"Directions? Directions! How did you even get down here?" Abby fretted, looking over the brothers. How did a rag-tag bunch of teenagers get into her lab, not to mention the building in general? It was supposed to be a secure building!
The boys, thinking back were completely confused on how they had actually gotten there. They had walked in the front doors, or what they assumed to be the front doors, and through a rectangular silver arch way that went crazy when Taro had went through it, but not at all when the other boys did. The only difference was the small tracker within the elder boy's grasp.
The device had led them to a metal door way, with buttons to each side of it. The boys didn't know what the contraption was, believe it or not.
"Is it broken?" Koji had asked.
"We're doomed! We're doomed! We're stuck here!" Cried the youngest brother.
"Wait," Taro said calmly, annoyed with his youngest brother.
"Three . . . two . . . one!" Yelled Koji, hoping something would happen. Frowning he repeated, "Three . . . two . . . one!" Again, nothing happened.
"What exactly are we waiting for?" Murmured Nao, doubtful of anything.
"This," said Taro, right as the elevator made a loud ding!
"Don't try to act cool, it just doesn't work," Taro retorted when Koji had entered the elevator. The middle brother stuck out his tongue and then proceeded to talk about the curious contraption they had stumbled into.
The brother's found themselves in a hallway, and aimed for the only entrance or exit in sight.
. . .
"Wait, did you say see us?" DiNozzo added, fully being able to see the group.
"You can see them?" Karin asked curiously.
"Yeah, duh. They're right there! Why wouldn't I be able to see them? It's not like they're some sort of Invisible Man."
"It must have been the chocolate," Karin muttered silently.
"What about the chocolate?" Asked a slightly worried DiNozzo.
"Nothing!"
There was a moment of awkward silence as no one knew what exactly was going on. Three unidentified teenagers stood in the doorway, soul reapers to what Abby could assume. They wore light gray robes lined with white, but the white was browned. Their clothes looked as if they hadn't been washed in ages. The boys themselves looked as if they hadn't eaten, ever. All three were skin and bones, too skinny to be healthy. There was a certain spark in their eyes though, like they had a duty. As if there was a reason for them to be here.
DiNozzo saw the same scrappy teenagers in front of him as Abby saw. They looked like they had come right off the streets. Their unusual clothes interested DiNozzo though; they were the same style of clothing as Toshiro was wearing when he was found. A kimono, except these boy's kimonos were gray and less formal looking. Each had a different colored sash on their bodies. The tallest had his strapped from shoulder to waist, and from what DiNozzo could assume there was a sword on this teenager's back. The two younger brothers' had theirs at their waist. These boys attire was strikingly similar to what Toshiro was found with.
Karin knew they were soul reapers, but never had she seen a soul reaper with a gray kimono. She could see the younger two boys swords at their hips, but the elder boy had his strapped to his back. The elder boy was different, he was cold and stoic. There was barely a hint of life in his eyes, yet there was the slow dying ember still embedded. The other boys still had some semblance of life left, the middle kid in particular.
"Are you soul reapers?" Karin blurted out, too curious to care.
The eldest snorted while the youngest panicked, "No! N-no, we uh came from the Soul Society!" Their master, employer, would not approve of soul reapers, she definitely wouldn't approve of them pretending to be ones.
"What do you mean, soul reapers?" said the still ignorant, DiNozzo.
. . .
"Leader-chan!" Smiled Kisuke Urahara, sitting across from the ever serious Gibbs, "For what do I owe the pleasure?"
"What are you doing here?" Gibbs said pointedly. The NCIS agent knew that this man's placement here wasn't accidental. There was some purpose for him being here. Kisuke Urahara had a reason for being here, that reason was Toshiro Hitsugaya.
"What do you mean?" Kisuke didn't falter, instead he enjoyed playing with agent Gibbs.
"You know what I mean," Gibbs knew he could act enraged, put on an act to get this man to talk, but such an act wouldn't get very far very fast. The most effective way was to stay calm and collective, try to get the carefree man to slip, even if it's just a single word. Kisuke Urahara acted as though he had no care in the world, but something was off.
"Of course! I'm here to pick up Toshiro-chan, who's in my care!" Urahara smiled, knowing that at any moment things were about to get more complicated.
. . .
"So, Toshiro, how old are you?"
Toshiro looked the Israeli agent over. Obviously she had seen her fair share of battles and wasn't from America. She sat comfortably across from him, her hands held together and a calm expression on her face. Toshiro knew that giving his actual age would be unbelievable, so he settled for something reasonable.
"Sixteen," he said.
Ziva scoffed, he looked like a middle school student, not a high school student, and sixteen was too generous. Yet, she chose to drop the argument. Ziva could see the cold, uninterested aura of the boy which seemed to hold a military esc vibe. Toshiro Hitsugaya was not simply 'a boy,' he was hiding something.
On a hunch, Ziva decided to test a certain theory. With that, Ziva reached across the table and attempted to punch the young white haired captain.
. . .
"What's your name?" asked agent McGee.
"Really?
"This is an interview."
"You mean interrogation?"
McGee sighed. He had to actually interview Ichigo, to lessen the suspicion. McGee was pretty sure Gibbs had a hunch about him and Abby's involvement.
"Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki," said the eldest Kurosaki.
"What are you doing in America?"
"Karin and I were taking a short vacation until she got hurt," Ichigo wasn't sure how to describe the hollow attack, in the terms of someone who has no idea of the existence. Luckily McGee knew enough to know to drop the line of questioning.
The whole session went similarly, easy to answer questions that didn't go into depth, Ichigo knew he was lucky. He just hoped everyone else could hold on.
. . .
Scowling Toshiro Hitsugaya caught the incoming punch, "Oi, what are you doing?"
Ziva sat back down quickly. The boy was strong for his age, too strong. She got a glimpse of his strength and reaction speed. Either the boy was specially trained in martial arts or it was some sort of military training.
Ziva knew she was wrong to throw the punch but it was the only effective way to get a quick answer. Boys like Toshiro weren't easy to crack, and she needed immediate proof.
Toshiro sighed; well he certainly wasn't going to take a punch the face. He knew the agent would be at fault if anything happened, and she had decent intentions.
"I've had thorough training in martial arts, and I know that you could get in serious trouble for attempting to punch me. Abuse of a witness."
"And what exactly are you witness to?"
"Nothing that I know of, but you seem to know something that I don't."
"Where did you receive your training?" asked Ziva.
"Urahara," was Toshiro's immediate response. He internally cursed himself, Urahara was not a great choice.
. . .
After a thorough explanation from Karin, DiNozzo was now keyed in on the secret, including Toshiro Hitsugaya's situation.
"So you don't do the Dead Like Me touch before death thing do you?" DiNozzo asked Karin.
"What? No no! I'm not a soul reaper! Ichi-nii and Toshiro-kun," pausing a moment she added, "and Urahara," Kisuke was more of an afterthought, honestly it was hard to believe the old pervert could've been a soul reaper.
"Excuse me? Could you please direct us to Toshiro?" said one of the three brothers, the middle brother.
"Why?" asked Abby, defensive for her new found friend.
"We need to talk," said Taro levelly.
"I'll take you to him," said DiNozzo motioning for Karin to come with. DiNozzo was in charge of Karin so she had to come, but he wasn't going to take the boys to Toshiro. DiNozzo thought Gibbs needed to see these newcomers.
As soon as they left the lab the deafening music was cranked up again and Abby proceeded to work on the chocolate still, trying to figure out the secrets of it.
As DiNozzo, Karin, and the brothers stood in the elevator, DiNozzo tried to strike up conversation.
"What are your names?"
Taro pointed to himself, "Taro," he pointed to his brothers, "That's Koji, the idiot. And that's Nao, the wimp," Taro's tone was neutral, no joking or condescending hints to it. It confused both Karin and DiNozzo.
"What are you doing here?" Karin supplied.
"Looking for Toshiro," Piped the one dubbed Koji.
"So is everyone," DiNozzo added. Everyone who was involved with this investigation was centered on Toshiro Hitsugaya, just what had the captain gotten himself into? Well, the poor kid couldn't even remember that.
As soon as they got outside the interrogation room Taro was battle ready, his arm twitched nervously at his side ready to grab the hilt of his sword. The one called agent DiNozzo opened the door to the designated room.
"Boss," he called. Gibbs looked over only to see the point of a katana. The dark hair, dark eyed teen stood with his sword pointed at the one and only Gibbs.
DiNozzo hadn't even seen the kid move, yet there he was threatening Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Urahara sighed and for the first time in his visit did his smile drop, "Why are you here?" the usually cheery man hissed.
"Who the hell are you?" said a very annoyed Gibbs.
. . .
"HITSUGAYA-TAICHO!" yelled a familiar orange haired female.
"Settle down Matsumoto!" Renji said, wondering how the women didn't have a hangover or something by now.
The group, Matsumoto, Renji, and Rukia, had just entered the interrogation room. Obviously none of them had paid attention to which one they entered.
"Uh guys," said a very confused agent Timothy McGee.
"Rukia? Renji?" said a surprised Ichigo Kurosaki.
Matsumoto frowned, "This is getting very confusing, very fast. I need a drink!"
. . .
Author's Note:
I know this chapter was jumpy...maybe too jumpy...but there was certain aspects I wanted in this chapter. I wish I could've posted sooner but a lot happened this week! I lost my flash drive (which contained the whole story and my other one) and my car battery died, which made everything more complicated! The main plot has taken awhile to get into effect so I'm trying to hurry things along, probably going to fast, but in my next chapter my goal is to make it longer and possibly a bit slower. Thanks for the continual support!