This is another birthday gift to my awesome and wonderful friend; Tuli-chan. I hope that you'll like this sequel even more than the last. ;) A very Happy Birthday to you my dear friend. ^^
Strange Meeting of Hearts and Worlds
Months passed, with many meetings occurring along the way. After the first time Ichihara Yuuko allowed Daidoji Tomoyo to cross into the other world, said girl unintentionally exploited the new pathway. She continued to traverse the only way she knew of how to meet Kuchiki Byakuya again and again.
But while Yuuko had warned her many times to not abuse the pathway, she found it harder and harder to resist. Whether it was out of a strange rebellion, a desire to do the forbidden, or possibly...something else entirely, she kept going to see Byakuya as often as her duties would allow her.
All the while, the raven-haired captain had also been informed of the risks behind the two of them seeing one another so much. However, he found himself unable to deny Tomoyo entry into his world and into his life. Whether it was the feeling of wanting a friend, a desire to connect with someone he felt he knew, or...something else entirely, he never once told her to leave.
Yuuko's warning to the pair when she and Kisuke created a gateway between their worlds had been; 'It is only open from my world's side since it draws power from its magic. But that means if it's used too often, the magic of my world could become unstable. Which means one of two things can happen, either the connection between our worlds will sever, or it'll open new connections to other...and completely unknown worlds. So keep the visits to once or twice a month to give the world's magic time to settle.'
However, despite these warnings Byakuya and Tomoyo continued to meet up nearly every other day. They spent many days together simply talking, enjoying nature and even sharing stories of their lives. Even though they tried to keep everything a secret from others, nearly everyone in Soul Society and even Nihon found out regardless.
Something that the Head of the Kuchiki clan later discovered was partially because of a certain orange-haired teen talking too much. But his and Tomoyo's problems were about to get much more complicated as their latest 'date' had a rather rude interruption.
"So your name is Uchiha Itachi?" Byakuya questioned to the young raven-haired man, whom was sitting across from him on a bench just outside the Urahara's Shop.
However, as the captain looked at the nodding man, he gave another quick glance over this person with narrowed eyes. He had onyx colored eyes, under of which were long, pronounced tear-troughs. The man also had jet-black hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail, while his face was framed with center-parted bangs that extended to his chin.
His attire however was even more strange as it mainly consisted of a long black cloak with a high collar. This garment also having many red cloud designs on it, as well as being left unbuttoned down to his mid-chest. Thanks to this, it was easy to see the mesh armor with navy accents under an identical T-shirt, which had a simple white belt around the waist. He also had on a forehead protector with a scratched off insignia, something that Byakuya didn't recognize at all. Lastly were his dark blue pants, the similarly colored toe-less sandals and the red ring on his right ring finger that bore the kanji for 'vermilion' on it.
"Yes. And as I said before, I was traveling through the forest with my partner when I was suddenly on that street corner you found me on." Itachi explained with a shrug of his shoulders.
"And as far as I know...I'm the only one here." he continued, to which Byakuya slowly nodded his head in response.
"And you're Nico Robin, right?" Tomoyo questioned after the two men finished their conversation.
This lead for a beautiful, raven-haired woman to nod her head in response. "Yes. And I too just suddenly appeared next to him." she stated with a brief gesture toward Itachi.
The woman herself had long black hair that reached down to her lower back. It was also pulled back to show her forehead and ears, yet it still had long strands from her bangs to frame her face. The woman's attire mainly consisted of a long salmon, sari-like skirt and a navy blue vest that left her stomach exposed. The latter garment being made of leather and was left mostly unzipped, which exposed her generous chest. This vest also held a periwinkle rose design on the left side near the shoulder. Lastly, she also had a pair of sunglasses resting on her forehead, and a pair of pink high-heeled pumps.
"Though...I was on my crew's boat in the middle of the ocean, so it's quite jarring for me to have simply appeared here." the woman continued as she glanced around the area.
"From what I saw...this place is so much more advanced than anything I've ever seen." Robin muttered mostly to herself, yet Itachi slowly nodded in agreement.
"Same. Though, it does make me wonder just how many other people were brought here like us." the young man added silently, yet he slowly turned toward Byakuya and Tomoyo in suspicion along with Robin.
"As well as the reason why we ended up here to begin with." he finished, to which the woman beside him nodded her head.
"Indeed, it seems highly irregular for two people from completely different worlds to suddenly end up in the same one like this." Robin commented, causing both Byakuya and Tomoyo to tilt their heads down slightly as if ashamed.
"W-Well..." the young girl started as she wasn't sure of how to phrase the reason, without it sounding embarrassing.
This sparked Byakuya to quickly speak up after clearing his throat; "Due to curtain circumstances, these events were bound to become an inevitability. However, we fully intend to remedy this situation and get you both back to your worlds."
After his words, Tomoyo gave a soft and rather admiring smile toward the man. Something of which both Itachi and Robin noticed almost immediately, yet neither decided to comment on it as they nodded. The pair seeming to already understand the situation to some degree just from how the two interacted with one another. "Very well, but how do you plan to do that?" the former asked with a slightly raised brow.
Upon this inquiry, the room fell silent and made both of the strangers to this world clear their throats in near unison. "You don't actually have a plan, do you?" Robin muttered as more of a statement than a question.
Itachi let out a heavy sigh before looking up in deep thought, to which he shook his head. "Regardless...it should be possible for us to return somehow." he started silently while placing a finger and thumb to his chin.
"It's all a matter of gathering information and understanding each component to see the full picture." he continued, to which Robin looked to him with a somewhat impressed expression before nodding in agreement.
"Indeed...but what is our first piece to the puzzle?" she asked, causing another silence to fall over the group as none of them seemed to come up with anything right away.
But after several minutes of pure silence, Tomoyo suddenly spoke up in a silent voice. "Maybe..." she started, her tone sounding as if she wasn't sure of her answer.
"...it has to do with the two of you." the girl finished, making Itachi and Robin blink to her in response before looking to one another briefly.
"Just like with how Byakuya and I first met...maybe the two of you share a connection as well." Tomoyo continued, her starting to blush lightly at what she was suggesting between herself and the raven-haired captain.
Whom had blinked to her many times, yet quickly turned away as if to hide the pink rising upon his own cheeks. Yet he soon turned back to Tomoyo as she finished her words with; "Just like what Yuuko-san says...'Everything is a matter of fate'."
Upon these words, each of the other three blinked a few times as these words truly stuck in their minds and made them think even more so about the situation. However, it was quickly brought to a screeching halt when Tomoyo let out a frightened, yet rather adorable yelp. "Oh no!" she all but whined out, to which each of the other three looked to her in concern.
"What? What is it?" Byakuya asked quickly, his hand inching toward his blade while quickly looking around for any sign of danger.
"Yuuko-san is going to be really mad with us when she finds out about this!" the girl exclaimed, causing Itachi and Robin to raise a brow in question.
Yet while Byakuya retracted his hand from the hilt of his blade, he still seemed quite distressed about this as well. Of which created the musing of; 'Who is this 'Yuuko' they're talking about?' in the other pair's mind.
Just then, as if on cue, Yuuko's and Kisuke's voices could be heard down the street from the shop. These two having kept to the one or two monthly visits, but today happened to be one such meeting. Them going out together with Tessai and Yoruichi to see Kurosaki Ichigo while Ururu and Jinta visited the teen's sisters. Though, since the orange-haired boy had just graduated from high school, he instantly became a prime target for Yuuko to boss around. Her trying to get him to buy her some sake, but much to her dismay, the drinking age prevented him from doing so.
However, as Tomoyo and Byakuya looked to one another, they came to the same conclusion as they both stood up. "You have to hide!" they hissed out silently, yet in a very urgent tone.
Both Itachi and Robin sweat dropped once more in response to this, yet the latter simply smiled lightly and shrugged. "It kinda sounds like fun, so...sure." was all she said before standing up and rushing to the side of the shop to hide.
Though Itachi was hesitant for a brief second, he simply sighed and shrugged in response before running in the same direction. Him getting out of sight just before the group of Kisuke, Yuuko, Tessai and Yoruichi came around the corner. Them looking to Byakuya and Tomoyo as they were once again sitting on the bench trying to look almost overly casual in appearance.
"Um...everything okay?" Kisuke questioned with a glance toward his shop as to make sure there wasn't any sort of smoke coming out.
"Tomoyo didn't try to cook again, did she?" he added while walking over and examining the outside of his store.
"It was only that one time!" the girl whined out with a pout in response, to which Byakuya patted her on the shoulder for comfort.
All the while however, Yuuko was staring at the pair silently, as if she was looking into their very souls. But after a moment, she simply shrugged and walked up next to Kisuke along with the other four. "I'm sure they were just out enjoying the sun on this lovely spring day...right?" she questioned while glancing over her shoulder to the pair when saying her last word.
Despite the fact that both Byakuya and Tomoyo had the feeling she already knew they were hiding something, the two just nodded their heads. "O-Of course." the latter said quickly with an almost nervous smile.
Yuuko smirked to this before looking to Kisuke with a shrug of her shoulders; "Well...I think I'll go out into the town to get myself some sake. I'll be back soon." she all but sang out, to which she gave a wave to everyone and headed toward the street.
This allowed Byakuya and Tomoyo let out a sigh in relief as they hadn't realized they were holding a breath. "On second thought..." Yuuko suddenly started while coming back into the field in front of the shop, making the pair instantly go back on edge.
"...maybe I should stick around? I am a bit tired from all the walking around." she stated in an obviously teasing tone.
"But~...I do want some sake. If only I had someone to get it for me." the woman finished, her making a clear hint toward the pair.
"W-We'd be happy to get you your sake!" Tomoyo claimed quickly, to which she took one of Byakuya's hands and rushed off down the street with him.
Though the raven-haired man blinked to this for a moment, the girl whispered to him once they were far enough away. "Maybe if we get on her good side, she won't cut the connection between our worlds as punishment for abusing it."
Byakuya slowly nodded his head in response to this as they rushed off on their way toward the shop to buy Yuuko's sake. However, on the way back, they met two other people who were obviously not from this world; Kiryuin Satsuki and Tatsumaki. Though, just like with Itachi and Robin, they were together when the pair found them.
After convincing them that they would get them all home, Byakuya and Tomoyo had managed to have these two hide as well. But when they delivered the sake to Yuuko, she claimed that it was the wrong type. Which forced them to go back out to get the right kind of sake, yet they also used the opportunity to introduce both pairs of lost people to one another. As well as to move their hiding spot to inside the shop by using the back door as silently as possible.
Upon going back to the store, they purchased the correct type of sake and brought it back. But not before encountering another pair of people from a different world; Lawliet L and Levi Ackerman. Both of whom were rather silent at first before finally agreeing to come back with them and hide within the shop. Yet when presented with the sake, Yuuko once again denied it to be the right one and sent the pair out once more.
Byakuya showed brief signs of annoyance, but just followed the woman's orders as they were sent out another two times. Both times they came across a group of three people, all of whom were together when found. The first was the trio of Undertaker, Franken Stein and Alucard, while the other had been Bishamonten, Olivier Armstrong, Mirajane Strauss. All of whom agreed to come back with them and even hide. Yet by the time the last group was being brought to the shop, all of the others were just sitting in the living room together with Yuuko, Kisuke, Tessai and Yoruichi.
This nearly caused the somewhat exhausted pair to almost fall over in response, to which Yuuko simply smiled to them while sipping her tea. "Been breaking the rules, have you?" the woman asked with a giggle as she finished her tea before placing the cup on the table in front of her.
"So you knew all along?" Byakuya muttered while doing his best to hold back a sigh.
"Not the whole time." she responded before turning to a large, yellow mouse that had a lightning bolt shaped tail and two brown strips on its lower back.
"After finding this little guy wandering the street on our way back from Kurosaki's school, it was pretty easy to tell what happened." Yuuko continued on, to which she watched the small creature pour more tea into her empty cup.
"Pika." it spoke up happily as the woman pet its head softly.
"Thank you very much, Pikachu." she whispered, to which the mouse-like beast jumped into her lap.
"While I am greatly disappointed in you both, I figured something like this might happen eventually." Yuuko stated while gesturing for the three other new comers to take a seat.
All of them doing so almost automatically, as if they somehow knew that this woman stood at the top of something they couldn't even fathom yet. "I suppose I'll have to send all of you back home. As well as sever the connections between your worlds and this one since it's already complicated enough having two worlds connected." she stated in a heavy sigh while lifting her cup up and sipping some tea.
After her words, each of the people in the room nodded their head in response as they knew it was the right thing to do. Yet Yuuko waited till she finished her tea before doing so, which gave the group a chance to talk and in some cases, bond with each other. But once the time came, they all gathered in the underground training area. Which of which the portal between the World of the Living and Tomoyo's Nihon country was located. Though, with a bit of magic from Yuuko and science from Kisuke, all twelve of the visitors had vanished.
However, once they were all gone, the witch turned her attention to Tomoyo and Byakuya. The former of whom had her head hung in shame, while the latter simply looked the woman straight in the eye as if not ashamed at all. Something of which made Yuuko slowly raise a brow in response; "Though it'll take some time for the connections to those other worlds to disappear, I suggest that neither of you try to go see the other for a while. Consider it a punishment for your actions." she stated in a firm tone.
Despite Byakuya opening his mouth to dispute this, Tomoyo placed her hand over his and shook her head. This lead for her to smile softly to him and give a deep bow; "Thank you for everything Byakuya, I look forward to our next meeting." she said in a respectful manner, despite not using a suffix with his name.
The raven-haired captain looked to her silently before nodding his head slowly, to which he watched Tomoyo and Yuuko leave through the portal. Of which had instantly closed, as if to make sure that no one could go through. Yet Byakuya still brought his hand out of where it had once been and closed his eyes. "I wish we could always..." he started in a whisper, but quickly stopped when recalling that Kisuke, Tessai and worst of all...Yoruichi...were standing nearby.
The very next day however, Byakuya visited the World of the Living once more and almost fell over from seeing ten of the twelve people from the other worlds walking around Karakura town.
"Hmm, I don't know about any of that." Stein spoke while twisting the screw in his head, something that made the surrounding people think he was dressed for Halloween or such.
"But I am interested in seeing what sort of people and creatures are in other worlds. I can't wait to dissect them." he finished, causing many to inch away while walking down the street.
"Just so long as you save me some of their blood. I am curious if there is a difference if they're from a different world." Alucard commented, him chuckling lightly with a small smirk.
"I'd be pleased to just see their organs. Maybe I'll add a few to my collection." Undertaker added as he, Alucard and Stein just grinned to one another while walking down the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, across the street. "My my, looks like they've really 'hit it off'. I'm not sure if I feel happy for them...or disturbed." Mirajane muttered with a small smile, yet with a heavy sweat drop.
"I just hope they don't make their way to my world." Bishamonten stated silently while shaking her head toward the three.
"Nor mine." Olivier agreed, to which each of the three women looked to one another with a nod of their heads.
"Hmph! I'd just send them flying anyway!" Tatsumaki declared firmly, her and Satsuki following close behind the other women.
"As would I." Satsuki claimed as she looked from the trio of men before to the green haired girl.
Though Tatsumaki glanced back to her, she slowly shrugged her shoulders and looked back to the side. "W-Well...I guess having company isn't as bad as I thought it might be." she muttered silently as if trying not to let others hear her.
Yet as each of them talked, L and Levi simply watched all this silently from a bench. "You like cake?" was all L asked suddenly while sitting with his hands and chin resting on his knees.
"Who doesn't?" was all Levi responded with as a brief sparkle shined between them to show their sudden bond of friendship.
All the while, Byakuya blinked to this many times as he quickly made his way to Kisuke's shop. Where of which he found Itachi and Robin playing a game of shogi together on the bench just outside the store. "Welcome back." the woman greeted with a small smile.
"They're inside." Itachi muttered silently at the same time as moving one of his pieces. "Looks like its my win again." he stated to Robin, whom chuckled and nodded with a sigh.
"That makes it 3 to 12, huh? Guess I'm not going to catch up very easily at this rate." she said silently, to which she and Itachi shared a small smirk.
Yet Byakuya just quickly made his way into the shop, to which he saw Yuuko sipping some tea with Pikachu in her lap once more. Though, right across from her was Tomoyo with her own cup of tea, but she seemed to be avoiding the man's gaze as a blush was clearly seen on her features.
"Well...aren't you gonna tell him?" Yuuko asked in a teasing tone as a small grin curled her lips.
After this, Byakuya turned fully toward Tomoyo as the girl groaned silently and placed her tea down. "A-Ano...um..." she started in a very embarrassed voice.
But when she didn't continue on, Yuuko just sighed in response and cleared her throat. "She heard your voice from the other side and it broke her heart to not be able to see you for so long." she began in an almost overly dramatic tone, making Tomoyo wave her hands quickly toward the woman as if soundlessly complaining about her words.
"So she spent the whole night using her powers to create a balance between the worlds. That way...it would allow for the two of you to see each other any time you wish." Yuuko explained with a small grin, yet she soon shrugged her shoulders.
"But...it also allowed the connections to the other worlds to remain, so there might be more incidents like yesterday. Though...now it seems you'll have a little more help now that they've formed their destined bonds, ne?" she more of stated with a wink and gesture toward the door in an obvious hint to the twelve others.
All of this making Byakuya just gaze at Yuuko silently, him able to tell from her tone and words that she knew all of this would happen the whole time. It creating a feeling within the raven-haired man that he hadn't felt before, the sense of how small he was in the grand scheme of things. However, his thoughts on this were ended instantly as Tomoyo spoke up quickly.
"A-Ano..." she started, her finally looking at Byakuya, despite the lingering blush on her features.
"...I hope you'll take care of me from now on." she finished with a bow and hopeful gaze.
The captain blinked a few times to this before he just let out a breath silently and nodded his head in response. "Likewise." he whispered silently with a soft smile, to which Tomoyo mirrored this happily.