⦏ Bleach (stylized as BLEACH) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. ⦐
⦏ To LOVE-Ru is a Japanese manga series written by Saki Hisemi and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki, creator of Black Cat.⦐
⦏ As shown above, I do not own the characters introduced or alluded to within either series but am simply a writer telling of a fanfiction that's aim is to meld their stories together. . . Possibly. ⦐
⦏ I only own what original characters will be introduced in this story, the first example being Masaki Inoue. ⦐
ー Disclaimer

Glancing around the underpass, the first thing Rito noticed was that Rukia did not show up for his training. He did not like it whenever she was gone.

It felt always like there was something she was up to whenever that came to be. Raising his hand to his face, he rubbed his forehead gently.

Well, at least he did not have to deal with her studying this go around.

Masaki had been accompanying him, crouched down behind the pitching machine that Rukia had got her hands on.

"How did you even get this thing..."

"That's a Rukia question..." Rito slumped his shoulders. "I really appreciate you accompanying me like this, though."

"Hey, don't sweat it. I just had the free time since they didn't want me going to practice after that accident."

Masaki raised one of the balls looking like the back of a hand, drawing a small x in the center of one of them.

"You're right, these drawings kinda suck. Does this make it any better?"

"Kinda, but it's still pretty difficult to make out when it's comin' at me."

"Straight across then, roger." Masaki chuckled, making the x larger, "You said it's not baseball you're doing this for... What're you gonna take up kendo or something? Would explain the ones ya gotta dodge."

A bead of sweat dropped down the back of his head, looking to the side for a moment as he weighed his options. It might lead to more questions if he gave something too outlandish of an answer. But, he did not want to give him a completely wrong answer either.

"T-there's an invention that Lala's been workin' on lately that she wants me to test for her." Rito chuckled a bit, "It's a stronger version of one of her old ones and I wanted to be sure I can hit real good with it when it's done."

It was a more likely answer, at least. Knowing Lala, she could whip out some kind of rocket powered bat at any point. Should it catch him off guard, he can only imagine how it will send him off into orbit or something.

That was a chilling fortune he gave himself. He supposed he should hope it never become true.

"Lala, huh? So her tinkering shtick was real, then." Masaki began loading in the refined 'bad' balls, "Well, from what Kotegawa says, you'll need luck with those. So let's get that swing of yours good."

"Right." Rito nodded, a smirk creeping onto his face.

With that, Masaki would flip the switch. Rito's training for 'Lala's invention' beginning.

⦗ BGM Cue ー Training ⦅ Yutaka Yamada ⦆ ⦘

Rito narrowed his eyes as the first one shot toward him. His arms prepped to swing. His internal instincts almost forcing his arms to strike the ball when it came in too close.

However, another would pick up on the cross on the ball and instead force his weight to the side to swiftly dodge out of the way. The ball bursting into red powder on the wall behind him.

This got a light clap out of Masaki, one not registered by Rito before the next ball would shoot forward.

This time, all of his body and soul knew to strike. And strike he did, the bat hitting the ball with such a force a light gust blew the dust around him away from the sheer force of the strike. The ball flying outward and bouncing against the other wall.

When it did, the smallest crack would show itself on the wall, but neither of the two noticed. Masaki giving a thumbs up.

Strike.

Dodge.

Dodge.

Strike.

Rinse. Repeat.

As Rito kept this up, his mind came to wander soon enough.

He made up with Masaki, but he realized that he had not spoken to Haruna himself at all since Lala's shenanigans threw him her way. In his birthday suit.

Just the thought made him sigh internally as he kept up his training.

Perhaps he would have a chance to make up here soon. If it worked out with Masaki, then it could probably work out with her.

Putting his all into his next swing, his eyes shot wide. Instead of being launched toward the other side of the underpass, it would burst out. Covering him in red powder.

"Agh! So close!" Masaki let out a laugh as he clapped his hands, "You almost got em all right, too!"

"Uh-" Rito paused, looking over at the other. After a few scoffs, he would then break out into laughter himself, "I guess I did, huh? Better luck next try."

"That's right." Masaki got up from the ground, tossing Rito a towel, "Why don't you take a break while I give it a try."

Rito caught the towel and blinked. Glancing around, he gave a shrug.

"Sure, knock yourself out."

There was no reason for him not to. Besides, Rukia was not here. Maybe he could learn a thing or two watching Masaki do it.

⦗ BGM END ⦘

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOHHHHHH‼"

Rito frantically shook in place, having stepped into the classroom and was greeted to a surprising sight.

"OH MY GOD, SAIRENJI‼"

As he claimed, on the other side of the room, standing next to the window was Haruna. The girl having been removing the shirt of her tennis uniform. Revealing underneath a pale yellow sports bra.

A light gasp escaped from her lips before she pulled her shirt down, covering herself quickly.

"I-I'm so sorry‼" Rito would full on swing his body around while shutting his eyes, "I didn't realize you'd be changing in here!"

Haruna slowly opened her eyes, looking up toward him as he kept shaking violently.

"I-I was just coming to pick up some crap I left behind and here you were!"

"Yukki, please..."

"Don't get the wrong idea, I promise I wasn't looking on purpose!" Opening his eyes, Rito would turn around to face her... But averted his gaze, "Sorry, again..."

An alarm bell rang off in his head as his eyes picked up on Haruna suddenly tossing her shirt off. Before he could say a word, she would rush over toward him. Grabbing onto him and placing her head against his chest.

His voice shaking as he held his arms to his side, he stared down at her with a beat red face.

"U-um... Sairenji...?"

"It's... Really embarrassing to be caught like this..." Haruna spoke up, lifting her face some, "And this is your fault..."

"I-I'm such an idiot, I'm sorry!" Rito threw his head back as he gulped, "I'll do anything to make it up to you!"

When she heard that, her head would rise up to look into his eyes.

"Anything...?"

Slowly, the girl began leaning into him further as her hands rose up against his chest. Rito's face becoming more red as he stared into her purple eyes.

"Then take... Responsibility..."

A hard gulp followed that one, "R-responsibility?" Rito's voice cracked.

Following that, Haruna would lean into him closer, pressing her breasts against him. Lifting her leg to wrap around one of his to lock him in place.

"I want... A kiss..."

When Haruna said that, Rito's eyes practically locked on to her lips as they drew closer to him. The boy leaning forward himself in kind, slowly puckering his lips.

⦏ Friday: May 23rd, 2008 ⦐
❲ 6:19 a.m. ❳

Rito's eyes slowly came to open as he found himself in the romantic hold of his pillow, lip-locked with it. Rolling over in bed, he stared at his ceiling.

He has been having dreams like that ever since that outing with Risa... Ugh, he did not think he would find himself fretting over this so much.

"You need someone that will make you a man."

Rito hit the side of his fist against his forehead. He still wondered after the whole week what she meant by that.

A humming could be heard to his right. Glancing over to check, he saw that Lala was soundly asleep next to him. Her tail wrapped around the pillow between them. Meanwhile, his right hand was serving as a substitute for her pillow.

In her sleep, she was showering his wrist with kisses while muttering his name in her sleep.

At least she was having a good dream, he supposed.

Looking down under the covers, he came to notice that she was naked underneath it. Her left breast was almost fully visible to him. Placing his other hand over his face, it heated up underneath. It practically steamed.

"How immature am I supposed to believe she really is..."

『 Tʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ Hᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ Sᴏᴜʟ: To-Love Ru 』
【 Chapter 6 | battle with the same face ~𝐅𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄~ 】

Rito was running down the steps of the station, a sweat dropping down the side of his head.

He woke up early, too, and was still on the run now!

"Agh... That Lala. She can fly to wherever she's gotta go. And that Rukia just vanished before I knew it!"

How was it he lived with both of the transfers and he still was unable to keep any track of them? Grumbling to himself, he kept onward.

"I better pick up the pace or I'm gonna be late!"

He was just about to upcharge his running speed, but refrained when he noticed someone sitting at the street pole ahead... It was, a girl? But...

"That green haired girl... Why's she wearing a boy's uniform?"

As he was approaching, a gasp let out from her as she looked his way. Pink eyes meeting gold. When they had, a bright smile had come onto her face.

Noticing this, he figured he would try to talk to her.

"Hey, you there!"

When he was about to pass, he skid himself to a halt. Turning back toward her, he jabbed a thumb toward the school up ahead.

"If you don't hurry up, you're gonna be late!"

"I'll be fine. But thanks for your concern."

Staring at her for a second, he turned away with a light shrug: "If you say so!"

With that, the boy would take off running once more. Watching him go, the green haired girl's smile was unmoved.

"I'll make it in time."

Around her, a fly would hover over her head until it rested just below her nose. The girl looking down toward it, she found herself sniffing when it twitched its tail against her nostril.

"ACHOOO‼"

The fly hovered into the sky after the loud boom of her voice erupted.

The attention pans to the Sainan High School itself. Specifically to the front gate where a limousine would come to a stop close to the curb.

A well dressed old man stepped out from the car. Stepping to the door behind the driver's seat, he would promptly open the door.

Muttering erupted as speculation came to arise about the reasonings behind this car's presence. Once a pair of legs would step out from the car, gasps would erupt as the person it belonged to was revealed to be a girl who ran a hand through her hair. Flipping one of her curled spirals her light blonde hair was braided into.

"Good morning, Saki-sama."

Two dark haired girls bowed their heads in front of her. On the left, a girl with circular glasses and the other having her taupe hair tied back into a long ponytail.

"Good morning, Ladies."

Saki hummed to herself as she heard the voices of the crowd speaking up around her.

"May I take your bag, please?"

The right girl, Kujo Rin, raised out her hand. Saki giving a smile as she humored the offer.

"Thank you."

Once handing her bag over, the trio would make their way inside the school building.

"Who is that?"

"You don't know?" Another voice in the crowd scoffed, "Come on, man. She's the richest girl in our school. Tenjoin Saki!"

"Oh yeah...?"

Saki raised a hand to stifle the giggle that escaped her lips.

"Nothing starts the morning better than the commoners' utter shock in my beauty."

It gave her the same serene feeling that the scent of a rose grants one on a bright summer day.

Saki's lips pursed when she noticed the muttering soon came to a stop. She felt the roses pictured in her mind wilt as an unknown came into the picture.

From the sky, a notable pinkette would touch down on the ground with a light flap of what Saki could easily see as wings.

As the wings dissipated into pink pixels, she would give a light giggle as passerbys waved toward her.

"Good morning Lala-chi!" A girl spoke.

"Morning~❤"

"You're as cute as always!" A male exclaimed as they ran by.

"Aww, thank you!"

As the smiling girl walked away, Saki watched with her arms crossed. Her lips pursed.

"Aya. That girl. Who is she?"

On her left, Aya straightened her glasses. "That is Lala. From what I've heard, she's some girl that's gained popularity amongst the first years."

"Hmm... It would seem she's getting pretty popular, then." Saki tilted her head softly as she watched Lala's figure shrink from the distance between them. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like for her to be investigated."

"Certainly." Rin closed her eyes as she spoke up on the request.

Saki gave a nod of approval.

That was good. There was one absolute that Saki knew: Sainan High only needed one queen, a second was completely unnecessary...

"Good morning, everyone~!" A shimmer bounced off of the bright smile on Rukia's face, which had hit some of the students in the room.

"Ah, good morning Kuchiki." Mizuiro returned the greeting.

"Ku~chi~ki~san~❤" Keigo was one of the ones hit by the sparkles, his face flushed as he smiled her way, "You're lovely today as always~❤"

Saruyama gave a thumbs up as he slapped a hand on Keigo's shoulder, him having a similar expression.

Risa had her head in her palm as she watched her walk in. She remained silent as she did, earning a glance from Mio. But the other girl also refrained from saying anything.

"It's rare to see you late to school, Kuchiki." Mizuiro noted as Rukia walked over.

"Yes. I had some business to take care of this morning." Turning her gaze toward Rito, who was standing next to her, she gave a bright smile, "By the way, Yukki-kun. Do you have a moment to spare?"

"Huh?" He looked toward her with a brow raised, "Is it important? I dunno why you can't just say it h- UGH‼"

Before he knew it, Rito would be down on the ground. Out for the count.

Rukia cried out in shock at the sudden dropping. Pulling at Rito's head, she dragged him out towards the door.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright, Yukki-kun!?" She fluttered her eyes as she pulled him along for the sake of the act, "Oh no, I'll have to take you to the nurse's office, quickly!"

Not a single person in the room had been fooled by that act. A bead of sweat ran down the back of all their heads. It was very clear that she had punched him just now.

"Here."

Rito blinked as he was tossed what looked to be a candy dispensor with a duck head as the cap. Turning it in his hand, he blinked twice.

"What... Is this?"

"It's a pack of Gikongan. Pills that forcibly pull the spirit from the body." Rito listened intently, lowering the bottle in his hand, "Normally, it's used on spirits who've already died yet won't let go of their bodies. But I'm giving it to you!"

Raising it again, he gave it a light shake, "So... The reason you were late this morning was cuz you were buying this?"

"...no. I was busy with other purchases." She turned away with a light blush on her face, "Because of what happened last night, I realized the high probability of Hollows coming directly after you."

"So, you already bought this one?"

"Well, I was expecting for my powers to have returned to me by now, and had them prepared in the case of that." Rukia sighed as she crossed her arms, "But, as you can tell, that isn't the case."

Rito placed a hand on his hip, giving a skeptical expression.

"Listen. When it's swallowed, a temporary soul can enter the body while the real soul can come out." Rukia raised a finger as she elaborated further on what the pills were, "In case of an emergency, when I'm not nearby and you run into a Hollow, use them to become a Shinigami on your own."

"Gikongan, huh...?" He looked closer at the bottle, it reading Soul✦Candy across.

"That's right." Rukia nodded, "If you push the duck's head, a pill comes out."

He poked at the wrapping of the bottle gently, "So why does it say soul candy on the front...?"

"T-that is..." Rukia crossed her arms, embarrased by the subject, "The Shinigami Women's Association complained that Gikongan wasn't a cute enough name, so... They changed it to that 3 years ago instead."

"Why is it... A duck?"

"SH-SHUT UP‼" Rukia snapped, "I COULDN'T CHOOSE THE DESIGN BECAUSE IT WAS A SUPPLY FROM MY SUPERIORS! I WANTED TO CHOOSE THE MOST POPULAR ONE, CHAPPY THE BUNNY‼"

"Oh really..." Rito gave a small grin, "So you wanted the bunny..."

"W-WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME THAT LOOK!?" Rukia slammed her hands down on the railing between them, "A-ARE YOU MAKING FUN OF ME, YOU BASTARD!?"

"I was just making note of the merchandise you bou-"

Rukia swung her leg up over the railing, slamming her heel against the back of his head.

"YOU CAN JUDGE THE MERCHANDISE BASED ON ITS EFFECTIVENESS‼"

"I mean, I guess..."

After recovering from the hit, he popped open the duck head. Launching one of the pills into his mouth, he would shut his mouth and swallow it down.

At first, he felt nothing more than a rumble in his stomach.

But then, in a flash, he would find his Shinigami self launched out from his back, his body dropping onto the ground in front of him.

"Woah... I really did come out!"

Looking toward his hands, he quickly grasped him being in Shinigami form. His body on the floor without Rukia having put on the glove.

"Surprised? Fufufu..." She would point toward his unconscious body with a smirk, "Also, no one will notice you left your body, since the temporary soul has akready entered your cast-off shell!"

To Rito's shock, his body had sprung up from the ground on its own. Turning to face them with a facial expression that exuded gentleness.

"Nice to meet you!" A different voice escaped from his lips, "My name is Yukki Rito! My favorite phrase is early to bed, early to rise!"

Rito's brow twitched as he gave a nervous smile, "A bit... Too responsible there..."

"108 Shinigami scientists calculated an ideal personality for the temporary souls to adopt." Behind him, Rukia had a prideful smirk, "How's that? Cool, isn't it?"

"I mean... Yeah, it is pretty cool." Rito smiled toward... Himself? "If a pink haired girl tries to drag you off anywhere, just ignore her and stick to classes..."

"Roger!" The other Rito gave a salute.

"Oh, would you look at that, it's an order." Rukia presented her Denreishiki. "We'd better get moving."

"Right." Rito started to follow after Rukia, turning his head back toward his other self, "Don't be late to my next class, okay!? I'm counting on you‼"

"You can leave it to me, Master." The Rito left behind waved off the other.

Once they were out of view, he would slowly lower his hand. A smirk creeping onto his face, he chuckled a bit.

"Take your time..."

The manager of the Urahara shop waved his fan in his face as he walked into the storage room. When he had, he noticed a box opened that should not have been...

Right next to the New Merchandise box was a box that read Poor Merchandise.

"...oh dear..."

. . .

"Hey, Ururu! You better look closely! Tell me what that says!"

The box Kisuke found open was set on a table, Ururu's eyebrows lowering as she stared at it.

"Come on, read it!"

Tessai was silent as he stood behind her with crossed. Jinta on the other hand looked like he was ready to pounce on the girl. His face hot from seething anger.

"...Poh... Mah... Chan..."

"WHAT THE- THAT SOUNDS LIKE A HONG KONG ACTION STAR'S NAME‼" Jinta leapt onto the shelf behind him, "IT'S POOR MERCHANDISE! POOR! MERCHANDISE!"

Climbing over the shelf he walked over and bonked her over the head with his fist.

"You really gave a customer FAULTY MERCHANDISE instead of what they PAID FOR!"

The girl would keep silent, looking down in shame at her actions. This infuriated Jinta, the boy immediately grabbing at her hair while kicking at her side.

"WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PROBLEM, HUH!?"

"Ouch! Ouch!"

"AND WHAT'RE WITH THESE COCKROACH BANGS‼"

"Now, now, don't fight." The manager stepped out, waving his hand gently to calm the two down, "This is my fault for not disposing of the fault merchandise in the first place."

Tessai, drawing a paper listing the details of the merchandise given, let out a sigh.

"Who the fault lies is a trivial matter. The contents of the merchandise itself could be trouble." Crossing his arms again, he turned to the manager, "What shall we do, Manager?"

A deep breath escaped from the bucket hat, looking up toward the ceiling.

"We better act fast..." Rubbing his chin stubble gently, he pondered the matter at hand, "Having gained a human body for the first time..."

Jinta let go of Ururu with a huff, the girl holding onto her hair to soothe the pain.

"Who's to say what he will do?"

"Rito" would bounce on his feet lightly toward either side. Stretching his arms and legs out some.

Clutching his hands tightly, he noted that this body was... Almost scarily exceptionable. Kicking forward, the railing of the walkway in front of him would completely tear off from the dent his foot made into it.

Oh wow... That was better than he expected.

"Yeah... That feels good." Raising his hand, he clutched it back and forth, "I've finally got a moving body... Now I'm free..."

Pinning his focus forward, he narrowed his eyes.

"Those bastards at the department... Lockin' me up for so long..."

"HEY‼"

"Rito" paused, turning his attention to the sound of an unfamiliar voice.

"WHAT'S GOIN' ON OVER HERE‼?"

Approaching from the corner was an older man wearing a black tracksuit. Hoisted over his shoulder was a kendo sword that he tapped repeatedly against himself.

"Hnn?" Getting a onceover of the boy, he grumbled to himself, "You're Yukki Rito from Class 1-A, right? I know you. You're the one everybody on campus talks about bein' nothin' but trouble."

Looking down, his eyes opened wider. "Hey, what did you do... The wall is..."

He flinched noticing that "Rito" was beginning to walk closer. Raising his wooden sword forward to act as a wall between them.

"W-what're you doing? You trynna pick a fight with a teacher!?" Noticing him continuing to walk forward, he stepped back some, "Y-you won't get away with this... Hey, stop!"

The footsteps continued getting closer.

"H-hey, we can talk about this from a distance, okay!?" His voice began to tremble, "Wait! STO-"

He winced as he leaned forward. A whoosh running through the air overhead which made him look up.

To his shock, "Rito" was in the midst of a jump high into the air. When his foot stamped onto solid ground again, the teen was standing atop of the other side of the walkway.

Turning back, he smirked at the frightened teacher below.

"H-he jumped... From here... A-all the way to there...?"

"Whaddoya think... Teach?"

His smirk widened as he saw the surprised on the teacher's face. Once he got his fill of tormenting him with the shock, he began to skip across the roof of the walkway with a cheery laugh.

"He's surprised, he's surprised‼"

"W-what is..." The teacher dropped to his knees, staring at where the teen skipped from, utterly mortified, "Going on...?"

» 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥? «

"Yukki-kun's still not back yet..." Haruna commented, biting her nail lightly.

Tatsuki looked toward her and then looked out the door. She honestly had no real answer to give her. After all, he was dragged out like a corpse after Rukia knocked him out earlier. Since then, neither of them had returned.

She did not want to be paranoid, but maybe they're...

"No idea."

No, that could not be right. After all, Rito was not that kind of person.

At least, not the Rito she knew.

"You're so cute, Haruna~" Risa and Mio walked over, the blonde of the pair grinning, "Are you worried about Darling?"

"Yukki-kun's been gone for a long time." Haruna corrected, "I just want to be sure that he's okay. Maybe I should go to the nurse's-"

"Relax~ He'll be back soon." Risa shot back, her grin remaining on her face, "Rito's a bigger man than that, he isn't tapped out after only one round."

"Does it always have to be innuendos with you?" Tatsuki chimed in.

Risa lifted her nose up as she leaned against the desk behind her.

"Why don't you keep your dirty mind to yourself for once?" Tatsuki stood up from her seat, glaring toward the blonde, "Clearly Haruna ain't in the mood for it."

"Tatsuki, wait..." Haruna tried to speak up.

"Shut up." Risa rolled her eyes, "What I do is none of your business." Crossing her arms, she let out a sigh, "You're a pretty girl, Tatsuki, but you're such a bitch all the time that it's a turnoff."

"Nobody wants to hear about what turns you on!"

"Oh, really?" Risa scoffed, "Who knows, maybe it's because I have experience that you don't~"

"The magazines don't equate to the real thing!" Tatsuki barked, "You don't got any experience!"

"At least I know what I like to look for."

Mio just had a derpy smile on her face, loving to watch the drama go on. Haruna on the other hand stood up and frantically moved between the two to try and dissolve the conflict.

Lala, standing by the window, was staring out for a while. Her lips pursed. Where did that Shinigami drag Rito off to... After some time, her patience began to wane. The girl raising her foot and beginning to climb onto the window sill.

Taking out her D-Dial, she began to input the code for her wings.

If he was not going to come back soon, she would just have to go and find him.

Maybe he was o-

"What the!?"

A hand clasped onto the window, Lala stepping back before the approaching person would bump into her.

To everyone's complete and other shock...

"Rito" had appeared, landing atop of the window sill.

"This is... Class 1-A, right?"

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA‼"

Lala was staring at him in confusion. Meanwhile, Tatsuki would rush over, grabbing onto Lala and pulling her away from him.

"Y-y-y-you‼" She waved her arm out, pointing her finger toward him as she trembled, "How'd you get up here!?"

"How...?" "Rito" raised a brow to the question, "What do you mean how? Didn't you see it? I jumped up. Is that surprising?"

"You... Jumped?!" Tatsuki's face contorted as she walked him step down.

"That's Yukki, right? Did he just say he jumped up here!?"

"All the way down from the ground?"

"Did you see it? Are you sure?"

"Well, I didn't see it myself, but..."

"Rito" leaned back with a wide smile as he took in the clout built up from his show of talent. Everyone in the room was staring at him, surprised or amazed by what he had just done! It was such a fever trip. He had never felt so great in his life.

Not to mention, getting a good look around? He quickly took notice of the fact every girl in the class was at least above-average on the looks.

Scanning through them, he took in every detail he could about them that he could. Agh. It was getting frustrating to keep skimming through. Ah, he would just decide to focus on one.

Eeny, meeny, miney...

"Rito!?"

"Rito" turned his attention toward the sound of a voice that called out to him. A girl with pink hair, interesting... Though, his interests skyrocketed because of one thing...

He clasped his hands together in a cheerful prayer. He had to thank his "master" later for the chance to be in the presence of an EXTRA LARGE‼✦

Behind his foot back, he would leap again. Gasps erupting from the crowd, he would somersault in the air before touching down gracefully upon the desk closest to Lala.

There, he would place a hand against her back and softly lift her hand. A sly grin on his face, he gently spoke up to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Pretty Lady..." Leaning his head downward, his lips approached the back of her hand, "Would you please... Tell me your name~❤?"

It was not until the kiss against her hand echoed through the room that roars sounded from the students in the room.

"H-hey, Rito!" Tatsuki stomped forward, grabbing him in a full nelson to pull him away from the pinkette, "Do you realize what you're doing!? This ain't funny, man!"

"Rito" blinked, his legs flopping off the desk as Tatsuki pulled him back.

Leaning his head backward, "Rito"'s lips parted as he gave a look at her, "From close up, you're pretty cute, too."

"...huh-" Tatsuki was caught off guard by the compliment. However, the real finishing blow was the peck he gave her on the cheek. Her face exploded with a puff of steam as she dropped "Rito". Her face practically blinked red from the blush on her face.

The boy bounced back up in time as the door would slam open for Mr. Honekawa to step inside.

"If you're finished being rowdy, it is about time I start class back up!"

"Right, right~"

"Rito" winked to Lala before going to return to his seat. Well. He sat in a random seat at first. But was then corrected as to what seat was his.

Haruna stared at "Rito" from where she stood in complete disbelief, feeling her legs give out on her as she dropped back into her own seat.

The actual Rito was staring up at an industry building from an alleyway. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked over to Rukia with a brow raised.

"You said there were two Hollows showing up in there?"

"That's right. Prepare yourself, they'll be appearing in a few seconds."

"A few seconds!?"

Rukia nudged her head upward as a distortion began to open in the air above. Rito's eyes shot wide as he noticed the first of the two shooting down from the sky.

⦗ BGM Cue ー Heat of the Battle ⦅ Shiro Sagisu ⦆ ⦘

A roar sounding from the building, Rito would take to leap upward to begin climbing the wall. When he had reached the top, he landed atop of it with a huff.

From below, Rukia would rush into the building when the top floor's windows all cracked open.

Looking around when she had gotten inside, she quickly located the door leading to the stairs. Pushing it open, she would begin running up them to get to the next floor.

Pushing the door open with a force, she stopped as she heard crashing and some screams above.

There were people here?

From the mission report, the place was supposed to be abandoned... Did that mean-

Rukia quickly got back to running around for the next flight of stairs.

Looking ahead, she would see the sign telling of her destination. She clicked her teeth in annoyance. This Gigai was so limiting...! Had she been in Shinigami form, she could be where she needed to be with a mere few steps!

He just had to hope that Rito was handling things for n-

A pincer swung through the air, the sound of metal grating against the floor echoing down the hall.

Rukia, who narrowly dodged a critical blow, grit her teeth as she realized her sleeve had been trickling with blood. Noting the injury, she would grit her teeth as she placed her hands together.

Clasping down on the ground before her was a hollow that had pincers for hands. Its upper body was completely humanoid in nature, save for the hole in the rib, where in contract its lower body consisted of four legs sprawled in each direction with three talons each.

Gritting her teeth, she began to turn toward the side of the hall to rush away from the Hollow.

The Hollow raced after her, using its pincers to swing along the walls to get closer.

"Dominator: Mask of Flesh and Blood, all living beings, fluttering, that which has the name human!"

Rukia leapt to the side to avoid the Hollow's attack as it stabbed into the ground. As it ripped its pincer from the ground, it roared at the girl.

"Truth and Temperance: Slightly Imbed your Claws into the Walls of Innocent Dreams!"

As the Hollow had charged toward her, she would push her hands forward, placing her palm against the back of her other hand.

"Hado #33: SOKATSUI‼"

Before the Hollow could leap at her, her hand forced out a blue ball of flame. The recoil of the blast causing him to skid back, her dropping to a knee.

A small smile came onto her face. She had managed to fire it. It was a sign that her power truly was returning!

As the smoke had cleared, it was quickly revealed that the Hollow was still standing. Slashing through the smoke to charge at the woman, she would raise her arms to brace herself.

Ducking under the swipe of its arm, she coughed out as she was kicked by the front right foot. Tumbling against the ground, she quickly picked herself up as she heard the monster charging her way again.

Her power had not recovered enough...! Had she been at her prime strength, that blast alone would have obliterated it. And she had not the stamina to fire enough of those to produce the same result.

Double checking her surroundings, she began to think about what she could do to turn her situation around.

Her body leapt back as he dodged the pincers of the Hollows that slashed either way, Rukia's pulling back her legs as she leapt into the air.

Throwing them forward, she kicked into its mask and threw the creature backward.

When Rukia rolled against the ground following, she heard a rumbling overhead. Picking herself up, she glanced upward and gave a nod to herself.

When the Hollow had recovered from the staggering, it began to chase after her.

In response, Rukia would rush off toward the distance with great haste. As she continued to run forward, she could hear sound of tearing metal muffled behind the glass.

Before the Hollow knew it, Rukia dropped her body into a slide. It arching its arm backward to stab down at her, it would never see what was coming next.

CRASH!

Rito's sword flew through the window and straight into the Hollow's chest. Flinging it all the way down the hall into the next wall. The blade stabbing through, it was pinned to the wall. Struggling to break three, it slashed around frantically to try and break the sword to no avail.

At the window sill, Rito's hand pushed through the cracked glass to grab onto it. With a "Hup!" he pulled himself up, revealing himself to be holding a spirit child.

Landing in front of Rukia, he set the child down next to Rukia. The girl staring at the Plus with a puzzled expression.

"I swore I heard more spirits up there-"

Rito wiped his mouth with a groan, "There were too many Pluses around for me to get a clean shot at the Hollow, so I performed Konso on all of them except the kid."

"And why not the child!?"

"When I tried using Konso on him, it didn't work!" Rito shouted back as he kicked his foot against the ground.

Launching himself to the other side of the hallway, he grasped onto the handle of his sword. The metal of the blade rattled when he took hold. The Hollow glared down at him and stabbed toward him.

An upward stroke. The single motion of his arm proved enough to neutralize the beast as it dissolved against the wall. The only thing remaining of the act was the cut through the wall.

⦗ BGM END ⦘

Returning his sword to his back, he would turn around to face Rukia. The girl standing from the ground and crossing her arms.

"You were holding your own pretty well, weren't you?" Rito smiled gently, "That must mean your powers are coming back."

"Yes, it's a good sign." Rukia lifted her hand, "But I've not retrieved enough to effectively fight Hollows. So I'll have to keep counting on you."

Rito nodded and gave a thumbs up, "Then I'll keep on doin' my best."

"Right. With that settled, we must discuss the chi-"

When the two looked back to where the Plus was, they quickly noticed that he was gone.

"Where did he go?" Rito glanced around in either direction frantically, "Hey, kid!"

Watching Rito run around to search for the Plus, Rukia would simper. Slowly tucking her arms into one another, she tilted her head to the side cutely.

"You know, you seem to be taking this Shinigami job quite seriously."

"Whatever, you can quit teasing me now." Rito did not bother looking in Rukia's direction as his face glowered.

Rukia did not notice the expression he had, but she could tell he was disappointed.

"Don't look so down." Rukia put her hands together behind her back, "You did well. For now, we'll just have to wait until another order comes up."

Letting out a sigh, Rito nodded.

"Right, we should probably head back, then."

"1. 2. 3."

"FIGHT‼"

During P.E., the boys in the class were running in laps around the courtyard.

"1. 2. 3."

"FIGHT‼"

Mr. Kagine had his hands on either hip as he directed the class. The students ran with a good pace.

At the front was Keigo, close behind were Saruyama and Mizuiro.

"Psst, dude." Saruyama spoke up.

"What's up?" Keigo looked to the corner of his eye.

"Ain't it weird?" Saruyama glanced around in either direction, "Y'know, how Rito's actin'?"

Mizuiro thought about it, then gave a light nod, "He has been pretty strange since he came back from the nurse's office."

"The guy jumped up from the window!" Keigo chimed in, "That's more than just weird."

Saruyama pouted, "Damn dude suddenly bein so cool 'n shit. Makes us little guys seem worthless in comparison!"

"I don't see what's so bad-"

"Shut up, you could never understand what it's like having only a magazine as company!" Saruyama barked at Mizuiro.

Keigo faced forward, his pace lagging some as he reflected on what Saruyama stated. His shoulders slumped.

"Mizuiro, can ya maybe share some of the honeys...?"

"Huh?" Mizuiro waved his hands at the question, "I don't know what you're talking about. We just hang out a lotta the time."

"TOO MUCH OF THE TIME FOR A MAN TO NOT SEE THE SIGNS‼" Keigo picked up his pace as he cried out hysterically.

"One more lap." Kagine called out.

Keigo shook his head lightly. At least he could just take this last lap and focus on something other tha-

"WHAT THE!?"

Suddenly, all of them were passed. A blur brushed parted the group of students. Cutting through them in a wave as it raced ahead of the shocked Keigo.

All of them were sent into coughing fits by this sudden burst.

Their fits only increased when the second came around.

A third.

A fourth.

Finally they would all run faster to try and avoid a fifth loop of the smoke cloud. Though it was to no avail. The blur came to reveal itself as "Rito", who had been running ahead of them with a sly grin.

One they were able to clearly see. The reason?

He had been running backwards. Faced toward them with that confident grin.

"H-how did he make five laps so quickly!?"

"I thought he was in the back this whole time!"

"Rito" uproariously laughed as they looked at him with envy, "Come on, Slugs! You'll have to pick up the pace if you wanna dream of keeping up!"

All of them looked to him with a glare. Pushing their limits, they all simultaneously rushed to grab at him.

"Rito" gave a snicker as they had made their attempt. With a bounce against the ground, their attempt missed. Him spinning in the air to face forward and run ahead.

In mere seconds, the amount of laps "Rito" racked up were becoming ridiculous in number.

After long, Mizuiro would be the only one left who tried to keep a steady pace. He frowned when the chaotic nature of the class was increasingly showing.

"This has just become a marathon..." He muttered.

» 𝐀𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭? «

The school bell rung.

"Lala-chan, where are we going?"

"Rito" puffed a cheek as Lala pulled him down the hallway.

He could not see Lala's face. But it was a nice distraction to watch the girl's breasts bounce as she walked. Thus, he would focus his attention on that until she gave him clarity.

"We're going to go find that Shinigami!"

"S-Shinigami, what're you talking about?"

The poser's gaze lifted. His face began to sweat.

Was she bringing him back to the actual Rito? That was no good. He had no intention of being done with this body just yet. After all, it gave him a window to a fresh new life!

Not to mention, he got the privilege of beholding Lala's fun bags! He could not lose that so soon!

"That Rukia girl did something to you, I just know it!"

"Rito" gulped. So she was intending to confront them. Well, it was good that she was not in on him, but still. He had to avoid that outcome at all costs.

Swinging around her, he would take hold of her hands. His face giving a toothy grin as his teeth sparkled.

"I don't think that's necessary at all... Instead, we can go on a date~" He gave a light chuckle as he began to intertwine their hands.

Before he could finish, Lala would pull away. Jumping back, she stared at him with an expression that showed skepticism.

"You have been acting strange today, Yukki Rito." Peke spoke up from her hairpin.

"Huh?" "Rito" looked around in confusion, not being aware of Peke's existence, "Wh- Who said that...?"

Suddenly, the door to a classroom they were about to pass shot open. Stepping out was Yui, who was glaring daggers at "Rito".

"Rito", at first, was going to turn his face away. However, his eyes turned into hearts when he saw her breasts.

ANOTHER EXTRA LARGE!? This Rito guy was blessed to be in a school like this!

"Woah, what's with the cold look?" "Rito" questioned, raising his hands, "I'm not sure I could forgive myself making a beauty like you angry."

"Wh- What are you on about, Yukki Rito!?" Yui shook her head, raising up a finger, "From what I've been told, there's a broken wall in one of the walkway and from witness testimony: It's you who's responsible!"

"Oh, that?" "Rito" averted his gaze as he rubbed his chin to think about it, "Oh, right. Sorry about that. I got a little frustrated and it just popped off. ❤"

"Popped off?" Yui shook her head, pointing a finger toward him, "Don't give excuses! You're coming with me to accept your penance!"

"Rito" shook his head lightly, "How about we focus on something else? You look so stressed all the time~"

Yui raised a brow at the tone of voice "Rito" gave. But "Rito" chalked it up to be him getting to her.

Internally, he smirked like a madman. The chance at two hot babes at once? Oh, he would certainly have to thank his "master" for this gracious opportunity at some point.

"I'm certain you'd look so much cuter if you gave a smile."

"Rito" would have disappeared from the spot he was in. Lala gasped lightly when she saw where he moved.

From behind Yui, "Rito" would wrap his arms around her waist. Leaning his head over her shoulder with a sly grin. Yui, captured in his hold, trembled as she struggled to form words. Both mentally and verbally.

"W- Ah- Y-"

"I want to see that beauty..." "Rito" spoke into her ear softly, "So would you tell me how to make you smile~❤?"

Lala's eyes found themselves pinned to the interaction. Her hand trembled. She tried to keep it rested to her side. Something inside did not permit her neutral response. Slowly, it balled into a fist.

"Lala-sama...?"

Yui on the other hand, looked back up into "Rito"'s eyes with a beat red face. Grabbing onto his hands, she felt her heart pound as she saw how they wrapped around her.

Slowly, a crowd began to form around them. Yui panicked the moment she saw this crowd.

Her grip on his arms tightened as she pushed him off, stepping away. When she collected herself, she threw a finger up toward the confused "Rito".

"T-t-t-t-that is sexual harassment!" Yui cried out in restrained retaliation.

"Whaaaat?" "Rito" waved off the proclamation, beginning to step closer, "Don't be like that. We can just talk this out..."

Lala stepped forward, grabbing onto "Rito"'s shoulders.

"Oh, Lala-chan, baby. Sorry, we're having a con-"

"SNAP OUT OF IT‼"

Lala violently shook "Rito" back and forth. The boy's head bobbed in response. To the point by the time she stopped shaking him, his eyes were a pair of black swirls.

"Rito" weakly raised a finger. Lala letting go of him as he wobbled.

"W-why did you do that, Lala-chan..." "Rito" asked with a shaky voice.

His answer never came. Instead, he would notice that he had been descending. Did he lose his footing?

She did shake him a great deal. Never would he have expected it to be enough to put him down...

What was she?

From downstairs came the pair of Haruna and Tatsuki. When they arrived, Haruna would look on in shock. Her hand slapped itself over her mouth as her cheeks flushed.

Tatsuki on the other hand had pushed through the crowd with a scowl. A growl sounded from her mouth as her fists tightened so much her veins pulsed.

Yui, her face so red it began to steam, stared down with widening eyes. Her mouth slowly opened agape as she processed what had just occurred. When her brain caught up, her brows immediately furrowed.

"SHAMELESS‼"

The bloodcurdling scream could be heard even from outside the school, an approaching Rito and Rukia stopping when it reached them.

"W-was that Kotegawa just now...?" Rito gulped.

Rukia would give a light nod, "It would seem indeed so."

"If he's gotten Kotegawa mad..." Rito's face slowly cringed, "Then there's only one reason...!"

"I wish you luck in your survival."

"DAMN IT, I SHOULD'VE KNOWN THINGS WOULD GO WRONG‼"

"I'm sure it's just a misdemean-"

The both of them would go silent when they looked up to see one of the windows shatter.

"Is that my classroom!?" Rito looked over to Rukia, his fist shaking, "That doesn't just look like a misdemeanor, dammit!"

Rukia let out a sigh as she looked toward him with a stern gaze.

"You're right, we should hurry."

"DIE‼"

Tatsuki lifted a desk, throwing it at the wall.

Narrowly avoiding it, "Rito" let out a cry of shock to nearly being hit.

"Whoa, watch out now!" "Rito" leaned over to the side, his face growing deadpan, "What're you attacking me for!?"

"DON'T ACT STUPID‼"

Picking up another desk, she would throw the next desk toward the wall, it put a crack in the wall.

"Rito" leapt to the side, again avoiding the assault. He stood next to the first broken window as he jabbed a thumb back out toward it.

"You're just destroying things now. Why don't we just calm down and talk this out?"

"Stop saying crap like that!" Tatsuki popped her knuckles, "You've been acting weird all day! So I'm going to beat you until you come back to your senses!"

"Rito" shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just me."

"SHUT UP‼"

Crashing and crackling sounded throughout the classroom that was quickly evacuated. The hallway flooded with students who escaped the chaos.

At the front of the audience was Lala, Haruna, and Yui. The latter two both looking on in shock at the show of power from Tatsuki.

"K-Kotegawa-san... You should probably tell her to stop..."

"D-don't be crazy..." Yui gulped as she looked on, "O-only a superhuman could jump into a storm like that..."

"That's enough!"

A voice spoke up. It drew the attention of everyone involved.

Stood firm at the right door was Rukia, who glared at "Rito". When "Rito" made eye contact, his eyes widened.

Well, there went his fun.

Leaping off of the desk he sat upon, he landed at the front of the class and made for the broken window.

"Rito, he's heading your way‼"

Lala perked up when she heard that exclamation. Having ran over to witness the scene directly, her eyes widened at what came next.

⦗ BGM Cue ー Catch 22 ⦅ Shiro Sagisu ⦆ ⦘

"On it!"

Leaping onto the window similar to how he himself did earlier was the actual Rito. "Rito" skid to a halt when the Shinigami landed. The both of them staring each other down.

Rito pulled into the room, standing straight as he balled his fists.

"It's over." "Rito" grit his teeth when he heard the other make his proclamation, "There's nowhere to run now."

When "Rito" heard that, his lips curled into a grin. Rushing forward, he would throw forward his leg.

Rito dodged the first kick. He parried the next with his forearm. His head leaned back to avoid the third.

"Hey, you- I mean, me!"

Growing annoyed, he would grab onto "his" leg. Narrowing his eyes as he glared into "Rito"'s.

"Why the hell are you doing this!?"

Instead of answering, "Rito" leapt backward. Pulling his leg from his counterpart's grasp and landed a few steps back. Crouching downward, he rushed forward at speeds that even caught the Shinigami Rito off guard.

A foot swung forward and struck in the Shinigami's stomach. His teeth gritting as he was about to speak, he was silenced by a kick to the neck. Reaching a hand upward to hold at his neck, Rito was struck again by a back stroke to the face.

"Guh!" Rito groaned in pain.

Hold on, he felt actual pain from that. What was going on here? How could his human body produce that kind of strength. Unless it was... The Gikongan?

Rukia never mentioned that being a possibility.

"Rito" chuckled as he began to kick over and over again. Striking at Rito with as much force as he could possibly produce with each. Smiling as he heard the Shinigami cry out in pain after taking each blow.

As this epic beatdown was going on?

The majority of the crowd would only see "Rito" seeming to punch and kick at the air.

"What is he kicking the air for?" Haruna blinked as she stepped over to stand beside Tatsuki.

"Tch. Who cares!?"

Growing tired of the engagement as it were, Rito would finally begin to take action. Having swung his body to avoid the kicks that were thrown his way.

"Rito", seeing that a little more effort was necessary, threw forth his kneecap to slam into his abdomen. Having knocked the wind out of Rito, his counterpart threw another volley of kicks.

This time, the added force "Rito" applied had caused the other to be picked up off of the ground after all of the kicks ensued. Leaping upward, a roundhouse kick flung the Shinigami across the room through the desks.

Blinking, the entire audience followed as the lined desks would be parted like the sea as the Shinigami they could not see burrowed through them.

"W-what's going on!?"

"I-I dunno, maybe a poltergeist!?"

Looking closer as the desks at the end of the pile seemed to pick themselves up, Yui had let out a light gasp as she seemed to notice something more was going on.

"Rito", satisfied with the way things were going, turned toward Rukia with a wink.

"So long~"

"Huh-"

To her utter shock, "Rito" would immediately rush and leap out the broken window. Raising his arms to guard as his body broke through what remained of the glass.

Rito immediately shot up and ran toward the window frame, looking toward his counterpart in free fall.

"W-what the hell!? He just jumped!" Rito began to climb on the windowsill to prepare a jump of his own, "Whose body does he think that is!?"

Before he could jump, "Rito" landed on the ground with a crouch. Dust picking up on the ground below before he took off.

His counterpart looked back toward the Shinigami a final time, a wide grin on his face as he vanished into the distance.

Rukia stood next to him at the window, watching as the other rushed away.

"W-what's goin on!?" Rito shouted, "How did he do all that just now!? What is he!?"

"Could he be... Yes, there's no doubt about it." Rukia muttered, "He has to be..."

"Rito"'s running form could be seen leaving from the school campus up ahead.

"A Mod-Soul‼"

⦗ BGM END ⦘

Rito, shaking his head, would finally leap outward to chase after him.

"Whatever he is, he's going to give my body back!"

» 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥? «

"Rito did all that...?"

Masaki was standing in the center of Keigo and Mizuiro as the trio walked down the hallway. He was being given the story of what "Rito" had been up to all day.

"That doesn't sound like him."

"I know, last we thought, he could barely speak to the ladies." Mizuiro concurred.

"Maybe... He and Kuchiki-san had a magical time together, and it changed him to his very core!" Keigo turned away from the two with a clutched fist that shook in the air, "That lucky bastard!"

"But... I thought you were all about Kotegawa-san?" Mizuiro tilted his head lightly, "You talked all about how you planned out your confession the other day."

"Oh, no. I'm still into Kotegawa-san."

"Oh... I see how it is." Mizuiro's lips pursed, "You're into any girl so long as they're pretty, huh?"

Keigo was silent for a few seconds as his head dragged in the direction of his other friend. A ticking time bomb set off by the words of his friends.

"DON'T SAY THAT ABOUT ME‼" Reaching forward, he grasped onto Mizuiro's collar. Shaking him back and forth as he cried out in shock, "WE'RE NORMAL, HEALTHY HIGH SCHOOL GUYS‼ WHAT'S WRONG WITH LOVING ALL HOT GIRLS‼?"

"Let me go, Keigo!"

"TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT‼"

In defeat, Mizuiro would frantically shake his head, "All right, all right! There's nothing with it‼"

"You're just saying that, damn it!" Keigo threw Mizuiro back, "Being able to select from among the cutest girls is a privilege allowed only for popular guys like you! IT JUST AIN'T FAIR‼"

"I don't know what you want me to say here!" Mizuiro raised his arms over his head, "I'm sorry I'm popular with girls!?"

Masaki, behind them, stared in disbelief. Rito had some weird friends...

"Inoue-san, protect me!"

Masaki's face went deadpan as Mizuiro ran behind him, crying like a schoolgirl.

Keigo looked over with a grimace, "Oh, stop crying, dammit! I'm the one who should be crying here!"

"What's with the crowd...?" Masaki raised a brow.

The trio all looking out to see the entirety of Class 1-B standing outside their classroom. As they approached, Masaki saw in the corner of his eye that Rukia and Lala were running down the hallway.

The two transfers...? Did this have something to do with Rito?

"WHA!? What happened here!?" Keigo's voice called out.

Moving his attention inside of the room, Masaki's jaw dropped at the sight of the entire classroom in shambles. Standing at the center, as if on a battlefield, was Tatsuki. The girl's body shaking as she stared down toward the ground.

"Yikes‼" Keigo yelped upon seeing her.

Hearing the yelp, Tatsuki's head turned. The vibe that came off her had shook the trio to their core. All of them feeling like prey in the grass hiding from the predator.

No. It would be more accurate to see that they were spotted by a living, genuine demon. The demon responsible for a wave of destruction which made the classroom was its victim.

"HEY HEY HEY‼"

A teacher stepped past the crowd to look on at the carnage in the room. His eyes moving around the room in utter dismay.

"I thought I heard something going on..." His glared moved towards Tatsuki, "What is the meaning of th-"

His words choked back when Tatsuki's gaze moved in his direction. His entire frame shaking as he was utterly terrified.

"D-demonic..."

"What was that you said..." Tatsuki's voice slithered like a snake into the teacher's ears, "...about me!?"

Her raising a hand, she adjusted her tie. The slightest movement of her clothes causing him to jump. A squeak escaping from his lips.

"U-umm..."

Leaping, the teacher looked over. Startled by Haruna approaching, he sighed in relief when he realized who it was.

"W-what is it, Sairenji?"

Haruna had averted her gaze for a moment, "Some stranger entered from the window!" She had no intention of putting Rito in any more trouble than he already was, "This all happened when Tatsuki was trying to get rid of him!"

"From the window!? Don't be crazy! This is the 3rd floor!" The teacher threw aside a hand, "Protecting Arisawa with such a lie is-"

"It's not a lie."

To his surprise, Yui stepped forward as well. When she had, Haruna could not help but give a smile. Yui, noticing it, had returned her gaze to the teacher.

"I saw it too."

"Uh- So even Kotegawa says so..." Glancing around in either direction. He let out a huff and turned away, "Clean this mess up before 5th Period! I'll report this intruder to the committee‼"

When they saw that the teacher was away, the crowd would all begin to move into the classroom to clean up the mess. Haruna stepped over to Kotegawa and gave a bow of her head.

"Thank you, Kotegawa-san!"

"...don't mention it." Yui turned her attention inside as Tatsuki stepped out.

The girl's eye twitched as she looked around.

"Tatsuki, are you okay?" Haruna approached, causing the girl to snap out of it.

Smiling to her best friend, she waved off her concern, "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks."

"Did... Something happen?" Haruna turned to look out the broken window, "Yukki-kun wasn't himself."

"No."

Tatsuki and Haruna looked over to the side. Behind Masaki and Mizuiro was Risa, who had her arms crossed.

"Whoever that was, I've got no idea." Risa's brows furrowed, "But I do know one thing for sure: That wasn't Rito, at all."

"DAMMIT, HE GOT AWAY‼"

Rito stomped his foot in frustration as he looked around an abandoned warehouse.

Behind him, the pair of Rukia and Lala would touch down on the ground. Thanks to Lala's wings, they were able to catch up much sooner than they would have before.

"I lost... Myself?"

"That's a paradox." Rukia commented as she dusted herself off.

"Hey, now's no time for complicated jokes!" Rito turned back, pointing toward her, "We have to hurry up and catch me... I mean, him!"

Over in the corner, Rito cradled back in forth in the fedal position as he tried to grasp the weight of the actions his counterpart had committed throughout the time he left him alone.

"I-I mean, you heard it too, right!?" Rito ruffled through his hair, "The trouble he made in the classroom... He kissed Lala and Tatsuki! And Kotegawa, he... He..."

"Felt her up, I believe the phrase is." Rukia deadpanned.

"AAAAAAAHHHH‼" Rito shrieked, as if he had been attacked by a monster, "D-don't just say it frankly like that‼ The truth is way too embarrassing!"

"I would be glad that was the only true misdemeanor. After all, locking lips is like a common greeting nowadays."

"WH-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Rito snapped, "SUDDENLY KISSING A CLASSMATE ISN'T ANY KIND OF COMMON GREETING‼"

"Hold on."

Hearing Lala speak up, the two stopped their banter.

"If Rito's been with you the whole time, then... Who was that who was in the class?"

"That person gave off no abnormalities in biometrics. I had zero reason until just now to believe he wasn't Rito."

Rito's shoulders lowered some, him thinking back on the recent events. When he had, he added another question to the list.

"From what I know, Rukia called him a Mod-Soul..." Rito looked to the corner of his eye, "So... What is that, Rukia?"

Dejecting her focus, Rukia hesitated for a moment. After all, they were in the presence of an enemy to Soul Society. However, this was about the best moment to explain such a thing.

Thus came out her whiteboard.

"Once, Soul Society had an operation called Spearhead."

"Spearhead?" Lala tilted her head.

"Yes."

On the whiteboard, she would draw out a rabbit that was unconscious on the ground. While above it was a rabbit apparition with little hoops to represent muscles.

"Its desired intention was to insert souls created for combat into dead human bodies that lost their souls..."

Lala looked over in the direction of Rito, her lips parting.

So... Earlier. That was someone else using Rito's body to...

The next drawing showed the upper body of the apparition punching at a dinosaur that was coughing blood.

"...then use them as soldiers to fight Hollows. Truly a foolish plan."

Soon enough, the drawing would shift again. Showing the bunny across the board in various positions. It ran with its legs a spiral. Held up a boulder. Sang with a little musical note overhead. Holding up its ears as sound waves entered them.

"It was then that they were created." Rukia tapped her marker against the drawing, "Battle-type artificial spirits that, depending on which one is used, strengthens one part of the body to superhuman levels..."

The last drawing was a larger scale version of the bunny apparition from the first drawing.

"That is a Mod-Soul."

Lala stared at each drawing intently, taking in the information carefully.

Rito, on the other hand, groaned. He struggled to take the explanation seriously when Rukia's drawings were daunting to look at. He just tried to fish out what information from it he did get.

The Mod-Soul that was in his body was an Under-Pod type, having enhanced leg strength.

When Rito broke it down for himself in retrospect, he slammed his fist into his palm.

"Okay, so one of those guys created for that experiment escaped?"

"Yes, that is the problem."

Rito and Lala both perked up.

"It turns out that Spearhead, and its distasteful plan to make corpses fight, was cancelled before it was ever put into place." Rukia averted her gaze as she lowered her whiteboard, "With the cancellation order, all Mod-Souls that were already created were ordered to be destroyed, but it seems some escaped and still exist..."

Rito gave a thoughtful expression, while Lala frowned.

"So Soul Society went and created all of those Mod-Souls for their convenience..." Lala threw a hand to the side, "...and they all have to die for their convenience, too!?"

Rukia was silent for a moment as her attention moved to Lala.

"That's the gist of it, yes."

"And you're satisfied with that...?" Rito chimed in.

"Whether I'm satisfied or not..." Rukia's lip twitched, "That's not relevant."

Rito was about to speak up, though Rukia snapped first.

"The Mod-Souls must be destroyed! That is a rule of Soul Society!" Rukia turned back toward him with a frown, "And you'd do well not to forget that the rules of Soul Society are established to protect you human spirits!"

His words caught back in his mouth, he clicked his teeth in defiance.

Despite normally having argued against her, Lala did not seem to speak out against what Rukia had said.

"Now, let's go!" Rukia began taking her leave, "You want your body back, right!?"

As Rukia left, Lala was the first to follow. Rito, watching them step out, had begun to have a new perspective on the situation.

He wondered how the Mod-Soul felt now that he was in his body.

To begin with, his existence was the product of a selfish desire. A same desire that lead to him being on the line for execution.

Coming out of that alive and gaining a body... Even still, he had to be on the run.

Rito could not help but wonder... How did that all make him feel?

"YAAAAAAAAAAY~❤‼"

Perhaps the Mod-Soul felt incredible.

"This is so fun‼"

"Rito" was making leap after leap. Each time, he would soar over a collective of abilities and land nearby a crowd. Allowing no elaboration for those witnessing, he would leap again with a giddy smile on his face.

"Everyone is freaking out when they see me! I love it!"

Passing by crowd after crowd, he looked down to see a variety of people. Businessmen, pretty women, kindergarten kids.

"I hear Mod-Souls have many different abilities, but..." A grin appeared on the Mod-Soul's face, "I'm glad mine let's me stand out in a crowd, hahahaha‼"

One of such crowds came to be a young girl who happened to witness from the courtyard of Sainan First Elementary.

The girl had short brown hair that was held back at the side with a black hairpin.

"Huh? Isn't that...?"

After closer inspection of who had been passing overhead, her suspicions were soon confirmed.

"HEY‼ MIKAN'S BROTHER‼"

From the callout, Mikan perked up from behind her.

"What are you doing, Sachi?"

"Oh, Mikan-" The now named Sachi gave her her attention, "I just saw your brother!"

"Huh!?" Mikan's eyes opened further, "You saw Rito? Where?"

"Up there!" Sachi pointed in a direction Mikan was not expecting, "Jumping on the wall!"

In utter disbelief, Mikan waved off the idea, "What are you talking about?"

With her fingers, she drew a square to represent the perimeter of the school campus. Sachi staring at her with an innocent look on her face.

"Our school's wall is 2.5 meters high." Mikan hsrugged, shaking her head lightly, "Sure, Rito's pretty athletic, but how could he jump 2.5-"

"Oh, look!"

Once again, Sachi pointed toward the wall.

To Mikan's utter surprised, it was indeed Rito casually galloping over the wall as if it were common ground. Her jaw dropped upon seeing this, her voice only coming out as breathless gasps.

"See? I told you. H-"

Before Sachi could call out to him again, Mikan rushed forward and grabbed her by the mouth. Pulling Sachi away, she shot a glare her way.

"No, stop!" Mikan huffed, "No human could possibly jump that high! There's no way that's Rito!"

"Then who...?"

"I don't know! But you can't tell anybody about this!"

Mikan averted her gaze as she began to think about it. Her brother already had enough of a reputation around him. She was concerned what this would do to further sour it.

She heard the shaking voice of someone behind her. When she looked to who it was, she saw a girl whose gaze was transfixed on the wall.

Oh no...! That had to have meant that she saw!

"T-that person was jumping so high... T-that guy was Mikan's brother...?" Slowly, she raised a shaky hand toward the vanishing "Rito".

Mikan gripped onto her shoulders, giving a look that could signal a thousand things. None of which were good for this poor girl.

"I didn't see anything. Not a thing at all..." Mikan leaned forward as a smirk slowly curled onto her face, "Of course, you didn't see anything either, right, Midoriko?"

As "Rito" skipped away into the sunset, Midoriko let out a shriek of terror into the blue skies.

Soon enough, his jump spree came to an end as he touched down towards the other side of the wall. Where he saw three kids sitting in a crowd together, all playing a video game amongst themselves.

He wondered what they up to, so he decided to listen in.

"Gym class sucks, I hate it." Said the boy with slicked back hair and glasses.

"You kick the ball wrong and Yukki gets on your case."

"You mean Mikan, right?" The third glanced in the direction of the second with a huff, "She's got a stick up her butt all the time!"

After a few seconds of rapidly beating against his portable console, the bispectacled boy's eyes shot wide.

"Ah, dangit! He lost again!"

"Hah!"

"Why don't you just delete him?"

The boy shook his head and pulled his controller closer to himself, "Can't you even fight!? Don't you know who created you?"

"Rito" found himself transfixed on this conversation when he heard the talk of a creation came up.

"Those that don't listen to their masters should die!"

"Rito"'s eyes twitched as the conversation went on.

"BAM!"

"Oh, he really deleted him."

"So what? I'll just create a better one!"

The laughter that erupted from the three following would ring hollow in "Rito"'s head. The Mod-Soul's hands tightening their grip on the side of the wall he was perched upon. In the wake of his frustrations, the wall would begin to bend and tear under his fingers.

» 𝐏𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞｡ «

What looked to be the end of a wrapped pillar would touch upon the ground with a loud bang.

Holding up this pillar was Urahara, who let out a sigh of relief as he looked over what was in his grasp.

"Now... That should about do it."

"U-umm..." Ururu twiddled her fingers behind her, "Kisuke-san...?"

"Hm?"

"Umm.. I'm sorry..." Placing her hands together, she lowered them as she gave a bow of her head, "It was my fault that you're mad, right...?"

Turning back toward her, one eye could be seen from under his bucket hat. The man raising a hand toward the girl, preparing herself to be struck.

To her surprise, the hand would instead rest upon her head and gently rub back and forth.

"Not at all." Urahara let out a affectionate chuckle, "It's no big deal ❤! So why are you crying? We're a team, right?"

As Ururu struggled to give him a rebuttal, Kisuke hummed lightly. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her into a gentle hug. Rubbing the back of her head with his hand.

"Don't you worry about a thing!" Urahara smiled, "I'll take care of everything!"

Ururu felt the tears began to build up in her eyes, "K-Kisuke-san..."

Before long came the waterworks. Kisuke gently rubbing the back of her head and soothing the crying girl.

"Manager, we're ready."

When he heard this, Urahara had stood away from Ururu. The girl drying her tears as she grabbed the pillar Kisuke set down to hoist over her shoulder.

"All right, then. Shall we go and recover our merchandise, then?"

As Urahara made to walk out the door to his shop, his crew followed behind him. All of them armed with their own weapons as they gave a simultaneous cheer.

"YEAH‼"

"Hey, you three! Were you ditching class again!?"

When faced by the stern gaze of their teacher, the three kids looked to one another.

Shooting their eyes back to the teacher, they began to elaborate on what had happened.

"A-a high schooler jumped down from the wall!" The bispectacled young man started.

"He was like, super scrawny, but he kicked through our Players like they were nothing!"

"Don't lie to try and get out of trouble now." The teacher frowned, as she sighed, "You guys probably broke it while fighting over it!"

Blowing her whistle, she turned to the rest of the class.

"Now, everyone, come here! Except you three. You guys clean up your broken games first! Got that!?"

Sachi blinked as she watched the three begrudgingly walk over to pick up their broken video game consoles.

"You see now?" Mikan crossed her arms behind her, "My brother isn't the kind of person to do that. It was somebody else."

Glancing off toward the distance, the smaller girl frowned. It better have been someone else. She would rather not have to worry about her brother having lost his mind for whatever reason.

Though, he was confident that with Lala watching over him, he was sure to be okay.

"A jumping high school student, you say?"

The smoke of a cigarette hung in the air as an elderly man spoke up from behind the counter. In front of him were Lala and Rukia, him being unable to see the Shinigami Rito that was close by looking around.

"I don't know... I don't think I've ever seen him."

"I see..." Rukia rubbed her chin gently as she pondered his answer.

"Hey..." Rito spoke up from behind the pair, sensing a disturbance.

"But..." Slowly raising his hand toward the cigarette, he pulled it out of his mouth and let out a puff of smoke, "If you buy some vegetables, I might remember."

"Really?"

"NO!"

Rukia was swiped away by Rito before the old man managed to finish his advertising. Lala following over as they stepped over to stand right outside of the shopping district.

"Rito, why did you do that?" Rukia looked at him deadpan, "I was about to get some answers out of him."

"That guy was trying to trick you into buying his stuff!" Rito gave a hard sigh, "Don't bother with him, let's just find somebody else!"

Lala hummed as she placed a finger on her chin, "Why don't I just use my Trace-Kun to find hi-"

"Absolutely not." Rukia vetoed, pulling herself from Rito's grip, "Your inventions often cause hijinks rather than actually fulfilling their purposes."

"You say that like they're not useful!" Lala pouted cutely.

"Right now, that isn't important!" Rito threw his arms up, "What matters right now is finding the Mod-Soul!"

Before Rukia could agree, a beeping would erupt from her chest. Reaching into her blazer, she would again draw the Denreishiki. Reading through what came upon the screen, she gave a light nod before returning it to where she found it.

"...really!? Right now?" Rito crossed his arms as Rukia gave a nod.

"Unfortunately, yes." Rukia turned to the pair with a frown, "Hollow approaching in five minutes. It's close by!"

"Man, this sucks!"

The brushing of the broom sounded against the sand as the three were cleaning up the pieces of their destroyed consoles. Looking down to what they picked up.

"Why didn't anybody believe us?" One asked.

"Well, it's probably cause we always caused trouble." Another answered.

"I guess that's true."

All of them broke out into laughter over the fact.

"Ya know what? That teacher sucks!"

Again, they laughed.

Unbeknownst to them, though, a pair of eyes stalked from afar.

Slowly, the massive body of a centipede would slither out from the shadows and arch itself over the wall to stare down at the children. Its prey.

After that Shinigami from before had taken his spoils before he could get his hands on them, he needed some replenishment. For now, these three would do nicely.

"Hehe..."

With a pounce, it lunged down toward them. Opening its mouth to swallow the three of them whole in one go.

Chomp!

It crunched down without fail. Though, it quickly took notice that what it bit into was only the sand in the ground.

Over to the side, "Rito" had been revealed to have grabbed the three kids in the nick of time. Rescued them from the certain doom they were unaware about.

In the instant he touched down on the ground, he threw the three aside. All of them crying out in pain as they tumbled against the ground.

Quickly recovering, they looked up and saw who it was who grabbed them.

"Oh- You're that high schooler from earlier!"

"What's this all of a sudden!? You trynna pick a fight or something!"

"Rito" took a couple quick breaths before he threw a hand aside, "RUN AWAY‼"

"Huh?" The three kids deadpanned.

"HURRY UP, DO YOU WANNA DIE‼?" He continued to yell at them, the Hollow beginning to arise from the ground behind him, "GO OVER THERE‼"

Looking amongst themselves, they began to mutter amongst themselves.

"What's this guy talking about?"

"He suddenly told us to run away."

"From what, though? Him?"

The Hollow behind them would grimace as it looked to what had saved its prey earlier. With a snarl, one of its legs would stretch out toward "Rito".

The Mod-Soul, preoccupied with warning the kids, was only able to avoid taking the full brunt of the blow. A gush of blood rising from a cut on his shoulder as he dropped down from the attack. A grunt escaped his lips as he hit the ground with a thud.

The children, having witnessed him suddenly bleeding out, they took off running while screaming vehemently.

» 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥, 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥｡ «

The trio of Rito and Rukia were running through town, while Lala flew overhead.

As they had, Lala narrowed her eyes as she seemed to pick up on something in the distance.

"Hey, guys! I see something up ahead!"

The two below perked up. Rito gritting his teeth as he noticed what Lala was pointing out.

"There's the Hollow, but..." Rito's eyes widened, "There's someone already fighting it!"

"But there shouldn't be any other Shinigami assigned to the town at the moment, so..." Rukia's eyes also widened, "Does that mean that it's the Mod-"

"That idiot!"

Rito kicked up the gear, him vanishing into a dust cloud that left Rukia behind.

"Ahh! Hold on, Rito!" Rukia tried reaching out, but it was far too late.

Lala then changed pace herself, zooming through the air after him.

"Not her, too...!" Rukia grit her teeth as she kept on running. Hoping she could catch up soon.

Heavy breaths.

"Rito" grit his teeth as the red rushed down his arm.

"How rude..." The Hollow loomed over him, a grin soon showing itself on its face, "You've interrupted my meal and we've yet to be introduced..."

Leaning its body backward, it would begin to extend itself to its full length. Towering over him even further as its grin turned to a scowl.

"I don't know who you are... But you're far too weak to take me on!"

Arching its leg back, it would shoot forward another. "Rito" leapt into the air to avoid the attack, but was knocked down by another from behind.

Crashing into the ground, the Mod-Soul winced in pain from the gash from earlier aching in response. This off-balance was the ripe opportunity for the Hollow to shoot forth its leg again to go for a decisive blow.

Before it struck, however, a clean slash would be made. The leg coming apart with a burst of black blood flooding the air around them.

"Huh-"

⦗ BGM Cue ー Milk ⦅ Alexandros ⦆ ⦘

"Tch!" The genuine Rito rushed forward in front of the Mod-Soul, standing as the wall blocking them from reaching one another.

The centipede roared out in pain, flailing toward either side as its front right leg was now a stub that spewed out black blood.

Rito would then swing his sword to the side to throw the blood staining its metal to the side.

"Hey, what the...?" "Rito" blinked, stepping toward him, "Why are you... Helping me?"

Rito looked to his counterpart with a deadly gleam in his eye, "Cuz it's my body you mess up if I don't!" He pointed his sword at the Hollow wallowing in pain beside them, "Look. If you can't take on a Hollow without getting hurt, then just don't do it!"

"What's your problem!?" "Rito" snapped back, "I had to fight him cuz you were taking so long! If I hadn't, there would be three dead kids tied to your record, pal!"

"Well, if that's the case, then you shoulda had it no problem, right!?" Rito glared at the other, "You're supposed to be a Super Soldier, aren't you!?"

"I... Am..." The Hollow snarled as it shook itself around to ease the pain, glaring toward the two Ritos before him, "Going to..."

With its second wind, it charged at them with all of its strength. The wind passing over its body as it opened its mouth.

"EAT HIM‼"

Before it could make good on its claim, two decisive blows made his words weightless.

A swift upward cut from Rito.

A powerful side kick from "Rito".

"SHUT UP‼" Both shouted out.

The combination of their efforts paid off with the centipede being flung back as its body snapped in two. Either side dropping downward towards the other side of the roof.

The pair glared onward as they awaited the results of their labor.

Despite it seeming to be over, "Rito"'s eyes snapped open. The counterpart rushing forward with haste as he grit his teeth.

⦗ BGM PAUSE ⦘

"Hey, hold on!" Rito called out to no avail.

"Rito" rushed forward as one of the halves of the centipede dropped down toward the surface of the rooftop. Right before reaching the edge, he leapt into the air with a powerful roar.

Swinging forth his leg, he kicked it high into the air above him. The half dissolving with a final gush of black ooze from its tear.

With a proud smile on his face, "Rito" would descend. Beginning to fall past the railing and seem to begin plummeting down to the earth below.

This would be the case, if not for Rito's hand grasping onto his leg to stop his fall.

Gasping when he realized he stopped, he leaned upward some to see who his savior was.

"Grrghh... You idiot! What were you thinking when you did that!?" Rito snapped as he began to pull "Rito" up, "I already cut the Hollow's head, so that was all the finishing blow it needed. So what possessed you to do that!?"

Before long, Rito's attention would turn toward the spot "Rito" jumped over. There was a line of ants walking along in blissful ignorance of what battle just occurred.

"A... Line of ants?"

. . .

⦗ BGM Change ー On the Precipice of Defeat ⦅ Shiro Sagisu ⦆ ⦘

After pulling him up, Rito stood with his hands pocketed as he leaned against the railing. There he watched as his counterpart watched them walk along while crouched down.

"You're not gonna tell me you did all that just so the ants wouldn't be crushed, are you?" He questioned.

Clicking his teeth, "Rito" swung his head back up toward him, "Yeah! So what!?"

"Why?"

"Why!? They were going to be killed!" "Rito" frowned as he looked back toward the line of ants, "Nobody should have the right to kill anyone else!"

Rito clammed up upon the proclamation. "Rito" took in a soft breath as he thought back to his earliest days.

"Right after I was born, Soul Society ordered the Mod-Souls to be destroyed." He held his knee with a shaking hand, "...and before I knew it, the day after I was born, I was already chosen to die!"

"Everyday, while I was in that pill, I was afraid." From his pocket, he drew out the Soul✦Candy dispenser, "Having to sit and watch as my friends one by one disappeared each day."

He could vividly recall the orange liquid tank he was in. The green pill slowly descended within. Beginning with several others surrounding it, quickly it showed that by the end his pill was the only one that remained.

When it finished its descent, it bounced along with various other pills amassed in a giant pile at the bottom of the tank.

"Then I got lucky, I was shipped out with a load of goods by mistake." Raising his hand, he looked at it. Examined how it shook the more he went on about the tale, "But it didn't matter... The fear of being hunted down and killed never went away."

Slowly, he stood as the ant line came to pass. Walking over by the railing, he rested his arms over it as he leaned forward to look out toward the sky.

"I was alone for what felt like years... Gave me quite a while to think about how things should be." "Rito" gave a light breath through his nose, "And you know how I feel? I've decided that no one has the right to take someone's life away."

He turned toward him with a desperate look on his face. The fear finally showed itself on his face. Throughout his entire being. Just the sight of it made Rito wince.

"I decided that I am alive, and I should be able to decide how long I get to live!" "Rito" tightened his grip on the railing, "Like anybody else that's alive. I deserve that much at least."

Rito began to lean over the railing beside him as he took in the information given to him.

"That's why I'll never take another life. The reason why I'll never kill another living creature."

⦗ BGM END ⦘

Rito opened his mouth to speak, looking towards his counterpart.

"Well look what we have here~"

Alerted by an unexpected voice, the both of them swung their bodies to look behind them. Seeing Urahara standing there with a cane in hand, firmly planted on the ground.

Stepping forward, the man raised his cane over his shoulder as the wind gave a breeze over the three.

"So finally, we find you. And what a picture: You're all beat up and worn out. All that effort for nothin'."

Before "Rito" could question who he was, Urahara jabbed his cane forward. The end of it striking at his forehead. When it had, it had seemed to phase through.

On the other side of Rito's human body was the pill the Mod-Soul housed, dropping to the ground and rolling against it helplessly.

Rito, having watched what just went on, was stunned into complete silence. Continuing to watch as Urahara picked up the ball from the ground.

"Mission accomplished. We're done here."

Walking to the side, he gave a grin toward Rito before turning over to his crew from the shop.

"Let's go home."

To this, Jinta had stomped on the ground in a fury.

"WHAT!? Oh, come on! I came here to have a FIGHT! This is all I get!?"

Seeing that they were beginning to take their leave, Rito would finally find the words in his mouth to speak up: "Hey, hold on a minute!"

Running forward, he quickly caught up to Urahara and turned to face him as the shopkeeper stopped. When they locked eyes, Rito's own widened as he realized who it was.

"M-Mr. Kisuke!?" He professed in shock, "What are you doing here!?"

"Oh, Rito~ You've sure gotten big, huh?" Urahara chuckled, jabbing his thumb backward, "Last I saw you, you were Jinta's size."

Rito was caught off guard by him actually replying.

"You can see me? What's going on here?"

Juggling the ball in his hand, he turned toward him with a puzzled expression on his face, "Hmmm... That's a tough one. I'm not sure how to answer that, actually..."

"Well, answer this then," Rito pointed to his hand, "What are you gonna do to that Mod-Soul?"

"No choice." Urahara shrugged, "I've gotta destroy 'im."

Not feeling that the ball came down from the last bounce, he looked over to his hand. Shocked to see the ball was not in his hand anymore, he looked onward in surprise as a pink, mechanical whip was pulling the ball into the air. Caught into the clutches of Rukia, who was being carried by a flying Lala.

"See? I told you my inventions were useful! Spinny Spunny Rope-Kun got your thing back in a jiffy!"

"Fine, fine. You're useful. Happy now?"

"Yep!" Lala puffed her chest out proudly after they landed next to Rito.

"Wha...?"

Rukia then looked back toward Urahara with a frown, "I'll be taking back what's mine, thanks."

"Ms. Kuchiki, you can't have that."

"And why CAN'T I, Kisuke?" Rukia began to juggle the pill in her hand as Urahara had been before, "Are you saying it's part of your policy to seize goods your customers have paid for?"

"H-hey, don't be like that..." Urahara sweatdropped, "I'll give you a full refund, how does that sound?"

"No need. I'm quite satisfied with the product." Rukia then gave a smirk, "Besides, you guys are already working outside the law anyhow. You don't have any responsibility to recover him."

Dejected, Urahara sighed, "If that's how you're going to put it, fine. But just be mindful of the consequences here. If trouble comes your way because of him, it's entirely on you."

Turning away, Rukia gave a scoff. "You don't have to worry about that. I've already gotten accustomed to trouble lately."

"I'm sure you have, if you're hanging out with troublemaker over there." Kisuke teased, causing Rito to perk up, "We'll be heading out now. Feel free to come by if ya ever need anything~"

Urahara waved before he turned away with his crew.

Rukia's lips pursed as they left, sighing before she walked back to the pair of Rito and Lala. The confused Rito would look down when Rukia raised her hand toward him.

"Here. Let's go."

Accepting the pill into his grasp, he examined it for a moment before looking back up to Rukia.

"Thanks." A smile came onto his face, "For not throwing him away."

"No need." Rukia slowly placed her hands behind her back, "I've already been thanked."

Rito was now confused again, looking down at the pill. When no elaboration came from it, he sighed.

"What would happen if I swallowed this...?" Lala picked up the pill from his hand, examining it for a moment.

Peke on her head would raise a brow, "I cannot discern that myself. Technologies involving the soul are still fairly new to the database."

"Then a test!"

Rito swiped the pill back as he looked at her with a deadpan expression, "Absolutely not."

"Urgh...!"

A couple groans escaped from Rito's lips as he walked down the street. The sun setting in the sky above. Lala had been standing next to him with her arms hovering around him just in case he needed support.

After all, his body was still fresh off the injuries that the Mod-Soul managed to sustain on them.

Rito underestimated how much it would hurt afterward. But he chalked that up to it being his actual human body that was damaged rather than his soul.

"Don't push it too much, you're still hurt." Lala advised, "Here, you can lean on my shoulder if you want."

Rito looked over to her and raised a hand to the gesture, "No, that's okay. Thanks anyway, though."

"Rito. Back there... It seemed as though you knew who Kisuke was." Rukia spoke up from behind them, having been following close behind.

Rito glanced back with a thoughtful gaze, before raising a finger lightly, "Yeah, I do. I've known him a long time. But I also haven't seen him since I started Middle School."

"Is that so..."

"Yeah, he helped us move into Sainan a long while ago."

"Then does that mean he's a nice guy?" Lala chimed in.

"Probably had a favor attached." Rukia shook her head lightly, "He's a greedy salesman."

Before Rito could speak again, he winced. Another groan let out from him as the pain in his shoulder shot up. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the pill housing the Mod-Soul. After staring at it for a moment, he started to growl.

"You just started to do whatever you wanted to, huh!?" He snapped at the green ball, "Well, news flash, buddy, this is my body! And I don't like it achin' whenever I come back to it!"

"You look like a madman screaming at a pill like that..." Rukia deadpanned.

"Well, I can't really help it when there's no other way of talking to him!" Rito barked back, but winced from the pain of his shoulder from the sudden movement, "Agh... Rukia, is there some way I can fix that?"

"Well, he's a Mod-Soul. He needs a soulless body in order to be active."

"Uh huh..."

Rito rubbed at his chin as he noticed something on a pile of trash bags ahead. Slowly, his lips curled into a grin.

"This will work perfect."

The next morning, Rito's eyes would come open to the sight of the ceiling overhead.

It was just like any other. Lala sleeping naked beside him. His sheets in shambles because of him turning in his sleep dreaming about Haruna. The anxiety that Rukia might jump out of the closet and talk about some order fresh in the morning.

Yep. All there. He sat up from where he lay with a grumble.

After waking up some, he had noticed a disturbance in his morning.

Yes. A disturbance indeed.

A muffled one, but a disturbance all the same.

Noticing the close proximity of it, his head dragged in the direction of Lala beside him.

It was at that moment he knew what was the cause.

"Hahahaha~❤"

Clinging onto Lala's breasts was a small lion plush, it turning its circular head back and forth as it let out a gleeful laugh. Lala, asleep, had let out moans in response. Calling Rito's name in her sleep, she hugged it tighter to herself. Earning a yip out of the doll.

Rito's eye twitched as he saw this ongoing before him.

The doll? That was the Mod-Soul.

They decided to name him Kon, short for Mod Konpaku.

Right now, though?

He was the receiver of Rito's ire.

SMACK‼

"CUT IT OUT!"

"Ahn~ Rito, do that again...~❤" Lala called out in her sleep.

"...it's too early for this." Rito let out a sigh and laid back down.

Part of him regretted giving Kon a body to house regularly without him consuming his pill himself. But, at the same time...

"I decided that I am alive, and I get to decide how long I live!"

Rito closed his eyes softly. He supposed it was not in his nature to ignore someone who just wanted to live their life.

⦏ Sunday: May 25th, 2008 ⦐
❲ 9:23 p.m. ❳

Streaming through the teems of the cosmos was a massive warship, shaped like a castle sitting upon a yacht.

Within the ship was a man seated upon a throne. The man tapping his finger against the arm of his chair in a slow tempo as sounds of whirring played from a screen in front of him.

"A new candidate was officially announced for courtship of Lala Satalin Deviluke. His name is Rito Yukki, a denizen of Planet Earth, a smaller planet located in a smaller system in the Orion Arm."

"Earth, hm...?" His finger paused before its next tap.

"From the reports, this one has shown some promise. He swiftly dealt with Ghi Bree."

His lips parted upon hearing this, his head lifting off the knuckles he leaned it against, "You're saying he's made enemies with those of that little platoon? How interesting, indeed. Most would avoid ever dealing with them to begin with."

"What shall we do with him? If I recall correctly, your plan was to-"

"Yes, yes, I'm aware of him being an obstacle." Carter lifted his head, his right dagger of an ear twitching, "Though, I see no reason to personally confront him if Ghi Bree is the only conquest he has to his name."

"Then do you intend to send one of the Hunters, sir?"

"Yes, yes indeed." Carter leaned back in his chair, his curled brown hair bobbing backward in response, "And I'm sure he is going to have his schedule free soon."

"Yes, Sir Carter. I'll notify him of the directive immediately."

⦓ THS #06 ⦔
❱ END ❰

⦏ Whoo. There it goes. You've reached the end of Chapter 6! I sincerely hope you enjoyed. ⦐
⦏ We bring the resident Mod Soul into the mix with this one! I always enjoyed how he was originally portrayed in his introduction. Never honestly liked that they changed his personality from that once he got put into the doll. In this story, I wanted him to definitely be a pervert: but in a way that made him stand out from someone like the Principal. Also, I think it's pretty obvious whose in the harem so far. Hoping to get around to start elaborating on their histories with Rito soon enough. ⦐
⦏ As for what may be ongoing in the solar systems nearby? That, you'll have to wait and see for. Next chapter we'll be introducing another fan favorite from Bleach. BOHAHAHA! ⦐
⦏ Also, there's a poll up to decide Rito's theme song in the next arc onward. So go ahead and start voting now! ⦐
— Red