Dawn slowly encroaches across the sleeping rooftops and dead streets of Karakura Town. The birds begin to sing, waking up the cats and the dogs sleeping peacefully. The humans slowly rise, one by one, some by their alarms and others naturally; many continue to sleep, not yet time for them to wake up. It was a normal, peaceful morning.
BOOOOOM!
"ICHIGO, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Black smoke starts to rise up into the brightening sky from the Kurosaki residence. Yep. Just a normal, peaceful morning in Karakura Town.
BOOOM—craaack—BANG
"ICHIGO!"
The cacophony and catastrophe that surrounds the Kurosaki residence and the Kurosaki Clinic have been a normal occurrence for almost six years now. It's simply explained as the Kurosaki family and their shenanigans.
"ICHIGO, YOU FUCKER! GET BACK HERE!"
A 15 year old boy suddenly appears in the air, landing on the roof of the Kurosaki Clinic. His sunset orange hair, nearly reaching his thighs in straight curtains, blows in the cool morning breeze and the freckles dotting his face like stars made his pale skin glow warmly beneath the rising sun.
He turns around, his gold eyes glittering brightly in mirth. "Nuh-uh!"
Another 15 year old appears on a high tree branch with smoke slowly floating off of his, somewhat singed, hair. He snarls lowly with a glowing blue arrow pointed right at the other teenager. His raven hair reached just below his chin and the glow of his Heilig Pfeil made his pale skin look ghostly and almost ethereal.
"The fuck you mean 'nuh-uh'?!" He snarls sharply, pulling back his arm to release an arrow at the teenager he had the full intention to kill. His ocean blue eyes were dark in his fury, making the ginger grin as he held up a hand to block the arrow. The arrow hits and his veins glow blue, reaching all the way up to his bicep. There isn't even a scratch on his hand.
"I mean... nuh-uh. I didn't do anything," Kurosaki Ichigo states with a wide-eyed look of innocence, as if he didn't enable Solinus's and Emilia's fight for the exact purpose of waking his brother up with a fireball and an explosion.
Ishida Uryū snarls and forms another Heilig Pfeil. Before he can shoot it, one of the second-story windows is pushed open.
"Boys, what have I said about fighting on the rooftop? If you tear the roof off again, you both will be the ones to fix it!" A stern voice speaks up loudly, making both teenagers pale.Uryū immediately makes his Heilig Bogen disappear while Ichigo crouches down to hang his head over the rooftop.
It was a woman in her mid-30's. Her auburn hair had yet to be brushed and fell down to her lower back in their natural curls. Her freckled skin glowed beneath the early morning light, making her look almost ethereal.
"Mom! Good morning!" Ichigo exclaims brightly, pretending he didn't instigate his almost fight with Uryū.
Uryū pushes up his glasses with a murderous glare pointed directly at Ichigo. "Good morning, Mother. I apologize if I woke you."
Kurosaki Masaki glances between both of her sons with a pointed glare. Her slitted amber eyes dilate before she sighs quietly.
"Since you're both already up, I expect the dragons to be fed and your chores to be done," Masaki says, giving her sons one more look before walking away from the window. Ichigo grins and lifts his head, flipping his hair back behind him.
"Good morning, Uryū~!" Ichigo exclaims, making the black-haired teenager growl. Insufferable piece of—
"I'll start on our chores," Uryū speaks sharply before using hirenkyaku to go back inside the house. Ichigo hums brightly, nearly unable to contain the cackle building inside his chest. He watches the sun finally rise above the rooftops of Karakura Town.
"He's so fun to rile up!" Ichigo stands up, stretching his arms high above his head. Maybe he should rig the shower with paint later today...
There's an inhumane cackle and a twisted grin tries to grow on Ichigo's face."I still say ya make 'im wake up 'n the sky!"
Ichigo hums brightly, nudging Zangetsu to the back of his mind. Silly spirit.
There's a loud screech, bringing Ichigo out of his thoughts, before a black blur barrels into him. Ichigo tilts his head down with a bright smile, watching Hamlet wrap his serpentine body around his entire torso. The wyrm looks up with teary green eyes, his iridescent black scales turning purple and blue under the morning light.
"Oh... did I not come to wake you up immediately? Did I hurt your feelings? I'm sorry~! Can you forgive me?" Ichigo asks with a baby voice, reaching a hand up to pet Hamlet. Hamlet whines loudly, twisting his neck around Ichigo's hand to bite at his wrist.
"No. No, biting." Ichigo gives Hamlet a small glare when he only bites harder. "Hamlet, if you continue to bite me, I won't give you any treats for the rest of the week."
Hamlet growls before slowly letting go of Ichigo's wrist. Ichigo smiles softly, only to hiss when Hamlet bites Ichigo's shoulder before running off.
Ichigo presses a hand to the wound with an eye roll. Such a brat! He should have kept a better eye on Yuzu—Ichigo never spoiled him, thank you very much—spoiling Hamlet.
Ichigo jumps off of the roof and lands gracefully on the ground. He brushes back his hair with a slight huff when it gets in his face.
There's a soft whine, making Ichigo turn. Standing in the middle of the impossibly large backward is a loft barn. It took up nearly the entire area, leaving only enough space for a normal backyard. The wonders of kidō and gintō.
It has been painted a slate gray with the panels painted white. There were two large barn doors on either side and dozens of windows lining the first floor and the roof. With the help of more kidō and gintō, the inside is nearly three times the actual size of the loft barn. Currently with 26 dragons, about to be 29 once the eggs hatch, it was more than enough for them all.
Ichigo smiles softly when he spots a dragon slithering out of one of the open roof windows. The white scales shift into gold the moment the sunlight hits her. Her blue eyes glitter like sapphires, watching Ichigo make his way towards the closed doors.
Cleopatra spreads her white feathered wings before she takes off. Ichigo's smile widens before he holds out his arms, the beautiful amphithere landing gracefully in them. Her tail wraps around Ichigo's waist thrice so it wouldn't touch the ground.
"Good morning Cleopatra," Ichigo greets with a hand raised, but not touching. Cleopatra preens and lifts her head high in the air, giving the teenager permission to touch her.
Ichigo hums quietly and pets Cleopatra's gold scales. He tilts his head, smiling at Cleopatra's soft trills. The amphithere leans closer and gently licks at the bite in Ichigo's shoulder, cleaning away the blood.
"Is it Mark Antony's turn to watch over your eggs?" Ichigo asks even though the answer is always yes. Cleopatra makes sure she's always the first to receive food from one of the Kurosaki. She refuses to eat anything less than what she deems satisfactory for herself and her mate.
Cleopatra trills again raising her head to give Ichigo a bored look. Ichigo smiles as he continues to pet her.
"Well then, let's get you some food." Ichigo easily holds Cleopatra's entire weight, walking towards the loft barn. Cleopatra chirps happily before she brings her head closer to nuzzle Ichigo's head. He laughs brightly, half-heartedly tilting his head back to avoid getting his hair all tangled.
Ichigo looks up when he hears some rustling and loud screeches from the loft. "Antipholus Ephesus and Angelo! What have I said about getting into fights before breakfast?!"
The screeches stop immediately. There is silence for a few moments before two sets of running footsteps are heard. Ichigo rolls his eyes when he hears Angelo's screech before something falls outside the loft barn and a screeching cackle from Antipholus Ephesus.
Ichigo begins to hum a quiet tune as he reaches the cellar door. With the amount and sheer variety of food needed for every dragon, Masaki and Isshin decided to build the additional cellar once Emilia's and Egeon's eggs were successfully hatched, moving the number from seven to nine dragons; Antipholus Ephesus and Antipholus Syracuse.
"I have a special treat for you and Mark Antony. Creepy geta-bōshi took a trip all the way to Scotland for it," Ichigo states brightly while he walks down into the cellar. Cleopatra sniffs before lifting her head to peer at the food around them. She grumbles and tilts her head away from the poultry and rodents, only to freeze when she's directly facing the special treat. An adult highland cow is hanging from the ceiling.
Cleopatra trills loudly before wrapping her neck around Ichigo's to give him a hug. Ichigo laughs brightly and pets her head with a bright grin.
"I'm glad you love it! Do you need my help getting it to Mark Antony?"
Cleopatra shakes her head as she loosens her hold around Ichigo's torso. She falls to the ground and starts slithering her way towards the highland cow. She flaps her wings and stays just around the same height as the cow before she curls her tail around it. Ichigo watches her fly just a bit higher to unhook the cow before she takes off, up the stairs and back into the loft barn.
Ichigo smiles before he brings his fingers to his mouth.
PHUUWEEEET!
"TIME FOR BREAKFAST!" Ichigo calls out at the top of his lungs. He tilts his ear towards the opened cellar door, waiting in silence.
Three... two... one...
BANG! CRASH!
Ichigo plants his feet on the ground right before about a dozen different colors barrel into the cellar. He stumbles back, but keeps his balance when the colors practically tackle him.
"Little rodents!" Zangetsu sneers, making Ichigo roll his eyes, smiling brightly.
He laughs as his dragons clamber all over him, the smaller ones already tangling themselves in his hair. "Alright, alright! Now, you all better behave! I don't want anyone stealing anyone else's food, got it?"
The streets of Karakura are busy with normal morning traffic; children being led by their parents or their older siblings to their schools, teenagers in groups of two's, three's, and sometimes four's ambling by on their way to school, adults heading to work.
clink...clink—clink...
It's nearly impossible to hear over the cacophony of Karakura Town, but many turn their heads at the gentle sound. There, shining underneath the clear morning sky, is a silver pentacle dangling off of a pale wrist from a silver chain. The children watch in mounting awe while many teenagers begin to whisper to each other.
Kurosaki Ichigo, with his hair messily braided where a few strands fall in his gold eyes, and his calm smile lighting up the entire area, is walking to school. There's a slight shimmer around his neck and in his hair, but when those who spot it turn to look again, it's gone.
Around his neck is a lung dragon, only six feet in length and very thin. Her white scales glitter like opal in their iridescence and her mane and her talons are pure white. Her eyes are like separate pools of the ocean, mesmerizing and ethereal. In Ichigo's hair is a Balthazar, slumbering peacefully in his braid.
Ophelia slowly lifts her head, her eyes dancing in sleepy dreams. She turns towards the teenager walking next to Ichigo.
Uryū walked in step with Ichigo, only two steps back and a step to the left behind him. His hair is pulled back into a top knot, his parted bangs falling to frame his sharp face. The silver pentacle hanging from his right wrist clinked in harmony with Ichigo's.
"Remind me to text Mom at lunch about what she'll want from the grocery store," Ichigo says with a hand raised to pet Ophelia for Uryū. It looks like he's rubbing his shoulder to those who can't see the dragons.
Uryū rolls his eyes, glaring at anyone who glances their way. Which is everyone. They were the Heavenly Princes of Karakura, and what an awful title that was.
"You'll still forget. And so will Mother," Uryū retorts, making Ichigo pout at him.
"If you remind me, I won't!" Ichigo huffs quietly. "And I'm not that forgetful..."
"You certainly didn't remember when you agreed to be Ishida-kun's mannequin for that one weekend! Or how about being Inoue-chan's food taster?" Kojima Mizuiro, ever the content observer walking on Ichigo's right, looks away from his phone to speak up cheerfully. Ichigo pouts as his ears start to turn red.
"I do apologize, but it's hard to remember what you're originally meant to be doing when you get jumped by some yakuza assholes," Ichigo retorts with a hand waving towards the street around them. A high school girl from another school squeals and falls against one of her friends when the hand waves in her direction.
Ichigo blinks before smiling towards the girls, giving them a small wave. He turns away and doesn't see all three girls collapse to the ground with loud squeals and hearts in their eyes.Uryū rolls his eyes at the dramatic swooning. Gods, kill him now. Or kill, preferably, Ichigo.
"I already made it up anyway, to both Uryū and Inoue." Ichigo gives Mizuiro a small look. "You'll need to find something else to hang over my head now, Kojima-kun."
"Oh, what a pity. Isn't that right, Ishida-kun?"
Uryū pushes up his glasses coolly. "It's a pity that I'm forced to listen to your gag-worthy flirtations."
"Uryū~! How mean!" Ichigo rolls his eyes before wrapping an arm around Mizuiro's shoulders. "This is why I have to force my friendships onto you! You never treat any genuine friends of yours well."
Uryū's eyebrow twitches before he glares at the orange-haired teenager. Forget waiting for the gods' signs, he's going to kill this bastard himself.
"I would be a bit more genial... if someone didn't wake me up so rudely," He hisses through clenched teeth. Ichigo only smiles innocently. Bastard.
Ichigo smiles even wider, souring Uryū's mood even further. Fucking bastard!
"Mom~! Can we go with Ryū-nī and Ichi-nī?! Please? They couldn't take us out on a patrol yesterday! Please?" Karin begs with wide eyes and her hands clasped together. The silver Celtic cross falling dangling from her wrist jingles harshly at the sudden movements. Masaki gives her a small look before she goes back to washing the dishes.
"Karin, what day is it?" Masaki asks with a soft smile. Karin slouches with a small sigh before she crosses her arms with a scowl.
"...wednesday..." She mumbles under her breath. Masaki flicks some soapy water at her in slight admonishment, making the eleven year old roll her eyes. "Wednesday, Mom."
"Exactly!" Masaki leans down to kiss her daughter's forehead with a small purr. "Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are Uryū's and Ichigo's patrol days."
Karin sighs again, somewhat calmer from the kiss. She leans forward and rests her arms and head on the kitchen counter next to her mother.
Masaki giggles quietly before cooing at the black-haired girl, reaching up to pet her head. "They'll make it up to you and Yuzu. And if they don't... well Hamlet and Laertes always love to help out when it comes to you two!"
Karin, with her ebony eyes glimmering in pleased cognizance, lifts her head up with a wide grin. Masaki grins back before she hears footsteps running down the stairs and a loud shout. She puts a finger to her mouth and goes back to washing the dishes as her sons sprint into the living room; Ichigo was laughing near maniacally in his amusement and Uryū was chasing him with murder in his eyes.
CRASH! BANG—BOOM!
Masaki turns around with a raised eyebrow right as four dragons fall through the ceiling, all tangled up and covered in what looks like plaster and drywall. She sighs quietly and taps one of her talons against the metal sink.
"I hope I didn't just see what I saw," Masaki states loudly, making the dragons, and her sons, freeze. They all turn to look at her with wide eyes;Uryū had his teeth digging into Ichigo's arm as he wrangles him to the ground, Ichigo had his foot slammed right against Uryū's stomach, and the dragons were poised to attack each other.
Karin guffaws before she quickly covers her mouth with both of her hands. She turns around and faces the dishes, pretending she doesn't see her brothers' glares.
Ichigo pulls back his foot before slamming it harder against Uryū's stomach. He chokes on air before he's flown back from the force and Ichigo sits up with a wide innocent smile.
"Mom! Me and Uryū were just leaving!" Ichigo exclaims brightly. Masaki raises an eyebrow, a small growl escaping her throat. The dragons scramble to untangle themselves before zipping away at the warning.
"Hmm. It seems to me you were enabling the dragons, again."
Ichigo raises a hand up with a small frown. "I actually didn't do it this time! It was Oyaji!"
There's a thud from upstairs and a muffled curse before they all hear running footsteps, away from the stairs. Masaki hums brightly, wiping her hands off on the apron wrapped around her waist.
"Hurry on and go on patrol, then! And remember to come back by midnight!" Masaki says brightly before she starts walking towards the stairs. "Karin, finish the dishes for me, would you? Your father and I have to have a talk."
"Okay, Mom." Karin already has her sleeves rolled up and her hands deep inside the sink.
"If you're going to kill Oyaji, don't forget to call creepy geta-bōshi!" Ichigo calls after his mother.
Uryū rolls his eyes while pushing up his glasses. "Urahara is always prepared for the old man's inevitable death by Mother's hands. You know she won't even need to call."
Ichigo rolls his eyes and gives the black-haired teenager a glare before he fixes his fingerless black gloves and lowers his arms. The loose sleeves of his white military coat are folded up into cuffs around his elbows while the lower hem reaches his thighs. He made sure his black pants were tucked into his socks and his coat was buttoned to cover most of his black sleeveless turtleneck.
He folds back the cuffs of his coat until they reach the middle of his forearm and he turns towards the kitchen. "Do you need anything while we're out on patrol, Karin?"
"No thanks! Don't get injured like some idiots, okay?" Karin looks over her shoulder with a smile. Ichigo playfully rolls his eyes with a smile of his own while Uryū simply fixes the lapels of his own white military coat with a scoff. His reached all the down below his knees and the sleeves went to his wrists. He wore the normal white collared shirt underneath, a blue line going straight down and another going across at the collar. His pants were white and also tucked into his socks.
"Like I would let this bastard tarnish our name as Quincy!" Uryū declares with a smirk. Ichigo scowls at him before he flips his French braided hair over his shoulder, not giving the other a response.
"We'll be back before midnight, if all goes well," Uryū continues as Ichigo walks towards the entryway to put on his white combat boots. "We have to make up for missing your and Yuzu's patrol after all."
Karin perks up at the mention and runs over to hug the black-haired teenager. "Thank you! Thank you, Ryū-nī!"
"It was my idea!" Ichigo shouts from the entryway.
"It was actually Ophelia's!" Uryū shouts back with a scowl before he lightly pushes Karin away with a scrunch of his nose. "Your hands are soaked. You can go back to washing the dishes now."
Karin rolls her eyes with a huff before she flicks some water and suds towards her older brother. He leaps back, almost like a cat, to avoid the water. Karin giggles and runs back into the kitchen before Uryū could swipe at her.
"Karin!" Uryū is about to chase after her, but a white combat boot suddenly slams against the back of his head.
"Get your damn shoes on! Mom'll kill us next if she comes down and we're not gone!" Ichigo states with a small scowl.
Uryū turns around with a sneer, reaching down to grab the combat boot. He pulls his arm back and throws it back at the orange-haired teenager. Ichigo squeaks and ducks below the thrown projectile.
CRACK! THUD!
The boot flies through the front door glass panel. Uryū and Ichigo blink before staring at each other with wide eyes. There's complete silence for a solid fifteen seconds.
"Uryū? Ichigo? What was that?" Masaki's sweet tone makes both of her sons pale.
"Oh, ya both better fuckin' run!" Zangetsu hisses, snapping Ichigo out of his shock.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Ichigo scrambles back up and runs out of the front door. Uryū trips over his own feet as he grabs his other combat boot and sprints after Ichigo.
"You're going to get us fucking killed!" Uryū hisses, hopping on one foot to pull on one of the combat boots.
Ichigo whips his head around with a dark scowl. "You were taking too long, you idiot! And don't throw your shoes when I'm standing in front of the goddamn door!"
"Don't throw them at me then!"
"KUROSAKI ICHIGO AND ISHIDA URYŪ!" Masaki slams open the front door with her loud shout. Both teenagers start to run like the Devil were on their heels.
The pure moonlight of the undisturbed full moon shroud the sleeping streets of Karakura Town in a blanket of peace. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves of Karakura's trees can be heard; no voices, no shouting, no cars, nothing else. It brings out a certain melancholic beauty from Karakura on quiet patrols like this.
Ichigo looks up at the dark sky, barely any stars in sight. Something isn't right.
There's a high-pitched howl before a shadow suddenly falls from above. Ichigo doesn't even turn his head as he forms his Heilig Bogen. A glowing blue arrow pierces right through the Hollow's head and mask, grazing Ichigo's cheekbone when it passes by.
Gold eyes slowly blink before Ichigo turns his head, glancing past the disintegrating Hollow. The wind breezes by, causing one of Ichigo's French braids to slide off of his shoulder. Uryū brushes his bangs out of his eyes before he pushes up his glasses.
"Such an amateur. We are in the middle of a patrol," Uryū scolds sharply, making Ichigo roll his eyes. He sighs quietly and goes back to staring up at the night sky, not giving the other Quincy a response.
Ocean blue eyes stare with swift trepidation. He steps off of the reishi platform he formed to stand level to the rooftop Ichigo stood on and gracefully lands next to the orange-haired teenager.
"...something is... off," Ichigo murmurs between the soft gusts of wind. Uryū pushes up his glasses once more before taking his turn to stare up at the night sky.
"Something is off, or will something be off?" Uryū questions solemnly.
Ichigo blinks slowly, raising a hand to trace the hidden constellations with his finger. "Something... is off."
Uryū frowns, staring blindly up at the night sky. He cannot see what Ichigo and Masaki could see. He did not share their curse of dreams and dazes, nor their sight or their intuition. The twins haven't shown any signs of having them and Isshin hadn't been born with the gifts of his clan like his late nephew. Them and their dreams and dazes; their sight and intuition. They were anomalies. Yet, it made perfect sense that only they two had these.
Uryū only wishes he could at least see what they saw. Just so he could help them. He calls it a curse for a reason.
"Let's go then. Mother will prefer us to be closer to home when we are attacked," He says simply before he steps off of the rooftop, a reishi platform already forming beneath his feet. Ichigo blinks slowly one more time before he nods his head with a hum. He steps off onto his own platform, turning his head to give their surroundings one more glance.
Everything is quiet, shrouded by gentle moonlight and a blanket of peace. Ichigo narrows his eyes before he sighs quietly. He braces his knees before leaping forward, activating his hirenkyaku.
ICEDEATHASHICEASH
Ichigo sucks in a deep breath when the taste of something different spreads across his taste buds. He whirls around with wide eyes, facing North. It can't be—
"Ichigo—" Uryū cuts himself off when Ichigo already leaps towards the direction. Ribbons fill his vision, thousands of pure white floating gently up into the sky. A single red, crimson and dark, connects with Ichigo's heart before pulling taut.
SHINIGAMI
"It feels more powerful than the usual Shinigami who wander around," Uryū states, easily keeping up with Ichigo's speed.
Ichigo feels his upper lip curls up to reveal his sharp incisors and canines. The icedeathashiceash makes him almost audibly snarl. It is much too powerful for the usual Shinigami sent to guard the living world.
Missions to the living world are usually only given to unseated Shinigami or a team of newly graduated Shinigami. Shinigami higher than an unseated hardly ever come to the living world, unless the Hollow is above a certain grade of power or the mission requires a team leader.
That is what Isshin and geta-bōshi told them all. If they sense a Shinigami with reiatsu equivalent to or higher than Ururu-chan's or Jinta-kun's, they were to be cautious.
Geta-bōshi had said he doesn't know if Uryū is being monitored, but he does know that his sperm donor is still being monitored. Heavily.
While they can handle themselves, Isshin is still considered dead. At the moment it's too dangerous for him to reveal he's been alive all along. Whoever the person geta-bōshi, Isshin, and Masaki are currently planning to fight against, they are extremely dangerous and an expert chess master. Not as much of an expert as geta-bōshi, that damn creepy manipulator, but pretty up there.
PROTECTPROTECTPROTECTPROTECTPROTECTPROTECT.
Ichigo growls loudly. A Shinigami with the power equivalent to a low seated officer is in Karakura—in his territory. His.
"Kill 'em! Kill 'em!" Zangetsu agrees with a hiss, tugging at the edges of Ichigo's psyche. Ichigo lets him pull forward, a wide grin splitting across his face and his gold eyes starting to glow.
A darkness sweeps over his body before a phantom touch grabs the back of his neck. There is a low sigh before Zangetsu is forcefully pulled back from intruding further into Ichigo's psyche.
"Calm yourselves, now," Tensa speaks in a dark tone, clearly just as affected as the other cohabitants of this soul by the intruder. "It would not do well for any of us if we killed an innocent Shinigami. Figure out why they are here first."
Ichigo growls audibly, but takes a deep breath, soothing his instincts to rip and tear this Shinigami apart the moment he sees them. Uryū gives him a side glance, which he ignores, before he shakes his head with an exasperated sigh.
Like mother, like son; unfortunately, that means both love to resort to murder when it comes to protecting what's theirs. Fucking psychos—he loves them so much.
"I am so telling Mother if you end up murdering this Shinigami," Uryū states with a sniff.
Ichigo scowls at the threat and glares darkly at his brother. "Try it and I'll confirm her suspicions about you causing Agawa-obāsan's house to burn down."
Uryū glares back at the orange-haired teenager. Nevermind, he wishes Ichigo would be burned alive at the stake.
This town is so incredibly strange, it's making every single alarm bell and instinct scream at the highest of volumes.
Kuchiki Rukia, the current Shinigami tasked with protecting Karakura Town and its roughly 100,000 inhabitants, is exceptionally, and possibly overly, suspicious and wary despite this being her first time stationed in the World of the Living. There are dozens, if not hundreds of Pluses roaming and wandering the streets and buildings of Karakura Town, yet there have hardly been any signs of Hollows.
She's been here for almost a week already, and yet she's only defeated three Hollows. When she came here and saw the amount of Pluses, she had taken the necessary precautions to be on high alert. This is the grounds for a feeding nest for Hollows... and yet she's only defeated four. It's so incredibly strange. And disconcerting.
"Ukitake-taichō didn't mention anything of importance from the previously stationed Shinigami's report. Had something happened between his station and mine?" Rukia stands on top of the tall telephone pole, silently observing the quiet streets below. The wind blows through her raven hair, making her brush it back as she contemplates the strangeness of this town.
"Hey, lady."
Is this what it's normally like in the World of the Living? Did Hollow attacks and alerts decrease since anyone at Shin'o Academy had updated their records?
"Hey!"
Maybe she should have sucked it up and... asked Renji about his time in the World of the Living World... no. No, that wouldn't have been good. Not after a decade of not even seeing each other, let alone talking to each other.
Maybe she should have—
"Why you—" Rukia yelps loudly when something kicks her off of the pole from behind "—I'm fucking talking to you! At least have the courtesy to pay attention!"
Rukia flails around before she manages to stop herself a few feet in the air. She whips around with a hand around her zanpakutō, ready to attack whatever has attacked her. She freezes when she sees two humans standing on the power lines.
They both wore white coats and white boots. One glared down at her in complete indifference, ocean blue eyes shining behind a pair of square glasses and black hair pulled back into a top knot with his bangs framing his face. The other, with his foot still raised, had his orange hair braided in two French braids down to his lower back and his eyes glowed gold in the full moonlight.
HOLLOWHUMANHOLLOWHUMANHOLLOWHUMAN
Rukia frowns as she continues to watch them. Their reiatsu... It is much, much stronger than a human's. Yet, they are not spirits... and one of them—
Rukia jumps before glaring up at the one who kicked her. "Did you just—you really did kick me! You can see me?"
"Well, I was trying to get your attention, idiot." The one with orange hair rolls his eyes before he finally lowers his foot. "Of course I can see you. You were standing on top of a telephone pole."
Rukia raises an eyebrow, pointedly staring at his feet where he was standing on the power lines. The other boy snorts before he quickly covers his mouth and turns his head away. The orange-haired one glares heavily at the black-haired one before he focuses back on the Shinigami.
The two teenagers jump down from the power lines, landing on the ground. Rukia stares at them for a long moment before she jumps down as well.
"Why were you even standing on the telephone pole?" The orange-haired one asks with a small frown, more suspicious than Rukia would expect from a human. She narrows her eyes before straightening her posture.
"I am a Shinigami, human. I was watching out for Hollows," Rukia states as if it was obvious. Both boys raise an eyebrow, completely unimpressed. Rukia feels her cheeks start to burn.
"What? What is it?"
"You literally just asked us if we could see you. Do you honestly expect humans to know about Shinigami?" The black-haired teenager's sarcastic emphasis on the word 'humans' goes past Rukia's head.
"I suppose not. You aren't born with the innate skills us Shinigami have. And you can't even see properly. You're only human," Rukia states before closing her eyes and crossing her arms. She thinks for a long minute, the two teenagers silently glancing at each other at the insult.
Rukia smirks triumphantly before digging through her kosode and pulls out a sketchpad. She is quick to draw out pictures of her explanation with... crude drawings.
"There is a place called the Soul Society. You may associate it with heaven. Shinigami are people tasked with protecting the Soul Society as well as the World of the Living. While taking missions in the World of the Living, we send Plus Souls, you're dead if you would like to simplify, to the Soul Society. There are evil spirits—named Hollows—we are tasked with culling," Rukia explains concisely while she holds up her sketchpad.
The orange-haired teenager barks out a laugh before smothering it with his hand and turning to face away from the Shinigami. Rukia blinks before scowling darkly.
"What? Is something wrong or are you simply confused?"
"N-no! Nothing of the sort!" The teenager bites his lip, obviously trying to stop himself from laughing. "It's just... you are... quite the artist."
Rukia, missing the sarcasm once more, smiles as she turns the sketchpad around. "Why yes! Thank you, but I'm only average compared to Nīsama."
"How fascinating," The black-haired teenager states dryly, pushing up his glasses.
"Yes, I suppose learning of the Soul Society and its Shinigami can be a bit much to handle for you humans," Rukia says, nodding sagely to herself. The black-haired teenager rolls his eyes while the other one stifles another laugh.
"That isn't what he's fascinated abo—" A bloodcurdling howl cuts off the orange-haired teenager.
HOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOW
Rukia grabs the hilt of her zanpakutō, whirling around to stand in front of the two boys. There, across the street, is a Hollow. How could she not sense it? Did it... did it hide its presence?
The Hollow howls again before charging forward. Rukia unsheathes her sword, expression turning cold.
She hears some kind of movement behind her. "A Hollow?! How did we not—"
"Stay back or you will die!" Rukia orders sharply before she charges forward.
She holds her zanpakutō to the side, watching the Hollow lift its arm. She ducks underneath before swinging up and completely slices through the Hollow's arm. It screams in pain and its tail flicks out. Rukia barely has time to bring up her sword, blocking most of the hit, before she's sent flying through the air.
"This Hollow... it's not strong. How could I have not sensed it?!" Rukia flips in the air and slides back once her feet hit the ground. She lifts her head and watches the Hollow writhe in its pain before she charges once more.
"I'll be quick. The Hollow might go after those boys... I can't let that happen!" Rukia raises her sword above her head with her eyes pointed directly at the Hollow's mask. She takes the hit to her side from the Hollow's tail, barely managing to use the tip of her zanpakutō to slice through the mask.
Rukia drops to the ground when the tail starts to disappear, the Hollow screeching in anger and in pain. It thrusts its remaining hand forward, but it disappears before it could hit Rukia. She grabs her bleeding side and slowly stands up.
The Hollow, it wasn't that strong... but how could she not sense it? How could it hide its presence so well?
Rukia shakes her head and turns towards the boys, sheathing her zanpakutō. She'll investigate it later.
"Are you both alright?" She asks, giving them both a cursory glance in case of any injuries. The Hollow did not even come near them, but it is best she checked. Just in case.
"...I could not sense the Hollow..." The orange-haired one speaks in some type of stupor, staring at where the Hollow once was. "I could not sense the Hollow..."
"You are only human. It is I who should have been able to sense the Hollow from the beginning," Rukia says reassuringly.
The black-haired teenager scoffs loudly before he pushes up his glasses. "I knew the old man had said most Shinigami don't even know what the Quincy look like, let alone know what we are... but this is absolutely ridiculous!"
Rukia blinks before her eyebrows furrow. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Uryū, call Mom," The orange-haired teenager orders, raising his left hand. A silver pentacle falls from his covered wrist, glittering beneath the moonlight. Rukia stares with trepidation and dread slowly filling her gut.
"And? Tell her what, Ichigo? That we made the mistake of not being alert when confronting a Shinigami of all beings, and allowed such a weak Hollow to attack us?" The black-haired one—Uryū—sneers with a hand waving towards Rukia. Her violet eyes immediately catch onto the silver pentacle which falls from Uryū's right wrist.
"Confronting...? Did they... do they know about the Soul Society?" Rukia takes a small step back, her hand twitching to grab her zanpakutō. She doesn't follow what her instincts are screaming at her to do.
The orange-haired one—Ichigo—stares, head-on, at Uryū. His eyes, shining like liquid pools of gold, stare into his very soul. Uryū averts his gaze before he slowly nods his head.
"Alright. As long as you explain to her—"
HOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOWHOLLOW
Rukia gasps as a grotesque and heavy reiatsu slams down on her. She whirls around on unsteady feet, her hand reaching the hilt of her zanpakutō.
A giant claw catches her right side, shredding through her skin. Her eyes widen before she's thrown back, blood spraying through the air.
Ichigo leaps forward with a hand outstretched. "SHINIGAMI!"
Hey! I hope you all like the new chapter! Honestly, I was intending to put more into this chapter, but I then realized, that would be a long-ass chapter. Like a long chapter. So, we're splitting it into two.
Anyways, I am sorry for the somewhat late chapter. I wanted to finish it last week, but five people quit from my work and it has been literal fucking chaos. I get the distinct feeling that the universe doesn't really like me that much... or maybe I'm overthinking things. Who knows?
The last scene is a bit... meh to me, but it's still good in my eyes, so I hope it is good enough for you all! Hopefully, I can get a new chapter out next Friday or the one after that, but no promises. Five people did quit from my work, so there might be a bit of a pause in my updates.
I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! Bye.
WhovianWhoudini