Chapter 9: Notice and Hollow.
Slowly, I opened my eyes. Zaraki was sitting next to me with Yachiru perched on his shoulder. My head spun and my limbs sore; Zaraki grinned at me.
"Long time, no see. You're awake finally." He called Miss Unohana over who was on the other of the room.
"How long have I been asleep?" I'd lost all sense of time – the last thing I remember was an explosion…that's right, I swung at Miss Unohana with Taura…Taura, my zanpaku-tō.
"A few hours, not too long." Miss Unohana replied. "Do you remember what happened?" I nodded. I wondered if Miss Unohana did get hurt when I attacked, but she seemed fine.
"The power of your last attack was quite something – the cave nearly collapsed, not to mention I ended up outside since you pushed me back with such force, you blasted a hole in the side." I looked away, feeling slightly guilty.
"However, you have definitely regained your power back and can continue training with me and Zaraki. I believe that your power could rival even that of before you were imprisoned-"
"That's enough!" Zaraki shouted. "We've gone over this before Miss Unohana."
"I'm sorry." She apologised, bowing to Zaraki. "From tomorrow, you will start proper training." And with that, Miss Unohana left. "Oh, and one more thing, I'm sorry about what happened to your face and shoulder – it wouldn't heal properly."
"Wait," I called. "What am I supposed to be training for?"
"Oh, did you not know? There's an open post in the Thirteen Court Guards – a deputy position. Squad 6's assistant captain was promoted, so the position's open. Although, we'd better hurry – the Captain General wants all 'applicants' in in the next month or so" this time she left for real.
"I'm training for an assistant captain post? How could you have forgotten to tell me that?!" I yelled.
"Zooi, be quiet, Miss Unohana's already put your name down." Yachiru tinkled.
"WHAT?!" I stared at Zaraki, waiting for an answer. He seemed to nod, but stood up quickly.
"I need you to come with me, quickly. I'm late enough as it is." I stood up, ignoring the aches and pains in my body and followed Zaraki out of the building.
I noticed that we were still in the Squad 11 barracks, but in the assembly hall. All soul reapers who were in Squad 11 assembles here whenever there's an announcement to be made, normally by the Captain.
"Stay at the back. First chance you get, meet me outside Squad 6 barracks." Zaraki whispered to me and strode off to the front to address the Squad. The Squad immediately fell silent as soon as he looked up – I noticed that Yachiru was still perched on his shoulder.
"Most of you already know why we're here, but I'll tell you regardless. Some new, unidentified creatures have managed somehow to infiltrate the Soul Society. Details on them are not known yet, but all I can say is just be careful, and fight if it calls for it. I received word that groups of them are found in Rukongai and within the Seireitei. My third, fourth and fifth seat will assign groups to keep watch on them. Thank you." Zaraki ended and strode towards me, his captain's cloak billowing after him. I remembered what he said and ran out of Squad 11 headquarter's and towards Squad 6 barracks.
Once I arrived, I found Miss Unohana standing there talking to Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. I stopped so as to not interrupt them, but they sensed my pressure and turned towards me. Captain Kuchiki's gaze was surely intimidating, but then became somewhat puzzled.
"I see what you mean Captain 4, she is strong." He turned to me, bowed his head and walked in to Squad 6 headquarters. Miss Unohana walked off as well until I was left by myself. I wondered what I was supposed to do, when suddenly I heard a blood curdling howl…that howl – I feel like I've heard it somewhere before…no time to think, it seemed to be getting closer, but suddenly it stopped. I could still sense something, and tried to sense what it could be.
"Zooi? Are you okay?" I heard Zaraki's voice as he ran towards me. I noticed then that my fists were clenched and my teeth bared. I nodded and saw that Zaraki had both mine and his zanpaku-tō. He passes me mine and told me follow.
"Where are we going?"
"The eastern edge of the Seireitei. I was notified before you woke up that a group had been spotted, as well as some hollows. If we make it there quickly, we may be able to spot them.
Several minutes later, we reached an open space with a small forest, a waterfall and a couple of caves. Zaraki was grinning again – that manic grin that meant joy or despair. I could smell blood, and I was sure Zaraki could smell too. We looked at each other and listened for any sounds.
"Zooi, keep your wits about you, we don't know what's coming. Unsheathe your sword." I did as I was told.
"Huh? This isn't like you, telling us to be careful." I queried.
"No, it's not, but better to be on the safe side." We moved closer to the centre of the field. Everything was quiet…too quiet…suddenly, a deafening roar ripped through the air to our right, and there stood a huge Hollow. It was easily 10 meters tall and in a league of its own. How it managed to get here is beyond me.
"Zooi! With me!" he ran towards it, sword raised, as did I – I followed him and leapt up into the air and cut one of its hands off just as it reached for me. It cleanly came off and the Hollow howled again. It's mask looked like a gorilla's and obviously had some intelligence as it backed away and dodged another of my attacks. Unlucky for the Hollow, my blade was laced with poison and can only be healed by the cloth on the end of the handle. The poison deadens the blood and makes the part that was infected go numb – unfortunately, it then spreads…good to be prepared, eh?
As I touched down, another screech came from behind me – another Hollow?! I leapt into the air once again out of sight for the hollow and landed on the Hollow's head. Before it had time to react I shunpo'd in front of it and brought my sword down, ripping the mask in two.
"Nice one Zooi!" Zaraki cackled. He seemed to be having a whale of a time. I ran to help him, when suddenly 3 huge pressures hit me – 3 extremely huge hollows turned up, even bigger than the one Zaraki was fighting. I hissed…hissed at them and a low growl ripped out of my chest. One of the Hollow's leapt at me, mouth open but I quickly jumped into the air…blast! It was a distraction technique! One of the Hollow's could fly and extend their arms somehow and flung their arms at me; I shunpo'd and sliced the Hollow that was still on the ground so that now there were only two left. Unfortunately, the Hollow Zaraki was fighting lost interest in him and turned to me. Suddenly, all three Hollows encircled me and growled slightly. I crouched and held my arms back and hissed, my teeth baring at them, when suddenly they all leapt at me, mouths open and howling…Zaraki jumped from behind and sliced the Gorilla-like one that had put up such a fight (finally!) and I concentrated on the other two. I couldn't jump as I would put Zaraki in danger, but I couldn't attack as I could only hit one at a time…no choice really. I attacked the smaller, horse-like one and sliced its legs off and shunpo'd onto the other Hollow, when suddenly another Hollow appeared and knocked me back into a tree trunk. My head banged against the trunk and I fell, half-unconscious to the ground…Zaraki flung himself at the Hollows, but more just kept coming, when swiftly, a bright red light erupted all around and flashes of light hit the Hollows – including the one that was about to attack me. As my eyes began to readjust I saw a girl standing a few feet away from me with red hair and holding some kind of staff with a red ball on the end. She wore a vest and skirt, long at the back and short at the front.
"Move!" she yelled at me. I did as she said and flew towards Zaraki as the girl zipped about attacking all the Hollows that were left.
"Who is that?" Zaraki shouted.
"I don't know! She just appeared out of nowhere." I realised that not all the Hollows had disappeared; a couple where left on the ground, supposedly dead. Once the girl had finished, she looked at us and leapt over to a Hollow and bit it…
"Wha…what're you doing?!" I yelped. The girl looked up; blood encased her mouth and dribbled down her chin.
"Go! You don't need to be here! Go!" she barked. She hissed again and for some reason I responded back by hissing as well. The girl looked up again and stood up.
"I'm sorry, please let me continue." She bowed deeply and I was puzzled for a moment. I looked at Zaraki who was staring at me with a slightly puzzled look.
"Um, yeah sure…" I never finished, as Zaraki grabbed me by my shikakushō and dragged me as he flew through the woods…
We stopped at a clearing and he finally let go.
"What are you playing at?! Why did you do that?!" he shouted.
"What do you mean?"
"You did something that only you and her…no, IT could understand…what did you do? Tell me!"
"Wha…I don't know what you're talking about!" he swung his sword up to my throat and I hissed violently at him. Something was bubbling inside me as I became increasingly more agitated…