Bleach Shadow Redux

The Seireitei

Akari, Ikkaku and Yumichika walked out of the cave. Akari smiled and stretched her arms in the air, feeling the sun's warmth as it shined down. It had been so long since she's seen it. Akari looked behind to see Ikkaku, who was still supporting Yumichika as he helped him walk as he was still weakened from having his spiritual pressure drained. "Hey, pick up the pace, slowpoke!"

"Who's fault is that!?" Yumichika retorted. Akari blinked before she smiled and walked back over to the two soul reapers.

"Need a pick me up?" She leaned in closer to Yumichika to place her lips against his, but he pulled back.

"Stop doing that!"

"I promise it's no trick this time." She told him. "You want your energy back don't you?"

Ikkaku and Yumichika blinked at her confused. "Wait, so you're saying that you can take away or give spiritual energy back by pressing your mouth against someone else's?" Akari nodded.

"Yes, to all of those, by choice. I guess you can say it's like the kiss of life or death, if you will."

"Fine. Just do it quickly." Yumichika replied, wanting to get it over with. Akari stepped closer to him and pressed her lips against his, while Ikkaku watched, quietly, making sure she was telling the truth. Yumichika felt a sudden rush as he felt his energy returned back into his body and a little stronger as well. He felt his blood flowing faster through his body from the sudden adrenaline rush. Akari pulled away from him.

"That should do it. And I gave you a little bit of mine as a kick start. Now let's hop to it!" She smiled. The three soul reapers flash stepped through the trees hopping on the branches as they headed back to the Seireitei. As expected, Yumichika was moving faster than Ikkaku, keeping up with Akari.

"Looks like you were true to your word again. This is amazing!" Yumichika cried out.

"Thank you both for trusting me." Akari told them.

"But do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Ikkaku asked her.

"Go ahead."

"The more I see it the more you appear to be like a hollow than a soul reaper. You taking spiritual pressure like that from another person. No normal soul reaper can do that."

"Let's just say I did things, that will benefit me." Akari told them.

"That doesn't sound reassuring." Ikkaku frowned.

"I'm not a danger to anyone. I can assure you on that. But the only thing I can tell you is; the real me died in that cave a long time ago." She told them. "And considering how we soul reapers are very superstitious about hollows and kill without question, especially if you become a hollow. I think its best we keep this a secret for now."

"Okay, next question. These shadow hollows they're not like normal hollows...I couldn't even cut it." Ikkaku said.

"You're right they're not. Their skin is much stronger than any normal hollow and faster. Plus, twice as dangerous."

"How so?" Yumichika asked, wondering, and so did Ikkaku, as well.

"Shadow hollows can take the form of anyone, including anyone you trust in order to lure you to them. They can mimic very well, almost too well that you can't recognize it before it's too late." Akari explained.

"Let me guess they kill you?" Ikkaku spoke. Akari shook her head.

"No, its worse than that. You become one of them. They completely drain you of your spiritual energy in order to control your mind and body. Basically, a contract if you will. You're linked to them. The only way to get out the contract is to make them say "I release you." But that never happens. Why get rid of a puppet that they can toy with? And also, if a shadow hollow gives some of their energy to someone who is dying, they become their servant as well."

"You just gave me some of your energy!" Yumichika shouted. Akari laughed.

"Yeah, but you're not dying, you dingus." She told him. "You have to be close to death for a change to happen."

"And this person you're hunting. They're a shadow hollow?" Yumichika asked.

"Yes. They're the reason that I'm like this. A person who can drain energy like a hollow. But what I find it strange is, why I still have my mind. I should be their puppet. But that doesn't matter. Once I find them, I'm going to kill them for what they did to me and make them break their contract." Akari said. "There will be plenty of more of them believe me. Considering it's been 1000 years."

"So how did you end up in that crystal?" Yumichika asked her. Akari's eyes widen, trying to remember. The last thing she remember was striking down the hollow that did this to her as they attacked her. Then nothing. The next thing she knew, she was waking up, seeing Yumichika and Ikkaku.

"I-I don't remember."

"We're here." Ikkaku spoke. And three hopped out of the trees, landing on the ground. Akari looked up to see a large building with walls with many other buildings as well, expanding for miles, almost like a fortress. Her home. It's changed a lot. After all these years, she was finally back.