Chapter Three
Story Telling
"NEE-SAN!"
Kon jumped toward Rukia, who her and Ichigo had just climbed into his room through the window. He wrapped his body around her arm, then had a confused look on his face.
"Wait a minute… you're trembling, Nee-san…"
Rukia's eyes were wide, her body trembling as she sat on the bed. Ichigo climbed in behind her and stood in front of her. Kon jumped down beside her on the bed and turned to Ichigo.
"YO! What did you do to my Nee-san! You better not be the reason she's like this!"
Ichigo glared at Kon, then reached over and grabbed his fuzzy head.
"Kon…"
He then threw him out of the open window.
"TAKE ORIHIME HOME!"
Kon had shock on his face as he slowly fell down… and landed in Orihime's arms.
"Oh! Kon!"
His face seemed to have begun to sparkle as he was held in her arms.
Ahhhh… Orihime's pillows… they are so soft…
Ichigo was tempted to throw something at Kon for the look on his face, but decided against it as he stood back in front of Rukia.
"Ok. Rukia, who the Hell was that guy!"
She was silent, looking down at the wooden floor…
"You… can see me?"
Karin put her hands on her hips as she looked up to Zack.
"Yeah, I can! Now, have you seen my brother around here?"
Zack held back a grin.
Spunky little girl, isn't she?
He jumped down onto the ground next to her, his scarf fluttering behind him. He fixed the part around his mouth and neck and turned to Karin.
"Well, I just got here myself, so I've seen as much as you have when you got here."
"Oh… I see…"
Zack frowned under his scarf, seeing the disappointment on her face. He had always been a sucker for girls, especially if he accidentally made them sad.
"Well… how about we both take a walk and look for your brother. It would be more enjoyable if you had someone with you and…"
He stopped, looking directly at her face. Now that he was closer to her… she seemed somewhat familiar. Not in her face, but the strength behind her eyes…
"Say… who is your brother, anyway?"
Karin looked up at him and answered plainly.
"Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki. And I'm Karin, Karin Kurosaki."
Zack raised his eyebrow, then gave a chuckle. That explain the strength behind her eyes.
"Him? That carrot top kid?"
"Yes! Is he hurt?"
He looked away for a minute, thinking, then back toward her.
"Yeah, he's fine. He might have a few scratches, though."
Karin gave a sigh, wiping her forehead.
"Well, as long as he'll be alright… I should get Yuzu and tell her that he should be home soon."
"Who is he, Rukia! He knew all about you and was aiming for you!"
Rukia closed her eyes, still silent with her hands in her lap. They both were still in their Shinigami forms so no one would hear them in the house. Ichigo gave a tsk and sat down in his chair at his desk, leaning back with his zanpakuto at his side against the desk.
"Listen, you may think this may not concern me, but it does. He went straight for you and had that unbelievable spiritual pressure, yet he didn't give me any major wounds… who is he?"
"An ex boyfriend."
"…. HUH!"
Rukia looked up to him, sorrow on her face, taking back Ichigo. He had never seen her like this before…
"…. What happened?"
"You don't have to follow me, you know."
Zack was walking on top of a railing on the sidewalk with his hands behind his head as he followed Karin.
"I know, but I really have nothing else to do. Besides, this walk is letting me think on a few things."
She looked up at him, wondering what was going through his mind.
"Like…?""Well… hmmm…"
He looked up at the night sky, the stars shining brightly.
"About the past… you know all about us Soul Reapers, or Shinigami, right? Since your brother is one."
Karin looked down the sidewalk, nodding.
"Well… I was one, too… but I was banned from Soul Society for something I did not do…"
He paused, stopping on the railing as he looked up still, Karin stopping in front of him.
"… and for my lover, the one person I trusted most, was the only one that could have saved me, and she betraying that and causing this to happen to me…"
"Wait, this guy killed countless other Soul Reapers?"
Rukia nodded, not even budging.
"He was accused of treason, by siding himself with the Hollows to take over the Soul Society… the proof was that he was with the Hollows when they once broke into the area, killing so many innocents…"
Ichigo turned his chair to her, leaning forward, looking at her intensely.
"How do you know that…?"
Her hair was hidden from view, memories of being with Zack flashing in front of her eyes.
"B-because… I've seen it all… with my own eyes…"
"What? You were accused of sending Hollows, the monsters with masks, into this Soul Society? That's where you go after you die, right?"
Zack nodded, keeping quiet as he thought.
"But… DID you?"
"Never."
"Then… who said you did?"
He kept quiet again, his hands now in his pockets.
"Someone… very close to my heart…"
Karin looked up to him… the way the light from the full moon was hitting him… hitting his sad eyes… just made him look sorrowful even more.
"And… no one believed you?"
Zack gave a sad chuckle.
"The whole Soul Society was in a state of panic, and they needed to blame someone quickly before they had people revolting against them for not protecting them… and… that person said it was me… I… I don't know why…"
He voice broke for a moment. He coughed a bit, putting a hand over his mouth.
"Excuse me…"
"He… what?"
Rukia had the memories still coming, on how she was informed of the fight, how she ran to the field, only to see a plain covered with blood from dead Shinigami… and seeing Zack, killing another Shinigami in front of her, his face having something on it as someone else fought with him… she started, eyes wide.
"Oh my God… Ichigo… I never know what this meant until now, but… he's-"
"It doesn't matter what he is, who he is, or what he got! As long as he can die, it's fine by me!"
Ichigo and Rukia turned around… and saw Kenpachi, smiling with his teeth showing, looking down at the two while leaning against Ichigo's closet door.
"K-Kenpachi!
"Hiya, Ichigo!"
Yachiru popped up from Kenpachi's side, waving with a smile on her face. Rukia and Ichigo just stared at them, wide eyed.
"Captain Zaraki, why are you here in the living world?"
Yachiru jumped down onto the floor, looking around in Ichigo's room.
"Grampa said that he wanted us to come here. Hey, what's this?"
She pulled out a teen magazine from a drawer of Ichigo's desk.
"Hey! Put that back!"
Ichigo reached down and grabbed the magazine, but Yachiru wouldn't let go.
"Nuh-uh! I wanna see it!"
"Let go! You're going to rip it!"
Rukia looked up to Kenpachi, still a little shaken.
"The Captain Commander sent you here himself?"
Kenpachi gave a chuckle, ignoring Ichigo now spinning around, trying to get Yachiru to let go of his magazine.
"Yeah. The Research Department apparently found a reiatsu which the computers recognized. Someone by the name of… Zamn."
"!"
Yachiru had Ichigo's foot against her cheek, so she opened her mouth and bit down hard on his foot.
"EEEEEEEEOOOOWWWWWWWWWW! Let go of my foot! Stop biting me!"
"NOMNOMNOMNOMNOM!"
Ichigo began to try to swing her off, but she had a strong bite on his foot. Kenpachi just waved his hand.
"Tsk, whatever his name is. I guess he must be powerful, to send me here… heh, can't wait!"
Rukia's eyes grew wide, easily imagining them fighting.
"You… are here to kill Zack, then?"
Kenpachi's smile grew wider, full of blood lust.
"Oh yeah… I hope he will be of some fun! It is never any fun to kill a weakling!"
"Menny, doph phget aphot phat opher phing!"
"Oh, right, we are here for… research… ugh…"
Ichigo turned to Kenpachi, blinking.
"Wait… you understood that?"
Kenpachi turned to him, his hand flexing a bit on the hilt of his sword.
"Yeah… she said it as clear as day. Wha, you're deaf or something?"
Rukia couldn't help but to interrupt them.
"Wait, research? You?"
He shrugged, still smiling.
"The old man said that something which the computer never analyzed before appeared right next to this Zack, and then he got his powers back. They want me to go where he got them back and they taught Yachiru how to gather the data… bah, all a waste of time. If it was an enemy, then let him show himself already!"
Yachiru let go of Ichigo's foot, landing perfectly on her feet.
"Kenny, let's have 'em tell the mini-thingy Mayurin gave me!"
"M-mini-thingy?"
She quickly reached into her sleeve and pulled out what looked like a pill dispenser that had a yellow baby head on the top of it..
"He said to tell what happened into this!"
Zack had his hands behind his head as he looked up at the full moon, shining down beautifully.
"You know… the Soul Society also has a moon, exactly the one up in this sky…"
Karin looked up too, she could easily see many of the moon's features on that clear night sky.
"Really? I would imagine it being a world where it's dusk all the time."
"Nope."
He stopped, now placing his hands on his hips.
"It's much like the feudal era of Japan, actually. Except you age VERY slowly. You could be 300 years old and still look very young! There is also day and night, like the living world, and… huh?"
He blinked, still looking up at the moon, which looked like it was about to change shape, but stopped in less then a second.
"Did… did you see that?"
Karin gave a sigh, walking forward again.
"I don't know… so many weird things has happened lately that I don't know what to make of things anymore…"
Now Zack shrugged, continuing walking, now beside Karin. They were now on the street, very close to Karin's house.
"Hey, Karin!"
Both of them turned around, seeing Yuzu rushing toward them. She stopped, catching her breath for a moment.
"I-I couldn't find brother… did you manage to find him?"
Karin just shook her head.
"No, but he might be home, which we were heading for now."
Yuzu tilted her head a bit.
"Umm… we?"
Zack turned to Karin, hiding his smile behind his scarf.
"She can't see me, huh?"
She turned to him, trying to hide her own smile.
"Nope. Not really, but she knows spirits and all exists."
"Ah."
Yuzu's face puffed up a bit, pouting a bit.
"Who are you talking to, Karin?"
"Oh, sorry, Yuzu. Yuzu, this is Zack, a spirit which helps other spirits move on. Zack, this is my sister, Yuzu."
Even though he knew Yuzu couldn't really see him, he figure he should still be polite. Besides, he like this little girl, she had spunk and is fun to talk to.
"Hello, Yuzu, it's a pleasure to…. meet…. you…."
He slowed down as he saw Yuzu giving a respectable bow… facing away from him.
"Hello, Zack. It's nice to meet someone who helps so many souls."
Zack held back his laughter, crossing his arms.
"Well… she definitely can't see me…"
Karin hid her smile from Yuzu.
"Come on, I'm sure Ichigo is back at the house already."
"Let's see… is that all of it, Ichigo?"
Ichigo have a nod, finally back inside his human body now.
"Yeah… he didn't even release his zanpakuto, and he still showed some amazing skills and speed. Was he a captain before whatever happened?"
Rukia was silent, turning her head away from everyone, memories flooding back…
Then her head shot up, her eyes wide as she sensed a familiar reiatsu coming closer.
"Ichigo… he's here!"
Kenpachi gave a wide smile, blood lust clear in his eyes and on his face. He dashed out of the window…
Zack looked around, seeing comfortable family houses near each other.
"This is a very peaceful neighbor, you two. And I'm guessing this is your house?"
Karin gave a nod, looking at her own house.
"Yeah, and Ichigo's room light is on, so he is home-"
"MOVE!"
Zack suddenly pushed Karin and Yuzu to the side, then pulled out his sword, blocking a powerful strike from above… Kenpachi's strike from his own sword.
"HA! Strong enough to stand your ground against my strike! You really do look like you will be fun!"
Zack scowled, their sword locked. He looked at Kenpachi's clothing, and of the symbol on his back.
"Captain of Squad 11... Damn, I JUST got my powers back, and they already sent a Captain after me?"
Kenpachi gave a laugh, pushing harder, making Zack jump back. He gained balance as quickly as he could, standing in front of Karin and Yuzu, both on the ground, gasping for breath as the Captain let some of his reiatsu. Zack glared at him, easily seeing nothing would convince him to wait for the humans behind him. He held his zanpakuto's handle beside his head with both hands, the blade pointing at Kenpachi, his legs spread apart….
"Well… I guess I have to make this quick, since your spiritual pressure is making these two girls choke."
He gave a smile, remembering this feeling.
"I guess you will see why my enemies call me "The Demon Shinigami"…"
End of Chapter Three…