Hollow Eyes
Chapter Eight: Ur Stupid
Disclaimer: Bleach. No. Ownie. Me Sam not Tite Kubo. I own Sayomi, Arien, Kalaki, and Airianah though. And the kitten. Whom I have named which you will hear later on.
A/N: Hi Hi! I've created my own Deviantart account with the same name! I'm still going to update my website as well but please feel free to find a more convenient way to view my art! My art is pretty good, not comparable to some others work but you could say I'm good! Heehee! I love making fan comics as well and lemmee tell you…you really need to check it out because they ain't lame-o! Kay enough advertising jk! I'm just really excited to show others my work and make someone smile even just a bit to roll your eyes at my antics~!
Hope this makes you laugh: See I just woke up from a bizarre dream involving Chad and all the other Bleach cast (which has never happened before) and was going to el baño sleepily recalling that I was joking with Chad and he retorted with a 'well your face' comment and that all of us had to participate in an obstacle course in which all of us had to balance a broken egg in a spoon…weird I know. Anyways I was reflecting on this and grabbing some toilet paper whennnn something hard GRABBED my hand!! I was definitely awake when a FRIGGAN HUGE scorpion JUMPED off of my hand and crawled under a towel I had accidently knocked to the ground. It must have been in the roll…DESGUSTING!! O,o Worst scorpion experience ever!
Even worse than 2 years ago when I woke up and sleepily felt something crawling on my face so I moved my arm to brush what I sleepily thought was my hair and got a nasty STING TO THE ARM. I was so lucky that that scorpion this time didn't get the chance to sting me! It didn't pinch me either but ya know I think I scared it just as much as it scared me when I spun its sleeping place. Okay sorry I know I promised to make this short but I can't help it! And also Urahara's speech is similar to the one he gave Ichigo for a reason.
Songs of the Mo: Nothing Can Be Explained by Mike Wyzgowski (?) (thinking of Monsters Inc. for some reason) from Bleach soundtrack. You know that one background song in Bleach that you can never make out the words in the sad parts? We Win Haha! By Thunderbirds Are Now is the other song and so is Heat Island by Rhymester. I like the catchy sounds!
""Pardon for the intrusion but…" His robes shifted when he did so and the wooden sandals clacked on the floor. "…it seems you've gotcha self into a bit of a bind Miss Winters."
From behind him at the windowseat a beautiful black cat shook its head much like a human. "You never change do you Kisuke?"
The man didn't seem to notice but Sayomi stared at the cat wondering how it could talk even though her powers couldn't detect it as either a zanpakto or a real animal. She tensed when the creepy green hated man squatted to be on eye level as her using his sword/cane to hold him up, getting the blade dangerously close to the chain connecting her to the other her being occupied by two malicious entities. Okay what exactly is happening?! I was being taken over, I can't find Arien, Airianah is holding Kalaki and is about to kill that lil kitten over there in the middle of my room, and there is a talking cat and…and there is this creepy guy who somehow knows my name even though last time I saw him I was pretending to be unconscious!! What kinda nightmare is this??!!
Thoroughly baffled, the girl backed up reflexively as the man moved, somehow balancing easily with such high shoes. She swallowed a lump of panic in her throat. Only a moment ago she was yelling and straining at her invisible confines within herself and now suddenly she was slammed into her bedpost with this guy staring at her. "W-Who are you?! And what do you want?!"
She blinked her large lashes as the man actually looked a little hurt. "Ahh she's scared of me!" The cat jumped off its perch and approached the disappointed looking man. "What did you expect Kisuke? Looking as disturbing as you did and making such a bizarre appearance I believe that her reaction is justified." Woah this cat has such a dignified vocabulary compared to most cats I know. And he's powning this weirdo…
"Sigh…" The shopkeeper rightened his posture a bit. "How blunt you are Yoruichi…" And a talking cat ain't a bizarre appearance? He fixed his hat and the light illuminated his face better, revealing a slightly less scary face. The cat faced the freaked out girl. "I am Yoruichi Shihoin…and this is Kisuke Urahara. We are here to help you."
"Excuse me?!" Sayomi's anger had not disappeared completely as she startled herself telling off a talking cat. "Help me?! I'm sorry but just what the heck can you do!?" But the cat was calm and unblinking as it turned to the man she had heard Chad call Mr. Urahara and Ichigo call Hat and Clogs. "Doesn't she remind you of someone?" The blonde man produced a random fan out of seemingly nowhere and hid a smile behind it, still squatting. "Like a certain Mr. Kurosaki?" The cat grinned, not unnervingly. Sayomi raised an eyebrow. Like Ichigo?? No way I'm not grumpy like him! Wait…I guess my yelling was similar…sigh…but it seems the worst of me has shown through in these tough times…
"I'm sorry to tell you this but I don't think there is anything you can do for me okay?" She glared at the still frozen with shock Airianah her on the other side of the small room. "This is between me and her. I know now that I have to fight for myself. To protect everyone. I knew this all along but I wasn't ready for it yet. Now I am and nothing had better interfere!" Her fury started to mount as she felt that ever-present helplessness that disgusted herself, hunched there against her bedpost not even in her own body made her despise her self-pity. I hate that I'm this way! I've let her walk all over m!e I'm so pathetic I don't deserve anyone's help! "Besides if you interfere she'll only destroy you! I appreciate the offer but get out! There's nothing you can do and I don't want you caught in the crossfire!"
Her eyes caught movement so sudden she raised her arms in front of her face to brace for impact that she assumed was Airianah finally attacking her with Kalaki. But no sharp pain came. Instead she heard the sound of metal against metal. Looking up she was alarmed to see that it wasn't who she thought it was. Urahara or Hat and Clogs or whatever his name was had his sword/cane completely unsheathed…and pointed as if to cleave the chain connecting her body with Airianah in it. "No interference huh? Do you know what happens when I draw down my sword and cut this chain?" His eyes were brimming with a sort of deep intelligence. "The chain will slowly corrode and after a while you will become a hollow." The shadows were hiding his face again. "And you are correct in saying that you are not ready. Do you think you can just somehow manage to fight your way out of this when you don't have any control of the power loaned to you?" The robed man suddenly turned the point of the blade it the young girl's face. "Do you think you have the strength to not only protect yourself as well as this town? You're weak and defenseless and your zanpakto has been sealed. Trying to topple that kind of power over there is suicide. Don't make me laugh." His face was suddenly really close, and extremely intimidating, voice low and eyes unwaveringly piercing. "Don't use this as an excuse to kill yourself."
His words struck the girl to the core. He…really…wow he really didn't hold back… But I needed to hear that I guess. I am too weak and…maybe somewhere deep down I didn't mind dying…I mean I've lost so much and have no way of beating Kalaki and Airianah and I am weak and and…and it really is hopeless isn't it. But… I can't just give up. There are other lives at stake. I can't be a coward who lets someone walk all over me and use me to hurt innocent people. She digested these thoughts, turning them over and over in her head, for once not kidding with her thoughts.
She heard a whimper from near her leg. The kitten had scurried to be near her, eyes innocent and scared. He had no one. Just like her. Arien was unable to be with her. Just like its mother was unable to be with him. He tried to rub his furry head against her but ended up going through her only because she was a spirit at the moment. "Aw Scamper…I'm sorry…" She fought the impulse to comfort him as it confusedly repeated trying to touch her but ended up going through her. Scamper's mews and attempts getting more and more desperate as it bounded again and again. It was heartbreaking. She was sure that if kittens could cry tears he would've, he was only a little kitten barely able to eat solid food. Yoruichi, the black cat came and rested a paw human like on his head as the white one mewled frantically. "There there little guy." The white fluffball stopped his frantic cries and cocked his head at the strange talking cat, mewling once then started purring as he first sniffed at the black cat then rubbing his head into the older cat's shoulder. Animals can somehow have the ability to sense spirits…
"I-I…can't win can I?" Sayomi hung her head in defeat, clenching her hands into fists so hard she dug her fingernails into her skin till she drew blood, mouth in a grimace too ugly for her pretty tanned face, still slightly damp hair hanging over her thin shaking frame. "Why can't I win for once? Just once!" The shopkeeper fanned his face, the black cat Yoruichi stared calmly with bright intelligent eyes, Scamper stuck his head through Yoruichi's front legs to peer worriedly at her. She suddenly lifted her head, revealing her squeezed shut eyes and brows taught. "WHY CAN'T I JUST FRIGGAN WIN!? AM I ALWAYS SO USELESS TO WHERE I NEED SOMEONE ELSE!?" Her eyes were exposed once again, blazing with a determined fire, a blaze both sad and angry, a flame that danced wildly with a life that didn't know which way the wind was going to blow them.
All those times before in my life I needed someone to hold my hand and tell me everything was going to be alright. Whenever something went wrong I'd strive for someone to comfort me. My mom and dad, my best friend Lily, my dog Scraps…I needed someone else to pull me through. I tried to never walk by myself because it was too lonely. And then I lost them all in one swoop. I needed someone else to pull me from the rubble because I wasn't strong enough to alone. And then that voice came, that voice that I couldn't see whose owner it was. Velvety smooth and comforting and kind. I desperately clung to that voice in hopes that they would help me. And I trusted it. And here I am, trapped in my own body because of that lying voice. The need for someone to help me always my downfall. I'm just going in hopeless circles. What do I have left to cling to?
SHINK!! Her eyes widened when she heard metal on metal, metal scraping the floor. This time it was really what she expected. Airianah and Kalaki, twisting her smile into a wretchedly ugly grin, eyes dark, shadows gathering and swirling about her like smoke. Only they never reached her because a green blur intervened with his own sword. They stood swords locked as Airianah laughed, the sound eerie to Sayomi for it was hers only darker. Those lips, those eyes, those hands all hers.
"You foolish child. For once you are correct. You will never win. You will never even live long enough to try to defeat me! This world shall rightfully be mine!"
The girl leapt to her feet, feeling fear at the closeness to the spilling of her plan. "But Airianah why?! Aren't you the true Nature Shinigami?! Why would you want to disrupt the balance of everything!?"
Her other self leered, parrying a blow from Urahara. "Wouldn't you like to know." Then all of a sudden she disappeared with a rattle of the chain. Reappearing in front of Sayomi's face. Kalaki raised to strike once again. She could've sworn that the sword was roaring in triumph…and hunger. Then…this is it. I'm going to finally die…
"Swing soft bird of death, ripple waves of defeat, moon call to the breeze of springtime! Hado 67! Fleeting Snow!" A woman's voice called from somewhere. A beam of cold blue light emitting all around Airianah. Snow somehow trickled around her form creating a barrier of ice around her. Before Airianah could bat an eye the barrier shrunk to fit snugly around her body like shrink wrap and she was frozen. The stray ice fluttered to the floor, leaving a thin layer of ice on the floorboards and on the chain connecting them.
"Benihime!" Another light, red, looped like a chain around the now frozen girl. Urahara was standing, pointing his sword with one hand, holding his hat down with another, the dust settling. "Woo! That was a close one." He turned his head as if to speak to the cat again. "Couldn't do that powerful attack in cat form eh Yoruichi?"
Sayomi who finally realized she had been holding her breath and took a quick breath in, cold stinging her face and lungs. Kalaki inches from her face. "Wha-?!" Remembering she had heard a woman's voice she turned to where the light had come from and where Urahara or Hat and Clogs was walking to, taking his robe off and holding it to someone in the swirls of frost still hanging around.
"Thanks Kisuke." A woman's mature voice said from in the frost. Sayomi's eyes widened as she saw a dark skinned hand reach out of the frost. "I'm so rusty with that one I thought it best to use it in human form." A startled mew and a scuttling of paws could be heard as Scamper came hurtling through the waning frost swirls and straight to Sayomi, forgetting he couldn't touch his new mom and crashed into the bedpost with a tiny grunt. The frost settled and revealed a tall, beautiful dark-skinned woman with a purplish sheen to her hair wearing Urahara's green robe. She smoothed back her hair, tying it up with a ribbon that seemingly came from nowhere and turned her gold-green eyes on the stunned girl. "Are you alright Sayomi?" Yoruichi amusedly waited for the shocked babbling that usually came to those who saw her transform. Ichigo's had been the most amusing and she was curious to see how the girl would respond.
"Eh…" The girl's face was calm and expressionless. She looked first down at the grumbling confused kitten at her feet who was trying to lick the frost off of his pelt, then at the ugly her encased in ice right before her eyes, before turning her attention to the woman. Urahara flapped his fan anticipating the outcry that made him grin as well. "Oh I see." Both adults blinked in wonder at her matter-of-fact voice. She cocked her head to the side slightly before giving a rare genuine smile. "You're just like me huh? Transforming?" They sweatdropped. What an unusual response! And she's all of a sudden happy about it?! This is disappointing…no fun. "You have to tell me how you can talk in other forms cus I can never do that! And you made it a guy's deep voice too! That's so cool!" She was practically beaming much to the other's surprise. She can really change her attitude can't she?
"Um…well Sayomi…" The bewildered and disappointed woman sighed. But the girl already remembered as soon as the childish words left her mouth. She was going to die right? She looked down at her feet. Short attention span dammit… "Thank you…for saving me."
"Well Miss Winters, now do you see that you need our help?" Urahara was looking out her opened window, eyes shifting back to her. "You want to be able to defeat this threat don't you?"
Her eyes were stony again. "Of course! But how the crap am I supposed to do that?! I can't even find my zanpakto, get in my own body without it being taken over, let alone be rid of her and her plans!"
Yoruichi was sitting on the floor stroking the kitten under his chin, robe draped over her shoulders. "You realize that there is no way to defeat her while you barely have any spiritual pressure on your own don't you?"
"Then that means I'm done for."
The woman shook her head. "Not necessarily. Ichigo Kurosaki underwent special training that made him from having no more shinigami powers after a near deadly attack to being able to defeat whole armies of hollows, Menos Grande's, Arranclar's, other shinigami's and anything that stood in his way. In just a week."
"Well," continued Urahara, "…he did need a few more days in order to achieve bankai and be the only human to obtain such a level but yes he did go from nothing to an extremely powerful Soul Reaper able to be of captain rank."
Sayomi's jaw dropped, not entirely sure of allll the meanings of words like 'Arranclar's' (other than it meant 'to rip' in Spanish) or 'Menos Grandes' (other than grande meant 'large') but she understood that the guy in her class had waaaayyyy more power than she had ever imagined. That grump??!
"His case also involved him having a Vizared's power that he couldn't control. It was similar to your case where he was scared of himself and the embodiment he struggled to control." Yoruichi smiled as the kitten mewed at her. "But when he did he became even far out of league for anyone else to catch up to."
Urahara fanned his face. "They are pretty similar aren't they Yoruichi?"
"Well considering their temper and situations then yes."
"You know…" Urahara looked directly into the girl's eyes. "…I gave that same speech from earlier on him. You see, you aren't the only one who felt the need to protect even though the odds were against you and your past losses made you want to just give up. Do you want to do something about her?" He nodded toward the frozen Airianah as Sayomi tried to process everything that they were saying about someone she didn't know much about. Another clue about Ichigo's past…what makes us so similar?
"I already said yes."
"Good. Now the spell is about to wear off of her. I can neutralize her powers for only five days since her power is way too potent for even the both of us to seal off for long. If I wanted to I could kill her right now but that would kill you as well and if you wish to live then it's up to you. You aren't as strong as Ichigo because he was born with spiritual pressure due to his father being a shinigami…he was an exception and an anomaly that you can't duplicate since you are just a mere human without shinigami lineage. There is the chance that you can succeed but if you don't you can die either way. She could kill you without killing herself or you could kill her thus killing yourself."
"Eh…so is there the slightest chance I can get control?" She sweatdropped.
"Well. There might be a way. But no time to explain right now the spell is about to wear off. It's time to neutralize her so you can go back inside your body. Now if you want the power to never rely on anyone ever again, Miss Winters I suggest you come with us immediately after so we can begin training."
Yoruichi flash stepped towards Airianah and as the ice began to crack the woman raised her hands, summoning a sort of light about her. "Nullify the questioning rumble of the earth-!" A hand reached out and grabbed her by the neck. But she wasn't there anymore. Nimble and quick as ever, Yoruichi flashed stepped just as Airianah howled in fury, smashing the red chain and ice wrapped about her. "-quiver of arrows burst into 36 cloud strikes! Hakudo 53! Hindsight!" All of a sudden Airianah went limp but not without giving the woman a nice slash with Kalaki. "Grr…she's quicker than I expected." A temporary calm filled Sayomi as she dragged the chain connecting her across the floor to the body that rightfully belonged to her.
"A-Are you okay Mrs. Shihoin?"
Urahara clacked across the floor. "Hee hee she called you 'Mrs.' you're old Yoruichi." He leaned to help her but she transformed back into a cat, his green robe collapsing around her. "Was she too much for the Flash Step Master?"
"No. I'm fine." Her beautiful voice was transformed into the same deep gruff male voice, licking at his wounds. "I just underestimated her is all." He/she swiveled to face the young girl as Urahara grabbed his robe, putting it back on over his ninja-looking clothes. "Well hurry up and get back in. We haven't time to waste.
Sayomi felt weird taking orders from a talking cat but hey her zanpakto wasn't any different. (well he was but whateva) She held out a tentative hand, then finding no buzzing tigress and her master to yell at her and lash out at her, she jumped right in her body. Once inside she flexed her fingers, happy at their movement to her will. She savored the feeling of not having voices in her head, sighing happily she smiled for the first time in a while. This is how it should feel…though I wish I knew where Arien was…
"Now hurry and change clothes…we are going to begin training immediately."
"WHAAHH!!" She was shoved into her closet as the strange twosome of cat and shopkeeper walked into the next room to give her more privacy.
Yoruichi was still licking at his (her?) wounds. "You know that her power is similar to someone else though. Not just the power she's borrowing…her own power deep within her."
"Yes. Her powers feel like that of a hollow's which we all know is similar to a certain someone else's power."
"But…I don't think even they understands the strength within them."
"Oh I think they know about it but they don't have it completely controlled either. It's best they figured out a way without losing it completely."
"Things are getting very complicated Kisuke. We must move quickly before things get too chaotic. "
"DAMMIT CHAD! PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE!!" SLAM! For the hundreth time Ichigo Kurosaki put down the clinics phone as gently as a meteor colliding with earth. Yuzu was making coffee, woken up by the movement and yelling coming from her brother's room prior to the phone slamming in the hall. (Surprisingly Isshin wasn't woken up…he was passed out cold in his bed, drooling on his pillow calling out his deceased wive's name with a goofy grin on his face.) Karin was staring absentmindedly at her glass of milk, seated at the kitchen table, trying to understand the meaning of her dreams. Rukia was trying to get a hold of Urahara to ask if he had heard anything from Soul Society, the place she couldn't get a word to or a Hell Butterfly in order to return to. Basically she needed Urahara far more than she liked, but he wasn't a bad guy and she did need news from him and a back up way to get to Soul Society. But like Ichigo…she couldn't reach the person she needed answers from. "Damn you Urahara! Like I always say why do you bother to have a phone if you never answer it?!"
Both Shinigamis slinked into the kitchen, riddled with tick marks and pissed off as could be. "Well it looks like we're payin' them a house call huh?" The strawberry grumbled, pulling himself and Rukia some chairs at the table where Karin sat.
"Well it is the middle of the night…maybe they're asleep." A cute voice pipped up. They sat as Yuzu, who often felt obliged to serve them coffee at these late hours (despite the two's strong disapproval and convincing that she should sleep), gave them the caffeine her brother needed and the extra sugar her 'older sister' craved. "Yeah I guess you're right. Thanks Yuzu…but please go back to bed will ya? You haven't been getting much sleep as of late…"
His thoughtful, hardworking sister shook her head, her soft brown eyes kind. "No big brother. You don't get much sleep either so I hardly think it's fair if I got more than you and Rukia-nee. And even Karin hasn't slept much."
Ichigo frowned. "That logic isn't right Yuzu. Just sleep for all of us then will ya? Geez." He scratched the back of his head and took a huge gulp of coffee, something he started to drink in order to stay awake long enough for school, to find out that someone else had been getting to the hollows before him and he had wasted his time, and to make him even more irritable when he crashed from the coffee. Rukia added spoonful after spoonful of sugar into hers until Ichigo snatched the spoon away. "Enough! Geez do you want cavities?"
"Well how in the world can you drink coffee with barely any sugar in yours?" Her pretty violet eyes were childish. So…cu-
Ichigo looked away, abruptly standing up, nearly causing the chair to flip over. "C-C'mon midget you're wasting time! We need to find Chad and Urahara and find out what the hell is going on and why they won't answer a phone!" Rukia glared not even getting to try her sugary concoction, and thus started up another argument that anyone who didn't know the two would assume that they hated each other's guts…but Karin and Yuzu knew (with much amusement) that their older brother had been embarrassed. They watched him crash through the front door with a chibi barking close behind.
"Hey Ichigo you forgot your…coat…" Yuzu sighed hearing the door close with a slam.
"Hmm…wonder when he's gonna stop being such a child." Karin wondered aloud to her twin, finally taking a break from her thoughts and sipping on her glass of milk. "He's already 16…almost 17 now."
"Karin!" Yuzu gushed as she wiped up Rukia's mess. "Don't say that! Big Brother doesn't need to grow up yet! And you don't mean that he…"
"Yep…that's what I think anyways." Karin sat back in her chair, finished with her glass.
"NOOO LALLALALALALLA!" Yuzu clamped her hands on her ears while Karin smirked.
Meanwhile Ichigo and his short companion Rukia had stopped their grumbling almost as soon as they had left the house, running towards Chad's house. The sapphire night sky was clear and the moon was a brilliant bright orb above, stars glittering just for them. Ichigo softened. "Woah…"
"Yeah…" Rukia smiled, stars in her eyes.
"The moon is beautiful…" He murmured.
"It's as bright as the sun…"
They carried on in silence. The only sound the patter of their footfalls on the sidewalk, the rest of the world blissfully asleep while the chances that something bad happening were high due to the past experiences where they couldn't get a hold of Soul Society. Wait…how did they know that? Well it had happened more than once. They shook off the strange feeling that they had been through situations like this before. How come every time I get déjà vu I feel this sensation of maple leaves and red ribbons?
"Hey! His lights on! Why is it so hard to pick up the phone?" Ichigo increased his speed as he dashed to his large friends house. "Ichigo wait!" Rukia tried to keep up. He jumped to his second story apartment via fire escape, staring at a shady looking guy smoking in the alley next door, and pounded on Chad's door…no answer. He looked through the window but couldn't see anyone. "Damn I don't think he's home."
"Ichigo?" A deep gruff asked from below. Not Rukia. Ichigo spun about, pissed as could be. He almost jumped off the fire escape to give his tall friend a kick to the face until he remembered that he was still in his body not in shinigami mode so he could die doing that…
"CHAD??!! WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE?!" He called racing back down two flights of stairs, giving a look at the still smoking dude in the alley. Chad had been out walking in the beautiful night to clear his head because his thoughts didn't help him sleep.
Rukia had her arms crossed watching the two recently disconnected friends converse. Well as much as Chad could converse. Ichigo glared daggers up at Chad, before switching to his serious face.
"Look dude we might have an emergency very soon around here. Involving Sayomi." He said gravely.
Chad's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" Ichigo repeated the news his father had conveyed to him just earlier that day. When he had finished his news Chad just stood as still as a stone statue. Emotionless and unmoving, so much so that the couple was worried he hadn't heard what Ichigo had said.
The strawberry scratched the back of his neck, unsure what was in his friends head at the moment. I really don't understand what Chad is thinking anymore. He decided to continue with the ominous dream his sister had. "Also…I don't know if this means anything but Karin's feelings tend to be right when it comes to spirits and things like that." When he concluded that, Chad still didn't motion or react.
Rukia broke the silence. "Uh and don't forget that I can't get ahold of Soul Society at all. Or Urahara for that matter." She mumbled the last part angrily under her breath.
"Eh Chad?" He waved a hand in front of the giant's face but nothing happened. "What are ya thinking huh?"
"Damn I can't locate her!" All of a sudden Chad shouted, moved and ran like hell from his gaping friends. Taking off in the direction he knew was Sami-chan's house. Ichigo just stood there for a moment in shock. "What the…HEY WAIT CHAD! DAMMIT WHAT NOW!?"
I heard everything that Ichigo and Rukia said but…I couldn't believe it. But then I sort of could when I remembered her behavior that time I escorted her home. I really hope there's not gonna be another war. I really do. But I know that Urahara and Mr. Kurosaki wouldn't lie about the safety of Karakura. I hope it's false because…I don't want Sami-chan to die. I don't know why I feel such sadness and despair for someone I barely know…but I do know that even though I didn't witness it…evidence is there that proves she saved my life. When I got knocked unconscious by that scorpion hollow. I almost died…that hollow was carving out my insides and she managed to save me and she bandaged me up and healed me somehow even before Ichigo came and took me to Urahara's…you know that means that Urahara was suspicious of her from the start. I owe this girl for helping me even though she didn't have to. Even though she had an evil part of her, she could have killed me…she's fast enough to do that. But she didn't….and I don't want her to die. Because there is an innocent girl in there going to be destroyed and there is nothing she can do about it…I hate you enough to help you Sami-chan. Because you hated me enough to help me first.
As he came in sight of her house he recalled those words that made everything change for both him and her. 'Tag you're it Tora-san!' Those childish words and actions that followed were a domino effect that revealed something to both of them. There was that childish, selfish, and spoiled child again, reappearing in a way that infuriated himself because he had no self-control over it. His abuelo's teachings slashed all in one stupid tease. He was both exasperated and entranced by her. There is something animal like to her and I can't ignore it though I'd like to sometimes. But now I definitely can't.
He hurdled over her white picket fence and noticed that it was deathly quiet around her house. Like a forcefield of quietness was only in this spot, like it was a world stopped in time, a stillness associated with death. That's odd. Now that I think about it. There are always birds singing around her house. And cats are always on the porch.
"Why the hell is there a white picket fence in the middle of Japan?!" Growled a voice from behind him. He was reminded that Ichigo was there with him. Rukia and Ichigo jumped over too, narrowly missing some plants knocked on their side.
"Is this Sami-chan's house Chad?" Rukia asked looking around at the place in the moonlight. He nodded and knocked on the door.
"I couldn't feel her spiritual pressure. So I know she won't answer." He explained, though still knocking. Though once again knocking too hard and opening the front door by accident. Without another thought he walked inside and found that her kitchen lights were on. The blasted loud clocks greeted him teasingly.
"Woah…Chad…" Ichigo blinked. "Breaking and entering? That's not like you."
"Shh." He replied.
"WHAT?? DID YOU JUST SHUSH ME??" A vein popped, Ichigo was having a grumpy stressful day AND night.
"Did you hear that?" He cocked his head, curls falling, listening.
"I did." Rukia joined in the listening pose.
"What the hell are you guys talking about I don't-"
"SHH!" Rukia punched him in the gut. "I SAID SHUT UP! I heard something."
Ichigo rubbed his raw ever used punching bag of a stomach. "Ow. Hey is it that super annoying ticking because it's giving me a headache."
Chad shook his head and cautiously opened the door to Sami's bedroom. REERRRR!! REERRRR!! The large teen could distinctly hear the sound of something scraping along the floorboards as well as crying. He switched on a light, discovering the sound of the noises.
"What the hell?!" Ichigo exclaimed, reaching a disbelieving note in his voice. They all had major sweatdrops but Chad couldn't hold back a smile when he saw what it was. The kitten. With his tongue stuck to what appeared to be ice on the floor. When it saw him it wiggled about frantically, crying as best it could with its tongue stuck, it was very comedic and cartoonish to actually find such a random situation like that. Ichigo and Rukia stared down at the creature with the most confused expressions he had ever seen on their mugs, so Chad explained as best he could. "Sami-chan rescued him from thugs." Ichigo didn't understand but scratched his head in thought. "Um so she left him stuck to ice…okay…" Rukia was immediately attracted to its cuteness and looked at it in awe. "Aw." Her eyes lit up and a lightbulb went off in her mind as she made a childish face while the other two sweatdropped. "Fire! That'll get the little guy free!" She raised her hands. "Hakido number-" "WAIT RUKIA DON'T DO THAT YOU'LL ROAST HIM!" Ichigo cried, grabbing her hands. Sometimes her ideas aren't always thought through….
"Well I don't see you coming up with any ideas!" She retorted furiously, noting briefly that he was still holding her hands so she swatted them away.
"Here…" Chad had returned from the kitchen with a cup of hot water. Gently stroking his little friend, he poured water by his tongue, the ice thawing for the briefest of moments, enough for Chad to pick the white fluffball up and off the ice. It responded by purring and meowing as much as it could in one breath. He's cute…Chad thought again. The ice was still frozen solid and strangely blue.
"There are faint traces of Urahara and Sami-chan in here." Rukia observed, still watching the kitten in wonder.
"And that ice definitely has Yoruichi's reitsu. It looks like a battle took place in here. See there's scorch marks here." Ichigo pointed to a black spot on the wood.
"And someone else was here." Chad added. It feels like Sami-chan's spiritual pressure but darker. Like when I saw her transform and a different voice spoke.
"Well at least we know why Urahara wouldn't answer the phone. He was here. We must have missed them not too long ago." Rukia looked around thoughtfully.
Chad stood, letting the kitten on the floor. "But where's Sami-chan?" The kitten mewled at the name.
"Urahara." They all said aloud and proceed to dash through Sayomi's kitchen, past the stupid clocks and over the lame fence.
"HEY HAT AND CLOGS OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! OPEN UP ALREADY WE NEED ANSWERS NOW OR ELSE-!!" Once again, Ichigo found himself banging on someone's door in the middle of the night. They had reached the shoten only to find all the lights were off and the door was padlocked. And there were tons of animals surrounding the place they shouldn't be able to see. Mostly cats. Ichigo wailed on the door, impatient from having run all across the whole friggan town. Chad looked on in thought from beneath his curls. All these animals are gathering. They don't come near the barrier around the place but they face it from all angles. The birds are swarming the rooftops. It's like that horror flick The Birds…
"What's with all the friggan cats eh?! Yoruichi throwin' a party!?"Suddenly and quite fortunately the door opened. Ichigo paused, hand in midair, sweating to find he almost hit the silhouette in the doorway. He looked up slowly with a gulp. Tessai calmly peered from behind his glasses. "I'm afraid that Boss is busy at the moment. But please come inside."
"Eh…" Ichigo sweatdropped still caught offguard. "…yeah." They trooped inside, suddenly feeling the reitsu they were searching for. Tessai motioned to the training room trapdoor. "If you are looking for the young lady she's training with the Boss and Ms. Yoruichi. Ururu please help me make tea for our guests while I let them through the barrier." The threesome blinked. It's such a strong reitsu even with a barrier?! The sweet timid girl bobbed her head and set to work, trying her best to work anyways with a red-headed boy giving her a noogie for being so quiet. Tessai mumbled something under his breath and they were through the barrier. "Thanks." Ichigo said and Chad and Rukia nodded suit. "How long have they been training with her?"
"Almost 3 hours I believe."
"Damn."
Rukia bent down and opened the trapdoor. The two guys followed her down the ladder, each step down making it harder and harder for them to breathe; all the while they heard some sort of battling ruckus. When they finally turned around and looked about them they noticed…1) there was no one that they could see…2)it had gone quiet…3) the reitsu had disappeared completely…then…SMASH! A whirling blur appeared swirling up the dirt as it landed with a rolling crash. Sayomi…in her shinigami outfit. She didn't seem to notice she was being watched but shakily got to her feet as something orange appeared above her. Yoruichi soaring down from above with a falling kick.
She's done for…Yoruichi's just too strong. All three onlookers thought simultaneously. But the younger girl didn't even bat an eye as she calmly stared up at her opponent, like she was waiting for something. What the hell? She wanna get killed?! They all thought in alarm. Then with another flick of dust Sami quickly rolled to the side faster than a cobra strike, sending a powerful reitsu-spiked soccer kick right where Yoruichi was in the arc of her kicking. It was a good move. Yoruichi could barely move in time to dodge it since she was still stuck in the momentum of her own kick. The violet-black haired woman stood briefly in view, clutching a wound on her side where reitsu had scratched at her from a triumphant tanned girl. But Sayomi didn't have time to spare at her closeness for another blur came out of nowhere.
A red beam of light came from the shadows, almost hitting her if she hadn't dove out of the way just then. Landing by skidding to a halt she then leapt into the air and seemed to disappear again in a sort of flash step, except it wasn't a shimmery kind of flash step it was more along the lines of someone took an eraser and hurriedly expunged her form from sight. Reitsu exploded from all around the arena, it was if someone had flicked a switch and it poured from everywhere, as if it was starting to gather in clouds only to rain down upon them. Just the smallest of blurs of movement could be seen. More red beams that could only be Urahara sliced away at the air. It was an air ballet as Sayomi could finally be seen by the naked eye. For a short moment she was moving in almost perfect slow motion the beam coming all too much at the speed of light but she danced around it like it was nothing. Urahara flash stepped to a new location and fired away from there. She didn't stop moving at all and flipped and cut and weaved through the attacks in an underwater dodgeball game. Orange joined in the battle once again as Yoruichi threw ninja stars into the mix. This time the girl utterly vanished from any sort of view but the three could only guess she was dodging somehow. "Woah." Ichigo breathed. Rukia's eyes widened in amazement and disbelief. "Impossible." She whispered. Chad just wondered. "She seems even more powerful than before."
All eyes were on Chad as he remembered in his awe that he hadn't told the others about the day he had seen Sayomi transform. Oh yeah…I forgot I didn't want them involved in this…
"Wait what do you mean by 'before' Chad?" Ichigo stared him down. "You've seen her in action before?"
Inside the giant debated whether or not to finally explain but opted for a third option…vagueness. "Once."
Ichigo growled knowing this only meant he didn't wanna share any more info than that. "Dammit Chad why do you keep leaving me out of the loop!?"
Rukia abruptly pointed in the air. "Hang on guys. Look!" They stopped the silent tension just in time to catch more visible action. A single bird fluttered in the sizzling heat above. "What the hell?!" Ichigo raised a brow that was slowly getting less taut over time because of a certain someone. The sparrow swooped for a few hellish moments as it rained more red beams and shiruken upon it. It grew larger and larger as it swooped, until suddenly the bird wasn't a sparrow anymore but an eagle. The eagle screeched and flapped its wings madly as if something was possessing it and wasn't paying attention to the attacks from above anymore. A shiruken grazed its right wing and it the eagle suddenly writhed into a serpent, falling to earth, wriggling madly as well until it got a full on hit from Urahara's Benihime, then it turned into a tiger…and crashed to the floor from ten feet up, the dust became a cloud around her hiding her from view again...the elusive tigeress in hiding. "Sami-chan!" Chad's eyes widened in worry. Is she okay?! Landing from so high up might have seriously injured her. And what happened to her just then? It was if her transformations weren't listening to her.
The dust cleared and revealed that Sayomi was being blocked from hitting the ground by Tessai. Where the crap did he come from?! Everyone watching in shock thought. Wasn't he upstairs making tea? Ichigo recalled a moment like that back when he was training too. When that Ururu girl kicked him and he was sent flying into a near fatal collision with the wall if Tessai hadn't blocked him.
Sayomi fell to her knees panting heavily, sweat and blood dripping from her face and her damp hair and clothes, clutching at a wound on her stomach where the fabric to her shirt had been shredded. Tessai asked her if she was okay but she shooed him away with her hand, gasping out a thanks for his aid and trying desperately to find some air. Her mind was still sorting out her form because she shimmered back and forth from a tiger to her human one. Yoruichi suddenly came into her view. "You grew stronger in only 3 hours. You could dodge us both as well…impressive. Though I wasn't expecting you to attack me like that earlier. Clever. You still have yet to control your own spiritual pressure and power without tapping into the entity inside you's power but I think you could eventually control it given the circumstance." Sayomi smiled as she crouched in exhaustion, tiger form flickering out finally.
Clap! Clap! Clap! "Well done Miss Winters. We had you focusing on only dodging for this session to help you gain your spiritual endurance back but I think you went a bit overboard in using that quickly regained power. I think we'll take a break now. It seems we have guests." Urahara clapped cheerfully from his hiding place before coming into the open and facing his visitors.
Sayomi snapped her neck up abruptly as if something horrible had just appeared, her eyes the size of lemons. She gaped at the 'visitors' starting with Ichigo and Rukia then pausing on Chad…the person she had to keep out the most. Her eyes wavered in his. A million questions buzzed in her head. "What are you doing here?! How did you find me!? Why did you come!?" She seemed to address them all as she locked in eye combat with the one chocolate eye she could see from across the training area. Why can't he just leave me alone and stay out of this?! All of them! Do they want to die if they get caught up in this?!
"We went on a wild goose chase." She staggered to her feet, wearily leaning on a tree-like Tessei for a moment then concealed her worsening limp in a slow walk towards the others, ignoring their stares at her wounds still dripping blood. Urahara seemed to be amused by something Ichigo and Rukia were shouting at him for. Finally reaching them, they stopped their chatter and gave her a curious look. They want me to talk to them…well I wish I could but I'm not going to for their own good. She made for the stairs in a huff. Until a low voice caught her off guard as it spoke rapidly. "¿Qué pasó Sami? ¿Qué sucede? Quiero que sepas que sé que te vi lucha gorila hueco que el otro día ... Sé que es una buena persona y estoy no tiene miedo de usted." Sami stood still with shoulders hunched, frustrated with pent up anger. 'What happened Sami? What's up? I want you to know that I saw you fight that gorilla hollow the other day...I know you are a good person and I'm not afraid of you.' Oh so he wanted to fight verbally in a language only he and I would understand eh? Two can play at this game.
"Hey Chad what are you saying to her? Are you talkin' in Spanish?" Ichigo asked scratching his head. Chad nodded, waiting for her reaction.
"¡Usted es tal idiota!"Sayomi began with her back turned, then spun about to glare up at him, her voice rising in angry colors. "¡Cómo puede usted dice que usted no está atemorizado de mí cuando usted tiene que tener miedo de mí si no usted se morirá! ¡Usted consiguió eso?! ¡Y cómo el demonio le hizo ve mí lucho esa cosa si yo nunca le vi?!" (You are such an idiot! How could you say that you aren't afraid of me when you have to be afraid of me or else you'll die! You got that?! And how the heck did you see me fight that thing if I never saw you?!) She jabbed a finger in his chest for emphasis. A gesture that, if it were a street punk, would usually end up making them learn about flight in a few short moments as Ichigo tended to kick the ass of those who did such an arrogant thing to his friend (other than him). Everyone was taken aback by her ferocity even if they didn't understand her language.
With a toss of her ponytail and a sinking heart and conscience she clambered wearily up the ladder. She switched back to Japanese. "I don't want anyone protecting me…because they usually end up dead. Who knows even I could be but it's better than worming your way into my problem Yasutora. All of you." When she was out of sight and through the trapdoor. The giant lost in thought realized everyone in the training area, (Urahara, Tessai, Yoruichi, Ichigo, Rukia) were all looking at him curiously and expectantly. I'm not bothering explaining. I'm not going to translate. I'm not going to listen to that girl when it's my own will that wants to help her. She doesn't get it…but it's not like I told her my reason yet…damn…I'm an idiot…that would have been a better thing to get straight…maybe…but last time she didn't want to talk about how she saved me. Is it safe to now? That's what I should've asked damn…
"Ehhhh Chad?" An anxious voice pipped up near him. He felt a hand poke him in the arm. "You okay there? There's eheh a depressed-looking cloud around you?" The others sweatdropped to see his head sagged rather cartoonishly as he beat himself up in his mind. He sighed. "Sorry." None of the others in attendance knew who he was addressing in the apology…himself, Sayomi, or them…
"Tea's ready!"Jinta's obnoxious voice called down from above. "Yippee!~" "Oh brother Kisuke." "Don't worry you can have some milk." Yoruichi and Urahara, eager to break some of the tension led the way back up. (Though how Urahara climbed up with those sandals is quite the mystery.) Rukia looked back at the two boys before going up herself. Ichigo probably wants to talk to him…
The strawberry stood with his arms crossed looking down at the ground, waiting patiently for his friend to talk to him. When he didn't, Ichigo took it upon himself. "Hey Chad…it's not fair ya know…" This got the curly head to look at him. "If there is something you want to protect…isn't it only fair for me to help you?"
"No. It's not."
"What the hell Chad?!" Ichigo grumbled.
"Ichigo. Remember how I wanted to help you save Rukia?" Chad looked into the distance, Ichigo paid attention. "We swore we had each other's back when we met remember that too?" Ichigo nodded slowly. "But I realized soon after I got into Soul Society that…I was no longer able to watch your back anymore. I was weaker than you. And in the end I didn't do a damn thing."
"Huh?" Ichigo's eyes widened in disbelief. "What are you saying Chad?! Without you, without all of you Rukia wouldn't be here alive today!"
"You know that's a lie Ichigo. I didn't do anything but get thrown in prison. I could've died in Soul Society. It was you that saved Rukia. You and everyone else and some other powerful Soul Reapers." He paused, not used to being so open with his friend. Their friendship never involved much speaking. "Back then I didn't let it bother me too much how much stronger you had grown because you did that to help a friend that saved your life. And later on when the Arranclar came…I still failed at protecting our friends…I almost died both times. And If it wasn't for you and the others we all would've been dead. That was when I realized I couldn't afford to be weak anymore."He looked away. "Ichigo…we can never be on equal levels anymore. But I became so much stronger through my training." He took a breath…he usually didn't say that much. He looked his friend directly in the eyes. "We can in a way have each other's back because that's what friends do. But our paths are changing…we can't always be there for each other. You didn't need me those times you wanted to protect something. And I don't need you to help me with that. Our paths have separated Ichigo."
"I…I can't believe you Chad…" Ichigo muttered, angrily and hurt. "You don't really think that do you Chad?! We all needed each other in these wars! And if there is another how could you think I would stay out of it?! This is our town Chad! And that girl, I don't know what she means to you, I don't know what she is and…I don't know what you owe her but I can't just sit back if someone needs help…if the time comes I can't stay out of that Chad! She's an innocent person whose fate has somehow been decided and could die and I've never been one to ignore that sort of thing, you know that!" He had a fistful of his friend's shirt. If he wasn't such a giant he would've hoisted the guy to get his point across. "And I don't think you're weak…I know you're strong…and…we swore we'd fight for each other…" He released the shirt.
"There was a time when all of us met at Urahara's to go into Soul Society to save Rukia…" Chad continued wearily. "I said something about Uryu. I said that out of all of us Uryu was the most complex and that therefore he was the weakest of us all. I was wrong. It's me that's that way. He's strong like you. And like you he knows what he has to protect. I don't. I just owe someone. And if you guys get involved you might get killed and those that love you and care about you will worry and be torn. I don't have family or close people in my life like you all. Like I said…this is my foolish battle." And with that Chad turned his back on his friend and took his own path up the ladder, not wanting to see the pain and confusion in his best friend's usually determined eyes. "I don't want to see that."
Ichigo clentched his fists as if to grasp on to the last thread of their friendship. "Dammit Chad. You're being so damn selfish."
Everyone else was sitting around the table when he came up. Rukia was questioning Urahara about news from Soul Society and why she didn't have connection with them. Chad took a spot and listened in, just as a depressed Ichigo slunk in to sit by Rukia. Urahara sipped on his tea with one hand and fanned his face with the other. Yoruichi sat backwards crosslegged with a mug of warm milk in hand. "I haven't heard from them either." He said gravely. "And I can't send you there just yet. It takes 7 days to prepare a sekkaimon and I also don't know what is going on there. I also need to train Miss Winters as well in order for her to have the chance of winning her battle. And I only have a few days to give her that edge otherwise we are all done for."
"Oh so you don't have any answers is what you're saying." Rukia looked annoyed. "Honestly Urahara…you are an unreliable source. I hate relying on you for information in times of need." Urahara pouted. "Aw c'mon Miss Kuchiki! Don't be so harsh!"
"Be a man Kiskue." Yoruichi chided, setting down her empty mug and wiping her mouth with I childish smile and turned to the ravenhaired woman. "You see it's unusual that we lost contact with Soul Society. Always in the past we had the Secret Remote Squad to trade info with but this time even they aren't around and seem to have been called back. Which is also an unbelievable feat since they need to keep an eye on this town. It must mean something serious has happened in the Soul Society and they cannot reach us to tell us about it. We all need to be on our toes."
Ichigo spoke up still shaken up from his talk with Chad but he camouflaged it. "And why do they need to keep an eye on this town when they got all of us to guard it?"
"Because of me. It's all my fault for coming here. I'm a danger to everyone so it doesn't matter where I go." A soft voice mumbled grimly from nearby. Everyone but Urahara and Yoruichi jumped. She's so silent and cat-like I didn't even hear her coming!
Turning to look at the speaker they found Sayomi, bandages on her arm and peeking from the bottom of her fresh tank top that might belong to Yoruichi. It revealed that she had rather toned tanned arms that made her look thin, but a lithe thin. "I'm sorry."
"W-wait! Sayomi-chan! You shouldn't move yet!" Ururu's timid voice pipped from behind her. Sami turned around with a gentle smile, limping more prominently than she liked. She patted the girl on the head fondly. "Aw don't worry about me Ururu-chan! I'm fine."
"W-would you like tea Sayomi-chan?" Ururu blushed, a puppy that clung to kind words and actions.
"No thanks. I don't want to be any more of a burden than I already am. Go back to SaraLara."
The girl bobbed her head and excused herself to go back to watching her favorite anime on TV while Jinta was busy sweeping the front porch. Ichigo stared at this seemingly normal teenage girl, trying hard to imagine what she would be like destroying this town. "So why did you come here."
She averted her eyes, fingers twiddling with her bandage hanging from her shirt. "I don't really know. This…voice told me to go. And…I guess the prospect of visiting the land where my mother was born…appealed to me."
"Voice? And what does your mother have to do with anything?" Ichigo's intrigue was peaked at this point, knowing what it felt like to hear a voice in his head. (Well other than Zangetsu.) Also knowing full well what it was like to want to feel closer to his mom. Sayomi undid her ponytail, letting her sweaty golden-brown locks frame her face. Rukia was watching Ichigo closely. There is something similar between them.
"Yeah…" She traced her name in the tabletop. The only sound being Urahara's fan. They waited…but it appeared that she was done talking. In a way she's like Chad… They all gave Chad a sideways glace. He blinked, looking around at the stares. What?
"Sayomi…your mother…" Rukia couldn't help prying. "…she lived here in Japan? Was it in a town close to here?"
"No…she lived here. I'm staying in her old house." She absently twirled a strand of hair on her finger, still not looking anyone in the eye. I really shouldn't be saying anything but…if I'm gonna die soon I want to be sure that someone protects my mom's house.
"That explains the picket fence right?" Chad broke the awkward silence. Urahara smiled interestedly behind his fan.
"Yeah. It's not really my taste but…I didn't have the heart to get rid of it…though it was pink when I moved in…" She shuddered dispite herself. Mom loved simplistic things but she was also a girly frills and pink kind of woman…my opposite. She always complained that I was her son instead of her daughter. Hehe we always had fun on shopping trips…barely buying anything that we both agreed on but mostly we teased each other and made fun of the latest styles… I miss her so much…
"It's…unique…" Chad agreed slowly.
"Yeah…" She said for the umpteenth time. Then abruptly stood up, much to the surprise of everyone so much so that Rukia spilt some of her tea and Ichigo jumped, she stood shaking her finger at Chad bellowing in Spanish. "Hey what do you think you're doing talking to me?! I thought I made it very clear that-OW!" Wincing in pain she gripped at her reopened wound she had been trying so hard to dismiss and pretend it wasn't throbbing like heck. She sat on her knees, hair a curtain for her face…until she glared up at the guy she had been yelling at. Rukia and Yoruichi were the closest to her and leaned near her to see if she was alright.
"Are you okay?" Chad asked in Spanish. "You shouldn't bother getting mad at me if you're just going to hurt yourself."
"I'm not hurt. And if I was I wouldn't want someone as stupid as you to worry about me!" She growled.
Nonplussed, Chad calmly took a sip of tea. "Who says I'm worried?"
Still kneeling on the floor, Sami grimaced in pain but turned it into a snarl towards his cheekiness. "Grr! What is with you?! You keep butting in when you could die from it!"
"I owe you Sami-chan." One warm eye bore into her gold ones. At a loss for words, the girl stared at her hands gripping her wounds, eyes wavering. There was a new crimson stain there but she didn't mind. She sighed, sitting up a bit. "That's one stupid reason to kill yourself moron."
Chad shook his head. They still conversed in Spanish. "I can't forget someone who did that for me. That would be inconceivable and dishonorable to not try to pay that person back."
"To heck with honor. Get lost." She growled. SCRATCH SCRATCH! All heads immediately swiveled to the shoten's front door. Urahara answered it, curiously looking out into the night. "Hello?"
"MROWWWRRR!!!" A white blur hurdled through the door like a snowball from hell, straight at the crouched girl.
"What the heck?! OW!" Everyone became expressionless with shock as a very familiar white kitten made figure-eights at hyper speed around all of her limbs, crying like there was no tomorrow and not shutting up. Sayomi, whom had ceased her arguing for the moment at the strange interruption, broke into a rare genuine smile, picking the fluffball up and stroking it tenderly. "Scamper!" More sweatdrops to be seen on everyone else's faces as she cuddled her little charge, eyes bright with child-like awe. Scamper? She named the cat…'Scamper'?!
Chad clamped a hand to his mouth so as not to laugh, but…Sayomi caught the movement and frowned.
"What? You have a problem with something?"
Chad coughed, concealing his laugh. "Um…cough…heh…you really suck at naming things…hehe cough."
THACK!! She took someone's shoe by the door and hurled it at him in anger…much to everyone's…well let's just say bewilderment. In a slowmo-like cartoon violence, his head tilted backwards as the shoe connected. "For your information Gigante (giant), he's named after my dad's dog! And I think it's cute for him because that's what he does! Scamper around!" Her gold eyes narrowed. "And what the crap is with him saying he was stuck to cold stuff? And running around town with you?!"
"Eh…" Of course it wasn't uncommon for Chad to become speechless but…he had ABSOLUTELY no idea how to respond to freaky statements like those. "…what?"
Now it was Ichigo's turn to jump out of his seat, pointing a finger at her as he danced in exasperation. "Wait a minute! Are you telling me you can understand cat language?! What the hell?!"
She innocently cocked her head to the side. "Of course. My power involves animals…if I can't understand what they are saying how could I do my job?"
"Eh and just what the hell are you then? The cat whisperer??" Ichigo's voice reached a high note of disbelief.
She ignored him on purpose as she stroked the still hyper-mewling kitten. It calmed down somewhat and instead purred blissfully. "There there Scamps…no more cold stuff for you silly cat. I hope you learned your lesson to never lick ice okay? And don't follow stupid people from now on." She glared at the guy still rubbing his face from where a size 13 shoe (Ichigo's) had collided with his hard face. "Oi my shoe!"
"I didn't know he followed us…" He uncharacteristically laid his head on the table, a sweatdrop visible. "Oi es mio…"
"Don't 'oi es mio' me GIGANTE ESTUPIDO!" She stuck her tongue out at him like a bratty kid, cradling her Scamper in her arms. Chad sighed in the table top.
"Hey why are you ignoring my questions?!" Ichigo threw his hands in the air. Rukia was extremely confused and Yoruichi, Tessai, and Urahara just watched the chaos with satisfied amusement. "HEY!"
But the girl paid him no mind. She continued to argue with 'Gigante Estupido' for a while longer until she was interrupted by a sharp pain in her head. You can't contain us forever…and when we are free again we will kill all of those close to you now…and then you. Kalaki and Airianah's faces were crystal clear in her mind's eye. She felt the consciousness of transformation begin for no apparent reason and she ducked her head down to hide the terrible eyes that became hers. Scamps, who had nearly drifted into a content, purring slumber, raised his head fearfully, letting loose a hiss as he backed away from his master with hackles raised. Sayomi felt a hand on her shoulder. She shakily tried to push it away. Rukia's voice filled in her changing ears. "If there is a power within you that you need to control…you're not alone here. Ichigo had to do the same thing. He may not seem like a friendly guy but-" "HEY!" "-he can relate to your situation." Sayomi peeked through her hair at the man seated across from her. He had his arms crossed, pouting in his grumpy way. This was the second time someone told her that Ichigo could help her out in a way. She shook her head as a cackle in her head rang in her ears, making her nauseous.
"Mr. Urahara…why is she still getting past your kido spells?" She gasped out in between breaths. The green-robed man was fanning his face, eyes shaded, looking as mysterious as ever.
"I told you...she is powerful enough to break the spell within five days…but that doesn't mean she can't break through every now and then to let you know she's there."
"How can I beat her then?" She sounded desperate. Everyone watched from the corners of their eyes, trying to understand her better and conceal their sympathy out of respect.
"Hmm…like I said it's up to you." He tapped his chin with the now folded up fan. "Are you ready for more training?" The girl bobbed her head, still clutching at her shifting eyes. Urahara looked toward Ichigo for a moment. "Hmm…say Ichigo…can you do me a favor?" The strawberry looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Eh what?"
The shop owner smiled secretively. "I still need to do something else besides train Sayomi and try to get communication between the worlds up and running again sooo…"
Thunderstruck with the abrupt notion of where the conversation was heading, Ichigo balked. "You want me to train her?! Me?!"
"Yeah Ichigo is a horrible teacher." Rukia nodded seriously, arms crossed. She remembered all those times in the past when Ichigo had tried to teach her the strange ways of 'algebra' and such human traditions. He had started out patiently enough but after awhile he had lost his temper with her when she had asked questions like 'why can't I wash my clothes in the dishwasher' or 'is y=mx+b a cookie recipe'?
"What?!" Ichigo chomped, swinging his head at his chibi friend who smirked.
"Well Mr. Kurosaki, you did have training experience with me, Yoruichi, and the Visords. It seems you are a great candidate for training Miss Winters here on control of her power as well as regaining her zanpakto's control."
"What are you talking about! Most of the time I was with Shinji and them I was forced to run on a 'piece-o-crap trainer' and forced to wash dishes! And all those other times I trained with you I was thrown in a shaft with my arms locked up, nearly killed by a kid and drooled on!" Ichigo argued angrily.
"Well that all may be true Mr. Kurosaki but…" He shifted his hat to reveal his eyes. "…in the end you were able to control your power and become a master with it as well as bankai."
Ichigo looked away, blushing a bit at the praise. "Eh well that's all very nice but…"
Rukia smiled at him. "But I think you'd be a decent teacher for Sayomi." Her brilliant violet eyes concealed a sadness as she remembered that painful feeling within her wanting Ichigo to be around humans more. There was something dangerous in Rukia's heart that she didn't think would work out with her human friend.
Ichigo glanced at Rukia in surprise. "Ya feeling okay Rukia?"
Yoruichi turned to Chad. "And you as well Mr. Sado. You and Miss Kuchiki could be great teachers for Miss Winters as well. You have strength and power that would be beneficial for her to practice against. And Miss Kuchiki has great skill in kido and agility."
Urahara stood up gesturing towards the training-room trapdoor. "Well then why don't you all go down there and train right now?"
The others eyes widened. "Now?! But what about- oh wait we don't have school tomorrow…but still!"
A cane came out of nowhere and kicked Ichigo out of his body, in a flourish of spiritual pressure and swirls of smoke. With comical rolls and cusses as he rolled across the room from the impact, Ichigo got to his feet suited up as a shinigami ready to kick some. "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT HAT AND CLOGS?!"
"What are you waiting for Ichigo?" Urahara grinned twirling his cane/sword on his finger. "Get to work. I'll let your dad know where you and Miss Kuchiki are."
"Ah-ahh…" Ichigo made as if to rebuttal but decided against it wearily, scratching the back of his head frowning. Not liking how he was thrown into being a teacher for someone he knew was extremely volatile and didn't know how to handle such a responsibility. But he had wanted to help so here was his chance to help her. "Fine."
Urahara clapped his hands."Yea! Alright! Glad you decided to help!" Everyone sweatdropped. Wasn't he forcibly knocked out of his own body? He then turned to Sami-chan who was nervously still covering up her right eye. "And you Miss Winters…you need to regain control of your zanpakto. You have proved quite quick and capable of regaining your spiritual powers. But in order to wield your own blade without interference of her, you need to look for him first." Sayomi raised a brow at the strange instruction.
"Here. Ichigo." Something almost as tall as Ichigo was hurled at him. "WAHAAA!!" The air was knocked out of him. Sami blinked at the mannequin-like thing he was buried under. "You know what to do with this okay." Ichigo pushed himself up.
It was the strawberry's turn once again to be confuddled, glancing at the mannequin thing back to Urahara and a grinning Yoruichi . "But…wait a minute! Isn't this for achieving bankai?"
"In this instance, Ichigo, it's to help Sayomi regain control of her zanpakto." Yoruichi spoke up. "She needs to do so physically and quickly."
"Now are you feeling up to it Miss Winters?" The girl nodded, already shedding from her unoccupied body and knowing full well he was only asking out of politeness since she had no choice anyways. She stroked Scamper under the chin one last time and dashed down the trapdoor without another word. Tessai picked up both of the bodies lying on the floor and was about to take them…eh who knows where. Ichigo stared down at the thing in his hands and gave a look towards Rukia who nodded encouragingly. Before Tessai left with Ichigo's body she pulled a familiar pill out of her pocket and put it in his mouth. Kon opened Ichigo's eyes wide. "Where the hell am I nee-chan?!" She ignored him and popped a chappy candy in her own mouth, slipping out of her gigai and making her way toward the trapdoor herself. Looks like I don't have anything else to do what with Soul Society out of reach…wouldn't hurt to help prepare Sami-chan…
Chad remained behind for a moment and glanced at the two adults. "Is there really a chance that Sami-chan can win?" Urahara was deadly serious as well in his reply. "Not really. She's still tapping into the embodiment within her's power."
"But-!" He raised a hand in surprise as if to grab the hopelessness from the phrase hanging in the air and crushing it in desperate response.
"But…there is a slight possibility she can Mr. Sado. I never said 'not a chance'." He smirked, walking away into another room, leaving the tall young man to weigh the possibility of Sami-chan, an innocent looking young girl with a surprising strength and kindness within her as well as a sinister evil within her, the possibility of Sami-chan never opening her brilliant golden eyes ever again was just too shocking. Even though he barely knew her…the idea wasn't one he wanted to see for anybody.
"Take your zanpakto and…well you just sorta run it through." Ichigo scratched his head as his new 'pupil' stared incredulously at the strange mannequin thing. Sayomi just reached into her pocket and pulled out her tiger keychain pouch and fingered out both rings from their little compartments inside. Slipping them on cautiously she began her ritual and tapped the two rings together as she brought both palms together and slid them in opposing directions to unlock their power. Mumbling her phrases as well, she felt the fire and ice swirl about her. "Guide the nightborn frost…Arien Huecosoñar! Abandon all remorse Kalaki Huecosoñar!" Everyone watched in awe as she revealed her beautiful glinting two zanpaktos. With visible fluid ease she stabbed the thing and instantly regretted it. All at once the onlookers felt constricted as intense and ever-changing spiritual pressure flooded the arena.
Sayomi gritted her teeth as Kalaki's zanpakto writhed in her hands, sending cackles of black scorn through her. "C-crap…" Her eyes were morphing again and her hands were changing into wings, paws, claws. It was becoming troublesome for the girl to control the power. "Gah!" Her hand moved of its own accord. "Groowrr!!" She growled like a tiger, eyes blazing with Kalaki's fire. Ichigo and all gathered and watching took a step back in horror. Her pretty and innocent face contorted sickly with animal fury. Then…she disappeared.
"Ichigo!" Rukia cried out. But he already knew. Spinning in a flash step he raised Zangetsu to block his neck. Sayomi was no longer human anymore. She had pounced at Ichigo, her teacher, eyes rolling, tongue lolling, and facial muscles crunched in grotesque inhumanity. She struggled with herself for a moment, the zanpaktos in the mannequin shifting with spikes of reitsu until… Sami became still.
"Hey…are you-" Ichigo asked cautiously as Sami stood with her head bowed, hands clutching desperately at her hair. She finally straightened and her eyes were the usual normal shade of gold. "I'm fine." She turned to look at the mannequin where her weapons were currently zapping with fire and ice. Kalaki then started to fade away until she fell off the mannequin and transformed with an angry hiss back into a ring. The echo as it fell on the floor was deafening. I can only hold back Kalaki and Airianah for so long…thanks to Mr. Urahara's and Mrs. Yoruichi's spell I'm able to gather some sort of strength to push them back…Now for my dear friend Arien…
"Arien. Are you here?" Ichigo just stared at her serious face confused. Shouldn't her zanpakto be standing here…like when Yoruichi trained me with this thing? Chad and Rukia stood side by side watching the scene unfold, waiting for whoever she was addressing to be revealed. They didn't have to wait long. A cool breeze wafted from seemingly nowhere, the taste of rain on their tongues. Rukia felt something cold on her skin. She looked upward. "Snow?" Sayomi looked behind her, feeling a piercing gaze watching her. "Arien!" All her relief and joy was evident at seeing her tiger friend in the tone of her voice and the relieved slight smile. A beautiful majestic tiger stood in the shadows. His eyes veiled in them. He was so grand and as snowy as a plume of white feathers, almost as tall as a horse. Sami took a step towards the only one that seemed to live in her pain, smiling broadly. "I'm glad you're free again. I was worried…"
Chad, the strawberry-sensei, and the violet eyed woman stared in wonder. So this magnificent beast is Sami-chan's zanpakto.
"Arien?" They watched as the smile froze on her face and became a small frown. She stopped walking toward him. "Arien? What's the matter?" Something felt terribly wrong here. The shadows were too dark. The ice too cold. "Why don't you answer-? GAH!?" With a flurry of snow and burning ice, she was thrown to the ground, the earth all too hard and spine cracking.
A crushing paw as big as a dinnerplate-if not bigger-familiarly making it difficult to breathe as she felt the entire weight of the incredibly enormous tiger upon her, lungs remembering a time when a different tiger had done the same. Panic, confusion and lack of oxygen made her still as stone, as if she could stand with a 600 pound tiger on top of her anyways. Everyone's eyes were wide as they could be…if Sami's already large eyes could get any wider. "A-Arien?" She breathed, feeling claws dig into her skin. "What's…ugh…wrong with you?" It felt as if the slim connection between him had been severed. He was no longer a warm breath beside her, purring in similar company, affectionately ruffling her hair, a giver of kind words. He was no longer the Arien she knew, but a sinister one. His eyes were revealed. Wild, flecks of blue that brimmed with no emotion, eyes narrowed feline slits not unlike her own when she was uncaged with power. She gasped as she stared into those thoughtless eyes. "Arien…"
Chad tensed, muscles about to spring and attack. Ichigo flash stepped to him, gripping his arm firmly, shaking his head but not facing his friend, eyes still glued to the scene before him. "What the hell…?"
"Who is Arien?" The white-and-gold tiger growled, knife sharp teeth revealed. Sami felt tears in her eyes, but she stubbornly swallowed them back. I thought I wasn't going to be such a baby…I need to figure out this without panic…Arien is lost but maybe it's only temporarily. A thought of inspiration entered her mind. Maybe that's what I have to do…start over and tame the beast. This is part of my training…and I can't lose this inseparable friend.
"Arien…" She summoned her courage as the beast was a stranger to her and an amazingly sinister huge creature but she didn't want to think about the fact that he could kill her in the blink of an eye. No…this was a test to prove she could stand alone. The one ally she had was taken away from her. This was the test to prove she was powerful alone. She placed a hand on the paws upon her, touching the softness of the fur, the sharpness of the claws. She hardened her eyes to be just as emotionless. I've acted so many times before.
The tiger pushed down harder on her chest. "I told you runt…I don't know who that is." His voice was so much more gruff and wild then it usually one. Sami applied more pressure on the paw. "I do Arien. Now please get off of me." Her tone was composed with just a hint of warning. "Don't do this to me."
The tiger's eyes widened. "Who do you think you are child?"
"I'm Sayomi Kurotora Winters. Your wielder. Get off Arien you aren't like this." She pushed harder on his weight. Her eyes dug into his. "Arien." He growled but took a tentative paw off and arched his back, feeling the heat in her gaze, feeling somewhat threatened by the girl.
"You called me but I don't know you." He paced, confused and trying to find memories that were trapped away. "Who are you?!" His face scrunched in tiger ferocity. Sayomi swallowed but sat up, getting to her feet, she kept her posture confident and calm.
"I already told you." I know what it's like to see with blurred eyes…so many different kinds of eyes with feelings of fear and puzzled panic connected to them. I understand what it's like in a tigers POV. To feel the threat of another staring fearlessly into your eyes.
"Who is Arien?!" And with that…he lunged at his master, in a slow mo attack of claws and teeth. And Sayomi stared into his eyes blithely but on the inside she was scared. She buried that fear deep, waiting for the painful impact, arms outstretched as if to give her old friend a hug. Ichigo slow mo dropped Zangetsu, recalling his sister's dreams. Rukia watched with the sensation of familiar wrongness that came with a friend killing a friend while one was not in his right mind. Kon and Chappy and all the others upstairs felt the tug of good and evil approaching. Chad…saw people he cared about in his distant past…close their eyes and fade away.
Sooooo im really sorry that this chapter update took so long~! I've been on vacation in Yellowstone and Seattle so I APPOLOGIZE!! Look so I was going to make this chapter even longer but then it would be just right to end it here and make an even longer one next chapter~! More action to come! In fact this next chapter is comin atcha ASAP! Yeah also I'd like to say that Sayomi isn't really a temperamental girl like Ichigo is temperamental. No unfortunately for now you only get to see the worst side of her because she's in a very volatile situation right now so of course she's going to be ultra stressed and hysterical. But before all of this she was really a sweet, rather shy girl, with just a hint of hyperness and loud confidence. This has been 26 pages long…wow…
Author's Hints: The dialog when the twosome of Ichi and Ruki was running in the moonlight was a symbolization of Tite Kubo's familiar phrase of Black Sun and White Moon. So in a way it was like he said that Rukia was beautiful if we wish to follow the symbolism.
Review or I'll cry! I worked so hard for this! And I humbly bow my head in apology for the lateness of this chapter! And sorry if this ending sounded rushed! V,V
Check out ma DeviantArt account with the same name for ma art as well as fanart and Hollow Eyes illustrations. Ma link to ma website as well will sho you ma art but not all of it just Hollow Eyes art. For mo go to the above DA site. lalala