Heroes

Chapter Fourteen

I headed back to the house, where I was greeted upon entry by Isshin. Well, I don’t know if you call it a greeting, exactly; it was more along the lines of he bombarded me with questions the moment I opened the door.

“How did it go? Who were those people again? Did you know them? What did they want? Are you okay? Are they coming around again? Where are they now?”

I put a hand up, silencing him. “I’m fine, they were my friends back from America; they somehow found me and wanted to make sure the three of us were okay, they’re heading back to their hotel now, and no, they shouldn’t be back anytime soon, if at all. Sorry to inconvenience you.”

Isshin’s face lit up. “Oh, you’d never inconvenience me, my darling daughter!”

I cringed as his arms went around me in a tight, fatherly hug. I was never one for hugs. I was claustrophobic, so I liked my elbow room. But he was too dense to notice my sudden discomfort. Eventua

lly (thank GOD) he let me go, and I gave him a quick smile and wave before I rushed up to the bedroom. Babs was still sitting in the corner, listening to music, but now she was reading, too. She was reading Vampire Knight: Volume One. I squealed a bit.

She, just noticing me, looked up and made a face that screamed are you retarted? I just smiled. I was finally getting her to read manga! It was dumb, but it made me extremely happy.

She just went back to ignoring me and kept reading. I decided I wouldn’t bother her (so she wouldn’t stop reading) and I went to the bed, where I flopped down and continued my book where I left off.

The grizzled, gray old parkhand could never know how much Maniac was tempted….

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dinner was over; everyone was getting ready for bed. Kurosaki had already taken his shower, and the twins were next. I had taken mine earlier today, so I was okay. Tara was going after the twins, and Babs after her. Isshin was last because he was disgusting, so he was going to wash up, then wash up the bathroom from all his stink.

I was peacefully resting in my room, almost asleep in my tee and jeans from the day when I heard a howl.

I shuddered. I knew that howl oh so well:

a Hollow was near.

I jumped off the bed and rushed to Kurosaki’s room. As soon as I opened the door, I heard Rukia shout:

“HERE…AND NOW!!” She pushed Ichigo out of his human body and there was the new Ichigo.

Soul Reaper Ichigo.

The fight began.

Ichigo slashed at the Hollow’s head, but the cut was way too shallow. Not enough force, I thought. Rukia was pretty much repeating what I was thinking.

I rushed into the room and jerked Rukia out of Ichigo’s way. She looked at me, stunned.

“Wh…what the hell?!?!” she shrieked. “What’s a human doing in here?”

I smirked, pushing past her. “I just so happen to live here, thank you very much.” I walked up to the Hollow, examining him.

Yup; it’s him.

I recognized the Hollow from his body, nasty and serpent-like. From his mask, looking like a smiling man with white, hollowed-out eyes. And from his hair, dark as pitch and flowing beautifully.