Hello! *Jumps onto a stage* Welcome to the next chapter and I wanted to thank everyone who review the last chapter, really I love reading your responses since its makes me feel all warm inside... that came out wrong.
Anyways Miss Yoruichi if you kindly would.
*Yoruichi appears under a spotlight sitting with a young Toshiro sleeping on her lap with his head on her shoulder*
Yoruichi: Sure, Mr. Hourglass does not own Bleach, Toph from ATLA, or Yukari from Rosario + Vampire. They all belong to there owners/creators.
*Stands up, holding Toshiro in her arms.* Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put Toshiro to bed. *Walks off stage as all the lights goes out.*
Chapter Five: Against the Eagle!
It was a normal Autumn day for the students of the Shino Academy as they entered the Academy for another day of learning. A group of four friends was walking along side each other to the gates of the Academy.
Toph was happily stomping the ground as she walked around barefooted and to her left was Toshiro who was reading a book about Healing kido that was given to him from his Unohana-Obasan and was completely engrossed in it. Yukari, who was beside him, was holding a book of her own and the tallest, and oldest, of them was Kusaka who was looking around his surroundings, taking in the surroundings.
Toph suddenly broke the silence as she sighed. "Ah this is nice." She then suddenly punched Toshiro in the arm which caused him to drop his book and send a glare at her.
"What was that for?" He asked as he picked up the book and Toph answered him. "It was getting too quiet." There other two friends shared a laugh and Kusaka said.
"You know I can't believe its been three months already." Yukari nodded and added her own two cents. "Yeah and I can't believe that Toshiro is already a third year." Sending a glare at the slightly shorter boy who laughed nervously.
True to her word, Toshiro had advance through the first and second years in two months and was half way with the third years studies, much to Yukari and, although she'll never admit it, Toph's dismay. Yukari was staring her fourth year studies and Kusaka was almost done with his second year studies while Toph was just starting her second year studies.
Speaking of who, she threw another punch at Toshiro but this time he caught her fist. "Ha!" However his success would be short lived as Toph's left foot shot out and tripped him, making him hit the ground as his friends laughed.
"Ha ha very funny." He mumbled as Toph helped him back up. Soon they went there separate ways as they went inside the school.
Later with Toshiro
Toshiro sighed as he walked to the headmaster's office, wondering why he was called. 'I wonder if he found out that I'm the one who glued all the furniture in the Teacher's lounge to the ceiling.' Opening the door he saw Yukari sitting in one of the two chairs that was in front of the Headmaster's desk which was empty.
"Yukari? What are you doing here?" She shrugged. "I don't know, I was called in the middle of class. I guess the same thing for you?" Nodding he took his seat and they both waited for the headmaster. Luckily they didn't wanted long as said person walked in.
The headmaster was tall, brown eyes, had blond hair that was spotted with grey hair, and wearing the standard shinigami uniform. He sat behind his desk and looked at the two.
"Now I'm sure your wondering why your both here today," He said, looking at the two. "I'm planning a small trip to the World of the Living as a reward for certain students who been doing excellent work and I want you two to join us."
The duo was excited and it was understandable. It wasn't everyday they could go to the World of the Living.
"Along with the trip, I'm also having some training hollows from the 12th division to test you all so this will also be a training excise. Bring your lunch and your swords with you and have a nice day."
The two walked out of the office and halfway away from the office, Yukari yelled, "Yeah! This is great! A field trip to the World of the Living." Toshiro smiled and patted his friend on the back.
"Calm down, we don't want the entire school to hear." Blushing slightly in embarrassment, she calmed down. "Sorry its just that I never been to the World of the Living before."
Toshiro smiled at his friend and said, "Me neither but my Kaa-chan told me a lot about it. She told me about all these great sites she visited whenever she goes on a mission."
"I wonder if Toph and Kusaka got accepted to join the trip."
Lunch
"What? You two get to go on a field trip!" Toph exclaimed as they ate there lunch outside under a tree. "This is just great, you two get to fight hollows while me and Kusaka listen to boring teachers."
Toshiro sighed as he finished his watermelon. "Sorry Toph but I guess that what we get for studying so much."
She then punched him on the right shoulder, making wince and almost dropping his fifth watermelon slice. "Whatever just bring me back something cool like an leg or an eye. By the way," She pointed at the growing piling of Watermelon skins. "Where are you putting all those watermelons?"
He finished his fifth one and quickly went on to the sixth."I don't know." Yukari and Kusaka couldn't help but stare at the growing pile in slight disgust and awe.
Shihōin Manor After School
The Shihoin Manor is an impressive manor with grounds almost two miles longs and a large manor that could be seen from almost anywhere. Around the grounds could be seen dozens of guards but what drew anyone's attention was the large tigers, cheetahs, or any other large cat you could think of walking around the grounds with various armor.
It was usually very quiet in the manor as the Shihoin Family wasn't a large one.
*BOOM!*
... Like I said, it was usually very quiet.
Toshiro panted as he caught his breath and dozen of scratches, cuts, and bruises decorated his body, across from him was his Kaa-chan without a single mark on her and a huge crater was between them was the result of Toshiro dodging one of his Kaa-chan's kicks.
"Come on Shiro-chan, you have to do better than that." Yoruichi said as she watched her son get into a offensive stance. After the Beifong incident she, along with her friends, started to train Toshiro in Shinigami Arts. To say she was proud was an understatement as Toshiro absorbed anything they taught him like a sponge with water.
She had a feeling that he would go farther than any other shinigami before.
Toshiro disappeared in a blur only for him to reappear on her right and throw a high kick at her side but she easily caught the attack, spun him around, and threw him making him land on the dirt. He tried to get back up but only got halfway when he fell back down.
She smiled as he tried again and walked toward him. "Okay Shiro-chan, I think we're done for today." He frowned and kept trying to get back up.
"*pant* Kaa-chan I can still *pant* fight." She laughed slightly and lifted him effortlessly into her arms. "Come on time for dinner."
Minutes later, after Yoruichi healed Toshiro, they were at the table being served a large helping of food. The servants watched in awe as the mother and son duo devoured plate after plate and couldn't help but wonder where they put all that food.
Swallowing her food, Yoruichi asked, "So I heard that your going to the World of the Living tomorrow Shiro-chan." He quickly swallowed the food in his mouth and responded.
"Yeah how'd you found out about that?"
"I'm the captain of both the Second Division and Onmitsukido. I have ears almost everywhere in the Seireitei, speaking of which nice job on aceing that exam."
"Thanks." He finished his last plate(which was his eleventh) and stood up. "I think I'll go to bed early tonight. Good night Kaa-chan."
"Night Shiro-chan and be careful tomorrow."
Nodding his head in understanding, he walked to his room, took a nice cold shower, and changed into his night robes before collapsing on his bed. Although, try as he might, he couldn't fall asleep and settled for just staring at the ceiling.
He then felt something large and soft appear on his side and knew at once who it was. Stroking her back, to which she let out a soft purr, he said. "Hey Snowflake."
Snowflake was white Bengal tiger that he received on his seventh birthday from his Kaa-chan. Her fur was a snow white which his Kaa-chan and Obasans often commented that she matched beautifully with his hair and her stripes were barely visible, giving the illusion that she was pure white and was still in her teenagers years due to, like Shinigami, animals would take a while to age as well. Like all felines of the Shihoin Clan, she was bred and trained to fight and was much smarter and stronger than most felines but she was very overprotective of Toshiro like several women he could name.
She crawled in bed with him and stared at him with her small but intelligent grey eyes and let off a growl as if asking what is wrong.
"Nothing just nervous about tomorrow. I'm going to the World of the Living and fight some hollows, nothing special." She laid her head back down and he could feel her breathing even out and soon he fell into slumber with her.
The Next Day
Toshiro, Yukari, and a little over two dozen students was standing in front of a Shinigami from the 1st division and two Kido Corps members whom was standing on either side of a closed Senkaimon gate. The Shinigami was a medium size black hair man with a goatee who had a stern face.
"Pay attention everyone because I'm only saying this once, stay with your partners and remember this is a team building exercise so you both will need to work together to kill the training hollows."
He then turned to the two Kido Corps members and nodded at them which they quickly opened the Senkaimon. Without a word, he stepped through followed by the students.
In the World of the Living
A large forest clearing with a full moon hanging in the sky greeted the students as they took there first sight once they stepped out of the Senkaimon.
"Okay everyone spread out and kill the hollows your assigned to and the first duo to make it back get extra credit."
Everyone nodded and went to there assigned spots where there hollows would be waiting but nobody noticed the large shadow that followed a certain pair of students.
15 Minutes Later
A hollow with pig shape body and medium size tusks that had a paralyzing toxin in them was currently running away from its purser who was none other than Toshiro.
'Just a little further.' He thought as the hollow was running to the trap he and Yukari thought up. Suddenly something glowing caught the hollow's legs which made it trip, revealing it to be glowing rope.
Yukari then shot out of the bushes and stabbed the hollow in the mask with her dagger, making it dissolve into nothingness. She smiled as she put her dagger back in the hidden compartment in her sleeves and looked at Toshiro who was smiling as well and said.
"Well that's the last one Toshiro. I guess we should head back." He nodded in agreement and followed her back to the clearing. "That was a bit too easy huh Yukari."
She pouted and crossed her arms. "Yeah I was hoping more of a challenge but I guess you can't expect much from training hollows." Toshiro then stopped, getting her attention. "Something wrong Toshiro?"
He ignored her question and instead asked his own. "Do you hear that?" She listened to her surroundings and heard it as well.
It was the sound of someone crying.
She focus her hearing and managed to find out which direction it was coming from. "Its coming from that direction." Yukari was about to run off to see who was crying when Toshiro grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Hang on Yukari something doesn't feel right." She shook off his arm and said. "Your just being paranoid beside what if someone was seriously hurt. They could need help!" She ran off in the direction of the sound and, with a sigh, Toshiro followed her and easily caught up to her.
The two followed the voice to a small pond but once they reached there, the crying stopped.
Yukari looked around in confusion. "That's weird, I'm sure the crying was coming from here." Toshiro's instincts was telling him that something was wrong and before he could say anything else, he felt something move behind them.
Without a word, he tackled Yukari to the ground just as something swiped the empty space she was standing. He then quickly stood back up, drawing his Wakizashi and holding it in a defensive stance as he scanned his surroundings.
Suddenly a voice spoke up, one that was male and filled with amusement. "Impressive, not many can dodge my first strike."
"Who are you?" Yukari said as she drew her dagger with her right hand and stood back to back with Toshiro. The voice laughed which sent shivers up both of the students' spine.
"Since both of you are going to die, I might as well tell you. I am Mimicry and you two are my next meals." Four sharp objects shot out from the trees and they barely managed to dodge them in time. Toshiro held out his hands and yelled.
"Hado #31 Shakkaho!" A ball of red flames shot out from his hands and hit the tree where the objects came from, sending it ablaze and making there attacker fly out into the open.
Both Yukari and Toshiro's eyes widen as they took in there first glace at it. It looked like a huge eagle, excluding the fact that it had four wings(Two on each side) and the size of a car, but what drew there attention the most was the mask and hole in its chest.
"A-a real h-hollow." Yukari said nervously as her grip on her dagger shook and Toshiro simply tighten his grip on his sword's hilt as he thought. 'This is bad.'
"Beautiful ain't I?" It, or rather he judging by the voice, said as it hovered in the air. "For nearly a century, I have fought and killed many shinigami and not a single one of them managed to land a hit on me due to my unmatched speed. You two have no chance of winning against me." He flapped his wings, sending dozens of feathers toward them and forcing Toshiro to dodge to the side.
But Yukari didn't moved and instead yelled out. "Bakudo #39 Enkosen!" A glowing yellow spinning shield made of condensed reiatsu appeared in front of her and blocked all the feathers that was came toward her. Without missing a beat, she dispelled the shield and yelled again, both hands aimed at Mimicry.
"Hado #32 Okasen!" A small orb appeared in her hand only to be replaced by a glowing yellow arc of energy that shot toward the hollow. Mimicry used his wings as a shield against yellow energy, holding it back easily.
He then batted it away and quickly did a flip, coming up behind Toshiro whose horizontal strike missed and now his back was wide open. A talon shot out and he just managed to spin around and block it but the force behind it sent him flying back toward the ground, leaving a sizable crater.
"Toshiro!" She took aim again at the hollow, this time only with her index finger. "Hado #4 Byakurai!" Pale lightning shot out from her finger and Mimicry flew to the side to dodge it. Using the small window of time, she ran to her friend to see if he needed help only to find him getting back up, dirty and slightly winded but fine.
He looked at her and, sensing her concern, he said, "I'm fine." They turned there attention back at Mimicry who said.
"Not for long." His mask's mouth opened and a white fog came spilling out and he flew around, covering the surrounding area with fog and blocking there view.
Toshiro figured out what he was doing and grabbed Yukari's hand, making her blush. "He's trying to split us up so whatever happen don't separate." She nodded and tighten her grip on his hand which she noticed was smooth and cold. The two walked silently through the fog, watching there surroundings for sighs of the hollow.
Yukari then decided to ask. "Why can't I sense his reiatsu?" Toshiro's eyes snapped to a moving shadow and he responded. "My Kaa-chan told me that some hollows can hide there reiatsu but I think this fog is blocking reiatsu also. I can barely sense you right now."
They then heard something coming down and both of them released there hands and rolled to avoid two talons but the moment they got back up, they lost sight of each other.
"Toshiro?" Yukari said nervously as she slowly spun around in a circle and heard. "Yukari!" She smiled in relief and slowly walked in the direction of his voice. "Are you okay?"
"Fine, just follow my voice so we can meet up." She did so without hesitation and kept walking in his direction. After at least a few minutes of walking, she stopped where she is sure his voice was coming from and asked.
"Toshiro, where are you?"
"Right here." Without another warning, she found herself on the ground and talons finding themselves into the earth just inches from her head and before she could stab whatever caught her, something fast took her dagger from her hand. She turned her head just enough to see Mimicry with a sick smile on his mask and her dagger in between his teeth before he spit it to the side. "But how?"
He laughed in Toshiro's voice which made it even scarier.
"I'm called Mimicry for a reason, little girl. I have the ability to copy the voice of anyone I hear perfectly, even if I hear them just once." He ended his sentence with her voice and yelled. "Toshiro! Help!"
They both waited for a second and, to Yukari's despair and Mimicry's glee, Toshiro yelled back. "Hang on I'm coming!" The hollow laughed, now back to his normal voice.
"I do enjoy a meal that puts up a fight before I rip them apart, much more entertaining." He soundlessly took the air, which made her hat fall off and land right near her dagger, and waited for Toshiro to come. They didn't wait long as Toshiro ran up to her fallen hat and dagger and, before she could yell a warning, Mimicry came down and landed a fatal blow to Toshiro who turned around in time just to get hit.
"NO!" Yukari yelled as tears fell from her eyes as she watched her friend hit the ground. Mimicry let out a sigh of disappointment as he landed beside Toshiro's body. "Too bad, I was hoping he would put a fight but who cares, two good meals for me."
Suddenly 'Toshiro' disappeared, leaving a torn uniform top, shocking both of them. "Shunkō!" Mimicry only saw a blur from the corner of his eyes when a fist found itself into the side of his mask, sending him flying and making him release his grip on Yukari.
Said girl turned her eyes to her still living friend, who was now shirtless, and had to ask. "How are you still alive?" Toshiro smiled down at her and helped her back up.
"My Kaa-chan taught me a lot of her techniques whenever we had time but," Yukari then noticed that he looked exhausted. "using Shunkō still takes a lot out of me. I got at least few more attacks before I run out so while I distract him, you need to power your most powerful Kido spell you got okay?" She nodded and began to gather reiatsu, just as Mimicry came flying out only for Toshiro to block his path.
"You got one lucky hit on me but that is all your going to get."
The two clashed, Toshiro aiming a kick at his mask but he used his left wings to block him and shot out a talon at him. He dodged the talon by doing a quick flip and countered with a hard punch to chest, sending Mimicry back a few feet. The hollow took to the air again and Toshiro jumped after him, leaving a small crater in the ground as he did, and managed to grab his left talon and threw him back down. He followed up with a drop kick aimed at his mask but Mimicry used his wings as a shield and threw Toshiro back into the air, following after him.
While the two fought, Yukari had began to chant. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring." She saw Toshiro get hit by two feathers in his left arm and duck just in time for Mimicry's right wings to fly right over his head. "Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"
Hearing that Yukari was done, Toshiro charged all the remaining power he had left into his left arm and jumped higher into the air, Mimicry's wings almost slicing his legs off, and fired everything he had left at the Hollow who used his wings to block it.
While not as powerful as his Kaa-chan's, his Shunkō was powerful enough to slam him into the ground as he barely handle against it and soon Toshiro ran out of power and was now on his last legs.
Mimicry looked up at the boy and said. "Is that all you got? I'm rather disappointed in you." He then felt a suddenly raise in reiatsu and turned to see Yukari, both hands out and a glowing yellow orb in front of her.
"Hado #63 Raikōhō!" The orb change into a massive lightning strike that struck him and a massive explosion followed, engulfing the hollow completely.
Toshiro landed right near Yukari who was barely standing and said. "W-we did it." He pulled out the feathers in his arm with a wince and said. "And I think I have Toph's souvenirs."
"Yeah." She smiled at him and took noticed that he was shirtless and well... she was young girl and he was a guy standing right near her shirtless so you can pretty much guess what happened next.
"Huh Yukari your face is red and your nose is bleeding, are you okay?" One of her hands shot up to her nose and, true to his word, her nose was indeed bleeding. She turned the other way, holding her nose saying. "I'm fine!" However her mind was going on hormones overdrive and was sending her some things that will not be mention.
'Damn it stop brain! I'm too young for that!' Toshiro was still wondering what was wrong when he saw something move from the corner of his eyes and quickly drew his sword(which been in its sheath and attached to his side) and blocked a wing.
However the wing easily broke right through it and left dozens of cuts on Toshiro's chest, sending him flying. Yukari turned around but was picked up in the air as a talon squeezed the life out of her and brought her to the cracked mask of Mimicry.
"You little bitch! You completely destroyed two of my wings!" Like he said, the two wings on his right side was completely gone and he tighten his grip on her. "And now I will kill you both as slow as possible, starting with you." He continued to choke her to death, his sharp talons digging into her back as Toshiro watched helplessly still holding his broken sword.
"I see you need help again." He heard a voice in his head which he remembered from his dreams. 'Please I need to save her.'
The voice continued. "Very well, but first I am ... Did you hear that?" 'No.' The voice sighed and Toshiro swear he heard wings moving.
"You are not ready yet to hear my name but you are ready to wield me Toshiro so I will help you."
Everyone, even Mimicry's death grip on Yukari was forgotten, attention was drawn to Toshiro as he stood back up, wounds still bleeding, as something made of ice slowly appeared in his left hand.
Once it was completely, everyone saw a katana with a four pointed star guard in his hand which Toshiro held in an offensive stance.
"You need to unleash all your Reiatsu Toshiro otherwise you won't survive."
'But I might hurt Yukari.' In the first couple years of his life, Toshiro remembered himself losing control of his reiatsu and freezing everything that was close to him and making it snow. However, with the help of his Kaa-chan, Obasan, and Ojisans he managed to learn how to control it at the age of 7, impressing them all.
"Even if you do hurt her, she can be healed but once she dies, she will stay dead. Now which one sounds like the better opinion?"
Toshiro thought about it for a second and it did have a point so he took a deep breath and released out all of his Reiatsu.
With the other students and shinigami
The remaining shinigami(which was about a dozen) had formed a ring around the students as they fought off all the hollows that had somehow appeared out of nowhere. The students watched as another shinigami got killed by a large bear like hollow only for it to be destroyed by a Kido from another.
The shinigami from the 1st division, who had a large cut going down his right arm, gritted his teeth as he ducked under a bladed tail from a snake like hollow.
'If reinforcements don't arrive soon, we are going to get torn apart.' Suddenly everyone, including the hollows, stopped as they felt a massive amount of Reiatsu hit them like a blizzard and dark clouds quickly covered the sky.
The hollows then went to the source of whoever that reiatsu belongs to, all of them wanting to get there teeth in whoever's flesh.
With Toshiro, Yukari, and Mimicry
Yukari's eyes widen in shock surprise as she felt the amount of Reiatsu her friend had released. 'Incredible! I never knew Toshiro was this powerful!' She then noticed that it had started to snow and Mimicry had seemly lost all interest in her.
Mimicry released his grip on her, making her hit the ground, and faced Toshiro. "With your Reiatsu alone, I will be able to ascend to a Gillian. Prepare to die." He finished his sentence as his mouth drooled with the anticipation of sinking his teeth into Toshiro's flesh.
Toshiro said, his voice cold as ice. "You first."
The hollow screeched and, using his powerful legs, jumped toward Toshiro who now had both hands on his blade and was holding above his head. He brought it down at the exact same moment when Mimicry reached and went passed him.
A second pass and the hollow uttered his last words. "Impossible." He split perfectly in half as he dissolved into nothingness and Toshiro went to check up on Yukari.
He placed his blade down and gently held up her head. "Are you okay?"
She smiled. "Just fine and let me be the first to say congratulations on getting your Zanpakuto."
"Thanks." They then heard a roar and they saw dozens of hollows running toward them, each one wanting to tear them apart.
"You got to be kidding me." Yukari said with wide eyes as Toshiro got back up with his Zanpakuto ready. However his vision began to blur and he felt his body beginning to shut down from exhaustion and blood lost.
'No, not now.'
He saw the ground rushing to meet him and the last thing he heard before darkness overtook him was. "Awaken Benihime!"
Later
The first thing Toshiro saw when he woke up was a blurred figure who was saying something he couldn't make out but after blinking a few times, he saw the smiling face of Unohana.
"Thank goodness your finally awake Toshiro. How do you feel?"
"T-thirsty." He said, taking notice that his mouth and throat was dry and Unohana reached for a tray that had some glass cups and pitcher of water. She poured the water and pressed it against his lips, help him drinking while advising him to go slowly.
As she put it back to the tray, he asked. "How long was I out?"
"Two days, it was lucky that Kisuke arrived when he did to save you both." He shot up, remembering Yukari. "Yukari! Is she okay?" He then grabbed his sides in pain, forgetting the cuts Mimicry had made on him.
Unohana gently pushed him back down onto the bed. "She's alright. Her injuries weren't as bad as yours and have already woke up yesterday."
He sighed in relief and the door opened, revealing his Kaa-chan with Toshiro's Zanpakuto in her hands. The two women shared a look and, saying goodbye to Toshiro, Unohana walked out of the room leaving the two Shihoins.
Before Toshiro could say anything, Yoruichi had him in a tight hug careful not to aggravate his wounds.
"I'm so glad your okay. When I saw you getting rushed to the Fourth Division I thought I might have lost my baby but I'm so happy your fine now."
He returned the hug and he swore he heard his Kaa-chan sob but when she broke the hug, no tears were on her face.
"And also I'm impress Shiro-chan, you two killing that hollow and getting your Zanpakuto." She held up his sword which he shook his head.
"I still couldn't hear his name, Kaa-chan and I almost died just fighting one of them. How can you be impress?"
Yoruichi gave her son a light punch to the head, a scowl on her face. "First off you managed to materialize your Zanpakuto which is impressive considering you are still in the Academy and made history of being the youngest person to gain it and two, you and Yukari killed Mimicry. A dangerous hollow that had been killing Shinigami for 90 years now so you can see way I am impressed."
A smile replaced her scowl and she gave him another hug. "Also you impress me all the time Shiro-chan, just by being yourself." Toshiro smiled and returned her hug again.
Yoruichi gave him his sword and went back out, promising to visit him as soon as possible and Toshiro was left alone, staring at his sword.
'Hello?'
"Hello Toshiro." The voice said again, making him jump slightly. "Your Kaa-chan is right, killing a hollow like Mimicry isn't a easy task and materializing me is even harder."
'But I fainted right after that one attack. If it wasn't for Kisuke-Ojisan, I would be dead by now.'
"But you didn't die," The voice growled, surprising him. "and you were suffering from both exhaustion and blood lost so it is understandable to why you fainted. Now sleep because I will not talk to you if you are going to focus on the negative."
He felt the voice vanished and sighed, putting his head on the pillow and looking out the window, noticing the dark sky before he let sleep overtake him.
And that's it for now! I hoped you enjoyed it and leave your reviews, along what you did on July 4th because I'm curious, so until next time. Laters!