A/N: PLEASE READ, the following will help confusion:
"This is thinking and/or zanpakutou dialogue."
"(This is Japanese speech only around English speakers.)"
"This is regular English speech."
Thank you.
Chapter One: Sticks and Stones
After packing a few belongings into his duffel bag, Ichigo hauled his stuff over his shoulder and headed downstairs. Today was finally the appointed date of departure much to Ichigo's dismay, and he could only surmise what would happen next- considering he had almost no idea what lay ahead of him. How hard could magic be? The following hour consisted of the family farewells that involved shouting, fighting, threatening, and finally hugging. Once it was over, Ichigo found himself idly walking towards Urahara Shoten's.
The lights were still on in the little run down shop, and Ichigo didn't bother to knock before barging through the doors.
"I'm here," Ichigo announced unenthused.
Urahara appeared from the back of the store, garbed in his usual stripped hat and wooden clogs.
"It's 8:30pm, you're a little late, Kurosaki," Kisuke grinned.
"Urusai. Tell that to my dad, Geta Boshi. He wouldn't let go of my leg," Ichigo growled.
Urahara chuckled at his statement and said, "Well, it seems like you'll be missed. Come with me, everyone's waiting downstairs."
Ichigo followed the shopkeeper and they descended through the trap door that led to the underground training basement. Soon enough they were exposed to an artificial blue sky that overlooked a familiar rocky terrain.
Kisuke casually asked, "I'm hoping you brushed up on your English?"
"English is a required class in high school, it's not like I have a choice in learning it," Ichigo shrugged.
"Excellent, excellent…That will make things less complicated," He grinned.
His comment brought up a question and Ichigo asked Urahara curiously, "If we're not taking the senkaimon, explain to me how you're going to transport my body to England?"
"Well, you see, the Research department has studied a variety of teleportation methods, which are commonly practiced among wizards. The method we are using is called a 'port-key'. It's an intriguing phenomenon, and although it's not very useful to shinigamis, it proves to be helpful when transporting humans and gigais," Urahara answered efficiently.
Ichigo vaguely remembered seeing something about a 'port-key' while scanning his mission files and imagined some sort of crude machine that consisted of hazardous wires protruding dangerously through metal crevices.
This uneasy visual promted him to ask, "Has it been tested yet?"
With a bit of hesitance- which was never a good sign, Kisuke lied, "Well...yes, of course."
Ichigo stared suspiciously at the shopkeeper and decided he did not believe a word of it. He was about to ask another question, however a propelling kick interrupted his inquiry, causing Ichigo to drop his suitcase and tumble to the ground. Gingerly nursing his bruised cheek, Ichigo peered down to see who had assaulted him, but it didn't surprise him when he beheld a raven haired midget. The girl stood straight with two hands placed on her hips, and she carried a smug expression along with a vivacious light in her eyes.
Feeling his temper rise, Ichigo cursed, "Arewa! What was that for?"
Rukia shrugged and simply replied, "No reason, I just felt like it. Got a problem, Strawberry?"
"Teme...who died and made you queen," The substitute shinigami growled.
The short girl quipped, "Don't be such a baby! It's not like you're bleeding."
"I am not being a baby! I just don't like getting kicked in the face, that's all," Ichigo shouted.
Rukia retorted, "Well if you didn't want to get bruised then you should have blocked it, Bakamono!"
A loud argument ensued before a very irritated Toshiro, and he finally shouted, "Enough you two! I swear to Kami, if I have to babysit, someone will die."
Rukia reluctantly ceased her attacks, however not before delivering a final punch to Ichigo's arm. Ichigo scowled as he felt new bruises forming under his skin, accompanied with a mysterious migraine that the raven haired shinigami always seemed to bring.
After shooting a dirty look at the midget, he glanced over to Toshiro and casually greeted him, "Yo, didn't see you Toshiro."
A mutual greeting was about to form on Toshiro's lips before his face turned sour, "Dammit Kurosaki, how many times to I have to tell you! It's Hitsugaya Taichou!"
Kisuke interrupted before anyone else could argue, "Calm down. Now that we have exchanged our pleasant greetings, we shall move forward."
He gestured everyone to follow him, and promptly stopped before a large fist shaped rock that sat stiffly on the floor.
"This is the port-key," Kisuke smiled proudly.
Ichigo scowled incredulously, "How is a rock suppose to transport us to England?"
"Well, Kurosaki kun, if you would have read your mission file, then you wouldn't have to ask me that question now would you? But seeing as you didn't, you'll just have to be left in the dark for the moment," The shopkeeper chided.
Kisuke turned to the rest of the group and instructed, "Now I will count to three, and when I do so I need everyone to hold on to the rock, understood?"
Ichigo looked disbelieving as if the whole world had gone mad, but the other shinigamis nodded in comprehension.
Urahara beamed mischievously, "Whatever you do, don't let go! Okay then, one...two…three!"
Ichigo scoffed as he followed everyone else's movements and took hold of the ridiculous rock, not expecting anything to happen. However, the moment he touched it, his surroundings became a blend of colors and a bizarre sensation overcame his body. His initial instinct was to let go, but it was as if his hand were glued on to the rock and he was unable to move. Ichigo suppressed a gasp as he felt himself being lifted off the ground, creating an unsettling feeling in his stomach as everything started to spin out of control. The spinning caused his body to lift, and at the same time his head might have split into two. Just as swiftly Ichigo was hurtling downward with lightening speed, and he shut his eyes to block out the confusion. All the while he called out curse words to a certain shopkeeper, reminding himself to never come across anything approved by Urahara. Suddenly everything came to a halting stop, and the three shinigamis crashed to the cobblestone ground. His knees buckled under the impact of the force as he slowly opened his eyes and he tried to adjust. Ichigo dropped the rock and took an unsteady step backwards, still feeling the effects of dizziness. He vaguely realized that the sun was shining brightly overhead, contrary to Japan, and he assumed that it was early in the afternoon.
Toshiro was the first to speak, "That was defiantly an unpleasant experience."
Ichigo was still attempting to understand his surroundings, but because of the objects that were still moving around him, it was hard for him to do. Eventually Ichigo regained his bearings, and surmised that he was currently stationed in a lonely alley, close to the loud cacophony of civilization. Soon enough, he spotted people garbed in colorful cloaks passing by, chattering a language foreign to his ears.
With his mood already deteriorating, Ichigo knew that he was going to have a hell of a time touring around this bizarre country.
He stared for a moment before saying, "What the hell are we suppose to do now?"
"We're here to gather our supplies. Didn't you read anything in the directions," Rukia rolled her eyes and handed Ichigo a piece of paper.
Ichigo snatched it out of Rukia's grasp and scowled at the yellow parchment in his hand, the very seed of his annoyance. Neat green letters were printed on the paper were a list of questionable items needed to be purchased. The first thing it said they needed was a wand. A what?
Toshiro glanced over and said, "Is there a problem, Kurosaki?"
Ichigo showed Toshiro the list and frowned, "Well, how are we supposed to know where to find all of this?"
Toshiro overviewed the list and produced a confounded expression.
"Hm, this might prove a little challenging," The short Taichou muttered.
Rukia scoffed, "Men…"
"Look, it's not really that hard. We could start by looking around, and it won't kill us if we ask for directions," She offered.
Rukia asked, "Ichigo, don't you have money in the package you received?"
"What? Oh…um sure," He fumbled around in his duffel bag for the sack of anomalous coins.
They approached the side of the cobblestone street with luggage in tow, observing the flow of traffic. Ichigo stared as wizards carried magical miscellaneous objects up and down the alley, Diagon Alley to be more precise.
"What are we waiting for? I doubt they'll bite," Rukia rolled her eyes.
Ichigo glared at his raven haired companion, he was about to make a retort, however Toshiro said, "Come on let's go this way."
Dispersing the irritation for the moment, he allowed himself to be pushed into the crowd. The group received strange looks upon their appearance, but it was quickly ignored after Ichigo shot irritated glares towards the curious passerby. As they continued to walked down the street, Ichigo couldn't help but feel a tug of curiosity at the odd displays and mysterious knickknacks that occupied the wizarding community. He was rather apprehensive upon entering the curious stores that lined the street, feeling more out of place than usual. After scanning the signs, he struggled to translate the words until he came to one he recognized.
Ollivander's: Makers of Fine wands since 382 B.C.
He pointed out the store to his companions, and they steered themselves towards the entrance. A small bell rang as Ichigo, Rukia, and Toshiro walked into the dark, dusty store. Upon contact, Ichigo felt the shimmer of reiatsu pulsing through the air and blinked in surprise. He glanced at his companions, and a look of acknowledgement passed between them. At first glance the store appeared to be empty, which added to the mysterious atmosphere.
After a short moment, Ichigo cleared his throat and he attempted to speak his first words of English, "Ano...Hello?"
His words hung empty in the room as he waited impatiently for a response. Finally, a wispy haired man popped his head through a back door, followed by a faint trace of reiatsu that all witches and wizards seemed to carry.
In a withered voice, the ancient man spoke, "Good Afternoon. May I help you children?"
Ichigo nodded, "We need to purchase a...wand."
The man smiled and curiously scanned the three, "Of course, of course… Who will be needing a wand?"
"All three of us, sir," Ichigo appealed.
"Oh, well in that case, might I ask what happened to your previous one?" The wand maker asked Ichigo with direct curiosity.
"Ano, is my first time," He said uncomfortably.
"Hmm, you seem a bit old to be receiving your first wand," The old man scratched his chin.
Ichigo attempted to make up an excuse, but was interrupted by the old man as he excitedly said, "No matter, let's get started!"
"I will begin with you young man," The wand maker addressed Toshiro.
A tape measure flew into the wand maker's hand, and Ichigo stared with amusement as it began to measure a very startled Toshiro. While the enchanted object continued to record arbitrary measurements, the old man retreated to the back room in search for something in particular.
He reappeared with a single box in his hand and said, "I'm positive this one will be a perfect match. I daresay the wand is quite powerful, especially in such talented hands. Polished yew, dragon heartstring, nine inches, rigid…go on, give it a wave."
The wand was a smooth white texture with a distinct carving of a dragon coiling along the body. Ichigo suppressed a snicker, watching as Toshiro looked dubiously at the wand before taking the handle in his own. However, there was no mistaking the shift of power once his fingers curled around the wand, and even Ichigo could see the white tendrils as Toshiro's reiatsu escaped rapidly from the tip. Suddenly, frost grew from the base of the handle and began to encase the wand in scales of ice until it glowed blue.
Toshiro only stared in shock, seeming to be trapped in his own world before blinking back to reality, and only then did the ice broke apart and collapsed to the floor.
The old man smiled in awe, "Marvelous, young man! Would you please tell me your name?"
"You may call me Hitsugaya Toshiro," He said after the initial shock faded away.
"My name is Olivander, it's a pleasure to meet you, Hitsugaya," Olivander handed him the box.
Payment was made after the exchange before the wand maker approached Rukia, "And you must be next young lady."
"You may call me Rukia, Olivander san," Rukia said politely.
He nodded graciously, "Nice to meet you, dear."
She went through the same process of measuring, however Rukia was better at masking her emotions and she seemed rather unperturbed. Olivander stood silently a few feet away and made mental notes the entire time. Afterwards he shuffled through the shelves of boxes before pulling out a rather dusty parcel and offering it to her.
"This one should do the trick, it has quite the personality. Yew, frosted unicorn hair, ten inches, supple," He smiled confidently.
Once the wand was taken out of it's case, Ichigo found the wand quite beautiful, eerily much like her zanpakutou. It was a pure white, displaying detailed embellishments around the handle that reminded a person of drifting snowflakes that danced to the ambience of silence. Rukia curiously stared at the wand before gingerly wrapping her hand around it. A connection was made directly at contact, and a spell of snow billowed freely at the end of her wand, causing Ichigo to shiver with the constant outbreak of cold. She stood still as a swirl of white reiatsu circled her, and after a few moments Rukia blinked and smiled brightly at her new wand.
"This is quite grand! Two very powerful wands, and both yew…I'm interested to see which wand will choose you…" Olivander laid his eyes on Ichigo at last.
Ichigo scowled while the measurements commenced, and the old man observed him curiously through his spectacles before resting his chin thoughtfully in his hands.
"Well isn't this unusual, let's see..." He headed towards the back of the room and returned with half a dozen boxes.
He pulled out the first one, "Cedar, dragon heartstring, ten inches. Whippy. Go on, give it a wave..."
Ichigo tentatively waved his hand. A second later a section of the store burst into black flames.
Ichigo grew wide eyed as he stuttered, "G-Gomen!"
Olivander shook his hand, "Don't worry, my store is enchanted with protective charms. It shouldn't be a problem." A moment later, the flames went out, and the store returned to normal.
He heard Rukia snicker behind his back, and Ichigo delivered a indignant glare.
The old man ignored it, "Try another one, Vinewood, unicorn tail hair. Thirteen inches."
This time, a glass vase exploded in a corner of a room, which prompted Olivander to snatch the wand out of his hands, "No, not that one either... let's see, Birch and phoenix feather, eleven inches..."
This continued for quite some time, however as the number of inadequate wands increased, so did Olivander's enthusiasm.
The wand maker inspected the orange headed boy closely, "Tricky customer, tricky customer...I have a question young man. Are you familiar with spirits?"
Unsure of how to respond, Ichigo glanced at the other two shinigamis before tentatively answering, "...Yes, sir."
"Very interesting," Olivander murmured.
The old man continued, "I sense you've had many encounters with death for such a young boy."
This time Ichigo broke into an ominous grin, "You have no idea."
The wand maker raised an eyebrow, "Interesting...what is your name young man?"
The orange headed teen replied, "Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Nice to meet you," The old man smiled kindly.
Olivander mused for a few minutes until he reached a final conclusion, "I believe I've finally figured you out Mr. Kurosaki."
Olivander stepped into the back of the store in search if the right wand, not reappearing for a while. Ichigo was almost prepared to go look for Olivander san, however the wand maker strolled out of the shadows with a white rectangular box.
Implementing a curious tone, he said, "Here, a highly peculiar combination; yew and dementor's essence, thirteen inches. Rigid. Give it a wave..."
The wand was a dark onyx that was crafted plainly, however, just staring at the object sent a peculiar chill running through his blood. Something about it beckoned a dark force from him, so with curiosity, he reached out for the handle. The touch was immobilizing as a sudden electrifying shock gripped him, and he felt a burst of energy break through the wand's barrier. A cannon of black and red sparks shot forth from the tip of the wand, causing Ichigo to almost jump in surprise.
"Excellent! Just as I suspected," The man beamed.
He continued, "Mr. Kurosaki...very unusual wand, but then again, a very unusual owner..."
Olivander gave Ichigo a very thoughtful look, "Where are three from again?"
"Um, Japan, sir," Ichigo stated.
"Foreigners, eh? You seem very unusual indeed... your wand is purely spiritual, and very dark. The wood of yew represents death, combined with the essence of a dementor...almost disturbing I would say," Olivander frowned.
"You three are definitely not normal…I can tell from your wands," Olivander smiled calmly at them.
He then turned to face Ichigo and gazed intensely at him with his murky blue eyes.
"Mr. Kurosaki, you're a hybrid aren't you? Part human, part spirit...part evil," the wand maker concluded.
Rukia and Toshiro both were startled at Olivander's accusation, and Ichigo made an attempt to deny the fact.
Olivander smiled, "Yes you are. This would be the very first time I've encountered a unique being such as yourself."
"Oh how very intriguing! I would love to question you, but that might serve some problems. Some things are meant to be kept a secret after all," The old man rambled.
"How can you make such a statement," Toshiro frowned suspiciously.
Olivander chuckled, "Whom the wand chooses reveals the persons' true nature."
Left in shock, Ichigo muttered uncomfortably, "Do you...mind keeping all of this a secret?"
"Oh of course, lad," He chuckled.
Ichigo sighed in relief, "Arigatou, Olivander san."
Olivander said, "Not a problem, now, your purchase will be twenty galleons."
Ichigo reached for the money his small burlap sack and asked with uncertainty, "The gold ones right?"
The wand maker nodded as he received the money, "If you need anything at all, Mr. Kurosaki, you know where to find me."
"I appreciate it, Olivander-san," Ichigo grabbed his bag and spun around to leave.
Rukia and Toshiro exited the dingy shop first and Ichigo was about to follow them before Olivander said, "Mr. Kurosaki."
With his hand on the door handle, Ichigo turned to face the old man again, "Yes."
"You have great potential…however, beware of the dark, it could possess you," he warned eerily.
"Don't worry, Olivander san. I can take care of myself," Ichigo reassured him.
He left the small shop and entered the street once again, musing about the wand maker's departing words.
"(Like I haven't heard that before,)" Ichigo muttered to himself.
Rukia found herself perplexed and asked, "(How do you think he knew about us?)"
"(Who knows? Maybe it was just instinct,)" Ichigo shrugged.
"(Well let's hope that no one else finds out, otherwise this mission could very well fail,)" Toshiro frowned.
Ichigo shook his head, "(Don't worry yourself over it, Toshiro.)"
Toshiro began to scold him again, but Ichigo simply ignored it as he took out the list again and said, "Well, what's next?"
The next few hours was spent dashing up and down Diagon Alley as the trio collected books, supplies, and robes. However, a small delay kept them behind schedule.
"(You don't need a freakin' rabbit, so just give up already,)" Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to drag Rukia away from the Pet Emporium.
Rukia batted his hand away and raced back to the cage where a white rabbit nibbled on a chunk of celery, "(But just look at it! Does it not look like Chappy?)"
"(I didn't even know Chappy was a rabbit! It's not like I can tell what the hell your drawing are,)" Ichigo shouted.
Rukia spun around and stomped on Ichigo's feet, "(You take that back!)"
A cold aura caused the arguing to stop and Toshiro spoke quietly, "(This is not the time to be yelling. Rukia, you are not buying the rabbit. Now you two follow me, or we will be late for the train, and then I will be very, very, upset.)"
The two paled significantly before picking up their things and stepping away from caged animals.
Toshiro sighed and checked his soul pager, "(The train will depart in an hour, we should right leave now.)"
A/N: Wow, that was a long chapter! Sorry if it had a crappy ending, but I was too tired to write anything else. Thank you everyone who reviewed, I didn't expect to get so much feedback. Oh, and sorry for the postponed update, I was busy writing Apocalypse on Nightmare Street. It's my other fanfic story, and I encourage everyone to read it! But anyway, please tell me what you thought of this chapter because I'm always eager to hear your comments, flames, and suggestions.
I'm a pyromaniac, so flames are welcome.
Review kudasai