doesn't really intend to fight there is always a subtle reflex to lean forward ready to attack; self-preservation and all that. The boy never showed that nor did he seem to have any predatory reaction either. He literally dropped from out of nowhere and just… Well, he didn't really attack-attack. He just wanted their attention, which was what he got. They followed him to the bridge and he vanished as soon they arrived.
That's what was eating at Mado the most. It was like Grimm wanted them to see Ichigo plummet into the river below but why? That's what was eating at him. He knew Hayashi had the same questions but she never voiced them and he knew better than to press the issue at this time. Just to put something to rest for himself he decided to do his own investigation.
He flashed his badge at the property manager and he was handed the keys to Ichigo's old apartment. He lightly twirled the key ring around his gloved finger as he climbed the metal stairs, leading up to the apartment. He stood on the landing and looked at the door numbers and found that the apartment was almost right next to him.
"Easy enough," Mado muttered, taking a few steps toward door and put the key in the lock.
The lock clicked and he walked in. It was clear that the place had been searched. The place wasn't all too clean and things had been rearranged. He flipped on a light and started to work his way around the small apartment. He started going over things in the living room first. Nothing really odd about it. There wasn't much furniture and most of Ichigo's things were still packed in boxes from when he was forced to move. He ran a gloved hand over his face. Next place would be the bedroom. He took a couple of steps back when the lights in the living room cut out.
"Hmm? Odd. Was the power cut?" he questioned, looking up at the ceiling before he turned back toward the twitch by the door.
It was evening and most of the natural light was gone. The apartment was nearly dark. He perked an eyebrow and moved back towards the door. The switch was turned off? He rubbed his chin with one and flipped the switch with the other. The lights cut on without so much as a flicker.
"Now what was that, I wonder?" Mado turned off the switch a couple of times. "It's seems to be working fine… Huh."
He shrugged and started towards the bedroom. He pushed the door open and flipped on the light in there. The bed was stripped and the furniture rearranged in there as well. He got down on his knees and looked under the bed. Nothing. Not even a stain. He doubted it from the start but he just had to look.
Creeeeeeaaaaaakkkk…
Mado sat up straight and looked over his shoulder. The bedroom door was slowly closing but there was no one there. He got up to his feet and closed the small gap. The door stopped instantly. He pushed it back to where it was but the door remained unmoving. He watched for couple of moments. He scratched his head as the lights in the bedroom turned off. His shoulders did an involuntary jump.
"What is going on here?" Mado hummed, looking around the dark room lit only by the light from the living room.
He left the room and the door behind him slammed shut. He jumped again and grabbed the handle. It was locked? He tried it again but the door wouldn't open. He took a step back and glared at the solid wood door. He tried again but couldn't get it to open. He decided to take a more drastic approach. He back up a little to give it a bit of force. Right as he got to the door it opened suddenly and he stumbled in, slamming his stomach into the side of the bed. He flopped back, looking up at the dark ceiling a bit of a dazed. He slowly rolled over and held his abused middle. He looked around the dark space before getting back to his feet.
He didn't know what was going on. His heart was racing a little as he stumbled out the door and into the bathroom. He pulled off his gloves and turned on the faucet. He splashed a little cold water his face. He shook his head a little and braced the sink with his hands. His middle was still sore. He picked up one hand and put it on his abused ribs.
"Hmm… Something isn't quite right here," he muttered, looking at his wet face in the mirror, his white hair sticking to his skin in areas. "What is going on?"
A moment later he felt a tug on the back of his trench coat and the base of the coat flip over his head. He jumped and knocked the coat from his head. He looked around the small space and saw no one there. He hurried out of the bathroom only to hear something rustling around in the kitchen. He straightened out his clothes and took a deep breath.
"Who's there? Show yourself. I'm investigator Mado for the C…C… Wh-what the…?" he stopped dead in the kitchen doorway.
What awaited him just on the other side the table was frightening. The light of the refrigerator shown in the dark space, casting light onto the tile floor but that wasn't what frighten him. No, it was the fact that the appliance's contents were being thrown out a piece at a time, straight to the bare floor. The seasoned investigators rubbed his eyes and shook his head as the fridge was being slowly emptied. He felt a knot building in his throat as the emptying suddenly stopped and the door slowly shut with the soft smack of the rubber seal.
"Wh-what the hell is going on?" he dared to take a step farther into the dark kitchen. "Who's there?"
The kitchen sink turned on full force and the cabinets started to open one by one along with the drawers. A large knife slowly slid out of its block and hovered in the empty space. It was at this point something clicking in Mado head about something he heard Ichigo say. He thought the boy was just being cheeky but maybe not so much… Kurosaki said that his apartment was hunted by a knife throwing ghost. Mado, like any sensible person, wrote it off as sarcasm.
However, now that he looking at the large piece of cutlery moving his way… He was way more inclined to believe that orange haired bastard. He barely managed to swallow the knot in his throat as the hoovering blade charged at him. He dodged as the knife went for a sharp stab of is middle. The blade pulled back again for another swing. Mado hit the ground as the tip of the blade cut into the drywall of the kitchen. Mado rolled over onto the carpet of the living room and scrambled to his feet.
The long knife pulled out of the wall and took another swing at him. He almost stumbled again as he reached the door. The knife dug into door frame close his head. He let out a short yelp before he jerked the door open. He didn't even have a chance to move before something pushed him out onto the breeze way. He fell forward, clunking his head on the guardrail. He turned back in time to see the door slam shut. The light coming from under the door then turned off in a flash. Mado just sat there, stunned, sitting on the ground, using the railing for support. He brushed some hair from his sweating face.
"Just what the hell… I-I…" the seasoned investigator was just awestruck.
He knew what he saw but he could not process it. It would be best to leave and not mention this to anyone. One he wasn't really supposed to be there from the start and also who would believe his story about being chased out by a ghost? Not one damn soul. He tried to even out his breathing and calm a bit of his shaking. He rubbed the sore on his head from hitting the steel railing. He was about to get up to his feet when the apartment door ripped open again and his gloves where thrown out, slapping him in the face before landing in his lap. The door shut back again and the lock clicked.
Mado grabbed the gloves and took off like a shot down the stairs. He said nothing to the manager on the way out as he just dropped off the keys and left the property in a hurry. He just needed to leave this place and never come here again. He got the point he wasn't welcomed and just overstep that boundary.
000000000000000
Ichigo sat on the old dusty bed, laughing his ass off. Toshiro hurried back after he concluded his business at the apartment. He wasn't expecting company and panicked when the door was unlocked. He just chucked his gigai into the closet and covered it with clothes as Mado worked his way around the living room. Toshiro told Ichigo how he turned off the lights a couple of times, along with opening and closing doors. Not to mention flipping Mado's coat, cleaning out the fridge, and taking aim at Mado with a large kitchen knife.
Ichigo about fell off the bed he was laughing so hard at the last part. Toshiro finished up with him throwing Mado's gloves at him before closing the door again. Ichigo with practically crying and his sides were starting to hurt.
"I mean it was funny but it wasn't that funny," Toshiro said, sitting down on his sleeping bag.
"N-no, hahaha! Y-you… You don't get it! Hahaha! I once—I once joked with that asshat that there w-was a knife throwing ghost haunting m-my apartment! Hahahahaaaaa! Th-that's what makes th-this so—so funny, see?! Hahahaha! You m-made it a reality! That—that's what makes it s-so funny! Hahahaha!
"Well, when you explain it that way… I guess it is a little bit funnier," Toshiro grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "I had no idea you said that to him."
"Ha! That's what so great about it," Ichigo said, whipping a tear from his eye. "Hmhmhm! That couldn't be any better! Thank you for that."
"I don't see where I've earned it but I'll take the gratitude all the same," Toshiro shrugged.
"Hey, Ichigo, do you remember this?" Amon said, walking into Ichigo's office with a photo. "I found this going through a few things from our academy days."
Ichigo took it and looked it. A smirk cut his face and he shook his head with a light chuckle. He remembered that night, well part of it… Only the first part. He ran a hand through his orange hair and looked back up Amon.
"Only the beginning… As it involved copious amount of alcohol and really poor judgement," Ichigo handed the photo back. "Not to mention suspension and some stitches thereafter."
The photo was grainy with a low light. Ichigo was on a messy couch stretched out on his back, looking rather beat up. Amon was on the floor at his feet in same sorry state. They were out cold when the unflattering picture was taken. A couple of classmates posed with them as joke on them.
"And a killer hangover the following morning," Amon added with a long sigh. "This was back when we absolutely hated each other."
"Yeah, we were invited to go bar hopping with some of our classmates and somehow we decided to challenge each other to a drink game," Ichigo sighed.
"It was more like 3."
"Three? Look, I don't remember anything after the 2nd bar. I just know we somehow ended up as this guy's apartment. I know enough just from reasoning and word of mouth that we got into a squabble and decided to duke it out at some point."
"It started at the bar. We were quickly ushered out before the cops came. We ended up at… I can't even remember who's place… We had some more drinks and then we just knocked the shit out of each other. Bets were made on us as to who would win."
"Which I did," Ichigo chimed proudly.
"Yeah, and from what I understand it was over who got to sleep on the couch. We were fighting over a couch. At some point in the middle of the night I climbed up on you."
"And by morning on was the floor and you were resting pretty in my spot. I know that much even with that horrible hangover. Couch hog."
"Look who's talking, Ichigo. You knocked me senseless over some nasty looking couch."
"I was drunk, you were drunk. Logic has no footing in this, Amon. We despised each other and we would do anything to get back at one another even over stupid things, like couches."
"Glad we're not that stupid anymore. That whole thing sobered us up."
"And we were suspended for two weeks and made to work together after that, remember?" Ichigo said, getting to his feet. "We finally started to get along a little more after that."
"We didn't have a choice. We had to or we would to be kicked out," Amon said, following Ichigo out the door.
"Honestly, after that whole thing… I don't actually drink anymore…" Ichigo sighed. " I don't remember what happened and I would prefer not to have that happen again."
"Yeah, same here for the most part. I'll never get that shitfaced again and fight over a stupid couch. That was a onetime thing, believe me."
000000000000000000
(Fast forward after Ichigo's "suicide")
Akane landed face first into the gap tween the sofa at the table. Her face was buried in the carpet.
"You know… I think I'll stay right here. Here is good," she muttered into the floor.
"Ha! I win."
"Win what?"
"All the sofa," he quickly took full advantage of it too.
"Damn you and all your… Forget it… Just fucking forget it…"
The air between them became quiet as he enjoyed his victory for only a moment or two.
"Shit…" Amon groaned, running a hand over his face and looked at Akane planted firmly between the couch and to coffee table. "I fought over a couch again."
"Am I supposed to care?" she moaned into the carpet.
"No… No I guess you wouldn't…"
Amon stumbled into the work with a major headache and a sour stomach. He should have known his limits but no both he and Akane had to stay at the bar and get as shitfaced as their bodies would allow. The loud echoing sound of the main lobby made his ears ring and his head pound. He stayed at Akane's until the start of is shift. He just didn't feel like walking back to his apartment and then back even farther to work. He had change of close in this locker upstairs. He just needed to get to his office and sit in the quiet behind the closed door.
He noticed he was getting several odd looks from staff and co-workers. No doubt because of how horrible he looked. He stopped at the elevators and waited for one to reach the ground floor. Amon started feeling more uncomfortable as he started to notice others whispering to each other and looking at them. The women seemed to be the most talkative. A couple of them gave Amon some rather nasty looks. Downright spiteful in fact. He pulled his coat closer to body feeling uneasy. One of the evaluators finally came down and Amon got on along with others. The elevator was pretty packed and there were several stops before he could get off on his floor.
The cabin was rather quiet. It was a little unsettling to him. Did something else happen that he wasn't aware of? He shrugged to himself. People got on a people go off the elevator and all giving him peculiar looks. When he finally got to his floor he hurried out and down to his office that he shared with Mado. The whispers still hadn't let up any as he walked into the office. Mado was sitting at his desk staring dully at his computer screen. A cup of hot coffee and doughnut set to right.
"A bit late, aren't we?" Mado said, not even turning to at his partner as Amon sat down in his office chair. "Shouldn't have stayed out so long last night. Heh, you should have stopped when I did but what do I know? I'm just an old man…"
"Please don't. Not now," Amon said, booting up his computer. "I'm miserable enough as it is without you adding onto it."
"Too bad hangovers aren't an excuse to get out of doing work, right?" Mado hummed, picking up his coffee and took a sip. "Might want to get some coffee. It's fairly fresh this evening for a change."
"Later," Amon droned and started opening the programs for work. "What's on the schedule for tonight?"
"Nothing too much. Just office crap," Mado sighed, leaning back in his chair. "So… Would you like to tell me something?"
"Tell you what?" Amon questioned, turning around in his chair to at his senior officer.
"You don't have to if you don't want to. I mean it's none of my business." Mado waved him off and went back to his computer
"Mado, what are you talking about?" Amon asked, looking worried and confused.
"No, no, it's fine," Mado said, looking at his emails.
This was not helping his head any. What was going on that he was so lost on? Everyone seemed to know this public secret but him. What would… Was this about him? What did he do? He ran a hand through his hair and let a long breath.
"What's going on? Level with me," Amon said, rolling his chair over to Mado's desk. "What's all this whispering going on?"
"You can stop playing coy."
"I'm not playing anything. Just what is this secret circulating around the building? It's about me, right?"
"Hm, possibly."
"Mado…"
"Like I said, it's not my business." Mado said with a long smirk. "I mean… You're young. It happens."
"What are you talking about? Seriously, you're not making any sense to me. What am I accused of?!" Amon clearly wasn't amused by any of this. "I'm getting rather angry now, sir."
Mado looked at Amon's reddening face. The young man was clearly angry and he really did look clueless. Oh… Oh, dear… A look of surprise was painted on Mado's face in response. His partner really didn't know? The senior officer licked his lips a little as Amon's glare deepened. Well, this was going to be awkward to explain.
"Out with it," Amon almost growled.
"It seems something got started last night and like usual rumors started to spread like fire around here," Mado said as Amon perked a curious eyebrow. "It seemed rather legit and I wasn't going to argue with it."
"And just what is this—it?"
"Huh, well, it is rather funny looking at it from the outside… Heh, heh."
"I find no humor is this, sir. Just be straightforward with me."
"Very well. You see the thing is... Everyone here thinks that you—and Akane did…"
"Did what?"
"I don't what to just blurt this out. I mean if you two did, I'm not going to comment on it. It's your life after all."
Amon looked even more confused at his senior officer. Clearly he was missing something rather large. Mado seemed to be waiting for everything to click. A sassy expression was planted firmly on Mado's hollow face. Amon just didn't get it. What did people think that he and Akane diiii… It struck him hard like being kissed by a moving train. Mado started to laugh as Amon's face blanched and then quickly turned bright red, his body tensing up. The young investigator quickly jumped to his feet and his chair rolled back a little.
"So… Did you?" Mado asked as Amon's face turned even redder.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT! Wh-wh-who thought that we…? Who came with that—that st-stupid idea?!"
"Someone who lives near Akane said that they saw you stay the whole night with her. And given your clothes, all day too, I wager."
Amon slapped a hand to his face. How did this even…? Why would people think that he and Akane would even be…? That was nowhere near close. He was only there because he was too damn drunk to go anywhere else and she also offered. Nothing happened. Not a single damn thing but as usual things were twisted into what they really weren't.
"I was only there because I was too drunk to leave her place last night! She offered and I only spent the night. I didn't have energy to go home today so we just hung out and watched TV, trying to get over our hangovers!"
"So, no hanky-panky?"
"NO! God… Jeez… I'm serious. Nothing happened between us."
"Well, good luck trying to convince the masses," Mado shrugged with a grin. "You and Akane are the hottest thing around right now. Also I think the women here are out for her blood. You might want to let her know before she comes back to work."
"Out for her…?" everything clicked again. "Oh, no! You mean I'm…"
"Eye candy, yes. Are you that oblivious about all this?" Mado perked his own eyebrow as Amon pulled on his dark hair. "Wow, what a one tract mind."
"Pot calling the kettle black," Amon snapped, grabbing his chair and rolled it back to his own desk and sat back down in a huff. "I'm surprised you even noticed that, given how much you have ghouls on the brain."
"I'm not dense that's the difference," Mado answered.
RIIINNNG! RIIINNNG! RIIINNNG!
Amon reached over and grabbed his phone.
"Yeah?" he asked, sharply.
"AMON, YOU DAMN BASTARD! WHERE DO YOU COME OFF SAYING SUCH LIES! I WOULD NEVER HAVE SEX WITH YOU, YOU CREEP! HOW DARE YOU! GO TO HELL!"
CL-CLICK!
Amon sat motionless and stunned with the receiver far from his ear. This was going to be hell to explain and straighten out. Mado cleared his throat and peered devilishly over the back of his seat.
"It seems you don't have to worry about calling her now," Mado chuckled. "She knows."
Amon just dropped the receiver to the floor and slammed his head into his desk.
"But nothing happened!"
(A/N Think these are enough for right now. Hopefully, I can actually put something out after a while. These were random ideas and some were actually trashed ideas for the actual story.)
Millie M. Banshee