Chapter 6 Green funky blast!
Opening theme song!
Chorus~
He's Phantom.
Keigo Phantom! Keigo Phantom! Keigo Phantom!
Rap~
YO! Keigo was just average fifteen when suddenly discovered a very strange machine!
It was designed to view, a world unseen!
Chorus~
He gonna catch 'em all 'cause he's Keigo Phantom!
Rap~
One day he's bored and finds a lab, but Keigo has to take a look inside of it. There was a great big flash, everything just changed, His molecules got all rearranged~!
Chorus~
Phantom! Phantom!
Rap~
When he first woke up, he realized, He had snow-white hair and glowing green eyes, He could walk through walls, disappear, and fly, He was much more unique than the other guys!
And it was then that Keigo knew what had to do, he had to stop all the ghosts that were coming through, He's here to fight for me and you!
Chorus ~
He gonna, catch him all because he's Keigo Phantom!
He gonna, catch him all because he's Keigo Phantom!
He gonna, catch him all because he's Keigo Phantom!
He gonna, catch him all because he's Keigo Phantom!
The daylight was still bright and happy. While a cool summer breeze passed the town. Keigo sat patiently in Yankii's courtyard shrine. Waiting for Yankii to finish indulging in his drinks. However, it had already been an hour.
Keigo waited patiently as Yankii sat on his shrine steps, taking another swig of a ginormous bottle of Saki. Yankii drank the liquor like it was water. Yankii pulled his lips away from the bottle.
"Oh, how I've missed you! Old friend," Yankii said as he caressed the bottle with his face. Keigo started with an awkward expression. He licked his lips in joy taking another swig of the bottle. Keigo watched on in awkward silence.
"So uh sorry to interrupt but aren't we supposed to be studying ecto energy?" Keigo said. Yankii immediately pulled his attention toward his student coughing awkwardly.
"Sorry, I just haven't had a drink in a very long time and I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. It might as well be rehab in the ghost world because there's no liquor whatsoever." Yankii said in pale nostalgic horror.
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Keigo asked. Yankii scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Oh yeah it's a good thing, I know, hundreds of ghosts that changed their lives after spending some time in the ghost zone, but that is beside the point they enjoy a good drink!" Yankii said passionately. Keigo could tell this man was a bit of an alcoholic. That was a problem for another day though. Yankii stood up with the bottle still in his hand.
"Alright, here's something you need to know about ecto energy. All ghosts have this inner energy, different from this living world. We as ghosts can control this energy. We can do wondrous things with its control elements and shadows. Hell, I've seen a ghost become a living tornado, it's almost boundless," Yankii said as he made an energy orb in his hand. Then taking one more swig, and emptying the bottle, he threw it up in the air and threw the ball of energy right at the bottle, exploding it into pieces. Keigo stared in amazement at hearing the words and possibilities of his powers.
"Wait but Striker sort of crystallized his baseball bat, what was that then?" Keigo asked.
"Echo energy can take the form of many things very few ghosts can control that energy form, Striker made sure his energy was more solid. Damn, I'm surprised he even knows how to do that. It's a rare trick. I hear the stuff is supposed to be harder than diamonds," Yankii said in an amazed tone of voice. Keigo's teachers glanced, sat down, and smiled.
"Keigo I am made of the same energy, myself and every ghost in the ghost world are never really the same, everybody has something special about them, their little unique gift, like my power to extend my neck," Yankii demonstrated as he extended his neck as tall as a giraffe, looking down at a student with a big smile. Keigo stared in wonder and chuckled.
"I've been meaning to ask about that, I've heard stories about this place where there was a neck woman that haunted the shrine," Keigo explained. Yankii froze in shock.
"Oh, so that rumor did get out," Yankii said. He covered his face and shame and side in his hands, dragging his palms across his face, knowing he had to explain himself. "Okay don't tell anyone about this, but the reason you hear that story so many times is when I was younger. I had a little bit of a neck problem. It was above average height but people still made fun of me for it. One night I may have gotten drunk and before I died, I used to come to the shrine to drink. Unfortunately, I got so drunk I dressed up like a woman. and I accidentally scared the living daylights out of a priest. The rest became history," Yankii said awkwardly as he was avoiding eye contact from his student. Keigo scratched his head trying to understand the story.
"How do you accidentally dress up as a woman," Keigo said.
"I lost a bet. It doesn't matter but what does matter is your character and your inner self decides on what you're capable of, do you know the old, true power comes from within," Yankii said.
"Okay I'm starting to see what you mean," Keigo said.
"That's the spirit any way you are going to find your special ghost power one day, but I wouldn't push. It takes a long while for you to find it. So you and I will focus on the basics," Yankii said. Keigo's eyes widened as he possibly did already have a special power.
"Wait, I can sense other ghosts, maybe that's my thing, can you do that?" He asked with excitement. Yankii scratched his chin, thinking that he could be right.
"Maybe but I feel that's got to be a factor with you being half human and half ghost, here let's start with an easy exercise, hold your hand out,"
Keigo did as he was told and watched his master sit down. Opening another bottle with delight. "Okay, you just gonna have to concentrate on your hand, Focus on bringing out that energy to that point of your body. For beginners, it might start as a glow but it's somewhere we can begin,"
Keigo began to focus on his hand, taking a calm breath and focusing on trying to summon that light. After a couple of seconds, nothing happened.
"Perfect, just keep your eye on the goal kid," Yankii took a swig from a fresh bottle and lazily swished it around. Keigo continued to gaze at his hand but still felt nothing. Maybe he was too tense, this feeling shouldn't be forced. He remembered when flying he had to be relaxed so why not just relax and see what happens? Yankii sniffed the air with boredom.
"So what's up with the dudes with swords?" Keigo asked.
"I have no idea but they kept giving off strange energy you know what I mean, I don't know why they keep flaring it off like it's spectacular, the stuff just bounces right off us," Yankii said. He smiled and set his bottle down.
"But if I were a betting man, I would say they were possibly shinigami," Yankii said. The young teen's eyes widened in surprise. yeah, I heard that name a hundred times when playing role-playing games or even watching movies. A shinigami means a god of death. Keigo took a fearful gulp and shocked his hand.
"Oh judging from the look, you've heard of them before, I know scary things aren't they eating souls to sustain themselves, when I was a young boy, my mother told me stories of them to scare me to teach a lesson," Yankii said. Keigo was trying to not show a fearful face, yet he was sweating at the idea of his soul getting eaten.
"That means the girl that was trying to kill me was a shinigami," Keigo said in fear.
"Possible but I could be wrong. My mother also told me they write down your name in a book. And then write down how you die, also they love to eat apples," Yankii said jokingly. Keigo was still nervous and without warning his hand blasted a beam of green energy up into the air. Keigo was completely startled as a beam didn't stop coming from his hand like a flashlight with no off button. Before he could move Yankii zoomed over to Keigo and grabbed his wrist holding his hand still. The beam of destructive energy was now only pointing in the sky, not harming anyone.
"I knew it, fear is what switches on your echo energy, a class act," Yankii said. Keigo was more confused by his mentor's words. Then suddenly the beam of energy had stopped.
"What?" He said in surprise. Yankik took a step back and smiled at his student.
"It's fine you did nothing wrong, I just wanted to make sure I was dealing with the normal basics, you see a lot of your powers are tied to your emotions when you relax to fly when you're calm, you fade through things, and when you scared your capable of shooting echo lasers from your hands. See my point,"
Keigo realized that it was very simple to activate his ghost powers with that mind of logic. The young teenager looked at his hand, slowly pointed at a tree you realized, and felt that fear within, and let it out.
A small blast of energy completely burst the trunk into splinters. Keigo's mouth was gaping at how easy it was. That smile turned into a determined grin.
"Oh yeah who's bad, I'm bad," Keigo cheered himself.
"Alright hotshot cool your jets, you still have some practice," Yankii said. Keigo floated in the air with a happy smile.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's do this!" Keigo shouted. The young teen then felt a great aura of echo energy. Keigo glances down to see Yankii drawing both of his swords. With a hungry battle smile on his face, he glared at his student with excitement.
"Well if we're so sure about yourself... how about round two kid?" Yankii said viciously. Keigo wouldn't back down or take back what he said. He meant it and wouldn't stop fighting or training.
"Yeah, I'm not afraid," Keigo yelled. The two lunged at each other intending to defeat their opponent. Keigo could see the blades coming right at him at a fast speed.
"Oh man, I'm so dead," Keigo thought, but at least he would learn something.
Kisuke was locked in his study, the small sample of echo energy that was in a test tube, after the little incident that took place hours ago. He was stressed and couldn't comprehend the context of the green smile. not to mention hours ago, he was face-to-face with what he could only describe as a ghost.
Then the ounce of regret flooded his mind, feeling that wave of fear that was forced upon him, making his very own handshake. The same hand that slaughtered monsters and hollows, and yet he was afraid.
Kisuke laughed. He was trying to find a scientific reason to explain what he saw yet it was something outwardly even to a soul reaper like him.
"I can't even begin to fathom what you are?" Kisuke said, marveling at the test tube. The slime begins to form a face and roar in its confined glass prison yelling at its jailer.
The small shop owner jumped back in fear but quickly was filled with amazement. This element was completely unpredictable. It was as if pure chaos was given form.
"Interesting," He Thought while looking into the jar.
He couldn't help but think. This mysterious source could aid him and take down the one person who truly deserved it.
"Maybe those people could help us," Kisuke said. "I mean if this kid is putting so much playing home and self maybe I should cash in the favor,"
Then without warning the door opened two individuals quickly entered the room. Shinji and Tessai both had stern faces. Kisuke glanced at them and picked up his cane.
"So Shinji I'm guessing Masahiro told you we had a little visitor today," Kisuke said. Shinji scoffed at the relaxed tone of voice that he was hearing from Kisuke.
"Yes, unfortunately, I now understand that there's bad news. There are three of those things out there," Shinji said in an angry tone of voice. Kisuke gives a decompressing sigh.
"Yep, you heard right, not to mention my whole stock of alcohol has been robbed, apparently the whole reason why he came to my shop was to rob me of liquor," Kisuke said.
"Are you serious?" Shinji asked.
"So the guy who was hiding in the hoodie came here to steal drinks. It was just a coincidence, yeah, I'm not buying that," Shinji thought.
"Just tell him the good news," Tessa said.
"Fine, so we looked through all the names as you said, and we found someone," Shinji said, handing a piece of paper to Kisuke. He took it and opened it to see an address and a name with a picture.
Kisuke's eyes gaped with surprise, he immediately recognized the face of the young teen. It wasn't too hard to distinguish him from his ghostly appearance. However, he was extremely surprised to see Keigo as a normal human.
"Surprisingly only one guy has that name, his full name is Keigo Asano. He goes to the same school as that Ichigo kid you keep yammering about," Shinji said. Kisuke was silent but held the picture up to see better.
"Well, today just keeps getting more interesting,"
The time was night and street lights had perfectly illuminated the roads ahead.
Keigo was currently walking down the street, he was holding his side in pain. He looked exhausted after hours of nonstop training, the young teen should've been sad and tired.
Yet he was standing with a proud smile and steady stance. Keigo was so focused on becoming stronger. This new goal to fix his mistake had him pumped up. The young half-ghost couldn't help but think but how the fight went. He lost the fight but he did his best.
Keigo might have been in over his head but he was sure to be a fast learner. The young teen fought Yankii for hours. Each time he failed he would get back up, and learn from his mistakes. Even his teacher remarked on how fast his growth was, In Yankii's words.
"For someone new, you're very adaptive,"
Keigo couldn't help it, if he failed once he would start again better than ever. After all this was done, he would have the best story to tell his friends, he would surely be popular.
The young teen stopped moving and thought about his ghost problems. What was he to say to normal people that he was half a ghost? How would they react if they saw him as a monster or would they accept him? For the longest time, he always wanted to be popular to be the center of attention. Now we had that ability to say hey look at me I have superpowers.
That Keigo was extraordinarily wonderful but yet what would he say? He walked down the street and took a deep breath, maybe he should just keep this to himself. That way no one would get hurt.
Keigo stuck his hands in his pocket and held his head down.
"Yeah, I'll keep this to myself. I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of me, yeah by myself." Keigo thought. Walking sadly down the road all by himself. While he slowly paced back home, he noticed someone was ahead.
A teenager of average height with black hair and brown eyes. Tatsuki is a tomboy and has a very lean frame. Her hair is short and dark, kept spiked out at the sides, in tune with her less-than-feminine appearance.
This was Tatsuki's friend to Keigo and a tomboy bully to him. She was wearing her normal karate gi. Keigo was about to call out to her except he noticed her blue headphones were covering her ears.
Keigo didn't wanna bother her; it could end up with him getting sucker punched in the face, something he wasn't looking forward to. He continued walking until he noticed Tatsuki was crossing the road and unfortunately, didn't look both ways.
Keigo's eyes enlarged in horror, the young teen could see a semi-truck heading straight for his friend. The next moments were an absolute blur for him as he ran as fast as he could, and tackled Tatsuki out of the way, as her eyes were flashed by the headlights of the truck. Keigo had tackled them to the other side.
The semi-truck kept moving like nothing had happened. Keigo glanced to his side seeing the vehicle move away from his version. He took a siren of relief and turned his head to face Tatsuki to see if was alright. The young teen's face was beat red as his body embarrassingly was over her.
Tatsuki's mouth was panting in surprise and her eyes said she was just trying to catch up on what happened. She then realized the position she was in and was blushing intensely. Before she could react Keigo leaped off her and ran away as fast as he could.
"I know I saved her but after that, I know I'm dead. It's better if I make a run for it!" Keigo thought not wanting to be in a headlock. Tatsuki got up and tried to call out to Keigo but could only see a dust cloud. She was dumbfounded at how fast he had left.
"I just wanted to say thank you," She said.
After an hour Keigo was finally at his front door. Hey cracked his neck and let out a deep sigh. He was ready to kick back and relax.
"I can finally finish playing Final Fantasy Ten!" Keigo thought. Then he opened the door and could see the lights were off. He walked in and took off his shoes. He then began to muse out loud.
"Hey maybe I could be a superhero with all my strange powers wouldn't that be something?" He said. Why couldn't he ask that question? He had the costume and the powers all he needed was the name.
The lights turned on and Keigo spun his head around to Kisuke sitting at his dining room table. While the vizards were all standing in various spots in the room. Shinji sat at the table, Love and Lisa were standing to his left. While Rōjūrō and Hiyori stood on his right. Smackdown in the middle of his hallway to upstairs were Hachigen and an all too familiar Mashiro.
Mostly surrounding him. It was then an all too familiar girl with green hair walked up to him. The young teen stood still and slowly glanced across the room seeing so many faces locked onto him.
Keigo thought his reaction was going to be fearful. However, instead, it was a large amount of rage.
"Where's my sister," He growled. Then without warning Hachigen clapped his hands together and then gold chains of light had snared around his body. Immobilizing his arms and legs, forcing him to his knees and falling to the wooden floor.
"I apologize for the sudden entrapment but your sister is fine and is not home,' Hachigen informed. Keigo was brought to the table by Lisa and Love. Keigo struggled against his binds but found a strong hand on his shoulder as Love glared at the teen.
"Cool it, kid, we just want to ask you some questions," Love said. Keigo didn't care and tightened his fist in anger. Shortly he took a deep sigh and began to calm down. They forced him to sit at the table where Kisuke and Shinji sat.
"I need a way to get out of this, maybe I can turn ghost and bust out of here!" Keigo thought. He turned to his right only to see Mashiro. Looking into his face and showing that she had no bounders. The teen was confused as he backed his head away from her.
Mashiro could only stare in wonder at Keigo. There was no doubt in her mind this was the ghost she saw in the store today. Though the difference was night and day. Keigo quickly blushed as she was inches away from his face.
"It is you," Mashiro said. The half-ghost gave an awkward cough into his shoulder and tried to not look at her face. A cold sweat formed on Keigo's brow feeling the situation was awkward.
"Hey," Keigo said. Mashiro quickly pinched on the teen checks and began to pull on them. Keigo let out a yelp of pain. Mashiro began to poke his face and pull on his ear. Everyone in the room felt an awkward cold sweat on their foreheads.
"OW WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Keigo yelled in an annoyed voice. Mashiro slowly backed away and had a curious look on her face.
"I was just wondering how you changed your look, I thought if I poked your face you would change," Mashiro said innocently.
"It doesn't work like that, I've to activate it within," Keigo said in an outburst. Then he quickly silenced himself knowing he made a mistake. "I just gave myself away didn't I,"
"OK we can rule out that you took down one of us because you're a complete novice and you just confirmed our suspicions about you," Shinji said in a lazy tone of voice. Kisuke cleared his throat, gaining the intention of room.
"Please Mr, Keigo, would you be so kind as to enlighten us on a very important question: what are you?" Kisuke asked. Keigo was trapped and he knew it, what should he do, run away only for these people to track down his family and take them out? I couldn't fight them. He remembered being punched through the wall by that girl with the green hair. Right now he was trapped and he needed to make a deal.
"If I tell you guys, you'll leave my friends and family alone," Keigo asked. Kisuke could see the kindness and worry in the teen's eyes. Though he did understand where he was coming from. Before the ex-soul reaper captain could answer. Someone had interrupted him.
"Of course, we're not interested in your family and friends. Idiot, you're the freak out of the bunch," Hiyori said in a loud and rude tone of voice.
"Knock it off," Shinji said. He approached Keigo and put on his show a man's smile. It was mockingly. He pulled up a chair and sat on it backward.
"So the one important question you need to answer is this one," Shinji said with a smirk.
"And what would that be?" Keigo asked. Kisuke smiled and tapped his cane on the floor making a loud tap.
"The question is what are you?" Kisuke said with a serious face. Keigo thought deeply before he could answer if they weren't here to harm him or his family he had to answer. Maybe then he could explain to them that they needed to get away from this place, anything to warn people from Striker.
Keigo took a deep sigh and gazed at Kisuke across the table seeing he had a stern face latched on the young teen.
"Hachigen, please release him," Kisuke said. The whole room turned toward Kisuke with surprise. Even Keigo was a bit shocked at the news.
"What!" Lisa said in shock.
"You can't be serious," Love said.
"He's too dangerous," Shinji.
"What are you planning?" Hiyori asked
Kisuke had a lazy smile and pulled out a fan. His eyes had a mischievous glint to them.
"Listen, we're being extremely rude guests. Let's try and make a little peace. Besides I don't think your mentor is here. So maybe you are more willing to talk," Kisuke said. Shinji took a big sigh and glanced at Keigo. He took a long look at him. All of his years of combat and fighting people he could truly see but he was just a kid lost in something bigger than himself.
"Hachigen release the kid," Shinji said with a reluctant tone of voice.
"What! you can't be serious, this is the same guy that took down Kensei," Hiyori said in anger.
"Shut it Hiyori, this guy doesn't even look like he could even take down a kitten," Shinji said as he brushed his hand through his hair. Keigo was glad to be released but did feel a little insulted. The young teen felt those chains disappear, and his arms weren't bound to anything anymore. Love and Lisa took a step back allowing some space for the young man.
"So will you please tell us what you are? I know you explained yourself as a ghost but as I can see you're alive," Kisuke pointed out, trying to understand what kind of soul this was. Keigo knew this was his chance and he would take it, no more running.
"Well, you see this might sound crazy, but I'm half-ghost," Keigo said. Then quickly he had a flashback to what one of the workers said at the shop.
"What kinda garbage is that, most of the people here are spirits, you idiot!"
"When that kid said that you guys are spirits as well, he met it, didn't he?" Keigo asked. Kisuke's silence spoke the truth. The young teen couldn't help but give an awkward laugh.
"Oh jeez, I'm amongst other ghosts that's not freaky at all," Keigo said to himself.
"Well, technically we are still alive. We are known as shinigami, we help provide balance to the spiritual world and the living world as well. You see when a person passes on it's a soul reaper's job to make sure they pass on peacefully to the next life. We protect the world from dark spirits, known as hollow creatures that eat human souls. At the end of the day. We just wanna make sure everyone's safe," Kisuke explained. Keigo was surprised to hear about this news. There is an actual good place where people would go to find eternal rest. It was something that brought him comfort. Also, if these people were here to help keep the balance and other people safe, why shouldn't he trust them?
"Come kid, we just want to know what you are, you may have not taken down Kensei but that still doesn't mean you're clean either," Shinji said. Keigo finally gave in to those words. Responsibility was something that he rarely accepted, but he wouldn't object to it now.
"I understand," Keigo said. Then he met Kisuke studying gaze. The young teen put on his best smile and put out his hand.
"Let's start over, my name is Keigo Asano," He said with a goofy grin. Kisuke calmly smiled back. There was attention in the air, as almost all the vizards glared at the team, unsure what he was doing. what's this some sort of trap, ambush, or even worse he was expecting all of them to be here.
"Hmm well, at least this guy is more for conversation than Ichigo," Kisuke thought. He did shake the young teen's hand showing his manners.
"Well, you already know I'm Kisuke, if my associates would introduce themselves, it would be quite nice wouldn't you guys," He said oddly putting some tension on the others. A few of them had uncertain looks while others were just flat-out, annoyed. whether they liked it or not, they were in the situation so they might as well get it over with. Keigo watches the blonde man approach him first.
"I'm Shinji Hirako, try not to freak out while we're trying to talk to you," He said with a frown. Keigo could see the man wasn't interested in making friends, he only wanted the truth. The next people to approach Keigo were the man and the women behind him.
"My name Is Lisa Yadōmaru," She said in a cold tone of voice. Keigo couldn't help but notice she was wearing a school uniform, even though she looked to be in her early twenties. Then he felt a grip on his shoulder and could see who held him before.
Keigo couldn't help but find the man's hair to be weird, as his star afro was a bit strange.
"Sup, my name is Love Aikawa, though I have a question to ask, I overheard you saying you wanted to be a hero," He said with a serious tone of voice. Keigo knew what he said and he would own up to it.
"Yeah I thought maybe these powers could be used in something more productive," Keigo answered truthfully. Hiyori snorted in annoyance, that answer sounded so childish. Kisuke and Shinji smirked at the answer.
Shinji knew this was one of Love's tactics to interrogate people, asking such a question, to see if the answer was straightforward, truthful, or an ambiguous lie. It seemed Keigo was truthful, something the vizards valued deeply.
Keigo watched as Love held a thumbs up for the young teen. With a smile of approval.
"Nice, you're alright kid," Love said. Keigo smiled back and gave an awkward laugh.
"Thanks," the Ghost said. Keigo then found himself being scared by a sound gust of wind that flew by his right. Mashiro was smiling right at Keigo close, making the young teen jump back in fear, falling to the floor, and landing on his rear.
"Ow!" Keigo said rumbling his rumb, then glared at the girl. "Will you stop jumping at me!"
Mashiro gave a soft giggle at his reaction. Then she lends a hand to the down teenager, Keigo takes the hand and is jolted up from the floor. He of course knew the girl was strong but it almost felt like his arm was gonna be ripped off.
"Sorry, it's just now that I know, you weren't behind wounding my friend. Sorry for all the punching and stuff," Mashiro said with an apologetic tone of voice. Keigo felt a sad pit in his stomach. Knowing that his choice of hiding made him look afraid. Mashiro could see the sad face of Keigo and didn't want him to suffer.
"Well if it means anything he is doing better, he might be able to get up in about a week," Mashiro said. Keigo felt a sense of relief.
"That's good, I hope he recovers sooner," Keigo said. He heard large footsteps approaching him, he turned to his right and saw a large man in a green suit approaching him. In Keigo's words, the man was built like a wall.
"Greetings I'm Hachigen Ushōda but most folks call me Hachi," He spoke gently, and in a very kind manner.
"Oh, nice to meet you," Keigo said, getting the impression of a gentle giant from the man. It was then another person approached him. Keigo could see the blonde man with long hair walking towards him with prideful poise.
"My name is Rōjūrō, it's a pleasure to meet the Spectre we saw last night," He said in a singing manner. Keigl could only think that this was some sort of musician.
"It's nice to meet you," Keigo said. Then it was time for the final person to introduce themself. Keigo brought his attention to the last person in the room, the blonde-haired girl with two bunched buns. She had a frustrated expression on her face. All of it is directed toward Keigo. He knew her name was Hiyori, from the way
"Uh hey, how are you doing?" Keigo asked. Hiyori's response to the kind welcome was to narrow her eyes at the kind teen.
"You looked scarier with your makeup on," Hiyori said with a head tone of voice. Keigo felt a stab at his pride but at this moment he had to take it.
"Geez that's kinda hurtful," Keigo said nonchalantly.
"Forgive her she is always a bit cranky," Kisuke joked. Hiyori growled in irritation at the man. Keigo could see he had the floor to speak. The air in the room was filled with an eerie feeling. The suspense had taken most of the vizards to a tense mood.
"Okay well I'm sure this won't help anyone but I'm a half-ghost, it sounded crazy but my whole life was turned upside down last week. So forgive me if I sound insane," Keigo said in a wary tone of voice. Kisuke gave an understanding nod and glanced at him.
"So what your half-soul reaper or something," Hiyori said. Before any of the brainiacs of the group could speak, someone beat them to the punch.
"Keigo wouldn't fit the definition of what we are, Everybody knows that every living creature in this world and the Soul Society. Hollows carry some form of spiritual energy. When I was super close and up in his face, I couldn't feel any, he's something entirely different," Mashiro said. Kisuke and Shinji both had a shocked expression, seeing how she easily explained it.
"What don't act like that? It was pretty obvious to me," Mashiro said innocently.
"Don't act like that airhead, we know this loser isn't a soul reaper!" Hiyori yelled at her comrade. Keigo had a couple of questions for his guests, if they were spirits could they possibly understand his powers?
"So wait, can you guys fly, disappear, or walk through walls?" Keigo asked. There was a sudden moment of envious silence that quickly entered the room. Keigo glanced at them with a perplexed mug. The young half-ghost fears were confirmed. They knew nothing of what he was.
"So you can't shoot ecto energy from your hands," Keigo pushed the envelope further into the mailbox of disappointment. Love glanced at Keigo with a studying gaze.
"Man, this sounds like you got stacked with powers," Love said with amazement.
"The real question is how did you get these powers?" Kisuke said. He, of course, remembered the ramblings of the young teen when it was explained to him but now that the situation was controlled he could get a more straight answer. Keigo gave a shy smile and held his hands out on the table.
"I guess the answer I gave you wasn't that satisfying, was it?" Keigo asked. Kisuke flashed a mischievous grin, hiding it behind a fan.
"Well, you know that old building downtown, the one where the ghost-hunting family used to live. The Fenton family," Keigo said. Kisuke was completely interested and didn't have anything to say for he knew nothing about this ghost-hunting family that entered this town.
"Please go on," He said.
"A while back, I heard there was an accident. It took the lives of the Fentons after that the place was pretty much abandoned. I entered the building, pulled out my phone, and thought it would be cool if everybody thought I explored some abandoned haunted place. The next thing I knew... I hit the wrong button and wasn't paying attention and I ended up getting electrocuted," Keigo answers. The room could feel a cold silence take over the room. The young teen was starting to fiddle with his hands. Remembering the experience was a bit much for him.
"I was in so much pain and such a short amount of time. Then the next second I felt nothing," He admitted. Keigo sunk deeper into his seat. knowing that it was still his fault that these unfortunate events happened.
"Then I woke up with Snow White hair and glowing green eyes. While also opening that portal to the ghost zone," Keigo said in a somber voice. Mashiro could see the sad look and put a comforting hand on Keigo's very own.
"Hey, it's not your fault, I mean, you didn't know what was gonna happen when you stepped in that lab," Mashiro said, trying to cheer him up. Keigo was still in utter dismay. Kisuke's ears perked up at a specific thing the young teen said. If what the boys said was true, then they were looking at an entirely different realm of the afterlife. For the first time in a while, the candy shop owner was on the edge of his seat, wanting to hear more.
"Ghost zone?" Shinji asked out loud, thinking at how ridiculous it sounded.
"That sounds like a load of crap," Hiyori said.
"Hey, that's what the Fentons called. It wasn't my choice," Keigo said in an upset voice.
"So you mean to tell me that there's currently an active portal to another world, letting who knows what, into the world of the living," Lisa said in a worried manner.
Keigo nodded and crossed his arms.
"Yep," Keigo said. Kisuke immediately stood up and headed towards the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Shinji asked.
"Isn't It obvious I have to see if that story is true? If there's a portal to another realm of the afterlife, who knows what dangers it may cause? All I know is that I'm going to check it out," Kisuke said in a stern voice.
"And what about him?" Shinji said, pointing at Keigo. Kisuke put on his sly smile.
"Well seeing that he's harmless so far I say you should be more than able to watch over him, I have to check if this so-called portal is still open, many of you are more than welcome to join me. Besides, you only need one person to babysit, and you also don't need me to get all the answers out of him," Kisuke said with some sass walking out of the door. Before Shinji could protest, almost all of the vizards followed suit. Love, Lisa, Hachi, Rōjūrō, and Hiyori. Quickly most of them left the room. Leaving Shinji and Mashiro alone with Keigo.
"Enjoy Babysitting!" Hiyori called out. Shinji was stuck with a frustrated face.
"I am not a baby!" Keigo called out. Mashiro giggled at the outburst. Now it was just the three of them in the room. Shinji let out an annoyed sigh as he sat back down rubbing his forehead with his two fingers. Then Keigo got up from his chair and walked to his kitchen.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Shinji said in a stern voice. Keigo simply shrugged his shoulders, in the past he might have shaken at the heated glare but after fighting Yankii, anything looked like a cakewalk.
"I'm hungry," Keigo answered. "You want something?"
Shinji growled in irritation, he held his face and pulled it. This was going to be a long night. Shinji let out a big sigh and laid back in his chair.
"What do you have?" Shinji asked.
One hour later.
After a quick snack, all of them sat in the Living room. Keigo had finished the rice ball he had made and sat back down on a nice furnished couch.
Shinji glanced at Keigo with an interested glare. He couldn't believe they were just in a living room hanging out like nothing had happened. Mashiro enjoyed her leftover Ramen from the fridge. you couldn't help but study Keigo.
"Okay, you have to tell me, how can you do all the crazy stuff you just said?" Shinji asked. "You don't even look ghostly."
Keigo stood up and began to stretch.
"Alright, stand back, I'll show you how I transform," Keigo said. Mashiro was excited and had a big smile. She couldn't wait to see how he transformed. Much of her hatred and suspicion of Keigo hurting Kensei slowly died away.
"Wait, that's not what I meant!" Shinji said in a panic. Keigo let the words fall deaf to his ears. He could feel the energy wanting to come out and he would show it.
"I'm going ghost!" Keigo shouted from the top of his lungs. Shinji and Mashiro's jaws dropped. The two lights formed around Keigo. Changing him from a normal human into an awesome ghost. Mashiro's eyes stared in wonder seeing the white hair phantom had returned.
Keigo smirked at the two seeing their awestruck faces. He had to admit it, he liked being the center of attention.
"And that's how I transform!" Keigo said.
"What the heck was that? And why did your clothes change?" Shinji said in complete shock. All of his sorry, per training and promotion to a captain did not prepare him to see this worldly transformation. It was a bit shocking for him. Mashiro was in awe as all she saw was a superhero.
"You're so cool~! You even have a catchphrase!" Mashiro yelled in excitement. Keigo smirked and deeply decided why not show
"You guys think that's cool, check this out," Keigo said, snapping fingers and immediately turning invisible.
"Gosh, that's so creepy!" Shinji said.
"That's so cool~!" Mashiro called out. Keigo then reappeared in front of them. Revealing he had a smirk on his face.
"Since you guys are spirits too, you can go invisible like me, right?" Keigo asked. Shinji had to clear his throat, awkwardly.
"No, we can't do that," Shinji said.
"Well, can you fly without command like this," Keigo said, floating off the floor. Shinji knew the answer was a little different than expected.
"Sort of we kind of walk on air," Shinji said.
"So you guys can't walk through walls or shoot green energy beams from your hands?" asked hoping to hear some form of kindred between them.
"No," Mashiro said.
"What do you soul reapers do?" Keigo asked.
"Look we keep the balance between us, the living world, and the Soul Society, that's all you need to know about us. We don't have any of your freaky ghost powers," Shinji said.
"Oh, man I thought I could relate to these guys, but it still appears that I'm still the strange one in the room," Keigo thought. The blonde-haired man had just had enough of this. all of this weird situation seemed to be more childish than he expected. However he couldn't feel any spiritual pressure from the young team, and that's what scared Shinji, the fact that this thing could approach him at any moment without him even realizing it.
"Look will get out of your hair, just knock it off with all this ghost stuff you might have powers, but you don't even know how they work you're gonna end up getting someone killed," Shinji said who began to leave and head towards the door. Mashiro quickly followed and held her hands behind her back. She glanced at Keigo with a sad smile.
"I know you wanna help us but you have to understand you're not a warrior, the world is a dark place and I don't think it has any room for this. You do look cool as a mascot," She said gesturing towards all of Keigo. The two closed the door leaving Keigo alone in his house.
even with the discerning words that were thrown his way, he still had to determine the glint in his eyes. There was a lot more going on than he could ever imagine, and he was gonna get to the bottom of it.
"I'm not going to let anybody get hurt on my watch," Keigo thought. Then a cold mist appeared in his mouth. A ghost was nearby. He glanced up and gripped his fists.
"I may not be a warrior, but I sure am going to try!" Keigo said as he fazed through the roof.
While others quickly got acquainted with one another up above in the heavenly skies, gods of souls were currently devising their plans in worry. Ichibē was walking through the Soul Palace heading to the edge of the sky platform.
He started down at the bottom seeing the earth a great distance below. It was always a good reminder to know how far it was from the problems down below. Ichibē took a deep sigh and slammed the but of his giant paintbrush on the wooden panel floor.
Then a white staircase immediately appeared into existence, forming its way to the land below. The steps floated in the air with a firm presence. Before he could take the first step. A voice called out to him.
"YO~! Head honcho where do you think you're going," Ichibē turned around to see a middle-aged man looking at him. He was a dark-skinned man with thick, black hair that was shaven and dyed green on the sides of his head. He wears a variation of the Shinigami shihakushō, featuring instead a green undergarment, and a shortened hakama that exposes his lower legs. Worn over this is a white, sleeveless puffer jacket that bears the Royal Guard emblem on its back, as well as the alternating circle and diamond pattern of a captain's haori along the bottom. His attire is completed by gold-framed sunglasses with blue lenses, and a pair of green slippers that are gold trimmed. This was Ōetsu the man who made the Zanpakutō.
"Oh Ōetsu I'm glad you're here, I'll be gone for a short while, You're in charge while I'm gone," Ichibē said. Ōetsu had a stunning face. This was Ichibē Hyōsube the head captain of the royal court guard. To hear he was going to just take a break was baffling.
"Wow, what's the occasion?" Ōetsu said. Ichibē didn't even blink when he glanced at the maker of the Zanpakutō.
"Just taking precaution, now I have to go," Ichibē said as he began to walk down the steps. Ōetsu watched as his leader slowly descended to the soul society.
Ōetsu could feel something was wrong but he couldn't say what. It was almost strange to see him so tense. He slowly walked back to his palace. While walking not even he noticed that being flew towards Ichibē. Roped in a violet rope it chased after the monk with haste.
It would take him two days at max for him to get to Soul Society.
Ichibe was walking down the steps and was only a mile down from where he started. It was a long journey but one he would make. His wooden sandals echoed on the marble steps. The only noise he had was that and his silence. After a couple of minutes, Ichibe felt it. A cold chill ran down his spine a feeling he would never forget in a million years. What others would call a silly superstition was all too real for him.
The sound of ticking echoes throughout the air. It was like an old grandfather clock clicking to tell when the seconds went by.
His eyes narrowed in irritation and slowly turned around to see a couple steps above him. Is a strange individual looking at him. A specter in a violet-cloaked with a lean, pale, blue face and a scar across his left eye. A clock-like mechanism is embedded in his chest, endlessly ticking away. He held a black cane with a black clock on the top of it. Almost as if he was the monarch of time. He had a smug smile on his face. However, with each passing minute, his age changed from a young man in his prime, to a wise elder, and then into a young healthy child. A constant cycle of time that was displayed to Ichibē.
Ichibē hand gripped his paintbrush hard almost as if he were trying to break it. Though he took a deep exhale and simply gazed at the ghost.
"Hmm Clockwork, so my suspicions were all too true. The world to AoI is open to the other realms," Ichibē said in annoyance. The once stoic and calm man was now full of rage. Clockwork folate of the step, and gently hovered by Ichibē side.
"Don't act so surprised it was all a matter of time before the gate you and Soul King built would be torn down," Clockwork spoke in a calm cold voice. There was no hate or spite in his voice, only an all-knowing calm.
"You tried to build a dam over the ocean... and at the end that water waited until the cracks were opened by a lucky soul," Clockwork said he then put on a frown when he glanced at Ichibē.
"That world was sealed off by the Soul King himself, it was meant to be closed. There's nothing but chaos in that hellscape. It is stagnation and progression at the same time, I refuse to let that world's danger seep into the others," Ichibē stated. Clockwork hovered close to Ichibē face, in an intimidating manner.
"All worlds are dangerous but you feared Aoi for what it truly was," Clockwork said. Ichibē his showed no signs of human care.
"What did Aoi bring besides endless madness, it should stay locked up!" Ichibē said in a calm statement like it was a fact. Even with Clockwork staring him down in the face.
"Did you fear Jorgen and his fairies? Did you fear the face stealer and father glow worm, Did you fear El Tigre the first hero of the underworld? Did you even fear the ghost council or the seven ghosts who stood for peace, No you fear what the ghost zone brings, and that's freedom," Clockwork spoke softly yet his points were as loud as thunder. Ichibē was still unfazed showing that emotionless face as if he were a cold heartless machine.
"We brought a true world where order could be established, where life and death could cost exist. The Soul King made those sacrifices for them," Ichibē said in a serious voice.
"Yes he did, Yet the Soul King so lost in his fear would cut off the ghost zone from the rest of the world, never asking if he should've," Clockwork said as he changed into an old man. Then the ghost's eyes widen sarcastically.
"I'm sorry he can't make any choice can he, after the five families ripped him apart limb from limb," Clockwork said.
"So you witnessed it, did you," Ichibē said.
"Why yes and I have to say the dark world you built, it's not looking so good in the future," Clockwork said waving his hand into the air, the space formed a screen showing an image of Soul Society burning to the ground.
"It's alright Ichibē time will change everything," The keeper of time said. Then he glanced at Ichibē with a stoic face.
"You can't escape the fate that I showed you and the Soul King all those years ago," Clockwork warned.
Ichibē narrowed his eyes at the ghost just having enough of this.
"And why do you come here now, to take your justice out on me, you are a watcher of time, you have no business here," Ichibē asked. Clockwork for once smiled and looked at the clock on his staff. Then shifted into his child form.
"That's where you're wrong, I see a chance to see the Soul Society again, just thought I would stretch the old legs, for old times' sake. You remember those times when the world was one," Clockwork said. Ichibē knew this was a waste of time and began to flash step downward. As Clockwork watched the mad monk fly downward, he still had his smirk. Then glanced at his clock seeing things had fallen into place.
"Aw, and Aizen should have left by now, the flow of time has been set," Clockwork said disappearing into nothing. Before he faded away he softly glanced at the world before him and took in its beauty. With a sad smile, Clockwork shook his head.
"For a world that's been bleached to your liking Soul King, it's quite beautiful," Clockwork said finally fading away.
In chapter six, I hope you guys liked it. I was just so happy to write Clockwork and Ichibē. Oh man, Clockwork just smiling in the back as everything is coming together. Not to mention Keigo will be fighting his first ghost, I wonder who it is. Oh, wait I know because I have the next chapter planned out ;) Anyway let's face it Kisuke was gonna figure it out fast. But let's see how Vlad gonna feel about some unwelcomed guests. Not to mention I'm so glad that my art commission is done. Anyway, the art was done by 7eB055. This guy is amazing. Anyway, that's all I got see you guys next time. Thank you for your review last chapter I hope you guys have a great day.
Also looking for an editor for this fic so PM me if you're interested.