I don't own Bleach, it belongs to Tite Kubo.
"Wait, are you serious?"
"Have I ever lied to ya, King?"
After Orihime had left, Shiro returned from his outing and subdued Hiyori from interrupting his conversation with King. Ichigo had a blank, questioning look from hearing Shiro explain what he encountered.
"There's no way, I saw Rukia kill that Arrancar Di Roy." Ichigo said.
"Then that midget killed a decoy that even had you and her fooled," Shiro crossed his arms over his chest. "Let's not forget, I scared the information out of him. Saying he's staying with a 'her'."
"What girl would honestly house an Arrancar? That's ridiculous!" Ichigo threw his arms up in disbelief.
"Call it what you want, King. But let me tell you some more, Di Roy went on to say that Grimmjow has history with the Human." Shiro inputs.
Ichigo widened his eyes. "Grimmjow…history with a Human? No way, I've got a glimpse of his personality and him showing an ounce of kindness is impossible?!"
"Just like me, King? But here we are now." Shiro reminds.
"That's different." Ichigo argues.
"However, you say it, King. We can use this to our advantage in persuading a tough Arrancar on our side. That helmet head Arrancar said he wouldn't have that dear Human involved in the upcoming war, he even calls the Human a Cub." Shiro adds.
"Cub? How old are we talking?" Ichigo questions seemingly confused on Grimmjow calling a Human, a 'Cub'.
"Beats me, the best I got from him before he vanished or whatever, was five years ago." Shiro replied.
Ichigo deadpanned. "That doesn't help at all. Five years ago? From what age? You totally aren't good at gathering information.
"Whatever, she could be your age, Kingy." Shiro points out.
"Yeah, that could be true." Ichigo was trying to process who this girl's identity is and connection to Grimmjow.
Another normal day for Karakura Town, right now Team Hitsugaya were having a meeting in a park.
"So, Renji will be staying with Urahara for a while?" Toshiro confirmed with the rest of his frontal squad.
"Yeah, he made up some excuse about why, I think he just likes it there." Rangiku replied. "It's his second time mooching off them. So he's pretty used to the place. He said he was helping Chad with his training."
"Sounds like he's secretly enjoying himself." Yumichika comments.
"Considering how strong the Arrancars are, It's pretty obvious we don't have enough fighting power on our side" Toshiro pointed out.
"O.k, so what we do?" Ikkaku asked.
"I believe there's only one choice, first of all we have to work on improving our fighting skills or were never be able to win this battle." Toshiro admits.
"True true. It's frustrating that Arrancar's strength is something we can't ignore." Yumichika admits.
"Yeah, well I say bring it on," Ikkaku challenged with a big grin. "The harder the battle is to win, the more fun I have while fighting,"
"Then you'll have a ball when the Arrancar comes back." Rangiku figured.
"Damn straight. However, if I were you. I try to get stronger otherwise your never get back in the Soul Society." Ikkaku said.
"Speak for yourself," Rangiku looked at her wrist watch on her left wrist. "Oh no, look at the time. If I don't hurry, the stores will become too crowded and busy, I won't have time to get everything I want."
"Excuse me? Stores?" Toshiro said, not liking what he's hearing.
"I'm going into town to check out all the wonderful stores they have. Did I say that out loud?" Rangiku said, realizing her mistake. "I meant to say, I'm going into town to check out if anything strange is going on there."
Toshiro gained a tick mark. "But you just said, you were going shopping."
"Bye Captain, don't wait up." Rangiku ran off.
Toshiro, Ikkaku and Yumichika watched her leave.
"That airhead. It's always in one ear and out the other with her." Toshiro comments.
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(Suzuki Residence)
Mr. Suzuki walked out of his house with Haruno not falling too far behind, having bright smiles. Today Mr. Suzuki had a day off and as a good parent decided to spend time with his only daughter.
"Papa, let's go." Haruno already got into the back of the car, her smile still present and big.
Mr. Suzuki got into the driver's side. "Were going, Haruno." putting the key in and started up the engine.
The car pulled away from the driveway and down the road, from Haruno's bedroom window was Di Roy watching them leave. A commercially large bandaid was across the wound he received from the Vasto Lord last night and on top of that he had a pounding headache from Haruno stomping on his head before crying on him again.
Di Roy sighs. 'Stupid Vasto Lorde.' pulling away and laid on top of Haruno's bed, crossing his arms behind his head. Closing his eye taking a nap.
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(Café Hikari)
Haruno brought her father to the café, she found the other day after bringing the owner's cat back. Father and daughter sat at a booth by the window, Maria walked over to their table with two menus in hand and a welcoming smile.
"Hello, welcome to Café Hikari here our menus," Maria handed the two menus to the Suzuki members. "Haruno, your back."
"Hiya, Maria." Haruno greeted, smiling big.
"Haruno, nice to see you back and this must be your father or older brother?" Maria turned her attention to Mr. Suzuki. "Maria Holly, owner of Café Hikari."
Mr. Suzuki chuckled, scratching behind his embarrensly. "I'm Asashi Suzuki, Haruno's Father and a happily married man."
Haruno sat on her knees on the booth seat, leaning up to Maria and whispering. "Papa has to say that. He might be muscular but Mama is the boss and also a big softy too."
Maria giggled.
"Haruno." Asashi sweatdrop at his daughter, embarrassing him.
Haruno only chuckled, sitting probably in her seat.
"I'll come back in a few seconds to take your order, Mr. Suzuki, Haruno." Maria walked away to attend to other customers.
Haruno and Asashi already decided on their order when Maria came back, then a few minutes later she carried a tray with two drinks and sundaes.
"Enjoy." Maria walked away from the Suzukis.
Haruno stared at the sundae with big eyes, just as she grabbed her spoon and about to dig in she heard the faint sound of a whistle playing.
'An ocarina?' Haruno identified dropping her spoon and staring out the window, trying to find the sound of ocarina being played from or by a person actually.
Asahi noticed Haruno looking out the window with him doing the same. "Is something out there, Haruno?"
"Did you hear a whistle?" Haruno asked, still looking out the window.
"Maybe a policeman ran by Haruno." Asashi answered.
Haruno heard what she heard, an ocarina. But why it was being played is a mystery, Haruno wasn't the only one to have heard it. Rangiku, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Toshiro all heard it.
It was already sunset, Rangiku hopped from one house rooftop when the whistle suddenly stopped.
"Its gone now." She noticed and landed on a lamp post when the whistle stopped.
Hearing an explosion, Rangiku hurried over to the nearby playground. "What's is that?" She spotted the gaping hole that demolished the monkey bars.
A boy's scream was heard and tossed out of the smoke. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a yellow hooded-sweater with a red undershirt and gray beach shorts. His Chain of Fate is attached to the center of his chest. He has a band-aid over his nose
"A soul?" She noticed the broken Chain of Fate.
Out of the smoke appeared an armadillo-like Hollow. It had brown fur covering its back while its legs are a light purple with a ring of brown near the feet. A Hollow mask has a large mouth with no other features present on it. The mask extends over its spine with a spike protruding from it every few inches.
Rangiku unsheathed her zanpakuto.
"Bring it on." The boy got back to his feet. "I'll kick your ass."
"Hey, wait! What are you doing?" Rangiku tried to stop the soul.
"Let me go." The boy snapped. "You're in the way, old lady." Then ran towards the Hollow.
"Old lady…? You little brat." Rangiku huffed and charged at the Hollow using Flash Step.
The Hollow simply dodged the sword strike and leapt over to the hanging bars. The boy turned the other direction reaching the hanging bars, Rangiku noticed this.
"Hey, stop right there!" Rangiku Flash Step placing herself between the Hollow and the boy.
"I already told you, get out of the way, old lady." The boy called.
"You don't know what you're doing! That thing is not something you can handle." Rangiku went and attacked the Hollow again, only to have the Hollow grab her zanpakuto with its teeth.
The Hollow responded by releasing his Spiritual Pressure, surprising the Lieutenant.
'What is this Spiritual Pressure?' Rangiku thought as she winced from the Hollow that expanded its Spiritual Pressure to throw her off. 'This Spiritual Pressure its not a Hollow. It's... an Arrancar.'
"What are you?" She demanded, letting herself get thrown off into the air. "Your Spiritual Pressure is pretty tame for an Arrancar."
"Beat it." The revealed Arrancar spoke. "You're interrupting my meal."
The Arrancar looked down towards the boy, opening its mouth and revealed two glowing eyes which frightened him.
"Hurry run!" Rangiku yelled.
"Stay out of it!" The boy continued crawling up the upward monkey bars.
"What you crazy?" Rangiku Flash Step and grabbed the boy. "It isn't safe." Then Flash Step away back on the ground.
"Hey, let me go!" The boy struggled in Rangiku's hold.
The Arrancar leaped towards them but Rangiku leaped away, crashing into their previous spot. Rangiku then fled.
"Hey, let go! What you think you're doing?" The boy questioned. "Put me down."
Rangiku looked behind as she saw the Arrancar still on their trail. A battle cry was heard as Ikkaku came down from above and struck the Arrancar, shifting its attention.
Rangiku stopped running and looked behind. "Ikkaku."
Ikkaku spun Hozukimaru and the Arrancar swung its long spine-like tail at him, Ikkaku responded by cutting off a large chunk of his tail at the tip with a slash of Hozukimaru.
"Your done!" The Arrancar roared and rushed towards Ikkaku, a fist raised.
"No…you are!" Ikkaku quickly slashed the Arrancar across its mask and dissengerated.
"Ikkaku." Rangiku said.
"How boring." Ikkaku tsked, landing on the ground. "I wouldn't consider that a good warm-up."
Yumichika and Toshiro had arrived at the park, standing behind Rangiku and the boy.
"Huh, it looks like he was no match for Ikkaku." Yumichika added.
"Yumichika, Captain." Rangiku turned and faced them.
"We saw a sudden change in the Hollow's Spiritual Pressure pattern, so we hurried over here as fast as we could." Toshiro explained. "Rangiku, you let your guard down."
"I'm sorry, sir." Rangiku apologized. "But this little boy..."
"Your an old hag but you just got scolded by a kid." The Boy snorted.
Rangiku retaliated by suffocating the boy in her big, plump chest; something an old person wouldn't have. "Being called an old lady is one thing, but an old hag is a no no."
Once the boy's suffocation was over, Team Hitsugaya went over at what happened.
"Was that really an Arrancar?" Yumichika inquired, the assorted Shinigami gathered around.
"Yeah, but its Spiritual Pressure was murky." Ikkaku replied. "It wasn't fully mature yet."
"Whatever his level was, it was an Arrancar." Toshiro reminded. "Therefore we have to assume that Aizen sent him here intentionally."
"It's about time." Yumichika says.
"I'm reporting this to the Soul Society, right away." Toshiro adds.
"Fine. I'm going perform a Konso on this cocky little brat?" Rangiku asked.
"Did you say Konso, old lady?" The boy asked. "What's that?"
"It's a Soul Burial and enough with the old lady, you got it?" Rangiku said.
The boy groaned.
"Wait a minute, Rangiku." Toshiro stopped her. "I want to find out what he knows about the Arrancar first. You can take care of him later."
"Huh?...o.k if you say so Captain." Rangiku sighs.
"What…? Hey, kid your a Captain?" The boy asked.
"That's right." Toshiro responds.
The boy smiled. "I don't believe you, your almost the same age as me."
"Then again a Konso, sounds good." Toshiro regretted.
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(Suzuki Residence)
The Suzuki car drove up in the driveway, Asashi and Haruno enjoyed their Father and Daughter time. After leaving Café Hikari, they went to the stores around Karakura Town. they bought odds and ins, Asashi got something for his wife and Haruno…plushies to add to her collection.
The front door of the house opened, Asashi came through with two shopping bags, Haruno came behind with a single large bag that dragged across the ground; full of plushies of small and big.
"Going up to my room, Papa." Haruno called heading upstairs with her sack of stuffies.
"O.k." Asashi watched his daughter head upstairs.
Upon reaching her room, Haruno kicked the door open and flung her large bag into the room.
"Heads up!"
Di Roy, who long ago woke up from his nap and was reading a magazine, was suddenly hit with the heaving bag of plushies.
"Damn, what the hell is this!" He cursed.
Haruno closed the door and made her way over to Di Roy, who got out from under the bag.
"No, slacking henchman. We have to go through all my new plushies that Papa bought me."
Di Roy groaned, noticing a five inch plush that vaguely resembled him. Except the only visible eye was a swirl. The Dieciséis Arrancar had a staring contest with his little counterpart.
"Is this supposed to be me?"
Chuckling, Haruno bent over at a right angle. "They had a 'Create your Own Plush' corner. Couldn't resist and I must say I've done a pretty good job."
"This looks like you're making fun of me." Di Roy said.
"Quiet henchman."
"I'm not your henchman! Cry Baby!"
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(The Seireitei, 13th Division Soul Society)
On an outdoor hallway of the 13th Division was Ukitake and Kiyone.
"They sent a new Arrancar to the World of the Living." Ukitake said.
"Well… Captain Hitsugaya wasn't really sure what it was, so he requested our assessment." Kiyone said.
"Looks like Aizen is making his next move in Karakura Town." Ukitake figured.
"Then what should we do?" Kiyone asked.
"First we need to analyze the report, I'll takeover from here on out." Ukitake answered.
"Yes, I understand sir." Kiyone responds.
Ukitake grimaced, trying to understand Aizen's plan with this new Arrancar.
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(Orihime's Apartment)
Team Hitsugaya regrouped back at Orihime's apartment.
The boy groaned in frustration. "I don't understand all this crazy talk, Konsos and Soul Society. All I know you old guys are weird."
Yumichika pointed to himself. "Were not old…I wouldn't go far as calling us middle-aged."
"What he means is. To a little kid we look old, don't take things so literally." Ikkaku clarifies.
"No, he definitely meant it! There's something nasty about the way he says the word old." Yumichika burned with annoyance of being called old.
"Oh, brother." Ikkaku said. "Hey, listen kid."
"The shine on your head is blinding me, chromedome." The boy insults.
"Chrome…dome." Ikkaku repeated.
"Put on a wig or something." The boy said.
Ikkaku grabbed the boy in a choke hold. "What did you just say! How dare you talk to me like that, I haven't done anything to harm you..yet!"
"Hey, that's enough!" Rangiku shouts.
A cut to the boy rubbing his sore neck from Ikkaku's choke hold.
"Alright, look. We have a bunch of things to talk about and we don't need anymore of your smart-aleck answers. You got it?" Rangiku warns.
"Hmph." The boy huffed and looked away.
"After you answered all of our questions were be taking you to a place called the Soul Society." Rangiku said.
The boy looked at Rangiku. "Yeah, right. Well I'm not going."
"Don't be afraid, it's not a scary place. I promise." Rangiku assured.
"I don't care, I'm still not going." The boy said.
"Too bad, because those are the rules." Rangiku said.
"If I said I'm not going, then I'm not going." The boy argues. "Besides, there's still something I need to do."
Rangiku remembered the encounter between the Soul and Hollow.
"Let's change the subject. When that Arrancar first showed up, did you hear a strange whistling sound." Toshiro question.
"Yeah I did, it was really annoying." Ikkaku admitted.
"Well." Toshiro looked the boy.
"Yeah, I heard it." The boy replied.
"And did it say anything to you directly?" Toshiro asked.
"None, nothing at all." The boy snorted. "I was just minding my own business, when It showed up, started growling and attacked me."
"I see." Toshiro said.
"Looks like there's no point in asking anymore questions, doesn't look like the kid is going to be honest." Ikkaku said.
"Could just be a coincidence that he ran into the Arrancar when he did." Yumichika said.
"It is possible. Well, time perform the Konso." Toshiro decided.
"No, don't." The boy protested. "I still have some things to do around here, I don't want go anywhere yet."
Toshiro stood up. "Rules are rules, now don't make this hard on yourself."
"No don't! Ow, stop it. That hurts."
"Captain, wait. Please, hold on for a moment." Rangiku voiced. "I think this boy might be feeling confused and frightened at what just happened. Maybe he'll be willing to answer our questions in the morning."
"The old lady is right." The boy agrees.
"For now on, just lady would do." Rangiku had a tick mark.
The boy chuckled..
"Fine then." Toshiro relented. "Rangiku, from here on you're in charge of him."
"Thank you very much Captain." Rangiku thanked.
"Oh, that's great. Just be careful what you wish for." Ikkaku warns.
"Well, at any rate. Until we can figure out exactly what Aizen is up to, all of us need to be on full alert. Eyes open, guard up." Toshiro said.
"Right." Ikkaku and Yumichika responds.
The boy felt a little frighten.
"Were head on back then." Ikkaku said.
(Later That Night)
Toshiro, Rangiku and the boy were asleep in futons, the boy awoke and looked at Rangiku's zanpakuto before quietly grabbing it and leaving the apartment. The boy ran down the streets.
"I can definitely do it, if I have this." He said.
"Definitely do what?"
The boy stopped running and looked behind to see Rangiku, standing behind him.
"Get away from me!" The boy cried.
"Hey, you can't just take other people's things without permission." Rangiku retorted, grabbing the boy who had snuck off with her zanpakutō.
"Oh, mean you are a stingy old lady." The boy insults.
Rangiku responded by pulling his cheek.
"Hey, knock it off. That hurts."
"My name is Rangiku Matsumoto, got it? It's not old lady…you can call me Rangiku." Rangiku explains.
"O.k." The boy replies as Rangiku let go of his cheek.
"Now then, What you planning on doing, after taking my sword?" Rangiku asked.
"It's none of your business, o.k. It doesn't concern you." The boy answered, rubbing his hurt cheek.
"It absolutely concerns me. An important part of our jobs as Soul Reapers is to protect Souls, like you, from all kinds of danger." Rangiku held up her zanpakuto. "These swords are just as important to us Soul Reapers, as our very own lives. You wouldn't like it very much, if I took something important from you without permission. Now would you?"
"Hm." The boy groaned.
"O.k, then apologize." Rangiku said.
"Huh?" The boy was surprised.
"When you do something bad, you apologize by saying your sorry," Rangiku explains. "Well, I'm waiting! Apologize!"
"O.k o.k. I'm sorry." The boy apologized.
"Sorry Rangiku." Rangiku corrects.
"Rangiku." The boy said.
"There that's much better." Rangiku smiled.
Rangiku and the boy started walking back to Orihime's apartment.
"By the way, what's your name?" Rangiku asked.
The boy grimaced.
"Do you have any family?" Rangiku asked.
The boy stayed silent.
"What were you doing in a place like that?" Rangiku asked, getting no response from the boy. "Not much of a conversationalist…tell me, what this thing is, you still need to do?"
The boy stopped walking. "There's someone I'm looking for."
"Who?" Rangiku wondered.
"I got to find her, no matter what." The boy said.
Rangiku became intrigued. "Who is it?"
The boy didn't respond, Rangiku walked in front of the boy, crouching down and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Things are going get dangerous in this town, more monsters like that last one could suddenly reappear here at any given moment. Trust me there is no way, you can stand up to one of them." Rangiku informs telling the boy, the hard truth.
The boy looked surprised.
"Look can you at least tell me, your name?" Rangiku asks.
"Shōta."
Rangiku was surprised.
"I'm Shōta Toyokawa." Shōta introduced himself.
"Oh, I see. Shōta, huh?" Rangiku said.
The eerie ocarina whistle began playing.
"It's that sound." Shōta recognized the ocarina whistle.
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In the city, on a tall building. The same Arrancar was there and chuckled.
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"That same Spiritual Pressure..." Rangiku was on the alert. "Just like the Arrancar from earlier today."
(Suzuki Residence)
Haruno was fast asleep in bed, her many new plushies decorated her bed. Beside her was plushie Di Roy, outside, the real Di Roy was perched on the rooftop and hearing the eerie flute sound.
"Guess no Hollow hunting tonight," Di Roy was cleaning his ear with his index finger. "Those Soul Reapers are moving around."
Di Roy felt the Spiritual Pressure of another Arrancar.
"Rookie. He'll end up dead, he's not totally an Arrancar level in strength."
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"Shōta, be a good boy and head back to the house now. I'm going to find out where that noise is coming from." Rangiku informed the Plus Soul.
"Then I'm going too." Shōta insisted.
"Listen, you can't keep doing this." Rangiku said but paused as she realized something. 'Wait, if there was one Arrancar in the area there might be more nearby.'
"O.k Shōta, you can come with me but you have to promise to stay close.," She relented.
"Huh? Sure Rangiku. I promise" Shōta agrees.
"Then let's get going."
"O.k."
Rangiku and Shōta headed towards the Arrancar's location.
(In the City)
A BusinessMan Soul is seen running away in panic, behind the Arrancar appeared and the eerie whistle began playing as the Soul suddenly halted.
"Ha ha ha." The Arrancar laughed.
The Soul turned around, coming face to face with the Arrancar, the Soul became frightened.
"No, stop! Help me!" Almost against his will, the Soul walked towards the Arrancar. "Please, don't do this. No!"
The Soul held up his briefcase as a shield against the Arrancar.
"Don't move!" Rangiku arrived on the scene seeing the same Arrancar. "It looks the same and its Spiritual Pressure is exactly like the other one."
The Arrancar turned his attention to Rangiku, allowing the Soul to escape but not far. Focusing back on the Soul, the Arrancar grabbed the Soul in its mouth.
"Let him go." Rangiku orders.
The Arrancar ignored her and devoured the Soul.
"Damn it!" Rangiku jumped to slash the Arrancar but it dodge.
Shōta came running up to Rangiku. "Rangiku!"
"Stay right where you are!" Rangiku ordered then Flash Step away after the Arrancar, landing on a rooftop across the Arrancar.
"Hahaha, I feel the power growing in me." The Arrancar chuckled, becoming surrounded by red Spiritual Pressure and crackling electricity too.
"What's going on here? I was standing right there when Ikkaku killed you," Rangiku said then a thought came into mind. "Is it possible there's more than one of you?"
"Haha, who knows." The Arrancar started standing on its hind-legs.
Suddenly a rock was thrown at the Arrancar, revealing to be Shōta doing it.
"Take that! You big jerk!"
"Shōta, no!" Rangiku called.
Glowing eyes appeared in the Arrancar's mouth then fired a red blast towards Shōta. Knocking the boy in the air.
"Shōta!" Rangiku exclaims.
Luckily Shōta was caught by Toshiro, who appeared on the scene.
"Captain." Rangiku said in relief.
"Take him out." Toshiro said simply.
"Yes Captain." Rangiku responds, turning her focus back to the Arrancar and engaging the Arrancar. "Growl, Haineko." her blade turned into a stream of dust and headed towards the Arrancar falling to the ground.
Toshiro Flash Step beside the Arrancar, zanpakuto drawn and resting against its neck. Keeping it at bay. "It's over for you. Rangiku, we're taking this one alive "
"Understood Captain." Rangiku nods.
The Arrancar chuckled.
"What you laughing about?" Toshiro frowned.
"You don't think you really caught me, do you?" The Arrancar mocked then started laughing.
Across them appeared another look-alike.
"Another one?" Rangiku echoed when a similar Arrancar jumped in. "How many are there?" she frowned when another Arrancar joined in.
"Were just getting started." The Arrancar laughed.
"What the?" Toshiro's eyes widened when a wave of similar-looking Arrancar surrounded them.
"They're identical, now it makes sense." Rangiku noted.
Shōta gotten frightened by the increased Arrancars and started running away, which made Arrancar chase him.
"Haineko!" Rangiku attacked the Arrancar chasing Shōta.
"It doesn't matter how many of us you kill." The Arrancar mocked, surrounding the two Squad 10 commanding officers and split itself in front of them.
"What the..." Toshiro gasped when the Arrancar split itself.
Rangiku was surprised herself.
"This is Yumichika." Yumichika voiced over Rangiku's earpiece. "We've encountered a large group of these things. We detected the same Spiritual Pressure that we felt earlier today. Ikkaku and I followed it to the source and now were completely surrounded by them. Can you explain to us, what the hell is going on here? Come on, I thought Ikkaku killed this guy already?"
"So did we." Rangiku agreed. "I think we got a similar situation on our hands...""
"Ikkaku, Yumichika, we're fighting another group here." Toshiro informed. "They can multiply. Exterminate them immediately. Kill them all."
Both sides began killing the multiply Arrancar that have appear, Toshiro and Rangiku went separate ways to keep Shōta safe who was being carried by Rangiku. Headed into the park from earlier
"You have nowhere to run." The group of Arrancar cornered Rangiku and Shōta under a tree in the park they were fighting in earlier that afternoon. "It's over."
Rangiku placed a protective arm in front of Shōta of the crowding Arrancar before they leaped forward to attack.
"Now Captain!" Rangiku called.
"Hey, you're the ones with nowhere to go." Toshiro jumped in from the jungle gym. "Rest over the frosted heavens, Hyōrinmaru!" He summoned his Shikai and took out the wave of Arrancar in one massive attack.
"Captain, that was incredible." Rangiku praised.
"Awesome." Shōta awed.
Ikkaku and Yumichika rejoined the group.
"Yumichika, Ikkaku are you both alright?" Rangiku asked.
"Heh, are you kidding me? Those guys may look tough, we barely broke a sweat." Ikkaku said confidently.
"But still, having to deal with so many of them at once was somewhat annoying." Yumichika comments.
Shōta noticed something and walked away from the group.
"It's too bad, I wanted to capture at least one of them alive." Toshiro voiced.
Upon getting closer Shōta noticed someone sitting on a nearby bench.
"Huh, could that be..." Shōta ran over.
"Shōta, what is it?" Rangiku ran after him.
Sitting on the bench was a girl with brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a pink dress and red shoes, and keeps her hair in two ponytails with two yellow bands.
Shōta walked closer and crouched down in front of the girl, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Yui Yui Yui Yuii." Shōta called knowing this girl.
"Shōta, what's wrong?" Rangiku asked, catching up to him.
"This is her, this is my sister, Yui." Shōta informed Rangiku.
"What?" Rangiku looked surprised.
"Yui…Yui." Shōta tried waking his sister up.
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(Next Morning)
"AAAAHHHHH!"
In the Suzuki Residence, a loud scream emitted from the household. In the living room, revealed Di Roy rolling across the floor holding his helmet-like mask which had a visible red mark where the bandaid was originally was and proven to be correct as Haruno held it in her hand.
"Stop yelling, henchmen. I only removed the bandaid and besides, doesn't your Hierro protect you from sharp objects?" Haruno questioned tossing the bandaid away.
Di Roy sat up with an annoyed look. "It still hurts."
"Now who's the Cry Baby?" Haruno teased.
"Grrr…" Di Roy growled then looked away.
Haruno chuckles, "Come on, henchmen." grabbing the scarf end and dragging the Arrancar away. "Let's get breakfast."
Di Roy allowed himself to be drag across the floor.
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(Orihime's Apartment)
Yui laid in bed on the floor with Shōta, Rangiku and Toshiro; who were back in their Gigais.
"There's nothing…unusual about this girl from what I can tell." Rangiku gave Yui a look-over. "She's a normal soul."
"I see." Toshiro said.
"It's alright, Yui, were safe here." Shōta assured. "Everything is going be o.k."
"When you refused the Konso, it wasn't because you were scared, Was it? You wanted to go find your sister?" Toshiro realized the reason Shōta refused the Konso.
Shōta didn't reply looking sad.
"Shōta, please tell us what happened?" Rangiku pressed.
"We just left, we were all in the car. Mom and Dad were up front and we were in the back. Going to the amusement park" Shōta remembered the car accident. "When I woke up, this chain was attached to my chest and I knew my mom and dad were gone."
"So, that's why you were so determined to find your sister." Toshiro concluded.
Shōta nods.
Yui started waking up.
"Your awake." Shōta said. "Yui..do you remember who I am?"
"My big brother." Yui remembers.
"You remembered, your o.k." Shōta smiled.
"Now all we need to do is figure out why she suddenly appeared out of nowhere, back there in that park?" Toshiro wondered. "Do you have any idea how that happened?"
"I uhm.." Shōta seemed conflicted on answering.
"It's o.k, you can tell us." Rangiku urged.
The monitor started buzzing then the 13th Squad Captain fizzled on screen.
"Jushiro?" Toshiro blinked.
"Captain Hitsugaya, sounds as if you had your hands full down there." Jushiro noted.
"Have you found something out?" Rangiku remarked. "Tell us, what it is?"
"It has to do with the Arrancars you encountered." Jushiro replied. "Since I'm not fully qualified to talk about this, I let someone from the department of Research and Development explain things."
"Good afternoon, Captain Hitsugaya. My name is Akon, according to reports we received. The Arrancar you defeated had reappeared." Akon took over.
"Yes, it has the power to duplicate. Which I witnessed myself." Toshiro informs. "We were able to lure them all to a central location and kill them, but I'm not sure that's the end of it."
"I'll be surprised if it was Captain." Akon comments.
"What you found out?" Rangiku asked, standing beside her Captain.
"When I analyzed the Spiritual Pressure in the area, each of them had the same exact Spiritual Pressure as the first Arrancar-like creature. So what you encountered were not separate Arrancars that were created through duplication but rather multiple parts which combined and formed a single entity." Akon confirmed.
"So, your saying they all share a single consciousness?" Toshiro reasoned.
"Yes. if our theory is correct. This Arrancar is able to utilize multiple clones at the sametime, giving it the ability to absorb a large number of Souls very quickly." Akon explains.
"It sounds to me like they're working like a team," Rangiku compared.
"True, we think the main body is probably hiding somewhere safe, while issuing orders to the clones." Akon admitted.
"That makes it tough." Toshiro admits.
"Well, is there anything we can do to figure out the location of the nest?" Rangiku asked.
"We've been trying but it's difficult to pinpoint, in your report, you mention a whistling sound. Is that right? Just before the Arrancars appear?" Akon read.
"Yes, it's almost a flute-like sound. We always heard it before the Arrancar shows up." Rangiku describes. "The sound seems to have an effect on the Soul, giving the Arrancar control over the victims movements."
"I'm hoping when we analyze the sound will give us some sort of clue. Perhaps tell us where the Arrancar will appear." Akon figures.
"Thank you." Toshiro said, after Akon turned off the communication. "This just gets more and more complicated."
(Later)
After Toshiro and Rangiku brought Ikkaku and Yumichika up to speed on the Arrancar and situation at hand before Toshiro, Ikkakua and Yumichika spread out throughout the city on lookout for the Arrancar.
Out of his Gigai, Toshiro stood on a telephone pole. Ikkaku running across various rooftops and Yumichika looks through the streets below.
(Afternoon - Orihime's Apartment)
Shōta and Yui leaned against the wall.
"Shōta." Yui mumbled in her sleep.
Shōta blinked, a bit surprised that Yui would mumble his name.
Pretty soon the afternoon turned into night time, Rangiku just finished taking a bath and came into Orihime's kitchen.
"That felt so good, nothing like a hot bath before going out on patrol." Rangiku said, pulling out a carton of milk.
Hearing a soft jingle, Rangiku found Shōta in the room.
"Hey, how's Yui?" Rangiku asked.
"She's still sleeping." Shōta responds with a sad tone.
Rangiku walked over to Shōta, crouching in front of him. "Tell me, what's going on? Aren't you happy to have your sister back again."
"Mm-hm." Shōta nods.
"Come on, there's something your not telling me." Rangiku noticed. "Shōta, I saw your face when my Captain asked you what happened in the park. How Yui just appeared like that?"
Shōta still didn't respond, jumping a little when Rangiku placed her hands on his shoulders.
"It's o.k. Maybe if you tell me about it, maybe I can help you." She offered.
Shōta seemed unsure if he should tell, then looked away. "It's nothing, really."
"You can tell me, Shōta." Rangiku urged.
"STOP ASKING!" Shōta shouts. "It's none of your business."
Rangiku was surprised by Shōta's outburst but the sound of something sliding open caught their attention and flinging the door open, the pair realized Yui was missing. Seeing the window open
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(In The Streets)
The eerie whistling was heard as a female soul was seeing walking. A red glow came up ahead.
"What's going on? Something controlling my body." The female Soul, against her will, continued to walk forward. "Who is it?"
"Heh heh ha ha ha!" The Arrancar laughed before devouring the Soul.
Her screams reached the Soul Reaper's ears.
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'It's back' Toshiro thought.
Ikkaku and Yumichika headed towards the direction. Each one coming upon The Arrancar clones who escaped.
Toshiro, Ikkaku and Yumichika met up in the air.
"Split up and surround them." Toshiro ordered Ikkaku and Yumichika in the air.
"Right." The two responded and got to work.
However, unaware to the group. A magsim cloud began to form above in the sky.
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(Park)
"Yui!" Shōta ran back to the park with Rangiku in tow.
"Shōta, how can you be so sure she's here?" Rangiku asked.
"Just know..." Shōta replied.
Rangiku then felt Arrancar's Spiritual Pressure. 'Huh? That's it, its the Arrancar.'
Shōta sped up leaving Rangiku behind.
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(Streets)
Toshiro followed after one of the clone Arrancar.
"Wait!" He called.
Toshiro lost track of the Arrancar, landing on a telephone pole, trying to spot him.
"Where it go?" Toshiro pulled out his Denreishinki, the screen didn't show the Arrancar's location. Closing it up, Toshiro noticed a male Soul huddled in the alleyway and jumped down from across him. "Hey."
The male Soul became scared.
"Your o.k. It's gone, everything's gonna be alright." Toshiro reassured. "Did you see a monster?"
The male Soul looked away.
"You don't have to worry, I'm not gonna let it hurt you." Toshiro promised.
The male Soul hugged himself, shaking his head.
"No use, damn." Toshiro cursed.
Toshiro then walked away from the trembling Soul, however, he was unaware of the male smiling maliciously.
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(Park)
"Shōta!" Rangiku called. Finally catching up to the boy. "Shōta, wait a minute. It's too dangerous for us here. We got to go."
"I won't leave." Shota said.
"Come on, we have to go back home and let the others find Yui." Rangiku said.
"I'm not going back." Shōta said turning to Rangiku. "Not without Yui, she's my sister I got protect her."
"Listen to me, you got to." Rangiku paused when she heard the swings creak.
Shōta heard it too and looked behind to see Yui, swinging on the swings.
sped up and stopped when he heard the swing creak.
"Yui." Shōta said.
"How did she..." Rangiku gaped.
Shōta ran over to his sister "Yui, why did you leave the house?" he asked.
"I don't know why I left?." Yui replied. "I just wanted to come here is all."
Rangiku joined the siblings.
"Shōta, now that your with me. I feel a lot better." Yui smiled. "I don't have to be afraid anymore."
"It's my fault. I ran away." Shōta said.
"Huh?" Rangiku raised an eyebrow.
"I ran away and left my sister all alone, it's all my fault." Shōta admitted.
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