Hiya guys! How is life treating you all? My life is treating me well! By the way, thank you to Pinkie111 for the great review. It's great to know that the people reading this story are actually enjoying it. Thanks a lot! *hug* But you'll have to keep your eyes open for what you want. Hee hee!
Chapter 6
An Ally Appears
"So that's the story." Ren finished, phone on her ear. Back in Ren's study, Ren was walking from one side to the other while talking down on the phone and Toshiro was sat on the sofa. "Now, I know that you think it's hard to believe, but it happened. I mean, you did see them this afternoon. Y...Yes he's fine now. But, what do you two think? ... You believe me? That's...well, I don't know what it is, but right now I feel pretty happy. But, this might put you in danger, so if I tell you to run, then run, and take any other witnesses with you. Okay? ... Great. Thanks, you two. I'm lucky to have you as friends. Yeah, see you on Monday. Bye." Ren hung up the phone, placing the wireless phone in its hub.
"Well?"
"They believe me. After seeing that, who wouldn't?" Ren played with some of hair around her face by twirling it around her finger. "And with Pixie showing up..."
"Dixie." Toshiro corrected.
"Whatever. With Dixie showing up, something tells me that things are going to get a lot more violent. More and more lives are going to be put in danger. So, right now, I feel grateful that I've got a few more allies on my side that can help when things get dangerous."
"They'll be in danger, too."
"Not if I can help it." Ren said with confidence. "But, I do want to know why they're so interested in us. Could it be because we can see the Feathers?"
"Maybe..." Toshiro said dismissively.
"Huh? Do you know something else, Shiro?" Ren asked. Toshiro didn't answer.
"Ryuki!"
"Shiro?"
"Nothing." Toshiro lied. He shouldn't tell Ren about what she...the other her...whatever said to him.
"Well, whatever. How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere?"
"None of your business."
"It is my business. You got hurt, and I'm worried about you." Ren knelt down to eye level with Toshiro, though Ren didn't look at Toshiro's eyes. Instead, she looked at the bandages wrapped around his head. "If a friend got hurt, then I just wouldn't feel right until they are okay again. So, please, let me worry about you."
"..." Toshiro looked away. Remembering what Steph said, Toshiro wondered if this was part of Ren's complex personality, or maybe how she cherishes the friends she has. He didn't know. But, he knew that he had to figure a lot about Ren out as well as this business with the Feathers.
"I should ask the same of you."
"Eh?"
"Didn't you get hurt in your fight?"
"Nope!" Ren said cheerfully, standing up. "I'm tougher than I look!"
"Uh huh."
"Oh, that's right!"
"Huh?"
"Take a look at this." Ren reached into her handbag and produced a blue scarf, which she presented to Toshiro.
"Where did you get this"? Toshiro asked, taking it from her hands.
"I stole it from Pixie when fighting her. She didn't seem to notice. Look at that end." Ren tugged on the scarf on Toshiro's right. Toshiro grabbed that end and looked at it. On that end, there was a strange symbol. "I think that's the symbol for their organisation."
"Probably. But, what is it?" Toshiro looked closely at the symbol. It was white in colour, and there were patterns of swirls and lines, almost like a Celtic symbol. But, upon closer inspection, Toshiro saw that these swirls and lines made a shape. This shape looked like a bird in flight, with the wings curling down, where the tips met at the bottom and top to make a circle while the body became the centre of the circle, and the head was looking to its left. "A bird?"
"That's what I thought." Ren produced one of the gold charms and placed it in her palm. "I think that's why these monsters are called Feathers. They're like the main tool in the organisation. After all, without wings, a bird cannot fly. Then, the main body are people like Sentaro, and the head..."
"Must be their leader." Toshiro finished.
"Exactly."
"But, how do they know who we are?" Toshiro wondered, standing up.
"And they say I'm just like someone. Who, I'm not sure. And what about these fits of amnesia I keep having? Uuuu, this is making my head hurt."
"Toshiro! Ren! Dinner time!"
"Coming, Mom." Ren walked away from Toshiro and out the study, but on her way out, she knocked over a cardboard box on the shelf.
"Geez..." Toshiro sighed, proceeding to kneel down on the ground and place the objects back in. He then noticed that there were several photos in it. Photos of Ren all through her childhood. Ren as a toddler. Ren in a school play. There were even several photos of Ren dressed up in formal wear. Toshiro couldn't help but think of how beautiful Ren looked a ball gown. But, he placed them back in the box, thinking how this box had Ren's entire life in it. Just as Toshiro moved to the last object, he stopped for a moment. It was a book facing down. Curious, Toshiro picked it up to look at the face. It was titled Women from another Planet?
What's this? Toshiro thought. He peeked inside the box. He had unknowingly piled in several books, each one about different phases in life, from primary school to secondary school, and even some about university, even though Ren was only applying for it right now. Before he could look at the book in his hands again, he heard footsteps coming. Quickly, he threw the book in the box and picked it up, just as Ren walked in.
"Aren't you coming, Shiro?" Ren asked.
"Um, yeah. You...You knocked this over." Toshiro explained. After this, Ren's eyes widened a little, but before Toshiro could react to Ren's behaviour, Ren took the box out of his hands.
"Let me help." Ren stood on a small chair and placed the box on the highest book shelf out of reach. "Say, you didn't..."
"Yeah?"
"You didn't...see anything strange did you?" Ren asked, jumping down from the chair.
"No. Nothing." Toshiro insisted, shaking his head.
"..." Ren smiled, but it wasn't her usual happy smile. It was a type of smile that would create suspicion in anybody. And that's exactly what Toshiro was feeling in that very instant. "Well, better get some grub. It's bolognaise tonight. Yummy!"
...
"Night, Shiro!"
"Yeah." Toshiro walked into a room, shutting the door behind him. He was in the spare room of the house. The walls were blue and it had a small wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a desk and a single bed, and in the middle of it was a blue and white stripped rug. Toshiro proceeded to sit behind this desk, resting his head in his hand.
That box has something in it that Ren doesn't want me to find out about. Toshiro thought. Maybe it has something to do with what her friend told me. What was her name? Oh, Stephanie. Maybe this has something to do with Ren saying "It's complicated"? I know I have no right to pry, but I just have to know. But, she placed the box out of reach. What was in there? What's in there that Ren doesn't want me to find out about? Toshiro slid a piece of paper in front of him, grabbed a pen and wrote down the title of the book before he could forget it.
"'Women from another Planet?' eh?" Toshiro said to nobody. He then proceeded to tie the blue scarf that Ren obtained on the handle of a drawer in the desk. His eyes couldn't go away from the mysterious symbol on the scarf. "Just what is that logo?"
"I can answer that."
"!" Toshiro's eyes widened at the voice. "Who's there?" Toshiro called out. No answer. Just as a precaution, Toshiro made sure the wooden sword was in reach. It was leaning on the wall just below the window behind him. Just in reaching distance. "I know you're here."
"Look over to your left."
"Eh?" Toshiro obeyed, and there sitting on his bed was a ghostly girl. A girl who looked just like Ren, and was wearing the same clothes as her too. "UWAAAAHH!" Toshiro yelled, staggering back, tripping over the rug and falling on the floor.
"Oh. Sorry to startle you." The girl said. Quickly, Toshiro grabbed the wooden sword and pointed it at the girl.
"Who are you?" Toshiro demanded, still a little spooked about there being a ghost in his room.
"I'm not your enemy." She said.
"Wait, while you're at it, tell me why you look like Ren." The girl was silent. She stood up and walked towards Toshiro. "Stay away." Toshiro crawled back away from her until his back hit the desk, leaving him nowhere to go. The girl got down on one knee in front of Toshiro.
"I take it you're Toshiro, correct?" She asked.
"Um...yes?"
"I see. I apologise for how I acted earlier today."
"You mean when you called me Ryuki?" Toshiro asked, but he did not lower his sword.
"Yes. I mistook you for somebody else I knew. I'm sorry."
"Whatever. But you still haven't answered my question."
"Lower your sword." The girl calmly said. "You won't be able to hurt me with it. I am merely a spirit." Toshiro hesitated for a moment, but he complied and placed it on the ground. "Thank you."
"So? Aren't you going to tell me?"
"Oh. About the symbol." The girl looked at the scarf. She stared at the symbol for several seconds, and she frowned. "As I thought. They have returned."
"Who?" Toshiro asked suspiciously. She turned back to Toshiro.
"White Raven."
"White Raven?" Toshiro repeated. "What is that?"
"An evil organisation. It is an organisation that has existed for nearly twenty years. Two years after it was founded, they attacked the land I came from and the fate of my home..."
"What is it?"
"Its fate is unknown. I don't know whether it is destroyed or if it still exists. More importantly, I don't know why I am here on Earth."
"You don't remember?" She shook her head.
"I suspect I am able to take over Ren temporarily due to how we look similar, but she has no memory of anything I do, and I only take over when her emotions are strong enough. I can only appear like this and talk to you because I have awakened today."
"So that's what Sentaro meant when he said you had awakened." Toshiro realised. "But, are you really that dangerous?"
"I guess you could say that." She said with a small smile. "I don't know why Ren looks like me. All I know is that I am acting through her. And, I am the strongest ally you can have."
"What will happen to Ren? Does your awakening affect her?"
"Yes." She nodded. "As soon as she turned eighteen, she was able to see and sense the Feathers. But, she soon used the same powers as I unintentionally."
Like her manipulation of the headmaster and reading my mind...Toshiro thought.
"Now that I am awakened, her powers will grow stronger, and she won't forget about using them like she has done recently. Before long, she will have exact replicas of the powers I have."
"Why?" Toshiro asked.
"I don't know."
"How...How do you know so much? Who exactly are you?"
"I can't say. Not yet. I'm sorry."
"Damn." Toshiro cursed. "Wait a minute, how can you talk to me? Shouldn't you be inside Ren or something?"
"My spirit exists in the necklace Ren wears around her neck."
"What necklace? I never saw her wear any-" Toshiro stopped himself from finishing his sentence as he remembered. He had never noticed before, but Ren was always wearing a simple necklace. A thin, silver chain, with a small amber coloured stone shaped like a teardrop.
"That gem is the mark of my people. I don't know how she got it, but that is how I am acting through her...And it is how I can talk to you."
"So talk to Ren." Toshiro said, standing up after realising he had been on the ground this whole time. "She needs to know this."
"Yes, she does, but I can't."
"Why?"
"If she knows of my existence through her, the consequences could be great."
"She already knows she is the possible reincarnation of you."
"But if I tell her about how I exist, then I'll never be able to obtain a physical body."
"Is...Is that possible?"
"It is. At least, I hope it is. I can only protect you and Ren by taking over her body, but even then, my powers are weakened slightly. I want her powers to develop so that I may get stronger too, but each time her powers grow, White Raven knows about it. We should be lucky that they aren't killing her yet. But, they are after you too. We must be careful."
"No kidding. I almost got killed today."
"I saw, yes."
"What do they want? This White Raven or whatever they're called. Why are they doing this?"
"I don't know what their motivation is. There's lots of information I cannot tell you right now, and lots of information I wish I knew, too."
"But why?" Toshiro asked, growing frustrated. "Why can't you tell me?" The girl only looked away, refusing to answer. "Tch. Whatever. Most of what I want to know is answered for now. I suppose I should be grateful."
"..." The girl smiled. "Yes, you're definitely just like him."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Nothing." She shook her head. She turned away and began to walk away. "I must go now. And, please, don't tell Ren about me."
"Wait!" Toshiro almost yelled. The girl stopped. "I know you can't reveal much to me, but...at least tell me your name." There was a silence.
"Zena."
"Eh?" Toshiro blinked.
"My name is Zena." With that, Zena disappeared. Toshiro was alone.
"What was that about?" Toshiro asked nobody, still not quite sure if what happened really took place. But, he couldn't deny that what she had told him may have been held back, but it was valuable information that Ren and Toshiro needed. But what was she hiding from him? And why?
So, the organisation is called White Rave, they have existed for twenty years, and they are after me and Ren. Toshiro thought, summing up what he now knew. This girl who looks like Ren is named Zena, and she takes over her body temporarily and Ren has no memory of this happening. And, because of her awakening today, Ren will now develop the exact same powers as her. Plus, I look like somebody she knew. She doesn't know why Ren looks like her, and she doesn't know why she is here or what happened to her home world.
"A spirit who has amnesia. As if this couldn't get crazier."
Meanwhile, on the edge of the village, the fields of long grass blew in the cold winter breeze. There was not a soul in sight. But, that soon changed as a glowing white portal appeared in the air. Out stepped a person. A person with a long sword on their back and short hair. The white portal closed behind them. Silence. This person looked left and right at the new surroundings, and their eyes fell on the village.
"Over there." The person said, talking in a voice that was on the edge of adulthood. That said, he walked towards the village in the dead of night, with nobody around to see them.
...
"Um...Shiro?" Ren said nervously, opening the door to Toshiro's room.
"Yes? What is it?" He asked, fastening the final button on his black shirt.
"Um...I'm not sure if this is any concern but...I just trashed my room with a sneeze. And then, I thought to myself "Why can't rooms clean themselves?", and...And it did."
"..." Toshiro said nothing, trying to comprehend what Ren just said.
"Well? What do you think?" Ren asked.
"You're joking, right?" He said flatly.
"No!" Ren whined. "This really, really happened!"
"Now that I am awakened, her powers will grow stronger, and she won't forget about using them like she has done recently. Before long, she will have exact replicas of the powers I have."
It's just like what Zena said. Toshiro thought. Ren is getting powers. And she remembers what happens when she uses them.
"Is it a bad thing?" Ren asked.
"No." Toshiro shook his head. "Just don't worry about it, alright?"
But, does this mean that the White Raven will attack us again?
"Heeeeeeeyy! Anybody home?"
"AH!" Toshiro and Ren were suddenly startled by a loud voice.
"What the... Who is that?" Ren exclaimed. Ren stomped towards the window and opened it. "We don't go to church!" She yelled out of it.
"Ren!" Toshiro pulled Ren away from the window. "That's not something you should broadcast to everyone."
"Why not?" Ren asked, wearing her usual innocent expression. "We don't."
"But you can't yell it out for the whole world to hear."
"I don't get it."
"What's to understand? You should know what can and can't be said!"
"It's complicated."
"Never mind." Toshiro gave up, knowing he was not going to win this argument. Besides, he was given another clue just then. Immediately, he took note of it.
"By the way, there's a carrot top down there."
"Carrot top?"
"Yeah. Orange hair."
"Orange hair?" His eyes widened. "Wait. Don't tell me." It was Toshiro's turn to stick his head out of the window.
"Shiro?"
"KUROSAKIIIIII!" Toshiro yelled.
"Oh, I found you. I couldn't find your spiritual pressure anywhere, so I had to go door to door." Sure enough, standing there just below the window to Toshiro's room, was Ichigo Kurosaki, already inside his human body which still had his winter school uniform on.
"Of course you can't! We don't exist here!"
"What do you mean, Toshiro?"
"That's Captain Hitsugaya to you!" Toshiro yelled angrily, a vein throbbing on his head.
"Easy, Shiro." Ren said, patting his shoulder and pulling him away. Several seconds later, she stuck her head out of the window to look at Ichigo. "Um...We'll be down in a moment to let you in! My mom's out right now, so no worries! We'll explain everything!"
...
"So you're telling me she can see the Hollows?" Ichigo asked. Toshiro and Ichigo were sat face to face in the conservatory of Ren's house on a wooden table seating four people. Ren was in the other room making tea while Toshiro briefed Ichigo on the situation.
"They're not Hollows. They're called Feathers. And yes, she can see them."
"And now that you're in a Gigai, you're powerless."
"Yes." Toshiro nodded, wincing a little on the inside after saying this. "But since you're in your human body, you have to stay like that until I figure out a way to get our powers back."
"Damn..." Ichigo cursed, resting his head on his hand.
"Also..."
"Hm?"
"She is the only one who can fight the Feathers. I can use Kido when we are in contact, but that's it."
"In other words, I'm only adding to the burden." Ichigo concluded.
"I wouldn't say you were a burden." Ren said, entering the conservatory with a mug of tea. "You're an ally, and I'd say we need one right now. Here you go." Ren placed the mug in front of Ichigo, who muttered thanks before taking a swig. But, as soon as he did, he spat it out right into Toshiro's face.
"What the hell, Ichigo?" Toshiro exclaimed.
"What is this?" Ichigo spluttered.
"Tea." Ren answered simply.
"This is not tea!"
"It is here. Oh!" Ren placed a fist on her palm. "You mean Japanese tea, right?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry. Don't have any."
"What? Why?"
"Trust me; my parents wouldn't touch Japanese stuff with a ten foot barge pole."
"Can you stomach this stuff, Toshiro?" Ichigo asked, waving the mug at him.
"I've become used to the taste. Ren, however, refuses to even touch a drop." Toshiro narrowed his eyes at Ren. "Isn't that right?"
"Hey, it's not my fault. I can't stand strong flavours."
"Let me guess; it's complicated, right?"
"Yeah!" Ren said happily. Toshiro groaned. "Anyway, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
"Sorry. Ren, this is Ichigo Kurosaki, substitute Soul Reaper."
"Oh, so this is part one of Kurotake!"
"Kuro-what?" Ichigo repeated, confused.
"It's this thing she has." Toshiro explained quickly.
"Hey, doesn't Ichigo mean strawberry?" Ren asked.
"Yeah. I get that a lot."
"Wait a sec...How old are you?"
"Fifteen."
"Aha!" Ren yelled, snapping her fingers. "Ichigo is also one and five! Ha-ha! Your name is your age!"
"I get that a lot too." Ichigo sighed. "Is she always like this?" Ichigo whispered to Toshiro, who nodded.
"So did Soul Society send you here, too?" Ren asked, handing Toshiro a towel, which he took and wiped his face with it.
"Yeah. They didn't hear anything from Toshiro, but I wasn't told that Soul Reapers didn't exist here. They thought the worst, so they sent me just in case."
"Well I can assure you that you came at a good time. The more people we have on our side, the better." Ren smiled happily at Ichigo. "Welcome to the group."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Oh, where are you staying?" Ren asked.
"Staying? Um...I don't know. I got here last night."
"I'm sure that Ren can-"
"Shiro, a word." Ren grumbled, dragging Toshiro out of the room while ignoring his protests. Ichigo was left alone, although he could still hear the entire conversation, despite it being rather muffled.
"There's no way I can let him stay."
"I'm here, aren't I?"
"Yes, but only because that weird magic kicked in, and there's not a chance in hell I can make that happen again."
"You destroyed your room this morning. I'm sure you can fiddle with everyone's memories again."
"Luck can only go so far, Shiro."
"Didn't you say you have good luck?"
"I just say that to feel more confident. I don't even remember how I did it."
"Ever heard of trial and error?"
"Yeah, but lying to the head could get me kicked out!"
"You had no problem with lying last time."
"Yeah! That was with one person! One person I can handle, but two? You're dreaming."
"Just try it."
"You're actually okay with me lying?"
"Yes, I'm okay with it!"
"But what do I say?"
"Just say he's my brother or something. Thank god he isn't."
"..." A vein throbbed on Ichigo's head after hearing this.
"Fine! I'll do it! Happy?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm not. I'm telling you, it won't work."
The next day
"Wow..." Ren said, dumbfounded. She was stood outside the office of Mr Watson once again, holding a brown envelope, with Ichigo standing next to her, wearing his usual uniform minus the jacket. "I can't believe that worked."
"Do you remember what you said?" Toshiro asked, leaning on a doorframe with his arms folded. He was certain that Ren had used that strange magic again. Even if nobody else could hear the high pitched noise, Toshiro was the only one who could, and that was exactly what he heard while she was talking to the headmaster.
"Oddly enough, yes."
It happened again. Toshiro thought. Zena wasn't bluffing when she said Ren would get her powers. But, how strong is she going to get?
"In there is your timetable, registration and student card." Ren said, handing Ichigo the brown envelope. "You came here in uniform, so I guess you're fine. Do you have a tie?"
"Um...somewhere." Ichigo said, feeling his pockets.
"Good. You'll need it later. If you don't wear correct uniform, you could get detention, but I told him you were my foster brother, so you can wear your old uniform. For now, that is. So, hang on to it just in case."
"Thanks, Ren."
"No problem!" Ren grinned happily. "Just doing what I can to help."
"You got a nice girlfriend here, Toshiro." Ichigo teased, grinning.
"Wha-" Toshiro did a double take from Ichigo's statement, blushing.
"Huh?" Ren exclaimed, also blushing.
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"I'm not his girlfriend!"
"Yeah, sure."
"..." Toshiro and Ren looked at each other.
"Oh. You're blushing."
"So are you!" Toshiro exclaimed, turning around so that Ren could only see his back.
"Uuuu! I don't know how to deal with this!"
"You're so fun to tease."
"And you're a jerk!" Ren retorted, glaring at Ichigo.
"Keep it down out there!" Mr Watson's voice yelled.
"Sorry, sir!" Ren shouted back. She quickly walked away from the door and grabbed Toshiro's arm. "C'mon. Let's go. Ichigo, you're coming, too."
"Wait a sec..." Toshiro started.
"What?"
"How come he doesn't have a nickname?"
"Because his name is easy to remember."
"And mine isn't?" Toshiro grumbled.
"Nah." Ren shook her head.
"Hold on." Toshiro stopped walking, shrugging his arm out of Ren's grip. He counted himself lucky that she didn't grab his right arm; she had a grip like a vice.
"Shiro?" Ren looked over her shoulder.
"I get the feeling that we're being watched." Toshiro said in a hushed voice.
"Yeah." Ren's eyes narrowed a little. She walked past Toshiro and opened a door that lead outside. She stepped outside into the quad area outside the common room of the sixth formers. Ren looked at her watch. "It's just a little before three o'clock."
"So? Is anybody there?" Toshiro asked, stepping outside, followed by a confused Ichigo.
"No. I don't see anybody."
"Why here? Why now?"
"Who knows? Besides, most of the students and teachers are in lessons, except for some sixth formers. They get free periods. The common room is just over there. We need to make sure they're okay, just in case."
"I'll go." Ichigo said, and broke into a run towards the building.
"Wait!" Ren blocked Ichigo's path with her arm. "I'll go."
"Why can't I go?" Ichigo almost demanded.
"If someone other than a sixth former enters the common room, you'll get hardback books thrown at your head." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Is that so?" Ichigo muttered, sweat dropping.
"Look..." Toshiro started, joining Ren by her side. "You and Ren can stay out here and keep your eyes open for Sentaro or any Feathers. I'll check on the other students."
"Who's Sentaro?" Ichigo asked.
"Ren..." Toshiro narrowed his eyes at Ren.
"Eh heh heh heh." She laughed while refusing to look at Toshiro. "I thought you told him."
"I only told him about our situation."
"Sentaro is part of the situation. And so is Pixie."
"Her name is Dixie."
"Whatever! Anyway, you can't protect those students. You're still injured."
"This is nothing."
"I'm still worried. How about I check on the students, and you and Ichigo stay here just in case Sentaro and Pixie show up?"
"Fine. Do whatever you want. And it's Dixie."
"Funny you should be fussy about names, Shiro. Remind me, how long was it until you called me by name?"
"Um..." Ichigo said, trying to stop the two of them from arguing. "Guys..."
"Just go." Toshiro all but ordered, pointing towards the common room.
"Alright, alright. Keep our hair on." Ren said, bringing her hands up, and keeping them up, turned around and walked towards the common room. "If anyone shows up, let me know!"
"So...have you got a plan now?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes." Toshiro sighed. That argument with Ren had left him ready to just throw back his head and scream.
"Who are the enemies?"
"One is a man named Sentaro. He's usually wearing a cloak, and his physical strength is equal to Zaraki. The other is named Pixie...I mean, Dixie." Toshiro quickly corrected himself. "Dammit, Ren! Now you got me doing it!" He yelled. His response was loud laughter from Ren inside the common room. Now, Toshiro was ready to just grab a gun and shoot himself in the head. Ren knew just how to get to him, even if it was unintentional.
"Easy, Toshiro."
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Toshiro said closing his eyes in order to control his temper. "You are to address me as Captain Hitsu-"
Ba-bump!
"!" Toshiro's eyes opened wide. He suddenly got a huge pounding in his head that made him dizzy, and his legs threatened to buckle underneath him at any moment.
"Toshiro?" Ichigo said. In that instant, the headache was gone, and Toshiro regained the feeling in his body.
"Nothing." Toshiro shook his head, although he was still in a daze.
"There's nobody in here!" Ren yelled, peering around the doorframe of the common room. "I checked the computer suites, too!"
"So we don't have to worry about protecting anybody in there." Toshiro concluded.
"What about the rest of the school?"
"Ah, that's right!" Ren gasped, walking back to the boys. "The rest of the school are still in lessons, and school ends in..." Ren checked her watch again. "About half an hour. I say we go somewhere else. Somewhere nobody can get hurt. What do you think, Shiro?" Ren looked over to Toshiro for approval. "Hm?"
"..." Toshiro again received the overpowering dizziness in his mind, and he walked one step backwards so that he didn't collapse.
"Shiro? Are you alright?" Ren asked.
"I'm...I'm fine." Toshiro asked, straightening up while praying that the dizziness would stop for one minute. It became less intense, but it was still there. He didn't know why he was feeling like this, but it was not what he needed right now.
"Good. We need to...eh?"
"What's up, Ichigo?" Ren asked.
"I thought I heard something. Like...footsteps."
Clink!
Ichigo heard another clink beside his feet. He looked down at the source. It was a silver charm shaped like a feather. "A feather?"
"!" Toshiro and Ren both sharply turned to Ichigo.
"What's that doing here?" Ichigo bent down to pick it up.
"Don't touch it!" Toshiro and Ren yelled at the same time.
"Huh?"
"Back away, back away, back away." Ren said over and over again, dragging Ichigo away from it by his collar.
"Ow! Ren! Wh-What are you doing?"
"Listen, Ichigo." Toshiro said as soon as Ren was back to his side. "That scrap of metal is the core of the Feathers. Defeat the Feather, and the core is released, but unless they are purified by Ren's touch, then the Feather will keep coming back."
"R...Right."
"Sorry. I should have told you." Ren apologised.
"You mean you didn't tell him?" Toshiro exclaimed.
"No. I didn't know about the purifying thing. And, again, I thought you explained it to Ichigo." Ren folded her arms. "I thought captains were meant to be organised."
"That has nothing to do with it." Toshiro said in retaliation. He really did not want to go through another argument at this time, especially considering his headache refused to go away. Not only that, but for some reason, he felt cold.
"Shiro, are you sure you're okay?" Ren asked.
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"You're shivering." Ren shrugged. "Makes sense, seeing as it's still winter and all. Where's your blazer?"
"I'm fine." Toshiro insisted, and he wasn't lying. He was starting to feel a little better, and he wasn't cold anymore. But, he still had the headache.
"I dunno. I read that shivering is the first sign of a fever."
"That doesn't make sense." Ichigo protested.
"I know, but that's the way it is."
"..." Ichigo sighed, folding his arms. Unknowingly to either of them, the charm on the ground glowed white and turned into a Feather. This Feather's body was black with yellow zigzag like stripes, and the eye mask looked like two bolts covering either eye, yet its eyes had a look that was blanker than a white piece of paper. The feet appeared to have white markings on them so that it looked like it was wearing boots. But, even though Ichigo was pretty much staring right at it, he could not see the Feather. Likewise, Ren and Toshiro hadn't even noticed the charm had transformed.
"Do you have a headache or anything like that?" Ren asked.
"A little, but it's nothing." Toshiro said dismissively.
"It's not nothing." Ren looked to Ichigo. "Hey, back me up here!" Ren exclaimed, tapping Ichigo on his shoulder while never taking her eyes away from Toshiro.
"!" As soon as Ren touched him, Ichigo suddenly saw before him the Feather. His first immediate thought was how similar it was to the Hollows he fought back in Karakura Town, except these monsters were much more vicious. But, his second thought was that he had to let Toshiro and Ren know. And fast.
"Um...guys?" Ichigo started, never taking his eyes away from the snarling Feather.
"I told you I'm...uuh..." Toshiro couldn't finish his sentence. His headache was now even stronger, and he was only still standing because of his willpower to not faint.
"Shiro? What's wrong?" Ren asked, close to panicking. Toshiro couldn't respond. To him, Ren's voice sounded like five Ren's talking at different times.
"It...It's my head...I..." Toshiro managed to utter, clutching at his head with his hands. Underneath his palms, he could feel that his forehead was getting hot.
"Guys..." Ichigo said again. "You really need to look at this."
"For crying out loud, what is it?" Ren snapped impatiently. She was silent as soon as she looked at the Feather. "Oh...I see...Thanks for telling us, Ichigo."
"Sure. No problem." Ichigo said with a tone of fear in his voice.
"Shiro, do you think you can move?" Ren asked, moving her attention back to Toshiro. Again, Ren's voice sounded like different Ren's talking at him. Too exhausted to even talk, Toshiro nodded. "Alright. Ichigo, I'm not fighting yet. Helping Shiro is my top priority."
"I'll help you. I'm sorry I can't fight at full strength, but if I had Zangetsu, I could take care of this Feather myself."
"Well, you don't." Ren said bluntly. "Let's go, Shiro." Ren grasped Toshiro's hand.
Ba-bump!
"!" With that contact with Ren, Toshiro's headache increased, and the dizziness was much more overpowering. He just couldn't stay awake any longer. With only the sound of Ren's panicked voice being heard, Toshiro slipped into unconsciousness, and knew no more.
Dun dun duuuuuunn! A cliff-hanger! Oh, aren't I evil? Next time, Ichigo and Ren try everything they can to protect Toshiro. Or, is it Toshiro who ends up protecting them? Find out next time, only here in Fate and Destiny!