Ahem, this chapter will focus mostly on Rukia and Hitsugaya. So… the next chapters will be Zaraki, Ukitake, and Shunsui! Yay! So be patient!
Let's start the blonde vs brunette and genius vs genius!
Blood dripped onto the wooden boards, seeping through the cracks.
Rukia was panting a little. Her left hand firmly pressed against the wound on her right wrist. Her zanpakutou hung loosely in her hand. Sode no Shirayuki was silent. Rukia sighed. Sode no Shirayuki was never silent. It would always be moving, sparkling, and charming its way through everything. But now, it was silent.
Would she kill again? Of her own will? Or would it be like last time, where she was forced to. Could she… do it again? Her left hand trembled, letting blood leak even more. Was she a killer?
Rukia's Flashback
Rukia sat comfortably beside the lake. The sunset was beautiful. It made the waters orange and yellow, making it seem unnatural and mystical. She sighed. It had only been a week since she had joined the 13th squad, and already she was tired of it. All the running around, all the shinigami, all the silent rejections…
She lay down on the soft grass. She wanted… something. She rolled over onto her side. It was so peaceful here, no expectations or anything. She closed her eyes, taking in the smell of the garden.
"Oi. Kuchiki."
Rukia yelped and jumped, head butting against someone's chin.
She rubbed her head, sure that she had acquired a new bump on her head. "Ouch."
"Ouch is right." Rukia turned around to see Kaien, standing up slowly, rubbing his chin. He moved his jaw experimentally. "I'm so sorry Kaien-dono! I didn't mean to! I-"
"It's fine Kuchiki." Kaien sat down beside the now quiet Rukia. "So… what's wrong?" Rukia looked at Kaien, surprised. Kaien grinned ruefully. "What? You thought I wouldn't notice?" Rukia turned back helplessly. They sat in silence for a few minutes. "So are you going to tell me?"
Rukia opened her mouth then closed it again. She tried again, but did the same thing. This went on for a couple of minutes. Kaien watched impatiently. Then he jumped on her, ruffling her hair like a crazed maniac. Rukia sat, stunned, after he was done. She wondered what new shape he had sculpted it into this time.
"Stop acting like a goldfish! Talk Kuchiki!"
Rukia sighed. "I… It's not as if I dislike the 13th squad. I really am truly honoured that I was accepted. I love it here… It's… great." Kaien hit Rukia on the head lightly. "Idiot. I didn't ask you to praise our division. I already know it's the best. Now tell me what's wrong."
Rukia looked at onto the lake. She should talk. It was true. She tried again.
"I don't think… I belong here Kaien-dono… as a shinigami I mean." When Kaien didn't interrupt, she continued. "I… don't fit in… I always have too much time to do things. Because… I don't really spend my time with other people… But where can I go from here…?"
Rukia was again roughly treated by the 13th squad lieutenant. "Geesh! It's all part of being new! You think everyone here had a friend when they were new? No. You make friends as you go along. Sure, it might be hard, but it's guaranteed that you'll meet new people. It's up to you if you want to make friends with them." Rukia looked down. It wasn't… really her problem. No one would really fit her in.
"Besides," Kaien continued, his voice softer, "We all accept you here Kuchiki. Don't think otherwise."
He sat up, brushing grass off of his shihakusho. He yawned and mumbled about being hungry and stalked off. Rukia sat by the pool for a while, looking at Kaien's disappearing figure. She smiled.
"Thank you... Kaien-dono."
End of flashback
Rukia flinched as a shuriken embedded itself an inch away from her foot. Kaien-dono had been so kind, and she had killed him. She shook her head. I thought you got over that… Even his family has forgiven you… Forgive yourself already! Rukia ducked, letting a volley of shurikens go over her head. Forgiveness is a virtue. She moved to the left, letting the kunai only cut her right cheek.
Am I virtuous enough for forgiveness?
----------
The Hollow Shikamaru marveled at the blood on his arm. "You've cut me…" He let it drip to the ground and continued to stare at it. "What… a shame."
With unpredictable speed, he charged at Hitsugaya. The captain stood ready, zanpakutou poised. Instead of the head on attack as he expected, Shikamaru pulled back at the last minute and threw a kunai. Hitsugaya easily knocked it off its path with his zanpakutou, at the same time, stepping back. Then he realized something. Damn…
Hitsugaya jumped, avoiding the giant shadow that was quickly gaining on his little one. He landed silently, being careful where he landed. Shikamaru grinned. "Ah… You know about my ability? Well I guess I lost the element of surprise. You should know that that is the one most important factor to shinobi. It could determine the success rate of your mission."
Shikamaru disappeared from Hitsugaya's line of sight. "Of course…" Shikamaru breathed down the captain's neck, "I'm not really a shinobi anymore…" Hitsugaya's eyes widened. Was that shunpo? He himself disappeared as Shikamaru's kunai buried in the now empty spot. Hitsugaya camouflaged himself within the dust clouds. They were getting thinner, but they still helped. Being his resourceful self, he stood ready, unmoving as he did not want to stir up any dust, while he thought at the same time. It was possible that the shinobi knew shunpo, but called it something else. The commander had said that they are skilled. However, there was also the chance that this could be only Hollow-induced. Hitsugaya's grip tightened. Would he have to kill this shinobi in order to purify him?
He gathered his reiatsu, steeling himself against anything that might disrupt him.
"Boo."
This was Hitsugaya's cue to attack. He quickly jumped out of the cover of dust and readied himself. He remembered exactly where Shikamaru was. He let his shakkahou loose.
The explosion shook the land. Hitsugaya landed a little ways away, his piercing eyes surveying the dust. When he couldn't see or sense much, he began to be wary that the shot had been too direct. He thought wrong.
"Where are you looking? Were you looking for me?"
Hitsugaya turned around, only to be stopped partway by a kunai pointed at his eye. He froze. "Is this it? That's sad… I'm so bored too…" Shikamaru yawned. He looked at Hitsugaya, who mumbled something. "What was that?" Hitsugaya's mouth twitched up to his cocky grin.
"I said, Hadou #4: Byakurai."
Shikamaru was shot away in an instant, freeing Hitsugaya from his uncomfortable hold. He frowned. The lightening would have been nothing to the Hollow shinobi. He waited for the shinobi to get up. Shikamaru sat motionless against a wall. Slowly, his head lifted up. "That was…" Shikamaru smiled. "Great. Let's do it again."
---------
Ino was now in full view. The dust had finally dissipated in their area, allowing Rukia to attack properly. Ino grinned wickedly. "Kill me. I dare you." Rukia didn't flinch. Instead, she gathered her reiatsu.
"O Lord, mask of flesh and bone! All creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man, truth and temperance! Upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadou #33: Soukatsui!"
Ino stood on her hands to dodge the incoming fire. It was coming at a fast speed, but if she twisted her hip just a little… The ball of blue fire passed by Ino. Rukia frowned. She held up her zanpakutou.
"Mae… Sode no Shirayuki."
Ino watched as the sword turned into an impressive piece of artwork. It was pure white, the blade, the guard, the hilt, everything. It disturbed Ino to some length. "It's just a sissy white sword. You can't do anything with it to hurt me." Rukia took on a traditional pose. The blade glinted dangerously, reflecting Rukia's violet eyes. "Wrong. First dance: White Moon."
In a blink of an eye, Rukia was next to Ino, preparing to put her zanpakutou back into its sheath. Ino looked at the ominous circle around her. This doesn't feel right… Hollow Ino tried to move away, but gasped as she realized she couldn't move. Her body, from her chest and down, was stuck in a giant wall of ice. She struggled viciously, even clawing against the ice. Rukia looked on blankly. The white zanpakutou shimmered endlessly in her hand. The semi-Hollow smiled devilishly.
"It doesn't matter… as long as I have my hands free…" She performed some quick hand seals, then finally left her hand in a wonky circle. "You didn't see my ability did you now… That's too bad. It could have saved you too." The semi-Hollow took careful aim at Rukia's shocked face. "You won't feel a thing… I promise."
---------
He's stronger than I thought…
Hitsugaya prepared for another attack with Hyourinmaru. He hadn't yet released his shikai yet, but he was damned close. He glared at Shikamaru who was grinning from ear to ear. He didn't want to kill him, no matter how annoying he got. He just had to remember that this probably wasn't the way this shinobi would usually act. Taking a deep breath, he lunged for a direct attack. Shikamaru threw shurikens, just as Hitsugaya suspected. Hitsugaya twisted left and right, avoiding them, but never stopping. The Hollow Shikamaru hissed. It threw even more at Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya smirked. Perfect.
"Souten ni Zase! Hyourinmaru!"
Shikamaru watched as an enormous volume of ice and water came hurtling right at him. Except, they disappeared before they reached him. What? Then, he saw the shinigami's plan. He had only used that as a distraction. The real purpose was to knock all the shurikens to him. He dodged them as best as he could; only ripping some of his clothes. Hitsugaya landed behind Shikamaru. "Did you think I would waste an attack on trying to kill you?" Not to mention the fact that I don't really want to kill you…
Shikamaru only laughed. It rang emptily in the large hall. "How does it feel… Kid?"
Hitsugaya stood still. He was stuck. He couldn't move. He watched painfully at his hand holding Hyourinmaru. It trembled slightly, but didn't budge.
"It's called Kagemane no Jutsu… Do you like it?" The Hollow Shikamaru would have continued cracking up, if it wasn't for the fact that he noticed a crucial fact. Something was holding his ankle. He looked down, as did Hitsugaya. His eyes widened. He could see Hitsugaya's large green eyes looking at him.
"Do you like it? It's my zanpakutou, Hyourinmaru."
Yes, the chain at the end of Hyourinmaru had managed to wrap itself around Shikamaru's ankle through Hitsugaya's momentum. The semi-Hollow could feel ice forming around his ankle, and rapidly spreading to his other one as well. He shook his leg, but it was firmly bound onto the ankle. He tried to pry it off desperately. He gave a cry of shock when he realized his hands were stuck onto the chain and were also being covered by ice.
"Make it… stop. Make it stop!"
Hitsugaya, in the same position as Shikamaru didn't say anything. Ice continued to climb over the semi-Hollow's body. The semi-Hollow's head swung around, making Hitsugaya do likewise. They were only an inch apart and nearly nose to nose.
"Make it stop… or I'll kill you."
Shikamaru opened his mouth, and to the horror of the little captain, a Cero began to form.
Shit…
----------
Tsunade watched as yet ANOTHER traditional Japanese door opened next to her. Oh no… more of these shinigami. She was right on. A shinigami came through, but not one that she would have expected. He wasn't tall and masculine, but he was definitely a guy. He looked tired though, as if he had missed breakfast. He looked around shyly, and then focused his attention to Tsunade, before addressing her feet as he spoke.
"Ano… Is this Konoha?"
How'd you guys like that? Were the fights satisfying enough for you? Please tell me! I WANT TO KNOW! Sorry if Hanatarou's entrance ruined it all for you lol. It's just that I realized some of the shinigami would get hurt, so they need someone to heal them PROPERLY… I don't trust shinobi healing ppl to heal shinigami lmao! Ya.. I'm sugar high rite now.
So next chapter will be… Zaraki vs Anko and Jyuushiro and Shunsui vs Neji! YAY! (and some mild Matsumoto… I totally forgot about her heh heh…) so watch out! But it might take a while, so, sorri.
Also, I am thinking of the following ppl for ichigo and renji fight:
Lee (lol, freaky shinobi eyebrows vs. freaky shinigami eyebrows)
The two chuunins from the chuunin exam thing (forgot their names but they were in there a lot)
I don't kno! Help me! (o, and im sorri this chapter was short as well)