Welcome back to 'Star in the Dust'! Sorry I wasn't able to update, huge blizzard knocked out our power for a week. I do not own Bleach, hell I don't even own a generator.
Fun fact: 43.7% of statistics are made up on the spot.
Blinding light was shut out by the girl's eyelids as she pinched them shut. Even through the protection of her flesh, the bright light was still able to irritate her eyes enough to make her growl under her breath. Hokori laid her forearm over her face, attempting to return to sleep.
"Come on. Get up already sleepy!" A voice demanded. The white haired girl just grunted and turned over, turning her back to the noise. An angry snarl erupted from behind her, but she remained unphased as she waved a dismal hand at them, signaling for them to silence. In return, a pillow was thrown at her, followed by another pillow, the something like a blanket or towel. Through all of this, Hokori refused to completely wake up and just made herself more comfortable. But then, another thing was thrown at her, and it landed right over her face. The stench of the cloth assaulted the girl's nose. Her eyes widened and she sat up abruptly, swiping at her face. The stinky cloth fell onto her lep, revealing itself as a sock.
"Eck."
"Well you wouldn't get up." A voice reminded Hokori. She looked over to see Tsukiyo, sitting cross-legged on a hospital bed. His left arm was heavily bandaged, and there was gauze wrapped around his forehed, and a couple of patches on his cheeks. It was then that Hokori looked around at her surroundings. She was in the squad four barracks, in a bed, with bandages from her elbows down. She could tell there was also a headband of bandages around her cranium, and a patch under her eye.
"Tsukiyo. Is this because of that hollow?" Hokori asked as she inspected her own banaging. She gasped when she looked at her hands. Specks of blood were visible through the gauze around her palms.
"Yes. I simply have a broken arm and a couple scratches. You injured both your arms when you used that kido and the hollow squeezed you. Your palms have 3rd degree burns from the amount of spiritul pressure you released at once, and a few head injuries. But what's new?" Tsukiyo practically recited what Unohana had told him once he himself had awoken.
"I used that much reitsu?" Hokori asked skeptically. Tsukiyo just shrugged, then turned his attention to the large window placed in the room. Hokori scrutinized the boy's expression. They had been friends for a long time now, and even then, it was hard to figure out what her friend felt sometimes. Hokori crawled out of her bed and plopped in front of the white haired boy. "You wanna share what your thinking?"
"No." Tsukiyo said flatly and looked away from her again, pretending to be interested about one of the flowers next to his bed. But Hokori knew that was 'Tsukiyo-speach' for 'Yes but I don't want to admit it because of my pride. But I might crack and pretend to not like telling you about it.' Hokori had mastered a couple expressions involved in this strange form of body language.
"Aww come on." The girl whined as she poked her brooding friend in the rib cage. He flinched and cast a weak glare in her direction, she ignored it and poked him in the stomach. "Come on Tsukiyo, tell me."
"Fine!" He raised his voice, 'angry'. "When I was running towards that hollow, and I just passed out. I couldn't keep myself from just dropping. How can I be forgiven for that? I mean-" He continued to scold himself until eventually, Hokori picked up the sock he had thrown at her, and literally shoved it in her friends mouth. Tsukiyo looked down at the strip of cloth in his mouth and turned bright red. He ripped it from his mouth immediatly and threw it back at Hokori. "You'll pay for that Kori!" With that, Tsukiyo leaped from his sitting position and tackled the girl. Hokori gladly oblidged to the fight. They rolled off the bed, onto the floor, as if nothing happened, and kept fighting. Kori had been on top of him, forcing Tsukiyo onto his back and holding his arms in a submissive position. But the boy, fueled by rage with himself and being locked in a hospital, yet also powered by the simple joy of his friends companionship, was able to reverse the positions.
The door to the hospital room then opened to reveal the two teens' parents, their three friends from earlier that day, and Captain Unohana. It was just as they all entered the room, that Hokori had taken an oppurtunity to knock Tsukiyo off of her, only for them both to ended tangled up in each other's limbs, trying to force the other down.
"What are you doing?" SoiFon tried to asked sternly, but she was generally surprised by the image of the two fighting. But niether Kori nor Tsukiyo stopped their antics to answer the women. So Akemi did.
"They're play fighting. It usual happens." The navy haired girl chuckled.
"Yes, I believe they take their stress out on each other, yet they both enjoy it." Haruko added as she cocked her head to the side, observing Hokori's failed attempt at flipping Tsukiyo over. Toshirou Hitsugaya could only stare at his son as he fought with the girl, Toshirou didn't know wheather to feel upset or just show relief that both children are okay. Katsue and Ichigo on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh. It was funny as they watched these two, bandaged, banged up, beaten, teens fight on the floor of a hospital for no apparent reason.
"Children! I must ask you to stop, please. You could reopen your wounds." Unohana asked the kids calmly, giving them 'The' smile. Both adolescents, catching the facial expression, stopped immediatly and stared at the women before standing and brushing themselves off.
"So how long was I asleep?" Kori asked, pretending like she and Tsukiyo hadn't just been rolling on the floor trying to get the other to stay down.
"Almost seven hours." Unohana answered with a kind smile. Kori nodded as she took that in. Then she realized something.
"Wait! So we missed our graduation?" She asked with a shocked and saddened face.
"No silly!" Akemi laughed.
"They postponed it due to the appearence of a hollow. They're going to have it a few days from now instead." Izuke answered. Then Haruko continued.
"The department of research and development plan on doing some scans of the sereitei barrier and see what allowed the hollow to break through."
Then SoiFon added "And the stealth force is working on finding any clues or people who may have knowledge on this."
"And Grimmjow is on his own personal patrol, probably killing every hollow he comes across in Hueco Mundo right now." Katsue added, catching her daughters attention.
"Grimmjows in Hueco Mundo?"
"Yeah." Ichigo answered. "He wanted to see if he could find any clues over there as to why and or how that hollow got out of Hueco Mundo and into the sereitei." The orange haired man then scruffled his daughters hair and pulled her into a hug "I'm glad you're okay."
Tsukiyo was about to make a comment about how it must be embarresing for Kori to be hugged by her parent in front of her friends but then, SoiFon pulled him onto her arms and said "And I am glad for your saftey as well, my son." For a moment, Tsukiyo could have sworn a tear glinted in his mother's eyes. He tilted his head downwards so he could look her in the eye, he had already surpassed her in height, almost the same height as his father now. Tsukiyo recalled how everyone told him he was the exact replica of his father except for his eyes, then that branched into the subject of Toshirou's past, which always brought up the fact that Toshirou was so short until he hit a growth spurt that helped him reach 5' 10".
"Well, I trust that both of your families can take care of you, so you two are free to go. I've already told your family about what precautions should be taken. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go." Unohana said her farewells and disappeared.
"Oh by the way, Kori, I believe this is yours." Haruko said as she held out Kori's blade. Hokori stared at her sword as she gratefully took it from her friend. There wasn't a scratch on the blade, the hilt wasn't damaged, and there were no chips in the guard. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she hugged her sword.
"How did it end up in the woods anyways?" Akemi asked.
"Well, you see, I sorta paniced and, well... through it at the hollow." Kori admitted shyly and stupidly.
"YOU WHAT?" Tsukiyo yelled from behind her. Kori turned to look at him, as soon as she did, the boy grabbed her shoulders and shook her silly. "Are you an idiot? Why would you throw your zanpakuto? What if we didn't find it, then what? You'd be done for as a soul reaper! What a half-as-" He stopped shaking her and talking when he realized her head was spinning. He just let her go and crossed his arms.
"Awwe. They'd make such a cute couple." Akemi couldn't help but giggle at her audible thought. Both, Hokori and Tsukiyo, turned bright red at the thought and barked.
"SHUTUP!"
"Where would you get such a stupid thought? I was just telling her how much of an idiot she is." Tsukiyo turned his head so no one could see his blush.
"Exactly." Kori agreed.
"Get ready Toushirou. I think we may be in-laws." Ichigo chuckled. Toushirou just shook his head in silence and Katsue chuckled.
Ichigo took Kori on his back, insisting it wasn't nesacary for her to walk. Kori was to tired to fight with her father, knowing that he was probably more stubborn than herself. So they walked home under the sinking sun. Kori, Katsue, and Ichigo.
"I'm so proud of you, princess." Ichigo praised his daughter as they walked. "You used your head, just like your mother."
Katsue smirked as she added "And you were reckless and lucky like your father."
"You also tried something crazy." Ichigo laughed, looking at Katsue.
"Hey!" Hokori laughed as her parents made jokes at each other's expense.
Soon they reached their home, and they were met with a surprise at the door. When they walked into their home, Grimmjow was leaning against the door frame.
"Hey! Kori! You're okay!" Grimmjow cheered as Kori jumped down from her father's back.
"What did you expect?" Ichigo laughed. "You saw that serious reitsu she made that thing eat."
Grimmjow gave one of his smirks as he patted Kori a little too hard on her back, knocking the wind out of her. "Hey Kori, I want you to meet some friends of your parents and I!" Grimmjow announced.
"Grimmjow, who are you talking about?" Katsue asked curiously, unaware Grimmjow had brought some old friends into her house. Grimmjow just winked at her and gestured for them to follow him. They walked into the living room. Kori stared at the two figures sitting on their couch. A man and a woman. The man had wavy brown hair and a faded goatee. He had a thin face, and cool grey eyes, but this was very warming in a way. But what Kori couldn't take her eyes away from, was the boney jaw-line around his neck. It sounded off every alarm of 'hollow' in her head.
The woman looked even more suspicious, a high collar drawn higher than her nose. Her yellow hair that had three small ponytails. Her eyelashes were even yellow- blond, framing clover colored eyes. And dark skin only added to how exotic she was. Unlike the man, no hollow mask was evident on her, but her reitsu practically screamed it. Hokori eyed them with suspicion in her eyes, then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother drop.
"Mom!" Kori shouted and she drew her Zanpakuto. The girl was about to swing, but her father caught her arm.
"Well Kid, long time no see." The brown haired man chuckled as he walked over to Katsue and helped her up. Hokori could now see that her mother was crying, crying tears of joy. Katsue hugged the man, and then the women once she came closer.
"Starrk! Harribel!" Katsue exclaimed as she hugged them. The dark haired girl hugged the yellow haired one and when they pulled away they held hands. "It's been so long!"
"Yes! But, I told you we'd meet again someday, even if you were sleeping I knew you heard me." The women said, then she met eyes with Kori. "I take it this is your daughter?" Harribel parted with Katsue and held her hand towards Kori. "Hello. I'm Tier Harribel."
Hokori waited a moment before shaking the women's hand, then, hesitantly, she gave the women her hand and shook. "Hello. I am Hokori Hoshi Kurosaki." Harribel's eyes widened for a moment before she looked towards Katsue, then Ichigo, then back to Katsue. The women seemed surprised at first, but then seemed to let the information settle in her head.
"And I'm Coyote Starrk." The man said as he ruffeld the girl's white and strawberry hair. He then looked at Ichigo. "So, I see you settled down with our princess." Ichigo blushed and answered.
"Uh, yeah." He rubbed the back of his head, and then Grimmjow came and 'patted' him on the back. Succesfully knocking the wind out of the substitute.
"Yep. And if he was to ever mistreat her," The blue haired captain casted a malicious glance at his orange haired 'friend'. " another Captain and me made a deal with him." Harribel put a hand to her mouth attempting to stifle a chuckle, and Starrk just smiled and shook his head. Ichigo turned pale as he recalled the threat he had been given when he and Katsue first started dating. Katsue giggled at Ichigo's ghostly appearence. Kori looked at her father in amusement, then a thought crossed her mind and became audible.
"Wait. Since you have those bones on you, are you a hollow?" Kori asked, turning her eyes to Starrk.
"Correct." Starrk answered, then, he nodded to Harribel and continued. "We both are." Kori looked towards Harribel with expecting eyes. In response, Harribel unzipped the jacket she had been wearing, revealing remenents of hollow bones from her nose to her mid-torso. Hokori started in amazement, then she spotted the extremely faded 3 on the visible part of Harribel's breast. Katsue had told her daughter all about the Espada and their rankings.
"You were number three." Kori breathed in amazement as Harribel zipped her jacket back up. Kori turned to Starrk, about to ask what number he was. As if he knew what the girl was going to ask, Starrk had already removed his glove and held up his hand. Kori's jaw dropped in amazement. "Number one!"
Whoo... I repeat, sorry i was rendered unable to `update. Got whacked by a snowstorm and lost power for a week. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the reappearence of Starrk and Harribel. Don't worry, more surprises are in store *wink wink*.