Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ When Captains Collide ❯ Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

A large male with dark curly hair, lay in a crumpled heap upon the stained grass. His white tank top was dyed red with his own blood. He let out a weak grunt as his vision began to fade with the overwhelming darkness settling upon him. “Ichigo…forgive me…” He closed his coco eyes and readied for the wait of his fate. However, his expected fate did not occur right then and there. He was caught off guard as two thin, yet strong arms hoisted him up. His eyes shot open to meet kind blue ones bordered by medium-length violet hair. He was currently in the arms of a female soul reaper of no particular distinction. Her tone was as soft as her eyes. “Don't worry, ryoka. You're safe now.” The wounded ryoka didn't want to have to trust her, but he saw no other option. “Thank you…” his deep voice replied before he finally lost all consciousness.

About an hour had passed before he had reawakened. He sat up slowly, analyzing his surroundings with care. His stern eyes found the woman from before. Her smile was bright. “Feeling better?” He nodded graciously. “Where am I?” Right to the point, but not wanting to sound rude. “You're in my house, silly. So what's your name?” “Chad.” His tone was apathetic as always. She nodded. “That's a nice name. Mine's Karin.” Chad nodded as well. “I am grateful for your hospitality, but I must be going.” He made a move to get out of the bed he'd been put in, but Karin stopped him with a gentle hand.

“I'm sorry, Chad. But if you get up, you'll reopen those wounds. I must insist that you rest for now.” Chad sighed heavily, but obeyed. Her smile returned. “Thank you for being cooperative. The last time I tried to help someone, they didn't listen, and ended up dead.” She then frowned at what she'd just said. “I'm sorry, I'm not trying to scare you. Just get some rest. And when you're well enough, I have some spare soul reaper clothes from my husband that you can wear. They're over there on top of the dresser.” Chad nodded. “Thank you, but why are you helping me? Aren't I the enemy?” Karin shook her head. “No, ryoka or not, you needed help. And every man in need deserves assistance.” Her face then softened as a thought came to her. “Besides, you remind me a lot of my husband who passed away a few years ago.”

Chad's eyes widened slightly. “I am very sorry for your loss.” She responded with a lazy wave. “Oh no, don't mention it. You need not apologize for what someone else did.” Before Chad could inquire further, Karin gave a final wave and left the room. He sighed again as he adjusted his head against the fluffy, clean pillows of the bed he was lying in. `I'm extremely fortunate that this woman just happened to come along when she did. Don't worry Ichigo, I will help you save Rukia after all.' And with that, he fell into a deep and restful slumber.

 

About two miles from the earlier tavern…

Kohaku growled loudly in frustration. “I can not believe we lost those ryoka!” Rankaku placed a comforting hand upon his older sister's shoulder. “Don't worry, sis. Not many others had better luck.” Naomi nodded. “Yeah, and they're the ones that ended up in the infirmary…or dead.” She unconsciously found herself mumbling the last part. But neither comment improved the enraged captain's mood. “But I have to make my first report today in a few hours. If I tell them that I lost not one ryoka, but two, I could get demoted! What will the other captains think!? What will Toshi-kun think?” She tried to mumble that last part, but realized that she'd said it out loud. Naomi rose and eyebrow. “Toshi-kun? You have a thing for Captain Hitsugaya?” Kohaku turned slightly red. “Well, I suppose you could say that.” Her tone clearly gave her away. Naomi giggled. “But he's so much younger than you.” Kohaku frowned. “So what? It's only a twenty year difference. That's nothing compared to human year differences. Besides, it's nowhere near as strange as your little thing for Captain Kurotsuchi. He's quiet a bit older than you, and he's scary.”

Naomi was now frowning as well. “Well, ya got me with the age thing, but he is NOT scary! He's the sexiest captain ever!” Rankaku sighed heavily. `Here they go again.' “Sexy!? Are you kidding me? He doesn't even have ears!” “Have you ever checked Hitsugaya's actual height? He's only 4'2”! He'd have to climb a ladder just to reach you.” “4'3”, thank you very much! And what about you!? Hanging around with Captain Kurotsuchi and you may wake up one day a monster!” As both sisters continued to trash talk the others' idol, Rankaku thought up an excuse to get them to stop. “Hey Naomi, didn't you say you were gonna hang out with Captain Ichimaru today?”

Immediately, the fighting ceased; Naomi's face lighting up. “Oh yeah! Now that we're officially bffs, he promised we could hang out today after his report.” Kohaku sighed. “You're such a playa.” Naomi frowned again. “Am not! We're just friends.” “Friends, a Love Story,” interrupted Rankaku. The three siblings proceeded to laugh at one of their many inside jokes.

Once they'd calmed down, Kohaku grew sad. “I hate to leave you guys, but I should probably get going. I need to write down what I'm going to say in my report. See ya!” She issued a half-hearted wave before dashing off towards their apartment-like home. She reached it minutes later. The door noiselessly slid open as she stepped into the cold main room. It reminded her of a bitter day so long ago. No one waiting; not a single soul. The day she and her siblings were orphaned.

They'd already lost their mother before that day from a terminal illness she'd tried to keep quiet about. And their father had been killed by a soul reaper. None of them had ever found out who or why. But instead of growing bitter towards soul reapers, the siblings embraced the chance of following in their father's footsteps.

Kohaku grabbed an old clipboard as her memories threatened to distract her completely from her task. A piece of paper was already attached and she'd conveniently left a pen in the top crevice of the clip. She scrawled down a fairly truthful account of what she'd done that day; making sure to avoid the loss of the ryoka. It took her longer than originally planned, so she rushed the end. She set down the pen and left the still-cold home with the clipboard in tow.

As she walked towards the First Division Office, the memories pushed back yet again. It was as though she could actually smell the pure air of the past. The sun was bright and it was just her and her siblings, training. They'd work their hardest every day, sometimes even to the point of exhaustion. But they knew they had to if they wanted to make it somewhere one day. Sometimes other kids would stumble upon their training sessions, but most would never ask to join. The three siblings had become fiercely powerful by then. But there were a few brave souls. One of them, happening to be Rika. That's how their friendship had started. Kohaku had been impressed to meet a match for once, even though it was odd for a Kuchiki to be seen around those parts. Also, Toshiro, Momo, and Izuru had happened across the sessions. Toshiro hadn't wanted to waste his time fighting, but the others had been more daring. Though they all never really grew extremely close those days, Kohaku never forgot them and the dream they shared; to become soul reapers. `How I miss those innocent days…'