Hello :)
I present: Chapter IV
SPECIAL WARNING: Spoiler alert for anyone who is not up to date with the manga and only watched the anime!
Friendly reminder: this story will be slightly AU and some characters might be OOC. For anyone who is not into YAOI, please do not go or read any further, this is not going to be your cup of tea :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters, they all belong to Tite Kubo-Sensei etc., etc.
Usual WARNINGS: Somewhere along the way might contain but is not limited to include dark themes, suicidal thoughts, heavy sexual contest, yaoi (again xD) and some other themes not suitable for under-age reader. Read at your own risk and discretion! Please don't hate too much if you don't like.
Chapter IV
A loud groan escaped pale lips, followed by a large intake of air. Shirosaki was glad to be out from that underground passage. It was cool, but he prefers open spaces. Must be an adaptation to his likes. A long time ago, he did not care if he was in closed areas or wide plains as long as he was free. Then he came along and suddenly what used to be irrelevant became significant. He himself had no idea how or when, but it did. Initially, it pissed him off. Later, he realized that he'd do anything to see one of his smile. Heh, those were undeniably rare, but worthy of any and all trouble.
He gave a quick glance backwards. Still no Ossan or girly. The girl was a bit bizarre, but she did lose everything and everyone in one go, so, meh, he'll let it be... That is, for now. He was getting hungry... And tired... And that cursed journey on the flying machine was not helping at all. Sheesh, he was irritated enough without the help of an annoying kid. He'll be lucky no Shinigami or Hollows come their way with how agitated his reiatsu felt. Ossan will owe him big time! He'll request for an hour, or better yet, six hours of anti-stress session. Yeah, that'll cheer him up. He'd better make sure it challenging too! 'Ah! Here they finally come. Hmm, little girly is in high spirits. I wonder what they spoke about? For everyone's sanity, I certainly hope it was not me.'
Shirosaki's previously grinning face turned into a fierce scowl, only to changed back to his normal sneering. 'I'll let it slide this time and this time only! In spite of everything, she is important. She is the reincarnation of his second most bellowed person. I do like to think of myself as the number one.'
Even from such distance, Shirosaki's mood swings did not escape Ossan's all-seeing eyes. He had no idea what was passing throughout the others' mind. But was con not concerned. If Shirosaki was well enough to act like his usual self, then he had no protests. It was far too long since then. Sulking did not suit his strong frame. And though the smile was a little on the psychotic side it was a far cry better than depression. They had Masaki to care and protect now so he was more optimistic.
Masaki was not the happy camper everyone saw on the outside. Her world did turn upside down in a matter of a few hours. Yet somehow, she felt an even greater sensation of loss emanating from the two males. She decided to do everything in her power to keep them as content as possible. She was a bit wary of Shirosaki. Who could blame her? She was raised in a Quincy family. Thinking about her family saddened her. She already missed her parents so much. She missed their loving nature and peaceful air. Thinking about it, she never saw them angry or upset. Not once. Maybe they knew children could be very perceptive, even more so than some grown-ups. The sense of security they emanated had always been her blanket. Never had she experienced a nightmare. It had always been way to quiet for any terrifying dreams to happen. She swore to treat her children the same way in the future, should she live long enough to have children. She did not see who were the aggressors. Her mother woke her up and took her to that odd room. Once inside, she had no idea how to leave. 'I wonder what would have happened had these two not come to find me? Maybe I would have been like one of those princesses from books and cartoons? Waiting for the knight in shining armor on a white horse to save me from my tower. In that case, who would be my knight? Hmm…, Shirosaki-san is white and a Hollow, so, maybe I can make him the horse… Then Ossan… Wait! If he is my knight, without the armor since he doesn't have one, what is his name? He forgot to tell me that. Or was it me who forgot to question? I better ask if I want to find out.'
"U mm… mister Ossan? What's your name? It's weird to call you Ossan or just Heika. Unless Ossan is your real name. In that case you must have had some bizarre parents. Or maybe they pictured you to be an 'Ossan' when you grew up. But then, how would they have called you as a child? Surely you would have had a nickname or something, since you can't be an 'Ossan' as a child…"
"Kurosaki." Was the quick response. "Kurosaki, Juhabach. A pleasure to officially meet you, Masaki."
Poor Masaki. She was shocked into silence. She did not see that one coming. From what her parents told her, the Heika was 'The Father of Quincy'. She never expected him to have the same last name as herself. Did this mean they were related? If that's the case, then that means she is not alone. But what would he be to her? An uncle? Would he be her uncle from her dad's or mom's side? No, they were both gone during a battle before she was born. Then a grandparent? A great-grandpa? A lost cousin?
Seeing Masaki was lost in thoughts, Juhabach smiled to himself. He was sure he knew where were the thoughts of the little one going around. She was probably looking for a connection. He was considering helping her out, but he had an already irritated Shirosaki at hand. Hmm, decisions, decisions. He finally decided to leave things as they were. Masaki would be silent and Shirosaki would not argue. A win-win situation. He could also use the silence for his own thoughts. Triple-win.
As they reached Shirosaki and the car, he handed over the key to Shirosaki and opened the back-door for Masaki. He followed after her and closed the door, both of them in their own minds. Shirosaki gladly took the key and went to the driver's seat, silently praying the girly would not start the chit-chat. As far as he was concerned, that had been more than enough, at least until they all recharged. He was about to drive back to Yokohama, hopeful that along the way they could stop at that Ikanari restaurant they had passed on the way here. To be on the safe side he did ask Ossan where to next.
Ossan answered without breaking his train of thoughts "Karakura. We can rest anywhere you find adequate on the way. But Karakura will be our next point."
Nothing further was needed between the two. For the groups new addition this wasn't sufficient information. Her musing was so much easily broken and she forgot what she had been thinking. She had never left the mansion or its' surroundings. Everything outside was a mystery. One could practically see her imagination going wild and her enthusiasm was soon made known to both male's chagrin.
"Karakura? Is it a city? A village? A castle? Is it something else? How many people live there? Is that where you live? Do you both live together? Do you know anyone there? Oh, are those cousins you talked about from Karakura? What's it like? How's the weather?"
Both Shirosaki and Ossan sweat dropped at the barrage of questions. Shirosaki absolute refused to acknowledge hearing all of the questions for two reasons. One, he himself did not know most of the requested answers. And two, he did not want to test if there would be even more questions from the little she-devil.
Next to Masaki, Ossan was speculating the same as his partner. Nevertheless, such was child's curiosity. His long forgotten parental urges surfaced once more and he was inclined to answer as many questions as possible.
"Karakura is a city. Mostly concrete, like the mansion you lived, only everything is much larger and it looks as though there are many smaller mansions next to each other. There are no castles, but there are many big houses, some might be mistaken as castles. There is also a huge park, like the gardens you had, only this one doesn't belong to one person. Since it belongs to everyone in the city it's called 'public'. It also has benches, a playground for children and paths. I'm not sure how many people live in the city. However, it is a rather large number. Hmm, let's see… There is also a large forest in the vicinity. A forest is larger than a park. Mostly grass and trees with the addition of animals."
A smile burst out from Masaki. "Silly. It's true I've never left the mansion, but even I know what a forest is. I did my studies and there are lots of things I know. I may not have seen much, but I'm a good student."
Ossan only smiled and nodded his head in understanding. "To answer your other questions. A long time ago, I used to live there. I did have a castle. It should still be there. That was back at the time before I met Shirosaki. We sort of met in the forest part of Karakura near the castle grounds. But we'll leave that story for another time. Shirosaki and I share dwellings when we travel as it is convenient. He used to live with me and the family. The Ishida's also lived in the castle with us. As time passed, families became larger and larger. We all separated and went our ways, while keeping in touch. The weather is very similar to the one you already got used to and since there are so many people around, I'm sure you'll make loads of friends in no time."
He ended his words with a reassuring squeeze of Masaki's hand. Masaki would have asked more questions, but was too tired and soon fell deep asleep. Her head lax on the elder's left shoulder. Ossan had a fond look on his expression and carefully adjusted the girl into a better position.
Peeking at the passengers on the back, Shirosaki too couldn't hide a small smile from forming on his face. Reminiscing about the past was both pleasurable and painful. Being the nut case, he is, he took the good with the bad and this time was no different. The road moved on and they parked in front of the Ikanari restaurant. Exiting the vehicle Shirosaki moved to open the back-seat door for Ossan to help in taking Masaki-chan with them. What!? He likes little kids, even though they annoy the living hell out of him. Besides, Masaki-chan looked so cute when sleeping. He will be mad once she woke up and started her ranting. Until then, he can admit that she can be adorable.
The family run restaurant gives off a homey feeling. The interiors different shades of beige, brown and sand colors where accompanied by carved wood furniture. On either side of the entrance are three sets of tables separated by wooden panels. Each panel seemed to tell a different story. Possibly the owner's history and memories. The tables able to accommodate up to six guests each. In the middle of the restaurant was the most noteworthy decoration of the whole place. A living tree was growing from the ground. This tree was surrounded by a square table with the capacity of twelve visitors. Most likely used for special events and occasions. Further beyond the central table was a counter along with the bar. On the left side was a door leading to the restrooms, while on the opposite was a staff only entrance and a door leading to the kitchen or some other area.
All in all, not a bad place. Shirosaki and Ossan made way to the left side, selecting the very first table closest to the entrance or exit since they were already inside. It was a minor habit they both took from the many trips. It's an easy choice since one seems inconspicuous, yet has the advantage of monitoring all who are within the establishment, those who enter and leave. It also comes in handy to for a quick escape. On the occasions that there was a Hollow attack, one of them could easily leave and return. Useful for quick escapes, especially during the time when prosecutions were made for just being alive and looking different. Not that the world changed much, it just adapted new terms. Shirosaki's coloring a fine example. Humans called him many names just for having the coloration he has. From demon child, to Satan's offspring and now just albino. It all comes to the same, just a different jargon a different wording. Only one person had seen Shirosaki for who he is instead of what.
Back on track, the two sat down each having one vantage point. Ossan took the liberty to wake up the napping girl.
"Masaki-san. Masaki-san. Time to wake up young one."
Waking up from the well needed nap, Masaki cleared her vision and covered her mouth with her hand when yawning. One look around reminded her of what occurred and the companions she was traveling with.
"Good morning. Or is it afternoon?"
Shirosaki chuckled and to everyone's' surprise answered: "It's technically still morning since it's around eleven. However, we're about to have lunch. Either way is fine."
The girl's astonished sound was interrupted by a waiter approaching with the menu's and informing the customers the meal of the day. Once they all made their selections, the waiter left them assuring the meal would be ready in no time as it was not a busy hour.
At the waiters' words, Masaki looked around to find they were the only guests in the restaurant. She did not pay too much attention to it, since she was not used to lots of people around. The more experienced members were not particularly worried as it would probably be busier in an hour when people finished their work. Masaki took the chance to observe the two more closely. Their manners, the way they interacted with one another and that lingering feeling of loss. Like they both went through something really bad. She was wondering if it was that feeling that kept the two close to each other. Two Quincies and a Hollow at the same table, soon to be sharing a meal. It sounded surreal. And yet, here she was, in a little restaurant somewhere near Yokohama, if her geography lectures were right, about to have a meal with a Hollow and not being the same Hollow's main course.
She was sure her old archer instructor was turning in his grave. Her lessons had not been limited to human knowledge. Being spiritually aware, she had double the number of classes, due to her Quincy training. Even with all the schooling and teaching, she was barely able to fully grasp her Quincy powers. She had never seen a live Hollow either and besides her parents, teachers and some of the servants, she had never encountered another Quincy either. It was a lot of information to wrap her mind around. But the large amount of data was helping her coping with the incident at the manor.
The other two had a custom of waiting for the meal and talk either during the meal or afterwards. It all depended on the situation. In this case it was a bit different. They could see the youngest was deep in thoughts, thinking about one thing or the other. It worried them. For the short amount of time they've known Masaki, she appeared to be a very talkative ball of sunshine. The waiter returned with their ordered lunch. All tree devouring everything like ravenous beasts. None able to remember when their last meal had been. It did not take long before they were finished and ordered for seconds.
While waiting for round two, Ossan starting the conversation out of the blue. "Shirosaki, what is the intelligence we have on the case? I want to check your opinion in this matter before coming to premature conclusions."
Shirosaki commenced their mini staring contest, trying to gauge the other's intentions. Masaki being at the table and what not. Seeing whatever he had been looking for, his expression returned to a frown and spoke in a low tone. Better safe than sorry, right?
"You pulled the barrier down, so you should know what that implies. It was either an inside job or you have an enemy among your kind. Personally, I would exclude the option of an insider's job. There was just too much reiatsu residues. Not enough to identify anyone, but enough to say it was not a one person's job. Someone from the servants may have been a spy, that I can't say for sure, but there had been at least five. The main focus was on the left side, while the right was nearly overlooked. I think someone less skilled was sent to deal with the right side, though I can't figure out why."
Masaki was the one to jump in on the conversation. She looked pale, but held herself strong.
"The left side is…, was where papa, mama and I lived… The servants lived on the right. Does this mean that they were after something papa kept in his study? Or were they targeting something else? But why? Why would Quincy attack us? Did our family do something bad?"
The last two questions were said so quietly, they had been barely above a whisper.
Ossan took over the conversation trying to alleviate some of the heaviness which befall their table.
"I am certain it was a personal grudge. Though, the attack was focused on the left, the whole mansion was ruined. Had it been only a family member they had been after, why go through the trouble of destroying the whole place? I do agree with Shirosaki that there had been five intruders, but I too was unable to sense enough for an identification. Masaki, by any chance do you remember seeing anything unusual in the past few weeks? One of the reasons why Shirosaki and I were coming for a visit, was due to unknown activities around the mansion. Do you remember feeling or seeing anything during that time?"
Masaki concentrated really hard. She did remember the occasional sensation of being watched, she never gave those too much thought before, because of all the servants and tutors. She did think she saw a few shadows moving, but assumed to have been a trick of the light. But those started happening about two months ago, not a few weeks. She relayed the same to her group. The result she received were even deeper frowns.
"Ossan, the whole thing was planned. Whoever did this, knew you were coming for a visit. I refuse to believe it to be a coincidence. There is no way! The suspicion arose only in the past few weeks, but Masaki was subconsciously aware of intruders for longer. It doesn't take a genius to figure out patterns and for them to get so sloppy in time to raise doubts… This was definitely planned. Whoever was behind this must have wanted to either eradicate your whole remaining lineage. Or were searching for something special."
As he finished, he gave his partner a pointed look and a quick eye glance at Masaki. The girl was too stunned to notice, but Ossan did. He agreed with Shirosaki. It was an act of vengeance against him or they were after Masaki. Though there was that minor issue to the whole theory. The only ones who might be after his lineage are the Shinigami. Just as Masaki asked, why would Quincy attack their own? Especially now that they were so few in numbers? He looked at Masaki. Sadness overcame him for less than a second. Once his eyes met Shirosaki's, they silently agreed to discuss the matter further in private.
Masaki was about to make another comment, but was interrupted by the blessed waiter who brought their second order round. Saved by the waiter a second time in one day? Must be the only stroke of luck they've had since they landed. The meal was consumed with less ardor, but they still managed to polish off their plates.
They paid the bill and were back in the car on the way to Karakura. Once again Ossan gently squeezed Masaki's hand and conned her into sleeping. Even though she was trying to be strong, the stress of the whole situation was wearing her and all of them down. Karakura was not that far from Yokohama. The plan was to reach Karakura, take rest at an inn, hopeful to take shower and rest for the remainder of the day away. They would contemplate the matter of fresh clothes for Masaki in the morning. For the time being they did have the bare necessities in their luggage and she could always borrow some of their own clothing. Having the plan in mind, Ossan made sure to inform Shirosaki so he could drive them accordingly to their next destination.
Chapter IV done ^.^
Man this one took more time than what I originally had planned. Crazy things are happening lately :S
Yay! Finally figured out how to put the line xD
Looking forward to any and all criticism, just please don't hate :3
Quick recap: English is not my mother language so if I made any mistakes or any errors, please let me know. I am the writer and the spellcheck person all in one. I'm getting the feeling this is getting old, but I love feeling safe xD
Any questions, you can PM me and I'll try to give answers - but I give no spoilers for the story :D
Wishing everyone a great day/night ahead :)