a/n - Yo

here's another one, ch 40 of BTP is in the works as well ;D


Layne and Ichigo were about to turn the corner that lead yo the Urahara store when they heard a shout from behind them

"Oi Layne, wait up" Jim shouted

Layne cursed mentally

"You caught up pretty fast" Layne turned, trying to erase all traces of his annoyance from his tone "Thought you'd be recovering a bit more from those knocks I gave you" he added, eyeing off the bruise forming around Jim's eye

Jim grinned "Takes a little more than that, but you could of gone easier on me"

"Are you going to bug me about me being here?"

"Nope, I lost, though it would be nice if you told me"

"Shut up Jim" Layne muttered "Anyway, I don't think you've been properly introduced to Ichigo… if you've been doing things through his dad, so this is Ichigo Kurosaki, one of my best mates here in Japan"

Ichigo and Jim shook hands

"So what are you guys up to?" Jim asked

"Just out for a walk" Ichigo supplied as Layne hesitated "We were just wondering if we needed anything from this shop around the corn…."

Ichigo stopped as they heard a scream from the other direction

Layne moved the quickest and started running towards it, Ichigo on his heels, while Jim watched them run off and then realized he should probably follow


The lifeless body fell to the floor, next to the man she had seen die moments earlier

"This is distasteful" one of them rasped "To have to waste energy on these powerless beings"

"Patience, you know it's just bait until we draw out the bigger fish… and speaking of which"

Layne rounded the corner, and saw just what he had been hoping not to see

Two Shinigami standing over two human corpses

"Shit" was the thought that ran through Layne's head "More of these… I had enough with Kira… and Aizen!"

"Looks like our fish fell right into our net" the Shinigami on the left said, He had shoulder length blond hair and a scratchy blond circle beard, a standard sealed sword in his left hand with a stylized V as the tsuba, but his most distinguishing feature was the blood covered fishing hook instead of his right hand.

The other Shinigami's features were difficult to distinguish from the blood covering his face, streaking his short brown hair, and completely immersing his blade… which seemed to be formed of flowing blood.

Ichigo and Jim caught up to Layne, Ichigo's features changed from confusion to horror as he took in the entire scene. But Jim, only able to see the two mutilated corpses on the ground rushed straight in, not realizing that they were destroyed beyond recognition

"Who could have done this?" Jim asked in horror "This is like some shit from comic books… or manga… or a horror movie"

"What is with this kid?" The blood covered one asked his partner, his voice hoarse "Is he retarded… we're right here"

"Think for one second, I know clever thoughts are a rare occurrence through your blood system. But this is the human, not a trace of reiatsu anywhere near him, we only want the two who obviously can see us"

"Then he's useless?"

"Absolutely, Execute"

The Shinigami thrust his blood blade at Jim's back as he was bent over the mutilated victims when he heard a thump and Layne appeared in front of the blade and blocked it with the sealed form of Oblivion

"Like hell you will" Layne growled, flaring his reiatsu "You want fish… well you caught an orca instead"

"I can't help but shake the feeling that Layne just pulled a lame line" Jim thought to himself, confused at the randomness of that thought


"Let's go" Rukia said, outside an inactive Senkai Gate, ready to take it to "Continuing to keep Soul Society's secrets means they keep coming back to haunt us"

"Rukia…" Renji said "We can't go against…"

"Can't go against what?" Moll said appearing from behind them, arms crossed, "Your Captain? Your Friend? Your Obligation to one being stronger than the other?"

"Moll…." Rukia and Renji said almost simultaneously

"Listen up" Moll growled, grabbing the front of Renji's shihakusho pulling him close "I'm fucking pissed off right now, I'm pissed off that Soul Society can't find the guy that almost killed Joel, I'm pissed off that I'm not being told the entire progress of the hunt for him, I'm pissed off that the key to saving his goddamned life could be right in front of him and Joel's friends, My Friends, Our Friends are willing to let him die to keep another one of this damned Soul Society's secrets, I know I'm weak and I'm not where I want to be, but I swear to god that if you don't tell me what's going on right here right now I'll shove Sora so far down your throat that you'll be vomiting tornadoes for a year"

Renji looked sufficiently terrified and Rukia pulled Moll off him

"Come with us, we'll explain on the way"


"Oh shit!" Jim exclaimed "Layne and Ichigo passed out"

Jim rushed to them as Layne and Ichigo, in Shinigami form faced off with the bloody covered one and the hookhand

"This is turning out to be far more troublesome than I thought it would be" Hookhand said, rubbing the back of his head with his proper hand "I was hoping to have two of you dead and gone by now…but I underestimated your speed… Layne Trell"

"I don't know who you are" Layne replied, his sword still pressed against Blood's "But you've killed two people and threated my cousin and as much as I feel that this is another one of Soul Society's secrets coming back to bite me in the ass, I'd rather you be there than here"

"Words I expected from you, The Tidewalker"

"Let's cut the crap" Ichigo said, brandishing Zangetsu

Layne nodded "Tidewalker shit aside, let's get fighted"

"Drift, Roxas!"


a/n - Insert witty note here...