Looking At The Ripples

[Luhy]

Keigo: Ichiiiiigoooo! Where were you all this time!? Do you know how much school you missed? Do you know how worried you made everyone? Your sisters were worried sick!
Mizuiro: *non-chalantly shoving an apple into Keigos mouth* Enough Asano-san...
Ichigo: Sorry I made you guys worry, but we're here to stay this time ok?
Keigo: *biting the apple and tossing it aside* We?! So you Chad, Ishida, Inoue, Rukia all left together? And you didn't invite me? I'm hurt Kurosaki! I'm hurt! *grabbing his chest and falling to his knees as he topples over in front of Ichigo*
Ichigo: *stepping over him* Don't worry, you didn't wanna come
Mizuiro: You know, we all saw you going into that weird portal in Urahara-sans shop
Ichigo: *opening his eyes wide as he freezes, standing over Keigo* We ALL?

*It's another wonderful sunny day in Karakura town... It's been several days since the war in Heuco Mundo has ended... And it's about time everyone goes back to their everyday lives~ Chad and Ishida are still recovering from their battles, Rukia is being forced to rest in Byakuyas residence, being fed soup by his underlings and watched at all times, and Inoue should be arriving any minute... Kon was devastated to learn that Rukia was hurt, and places all the blame on Ichigo~ Nel sacrificed herself in the war, saving Ichigo from Aizen, so he's still not himself yet...*

Keigo: Tatsuki-chan, Mizuiro-kun, and me!
Ichigo: *looking down under his legs at Keigo* Uhm...
Mizuiro: What exactly were you doing Ichigo? You know you can tell your friends don't you?

*the walls of the hallway begin to shake, the garbage pails topple over, and the windows shake violently~ a stampede? or maybe... a hollow? a cloud of smoke builds as it gets closer, Ichigo unable to sense what it is*

Chizuru: Orihime-chan! My lovely! *stampeding through the hallway*
Ichigo: *toppling over, one leg in the air as he falls back* Wh-aaaah~
Keigo: *covering his face as he looks up in terror as his fellow student is about to crush him* Ichigoooo!
Mizuiro: (I wonder how she could sense Inoue even before Ichigo...) Keigo, leave Ichigo alone~
Keigo: *rolling out from underneath Ichigo* How mean! Leave Ichigo alone! He fell on me! *suddenly quiting himself down as he sees Ichigo staring blankly out the window*

Chizuru: *wrapping her arms around Inoue, pressing herself against her tight* Where have you been Orihime-chan!? I was so scared, I thought maybe you left me for one of those terrible boys! or worse, that big-boobed blonde woman that visited with the bald guy and the elementary school student! I'm so glad you're back! *nuzzling into Inoue*
Inoue: Uh... haaah! *the air almost knocked out of her from the impact and squishing* Chizuru-kun...
Tatsuki: *running in with a karate kick as she flies with Chizuru into the garbage cans* That's not how you greet someone!
Inoue: *smiling, realizing how everything is finally back to normal* I missed you Tatsuki-chan... *holding her hands together*
Tatsuki: How could you leave without saying goodbye Inoue?... I looked everywhere for-
Chizuru: *pouncing Tatsuki and roaring evilly* How dare you interrupt my reunion with my lady!? Do you know how worried -I- was!?
Tatsuki: *wrestles with Chizuru, arguing with her as they make a huge cloud of smoke*

*Ichigo and the boys make their way down the hall, Inoue and Ichigo re-uniting and catching up with their classmates... still hiding the truth... both of them basically saying they just can't talk about it... Ichigo sees the same fire in Tatsukis eyes from she punched him in every one of them... friends... since becoming a shinigami, he learned a lot about friendship... Rukia once told him, "Why can't you believe in your friends Ichigo?" when Rukia and Renji first arrived in Heuco Mundo, rescuing them from... should he confide in them... possibly burdening them with such information? they all go throughout their day... Ichigo and Inoue getting loaded with homework and reports, plenty to bring home for Chad and Ishida as well...*

Tatsuki: So you're still keeping it to yourself are you? *she sneers, sitting on top of an archway with one leg hanging off and her forearm across her knee*
Ichigo: *stopping short as he looks down at the floor, not turning around* Tatsuki... are you sure this is something you wanna know?
Tatsuki: *leaping down, standing face-to-face with Ichigo* Tell me Kurosaki

*Ichigo explains everything... about how they went to the Soul Society to stop Rukias execution... about how Inoue was kidnapped by Ulquiorra for Aizen... about the Kings Key, everything...*

Tatsuki: I knew there was more to it... *her voice lowers as she looks down at the ground* Let me walk you home
Ichigo: I would have said something sooner... but it wasn't something you should hear...
Tatsuki: *stopping him and standing in front of him* What gives you the right to decide what I should and shouldn't hear Kurosaki? Do you want to know something?... I-... *she freezes, her eyes wide as she feels her heart drop*
Ichigo: *standing there in awe* (Did Tatsuki just... Flash-step?...)

*Inoue is frozen with fear... didn't we get them all!? didn't the captains and her friends kill all the Arrancar?... her heart races as she trembles, motionless as she just watches in awe as a portal opens... a familiar character taking his time as he sneaks though, nearly falling over as he awkwardly stumbles into the real world*

Wonderweiss: Ooou-wau... *staring at Inoue... knowing that this is the girl who was with the ones that destroyed her family... she weakened her father, letting everyone kill him...*
Inoue: You're Wonderwiess Margera aren't you?...
Wonderweiss: Won...daar...wiiiize... *his eyes fixate on Inoue before smiling at her*
Inoue: You're not such a bad guy are you Wonderweiss? *smiling back at him, still unsure but slightly trusting of his non-threating appearance*
Wonderweiss: *reaching for his Zanpakutou* Wonder...weiss...
Tatsuki: *appearing at Wonderweiss' side in a full shinigami uniform, clashing her Zanpakutou into his, preventing him from releasing* Inoue! Are you ok?! *her eyes stuck on the puzzled face of the Arrancar*
Wonderweiss: *letting his Zanpakutou go as it slides back into it's sheath* Ahhh~ *Sonido'ing behind her as he uses Bala, his speed, even though only playing, far too much for Tatsuki as it sends her tumbling*
Inoue: Tatsuki-chan! *running to her side*

*far off, Ichigo finally senses the two of them and starts running... he lost his shinigami powers in his battle with Aizen by allowing his Hollow to consume him entirely... running as fast as he can*

Wonderweiss: Uahaah *flailing his arm randomly as he begins building a Cero*
Tatsuki: *feeling the tremendous reiatsu building, she Flash-steps to her enemy, dragging her Zanpakutou up his arm as she scrapes his skin, droplets of blood forming against the exterior of his weak stone-skin*
Wonderweiss: *losing the Cero he was forming, touches his arm, examining the blood* Nnnng...
Tatsuki: What's wrong with this guy Inoue?... He's like a baby! *cautious about her next move* (I wonder if I even should attack... he was going to attack Inoue... besides, he's a hollow!) *she strikes again, stabbing her Zanpakutou halfway through the beasts body as blood pours out with the release of her blade*
Wonderweiss: Bluu...oo...blooood... *he talks to himself as he continues to inspect the damage done to him, paying no attention to Tatsuki*
Inoue: Tatsuki-chan! stop!
Tatsuki: *holding her Zanpakutou readily as her head turns to Inoue* But he's a Hollow!
Wonderweiss: *looking over an Inoue and making the connection that Tatsuki is a bad guy... she's with the ryoka that killed her family...* Bloooood! *he releases his large purple Claymore from his back, holding it with two hands as he bites on his tongue and squints one of his eyes, his Claymore bigger than his body as his crown extends, forming a mask over his face and hollow skin appearing on his arms and legs in a spiral pattern* Blood! *he flies at Tatsuki upside-down, swinging his massive Claymore with the littlest of effort*

*Ichigo catches up to Inoue, pulling her away from the fight scene and holding her close behind a bench as they watch in awe as their friend somehow has Shinigami powers...*

Tatsuki: Aaaah! *she blocks the swing her Zanpakutou using one hand on the flat side of the blade, and one hand holding the hilt, her sword cracking and her hand bleeding as shes pounded onto her back from the single attack*
Wonderweiss: *continuing to fly, ignoring Tatsuki as he sees the orange devil* Ish...iguuu!... *flying faster as he flies at Ichigo, charging a Grand Cero with his mouth as he rears back his blade for a swing*
Ichigo: Inoue run! *helping her up and nudging her to run in one direction as he starts to lead the Arrancar into the opposite direction, trying to sacrifice himself so the Cero can't hit her*

*a flash of red... time slows down... Inoue can feel Tatsukis heart thumping as the lock eyes, Tatsuki unable to move... Ichigo is leading Wonderweiss away to save her... just like he always does... she needs to be the one to save him this time!*

Inoue: Tsubaki! Koten Zanshun! *time is still... the only thing moving is Wonderweiss, but hardly moving a centimeter a second, his arms are moving a bit faster as he's about to be in range to strike at Ichigo, his Cero is also starting to leave his mouth... Tsubaki flies right through Wonderwiess' chest, sending his body flipping through the air as he crashes into a building, his Cero dissipating into the atmosphere as his Claymore flips through the air back to earth, crashing into the ground as it stands straight up, cut into the earth before it fades...* (Wonderweiss must be dead... good!...) *her heart stops for a moment* (I'm terrible! I'm glad that he's dead... I'm so terrible...)
Wonderweiss: *Sonido'ing behind Inoue, a bloody mess, his torso torn to pieces and his entire lower half consumed with blood as he grabs her neck with one hand and starts to form another Cero in his mouth* Aaaah~
Ichigo: Inoue!!! *he runs as fast as he can, he's just too far away from her to get to her before the Cero will go off* Inouuueeeee!
Inoue: *gasping as her face is splattered with blood* Ahh..hh.. *Wonderweiss Margeras head falls off his body, his hand still tightly around her neck before his entire self disappears*
Tatsuki: You'll never... get rid of me Inoue... *stumbling back, falling as Ichigo catches her*
Inoue: *her eyes wide in wonderment* Tatsuki-chan...

*Inoue heals them both slowly, Ichigo from being thrown from the impact of Wonderweiss crashing into the building ahead of him, Tatsuki from defending against his vicious Claymore attack... Tatsuki wakes up back in Inoues house as she sets down some tea on her nightstand for her...*

Inoue: Kurosaki-kun told me Urahara-san said that you insisted he train you... why?
Tatsuki: *looking at the ripples in the tea as its set down, wiggling her toes under Inoues blanket as she looks up at her, smiling* When Ichigo and the others left to Heuco Mundo... I told Mizuiro and Keigo I was going home... Instead I waited for them to leave and went back in... It took a while, but I conviced him to train me... I nearly died getting my powers, but I needed a way to protect you... I almost destroyed his shop when I finally was able to turn into a Shinigami and he wouldn't let me go after you... *grinning a bit*
Inoue: Oh Tatsuki-chan... *she rests her head on her friends chest, embracing her tightly*

*Tatsuki smiles and closes her eyes, her head and arms wrapped in bandages as she places her hand on Inoues head, leaning her head back... everything is back to normal... as normal as things can be when your friends saved the world... as normal as things can be after you just had a near-death experience... but wiggling her toes under Inoue's blankets with her holding her tight, Tatsuki Arisawa couldn't have wished for a better end to this day*