Chapter 6

I threw my arm up and sliced the mask of my third Hollow in half. It disintegrated into blue sparkles that rose up and then disappeared but I was already gone by then, searching out my next victim (should I back that up with an evil laugh?).

I stopped on a roof and looked over the town. The view was definitely better on my roof. I looked around a bit more before I could feel a weak wave of spiritual energy on my fingertips and only moved a few miles to stop and watch two Soul Reapers try to take the Hollow down. I knelt down to rest up as I looked down upon the dark haired girl Soul Reaper and the orange haired boy Soul Reaper.

They look familiar. I thought and yawned.

"I better help out," I mumbled and stood up before put my hand out in front of me. "Bakudo sixty-one. Rikujokoro!"

Six thin, wide beams of light slammed into the Hollow's midsection, holding it in place. The move consists of making the target unable to move any part of their body including the parts that were not struck by the beams.

"Get out of my way!" I yelled and leapt from the roof, drawing out my daggers and slitting the Hollow's neck as the beams of light shattered into nothing.

"Did you use that spell?" The girl asked and I glanced at them before realising why the orange haired boy reminded me of someone. It was Ichigo.

I kept my cool and acted as if I hadn't seen them before in my life.

"I don't see anyone else," I pointed out and tucked my daggers back in before flicking my coat behind me.

"Who are you?" Ichigo demanded and I grinned.

"You're pretty cute, you know that?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"If you want a name, it's nice to tell the person yours."

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

"I knew that already." I smiled and watched him go red in the moonlight. I was glad to be in the shadows. "I'd like to tell you mine but it's against my vows."

"What vows?" Ichigo growled.

"That's confidential!"

"That's not important. What are you?" The girl asked and I realised she was Rukia Kuchiki, one of my friends.

"Even I don't know that, Rukia." I smiled and she froze.

"How do you know my name?"

"Confidential," I lied and leapt back onto the roof. "I'll see you some other time!" I called and wasted no time in leaving.

When I thought I'd lost them, I relaxed and sat down on a roof near the river. The moonlight reflected off the calm waves and the sand looked pure white, like snow. I stared up at the sky and felt for spiritual energy but I didn't get any.

I placed my hand on my neck and realised that Takashi's necklace was missing.

"Dammit. It must've fallen off." I muttered and looked around the roof without luck.

"Looking for something?" A voice said and I spun around to see Ichigo holding the silver chain. "So this is your family secret."

"And this is yours," I pointed out and gestured to the Zanpakuto.

"We'd have to find out about each other sooner or later."

"Yeah, I guess. Please, sit down," I smiled and took my spot next to him.

"So, how much is a lie?" Ichigo asked.

"Everything I said to you about the tradition was true. I just left out some things."

"Which is?"

"Our appearance is changed by someone in the family called a Seeker which is my dad. They can get an overall appearance on what the person's spiritual energy is by sensing the soul. We get the change the exact time we were born where we go through a bigger change called the Alteration. The Alteration is my kind's true form. We have our original form which allows everyone to see us, our soul form which is like our original form but we can't be seen by normal people."

"Which is why you told me you couldn't tell me about the tradition unless I was in the four families or someone very special."

"Exactly. Anyway, when you Alter the first time on your birthday, you stop aging."

"What?" Ichigo gasped.

"Our kind can die of wounds and diseases but we can't age. I only found out this little piece of information yesterday a few hours before I Altered."

"I guess they didn't want you to worry about not aging."

"They just didn't want to tell me altogether."

"I'm taking this in rather well, aren't I?"

"Yes you are! You're doing so well!" I informed as if I was talking to a little child. He laughed with me and we continued to look out at the river.

"How do you... change?" Ichigo asked and I shrugged.

"The transformation entirely depends on the imagination of the wielder. When we Alter for the first time, we have to think of a way to change back. We use a word to change to our soul form and our imagination to change into our Altered form."

"You're even more interesting when I know your darkest secret."

"Haha. You haven't even seen my darkest secret," I explained and stood up. "My brothers will be wondering where I am."

"Is there anything else you can do?"

"Not that I know of, but we usually have a gift in our original form. Dad's gift is being the Seeker, Daijiro can read minds, Kyouhei can teleport, Haruka can make people do what he wants and Takashi can shut down one of the five senses of his target like sight, hearing etcetera."

"What about you?"

"I don't know, I haven't tried to find out. I've been thinking about my altered form." I said and played with a strand of my blue hair.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked and I looked at him.

"The more beautiful and human one's Altered form is, the stronger and more controlled they are. The only thing that doesn't make me look human is my wings, fangs and ears."

"So who in your family is the weakest?"

"I guess it's Kyouhei, one the twins. He's actually banned from using his Altered form unless it's life threatening," I explained and stared out into the sky. "I have to go and tell my dad about you."

"Why?"

"He'll be more relaxed around you. He's much more fun when he doesn't need to hide stuff. Don't worry, Ichigo. He won't bite your head off," I smiled and pulled him to his feet.

"So does anyone else know except your family and I?"

"No one else."

"I see," Ichigo replied and rubbed the back of his neck.

"So I'll see you on Monday?"

"I don't know. Depends on what happens," he grinned and held out my necklace.

"Thank you." I said and placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah."