Mystydjinn
[Insert rimshot]
Shing! Shing! Ka-chak.
Sang the black blade as it flew through the air, slicing through tennis balls from the practice machine.
The young shinigami exhaled heavily, sweat beading on his brow, trickling down his face twisted in concentration; then turned towards a large arrangement of sandbags. The sweaty sword-mage concentrated his energies, and outstretched his hand to his target.
The boy slowly spoke the words to the kidou carefully, as so not to stumble over the words, “Slice open the gaps to Heaven's gateway. Draw the hidden blade.” he inhaled, “Hadou number nine, Kamaitachi!”
And then Hikaru seemed small compared to the raging winds blowing past him, slicing at the leather bags like so many swords, and turning them to shreds of fabric blowing away the dust.
When they finished their rampage, he slumped to the ground supporting himself on the blade of his sword. He sat there trying to catch his breath, his chest heaving feeling the beat of his own heart and watching the long shadows on the wall as the night grew longer.
Slowly the shinigami stood up, and stared at the remains of the makeshift wall in front of him. He added up the weight, “20, 40, 60, 80... 100, that’s 100 pounds.”
Proud of his progress, the warrior stretched and hefted his zanpakutou onto his shoulders,
“Hmph, not bad. That's twice more than yesterday,” The young shinigami walked towards the exit picking up his bag that he had left by the door. “So I think I’ll treat myself with a pillow, and a good night’s rest.”
Hikaru left the building and walked down the street quietly, while whistling to himself. Then he stopped, “Hello? Who’s there?” The edgy warrior felt uneasy, as if someone was following him, so he pulled out his shadowy zanpakutou in defense and looked around, eyes watching silently for movement. He took a deep breath, channeled his kidou, and whispered, “Give vision life, make the intangibles tangible. Bakudou number five, Mage Eye.” and with these words, the world instantly filled with small blue lights. Including, one extraordinarily bright one right in front of him, “I see you.” Hikaru sang, and readied his glistening blade to strike. Then he heard a voice call out to him.
“Wait,” the voice called out, a girl’s by the sound. “Darn it Hikaru, I was gonna surprise you. But of course you overreacted.” the mysterious voice said.
“What?” the confused Shinigami asked in disbelief, as a slender female figure walked towards him, “Choko? How did you-?”
“I got chased by some weird creature with a mask and ran, wishing you would show up and get rid of it, like you did last time.” she explained, walking towards him, her raven black bangs swishing slightly across her face, and a small red bow in her hair. She was wearing a sheer light blue shirt, and spaghetti strap underneath, ripped and faded blue jeans, and purple sneakers.
Choko remembered that, but how, I made sure to wipe her..., Hikaru thought.
“And then there was this weird warm feeling,” She hugged her arms close to her body, “and next thing I know I’m here.” The short-haired girl let her arms drop to her sides, making her thin sleeves drop to her shoulders as well. “By the way, where did you get that sword and what were you doing with it?”
The poor flabbergasted warrior attempted to regain what little composure that he had left, “Training.”
“For what, exactly might I ask?” she asked innocently.
“Nothing, c’mon I gotta get you out of here, before we’re discovered.” Hikaru hastily replied, pulling the confused girl after him through the streets.
“Wait, where are we going?” she asked trying to keep up with him, “And what’s going on?”
“You shouldn't be here. I don't even know how it’s possible that you are here, but it’s not safe for you. So I have to hide you somewhere.” Hikaru thought frantically, Aww man the Captains are going to kill me! But then again, that's only if they find her. a small part of his mind whispered.
Before he had the chance to argue with himself, Choko suddenly yanked her arm away, planted her feet firmly, and glared at him, her hands on her hips. “I’m not taking one step until you tell me what going on here now! Hikaru Miyazaki” she shouted, and the shinigami could tell from the look on her face she wasn’t going anywhere without answers, “Don’t stand there looking stupid, tell me what’s going on. Now.”
Hikaru looked around, sighed, and pulled her into an alleyway behind an abandoned trashcan, “Okay fine you win. I’ll tell you everything.” Hikaru said, in hushed tones, then took a deep breath and said, “I’m a death god, and you’re in the city of Seireitei, the capital of the spirit world where I live. Humans aren’t supposed to be here in fact, most shinigami don’t like humans much, and they’ll probably, no they will kill you if they find you, and realize who and what you are. So I have to find somewhere to hide you and get you a disguise so you aren’t discovered.” The warrior exhaled when he finished, then asked, “So do you understand why I’m acting crazy?”
She nodded, and stood up brushing herself off, “Okay well, let’s get to your house then.” She walked out of the alley behind the cautious warrior, a thoughtful look on her face, “So this is a spirit world right?”
“Yes,” Hikaru replied.
“So then does that mean you’re dead?” she asked.
“Umm,” The shinigami paused, “I’m not really sure. I remember dying, and the fear, and then the shinigami who helped me cross over, but I don’t remember much else. So I’m not sure if I’m dead in the sense that you mean.” He shrugged, “why do you ask?”
“Oh, I was curious to see if shinigami melted in the rain like witches.” the girl said simply.
“What?” Hikaru looked up towards the sky and saw what she meant. And rain began pouring down on the world, and eventually the two of them were drenched.
“Well, you didn’t melt so I guess that’s a good sign.” Choko giggled, “I guess that old saying is true.”
“What?” the boy scowled, and pushed his limp hair out of his eyes to see.
“When it rains it pours.” She laughed.
Hikaru’s glare softened a bit, then gradually turned into a smile. “It pours, huh?”The dripping shinigami laughed, softly at first. Then loudly in spite of himself, and the girl joined in beside him, clutching her sides. When the silly and strange looking couple stopped laughing, they were both out of breath leaning on each other for support. It felt good to laugh with such at the end of such a strange day.
“Well, we better get to my house.” Hikaru said, wiping tears out his eyes.
“Yea, I guess you’re right. AHCHOO!” she sneezed loudly.
“Yeah we better get you out of this rain.” Hikaru said, “Here, take this.” The young man pulled off the top half of his shihakushō , and put it on her shoulders, which the shivering girl gratefully pulled around her small frame.
“Hmm, I guess chivalry isn’t dead.” The Choko smiled, “thanks Hikaru.” She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and climbed on his back, “Now, onward mule!” she cried.
The warrior blushed slightly, and then bent under the sudden weight, “Still bossy as ever, huh? Come on, t’s get you in bed.” He grunted.
The two of them eventually made it into his apartment and Hikaru laid the sleeping girl into his bed and pulled the sheets over her, then grabbed a clean pillow and blanket and went to sleep on the couch in his living room.
“Good night Choko, sweet dreams.” And with that, our weary hero fell fast asleep, with the notions of tomorrow’s problems on his mind.
The next day...
:Yufi:
Sang the black blade as it flew through the air, slicing through tennis balls from the practice machine.
The young shinigami exhaled heavily, sweat beading on his brow, trickling down his face twisted in concentration; then turned towards a large arrangement of sandbags. The sweaty sword-mage concentrated his energies, and outstretched his hand to his target.
The boy slowly spoke the words to the kidou carefully, as so not to stumble over the words, “Slice open the gaps to Heaven's gateway. Draw the hidden blade.” he inhaled, “Hadou number nine, Kamaitachi!”
And then Hikaru seemed small compared to the raging winds blowing past him, slicing at the leather bags like so many swords, and turning them to shreds of fabric blowing away the dust.
When they finished their rampage, he slumped to the ground supporting himself on the blade of his sword. He sat there trying to catch his breath, his chest heaving feeling the beat of his own heart and watching the long shadows on the wall as the night grew longer.
Slowly the shinigami stood up, and stared at the remains of the makeshift wall in front of him. He added up the weight, “20, 40, 60, 80... 100, that’s 100 pounds.”
Proud of his progress, the warrior stretched and hefted his zanpakutou onto his shoulders,
“Hmph, not bad. That's twice more than yesterday,” The young shinigami walked towards the exit picking up his bag that he had left by the door. “So I think I’ll treat myself with a pillow, and a good night’s rest.”
Hikaru left the building and walked down the street quietly, while whistling to himself. Then he stopped, “Hello? Who’s there?” The edgy warrior felt uneasy, as if someone was following him, so he pulled out his shadowy zanpakutou in defense and looked around, eyes watching silently for movement. He took a deep breath, channeled his kidou, and whispered, “Give vision life, make the intangibles tangible. Bakudou number five, Mage Eye.” and with these words, the world instantly filled with small blue lights. Including, one extraordinarily bright one right in front of him, “I see you.” Hikaru sang, and readied his glistening blade to strike. Then he heard a voice call out to him.
“Wait,” the voice called out, a girl’s by the sound. “Darn it Hikaru, I was gonna surprise you. But of course you overreacted.” the mysterious voice said.
“What?” the confused Shinigami asked in disbelief, as a slender female figure walked towards him, “Choko? How did you-?”
“I got chased by some weird creature with a mask and ran, wishing you would show up and get rid of it, like you did last time.” she explained, walking towards him, her raven black bangs swishing slightly across her face, and a small red bow in her hair. She was wearing a sheer light blue shirt, and spaghetti strap underneath, ripped and faded blue jeans, and purple sneakers.
Choko remembered that, but how, I made sure to wipe her..., Hikaru thought.
“And then there was this weird warm feeling,” She hugged her arms close to her body, “and next thing I know I’m here.” The short-haired girl let her arms drop to her sides, making her thin sleeves drop to her shoulders as well. “By the way, where did you get that sword and what were you doing with it?”
The poor flabbergasted warrior attempted to regain what little composure that he had left, “Training.”
“For what, exactly might I ask?” she asked innocently.
“Nothing, c’mon I gotta get you out of here, before we’re discovered.” Hikaru hastily replied, pulling the confused girl after him through the streets.
“Wait, where are we going?” she asked trying to keep up with him, “And what’s going on?”
“You shouldn't be here. I don't even know how it’s possible that you are here, but it’s not safe for you. So I have to hide you somewhere.” Hikaru thought frantically, Aww man the Captains are going to kill me! But then again, that's only if they find her. a small part of his mind whispered.
Before he had the chance to argue with himself, Choko suddenly yanked her arm away, planted her feet firmly, and glared at him, her hands on her hips. “I’m not taking one step until you tell me what going on here now! Hikaru Miyazaki” she shouted, and the shinigami could tell from the look on her face she wasn’t going anywhere without answers, “Don’t stand there looking stupid, tell me what’s going on. Now.”
Hikaru looked around, sighed, and pulled her into an alleyway behind an abandoned trashcan, “Okay fine you win. I’ll tell you everything.” Hikaru said, in hushed tones, then took a deep breath and said, “I’m a death god, and you’re in the city of Seireitei, the capital of the spirit world where I live. Humans aren’t supposed to be here in fact, most shinigami don’t like humans much, and they’ll probably, no they will kill you if they find you, and realize who and what you are. So I have to find somewhere to hide you and get you a disguise so you aren’t discovered.” The warrior exhaled when he finished, then asked, “So do you understand why I’m acting crazy?”
She nodded, and stood up brushing herself off, “Okay well, let’s get to your house then.” She walked out of the alley behind the cautious warrior, a thoughtful look on her face, “So this is a spirit world right?”
“Yes,” Hikaru replied.
“So then does that mean you’re dead?” she asked.
“Umm,” The shinigami paused, “I’m not really sure. I remember dying, and the fear, and then the shinigami who helped me cross over, but I don’t remember much else. So I’m not sure if I’m dead in the sense that you mean.” He shrugged, “why do you ask?”
“Oh, I was curious to see if shinigami melted in the rain like witches.” the girl said simply.
“What?” Hikaru looked up towards the sky and saw what she meant. And rain began pouring down on the world, and eventually the two of them were drenched.
“Well, you didn’t melt so I guess that’s a good sign.” Choko giggled, “I guess that old saying is true.”
“What?” the boy scowled, and pushed his limp hair out of his eyes to see.
“When it rains it pours.” She laughed.
Hikaru’s glare softened a bit, then gradually turned into a smile. “It pours, huh?”The dripping shinigami laughed, softly at first. Then loudly in spite of himself, and the girl joined in beside him, clutching her sides. When the silly and strange looking couple stopped laughing, they were both out of breath leaning on each other for support. It felt good to laugh with such at the end of such a strange day.
“Well, we better get to my house.” Hikaru said, wiping tears out his eyes.
“Yea, I guess you’re right. AHCHOO!” she sneezed loudly.
“Yeah we better get you out of this rain.” Hikaru said, “Here, take this.” The young man pulled off the top half of his shihakushō , and put it on her shoulders, which the shivering girl gratefully pulled around her small frame.
“Hmm, I guess chivalry isn’t dead.” The Choko smiled, “thanks Hikaru.” She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and climbed on his back, “Now, onward mule!” she cried.
The warrior blushed slightly, and then bent under the sudden weight, “Still bossy as ever, huh? Come on, t’s get you in bed.” He grunted.
The two of them eventually made it into his apartment and Hikaru laid the sleeping girl into his bed and pulled the sheets over her, then grabbed a clean pillow and blanket and went to sleep on the couch in his living room.
“Good night Choko, sweet dreams.” And with that, our weary hero fell fast asleep, with the notions of tomorrow’s problems on his mind.
The next day...
:Yufi: