Title: Kyrie Eleison
Chapter: Blending into society
Disclaimer: I do not own bleach nor do I claim to. Actually, I said long ago that bleach governs over me, lol
Listening to: Blame it on the Pop
While it didn't take long to get there, it took longer to 'get ready' for Matsumoto. At least for the younger girl, she had less to bring. The busty Fukutaicho just had to go all out shopping for make-up and hair products before departure. After the whole wait, Ukitake-Taicho couldn't brief them on the full information!
"So apparently..." Hitsugaya began, his brows furrowed as the senkai gate began to open. "We'll have to be debriefed at Former Captain Urahara Kisuke's store in the human world."
Yumi smiled sheepishly. "Hey, it could be worse!"
"Like how?"
"Like—"
"Oi, did you really think you were going to leave without us?" a familiar voice called out as all three of them jumped. Appearing with what looked like a shunpo was both Reisha and Archer...and maybe about ten people from the stealth force as their escorts...
"R-Reisha!" Yumi cried out in shock. Archer frowned, feigning hurt.
"What? You say her name first? Who's the one that saved your ass?" he complained and made a step forward when a blade was lightly pressed against his neck.
The man holding the weapon glared. "No moving, scum, or I'll cut you where you stand."
"Stand down," Hitsugaya spoke. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Soutaicho has given them a chance to show their 'loyalty' to their word. In exchange for their assistance, we won't execute them." He explained and then pointed to their necks. It was only then that she noticed some kind of black ring around their necks. "Should they go against orders..."
"You don't need to explain it," The captain interrupted, giving a side glance to Yumi. "I have it covered. Thank you." The stealth force all bowed and disappeared.
Matsumoto pouted for a bit but then clapped her hands. "Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah, let's." Yumi sighed and continued towards the Senkai gate. Archer and Reisha followed obediently after the captain as the light engulfed them.
It was like a light had gone out once Yumi passed through. The gate was always like that though: dark, gloomy, and utterly gross. Luckily, both Daemon's had practice with controlling hell butterflies somehow, so the currents didn't activate and the cleaners didn't sweep through.
Yumi glanced at the black 'collars', as she would put them, with concern. Her captain stopped the man from explaining but she could easily guess what he would say.
"Yumi,"
His voice made her jump as she turned to him.
Archer grinned and sent her a thumbs up. "What's wrong? You look down!"
"N-Nothing, Archer... I'm just glad you guys were able to get out safely." She lied.
He studied her and tilted his head. "What went and killed your mood?" She remained silent, staring at the black collar around his neck once more as her answer. He shrugged and lightly hit her head with his knuckle. "I think you have bigger things to worry about, kiddo." As he said that, he pointed to her captain in front. A deep crimson spread across her face as she scowled at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I'm talking about!" he joked, "I bet when he picked you up in the human world, you probably thought, 'He's so sweet! It's so unlike him to pick me up bridal style!' ...or something like that!"
"Idiot!" she punched him hard in the arm as he winced. Hearing the sounds of protest, Hitsugaya turned around with his arms crossed in his sleeves.
"Hurry up! We don't have all day!"
Reisha raised a brow and smirked, leaning in to Yumi's ear. "Is the Chibi-Taicho always this crabby?"
"OI!"
Yumi nodded her head. "Pretty much."
The light in the tunnel began to get brighter and brighter, signaling the end of the road. As they left the gate, they found themselves in front of Urahara Shoten. It was evening then, and most of the students attending school were making their way back home.
"Man, it's been a while since I've been back here!" Archer stretched and sighed in relief. "I want some milk now."
"How old are you?" Reisha asked but then pouted. "Actually, don't answer that. So where's that shopkeeper?"
The doors to the store opened, revealing a very small girl with black pigtails. She stared at the newcomers for a few seconds and then turned back around. "Jinta-kun... Yu-chan is back."
"Ehhh!" the loud obnoxious voice pricked at Yumi's ears. The red-head literally slid out the door and pointed at the brunette. "Heh! So, are you ready to taste defeat once more!"
A vein popped on her forehead and she shook her fist at him. "What did you say, you brat! I went easy on you that time!"
"...Can we just go in?" Hitsugaya sighed and then began to make his way to the door, ignoring the lightning flashing between Jinta and his subordinate. Surprisingly, the shopkeeper was nowhere to be found. So the one that greeted him ended up to be Tessai.
"I heard of your orders from Soul Society." He clicked his glasses as they settled down at a small table. "Unfortunately, the shopkeeper is unable to—"
"It's alright!" the familiar voice sang out from the other side of the door. It slid open, revealing the man nicknamed hat-and-clogs. However, he looked like a wreck. His head actually lacked the signature hat, which was replaced with bandages. They also wrapped around his torso, but some blood actually managed to seep through the once white linens. "Nice to meet you, Hitsugaya-Taicho. I am the humble shopkeeper to this wonderful candy store!" He turned to Yumi and snapped his fan out. "It's been a while, ne Miyamoto-san?"
She blinked for a second and then took out a random rubber band and shot it right in his eyes.
"Ara!" he winced and allowed the tears to buikd up. "You're so mean!"
"I promised myself I would smack you the next time I would see you." She curled her fist and grinned wickedly. "So you better have a good reason for doing that to Rukia-chan because I'll beat you dead!"
Urahara flinched and bowed his head in something akin to shame. "...Mi—"
"...is what I want to say." She interrupted him as his head snapped back up once more. Yumi nodded her head and looked at him seriously. "But I'm sure you had your reasons... But you have to apologize to her!" He allowed a smile and tipped his hat.
"You truly are like Kurosaki, Miyamoto-san~!"
Hitsugaya coughed as the group was led back into the first topic. "So... Can we get briefed on the mission?"
"Ah, yes! Well, as you all know... There have been a few incidences relating to hollow activity. However, that's not all. There's movement within Karakura and I believe it has something to do with these two appearing before Miyamoto-san recently." He gestured to the two Daemons bickering with each other. "Soul Society is unsure as to what their main objective is...so they decided to bring a team in for investigation."
"Wait a sec..." Yumi frowned and stroked her chin thoughtfully. "You're saying that Reisha and Archer finding me almost at the same time was no coincidence?" She turned to the two of them suspiciously. Reisha turned away while Archer looked down while fidgeting. "Arch..."
"I'm sorry, kid." He began and sighed. "It wasn't."
"If you remember, I said Aeon was making their move." Reisha spoke, still not making eye-contact with anyone but the wall.
"Aeon?" Hitsugaya questioned. "I was never informed of this, Miyamoto." He glared at her as she shifted a few inches away from the frosty captain. "Continue."
"Aeon is a society made up of Daemons. It was at first a haven for those surviving Daemon's from the War of the Demon's Fall. However, it became corrupt easily due to our rather...instable leader." She explained easily, shrugging as if she was talking about the weather.
"I deserted a while back and since then I've been tracked down...just like you, Yumi." Archer said and lightly touched her hand. He ignored the icy glare in the back of his head.
"What a second, wait a second!" the young girl pulled her hand away. "How... How did you know about me back then? That was the first time I even met you! Sure, I met Reisha before...also I'd rather not remember that..."
The female Damon smirked, "Not my fault you didn't know which end of your sword was which at the academy."
"I can't believe you completely messed up my graduation ceremony, damn it!" she complained as the two bickered. Meanwhile, Hitsugaya frowned. He was just told that she never completed her time at the academy. But here, she's talking about it as if it was clear as day. His eyes turned to Urahara's demanding an explanation but was answered with a shrug.
"Anyway...here is your task!" the shopkeeper caught everyone's attention. "You'll be acting undercover as normal students! Your vice-captain can attend school as well if she wants to."
"Wait...but isn't it a bit late in the year? School doesn't start back up until another month!" Archer raised a brow. "Plus, these two entering at the same time and acting together? Isn't that a bit suspicious?"
"Of course not! They'll have a cover story so it will be settled without a hitch!" Urahara smiled wide. Both Yumi and Hitsugaya had a dreadful feeling of foreboding and it took Yumi to ask.
"...What will we be undercover as...?"
His fan snapped open with large letters that spelled out:
SIBLINGS
"..."
"...Do you wanna pummel him first?"
"No, you go ahead first."
"Thank you."
-One Month Later-
"Alright class!" the teacher announced during free period as the students continued to talk. "Class…" she smiled sweetly but the noise continued. "OI YOU STUPID KIDS! LISTEN TO ME AND SHUT UP!"
Cricket…cricket…
"Thank you!" she giggled cutely as the class shuddered at their strange homeroom teacher. "We have two new students joining us today… Please come in!"
The door opened as all eyes turned to the small figure coming in. It was a girl of short stature, maybe 4'9 or 5 at most. Her hair was chocolate brown and cut at her shoulder blades. She looked very nervous as her emerald green eyes looked down at the floor in discomfort.
"Now, introduce yourself!" The girl remained quiet in hesitation. The teacher grinned even wider. "I said…introduce yourself…"
"Hitsugaya Yukina," she finally spoke and shifted uncomfortably. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"
"Erm…do I have to?" the girl asked and frowned pleadingly at her teacher, who just stared at her with her brow raised. The new student sighed in defeat and turned to the class again. "I'm currently fifteen years old and I just recently moved to Karakura from Inaba." And thus, the inevitable 'gossip' had begun.
"Eh? Inaba? That boring place?"
"Look at her eyes! Are those contacts?"
"Tch, she better not get any ideas. I'm not getting pushed off my pedestal just because she has a pretty face! HAH!"
The teacher hushed them once again and allowed the second person to come in. If one had to describe the different between a man and a god, they would probably use this specimen as the latter example. His hair was pure white, which brought out the tan of his skin. Like the girl, he had emerald eyes but they were sharp and calculating. Although he seemed short, he was still taller than the girl by standing about 5'1 or 5'2.
"Hitsugaya Toshiro." The boy spoke, not needed an intro from the now swooning teacher. An even greater burst of gossip exploded from the class. Most of the girls were either blushing, swooning, had nose-bleeds, or all of the above. The guys had looks of envy, respect, shock, and...erm... Well, an expression more far-gone than mere admiration...
After recovering, their teacher coughed. "Anyway. Hitsugaya Yukina can sit behind Seito-kun in the back." A brown-haired boy with glasses raised his hand as the girl seemed to rush to her seat. She never payed attention to where her companion would be sitting.
As class began, Seito continuously looked behind him with a curious expression on his face.
"Hey, are your eyes really green?"
Twitch...
"Why did you come to Karakura, huh?"
Twitch...!
"Is that guy your cousin or something? He looks like he's in a gang!"
Twitch!
'RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING'
Some of the girls screamed in fright, holding their skirts down. Most of the guys nearly fell over. Whatever the reason, a quick wind rushed through the classroom to the door. Seito then noticed that Hitsugaya Yukina was gone.
There he sat, a figure of perfection, right on the roof of Karakura High School. The metal door slammed open to reveal an out of breath brunette. He paid no heed and continued to play with his cell phone.
"Well?"
"'WELL'!" She repeated and stomped straight to him. Fury burned in her emerald orbs. "Not even a day in that class and i've been interrogated by some kid that believes aliens exist and are trying to take over the world! Did I forget to mention he thinks me as a prime subject? The girls keep asking me what my relationship to you is too! God, I already have hate letters!"
"Calm down, Miyamoto." Hitsugaya said and still didn't look at her. "We're only staying until we solve this case. So it would be best if we solved it quick, wouldn't you agree?"
Yumi rolled her eyes. "Oh sure. Easy for you to say. Everyone pretty much loves you. I think you captured the hearts of nearly all the schools female population and made more than half the males gay." He had to twitch at that. "The teachers love you for your smarts and every sports club wants you on their team!" She laughed mockingly and put a hand to her temple. "Isn't it great being Mr. Perfect on your first day?"
The cell phone snapped shut harshly and he locked eyes with her. The familiar dangerous glint was in his eyes and she had to stop herself quickly. He was in 'Fierce Dragon Mode level 2' as she called it. There were about five levels to it, each varying in amounts of seriousness and terror. Hitsugaya studied her for a few seconds before sighing and standing up.
"Come Miyamoto."
"Eh? What?"
"There's some hollow nearby. We'll skip today." With ease, he jumped over the fence that surrounded the roof and stood at the edge of the building.
"...you're seriously pissed at me aren't you?"
"No," he answered and then turned back at her with a smirk that didn't reach his cold eyes. "But I will be if you don't hurry up."
The weeks passed by tortuously slow. Even from the reports that there was suspicious activity in the human world, nothing really seemed out of the ordinary for the Shinigami that were brought in to investigate. The only thing that seemed to be 'suspicious' were the new kids that would hang out together all too closely; especially at lunch or free period.
"Ne, ne, Yukina-chama!" called a happy-go-lucky red head. Her name was Fukuyama Eiko, a student in the same year as Yumi. The first few days, she was one of the people that noticed her discomfort and offered her a hand. Needless to say, her cheery attitude did not go unnoticed by Yumi. They got along quick and she became her first high school 'girlfriend.' She and a couple of others were eating outside on the grass during lunch break. "How come you're always disappearing with your brother?"
"Yes, I find it a very interesting subject." Another girl calmly spoke as she sipped a cup of tea. This one was Ushiba Ruriko. She was one year ahead of the other two. She carefully placed to strands of her long black hair behind her ear. "What do you think, Fumiko?"
Her twin sister giggled and took large portion of rice into her mouth. She always was the more…boyish of the two of them. Although they were twins, Fumiko only looked like a middle schooler at most with her baby face. "Yeah, ish vry shuhspishous!" Rice grains spilled over her cheeks and one managed to land on Yumi's nose. The girl crinkled her nose and frowned.
"Fu-chan," Yumi whined and wiped away the grains on her friends face with her napkin. "No talking with your mouth full." She took extra care with Fumiko. She may be older (Although you can't beat the years that stack on as a Shinigami), but Fumiko seemed to act like the little sister Yumi always wanted.
"Don't change the subject!" Eiko nudged the brunette beside her with a sly look on her face. "Ne, ne…don't tell me you…you like Toshiro-kun?"
If she had been eating at the time, Yumi might have gagged.
"E-E-EIKO-CHAN!" Her cheeked burned alight with a blazing red. Although, it wasn't for an attraction. Just the other night, they had gotten into an argument about how tomboyish she was. Jeez, her captain really had to always bring up her chest…or lack thereof.
Ruriko placed a hand over her lips. To any bystander, to may have looked like she was merely covering a yawn. But to the circle of friends, they could see the corner of her lips curving upwards in a smile. A smile that Yumi didn't like one bit.
"You have to admit… It kinda fits." Fumiko put a finger to her lips in thought. "You're always hanging around him."
"But we're siblings. Of course we're gonna hang around each other."
"Yeah, but even though we're in the same grade, even onee-san isn't with me all the time!" Fumiko added as Yumi began to panic. Would they find out that they aren't really brother and sister?
'No way…that's Impossible! Just bluff your way out…' she thought and began thinking up an excuse.
"W-Well, I…erm…" she mumbled, pushing her fingers together nervously. What could she say? She's clingy? They wouldn't believe that! Erm…he owes her cash! No…on what? She let out a deep sigh of defeat.
"So it's true! You're both secretly dating although society looks down upon it! So romantic!" Eiko said dreamily. She always had a sweetspot for romantic novels. When she couldn't find a good book, she would rely on the internet. Something about a thing called 'fanfiction' or whatnot. Whatever…
"No! We're uh… We're not related by blood!" Yumi said quickly as the three sent her strange looks. "Our…dad died and mom remarried. But both of them passed away a few years back."
"Oh, I'm so sorry Yuki-nee." Fumiko frowned and placed a hand reassuringly on her shoulder. Although she felt bad about lying to her friends, she felt utterly warm at their sincerity. "We didn't know…"
"Yeah…s'okay. We're just close because of that! Nothing else!"
"You sure?" Eiko stared suspiciously as Yumi began to sweat.
"Erm…"
"Do you at least have someone you're interested in?"
"I…uh!" her face began to get warm from all the personal questions as her mind reeled into overdrive. Was there anyone she really liked?
"I think the problem is solved, girls." Ruriko sighed and stood up abruptly. "Come on girls. Time to go give her time to think."
"Ri-chan…" Yumi whispered and the other girls glared. The raven haired beauty simple winked and pointed behind the brunette. They grinned as well and quickly packed their things. Before sprinting, Eiko whispered in Yumi's ear.
"Y'know…we won't tell so go ahead and have a little fun!"
As they ran, Yumi looked behind her to see a handsome boy walking over with a smirk on his face. Amusement danced in his golden eyes as he stopped in front of the undercover student.
"Hey, Miss Hitsugaya Yukina," Archer greeted with a mock bow as she frowned. There was only one reason why he would come out in the open at school like this.
"Did they start to move?"
"Yeah." The smile was gone from his face now, replaced by a grim frown. "Get your 'brother' to hightail it outta there. It's gonna get messy from now on."
Just wanted to say. I'm gonna be on vacation for a week, so...yeah. Wahh, no one reviewed. -sad face- But I shall prevail and continue to write! NOTHING SHALL STOP ME! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Well...except for the summer reading I still gotta do...
...hey, don't stare like that! I'm almost done!
...with the first part...-sigh-
No omake b/c i'm uploading this at 1:22am and I gotta wake up at 6am