Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Houkiboshi ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

HOUKIBOSHI

Disclaimer: Bleach characters are not mine; I am just borrowing them for some twisted fun of mine.

A/N: This takes place when Urahara Kisuke is still in Soul Society and acted as the 12th Squad Captain. His vice captain is Kurotsuchi Mayuri. My OC is one of shinigami that serve under Urahara. BTW, maybe there would be implied yaoi.

Pairings: Urahara + OC1 (Akiko), Urahara + OC2 (Shiho), Urahara x Yoruichi, Urahara + Mayuri

Chapter 6:

Tokiko sat still, eyes long to the distant past; her fingertips are expertly playing a sad tune of music from her harp. She started to sing a gentle, sorrowful song. She looks so beautiful even in her sorrowful state. She is alone in front of the orphanage while the kids are at school opened by some scholars.

Tokiko stopped playing and sighed. She looks up to the sky above. She sighed again. She misses Rimudo. It felt lonely without him. She misses his eyes and smile when he looks at her. She pray every single night, hopes that Rimudo would come back to her soon, safe and sound.

“Rimudo…” she whispers gently.

“Miss me that much huh?”

Tokiko startled and surprised to see Rimudo standing near a tree with a smirk plastered on his handsome face. “OMG…” She stands up slowly. Eyes brimming with tears as she covered her mouth. “Are you…for real…?”

Rimudo hates to see her tears. It sprung some pain in his heart. He had sworn to himself that he would protect Tokiko so that she won't have to shed any pain tears. However he knew that it was happy tears that the girl he loved is shedding right about now. He smiled ever so softly. “I'm home…”

Tokiko run toward him and hug him.

Rimudo wrapped her in his arms. “I'm home, Tokiko…” he said once again.

Tokiko couldn't hold her tears any longer but she did managed to say, “Welcome home…”

Rimudo smiled. He raised her chin and kissed her gently.

Tokiko blushed but let him kiss her.

The couple broke their kiss and hold. They smile at each other once again.

“When did you get back?” Tokiko asked.

“Last night.”

“Oh… Have you meet Akiko-chan?”

“I did…” He snickered. “Last night when she was babysitting her taicho…”

“I see…” She smiled softly.

“I misses you so much, Tokiko…”

“So do I.”

“The truth is today I was supposed to see you with Akiko during lunch break but I couldn't wait to see you any longer…” Rimudo look serious. “You haven't told her about us, have you?”

Tokiko sighed and shook her head. “No… I couldn't find a good moment to tell her… Lots of things happened during the bazaar night…”

“Do you want me to tell her about us?”

“No!” Tokiko said rather sharply. “You would hurt her if you do…”

“Didn't keeping our relationship a secret from her would hurt her too?” Rimudo asked.

“I know, it's just…she loves you! I don't want to hurt her. She would hate us if she know about us.”

“I care about her too but she hadn't even confessed her feeling for me, maybe you're wrong, maybe she's not in love with me…”

“She does love you. She just doesn't have the courage to tell you that…”

“Tokiko, did she tell you that she loves me?”

“She doesn't have to, it's all in her eyes…”

“Then what do we do? I hate keeping secret from her. She's like a family to me, a sister and also my best friend…”

“I know, she is also a precious friend of mine which is why I couldn't hurt her.”

“I could have told her myself,” Rimudo said quietly. “It might have been better if I had done it myself. I could tell her that I know about her feeling for me but…”

Tokiko shook her head. “No. She never told you a thing, it would have been wrong for you to bring up what only she has the right to tell you.”

“You're right…as always…”

&&&

12th Squad Headquarter

Akiko's forehead wrinkles as she look hard on the paperwork in front of her.

Suddenly Amika appeared and gave her neck a bear hug from behind. “Akiko-chan!”

“W-wha-ewwk!” Akiko pushed Amika from her. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She glares at her as she sooth her neck.

Amika grins. “Rimudo has returned…” she said in singsong voice.

“I knew that already…” Akiko rolled her eyes. “I met him last night…”

“You do? Then have you told him?” Amika asked eagerly.

“No, I haven't.”

“What? Why? You missed a perfect opportunity!”

“What opportunity? He just came back and he was tired. Why should I burden him with things?”

“Things? We are talking about your feeling, Akiko-chan! If you keep stalling, you will end up lose him for good. You should get together with him on lunch break.”

“We are going to visit Tokiko-chan together on lunch break which is why I have to finish this work of mine first. So would you mind leave me alone for awhile?”

“It is almost lunch break…”

“So?”

“Why are you still here?”

“Because I haven't finished this paper…” Akiko snapped.

“You took your work too seriously…” Amika shook her head.

“I'm just going to be a bit late meeting him and Tokiko-chan…”

“Are you going to tell him about that then?”

“What? No!”

“See, you're stalling!”

“It's none of your business if I do!”

“It is! You're my friend and I don't want you to have regret later on for not telling him the truth!”

“Telling who what?” Urahara suddenly appeared with a gentle smile.

“Taicho!” Both Akiko and Amika are surprised and quickly bow.

Urahara waved his hands dismissively. “What are you girls talking about? Who is this him?” he asked with amidst curiosity. “Is it a love interest? Who is it? Who love who?”

Amika smirked. “I'm just trying to convince Akiko-chan to… Ow!” She stopped when Akiko elbowed her side. “Hey!”

“Didn't you have work to do?” Akiko shot a death glare at her friend.

“I see so it was Akiko…” Urahara smirked. “My lovely assistant has grown up a bit to have a love interest ne?”

“Taicho…” Akiko growled.

“So who is the lucky guy?” Urahara asked innocently, completely ignoring the death glares Akiko shot at him and Amika.

Amika, playing along with her taicho, said, “Oh, it's Akiko-chan's childhood friend, Fukai Rimudo…”

“Fukai Rimudo?” Urahara tiled his head cutely. “Which squad he is from? I would like to meet him and see if he fit for our dear, lovely…”

Akiko rolled her eyes. “Come on, stop this, you two!”

Amika giggled. “Oh, don't be embarrassed, it is nothing to be ashamed of…” she teased.

“She's right. Would you like me to give you a day off so you could have some time spend with the lucky guy?” Urahara asked teasingly.

Akiko glares at the two. `Honestly, the two of them are very childish at times…' She sighed. “I'm working over here. Don't make me…”

“YUUKI! WHERE IS THE PAPER THAT I NEED?” Mayuri's voice roared from his office. “BRING IT TO MY OFFICE NOW! Honestly I gave you a simple task but you couldn't…”

The three winced at the volumes of their fukutaicho's voice.

Akiko shot another glare at Urahara and Akiko. “Look what you did to me!” she said rather grudgingly. She quickly scrambled to her desk and searched the folder of the paper Mayuri wants. “Oh, no!” Her face paled. “It's…it's gone!” In a midst of panic, she started to wreck the papers in her desk. “I'm so dead!” She looks below her desk just in case it falls down. She stands up. “It's gone!”

“Breathe, Akiko-chan! You're panicking!” Amika quickly calmed her down.

“Calm down? Calm down? Kurotsuchi-fukutaicho is going to eat me alive if he knew I lost the paper!” Akiko yelled angrily to her friend. “Oh, no! Where is it? I knew I put it around here!”

“Let me help you…” Amika said, feel a bit guilty for teasing and distracting her earlier.

“I'm so dead!” Akiko muttered again. “Where is it? Where is it? Where did I move it? Did I move it?”

Urahara look amused. “Which paper is it that Mayuri want?” he asked her finally.

By now, Akiko look like almost in tears. She told him what paper it is.

Urahara put a finger on his lips. “Did you, by any chance, misplace it and put it in my desk?”

“Eh?” Both Akiko and Amika look at him.

“Yeah, I think I saw a paper like that in my desk this morning…” Urahara said.

Akiko quickly dashed toward Urahara's office. “Oh, thanks God!” she yelled happily.

Urahara and Amika exchanged an amused smile.

Akiko rushed out of Urahara's office and went to Mayuri's office to give the fukutaicho the paper he wanted. When she got out of the room, she looks relieved. She shook her head. “I can't believe I misplace it like that…”

“Well, anyone make mistake once in a while…” Urahara said.

Suddenly a black butterfly appeared toward them. It told Urahara to go to the first squad headquarter. A captain meeting is to be held.

“Well, then, excuse me, ladies, got a meeting to attend…” Urahara said and shunpo-ed away.

“I wonder what happen to hold a sudden captain meeting…” Akiko wondered as she watches Urahara left.

“It is lunchtime now.” Amika said. “Shouldn't you go to see Rimudo and Tokiko?”

Akiko rolled her eyes. “I will leave now. I swear you're so persistent that is so annoying…” she muttered as she started to walk away.

“When you and Rimudo a couple, don't forget your matchmaker and your number one supporter here…” Amika yelled.

“I'm not even sure whether I'm going to tell him today or not…”

&&&

Captain meeting

“A new breed of hollow appeared in human world?”

“Ah, I want you to investigate it personally, Urahara… Take any necessary measure to catch the hollow and bring it here for more thorough investigation.”

“Alright then but why me?”

“Not only you, I also assign the third squad taicho (not Ichimaru) to go after the other hollow rumored to be in Nagasaki…”

“I see… This should be an interesting and dangerous hollow for you to assign a taicho on the case…”

“Take your valuable subordinates out to help you with the investigation…”

“Hmm, then maybe I could test the my newest invention on my people…”

“Urahara…”

“Hmm?”

“Be on alert. This hollow, I'm afraid, is not just any hollow. It might be something more dangerous.”

“I see…”

A/N: Ichimaru Gin is fifth squad fukutaicho here. Tousen Kaname and Komamura are not a captain either, they are shinigami. Hinamori, Kira, Renji, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi and Yachiru are not in seireitei yet. I have to make up some new captain to fill in the seat first.

&&&

Akiko sighed. “Where is Rimudo? I couldn't find him anywhere…” she said. “Has he gone to see Tokiko-chan without me?” She decided to go to Tokiko's place. On the way there, however she saw a girl being bullied by an 11-squad shinigami.

The shinigami in question is trying to force himself on the girl who appeared to be a prostitute of some sort. The girl doesn't seem to like the man and tried to run however the man won't accept to be denied.

Akiko, being a pervert-hater that she is, acted on impulse. “Let go of her!”

The shinigami whose name is Shibuimaru Takuo take one look at Akiko and laughed. “Or you will do what, girlie girl?”

“I really hate pervert men…” Akiko muttered under her breath. “Especially one that underestimate me!”

“What is that?” Shibuimaru asked with that annoying expression of his. “Scare now, aren't we, little girl? Then shoo away before I decided to do something about you…”

Akiko growled in anger and dashed forward to deliver some kick which to her surprise Shibuimaru able to dodge with his hand.

Shibuimaru smirked smugly.

Akiko positively ached to wipe that smirk off his face. She quickly pulled away and prepares to attack again. However the situation quickly got worse. Suddenly Akiko found herself slammed against the wall by Shibuimaru.

“Not so strong fighter, are you?” he replied as he pinned her against the wall.

Akiko shot him a glare.

The prostitute girl cowered in fear, not really sure what to do.

Shibuimaru inspect Akiko. “Heh, now that I look closer, you're quite cute. Which squad are you from again, little girl? Or are you a newbie shinigami? Never seen you around before…or I would have make you my girl toy…” He grinned.

Akiko got a veinmark on her forehead at the mention `girl toy'. Her body shivered in anger but Shibuimaru mistake it as a sign of fear. Suddenly, Akiko's leg shoot up and hit him in the balls.

Shibuimaru howled in pain.

Akiko quickly deliver some kick toward his face, effectively put him down. “First I'm not little girl, second, you can't make me your girl toy, and third, I might not be a good fighter but I still can beat you!” she said rather smugly.

Shibuimaru growled as he crawls away slowly. “I will remember this! I will have my revenge!” he threatens before he run away.

Akiko watched him run away. “Only loser said that!” she shouted and stick her tongue childishly.

The prostitute girl slowly approached Akiko with a small gratitude smile. “I don't know how to thank you… If you are not here, that man would have…”

Akiko cut her off, “Save it! I can't believe that you go around selling your body like that in the first place! Be more responsible, would you? Go find more appropriate job!” After saying that, she walk away leaving the girl stunned.

As she is about to go to Tokiko's house, Saya appeared. “Akiko-chan, please come back to the headquarter. There is an emergency meeting to be held and we all must be there.” she said.

&&&

12th Squad Headquarter

Urahara has held an emergency meeting. He wants to choose some people to accompanied him on his mission. He assigns Mayuri to be the squad leader while he goes on his mission.

When he saw Akiko, he ruffles her hair and said, “Sorry to interrupt your date plan…” which earned him a glare from the girl. He chuckled and apologized to the others to for messing up their break hours.

After sometime, the handsome taicho finally decided on the people to accompany him. Urahara choose Shiho, Ken, Tetsu, Keiko, Takashi and Akiko to go with him. He assigned them to try his new invention: the gigai/faux body. They are supposed to blend in into human society and track down a hollow that has been making chaos in Nara.

“We have to get inside that thing?” Akiko asked. “And we have to wear human's clothes while there which mean…”

“We get to wear kimono!” Keiko said happily.

Shiho and Akiko rolled their eyes simultaneously.

Akiko crossed her arms. “You got to be kidding. No way in hell I'm going to wear kimono while investigating. If a hollow attack, our movement would be minimized…”

“Oh, but you don't have to worry about that…” Urahara said as he pulled a pill of some kind. “Take one of this and puff you get out of the gigai into your shinigami form.”

Shiho look intrigued by the pill thing. “What is that?”

Urahara explained about the pill thing (gikongan , if I'm not mistaken).

“Even if it is, I refuse to wear kimono.” Akiko said.

“Whatever, just wear a guy's clothes or something!” Tetsu snapped.

Akiko shot him a look. “Snappish!”

“Hey, it doesn't matter what you wear, our main concern should be about the investigation, right, taicho?” Takashi said.

Urahara sighed. “Well then, since during our investigation later on, we'll have to pretend as normal humans, I guess we could use the term a group of `exorcists' as an excuse.”

Everyone nodded.

“Ok then it is settled…” Urahara said. “So, everyone, gather what you need and prepare what we need for the investigation…”

And off they go to the human world…

&&&

“What is the mission again?” Ken asked.

“We have to capture a new breed of hollow that appeared in Nara. The hollow seem to attack any human with or without supernatural power…” Shiho said as she read the report given by Urahara.

“So a random attacks then?” Akiko asked.

“Yeah, but the main concern is the victims' soul seem to be disappearing…” Shiho said.

“Maybe they are devoured by the hollow in question?” Takashi supplied.

“Yeah, that's what we thought but an attack that leave no body to discover? A bit weird right?” Shiho said. “Moreover, the victims seem to be disappear after getting inside this certain woods…”

“What woods?” Akiko asked.

“A possible lingering of the hollow?” Keiko asked.

“Yeah, we should check into it.” Shiho said.

“So it doesn't sound like a threatening hollow, why does Yamamoto-taicho have to order Urahara-taicho to go himself? It sounded like a job for the likes of us…” Tetsu said finally.

“According to the file, a shinigami has entered the woods and never returned after that.” Shiho said.

“Dead?” Keiko asked.

“Not known.” Shiho replied.

Akiko sighed. `I hope this hollow doesn't have any weird abilities like the one I encountered before… A hollow that has the ability to multiply itself, creepy.' She looks over her taicho. `Something is not right though, I feel like taicho hide something from us…'

Urahara noticed Akiko staring at him. He smiled warmly.

Akiko snapped and quickly look away to hide a blush that forming in her face.

&&&

Arriving in a small town, the groups rested on a small hotel before resuming their `journey'.

Akiko and her friends (minus Urahara who is in his room resting) entered the small bar inside the hotel. They sat down on the nearest table and started to get something to eat and sake to drink; it's not like everyday they get to undercover, sightseeing and stuff.

Shiho actually would rather be in her room, which she shares with Akiko and Keiko; however, the two girls forced her to come with them to get some food.

While they are talking, laughing, eating and drinking, some people are staring at the weird bunches. Some drunken men, however, are staring at Shiho and Keiko appreciatively. It's not everyday some pretty girls come to their small town.

Akiko has disguised herself as a boy so she hadn't attract attention to herself; which is easy to do what with the simple boy clothes she wear and the way her hair is hide behind her hat, especially her childlike immature body appearance.

Even though both Shiho and Keiko had refrain from wearing kimono and also wear more appropriate clothing for a journey, they didn't feel the need to hide what gender they are because should anyone bother them, they perfectly capable handling any hindrance that come their way. In fact, for Keiko, she seems to enjoy the attention. Shiho doesn't really care about anything other than the important mission they are currently assigned to.

Tetsu noticed right away the drunken men's focus on Shiho and Keiko. He didn't like it one bit but he remain silent. He didn't want to make any unnecessary scene.

One drunken man apparently doesn't agree with Tetsu for he make his way to their table and approach Shiho. He actually has the nerve to actually raising his filthy hand to raise Shiho's chin. “Hey, pretty girl, why don't you join me and my friend on that table over there?”

Everyone on the table froze at what the man has done. All eyes look expectantly toward Shiho who remain calm.

Akiko fumed angrily, ready to flaming the drunken man alive. However she stop when she saw a glint of coldness in Shiho's eyes as the girl flicked the man to the floor just by grabbing his wrist and do the martial art thingies.

In one instant, the man is on the floor, howling in pain like an idiot. However it doesn't stop the other drunken men from appreciating Shiho's and Keiko's beauty. Some are whistling at them and invite them over, from their table, of course, to prevent themselves from harm's way.

A/N: I suck at writing fighting scene, just like my sister…

Ken grinned. “Nice move, Miyano-san…but that is quite mean, don't you think?”

Shiho didn't say anything, instead she drink her tea elegantly.

Akiko crossed her arms. “Serve the man right. Pervert!”

“You're just jealous because no one pay attention to you…” Ken teased.

“Oh, please…like I'm going to die from not getting attention a group of perverts!” Akiko said as she rolled her eyes.

“You know you could attract men's attention more if you start to change your childish appearance…” Ken said.

“Shut up.” Akiko shot him a glare.

“Still though, this is going to be a difficult journey, what with two girls here in the group attracting a bunch of pervert men…” Ken said as he raised his cup toward Shiho and Keiko.

Keiko grinned. “I think you're the one who jealous, Ken-kun, cuz so far no girls for you to seduce…”

“Like I need to seduce girls… They come on to me themselves, I hardly need to lift my finger…” Ken said half-serious, half-joking.

Takashi smiled at his friends' banter at each other while Tetsu rolled his eyes.

&&&

After resting, the groups set out to continue their `journey' to their destination. They finally arrived in a small village where the said hollow-dwelling woods are.

Urahara assigned them to question the people around regarding the rumor floating around about the missing people and the mysterious woods. He divided the group and asked them to start investigating as well as ask around for the location of the woods.

The village people believed that the woods are cursed and that's why they tried to keep their way out of the woods. Many people from outside village came to the village to inspect the woods, mostly warriors or treasure-hunters. None of them returned. The village's elders believed that the disappearance of the people is `kamikakushi', some kind of God's doing or whatnot.

After finished gathering information, the group goes to meet Urahara who is currently resides within the village's Head Leader's house. Using the `exorcist' excuse, the group is very welcome. The village people are very eager to get rid the curse of the woods.

“So tomorrow we go check the woods…” Urahara said that night as they held a meeting in his room.

“Strange though…” Takashi said suddenly. “I didn't sense any hollow around here…”

Ken shrugged. “It just meant it is a very powerful hollow to be able to cloak their reiatsu…”

Akiko looks worried though she remains silent. `It must be another new breed of hollow and a dangerous one at that, otherwise, what enough reason for Genryuusai-sama to give such mission to be led by taicho…?' she thought. She looks over at Tetsu who seem to be troubled too.

Shiho sighed as she looks over the window to the night scene. She wonder what would happen tomorrow.

Seeing the tense situation, Urahara decided to cheer his subordinates up. “Well, I'm sure everything would be fine. Don't worry too much. Let just get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow we shall start the investigation properly.”

“That's right.” Keiko said. “Taicho is here, after all, we should be alright…”

Urahara smiled at Keiko, making her blushed a bit. “That's right, Keiko-san, everything will be alright as long as we stick together. After all you guys are all my valuable subordinates and I trust you guys to complete the mission together.”

The others rose from their sitting position and bid their taicho goodnight and left the room to go back to their room.

Akiko is the last to go. She suddenly stops walking and turn around to face Urahara. “Taicho…”

“What's wrong, Akiko-chan?” Urahara asked.

Akiko didn't answer. She suddenly question him, “Taicho, why am I here?”

Urahara blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I understand that you choose the others to accompany you, they have their own useful ability required for the mission but I…I …couldn't be much useful around here. Even during the last mission, I actually failed. I don't think I should be here with you…”

“Are you afraid, Akiko-chan?” he teased.

“Of course not!” Akiko shot him a glare. “It just that I'm not sure that I could… I just don't want to be a burden…” she said it with such a sad face.

Urahara's eyes softened and he started to ruffle her hair gently.

Akiko look up to face Urahara with obvious confusion and a tidbit irritation.

“Don't underestimate yourself, Akiko-chan…” Urahara said with a small smile. “You might have your weakness but so does everyone. The important thing is that you guys could have filled up each other weakness and become a strong group.”

“Do you really believe that I could be useful?”

“Hey, I choose you, didn't I? What? You think I choose you for fun? For entertainment?”

Akiko smiled a little. “Sometimes I think you keep me around for that reason…”

Urahara chuckled. “Well, there is that, but I do see a potential in you, Akiko-chan. Believe me, will you? And have a little faith in yourself.”

Akiko nodded silently. “I hope you're right, taicho.”

“Hey, I'm a taicho, no way I could judge wrong, can I?” Urahara said half-serious, half-joking.

Akiko shot him a look.

Urahara shrugged. “Yeah, well, I could be wrong, but not about this one.” He smiled again. “Be more confidence with yourself, little miss…”

Akiko sighed and bows. “Alright, I will not bother you anymore. Have a good night rest, taicho.” she said before closing the door politely.

Urahara waved a goodbye. After Akiko had gone, he shook his head. He pulled out a scroll out of his sleeves. He observed the scroll, which he got from the village's head leader regarding the history of the place.