Hello everybody I welcome you to this fic first I would like to say while I have the wiki to help I have not read the Manga of 1000 YBW, I'm keeping up with the anime so sorry if I mess anything up but I don't plan for the Wandereich to come in for a while so it should be fine.
As this fic has Candice as a main character I will add a forewarning that she may seem a bit ooc (basically just less shallow is what I'm going for) but I don't have a lot to work with that isn't base level with her character so that is to be expected. If anybody has any suggestions for stuff I could do with her that seems in character please leave suggestions. All constructive criticism is helpful, whether I'll do it or not is up to me but I appreciate the second opinion.
This is strictly Ichigo x Candice, no changes or additions will be made.
Some other pairings will happen (my apologies to all Ichigo and Orihime fans but I'm gonna be completely truthful here, I've never been a big fan of Orihime as a character, she had goated healing powers, a shield that breaks after 1 hit, and an offensive move about as useful as as throwing a water balloon at an Espada.
Will be planning to add a few new moves/techniques and such in this so I'm sorry if my translated names technically don't make sense. I'm just using translations and Google on this front so forgive me (let me know the proper name or something and I'll change it. Quick update mid write, I have been looking into this and I have learned it is not easy! So while I'll give it my best shot please forgive if it sounds terrible, it's not a simple process of just Google translating stuff)
This starts around April in the timeline so Ichigo has just started highschool and next month in May Rukia will arrive in Karakura town.
Please note I'm writing this concurrently with another fic and will switch between the two to avoid burning out on one story.
Without further ado let just begin
I know nothing
Karakura town highschool April year 2001
Ichigo Kurosaki lived quite a unusual life, a little under a year ago he had started to see the spirits of the recently dead, while most would think that is rather cool (partly due to that utterly embarrassing spirit hunter show everyone seemed to love so much) Ichigo did not, the first reason is that when the spirits caught on he could see them, they would offend follow him around ask for help to pass on or do utterly outrageous things like breaking into their houses or whatever the spirits personal belongings are and deleting the browser history.
Honestly he wished he could just scream at all of them to go away but then he'd look like a crazy person for shouting at air.
The second bad thing was the tragic spirits, souls of nice people and children who had passes away, there was a young girl who'd passed away from a car accident two weeks ago not far from his home, it was tragic, so he tried to console her whenever he passes by, left flowers alongside the others, so she could pass on and be with her parents who had passed in the crash but seemed to have already passed on.
The third really got to him on a deep level, sometimes he would see blood, blood nobody could see where a spirit was, and a deep nagging gripped his soul, the subconscious knowledge he was unable to protect those already dead so how could he protect his family and those he cared about, this feeling digging deep into the recesses of his mind from both his natural instinct to protect others (as per his namesake) and the complex he had but would never admit to anyone.
Honestly, while it was nice knowing he was special, a small nagging thought maybe he was just going crazy from all his fathers attacks, and don't get him started on the utter insane mess that was his dad.
Honestly Ichigo wished he could be normal, maybe that would be easier.
His thoughts were broken upon the entrance of his homeroom teacher as everyone got in their seats. She did a role call (Ichigo ignored most of the names as he was terrible with them) afterwards she said she had an announcement.
"Alright class I know you just started the year but we have a new student starting. They had a bit of a problem with the move so that's why they were late." The teacher said as she poked her head out the door and asked someone to come in.
In came a girl Ichigo assumed was just a bit younger then him, she was wearing a normal girl's school uniform and shoes but what was unique about her was her featured, you could already tell she would be even more beautiful in a year or two but she already was now, she had uniwue green eyes that seemed to be taking in everyone in the classroom right to left but what really stood out was her hair, a unique green that gave an incredibly exotic look, it didn't seem to be dyed either, judging by how the light green also went to her uniquely shaped eyebrows,it went down to her mid back and seemed to be incredibly well taken care off, she also seemed to not be fully Japanese, as Ichigo was taking in the seemingly unique girl the teacher spoke again.
"Class this is Miss Candice Catnipp, please be sure to treat her well as she is new in town. You can go and sit in the empty seat next to Kurosaki there." The teacher said addressing the class then her as she pointed to him and the empty seat next to him.
Yep, definitely not normal.
With Candice
Candice Catnipp was not normal, aside from her irregular features that luckily she could most pass on her European heritage, at least that's what her mother told her (even though her Japanese and accent implied her mom was born and bread in Japan)
Aside from the unique hair, which she actually really liked and was very proud of, she could see the recently dead. It must have started about a year ago when her mom got sick, honestly she didn't care for it, she liked being special though she already achieved that distinction with her unique look.
They were constantly asking her to help them pass on and it got annoying after a while, did she look like a goddamn shrine maiden!?
She tried to let the nice ones, mainly the younger spirits, down easy telling them is there anything you regret and to confess it, maybe that would help, others she just told to piss off, sadly she could not physically interact with them, one spirit said "I will surely pass on if I have one date with a pretty girl." Sadly the crotch kick she threw phased right through him, but at least it seemed to scare him off.
Honestly aside from her appearance, Candice often wished she could be normal.
She looked around and saw mostly normal faces, a few male blushes and some oddities too, mainly two students with rather unorthodox orange hair and a guy that looked…Mexican? Spanish? Brazilian? She wasn't exactly sure, that was built like a brick wall, the guy was huge. So at least she didn't seem to be the odd one out. She went and sat in the seat that belonged to one of the orange haired people, the male, and began to listen to the rest of the homeroom, taking out her register to see what classroom she had to find in this fricking maze of a school building next.
She looked across from her to see the guy, Kurosaki right? Giving her one interested sideways glance before looking ahead again.
Definitely not normal
Back with Ichigo after school
So, new exchange student one week in, though maybe she isn't an exchange student as she was meant to start a week ago with them, however it was definitely odd to see somebody with perhaps a more standout hair color then himself.
Hearing a constant step behind him he subtly looked behind him to see miss minty hair herself walking behind him seemingly tapping away at her green with lightning decal flip phone. He ignored it and kept going.
About 10 mins later he still found her following his every move, now he was getting a bit suspicious. He turned the next corner and stood still only for the shorter girl to walk right into him.
"Hey what's your problem?!" She asked sternly, looking up from her phone with annoyance evident on her face.
"My prob-? What's your problem?! You've been following me ever since I left school, you got out of class before me!" Ichigo retorted, equally annoyed.
"I had to look up directions for where I was going, also I'm not following you, why would I follow some carrots top I just barely met today anywhere?!" Candice then retorted, getting more pissed with Kurosaki by the second.
"OK sure minty, I don't know what your game is but I ain't interested!" Ichigo finally said before leaving at a quicker pace.
And yet she still kept following him! He looked back with a glance and saw a rather unhappy look as she kept following him.
"Why are you constantly going where I am?!" She shouted as she ran slightly to be side by side with him as they both gave one another a harsh stare.
"Oi oi Kurosaki. Thought I told you about copying my look, you wannabe." A rude voice said, they both turned to see a group of six older boys, each practically screaming delinquent and thug with their looks and vibe. This apparent leader stood taller then all of them and stood out with his bleached blonde hair.
"Son of a bitch." Ichigo cursed underneath his breath.
"Gave us a bit of a challenge last time but we came prepared this time." The leader said as he and his gang took out various makeshift weapons, one bat, two tire irons, two chains and the leader with some brass knuckles.
"Your turf?! I live around here man, what do you want me to do? Just not go home, if you don't want a repeat of last time, take your backup dancers and get out of my neighborhood!" Ichigo shouted at the leader as he and his boys encircled both him and Candice.
"I don't give a shit. Say, this your girlfriend Kurosaki? Hey baby, how about you ditch the loser and give me your digits. Your dye work could be better though, I'll give you some tips." The leader said, leering at Candice who now adopted a very harsh look at the mention of her hair being 'badly dyed'.
"*sign*" Candice let out before she shocked everyone by grabbing the leader's face and bringing it down to connect with her knee, hard.
*crunch* a loud breaking noise was heard before Candice dropped him to the pavement clutching his bloody and quite obvious broken nose.
"You gonna pussy out or do I need to save you princess?" Candice asked. Giving a slightly mocking look to Ichigo. He got over his shock and shook his head as he spun around and decked the guy with the bat as Candice grabbed the head of the tire iron twins and bashed them together after which she gave both disoriented thugs and solid punch to keep them down.
As Candice handled her pair, Ichigo threw this dropped bat at one of the gang members with a chain sending him to the floor; the other wrapped it around Ichigo's arm only for the orange haired boy to pull on it and clothesline him with his other arm. Both done with the wannabe gang they both walked over to the leader getting up holding his bloody nose.
"My hair is all natural, asshole." Candice said as she turned confidently, only to be caught of guard as the leader was now holding a knife and lunging at her, Candice moved to catch the blow but before she could Ichigo stepped in his way, deflecting the jab causing a slight slash on his arm, only for Ichigo to make him drop the knife with an arm hold, then to either dislocate or break the arm from the hold.
"Sneaky bastard!" Ichigo shouted as he decked him, sending him off to dreamland with his cronies. "Shit Yuzu and Dad are gonna kill me." Ichigo said, not very phased by the shallow cut, more how his father and protective younger sister will chew him out for getting hurt.
"Wow uh, thanks Kurosaki." Candice said, kinda shocked that this person who thought she was stalking him or something just got in the way of a knife for her, even though she probably could have stopped it.
"You can just call me Ichigo if you want. Not bad back there, these guys are A-grade losers but they are really persistent, think this is the third time I've beat them down, hopefully this time's the charm and they stay gone this time, thanks for your help, was about to deck him myself for insinuating what he DID!" Ichigo explained, he enthused the 'did' with a swift kick to the downed leader's crotch.
"I got picked on a lot when I was a kid, mostly older brothers pissed that I had prettier looks then their little sisters, or people trying to pick on me for my hair, so I know how to handle myself. Know a bit of German style ju-jitsu, learnt when I was a kid." Candice explained, while she loved her looks and was very proud of her blooming attractiveness, it could cause some problems at times.
"Honestly I've beat down so many punks and gangs here, got shit myself when i was younger and still a bit nowadays due to my hair, so i'm used to it, better get home and get this cleaned, thanks for your help Catnipp, remember don't take any crap from people like that. But you seem to know how to handle yourself fine against their types already." Ichigo said, inspecting his cut and waving to Candice as he left, only for them to still walk the same way.
About one minute later Candice finally broke the silence.
"Why jump in front of him to protect me, you don't even know me?" Candice asked with an almost guilty look on her face as they walked side by side.
"I've always been like that, protecting people, it's my namesake after all, plus you only got roped into their crap because you were near me at the time, kinda my fault." Ichigo answered, scratching the back of his head as he spoke.
Finally Ichigo arrived home, Candice still with him.
"Ah, that explains why I've been following you, your clinic." Canduce said feeling embarrassed as she saw her destination was 'Kurosaki clinic' not 'Kurokami clinic' like she had misread.
"Oh you need my Dad for something? Fair warning, he's a nutter." Ichigo said as he opened the door only to meet a flying double kick to the face.
"HAHAHA! SLOPPY MY BOY SLOPPY! NEVER ASSUME ANY LOCATION IS SAFE!" an older man shouted at Ichigo as Candice looked on in disbelief.
"What the hell is wrong with you old man this is our goddamn house! Besides you got a fricking patient!" Ichigo shouted back at his utterly nuts father Isshin Kurosaki, an older man wearing basic clothes and the clinical overcoat. He was sporting a goofy grin as he argued with his son and had slightly spiky dark hair and a stubble.
"Ohohoho, finally bringing a girl home eh Ichigo, never thought i'd see the day, my Misaki would be so proud." Isshin said loudly, having comical tears at whoever 'Misaki' was.
"Errrrrrrr, I just need my Mom's prescription." Candice said plainly as she handed the older man a slip of paper, not knowing what in hell was going on, one thing was clear, maybe a man who does some kind of out of the blue self defense training with his own son without his consent maybe should not be able to have access to controlled substances, or maybe should be on one.
"Ah right, got a call from your last GP about this, terrible to hear about how your mother hasn't been well for the last few years." Ishhin said, dropping the joking persona as he looked at the prescription form.
"It's fine, hopefully she can get better someday." Candice said, holding her left arm at her side and looking down with a sad expression.
"Well I got your order ready and everything, also gotta disinfect that cut of yours Ichigo, you're better then that, don't let one of those mooks catch you off guard again." Isshin said as he unlocked the clinic and hopped behind the counter to get Candice's medicine.
"It's only a scratch dad, they had it way worse.*wince*" Ichigo answered back as he winced slightly at the end at the rubbing alcohol his father put on the cut, he quickly tied a patch of gauss over the wound and he was done.
"Well I guess I'll see you next week Miss Catnipp. I hope your mother makes a recovery." Ishhin said as he waved Candice off, Ichigo doing the same.
"Thanks doc." She said as she placed her mother's pills in her school bag and left the clinic.
"Guess I'll see you at school, Kurosaki." Candice said as he gave a wave and left the clinic.
As she left Ichigo slammed his fathers head on the countertop, causing him to have a bloody nose. "What have I told you about not attacking me in front of people who aren't our family you old goat! People are gonna think we are a family of nutcases!" Ichigo yelled at his father, honestly so sick of his antics by this point.
"Good form…my…boy." Isshin said as he gave a thumbs up and slipped into unconsciousness only to get up perfectly fine five seconds later.
"Well you probably have schoolwork to do, I'll test your abilities again when Yuzu has dinner ready." The older man said as he walked off completely fine.
"Mad old goat." Ichigo muttered as he grabbed his bag and went upstairs to make a start on any schoolwork he had to get done.
With Candice
Candice walked some more until she ended up at a large building that said at the front 'Ushoda care home' she walked inside signed in at the desk and walked until she found the room she was looking for, a simple replaceable sign said 'Sara Catnipp' she gently knocked on the honestly very large door, "come in" a gentle voice said, Candice opened the door to see a bed bound woman and a extremely large portly man with pink hair and a similarly colored mustache wearing a green suit.
The women In the bed had dull yellow hair that was slightly messy and went down her back, she was wearing some comfy pajamas with little lighting designs on them, a birthday gift from her daughter, her face while beautiful was noticeably affected my her poor health, sagged eyes, lack of facial fat (like she was malnourished) and an unhealthy looking paleness in her skin.
"Candice sweetheart. How are you? The first day go ok?" Her mother Sara said, life filling her face as she saw her daughter.
"Thank you so much Hacchi dear, could I please speak with my daughter, I'll beat you at more shogi later." Sara said to the man who smiled, "Of course Miss Catnipp, let me know if you need anything. And I will beat you one of these days." Hacci said as he moved past Candice to give them some privacy.
"Oh wait a sec, here's my Mom's meds." Candice said, passing the caregiver the bottle of pills with a name she couldn't pronounce.
"Oh thank you young miss, these will certainly help, we normally get shipments with Mr Isshin's help but these are a bit more difficult to order, I hope it's not too much trouble to get them for us each week?" Hacchi said, taking the bottle and bowing again in respect to the teen.
"It's no problem, thanks for looking after mom, even though I know it's your job." Candice said feeling slightly embarrassed about the man bowing to her.
"Ohohoho, my father Hachigen senior opened this place, you know, for me the work is all the payment I need, keeps me busy too, can get rather boring just doing nothing. I'll leave you two and take these to the nurses." Hacchi 'junior' said as he left the two of them alone, closing the large door (obviously so big to fit his large stature) on his way out.
"So tell me everything dear, classmates ok? If there is any issue with your looks again and people being jealous that my baby girl is a beautiful young woman? No matter how confined to this bed I am, I'll go down there!" The elder Catnipp ranted, causing her daughter to laugh at her mother's still strong spirit.
"No it's alright Mom, some unique looking people in my class this time so I don't think it'll be an issue, have this Mexican looking guy who's almost too big for the door." Candice said as she and her mother chucked at the end.
"Met the owner of the clinic I got your meds from, honestly I could have worse classmates, guy is pretty brave." Candice mentioned the final bit under her breath.
Apparently her mother's poor health did nothing to impede her hearing.
"Brave huh, oh sweetie, did you get into another fight?" Sara asked as he looked over her daughter to see if she was injured at all.
"I'm fine Mom, just some punks picking a fight with my classmate and me at the same time, put them in their place as always, Kurosaki jumped in front of a strike I could have stopped so he's pretty cool I guess, can handle himself in a fight at least." Candice answered her mother thinking back to earlier.
"Always getting into fights yet knowing how pretty she is and being a fan of looking good, honestly I ask myself if I raised a tomboy or a fashionista?" Her mother said, laughing a little at her joke, causing Candice to give her a dry look.
"Yea mom because I fit into only one of those two, not a stereotype you know." Candice answered back with fake annoyance.
"You right dear I'm sorry, so is the new house alright? I wish I could see it, but maybe one of these days." Her mother asked, saying the last part under her breath.
It was sad but honestly since Sara had gotten sick almost a full six years ago now Candice had to basically raise herself, her daughter lived in what should have been their house alone, she also knew her daughter's cooking ability wasn't the best, she was constantly worried about the nutrition of the meals she ate. But Sara couldn't do much confined to this bed and room.
"How about a game of shogi? I've been able to beat Haachi every single time." Candice's mother offered, Candice just collected the board on the table and brought it over, she had seen and done this song and dance many, many times before, nobody she knew could beat her mother at strategic board games, if you played Chess or a non Japanese game you had better odds, but shogi? It was a death sentence. But her mother loved it, besides, she never lost too badly anymore.
Later
"Well I better get home before dark, I'll see you soon mom, love you, I'll tell one of the nurses to bring your meds ok?" Candice said, quite hungry and needed to get back home.
Her mother just smiled deeply, enjoying any moment she could get with her daughter.
"Alright, be safe, and yes it's almost time for me to take the next dose, please send them in. I love you sweetheart." Sara said, hugging her daughter and kissing the top of her head fondly.
They gave a quick wave to each other and Candice signed out at the front desk and told them her mother was ready for her evening medication.
She quickly made it home and got to work on dinner, well when she said got to work she really meant was put her microwavable dinner in and start the timer, after her very bland meal she got to work on her catch up schoolwork, had a shower and went to bed.
Candice lay down on the double bed that used to be her mom's before she had to live in a care home as she looked around her room. It had all the classic things a school student she have, desk with a lamp closet full with one spare uniform and a collection of fashionable clothing, she also had a nice vanity set up (she liked to fix her bed head in the mornings) honestly it was a pretty nice room especially for someone her age.
However to the late at night Candice, it felt empty. The whole house felt empty, she believed in a small pessimistic part of her brain that her mother may never get better, that she would never live in the same place with her, that she may even pass away before she even became an adult. And so the very lonely girl, like she had many times before, cried herself to sleep in secret.
6 days later
Over the past few days Candice had come to dislike her new environment less and less. Honestly the sleepy little town had grown on her, not too much noise and light pollution, the sunsets were really something and her mom seemed way happier in this new care home compared to her previous one.
School was ok too, she had one for two more conversations with Ichigo Kurosaki and met some of the other characters in her class, first where Ichigo's friends, the half giant who everyone just called 'Chad' who seemed to be of few words but was nice enough, him and Ichigo seemed to be close. Next was Mizuiro, a dark haired boy who was on his phone a lot but he was nice enough, one character she was not a fan of was Keigo, a hyperactive numbskull who asked her out as soon as he got the chance only for Ichigo to bash the back of his head while she bashed the front, they both had a good laugh over it.
Next were the girls in her year, the first two seemed to be as thick as thieves, in Orihime and Tatsuki. Orihime shared Ichigo's odd hair color and honestly seemed a bit ditzy, she overheard her meal for lunch and it sounded like a blend of things that should never be blended with one another, but she also seemed to have a heart of gold, coming up to her on her second day and introducing herself with a smile like the sun, that chipper attitude never faltering, innocence rolling off her in waves almost, so yea she liked Orihime, she seemed like good people.
Next was her best friend Tatsuki who was 100% Tomboy with a capital T she had learned that she was one of the most skilled and dedicated members of the schools karate club already in a such a short time of joining which was honestly quite impressive, she seemed quite protective of Orihime, the two definitely were best of friends but overall Tatsuki seemed nice though quite down to earth and seemingly a very nice person.
Next however was probably her most disliked member of the class, while Kegio's antics seemed mostly harmless mainly just him being the class clown/goofball, Chizuru was not very funny in her mind, the girl was honestly just a massive pervert it seemed, constantly trying to seduce and touch Orihime's body with Tatsuki being its stalwart defender, it was honestly a bit disconcerting but she'd been told by Ichigo she was always like that and it wasn't malicious in any way, she chalked it up to this town attracting all the crazy's. But overall she wasn't the biggest fan of the red haired girl.
She had also come to see a few spirits, one was a young girl who had died tragically shortly before she came to Karakura, someone had been leaving flowers for her which was nice but if she saw her Candice would offer her condolences and tell the girl to pass on to be with her family.
She was currently doing this right now telling the girl it would be alright.
What she didn't expect was to find Ichigo come up and look at her and the spirit, and between the two back and forth rapidly, like he…could…see…her.
"C-can you see her?" Ichigo asked in shock, never before meeting someone, anyone, who shared his ability, only Karin had a minor sense for the spiritual.
"Yep, only you've been able to see me before Mr Ichigo, she's special, like you." The kind young spirit answered, clearly happy to have people to talk to.
"Urr hey I need to have a talk with my classmate right quick. So here are your flowers." Ichigo said, placing the flowers in the water filled milk bottle down and quickly dragging Candice off with him, as the young girl waved them off.
When they were around the corner Ichigo looked at Candice as if trying to garner what she was.
"How long?" He asked seriously, tone leaving no room for argument.
"As long as I can remember, I've never met anyone else who could, honestly it's nice to know I'm not crazy." Candice asked, looking at Ichigo like he had a second head, like he was looking at her.
"Me too, think I was…nine when I saw my first one." Ichigo said, gaining a sad look when he seemed to remember his first spiritual experience.
"So…what now?" She asked, not really knowing how to react to this.
"Wanna come eat with my family, Yuzu always makes too much anyway, besides, saves you having to pick up your mom's meds tomorrow." Ichigo invited, honestly he'd like to know more about Candice now, being how they were the same, also the fact that her mom was sick really hit him in a personal place.
Candice tried to gauge whether Ichigo was hitting on her or not, but he didn't really seem like that despite the appearance that he may be a delinquent with the hair and all the fights he gets into.
She was considering it when her stomach rumbled, she instantly thought about a bland microwaved dinner she'd had one too many times in a row in comparison to a nice home-cooked meal and knew her answer.
"Sure, but this isn't a date. Don't get any funny ideas, got it." Candice answered sternly, pointing her finger in Ichigo's face.
"Of course not, I'm simply inviting you because it's the nice thing to do. Also Yuzu begged me to invite you over when she overheard your moms sick last week. She does this puppy dog thing with her eyes, it's not exactly something you say no to." Ichigo said, no hidden agenda in his mind, Yuzu really had begged him, he couldn't say no to his younger sister sometimes. He also learned last week that his girl didn't take anybody's crap, asking her out like a perv was a good way to get your nose broken.
"Oh well that's nice of her I guess, what's for dinner?" Candice asked, actually quite looking forward to this now.
"One sec I'll ask." Ichigo said as they were walking. He pulled out his flip phone and dialed his house's landline.
"Hey Yuzu it's me, yea I'm fine, bringing Candice for dinner like you asked, yea yea I know I'm great, just make sure dad keeps it under wraps. Also she asked what you're making? Oh that's nice, see you in a bit." Ichigo hung up and turned to her.
"We are having beef bowl if that's good?" Ichigo informed her, Candice's stomach rumbled at the thought of the hearty meal.
"Yea that's good." She answered, honestly Candice was a little nervous, she had never been to a friend's house before. Were she and Ichigo friends now? Friendly acquaintances would probably be a more apt
As they came up to the clinic/household Candice followed Ichigo in only to be met by the smiling face of a young girl, who looked very happy to see her.
"Hey big bro, thanks for asking her to come. Hello Miss Catnipp, I'm Yuzu Kurosaki, thanks for coming over." Yuzu said the small brown haired girl beaming like the sun in a child sized apron.
"Well thanks for having me I guess, you can just call me Candice though, just sounds odd hearing people call me by my last name, it's kinda unconventional." Candice said, giving a small bow as she said thanks.
"Wwwhhhaaattt? I love your last name, Catnipp, it's so cute." Yuzu said, still beaming.
"Haha. I guess so, but please just call me Candice." Candice said, honestly she didn't like her last name the best, as it was another topic she got picked on when she was in grade school, every attendance call was met with mocking giggles when it came to her full name. But it was nice to know it made this bundle of childlike sunshine happy.
"Please take a seat, it's almost ready." Yuzu said as she walked back to the kitchen as Candice and Ichigo sat down.
Candice looked around at the quaint little family abode and was honestly slightly jealous of Ichigo, living in a full house while she lived in a home that should have been herself and her mother. She then saw Ichigo's other sister come down from upstairs and sit down with them.
While Yuzu seemed to radiate positive energy her sister seemed to just radiate the opposite, not negativity exactly, as she didn't know the girl she could not place it exactly.
"Oh hey, so Yuzu finally got Ichigo to invite you huh? Sorry if it was odd of him just asking you out of the blue, mainly Yuzu and our dad pestering him. They are both messed up in the head but they mean well. Even if dad needs to be institutionalized." Karin said in a dull tone of voice.
"Karin! I'm not messed up in the head, that's just dad! Geez, saying that to your own twin sister." Yuzu said from the kitchen l, waving around a spatula at her sister.
"Well I'm the eldest so I get to say things like that." Karin said smugly.
"Yea by all of two minutes." Ichigo jabbed under his breath causing Karin to stare him down as the three siblings got into a verbal back and forth.
As Candice sat there she couldn't help herself. "*pfff* Hahahahaha!" She laughed at the siblings' antics. They all turned to see their house guest firmly enjoying their display and not put off by it. Ichigo noted that her laugh was somewhat melodic in a way, even though it wasn't some refined behind the hand giggle, honestly he kind of admired Candices fierceness, a bit like Tatsuki in a way but still kinda feminine.
He had seen she had changed her look from day one (seemly not wanting to step on any feat with altering the standard uniform too much) not normally wearing her blazer just sticking to the white shirt and forgoing the ribbon, her hair was slightly more styled almost going into lightning bolt shaped locks, she also wore some slouch socks and had two silver bangles on each wrist, her right having a lightning bolt shaped charm on it. If people believed her hair was dyed (which a few did much Candices annoyance) she'd give off a slight Kogal vibe but honestly to Ichigo she didn't seem to be into that culture at all.
"Dad, come on, dinner is ready!" Yuzu called into the clinic part of the house.
Moments later Candice saw the rather odd father of the trio enter the room with a brown bag in hand.
"Hey all, before I forget here is your mother's prescription Miss Catnipp." Isshin said, handing her the bag with her mother's meds in them.
"Thanks, you can just call me Candice Mr Kurosaki." Candice said, putting the brown bag in her school bag.
"Ah, my young Ichigo finally brought a girl home, isn't it wonderful Misaki." Isshin said as crocodile tears ran down his face as he hugged a poster of a beautiful middle aged woman.
Ichigo then ran up to him, grabbed the back of his fathers head and implanted it into the wall.
"First of all, inviting her was something you and Yuzu constantly asked me to do, and second, don't talk to mom's poster when we have guests round, they aren't used to your insanity." Ichigo yelled at his unconscious father. He walked back and sat down as Yuzu placed the steaming meal in front of him.
"You know you shouldn't be so rough with him, Ichigo." Yuzu said as they all sat down and snapped their chopsticks.
"He'll live. He's taken worse then that. Sorry about him Candice, he's always acting like a loon, we told him to keep it under wraps while you're here. Thanks Yuzu, looks great as always." Ichigo said, addressing both the house guest and his sister.
"It's ok, at least it must never get boring around here. Thanks Yuzu, it smells great." Candice said politely as she dug in, the freshly cooked rice and beef tasting way better then anything she had recently.
The best of the meal passed without any major incident, idle conversation was passed around and a few stories shared between Candice and Ichigo about beating up the local goons on multiple occasions, Yuzu engaging in some girl talk with Candice and Karin idly chatting but not contributing much.
After Candice had eaten her fill (taking up Yuzu's offer for seconds) she lay back relaxed in her chair, fully content with her filling meal.
"Thank you so much Yuzu, can't remember the last time I had a meal like that." Candice said, impressed at the culinary skills of a girl this young.
"Well you're very welcome, we are always glad to have you here for dinner Candice you do have to come here every week anyways so two birds with one stone." Yuzu said beaming.
"Well I wouldn't want to impose. But thank you for the offer." Candice said sheepishly, not wanting to seem rude or taking advantage but also really wanting more of Yuzu's cooking.
"I'd better get going before it gets completely dark. Thank you for having me, see you at school Ichigo." Candice said bowing slightly in thanks, grabbing her bag and waving to the family as she left the household.
"Well she was lovely. I'm glad you have a new friend, Ichigo." Yuzu said, beaming still at her brother.
"Yuzu I hardly know her, I get it was nice and everything why but invite her over in the first place anyways?" Ichigo asked his younger sister.
"Well you know, me and dad thought it would be nice, considering that she doesn't have anyone at home, it must be lonely." Yuzu said, taking a somber look on her face.
"Oh, I see. Well, invite her whenever you want Yuzu, just be too pushy about it, she still doesn't really know us that well." Ichigo said, kneeling down to her level, transitioning into the caring big brother at the drop of a hat.
"Makes sense, I guess we all kinda relate to Candice, not having her mom around much." Ichigo thought soberly inside. Sad thoughts of a beautiful mature woman surfacing from the deep place Ichigo kept them.
The next day at the care home
"So they invited you for dinner? How was it dear?" Sara asked her daughter as she told her mother about last night's events.
"It was good, wish you could try it mom but solids don't suit you too well I know." Candice said to her mom.
Sara smiled even at the mention of her sad lack of ability to keep down solid food, happy that her daughter seemed to have connected to people, as she worried about her girls lack of social interaction (outside of herself) quite a lot.
"Should I be weirded out by them being so friendly given that they just met me though?" Candice asked her mother, wanting her take on the matter.
"No dear I think they are fine, if I'm honest I think they may feel a sense of companionship with you, you said that the younger sister Yuzu was preparing food you said? Think about why that may be." Sara answered back.
"Yea I did wonder that myself, so their mom is probably…" Candice trailed off.
"Yes she most likely passed away before her time, the young girl probably sees someone to relate to or help." Sara answered Candice's thoughts for her.
"Huh, well I'm happy to go round, she is one hell of a cook." Candice said. She finished talking with her mother and headed home for that day.
"Oh my dear, she probably also knows how lonely you are, and she offered her hand to help free you of that burden." Sara said as she shed a tear for her daughter, and cursed that she was bound to this bed and unable to help her own daughter herself.
One week later
Over the next week Candice dined with the Kurosaki's twice. The first time was because she and Ichigo had been stuck on a group project together and they did it at his house easily before eating and the second was when it was time to pick up her mother's next weekly dose.
In that time Ichigo and Candice got to know one another a little better, their friend jump starting over their shared ability to see the dead. He told her about his first run in with the gang they both beat up on his first day of school, explaining some of the bruises she saw some of them having. His time karate training (omitting the fact that Tatsuki used to always beat him and he'd cry) and other tidbits about himself with Candice doing the same.
About how she beat her first bully and asked her mother if she could learn self defense leading to her knowledge of German style ju-jitsu and well as fight skills gathered from mainly experience. Admitting to her sensitivity over her looks at times, not tolerating anybody saying she had dyed/bleached it with Ichigo having similar opinions. She stated she had interest in fashion although she was slight embarrassed by her love of it (not wanting to come off as a vain appearance obsessed kogal) and said she'd like to maybe have a carrier in it, with Ichigo saying she should go for her dreams if she wanted, he answered he didn't really have any major carrier aspersions.
They also tended to theories about their ability to see the dead, wondering if it was just random, genetic (odd hair colored people seeing dead people was a working theory) or was their something linking them to the afterlife? They both just left it up to one of the great mysteries of the universe and left it at that. But it was nice for the both of them, having someone like them, a one hundred percent assurance that they definitely were not crazy, or they were both crazy.
Most definitely not normal, either one of them. But they could definitely say they were friends.
Week after that at school
"So Ichigo, you've been getting close to the new student I hear, anything happening there?" Mizurio asked Ichigo while they were eating lunch.
"Seriously who went saying something like that. Sure I had that group project with her but it's not a big deal, walk to same way home after school sometimes, she pretty cool I geuss, but it's not like we are close or anything.
"Oh, well then maybe you could introduce me as your handsome and highly charming friend Keigo Asano." Keigo said up to his usual antics only to get casually punched by Ichigo.
"Well lunch is almost over." Ichigo said as he got up and left.
"Wanna bet he never asks her out Chad?" Mizuiro asked the giant teen.
"Sure. I could use the money." Chad answered simply.
Week after that now a few days into May
Over the month the two had know one another Candice and Ichigo had definitely become friends, honestly aside from Tatsuki Ichigo didn't really have any female friends (not unless you count his sisters) and while he was fine with that he was happy to call her one of the two. She was smart (despite her laid back attitude about school she did study and performed well in her subjects) funny, easy to talk to and very down to earth, so someone he enjoyed spending time with.
She was also responsible for confirming he wasn't insane as they could both see the spirits of the dead so that was a bonus.
For Candice it was a similar feeling, she had never really had any proper friends, her looks alienating Candice in her younger days and the lasting effects of that not helping now she was older. Unwilling to properly connect with people she final felt somewhat at home in Karakura, no longer was she the odd one out, now there were many odd ones all out together. Ichigo was definitely an outsider, his often standoffish demeanor and delinquent stigma meaning he had a handful of close friends. He did a lot better in school then people thought and like she had for Ichigo, Candice was certified not crazy as he could see spirits too. Overall, Candice was happy to call Ichigo her friend.
Speaking of the two they were currently walking to Ichigo's house after school, not only did they have homework, they decided to bash out together but Candice needed the next batch of her mom's meds for her weekly visit tomorrow.
They were talking about how Ichigo had to teach some punks a lesson for knocking over the flowers they had both left for the spirit of the young girl they knew.
Speaking of the spirit they both saw her running towards them like she was being chased by…something, neither could see exactly what was chasing the girl, it was almost like some kind of distortion in the air following her, and said distortion was destroying the sidewalk leaving cracks where it walked and even claw marks.
"I-ichigo are you seeing what I am?" Candice asked in shock.
"Well not exactly seeing but yea it's after that girls spirit!" Ichigo answered.
"Mr Ichigo, Mrs Candice please help me!" The spirit cried as it ran up to them.
"Don't worry I'll keep you both safe, get behind me both of you." Ichigo said as he put up some sort of stance but it didn't help much as he couldn't see exactly what he was defending them both from.
"Ichigo don't say that like I'm some sort of damsel, I can kick just as much ass as you." She answered as she stood by Ichigo, the young spirit behind them both.
As the invisible beast drew closer and both Ichigo and Candice's heart rates climbed higher and high and adrenaline coerced through their veins the picture became clearer, now in the distortions place was a giant monster with a bone white mask, lunging at them with its maw open wide.
As their lives flashed before their eyes a flash of steel halted it advance, quicker then they could follow as women In a black garb delivered both a vertical and horizontal strike to the beast's mask. Causing to to dissipate into nothingness.
Before either one could get their bearings the women left as quickly as she appeared.
Both the teens were just left to look out towards the destroyed street as the spiritually unaware were wondering what happened.
As for those who saw what happened.
"Candice?" Ichigo said.
"Yea?" She answered.
"What in the hell just happened?" He asked.
"I have no fucking idea." Candice answered, her slightly rude mouth swearing as she truly had no better words for it.
"Hey do you have any idea what that was?" Ichigo asked the spirit, only for the child to shake her head. "I'm sorry Mr Ichigo, that monster just started chasing me, that lady just saved us though, I wish I could have said thank you." The girl said.
"I'm sure she knows, so hurry up and pass on so this doesn't happen again." Candice said, kneeling down.
"OK Mrs Candice I'll try." The girl said as they both left still slightly dazed.
"I have a theory." Candice said as they neared the kurosaki household.
"Spill." Ichigo said, turning to look at her.
"Maybe it was an evil spirit? I mean all kinds of legends and stuff like that mention demons and evils spirits. Maybe that was one?" Candice theorized, a thoughtful look on her face, hand on chin and brow furrowed.
"That makes sense I geuss. But what about that girl, one with that black kimono and the katana?" Ichigo rhetorically asked.
"Exorcist?" Candice said.
"A good a guess as any, but I don't think so, she looked too Japanese with those clothes and a katana. Some kind of battle shrine maiden?" Ichigo said getting a giggle out of Candice with his last sentence.
"That sounds like some kind of crappy Manga Ichigo. It's out of our hands anyway. We better hurry or Yuzu will yell at us for our food getting cold.
Ichigo agreed and ran with Candice to his house, just barely making it in time, luckily they were both ready for the escaped mental patient known as Isshin Kurosaki and knocked him out with a double clothesline.
"How many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man?!" Candice shouted at the unconscious Isshin who lay on the floor.
Ichigo, Candice, you're both in time you were almost late you know." Yuzu said in a huffy tone as Ichigo and Candice hung their bags on the set chairs and sat down.
"Sorry about that Yuzu, we got a bit held up." Ichigo said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, he didn't want to lie to his youngest sibling but if he told them the truth she'd think both he and Candice had gone mad.
"Too busy being alone by yourselves?" Karin spoke, a smug teasing smile on her face as both Candice's and her brother's face gained color at the insinuation.
"S-shut up Karin!" Ichigo stuttered out, I mean yeah he liked Candice but just as a friend! Definitely yes, only as a friend.
Candice simply ignored Karin, looking at her phone to try and ignore Karin.
After a few minutes, Isshin miraculously recovered as he always did and sat down with them, they all gave thanks for the food and dug in.
Later Candice and Ichigo were in his room working on their assignment.
"So you really think there are spirit hunters out there?" Candice asked, the thought being on both of their minds since earlier.
"I mean…we saw what we saw right? That other spirit, the one that looked like a monster, that worries me though." Ichigo said, turning to look at Candice who was sitting in his bed with an open textbook as he sat at his desk.
"Yeah me too, it felt wrong, like something that shouldn't exist." Candice spoke, everything about that thing felt wrong, like a stain on one's spirit that must be cut out.
"I…sometimes, I see spirits, do what I can to try and make sure they are at peace ya know, but then, they go missing, and I see blood, blood that nobody else can see." Ichigo spoke, his tone getting darker, he gripped his desk tight, it was clear this weighed on Ichigo.
"Hey, you're not some all-powerful being, alright, you do more then your fair share for the dead." Candice said, giving Ichigo a kind smile as he placed her hand on his shoulder as a form of comfort, she didn't blame Ichigo, seeing these dead people and knowing they were stuck here and not in a better place wasn't easy, now even more so when the existence of a much darker type of spirit was shown it exist.
Ichigo seemed to cheer up slightly at Candice's words, although, the idea of being some all-powerful being, able to protect everything he cared about, the idea wasn't entirely unpleasant.
"Even if some of them can be very irritating." Candice spoke as they both turned to the spirit of a middle aged office worker who was bugging them to help him pass on, which they had already adamantly explained they didn't know how to do, so they had resigned to ignoring him in hopes he went away.
"Hey, it ain't my fault that bastard rear ended me and caused that car crash!" The spirit yelled out to both of them, however both teens had gone back to ignoring the pestering spirit.
Some time later however, both Ichigo and Candice got a strange sense of something, like a weight in the air, it was hard to explain, but things took a turn for the even weirder as they saw Ichigo's bedroom wall ripple like water and the short, black haired women wearing the black garb and with a katana affixed to her waist walk through the solid matter like it was nothing.
"I sense a hollow…close by." She spoke in a cold tone as she continued to trespass like it was nothing.
Ichigo and Candice shared a look and both nodded to each other, both delivered a kick into the mystery woman's back, sending her to the ground, both teens took on a defensive stance as the black haired looked up at the both of them with a confused expression on her face.
"Who the hell are you? start talking!" Ichigo said, pointing at the woman, he didn't really want to attack the woman, his mom raised him better then that but she did break into his house, and Candice probably didn't have that moral dilemma herself.
She looked around in confusion then pointed to herself. "Wait, are you talking to me?" She asked Ichigo seemingly confused at the pretty obvious question.
"Of course I'm talking to you, who else would I be talking to?!" Ichigo yelled back, Candice just gained a confused look on her face at the woman's own confusion.
"You two can see me?" She asked them, only for both to gain a look on their face, what kind of idiotic question was that? They weren't blind?!
"Of course we can see you, you somehow phased through the wall and landed right in the middle of the room, how could we not see you?" Candice spoke, still on guard of this seemingly crazy lady.
"But I'm a…could it be that you're both spiritually aware?" She asked them both, now sitting on her knees on the floor, pointing at them both.
"How the hell do you know that?" Ichigo asked, his gaze hardening at her, could she see spirits like he and Candice could? Or could she be one herself?
"Well I'm a soul reaper, normal humans can't see me, but to think I'd run into two spiritually aware humans." She spoke, the woman now claiming to be something called a soul reaper. She placed her hand on her chin in thought.
"A soul…reaper? What? like some kind of shinigami?" Candice asked her as she sat down on the bed, dropping her guard.
"Well we have been known by that name in Japan, it's said that the first soul reapers evolved from Japanese spirits, it makes sense, we operate all over the human world but mainly speak Japanese. But no, a 'death god' I feel is a bit of a grandiose title, 'soul reaper' is more appropriate." The reaper explained to them both, Ichigo was sitting down now too.
"So what are you here to do, does it have to do with that monster we saw you kill earlier?" Candice asked the reaper eager to know more about this world herself and Ichigo were involuntary apart of.
"You were there too? Yes, that is one of the primary duties of every soul reaper, the hunting of Hollows, that 'monster' you both apparently saw." the soul reaper said, naming the monster as a hollow.
"So what is a Hollow?" Ichigo asked her, in response the soul reaper took out a sketch pad and some colored pencils and started to draw as she talked, seemingly as a visual aid, only the drawing…was really crappy, and made heavy use of rabbits?
"A Hollow is a dark spirit that ventures from their world, Hueco Mundo, into the human realm to feed on the spirits of humans." The reaper explained, shocking them both that their world is seemingly a hunting ground for things like that.
"My duty and the duty of all soul reapers who reside in the world known as the soul society is to watch over the human world and hunt down hollows as they invade your realm and keep the peace and balance between the cycle of life and death, our other main duty is to help usher souls still bound to your realm into the Soul Society." She further explained, complete with more, crappy rabbit themed drawings.
"Wait, you can do that? Because you guys really suck at your job, we see tons of human spirits, like him." Candice said, pointing over to the spirit of the middle aged man still in the room.
"Well, I was only just assigned to this area, it took longer then normal to assign a reaper here so there is a backlog on Konso's I need to perform." The black garbed woman said, blushing in embarrassment.
"A kon what?" Ichigo asked as she stood up and walked over to the spirit.
"A Konso or 'soul burial' it's a pretty simple process but one only a soul reaper can perform with their sword, it sends a spirit still stuck in the human world to the soul society, quite a few slip through the cracks, the soul society struggles to cope with how fast the human population grows and reproduces." She said as she walked up to the man, who seemed a bit worried about this whole thing, especially when she drew her sword, Candice and Ichigo were about to protest only to see tap the handle of her sword on the spirit's forehead which left a glowing mark.
"Now, be at peace." She said as the spirit glowed and disappeared. The reaper placed her sword back in its sheath and turned to them smiling.
"There, he has been allowed to pass on to the soul society." She said to them, seemingly proud of her work.
"Right, so another question, why the hell did you phase through my bedroom wall?" Ichigo asked her, only for the soul reaper to have a look of confusion on her face.
"Well I was tracking a hollow, but I can't sense it right now, did it return via a Garganta?" She thought, only for a large quake to rock the building shocking all three of them.
"What was that?!" The reaper said in shock, Ichigo and Candice had the same question but Ichigo had a much greater priority.
"Yuzu, Karin!" He yelled as she rushed out of the room and bounded down the stairs.
"Shit he's right." Candice said as she followed him, she'd known them only for a short time but Yuzu had been incredibly kind to her and while she was often standoffish and teased her, Karin had been kind to her, she'd do whatever she could to assist Ichigo in safeguarding them both.
"Dammit, did I mess up?" The soul reaper said to herself as she followed the two humans downstairs.
What greeted her confirmed her fears, the entire front room of the home had been smashed open, an older man unconscious on the floor and two hollows each holding a young girl, only the older black haired one being conscious and struggling in the masked monster's grip.
"Stay back. Bakudo:#1 sai!" The soul reaper said, doing a gesture and an invisible binding entrapped both Ichigo and Candice, she felt bad for doing it, but the last thing she needed was for them to get in the way and get each other killed.
"Wait the hell! I can't move!" Ichigo yelled as she could barely move in his constraints.
"Dhit I can move either, I can barely wiggle around!" Candice yelled in a similar state.
"I'm sorry but this is no place for a human, the last thing I need is you getting yourself killed." The reaper spoke to them both.
As Karin let out a scream as the beast's grip tightened, something snapped in Ichigo, even against the sealing arts he managed to stand up, and with great effort and a yell he instinctively used some of his spirit to break the sealing spell.
"That's impossible, I did it with no incantation and it's the most basic of bakudo, but no human should be able to do something like that!" The soul reaper thought, a human? A mortal human in a mortal human body did that?
"YUZU, KARIN!" Ichigo yelled, seeing his sisters in mortal danger, without thinking he grabbed a collapsible chair and ran at one of them, only for the chair to smash uselessly against the large beast.
It turned, seeing the minor annoyance and swiped its large fist it would have hit Ichigo had Candice not dived at him, pushing them both down and barely dodging the blow.
The reaper did even see her break her binding but it seems that these two humans were definitely something special.
"Ichigo I get you want to save them but running at with a chair and almost getting yourself ragdolled isn't going to help matters!" Candice angrily yelled down to him, Ichigo gained a shameful look on his face at her world, dammit she was right. He couldn't just run in like an idiot, he'd just get himself killed, who would save Yuzu and Karin then?
"This isn't your fight, please stay out of this, both of you." The soul reaper spoke as she drew her sword. She then pointed two of her fingers at one of the hollows as electricity seemed to gather around them.
"Hado:#4 Byakurai!" She yelled as a concentrated stream of white lightning was shot from her fingers and into the eye of one of the hollows causing him to clutch his eye in pain and drop Yuzu, in a flash of speed neither of them could follow she was under Yuzu and caught her, she set her down and in another flash of speed she sliced of the arm of the hollow that was holding Karin who had also passed out. The arm cushioned her fall and the soul reaper didn't waste a moment and sliced through the mask of the armless hollow, dispersing it.
"Hado:#34 Sokatsui!" She said, not wasting a moment and fired a blast of blue flame at the now one eyed hollow, destroying it too.
Ichigo and Candice watched in shock at the display of martial prowess.
"Woah." Was all Candice had to say, with Ichigo nodding dumbly along with her.
The soul reaper sheathed her sword cooly and walked up to the two spiritually aware humans still on the floor.
"Are you both alri-. Look out!" She said walking up to them only to harshly kick them both away from her as another hollow burst through one of the still intact walls. It was bipedal and looked somewhat like a chameleon or some type of lizard. It's jaws clamped around the reaper's arms and while it didn't get a good bite in, a sickening snap was heard and her black garb became covered in blood, it was definitely broken, worse still, it was her sword arm too.
"Ahhh! Hado:4# Byakurai." She managed to get out with her good arm. It pierced through the hollows forward right leg but the wound was superficial and even seemed to start closing. The soul reaper landed against a wall onside on the street, he breathing was heavy and she could barely move due to the pain, this was bad.
"Soul reaper!" Ichigo yelled as he ran up to her.
"Hey, this is a pretty bad look, for a soul reaper isn't it?" She joked, the gallows humor did nothing to soothe the pain she was in.
"You saved me, my friend and my sisters, you soul reapers are alright by me." Ichigo chuckled with her, Candice coming up to both of them.
"Thank you." She said, God she felt awful, she couldn't do a damn thing, just a useless onlooker, like when her mom got sick.
"In truth, this is partly my fault, my ability to sense the hollows spiritual pressure was inhibited by being close to you two, I didn't realize it till now but even for the spiritual aware you two possess especially high spiritual pressure. I'm sorry, but I think both of your souls, are the true prize these hollows are hunting, your sisters *wince of pain* were just an appetizer." She said, Ichigo and Candice's stomachs fell, Candice felt like she was going to be sick, this family had kindly treated her to home-cooked meals and treated her as one of them, and she had been a shining beacon of spiritual energy that had brought these Hollows here.
Ichigo's thoughts were similar, he talked about safeguarding his family, those who he considered precious, his entire namesake, and in the end he'd be the cause of the danger, not that thing that protected them from it, he felt like a failure.
"There's one thing we can do, but it's risky, and will come with its own consequences.*wince*." The soul reaper said, getting their hopes up.
"You must take my Zanpakuto, my sword and thrust it into your being, it will allow me to channel my powers into you and temporarily grant you to powers of a soul reaper, it's our only chance, it's a risk though, there is a chance you'll die if you spirit cannot take a strain of a soul reapers spiritual energy, but as you are spiritual aware and you even broke outbof my bakudo I don't think that will be much of an issue. But if you have doubts, I've heard being a devoured by a hollow is one of the worst ways you can go, so you have little to lose." She said as she held her blade up with great effort.
"I'll do it." Ichigo said without hesitation, he got his family into this mess, he'd do whatever he could to get them out of it.
"Ichigo are you sure, I don't mind doing it." Candice asked him, the Kurosaki's had been very good to her, for no reason other then to be good and kind, she didn't mind taking the risk for them.
"Thank, but this is my family, I can't ask you to do something that is my duty, thank you." Ichigo said, leveling a kind smile at her before turning back to the soul reaper.
"Soul reaper. Tell me your name." Ichigo said as he clutched the blade, ready to push it into his chest.
"It's Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki." The now named Rukia answered him, he smiled at he and gripped the blade, ready to stab himself with it.
"And I'm…Ichigo Kurosaki!" Ichigo yelled as he stabbed the blade into his chest and instead of pain or cold he felt warm, he felt something fill him, something that for every year of his life was missing, like he'd always been living in a dark room and didn't know what the light even was until now, the lights were finally on. A smirk crossed his face as he stood tall, he felt good, better then he ever had, he felt a good weight in his hand, he looked down to see a blade much larger then the one Rukia had, while hers had been a standard katana his blade was an almost comically large greatsword with a slight curve, almost like something you'd see in a Manga or a video game, even with its immense size he felt manageable, lighter then a blade this size had any right being, it was clear this was no ordinary sword.
"But how did you?" Rukia asked, her arm was still broken and bleeding but her clothing had been replaced with a white robe and Ichigo was now wearing the same black clothes she was.
"I only meant to give him a bit of my power, but he took all of it, and that Zanpakuto I've never seen one that big, it's size is a physical representation of the soul reaper spirit energy." Rukia said, Candice looking on in awe of her best friend, the sword, the uniform, the aura of power that she could literally feel, Ichigo was born to be a soul reaper, she had little doubt. However she was slightly worried about second seemingly dead Ichigo laying there on the ground, she really really hoped the separation from his mortal body was not permanent.
Ichigo leveled his blade at the now healed Hollow, a fierce glare in his eye. The Hollow let out a scream and charged at the new soul reaper, Ichigo simply sidestepped the best and swung his blade, cleaving one of its legs off with ease.
"Ichigo, the core of hollow is their mask!" Rukia shouted to him, Ichigo turned to Rukia and Candice and nodded his head, he charged at the Hollow and and with another swing of his large blade, cut of its second front leg, sending it to the ground, Ichigo simply walked up to it and sliced right through its mask, turning the hollow into black mist that quickly dissipated.
He turned and sheathed his large sword and walked towards the two girls only to miss a second chameleon, that seemingly had the ability to turn invisible, appear behind him, already bringing down its jaw to bite into Ichigo, he had no time to dodge.
Time seemed to slow for Candice as she saw Ichigo about to be attacked and possibly killed.
Memory's of her childhood, the fact that she had no friends growing up and that she had been so…alone, since her mother got sick, to add more insult to it her ability to talk to the dead further removed her from being normal, for so along she felt like she was either a freak or insane, someone nobody would want to be with, the only thing people seemed to care about as she got older were her looks, she enjoyed the fact that she looked good, it was one of the view things about herself she felt proud of, but it just made people care about the outward Candice, not the still lonely little girl inside, until Ichigo and the Kurosaki's, sure Isshin was a fool, sure Karin was moody and sure Yuzu was overbearing, but she truly felt like she belonged with those people l, as far removed from normality as they were. And Ichigo, her first real and true friend, a guy who after only just meeting her and thinking that she was a stalker jumped in front of a knife for her.
.
.
.
There's no way, she'd let some stinking Hollow rob her of all that. ABSOLUTELY NO WAY!
Candice felt her body move on autopilot she smelt ozone in the air and it was like lightning shot through her entire body, she felt right, she felt amazing! And in a brilliant display as quick as a lightning flash she drew back her arms and out of the air itself a flickering bow of blue energy formed in her hands and before she knew what she was doing three arrows of blue energy had been implanted in the hollows mask. Upon seeing the Hollow dissipate into black mist Candice seemed to snap out of her trance and look at her hands, they strung slightly, and Ichigo and Rukia just looked at her in shock and wonder.
"Candice, how to hell did you do that?" Ichigo asked her, he'd never seen her do anything like that before.
"I…I don't know." She said, hell she'd never really done archery before, she maybe had a vague memory of doing it as a kid for fun and she remembered she wasn't bad at it, but she'd never done anything like that.
"Look you, two more, either side!" Rukia yelled at them, Ichigo drew his sword and turned to one end of the street and Candice to the other, she tried to remember what she just did and with some effort the bow appeared in her hand once again, but it felt flimsy, and it flickered, like it would dissipate at any moment.
She drew it back and fired her arrows again, running off of pure instinct to use this spirit bow or whatever the hell thing thing was.
Ichigo similarly was running of pure instinct as he hacked and slashed the two hollows into nothingness.
After they were done, Ichigo and Candice looked back at one another, both breathing heavy, heartbeat in their ears, adrenaline running through their body's and even Candice's fingers bleeding from the use of her bow.
But they were smiling at one another and they both shared one singular thought.
"Fuck being normal."
And boom wow we are done at over 12k Jesus, didn't mean to go that long but I wanted to end the first chapter like this, next one will definitely be shorter.
Please let me know what you think, review/comment n all that.
Please note I'm also writing a Naruto fic rn and that will probably take priority over this and I apologize.
But I hope you all enjoyed.