|UBWR|
-Use Bleach When Required-
Jū go: Leap of Faith
If I cannot protect by just extending my hand, I want a blade so that I can reach in front of them.
-Kurosaki Ichigo.
"You're both Captains!?" Sanae exclaimed, her jaw practically on the floor. She stood in the Shin'ō academy courtyard, her hands dropped by her sides. Her vivid blue eyes darted between both men who stood before her. Light wind rustled her long azure hair that reached the lower part of her back. Kyoraku smirked and rubbed the back of his head. Ukitake fidgeted with the seam of his white haori and was looking anywhere but Sanae right now.
"This is so not fair!" Sanae whined childishly. "You two always got special treatment from the old man!"
"Well…" Kyoraku drawled.
"It's not like that, Sanae-chan." Ukitake mumbled, raising his hands in surrender.
"Oh really?" Her eyes rolled dramatically. She fixated her pointed glare at the white haired man as Ukitake swallowed thickly.
"I—well—it's not just…you see…" Ukitake's eyes shifted over to Kyoraku, silently pleading with him for help. But he was just as stuck as he was from the looks of it. Sanae's dirty glare had them both sweating in their sandals. They were both waiting for the rest of the explosion to happen. It never came.
Instead, Sanae grinned at the both of them, her eyes crinkled in happiness as she threw herself at them. Her arms wrapped around each of their shoulders as they stumbled slightly from the force of her hug.
"I'm so proud of you both!" She cried with glee.
Ukitake and Kyoraku glanced over at each other from over her head and shared puzzled looks. Sanae fell back onto the balls of her feet as she beamed up at the pair. "You two are gonna be the best Captain's out there, I just know it."
"There's still room for more." Ukitake said kindly with a pointed look at her. Sanae averted her gaze bashfully.
"You could just get assigned to my squad, Sanae-chan." Kyoraku said teasingly as he placed his hand atop her shoulder. "I'd make sure you got all the best missions and maybe even a seated position." He winked at her. "Or maybe something a little more higher…for a price."
Ukitake sighed and hung his head just as Sanae sent Kyoraku flying with a punch to the stomach. He smashed into a nearby tree and slid down the bark, drool coming down the side of his mouth.
"Way to ruin the moment, Shunsui!" Sanae bellowed, her fist waving at him menacingly.
Sanae groaned and rolled over onto her back. She rubbed at her eyes tiredly as she sat up and massaged her sore back. She had snuck into a storehouse late last night after returning Ukitake's Zanpakuto and had fallen asleep behind some crates. It wasn't the most ideal sleeping conditions, but she couldn't risk being seen by anyone else now that Ukitake knew that she was back.
She knew that he wouldn't tell anyone. She could trust him with that much. If anything he would want her to explain everything to him first, and then he'd probably help her with whatever she needed. Ukitake was just that type of person.
Sanae fixed up her appearance by brushing down her black robes and combing her hair with her fingers. She probably looked worse for wear but she couldn't exactly spare a couple of minutes to sneak into the showers.
X
Sanae spent her morning walking around Seireitei. She couldn't figure out who would've been behind the attack, who would want to kill subordinates from squad three? And why did they use her Zanpakuto to do it? It was obvious that someone wanted Sanae dead, but was Sanae really all that important?
Back then; everything had been somewhat peaceful in Soul Society. All the Captains got along with one another; there weren't any squabbles within her own squad that she could remember. Did someone want to take her place? But why would they have wanted her boring old job?
Sanae sighed and rubbed at her head. This was all so confusing! Why couldn't it be a simple answer? Why couldn't the Daireishokairo have given her the answer then and there? All it did was give her more questions then answers!
A brief flare of reiatsu had Sanae whirling around with a sharp gasp. She could sense Chad; he was facing off with…Kyoraku! Sanae took off running at full speed towards Division Eight. She had to stop the fight; Chad would not win against Kyoraku. Hell, even she would have a hard time trying to beat the Captain. Even though she knew that it would be cause Kyoraku great suffering to kill another person, he would do it if he had no other choice. Chad didn't stand a chance against him.
"Please let me get there in time!" Sanae cried desperately as she pushed herself as quick as she could with her Shunpō. She wouldn't let another friend die. She would do something this time, she wasn't going to sit back and do nothing!
Kyoraku gazed around at the rubble and debris that was his Division compound. Walls had been blasted away, large craters in the ground. His opponent was strong, he'd give him that—but he was no match for a Captain. Kyoraku's dark eyes settled on the large boy who was crumpled on the floor a few meters away from him. Blood surrounded him as he lay there. He could sense the briefest flicker of reiatsu from him.
So he was still alive, but only just. Kyoraku had never intended to kill him, just to stop him from proceeding on. "I would have been in trouble had one of his attacks hit me." Kyoraku mused to himself. He slowly approached Chad, his eyes downcast and his expression pensive. He had proven himself as a strong willed fighter; he had gotten this far into the Seireitei as a mere human, a feat in itself.
"Kyoraku-taicho!" Nanao exclaimed, her eyes wide and a slight shake to her body. The messenger was already gone, leaving their important message from Yamamoto. Kyoraku looked over at her, noticing how out of breath she looked.
"What's wrong, Nanao-chan?" He asked her in a concerned tone.
"A message," she gasped out. "Aizen-taicho…has been killed."
Kyoraku's eyes widened as he turned and faced her wholly. "What? It can't be true."
"It is." Nanao replied gravely. "It was signed by Yamamoto-sou-taicho himself. His Saketsu and Hakusui were destroyed, as well as his heart."
Kyoraku sighed heavily. This was indeed unfortunate news. What was more disturbing was that it was more likely a Shinigami committed the crime. Only a Shinigami would know where the vital points were. And this was Aizen they were talking about…they would've had to have been very powerful to do this.
"I guess we should go and pay our respects, come, Nanao-chan." Kyoraku turned, his floral kimono trailing out behind him as he began to walk away. He soon noticed that she wasn't following him as he glanced over his shoulder at her.
"What's wrong?" He asked her.
Nanao glared down at Chad's unconscious body. "He is a Ryoka, his friends may have been the ones who killed Aizen-taicho." Nanao's hand glowed with a kidō spell as she hovered it over Chad's body. "Allow me to do the finishing blow, Taicho."
"Nanao-cha—"
Kyoraku was cut off by the sudden arrival of someone else. They appeared next to Nanao. The brown haired girl, dressed in a black Shihakusho reached out and grasped onto Nanao's wrist to stop her kidō spell in its tracks. Nanao gasped and wrenched her hand free and jumped back, putting space between her and the newcomer. Nanao instantly went on he defensive as she crouched low.
"Another Ryoka!" she exclaimed, her navy eyes narrowing behind her glasses. Nanao was preparing to use a destructive kidō spell when Kyoraku's arm crossed in front of her.
"Wait." He ordered calmly. Nanao spluttered and whipped her head to stare at her captain.
"Taicho!" She roared aggressively.
Sanae had her back to them both still. She slowly angled her head so that she could see Kyoraku out of the corner of her eye. If felt surreal to be seeing him again, he really hadn't changed much. His grey eyes met brilliant sapphire. It only took a few moments, but from the expression on his face, he knew who she was. The only thing that was different about her right now was her hair; she hadn't altered her height or face when she had gotten her Gigai.
Sanae glanced down at Chad; she could sense a small amount of reiatsu coming from him. He was still alive. Kyoraku hadn't killed him. She sighed in relief and turned on her heel so that she faced the pair fully. Nanao was still in her crouched position; she was poised like a cat, ready to attack at a moments notice from her captain.
"Nanao-chan." Kyoraku muttered. "Take the Ryoka to Division Four. Have him healed by someone."
Nanao looked across at Kyoraku, aghast. "Taicho! What are you talking about? He's the enemy!"
"Exactly." Kyoraku muttered. "If one of his friends really did kill Aizen. Then it's best we keep one alive to ask questions about it."
Nanao looked like she wanted to protest it further, but knew that her captain's order was final. He wouldn't change his mind. With a reluctant sigh, Nanao nodded to her captain but furrowed her brows over at Sanae. Said girl had remained completely still and silent the whole time they had their exchange.
"What about this Ryoka?"
"I'll deal with her, Nanao-chan. You go on ahead." Kyoraku told his Lieutenant with a kind smile. Nanao acknowledged him and then slowly moved towards Sanae and the unconscious Chad. The two women stared at each other, silently daring each other to try and launch a surprise attack. But Nanao didn't want to disobey her captain and Sanae didn't want to fight anyone anyway.
Nanao crouched down to Chad's body and placed her hand against his back, she disappeared in the next second, taking Chad with her. After they were gone, Sanae slid her gaze over to the captain standing barely three meters away from her. It was a tense few moments before Kyoraku cracked a smile and leant heavily on his left side.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Sanae smirked. "Over a lifetime."
"You know, I got the strangest message from Ukitake this morning. He swears that last night someone broke into his private chambers and returned his missing Zanpakuto. Funny thing is the description of the girl he gave me fits you to a t, any ideas?" The mirth was twinkling in his grey eyes.
"Must have been someone who looks exactly like me." Sanae told him. "You know how old you two are. Your eyesight isn't what it used to be, he was probably seeing things."
"Mm." Kyoraku sniggered, his eyes crinkling. "Sounds like it. Would I be able to know why this secret person decided to steal a Zanpakuto?"
Sanae's eyes darted around the destroyed area quickly. "Not here." She said in concern. Kyoraku nodded in agreement.
"Then follow me." He extended his hand and then suddenly disappeared with his Shunpō. Sanae went after him, following along closely.
"We haven't got much time." Kyoraku stated as they he entered the Division Eight office first. Kyoraku noticed that Sanae's footsteps had halted and he turned around. His brows furrowed in concern when he saw her at the doorway.
Sanae was staring at the room as a whole. Her feet hadn't gone past the threshold. Her chest wasn't moving as she held her breath unknowingly.
"Sanae-chan?" Kyoraku called out to her calmly.
Sanae jumped, her blue eyes darting over to him as she shook her head, trying to rid herself of her nervousness. "Sorry…it's just—the last time I was here…"
"I know," Kyoraku muttered in understanding.
Sanae glanced down at her feet. She breathed in deeply and exhaled and then took the leap forwards and stepped into the room. She shut the doors behind her and met Kyoraku in the center of the room.
"Is it true, about what your Lieutenant said? Is Aizen dead?" Sanae met his gaze.
Kyoraku sighed and bowed his head. "Seems like it." His expression changed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Your friends didn't…?"
"No!" Sanae exclaimed sternly. "They're only here to save Kuchiki-san and that's it. Ichigo or any of the others wouldn't kill. They'd do anything to avoid it."
"They are?" Kyoraku questioned. "What does that mean for you then, hmm? Don't tell me you came back just to gaze upon my pretty face?"
"Please." Sanae drawled as she crossed her arms and her eyes rolled. "Don't flatter yourself, Shunsui. If anything I think you've gotten fatter."
"Take that back." Kyoraku gasped in mock horror.
"You look a lot more older now too." Sanae continued, smirking at the taller captain. Kyoraku pulled a face as he looked down at her with a stern glare.
"Well, that's what happens when you spend two hundred and fifty-six years worrying about someone."
Sanae's train of thought went blank for a moment. She could only focus on what Kyoraku had just said. He had kept track of how long she had disappeared for, and he hadn't disregarded her. She had been worried that he and Ukitake might have just forgotten about her altogether considering how long she had been missing.
"You…you thought about me?" Sanae asked hesitantly. She tried to quell her shaking hands by balling them into fists at her sides.
"Of course, Sanae-chan." Kyoraku said softly. "Everyday. Ukitake and I always talk about you when we're together. We could never forget you."
It was the tipping point for her. Sanae launched herself at Kyoraku, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head against his chest. She breathed in his familiar scent of day old sake, leather and clean clothes and then released a heavy sigh. Kyoraku patted her head affectionately and wrapped one arm around her shoulder.
"I thought you'd be so mad at me." Sanae admitted.
"Why would we be?" Kyoraku asked her.
"For leaving." Sanae mumbled. His clothes muffled her voice. "For what happened."
"We've always believed you when you said that it wasn't your fault, Sanae-chan. That's hasn't changed one bit."
Sanae jerked away from him. "And it wasn't, Shunsui it wasn't me."
Kyoraku frowned down at her, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"
"It's why I came back." Sanae told him. "It's why I took Ukitake's Zanpakuto. I needed to access the Daireishokairo and look up the recorded files from that day. There was no record of the Hollow order that I received. Someone set me up. They wanted me to take the fall for it, they wanted me gone."
Kyoraku stroked his stubble as he paced the room. "But who would do such a thing? Why would they do that?"
"I don't know." Sanae mumbled. She rubbed at her arm tenderly. "Look, I know I wasn't the most liked person, but can you think of anyone that I had pissed off enough to want to do something like this to me?"
Kyoraku halted his pacing, furrowed his brow and shook his head. "I can't. But you're probably right. Whoever is doing this wanted you gone…maybe it's the same person whose influencing Kuchiki-san's execution."
Sanae's gaze shot over to him. "What do you mean?"
"Her execution has been moved up twice. It's taking place in a few days from now."
"So someone wants her dead too." Sanae mused; rubbing her chin like Kyoraku had done just before.
"I have a feeling that all of this might be connected. It can't just be a coincidence that you returning, someone killing Aizen and Kuchiki-san's execution being moved are all happening within days of one another."
Sanae tapped her chin. "The only one's who have the power to move up her execution are the Forty-Six. But why would they want her dead so badly?" Kyoraku gave her a pointed look that she understood. Sanae's eyes widened and her jaw went slack for a brief second before she spoke again. "You think someone is influencing the Forty-Six? That's insane!"
"As insane as someone setting you up to take the fall of twenty-four murders?"
Sanae couldn't answer him. He was right. It had to be all connected, there was no other option. Kyoraku walked over to his desk and opened up one of his draws and pulled out a bottle of sake. He poured it out into a cup and then drank it as Sanae paced his office like he had been doing.
"We're talking about someone who is probably more powerful then old man Yama right now." Sanae muttered as she stopped and turned to face Kyoraku who was downing another cup.
The normally phlegmatic captain had never looked so riddled with concern then he did right now. And if something had Kyoraku rattled, then Sanae knew that it was a seriously big problem.
"Isn't that a scary thought then, hmm?" He muttered, chugging back the drink. Sanae watched him for a while. They were both lost in their own thoughts as they tried to figure out who could be behind the whole conspiracy.
Sanae moved over to the window that overlooked some of the Seireitei. Her eyes scanned the horizon, wishing that the answer would just jump out at her already. Instead, she felt a flare of reiatsu that belonged to Ichigo and someone who she didn't know. Her body shivered as she felt the pure murderous intent coming from the unknown Shinigami.
"You've gotta win." Sanae mumbled pleadingly to herself. But hoping that Ichigo would hear the message somehow.
"Friend of yours?" Kyoraku asked, coming to a stand next to her.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. He's the reason I had the strength to come back here."
"Maa, he's up against Zaraki Kenpachi." Sanae could hear the worry in his voice. It made her smirk. Kyoraku didn't even know who Ichigo was and yet he was worried about him fighting because Sanae was worried about him.
"Remind me to thank him as well then."
Ichigo's eyes fluttered open. He waited for them to adjust to the new lighting as he tried to remember what had happened. He had been fighting a Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi to be exact and they had both given each other devastating blows. Ichigo was sure that he should've died there. He rolled his head around on the futon, and spotted his Zanpakuto lying on the ground next to him.
"Good, you're awake."
Ichigo rolled his head to the other side. Yoruichi was sitting near his head. Ichigo sighed in relief when he realized that it must have been the black feline that had kept him safe and alive for the time being.
"You saved me, Yoruichi-san? Thank you."
Ichigo suddenly sat up, his eyes wide and his heart racing. "I have to help Chad! Chad's in danger!" Ichigo cried out in pain and doubled over, holding his stomach tightly as blood started to seep through the bandages that Yoruichi had wrapped around him earlier.
The cat bounced on Ichigo's face and pushed him back down. "Calm down, Ichigo. Chad is fine."
Ichigo spluttered but continued to hold his stomach. "Wha…"
"He's been taken to Division Four for healing and then he'll probably be locked up for a while. He'll be fine. Orihime and Ishida are both ok too."
Ichigo sighed and relaxed against the pillow under his head. His eyes slid shut from exhaustion, but then he bolted up once again.
"Sanae! What about Sanae?"
"Lie back down you imbecile!" Yoruichi growled at him. From the intensity of her voice, Ichigo slowly lowered himself back onto the futon, one hand raised up in surrender. "She's fine too."
Ichigo's brows furrowed as a far off look passed over his face. He was deep in thought for the time being. Yoruichi could see the numerous questions that were forming in his mind. Sanae had no doubt caused quite the confusion with the Substitute Shinigami.
"Sanae is…" Yoruichi mumbled. Ichigo rolled his head to look over at the feline. "She's a lot more capable then she lets on, Ichigo."
The carrot top sighed. "I thought as much. She's…from Soul Society, isn't she?" Yoruichi remained silent. "Is she a Shinigami?"
Yoruichi's yellow eyes focused on Ichigo. She had covered her tracks well enough in the human world, but they were here now. It was probably best if Ichigo knew about her now, rather then Sanae try and find the courage to tell him. Yoruichi knew that if it was Sanae's choice, she'd never tell anyone herself what had happened to her.
"She was."
Ichigo's brows furrowed. "Was?"
Yoruichi sighed and rubbed her face with her paw. She loved Sanae, she truly did. But sometimes she was irrevocably stupid. Things might have been different had she just told everyone from the beginning who she was.
Yoruichi stared Ichigo dead in the eyes and spoke in a serious tone, "She was until the Gotei Thirteen branded her a murderer and she was forced to flee."
Ichigo's eyes widened in shock as his mouth dropped open. He couldn't form a reply, he couldn't even think of a reply. "What do you mean by that?"
Yoruichi sighed and bowed her head for a moment. She lifted her head back up and met Ichigo's inquiring tawny gaze. "Sanae spoke to you about the friend she had lost, the one who she failed to protect, right?"
Ichigo nodded hesitantly.
"Well, it wasn't just one. It was twenty-four. And the Gotei Thirteen think she killed them all."
Ichigo had unknowingly sat up on the futon. His injuries were no longer painful to him; he was more focused on what Yoruichi was telling him. He couldn't believe it…Sanae had been hiding this the whole time…
He had been so horrible to her about it.
"From what she can remember…she received an order with some of her squad to go and dispatch a nest of Hollows that had popped up on the outskirts of Rukongai. She went with them, but when she got there, she says she can't remember anything—only waking up sometime later and everyone was dead…except her."
"That doesn't mean she killed them!" Ichigo roared defensively.
Yoruichi's eyes looked down for a moment. "The injuries sustained on all of her comrades bodies were inflicted by a Zanpakuto. To make matters worse Sanae even said herself that she removed her Zanpakuto from the body of one of her friends. Division Twelve did analysis's of the bodies and found her DNA on them."
Ichigo's voice escaped him as he sat there, his fists shaking with rage. Not at Sanae, but at the Gotei Thirteen. He had known Sanae for a while now, and she wasn't the type of person to do something like that!
"She fled the night it happened. Further prompting the Captains that she was guilty. They declared her a murderer and have been searching her ever since."
Ichigo hunched in on himself. A pained expression crossed his face, not at his wounds, but because he remembered all those times he had called her a coward and given her a hard time for giving up on her friend.
"Who are you exactly?"
Sanae held his stare but she leaned back in the chair, "Someone who you shouldn't know."
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"Because it's dangerous."
"Why?" He didn't miss the way her eyes narrowed at him.
"Because knowing will get you killed, Kurosaki. You think you're the only person in the world who has to keep secrets? If I told you who I really was, you'd run far far away from me."
"It seems you already are," Ichigo's eyes flicked to the piece of paper on his desk.
X
"You're scared." Ichigo stated. "You can call it surviving or whatever the hell you want. It doesn't change the fact that whatever it is that you're running from scares you. You're a coward."
That struck a nerve. Sanae whirled around, her eye blazing. "You have no idea what you're talking about," her tone came out in a hiss. "I am not running and I am not a coward. I've seen and done things that would make you wet your bed at night."
Ichigo, by now had risen from his bed. They were almost on opposite ends of the room. "Then stand your ground and prove it. Prove to yourself and them that you aren't a coward."
"It's not that simple," she said firmly. "This is not something that would end well for anyone if I just 'stood my ground'. And it definitely won't end well for you if we keep talking about this. So just shut up and get on with your life. Goodbye, Ichigo."
X
"That was her choice," Sanae whispered. "She knew what would happen…if she got caught."
"And so she deserves to die?" Ichigo said in disgust.
There was a pause from Sanae. "No one deserves to die, Ichigo." Ichigo froze at the guilt and sadness in her tone. He stared down at her, watching how she curled her arms around her legs, looking like a frail child. Her dark brown hair was a mess around her shoulders. Her bare legs tucked up to her stomach. "But Rukia, she's the type of person that would want you to forget about her. She wouldn't want you risking your life for her just to save her. Maybe she wants you to walk away from her."
Ichigo sighed; he tilted his head back to stare up at the crescent moon. "The friend that you lost, did you walk away from them?" He heard her sharp intake of breath. She was quiet for a few moments.
"That was different."
"How is it?" Ichigo grumbled.
Sanae glanced over at him. "I didn't have a choice."
"There is always a choice," Ichigo said with a frown. "If you care about them enough, you'd do anything to help them."
Sanae glowered at the floor. She refused to let her bottom lip quiver. She ground her teeth together to stop herself from sobbing at his words. She already knew what a horrible person she was; she didn't need other people figuring it out too. Sanae knew that she wouldn't be able to get any words out without crying or her voice braking. So she choose to stand and leave.
"Kagawa!" Ichigo called out to her but she didn't turn around to him. Sanae stopped just after the threshold.
"You don't know anything about me," Sanae hissed as she stormed off into the building.
X
"You've never been to a festival before?"
She shook her head, "Nope. Thought I should at least try it out before I die going to Soul Society."
Ichigo reeled back, looking perplexed at Sanae. "What do you mean? You aren't coming along!"
"Of course I am," Sanae said with a laugh. "I'm not letting all mine and Urahara's training go to waste! Someone's got to make sure that stupid head of yours doesn't get yourself killed." Sanae grinned at the expression Ichigo was making. She turned away, looking over the hill. "And besides…Rukia's going to need more than just your help. I'm choosing to help save a friend this time." Sanae missed the softened look that Ichigo gave her.
Ichigo rubbed at his face and then dropped his hands into his lap. He stared at his hands for a long time. He couldn't imagine it; he couldn't imagine Sanae killing her friends. He felt the guilt well up in his stomach; it was making him feel sick. He had been cruel to her when he had talked about her friend. He couldn't figure out why she had stuck around after he had said those things to her, and she had even come back to Soul Society—knowing that if she were found out she'd be killed.
"Before you start to feel too sorry for her. Sanae didn't come back to Soul Society to help free Rukia." Ichigo jerked his head up. He met Yoruichi's harsh stare. "She knew what an uproar you and your friends would cause when we entered the Seireitei. She used that to her advantage so that she could sneak off and find out information about that night. There are good and bad parts to everyone, even someone like Sanae."
Ichigo glowered at her. "You're wrong." Yoruichi gave him a flummoxed look. "I know that she wanted to save Rukia, she told me so herself—"
"Sanae is a very good liar, Ichigo."
"She didn't lie!" He bellowed. His stomach twanged painfully but he ignored it. "Aren't you friends with her? Shouldn't you trust in your friends to do whatever is possible? Sanae knew that I could save Rukia by myself, so that's why she went off. With the way you're talking…it's like you believe that she is capable of doing the things that everyone says she has!"
"Idiot!" Yoruichi yelled. "Sanae is capable of doing them!"
"But it doesn't mean that she did! If she says that she didn't do it, then I believe her!" Ichigo's glare could've sent a weaker man to an early grave. Yoruichi held it for a few seconds before huffing in annoyance. "You don't know what it's like…" Ichigo mumbled. "Thinking for years that you were the reason someone died because of you." Ichigo flashbacked to his mother dying on that riverbank, and how he spent his childhood thinking that he had been the cause of her death. He knew that pain all too well; he knew what Sanae was going through. "It consumes you…it's the most painful thing in the world, thinking that you were the reason a loved one died. I have to…" Ichigo fumbled over his words. He clenched his fists on top of the sheet as he glared at the wall of the cave determinedly. "I have to find her and tell her I'm sorry! And then after I save Rukia…I'll help her find whoever killed her friends. I owe it to her…"
"Humph." Yoruichi scoffed at him with a smirk. Maybe telling him about Sanae's past wasn't the worst thing that she had done. "I'm sure it won't be hard to find her. I have a feeling things are going to get a whole lot more interesting soon."
Ichigo met her yellow eyes. He watched as Yoruichi moved around something white on the floor and used her paw and slid it towards the carrot top.
"I think you have this thing to thank for saving your life earlier."
Ichigo stared down at the eerie Hollow mask that he swore Hanataro had thrown away after his fight with Renji. "Where did you get that?" Ichigo asked, his voice shook.
"It was on you, Ichigo."
Yew!
Hiya, I originally wanted to have this posted yesterday to celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of this story but my life has been taken over by Animal Crossing hahahaha but at least I managed to get it out pretty soon! My inspo for this story has just been flowing so I should be getting another chapter out soon, maybe after I get one up for onyx and ivory. But lordly lordly I loved writing this chapter.
And Sanae finally reunited with Kyoraku! And Ichigo knows about some of her past! The reunion between these two is gonna be a game changer lemme tell you. We're getting closer to the reveal now! There might even be another little reunion next chapter! I am moving along quickly in this arc, as I'm trying to get to all the good stuff like the Rukia saving, Byakuya vs Ichigo stuff and of course Sanae's reveal. Next chapter will be pumping, promise!
And yeah sorry for cutting it off a the end there. We all know what happens with his mask, Yoruichi turns into a human blah blah blah I try and avoid rewriting the stuff that's already been shown in the anime/manga. But there will be a lot of original stuff coming soon! Ah, I'm excited!
Again stay safe with coronavirus going around. I'm still working as I work in childcare but my hours have begun to reduce so I will have more time to write...and stream animal crossing lol xD
REPLIES
HeavenlyCondemned- Thank you! Hope you're staying safe and healthy! x