Bleach Okunote: Chapter 2. Eventful Evening

Ace opened his eyes in shock, waking up from his sleep. Had it been that nightmare again? or had it been real,… and close by? Ace sat up in his bed and looked around, slowly taking in his room as his left hand reached for his deck of playing cards. As he took hold of it again, he heard the noise again; an echoing roaring howl. He slowly stood up and walked to his window, opening it a little, looking through the street. And there, to the right, it stood.

a massive bulky creature, dark brown and black in color, massive hands attached to long strong arms. In fact, this creature had four of those arms and two short legs, that dangled in the air as this beast stood on two of its arms. As for its head, it had a skull like appearance with messy yellow hair falling around it. and in the middle of its chest was a large hole. Just seeing such a monster again brought back terrible memories of not so long ago.

flashes went through Ace’s mind, his father, his mother, a long snake like monster, a flash of red, before everything turned black. Ace shook his head and pulled up his deck of cards, before he saw a figure in black. It wielded a katana and fought against the monster that was about five times the black figure’s size. It was dark outside, still night and not easy to see. But with all the noise that monster was making, Ace was surprised not more people had opened their windows to watch.

the monster swung its massive arm, smacking the black figure to the ground. But as the figure hit the ground, a ball of red energy shot out and hit the monster in the chest. Ace shook his head, closed his window and went outside. He thought himself crazy for going outside, but for some reason he wanted to see it better. He put on a jacket, keeping his playing cards close, in case he needed them. as he closed the door behind him, he quickly stepped onto the street, seeing the black figure blocking a barrage of punches and kicks from the monster with its sword.

the monster than lifted up one of the hands it stood on, cupped it into a fist, before starting to spin around, swinging three arms and two legs around and a flurry, knocking the blade aside before bashing the black figure through the street, causing it to land at Ace’s feet. And while it was dark, it was light enough for Ace to recognize her face. this was one of his new neighbors; Anna Shokki, that had come to live next to him last week. Ace knelt down next to her, ‘are you alright?’ Anna looked up in surprise, not understanding how this guy,… wait, it was her neighbor,… could see her.  she stood up and replied, ‘I’m fine, just a bit bruised.’

she turned back to the monster and raised her katana. Ace saw her stance, as well as how she held the sword, including the fact her hands were shaking. Ace shook his head slightly, thinking, “her stance is wrong and she’s holding the blade to tight.” As he saw her face, it was determined, but it also held a touch of fear. The monster stopped spinning and came hopping through the street walking on two of its large arms. Anna stepped in front of Ace, ‘take cover, I’ll handle this.’

Ace took a step back, feeling the energy in the air. From time to time he felt strange surges of energy in the air and this time was no different, except for the fact the energy surge was far higher than before. a hand was placed on his shoulder and as Ace looked he saw his other neighbor; Nora Nakamura. She smiled, ‘better let her do her job. Please don’t get in her way.’ She too was dressed in a black outfit similar to Anna’s and she had a katana on her hip.

Anna ran forward, blocked an incoming punch with her blade, before suddenly moving fast and slashing the monster’s head in two. As she landed, the monster started to vanish. She sheathed her sword and walked back, limping a little. As she reached Ace and Nora, she looked at Ace, ‘I think we need to talk kid.’ Ace nodded and gestured to his house, ‘okay, please come in.’

Anna wanted to protest, but Nora replied, ‘gladly.’ The three went inside and Ace noticed that, while Nora was blind, she seemed to perfectly know where everything was. Ace closed the door behind his guests and turned on the lights in the living room. Anna sat down and Nora knelt down by her, hovering her hands over the bruised places. A green light appeared from her hands and seemed to heal Anna’s bruises.

Ace sat down in front of them, ‘you wanted to talk. So, let’s talk.’ Anna nodded, ‘I want to know how you can see me and Nora as we are now? As well as how you can see hollows. You obviously saw that monster.’ Ace nodded, so that monster was called a hollow. And by the way she spoke, there were more than one out there. He cleared his throat, ‘well, I don’t know how I can see them. I guess, since a few years ago, when I was twelve, I started feeling these surges of energy in the air. One day I started to focus my entire being on that energy and suddenly a human seemed to appear,… but I could partially see through him and he had a chain on his chest. Lately I’ve been seeing some more of these,… ghosts?’

Nora shook her head, ‘those would be the souls of the deceased, the ones that haven’t moved on.’ Ace nodded, ‘okay. Well, after that, I also started to see black figures like you two women through the town I lived in. and I saw them fight vague forms. It’s only been since half a year ago that I started seeing what those vague forms were; those monsters. Hollows, as you called them.’ Anna nodded, ‘so, you have spirit energy of your own. that explains how you can see us.’ Ace nodded, ‘I guess. So it’s called spirit energy. one time, when I felt such a surge of energy, spirit energy, I tried mimicking that energy. and, as I held my deck of playing cards at that time, it seemed this energy flowed into my deck. Ever since then,… well, it’s been like a shield,… as I could hold of those hollows with my cards and their effects.’

Ace pulled up his deck and Nora nodded, ‘I wondered why you had a deck of cards with you.’ Ace nodded, a little surprised, ‘how is it that, as you’re blind, that you seem to know where everything is?’ Nora smiled, ‘well, I’m specialized at sensing spirit energy, as well as using my own as an echo. Through that, I can sense my surroundings as well as I could when seeing them.’ Anna nodded, ‘as for you calling us black figures,… we’re soul reapers. In short, we help souls pass over to the afterlife; the soul society. And we protect souls and humans from hollows by killing them.’

Ace nodded, ‘I see. So that’s why you two came here, to protect the people of Numazu.’ Anna nodded and Nora replied, ‘well, she did. I came along as healing support.’ Anna looked away, ‘I’m not that good at healing.’ Ace nodded and replied, without thinking, ‘nor at sword fighting.’ Anna looked straight at him, ‘What?!’ Ace realized he had said that out loud, ‘well,… I noticed it when you were fighting. You held your blade to tight, your footing was wrong, you swung your blade with too much force.’ Anna shook her head, ‘if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were saying that you, a human, are a better sword fighter than I am.’ Ace shrugged, ‘maybe I am.’

Anna stood up, fully healed, ‘prove it than!’ Ace stood up, ‘fine. Follow me to my dojo.’ He turned around, turned the lights in the room of and walked to the dojo attached to his house. Both women followed him and Ace took out two practice swords, tossing one to Anna. She caught it and took a fighting stance, the same one she had been in when she had fought the hollow. Ace took a lighter stance, took a good hold of his sword and said, ‘miss Nora, will you start the match for us?’

Nora tilted her head, ‘you don’t want to wear protective clothing?’ Ace shook his head, only infuriating Anna more. She might not be all that good a sword fighter compared to other soul reapers. But she remained a soul reaper. She would still be able to beat a human. Nora clapped her hands as a starting signal and Anna attacked. She swung her sword with force and as Ace blocked her, he was driven back. But as he parried her attacks, he did so quite easily.

as Anna came in for a full power swing, Ace took her attack, leaned back, stepped back with his left, turning his body, getting Anna out of balance, before swinging his blade to the right, hitting Anna’s stomach with his hilt, before hitting her there with his blade and knocking her to the ground. Nora cleared her throat, ‘winner, mister Okunote.’ Ace made a polite bow. Anna stood up, ‘again, you just got lucky this time.’ Ace shrugged, took his stance again and Nora clapped her hands again.

two more fights followed and in the end, all three fights ended in Ace’s victory and Anna being hit and knocked to the ground. After the third match, in which she had swung her weapon furiously, she fell to her knees, before crying, ‘I can’t even beat a human! Am I that weak?’ Nora walked to her, sat down with her and put an arm around her shoulders, ‘no you’re not weak.’ Anna looked up, ‘than what would you call being defeated by a human?’ Ace sat down in front of her, ‘I’d say, a lack of technique.’ Anna looked at him in anger, ‘I’ve practiced swordsmanship for the last six years. Sure I was never all that good at it, but still!’ Ace nodded, ‘and I’ve trained for the last twelve years.’

Anna looked down again, wiped her tears, ‘so what than; you’re clearly stronger than I am.’ Ace shook his head, ‘no I’m not. I tried to avoid clashing with you. you must have noticed that. our first two clashes in our first match told me enough; your strength far exceeds mine. So, how did I defeat you; with technique. I used sword techniques to parry your attacks without expending to much strength. When I countered, I never swung my weapon at full strength. I only did that when I knew the attack would win me the fight. And still, even at full strength, I used technique, not brute force, like you did.’

Anna sighed, ‘well this will be a good story for back home; Anna was beaten in sword fighting by a human. Like I wasn’t the laughing stock of my squad before!’ Nora shook her head, ‘I won’t tell anyone. And so long as you don’t, no one will know. And mister Okunote here is still alive.’ Ace nodded, ‘see, no one in your squad will know.’ Anna nodded, ‘that’s good at least.’ Ace nodded, stood up and replied, ‘how about some tea. After training, I always feel better when I have a cup of tea.’ Nora smiled, ‘that sounds like an excellent idea.’

Anna nodded and the three went into Ace’s kitchen, where he put on a fresh pot of tea for the three of them. however, when they were about to start drinking, another howl could be heard and Ace felt a surge of energy again; spirit energy. all three of them stood up at the same time and looked toward the street. Anna ran outside, before drawing her weapon. Ace and Nora followed her, while Nora kept standing in front of Ace to protect him, with her hand on the hilt of her katana. Ace had picked up his deck before running outside.

the hollow this time was not big and bulky, like the other one. This one looked like a centaur with a big belly and its skull like head looked like an old helmet. Its right hand was a blade and its left hand was a whip. Ace shook his head, ‘this one is stronger than the last!’ Nora nodded, ‘I might need to help Anna with this one, please stay here.’ Ace didn’t nod or shake his head as Nora left and drew her blade. Anna was glad to see that she had some help.

the hollow cam charging at both women, licking its teeth, before lashing out with its whip, catching Anna and pulling her of the street before smacking her down. Nora quickly cut off the whip, but the hollow re-grew it quickly. As it reached them, it brought down its blade, pinning Anna down, who blocked it with her blade. And the hollow used its whip arm  to bind Nora’s arms, before rearing up, knocking both women down with its front legs, before stepping on them.

as both screamed in pain, Ace moved! He wouldn’t stand there and see how they were killed. He held up his deck and drew a card, drawing the ten of clubs. He send spirit energy into the cord and swung it at the hollow. Vines and ropes of spirit energy appeared; ten vines and ropes, binding the arms, legs and body of the hollow, who staggered and tried to get free. Ace drew his next card; five of clubs. He channeled his spirit energy into the card and swung it at the hollow; sending out five spiritual spades, piercing the four legs of the hollow, as well as its whip arm.

the hollow looked back, before speaking in an echoing voice, ‘ooh, a human with spirit energy, delicious! I’ll have you as an appetizer before eating these two ladies!’ Ace frowned, drew his next card, channeled his spirit energy into it before swinging it, sending out six spiritual diamonds, piercing the hollow’s upper body, before drawing his next card, repeating his action with the four of hearts, sending out four blows to the heart, causing the mask to crack four times.

Anna jumped it from behind, as it had turned toward Ace, not noticing her and Nora. Anna split its head in two with one swing from her blade. And just like the hollow before, it vanished. Ace put his cards back and shuffled his deck, before putting his deck in his pocket. Anna came toward him, ‘that hollow could have killed you!’ Ace frowned, ‘oh yeah? Well to me it seemed like it was about to kill the two of you!’ Anna sighed, before Nora replied, ‘thanks for your help Ace. Where we soul reapers usually protect humans, this time you protected us.’

Ace shook his head, ‘nah. The way I see it, I stopped it from crushing you and you killed it, thus saving me from being killed. So we’re even. Now, with this fight done, I think our tea will have cooled down enough to drink.’ He walked back inside and Anna and Nora followed him. this had been one eventful evening.