-Emanuel School-Battersea, London-
Clem walks out of the limo doors into the gate of the school and is immediately greeted by Angel
Angel: Hey, girl!
Clem: Hi
The limo drives off
Clem: God, you have no idea how much I hate keeping up these appearances
Angel: I can imagine
Suddenly a high pitched scream fills the area as short and skinny brunette male runs out of the building in a panic while being chased by a group of guys
Clem sighs with a head shake "Tory..."
Tory runs to the girls and hides behind them as they glare at the pursuers who stop in their tracks
Clem: Cartman, can you and your group go one day without harassing someone?
Cartman, being a white skinned boy standing at 5'6, scoffs "It's that bitch's fault for getting in my way"
Angel: Why does Tory have to be a bitch?
Cartman: Well, first off, what guy runs from a fight and acts like a girl?
He points at Tory "Hell, he even looks like one!"
Clem scowls at Cartman "What Tory does, and how he lives his life is his business and doesn't effect you in the slightest"
Angel gets in Cartman's face "Yeah! Now how about you do us all a favor and leave him alone?"
Cartman scoffs and leaves with his posse
Tory nervously watches them leave from behind the girls "Thanks, girls"
Angel smiles at him "No problem. Can't have people bullying our resident femboy, right Clem?"
Clem scoffs "Insensitive bastards"
Angel puts a hand on her shoulder "Settle down, Clementine. Can't have you getting in trouble either"
Clem sighs and looks at Tory "You okay?"
Tory: I was planning on asking you guys that. I heard something happened at the Park. Are you both all right?
Clem gives him a surprised look "The park?"
Tory: Yeah, you guys said you were going to the park so Angel could practice her Football skills yesterday
Angel waves this off "Don't worry, Tory, we're fine"
The bell rings
Angel: That's our cue
Tory: See you guys after class
He runs off
Angel begins walking as well, but Clem holds her back
Clem: Do you remember anything from last night?
Angel scratches her head as she thinks "The last thing I remember is going to check out some noise, nothing other than that. Why?"
Clem looks around before whispering "I have to show you something"
Girl's Locker Room
Clem takes out her duffel bag "Okay, you ready?"
Angel nods
Clem: Okay
She unzips the bag and rummages through it before taking out the rapier
Angel: Woah! You got a new--
Clem shushes her "I didn't get this... exactly. It's a long story" She stuffs the sword back in the bag
Angel: Try me
Clem looks around "Look, you just..." She looks back to her "You need to promise not to say anything"
Angel scoffs "Clem, come on, when have I ever not been able to keep a secret?"
Clem: Just making sure
Angel: Okay, well, get on with it
Loud whistle
Clem: Guess I'll have to tell you after the workout
They leave the locker room
-Urahara Shop-
Kuraun puts on his shoes and walks to the door "Jinta, Ururu, come on! We don't wanna be late, do we?"
Ururu: We're coming!
She comes running to the door with Jinta walking behind her with a scowl, both of them in school uniforms
Jinta moans "I don't wanna go to school"
Kuraun: No one ever wants to go to school, but you're going anyway
Jinta: But why?
Kuraun grabs him by the collar and pulls him out the door "Because we live in a society that says so"
Jinta groans "Man, society sucks"
Kuraun: I agree, but without it, life would be exceptionally harder
He puts him down "Now, what's the drill?"
Ururu/Jinta: If we have any problems, call Tessai immediately
Kuraun: And if for some reason he doesn't pick up?
Ururu/Jinta: Call you, and vice versa
Kuraun: What if you get into any altercations?
Ururu/Jinta: Use words first, and violence as a very last resort
Kuraun: And most importantly?
Ururu/Jinta: Watch each other's backs
Kuraun pats their heads with a smile "Good job"
Jinta pushes his hand away "Why do we have to go over that every time we're about to leave for school?"
Kuraun pokes Jinta's forehead "Cause I want it to stick in your heads. You can't trust just anyone" He rubs Ururu's head "Now get on outta here"
Jinta walks off with a pout, while Ururu happily skips off
Kuraun jogs off in the opposite direction
-Soul Society-
As the doors to the Captain-Commander's office close, the captains and Rangiku gather before Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
Yamamoto: Is this all you have to report, Captain Suì-Fēng?
Suì-Feng: Yes, sir. My squad and I were unable to find any trace of the Ōin even though we sealed off the area and covered every inch.
Yamamoto hums "This is a dark day." He states darkly
Aizen: Going off of descriptions of the perpetrators, it seems as though we have a new form of Hollow on our hands
Yamamoto: Maybe not. If the person behind it is from where I think they are, then it's not just the Soul Society in danger, but all of existence
Byakuya: My apologies for speaking out of turn, head captain, but exactly what place are you referring to?
-The Underworld-
This world is a dark and spooky plane of existence, and is home to various spirits; Demons, Phantoms, Ghouls, general creatures of the undead, even Hollows of different kinds. These creatures walk around in a society that can best be described as a "Halloween Kingdom", and like every kingdom, this one has a castle, a terrifying looking castle at that
In the throne room sits the
???: Dark Queen
The Dark Queen opens her glowing amber yellow eyes, and sees a long haired, bushy bearded 30-something-year-old tan man approaching the steps to the throne, wearing pitch black armor with a skeletal outline, a purple cape held up by bones, and a purple belt. With a rapier attached to his belt, and a white and purple hollow-esque helmet in his arms, he kneels before the Queen
Dark Queen: Sir Percival, have you received word from our scouts?
Percival: Indeed, the Soul Reapers were no match for our forces. They expected nothing
Dark Queen: The arrogant never do. What of the Ōin?
Percival lays his hand out and opens it, revealing a small golden stamp with an elaborate design; the handle and the top of the base are patterned with various leaf-like shapes, while the sides are decorated with current patterns separated into rectangles.
Dark Queen: Excellent, now, we can begin the next phase. There's a Sacred Sword in London that was recently taken from its resting place. Take an army of Soldier-Ones and obtain it from whoever currently has it
Percival dons his helmet "It shall be done, my liege"
-Karakura High-
Kuraun jogs through the gate and meets Akio, and some others
Akio: Yo, man
Kuraun: What's up, Akio? Who're these guys?
Akio: These are my new buddies. The dude on his phone is Kojima Mizuiro
Mizuiro waves with a smile "Hi"
Akio: The guy next to him is Asano Keigo
Keigo: Wassup, dude?
Akio: The big guy is Sado Yasutora, or Chad
Chad nods with a hum
Akio: And this last dude is Kurosaki Ichigo
Ichigo: How ya doin?
Kuraun waves with a smile "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Ōji Kuraun." He glances at Ichigo *This Ichigo has a significant amount of Spiritual Pressure for a human, strange.* He thoughtfully hums "Say, where do I go to check for classes?"
Mizuiro: Actually, you're in ours, so you're in luck
Kuraun: Oh, nice. In that case, we should get going
They begin walking to class
Kuraun: So, how'd you guys meet up?
Akio: That's a long and funny story
-London Fencing Club; Locker Room-
Clementine and Angel get into proper fencing uniform
Angel: Well, are you gonna use it?
Clem opens her duffel bag "Of course I'm gonna use it. It's in my hands so I might as well see how well it works"
Angel: But that guy said it was a Sacred Sword. What if something weird happens?
Clem takes out the sword "You worry too much." She spins the sword "What could possibly go wrong with using a sword for its intended purpose?"
Angel raises a brow "Didn't you use it to take out a dragon?"
Clem: I'm still not fully convinced of the actual reality of that fight. On the ever increasing chance it was real, I'll simply have to make sure I don't go too far in my spar
They walk out of the locker room with their masks and swords in hand
Meanwhile, someone in a trench coat and fedora watches from the bleachers.
Clementine gets onto a mat with another fencer, both preparing to duel
The unknown individual pulls out a phone to make a call
-Urahara Shop-
Kisuke: Hello
Phone: I've found her
Kisuke: Oh, Tessai, that's great! So, what's she lookin like?
Tessai: Exactly as Kuraun described her, and so far, she shows exceptional skill in the art of fencing. Her reflexes and speed are something to behold
Kisuke: Okay, well, keep an eye on her. Maybe try to get a personal gauge on her skills
Tessai: Understood
The call ends
-Fencing Club-
Tessai continues to watch Clem fence
Clem parries a strike and delivers one of her own, successfully landing a hit
Referee: Point, Clementine
Tessai hums and digs through a bag
Clementine walks over to Angel, who also just finished a match
Clem: You're getting better
Angel: Thank you, I do think I've been improving since our first match
Clem smirks and raises her sword "Care to test your might against me?"
Angel steps back with a chuckle "Okay, I haven't improved that much"
The two share a laugh as Tessai takes out an apple
Clem looks behind Angel and sees Tessai, who throws the apple at them. In a show of almost superhuman speed and reflex, Clem stabs the apple before it can make contact with Angel's head, shocking the both of them and impressing Tessai
Angel stares at the apple in sheer bewilderment "How did you do that?"
Clem constantly shifts her gaze from Angel to the apple "I... I don't know" She quickly regains her composure and sees Tessai running out of the bleachers
Clem runs after him while Angel stays in a stupor
Outside
Clem runs out the building, and finds nobody around "Where did...?" She looks down and finds the trench-coat and fedora on the ground "Who was that...?" She questions as she looks up on a nearby building and sees a dark figure staring at her *Who is that?*
The figure stares down at Clem with glowing gold eyes while taking out a sword of their own
Clem gasps and runs back into the building, getting met by Angel
Angel: Clem, what happened?
Clem: The weirdo that threw the apple disappeared, and now there's a--
The wall breaks down with a loud crash, eliciting screams from everyone in the gym as they turn to the hole
Percival walks through with a menacing glare shining through his helmet, followed by an army of phantom like knights
"Have at thee!" Percival shouts as he points his rapier at the people
The army charges in the building, prompting one of the teachers to shout "EVERYONE RUN!!!"
Everyone starts running, but the knights start attacking them
Clem grabs Angel "We gotta go!"
Angel nods "Yep!"
They turn to run, but get met by more knights
Clem: Shit!
They point their swords at the creatures
Angel looks around nervously "Death by knight ghosts was not on my to-do list today"
Clem: Well, I hope it was on your bucket list
She pushes Angel out of the way of one slash and parries another slash. She kicks her opponent back and jumps away "This is already ridiculous!" She looks around and sees everyone fighting, and people getting cut down "Oh my god"
Angel gets kicked away and looks over at Clem "Clem, behind you!"
Clem turns and is met by Percival who shouts "Fall!"
Clem lifts her rapier to parry, but Percival slashes it down before lifting the frame of his helmet and biting Clem on the shoulder
Angel: CLEM!!!
Clem stabs Percival in the gut as his teeth sink further into her skin, causing her to release an agonizing scream at the top of her lungs
???: That's enough!
Percival gets kicked away by Yoruichi, who catches Clem as she falls
"Mrs. Umlilo?!" Angel questions in shock and confusion
Yoruichi winks at the girl and kicks away a knight trying to sneak up on her
Angel: What are you doing here?
A phantom sneaks up behind her
Clem: Angel, watch--
Tessai comes out of nowhere and kicks the creature away
Clem: out...
Yoruichi: Ah, Tessai, good to see you
Clem jumps out of her grip "Mum, how'd you--?" She hisses and grips at her wounded shoulder
Yoruichi hugs Clem "Don't worry, sweetie. It's gonna be okay, I promise" She senses something and looks out the hole in the wall "Incoming witches. They'll take care of this. Time to go." She walks over to Clem and grabs her by the arm
Clem: Wha? Hey, what are you--
Tessai: Now, Nimue!
Tessai, Yoruichi, and Clem all disappear in a flash
Angel: CLEM?!?!
-Karakura High-
The day has ended, and now Kuraun and the others are walking out of the gate
Kuraun: What a day
Keigo: You don't get to say that! You basically conquered the school within a day!
Kuraun scoffs "Don't say that. I'm not a conqueror"
Akio: Didn't really stop you from becoming so popular so fast. You helped a few people, you started a small dance party, and humiliated some bullies with me, Chad, and Ichigo
Kuraun: That doesn't mean I rule the school
He looks up at a nearby building and sees a misty figure in knight armor. All the noise is blocked out as the two have a stare down
...
Keigo shakes Kuraun by the shoulder
Kuraun: Huh, what?
Keigo: You spaced out
Kuraun: I did?
He shakes his head "My bad. I thought I saw something"
Ichigo raises a brow at him, which goes completely unnoticed
Kuraun's phone goes off "Oh, boy, this should be good." He takes it out and answers it "Hello?"
Everyone watches him walk a few paces away while talking on the phone
Kuraun: Say what? Okay, I'm on my way
He hangs up and puts his phone away "I'll see you guys later!" He runs off
The others watch him leave
Keigo: I wonder what that was about
Akio: Work, maybe
-Urahara Shop-
Kuraun runs into the shop "Kisuke!"
Ururu runs out of the hall to greet him "Big brother, you'll never believe the day I had!" She shouts with a smile
Kuraun: Ururu, where's Kisuke?
Ururu: He's in the underground training chamber, but--
Kuraun: Thanks
He runs off
Ururu follows
Training Underground
Kuraun lands on the ground "Kisuke! Kisuke!"
Ururu lands behind him "Kuraun, what's wrong?"
Kisuke appears next to them "Kuraun, there you are"
Kuraun faces him "Kisuke, what's the issue?!"
Kisuke: Issue?
He realizes "Oh! No, I just said that so you'd hurry over"
Kuraun: Well, yeah, if there's an emergency then--... Wait, you--
Kisuke: Don't get me wrong, this is definitely important, but don't worry, we're already taking care of it. Although, you being here will make things easier
Kuraun: What are you talking about?
Kisuke walks off "Follow me"
He leads them to a hole
Kuraun: Has this hole always been here?
He notices a rapier standing next to it "That sword..."
Kisuke points into the hole "This is the Shattered Shaft. Take a look inside"
Kuraun raises a brow, but complies and sees "You!"
The person in the hole is Clem, whose hands are cuffed behind her back "YOU!!!" And she is not happy "You're the guy from before! Who was fighting that dragon!"
Kuraun: I'm Kuraun Ōji. What are you doing down the--
He notices a chain poking from her chest area "What's that chain?"
Clem: I don't know. Why don't you ask that hat and clog wearing bastard?!
Kisuke: That's very rude. Anyway, that chain is called the Chain of Fate, and what Miss Clementine is currently going through is called Encroachment, which is when the Chains of Fate sprout tiny mouths with spiky tongues that begin devouring the upper links until the chain is gone
Kuraun: And what happens when the chain is gone?
Kisuke: Just some standard Hollowfication, nothing to worry about
Kuraun and Ururu look at him in shock
Kuraun: WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO DO THIS?!?!
Kisuke: I told you I was gonna have her monitored, and guess who volunteered
Kuraun: Tessai?
Kisuke: Yes, but by some weird coincidence, we managed to run into someone
Kuraun: And who would that be?
He notices a pair of brown arms wrap around his neck from behind, and feels a pair of breasts on his back "...Oh, don't tell me"
Yoruichi smirks and rubs her cheek against his "Long time, no see, Kuru"
Kuraun rolls his eyes with a slight, but nervous smirk "Miss Yoruichi, a pleasure as always"
Yoruichi ruffles his head and lands in front of him, looking up at the boy that stands seven inches taller than her "What's with the formalities, huh?" She jumps and grabs his face, forcing him to lean down to her height so she can get a good look at him "Ah, look at how you've grown. You're so handsome now, I'm sure you've gotten a lot of numbers from all the schoolgirls, huh?"
Kuraun thinks for a bit "I may have gotten a fe--"He pulls her hands away from his face "Wait, that's not important! What's going on here?"
Yoruichi: Oh yeah!
She points down at the hole "See that girl there, who you fought a dragon with?"
Kuraun: Uh huh?
Yoruichi: She's my daughter
...
Kuraun double takes "I'm sorry, she's your what?"
Yoruichi: Basically, some stuff happened and she got infected by a Knight of the Underworld. I brought her here so Kisuke could find her a way to both counteract it, and get her into training earlier than I originally intended
Kuraun: Training for what?
Kisuke looks at him seriously "You know what"
...
Kuraun: ...It's begun, hasn't it?
Kisuke: Not yet, but the time is near
Yoruichi: A friend of ours informed us that these same creatures stole the Ōin as it was being transported
Kuraun growls "Then I need to hurry and find the others!"
Kisuke holds his cane out in front of the young man "Slow down. Rushing isn't gonna get us anywhere"
Kuraun: What do you suggest we do then?
Kisuke: Encroachment will finish in 72 hours, in that time, Clementine will either complete her objective or become a Hollow for us to dispose of
Clem looks up at him "Say what?!" She asks in shock and confusion
Kisuke looks down at her "Oops, did I not mention that part?"
Clem glares "No, you didn't!"
Kisuke chuckles "Silly me. Yeah, you either have to escape or die to put it simply"
Clem: YOU'RE INSANE!!!
She looks at Yoruichi with a pleading look "Mum, are you seriously about to leave me with--"
Yoruichi looks down at her "I know this is a freaky situation that you don't really understand, sweetie, but I promise you, everything's gonna be fine, you just have to trust me!"
Kisuke looks at Kuraun "In the meantime, why don't you go train? You still have a long way to go before you master your Zanpakutō. Just practice your Zanjutsu a little more, then move right onto Jinzen"
Kuraun sighs "Yeah, ok, fine."
Yoruichi grabs his hand "Let's get to work, Kuru!" She leads him away
Kuraun rolls his eyes "I'm fifteen years old. You think you can stop with the nicknames?"
Yoruichi: Afraid not
Clem: What?! MUM?!?! MUM!!!!
Kisuke looks back down at Clem "And, you, remember, only 72 hours. Have fun!" He disappears
Clem growls "My mother is friends with the weirdest damn people." She sits back on the wall behind her and looks up with an upset and thoughtful look "Why can't my life just be normal for once?"
-The Underworld-
Percival kneels in front of the throne, shame written on his face as the Dark Queen sighs
Dark Queen: Is that so?
She sighs "It matters not. I didn't expect any of you to be able to actually bring it here anyway. The Sacred Swords can only be picked up by those it deems worthy, and we don't know if the swords even consider you such anymore"
Percival: What now, my lady?
The Dark Queen hums thoughtfully "You say the target was infected, yes?"
Percival: Yes, your highness
Dark Queen: Then we shall wait, I want to see what happens. I also want the boy tested
Percival: Understood, my queen
-Shattered Shaft-
Clem sits and looks down at the increasingly dismantling chains *Damn all this. Who do these people think they are? Kidnapping me and stuffing me here. And what part does my mum play in this?* She looks up at the opening of the hole *I need to get out of here. But how?* Her eyes land on the sword, and she scoffs *All of this started because of that sword*
Flashback; Chapter 1
Kuraun looks down at Clem's hands and gasps "You wield it"
Clem holds up the blade "What? This sword?"
Kuraun places her down "Not just any sword. It's supposed to be a Seiken, a Sacred Sword, wielded only by someone considered worthy"
Present
Clem: Wielded by someone worthy, huh?
She thinks for a moment and stands up "Let's try this then." She turns her back to the rapier and opens her palm, trying to will it into her hands, like Thor... It does not work "Come on!" Still not working
???: You can't just think it into your hands
Clem looks up and sees Ururu looking down at her
Clem: Well, I don't have many options as of now
Ururu: If you're going to use a Zanpakuto, you need to understand it first
Clem raises a brow "What the hell is a Zanpakuto?"
Ururu: You might want to hurry before your chains disappear
Clem: I've only been in here for a few hours, I'm fine
Ururu: It must be easy to lose your concept of time while you're down there
Clem narrows her eyes "What are you on about?"
Ururu: Are you hungry?
Clem: ...Yeah, I could eat
Ururu: Then you're already on your way to becoming a hollow
Clem: What?
Ururu: It's already been 70 hours
Clem's confusion increases "What?" She looks down at her chain and notices that it's even shorter than when she last looked "What the fuck?!"
Ururu: You've been so focused on thinking of a way out that you haven't even noticed. This Encroachment is supposed to be worse than the rest
Clem: How so?
Suddenly, mouths form on all the remaining links of Clem's Chain of Fate, and she can only stare in shock as the mouths devour each other and the base of the chain on her chest
Clem: The fuck?! Hey! HEY!!!
Ururu: Kuraun!
Kuraun runs over with Yoruichi
Kuraun: What's wrong?!
He looks down and sees "Holy shit!"
"Clementine, just stay calm, ok?!" Yoruichi calmly states
With the entire chain gone, a mask begins forming itself on Clem's face "MUM, HELP M-- AAAAAGGGHHH!!!" The girl screams in agony as she desperately looks up to her mother for help
Kuraun and Ururu can only watch in shock as a shockwave emanates outward from the screaming Clementine. Jinta climbs to the top of the Shattered Shaft and observes that Clem is actually going to transform into a Hollow
Ururu: We need to do something!
Kisuke pats her head "Look closely." He points at Clem's mask "Hollows are usually formed by having the Soul burst into pieces and reassemble itself"
That's not what's currently happening
Kuraun: But Clementine's body is remaining intact while her mask forms
Yoruichi nods "A sign of her resistance"
Jinta: So, now what?
Kisuke smirks "Now, we wait"
-Clem's Inner World-
Clem wakes up with a gasp and looks around, quickly finding herself in the gym of the London Fencing Club "Huh, what?" She's even in her fencing gear "How the fuck?" There's even a sword in her hand
???: In this circumstance...
Clem quickly turns to the voice and sees a long haired male in a toga
???: ...How is not as important as why
Clem: Who are you?
???: I am the spirit of this Zanpakutō
Clem rolls her eyes with a groan "People keep saying that, but what the fuck is a Zanpakutō?!"
???: A very special kind of sword wielded only by Soul Reapers, or Shinigami as the Japanese call them. But we're not here to talk about that
He charges at her
Clem blocks his sudden strike with her sword "What the hell?!" She shouts with a mix of shock, confusion, and irritation
???: If you want to leave this place, you need to master your Zanpakutō!
He pushes her back
Clem grits her teeth and gets into a battle stance "Ok, you wanna duel? En garde!"
To Be Continued