Past actions, current consequences
Unbeautiful attitude
Lavender eyes scanned the scenery of the 70th northern Rukongai district, before a forlorn sigh escaped the lips of the flamboyant member of the 11th. Nothing had changed since he left. The same small houses, the same people walking around in near rags, no sandals. He slowly began making his way towards the old house where he and Ikkaku had left Aki, all the while his eyes subconsciously searching the people he passed. Then a fear struck him like a brick wall: What if Aki was no longer alive?
He shook his head, fiercely and forced the thought from his mind, no. She was alive. She had to be. Aki wasn’t as into fighting as he and Ikkaku, but she was far from a push over. If she needed to, she could fight… and she’d win every time.
Then a scent filled his nostrils that he hadn’t been expecting, almost causing him to gag on the stench. His eyes grew wide, ‘a hollow!’
A young child a few blocks over screamed. There was no mistaking that sound in his mind, it was a terror scream.
‘I’m still a shinigami,’ He reminded himself as he flash stepped off towards the sound.
A group of children, all roughly around their 80’s were in the path of what was undoubtedly a hollow. It’s eight legs, arachnoid shaped torso, mask, front pinchers, and the stringer attached to its tail gave Yumichika all the information he needed. This hollow had taken the shape of a scorpion, and likely possessed a poisoning technique.
“Run!” The violet-raven haired girl screamed, seeming to finally find her voice.
“Just run. Don’t look back, run!” the same girl hollered.
Her friends scattered off in different directions and began running.
“We’ll get your Mom, Kiyomi!” A blonde haired girl called to her as she ran.
The girl, Yumichika now knew to be ‘Kiyomi’, had picked up a metal pole that had been laying around and swung it at the hollow. The hollow caught the pole in its pincher, the metal rod bending in its grip. Kiyomi still did not let go, and Yumichika gasped when he caught a better glimpse of the girl.
His eyes steeled as he resolved to himself, ‘if I have to use it… then so be it. I’m sure I can convince her to keep a secret.’
He flash stepped over to the girl, “let go of it.”
Kiyomi looked to Yumichika, “took ya long enough to move your butt! Why not take a picture, it lasts longer?”
Yumichika blinked, ‘there’s no way she could have seen me from where I was… can she detect spiritual pressure?’
The girl was still wrestling to get the pole back from the hollow, though it was now a mangled mess and wouldn’t be useful for much more than a projectile.
Yumichika scowled with realisation, ‘she isn’t going to listen to me.’
He drew his Zanpakuto and running his hand along the blade called out, “Bloom, Fuji Kujaku.”
The blade glowed white before separating into four sickle shaped blades.
He flash stepped, slicing off the hollow’s stinger when it got close to the girl, then brought his blades down upon the hollow’s mask. The girl watched as the hollow faded away.
“hmph,” she remarked, tossing away what could now only be described as scrap metal.
“Your friend mentioned something about your mother. I’ll walk you home,” Yumichika stated.
“Don’t trip yourself up worrying about it,” Kiyomi replied.
Yumichika scowled, “you know, your attitude is very unbeautiful.”
“Yeah? So was my father’s. Never met the man, never want to. Guess you could say I’m Daddy’s girl without even knowing the guy… anyways, I didn’t need your help. I’ve beaten those things before,” Kiyomi replied before she ran off.
Yumichika was quick to flash step in front of her calmly scolding, “You didn’t have a very good handle on the situation from what I could see. I’m a shinigami. I’m sworn to kill hollows. You’re not. Show a little gratitude and respect.”
Kiyomi blinked, ‘geez, this guys’ almost like mom when he’s ticked off about something.’
Yumichika quietly followed the girl for a moment before curiousity took him, “I’m Yumichika Ayasegawa, what’s your name?”
Kiyomi rolled her eyes, “Kiyomi . You’ve already been usin’ my name.”
Yumichika considered this before rephrasing the question, “What is your clan name?”
“Not a donkey’s butt of your business,” Kiyomi replied before running off.
Yumichika blinked a bit as he watched her rapid movements and then his eyes grew wide. No, she wasn’t running. She was flash stepping. It was a flash step that wouldn’t be seen by anyone stronger than maybe a tenth seat rank in most squads, but she was flash stepping away from him.
‘Well, two can play at this game,’ Yumichika thought before breaking into a slowed flash step to keep distance between them as he followed her.