A/N: Filler Chapter time!
Karakura Town…
A begrudging Byakuya was walking Yachiru from the hotel to a nearby candy store. He was mentally trying to figure out how he got stuck with this duty.
"Come ON Byakushi!" Yachiru whined as Byakuya's eye twitched at the mention of his nickname.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" Byakuya asked calmly. Yachiru looked thoughtful.
"I dunno." Yachiru replied as Byakuya sighed in defeat. They then heard the howl of a Hollow from nearby. Yachiru and Byakuya quickly popped a Soul Candy and charged off after it.
"Maybe mister Hollow knows where the candy store is!" Yachiru exclaimed. Byakuya rolled his eyes and checked his soul pager.
"There are two of them." Byakuya said calmly as he saw two blips on the screen.
"Ooh goody! One for each of us!" Yachiru exclaimed as she reached for her Zanpakuto and pulled it from its Sheath-on-wheels.
"Do you even know how to use a sword?" Byakuya asked.
"Uh-huh." Yachiru replied. They then reached the end of an alleyway to find two Hollows trashing up the street. One was eating a flower cart and the other was eating the candy from a vending machine.
"Scatter Senbonzakura." Byakuya ordered as his Zanpakuto disintegrated into cherry blossom petals which immediately flew towards the Hollow eating the flower cart. The Hollow was quickly destroyed by the attack.
"You Meany! THAT'S MY CANDY!!!" Yachiru exclaimed angrily as she effortlessly sliced through the hollow. Fortunately there was still some candy left in the vendor, which Yachiru happily started munching down on.
"It would seem that there is nothing more here to deal with." Byakuya said as he sheathed Senbonzakura and approached Yachiru.
"Oh yes there is, there's candy!" Yachiru replied.
"Maybe we should head back. The others might get concerned if we-." But Byakuya was interrupted by a voice shouting…
"AT LAST I FOUND YOU BAD SPIRITS!!!"
Byakuya and Yachiru turned and saw a strange looking middle-aged man with dreadlocks and a black moustache in a blue shirt, black pants, a black cape with red interior and broad shoulders, a tall fur hat with the letters SP printed in red on the front, and a pair of gold round rimmed sunglasses on his face.
The man immediately crossed his arms and laughed. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"Can we help you?" Byakuya asked with a bored tone.
"I'll tell you how you can help! I am the one! The only! DON KANONJI! The SPIRIT HUNT-AH!!! And you two are the finest spirit hunters I've ever seen!" the man shouted excitedly as he thrust his arm forward with a peace sign. Yachiru was entranced and Byakuya was less than impressed.
"We can't help-." Byakuya started to say before getting interrupted by Yachiru.
"Tell us more!" Yachiru exclaimed as she leapt into the air, landed with one foot on Byakuya's shoulder then leapt off and landed to the ground.
"I am prepared to offer the two of you, a place on this city's premiere spirit hunting team! THE KARAKURA SUPERHEROES!!! How do the names Karakura Pink (Yachiru) and Karakura Blue (Byakuya) strike you?!" Kanonji asked energetically as Yachiru celebrated. Byakuya sighed in defeat.
"I better go along with her to make sure she stays out of trouble. This strange old man might be trouble." Byakuya said mentally.
Later…
Mashiro Kuna of the Visoreds, was standing impatiently at a street corner, tapping her foot.
"Of all the times to get saddled with one of the Arrancar and for that Arrancar to run off on me I swear I'm going to kill that guy when I find him." Mashiro grumbled. She then heard the familiar roar of a hollow.
"Fantastic! There's even a hollow in the area!" Mashiro groaned as she drew her Zanpakuto. She quickly leapt into the air and spotted the Hollow. She then quickly flew down and sliced through it effortlessly.
"Stupid Hollow." Mashiro mumbled as she sheathed her Zanpakuto.
"(GASP) THAT WAS PERFECT!!!" a voice behind her yelled. Mashiro quickly whirled around to see Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, and a strange old man that looked eerily familiar somehow.
"Where did you three come from?" Mashiro asked confused.
"You are just what the KARAKURA SUPERHEROES are looking for! Come join with us oh sister of spiritual justice! JOIN US KARAKURA GREEN!!!" Kanonji exclaimed as Mashiro blinked in confusion.
"Oooooookay?" Mashiro replied, totally confused.
"It'll be fun!" Yachiru exclaimed.
"Wait I recognize this guy! He's Don Kanonji! That guy who tried to turn that Jibaku into a Hollow. Well it's not entirely his fault, he didn't know. But the name Karakura Green does sound pretty cool. Ehh, it may help me find that stupid Arrancar before Kensei or the others found out I messed up and let him get away." Mashiro pondered.
"Okay then I guess I'm in." Mashiro said with a shrug.
"IT'S UNBELIEVEABLE!!! THE KARAKURA SUPERHEROES GROW STRONGER BY THE MINUTE!!!" Kanonji exclaimed as he immediately started to moonwalk.
Later…
Ggio Vega was sitting on a park bench in his Gigai, watching a group of human teenagers riding their skateboards.
"What a curious way of passing the time. Riding around on a plank of decorated wood with four wheels attached underneath. It does seem like fun though. Perhaps I could give it a try." Ggio said mentally as he stood up. He was just starting to walk up to them when he heard the cry of a Hollow.
"Blast! A Hollow!" Ggio exclaimed mentally as he reached for his glove. He then saw the beast itself approaching the skateboarders with black spittle dripping from its mask.
"Those kids can't even sense it coming! I've got to help them!" Ggio declared as he shed his Gigai and Sonido'd into the monsters path. He then opened his mouth wide and slowly began sucking in the massive Hollow. Soon the beast was completely gone save for the mask which quickly crumbled into dust. Ggio smacked his lips and a curious expression crossed his face.
"Is that…raspberry? That's odd." he asked confused.
"WE'VE GOT YOU NOW BAD SPIRIT!!!"
"What?" Ggio asked confused as he quickly whirled around to see Don Kanonji, Byakuya, Yachiru, and an angry looking Mashiro.
"Hey wait a minute you're that Don Kanonji fellow from that TV show!" Ggio exclaimed.
"So even the bad spirits are aware of me! NOW PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM YOU BAD SPIRIT YOU!!!" Kanonji exclaimed as Ggio arched a stunned eyebrow. He then remembered his Hollow mask was perched proudly on his head like always.
"Huh?! WAIT! MASHIRO TELL THIS GUY IM NOT A BAD SPIRIT-DER-HOLLOW OR SOMETHING!!!" Ggio shrieked.
"Well where did you run off too?! You were supposed to stick with me!" Mashiro yelled.
"Oh…was I?" Ggio asked innocently yet sheepishly.
"Hold on! Do I detect what may be an unholy alliance between the GOOD SPIRITS and the bad spirit?! IT'S BRILLIANT!!!" Kanonji exclaimed as he then turned to the now stunned Ggio.
"WHAT DO YOU SAY BAD SPIRIT?! SHALL YOU FIGHT FOR JUSTICE AS KARAKURA BLACK?!"Kanonji asked as Ggio blinked in disbelief.
Later…
Yuzu was standing in Soul Reaper form in the middle of the now empty playground outside Karakura Elementary. Karin, Toshiro, Jinta, and Uluru had all gone in but Yuzu had eaten a Soul candy and let her body go on without her. She was currently practicing with her Zanpakuto.
"Light the skies, Sanctus Curator!" Yuzu shouted as her Zanpakuto became the glowing blade of pure light. She then waited a moment before she started swinging the blade around carefully so as not to destroy anything. As she swung the blade, a long beam of light as long as the blade, got loose from the tip and hit a tree. Yuzu turned sheepishly towards the damaged tree just in time for it to shatter into splinters in a single colossal explosion.
Yuzu was mortified.
"(Gasp) Oh that innocent tree! What have I done?!" Yuzu asked in horror.
"Do my eyes and ears deceive me?! It's…IT'S…IT'S KARAKURA YELLOW!!!"
Yuzu turned around to see Don Kanonji, Byakuya, Yachiru, Mashiro, and Ggio behind her.
"(Gasp) Mr. Kanonji!" Yuzu exclaimed excitedly.
"Karakura Yellow! For too long have the Karakura heroes been scattered and separated! NOW IS THE TIME TO REUNITE! You are now the new KARAKURA RED!!! So that you might teach these new members of the Karakura Superheroes how to bring TRUTH! And JUSTICE! To the SPIRIT WORLD!!!" Kanonji declared as Yuzu blinked surprised.
"Me?! Karakura Red?! But wait…Byakuya's a Captain, Yachiru is a Lieutenant, The green hared girl I think is a Lieutenant and a Vizard, and I think the last guy is an Arrancar…a Fraccion I think. Shouldn't they be the ones to help lead the Karakura Superheroes?" Yuzu asked confused.
Kanonji was even more confused.
"Come on! There's candy!" Yachiru begged.
"Um well…I guess I can help. FOR JUSTICE!" Yuzu declared. Somewhere in the world Kaname Tosen mumbled "That's my line."
Immediately they heard the roar of a Hollow in the distance.
"That smells like bad spirits. THE CALL OF JUSTICE GOES OUT FOR THE KARAKURA SUPERHEROES!!!" Kanonji declared as the six immediately ran off towards the Hollow. They came to the edge of a river to see a massive black tear being formed in the sky. Around it was a swath of Hollows just sitting in midair. The tear finally opened and from it emerged a Gillian. But it didn't just stop at one, four more followed after it.
"Uh-oh! Gillian's!" Ggio shouted as he drew his Zanpakuto.
"Looks like it's time to get serious!" Mashiro shouted as she drew her Zanpakuto and donned her Hollow Mask.
"Scatter Senbonzakura." Byakuya said as his sword disintegrated into pink cherry blossoms. Immediately the five scattered, each heading towards a Gillian.
"It's a game to see who can kill the most in the shortest amount of time!" Yachiru cheered as she cut her way through a swath of Hollows. Finally they had each reached their respective Gillian.
Byakuya proceeded to direct the cloud of cherry blossom petals into the Gillian's mask, shattering it and killing the beast. Yachiru effortlessly bounced up to the Gillian and brought her Zanpakuto down, cutting through it, giggling with glee all the while. Mashiro flew up to her Gillian and delivered a powerful kick to the Gillian's mask, smashing it into the beast's face. Ggio immediately raised his Zanpakuto.
"Bite off, Tigre Estoque!" Ggio shouted as he entered his Resurreccion form. His two saber teeth on his mask then pointed straight forward towards the Gillian, and launched off at high speed, leaving a pink colored trail of energy behind. The teeth proceeded to smash through the Gillian's mask and out the back of the head shortly before the Gillian disintegrated.
Yuzu was cutting down Hollows effortlessly and she turned with a determined look up at the final Gillian. She aimed her Zanpakuto at the Gillian's mask and immediately she began glowing with yellow energy.
"Sanctus Telum!" Yuzu shouted as the blade of her Zanpakuto suddenly launched a bright thin beam of rainbow colored light from the edge of the blade that pierced the mask of the Gillian in the teeth, killing it as well. The remaining hollows quickly ran for the still open tear in the sky. (Sanctus Telum: Holy Javelin)
"Oh no you don't! GETSUGA TENSHO!!!" a familiar voice shouted and a large vertical wave of blue energy flew in and vaporized the fleeing Hollows. It was Ichigo. All six landed on the ground near where Kanonji was as the large tear sealed back up immediately.
"Hey Ichi! How've ya been?!" Yachiru greeted excitedly.
"I'm fine. But what are the five of you doing out here?" Ichigo asked.
"Well we were kinda just following this guy." Mashiro replied, pointing to Kanonji (whom Ichigo hadn't noticed until that point). Ichigo immediately paled.
"APPRENTICE!!! I NEVER GAVE UP HOPE THAT YOU WERE AROUND!!!" Kanonji cheered.
"Oh no. Come on Yuzu let's get out of here fast!" Ichigo said as he quickly grabbed Yuzu by the arm and flash stepped away with her.
"Ggio, none of this ever happened okay?" Mashiro asked as Ggio nodded understandingly and they both flash stepped and Sonido'd away respectively.
"Come on Byakushi, let's go get some candy now!" Yachiru shouted as Byakuya sighed and the two flash stepped away, leaving Kanonji alone. However as soon as they were gone, Kanonji turned towards a large bunch of bushes.
"Did you get all that?" Kanonji asked as a group of men with camera equipment appeared and gave a thumbs up.
Later…
Byakuya and Yachiru returned to their hotel, Yachiru with two large bags of candy.
"Hey you two, what took you so long?" Kaichou asked as she and Kenpachi sat watching the television.
"We got lost." Byakuya sighed.
"It was fun!" Yachiru added.
"Lost huh? Then what do you call this?" Kaichou asked as she turned up the volume on the TV. It was a brand new episode of Spirit Hunter with Don Kanonji.
"Today on Spirit Hunter, a brand new group of superheroes was formed! THE KARAKURA SUPERHEROES!!! Led by the former Karakura Yellow…" Kanonji said as an image of Yuzu in Soul Reaper form appeared on the screen, "…The new team of heroes fought a great battle against the BAD SPIRITS!!!"
At the Kurosaki Clinic, Momo, Rukia, Ichigo, Yuzu, and Isshin watched in shock.
"LOOK! DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL IS ON TV!!!" Isshin cheered.
"How did he get that footage?" Ichigo asked.
At the Vizard Warehouse, Mashiro and Ggio arrived with the lunches for each of them. Shinji, Hiyori, Grimmjow, Lilynette, Loly, Menoly, and Karin were sitting on the couch snickering as the two came in.
"We're back, and we've got lunch!" Mashiro shouted.
"And you're busted too!" Grimmjow cackled.
"What do you mean?" Ggio asked as he and Mashiro approached the couch.
"The KARAKURA SUPERHEROES, joined by the new young and butt kicking Karakura Green!..." Kanonji said as an image of Mashiro destroying the Gillian appeared, "…and the Bad Spirit turned good, Karakura Black..." Then an image of Ggio in his released form firing the tooth missiles appeared.
"KARAKURA GREEN AND BLACK!!! THAT'S RICH!!!" Grimmjow howled.
Back in the hotel, Byakuya was dreading what came next.
"…as well as the proud and silent Karakura Blue…" Sure enough an image of Byakuya using Senbonzakura's Shikai to destroy the Gillian appeared.
"Karakura Blue…I'm sorry I just don't see it." Kaichou said with a snicker.
"…and the young and spunky Karakura Pink…" Then an image appeared of a giggling Yachiru as she bounced around while cutting down Hollows.
"…together with my Spirit-Hunter-in-training…" Kanonji said as an image of Ichigo using Getsuga Tensho to wipe out the fleeing Hollows appeared.
"Oh nice Ichigo!" Kaichou laughed.
In the Vizard Warehouse, the couch had flipped over from each of the people sitting on it laughing so hard.
"ICHIGO! YOU'RE THE GUY'S-!!! DAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Grimmjow cackled.
At the Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo had promptly thrown the TV out his bedroom window with an enraged yell.
"Relax Ichigo, Kanonji's ratings have been terrible lately. No one is watching the show so I don't think anyone saw you or Yuzu." Rukia reassured.
"I so hope you're right." Ichigo mumbled.
However…
Back at the TV Studio…
"And cut!" the director called. Immediately a man ran up to Kanonji.
"Great news Mister Kanonji. We've got our ratings reports in. Ever since that incident at that abandoned factory, our ratings have skyrocketed. This episode's ratings are the highest of the season." The man said as Don gave a relaxed sigh.
"Ah. There ain't nothing better that the smell of good spirits. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
End Chapter 44.
Soul Reaper Illustrated Guide…
Toshiro was sitting quietly drinking a cup of tea when Rangiku and Orihime suddenly burst in the door.
"Toshiro! Guess what we found!" Orihime exclaimed excitedly.
"I can only assume it is something that interests you?" Toshiro asked as Orihime nodded and Rangiku raised a long rolled up piece of paper.
"We were passing the local theater and we saw posters for this show and guess what Captain…WE'RE ALL IN IT!!!" Rangiku exclaimed as she unrolled the poster. It was a poster for the "Bleach: Live Bankai Show: Code 002."
"We're what?" Toshiro asked as he arched an eyebrow.
"We're all in this show together Captain! You, me, Hinamori, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku, Yoruichi, that guy from squad four, Izuru, Shuhei, Captains Zaraki, Kuchiki, Unohana, Soi Fon, and even ex-Captains Tosen, Aizen, and even Gin." Rangiku explained excitedly.
"I see the Soul Reaper/Human relations department has come up with another brilliant scheme." Toshiro said as he took a sip of his tea.
"Huh? What are you talking about Captain?" Rangiku asked confused.
"The Soul Reaper/Human relations department, under the command of Major General Kubo of the royal guard, is responsible for creating plausible deniability for us in the world of the living. In the event that we are seen as Soul Reapers, the local authorities can simply refer to this Manga and Anime series known as Bleach. The series is popular enough that they've made several live stage musicals as you've discovered." Toshiro explained.
"So…all of this is just a plot to try and deny the existence of Soul Reapers?" Orihime asked.
"Exactly. Don't be discouraged, according to the figures I've seen, the entire franchise is among the most popular in all of Japan and even in America. People are even writing things called Fanfictions about us." Toshiro explained.
"I never knew that. Why didn't you tell us sooner Captain?" Rangiku asked. Toshiro looked her square in the eyes and replied…
"Because you never asked."
End
