Tatsuki stepped outside, the crisp air brushing against her face as she took in the peacefulness of the sky above. The sun was beginning to dip, casting a warm golden hue across the landscape. It was a nice moment, a brief escape from everything that had been happening lately. But as she breathed in, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still off.
'Things are going well. I won the tournament, I'm in good shape,' she thought, her lips curling into a small, satisfied smile. But then, the doubt crept in. 'But there's still something that bothers me.'
Her thoughts drifted back to a month ago when everything had started to change. It was when she had visited Orihime's house. It had seemed like a normal evening, until something strange happened. She'd seen someone who looked like Rukia—or was it a dream? Tatsuki wasn't sure. She'd brought it up the next day, only to have Orihime admit that she, too, had dreamt of something similar, but it was all too blurry to make sense of.
'What the hell is going on?' Tatsuki thought, her eyes narrowing as she recalled that strange feeling. She rubbed the back of her neck, still unsettled by the dream-like encounter. But it didn't end there. Not long after that, the Don Kanonji incident happened, and it was as if a veil had been lifted. Ever since then, Tatsuki had been able to see ghosts clearly, as if they were always there, waiting for her to notice.
She turned her gaze to a nearby couple, translucent and floating aimlessly around. A shiver ran down her spine. 'Get a room,' she thought sarcastically, unable to stop herself from rolling her eyes at their display of affection. Her new reality felt strange, like the world she knew was suddenly brimming with things she couldn't explain.
Just as Tatsuki was about to shake the thoughts from her head, she heard hurried footsteps approaching. Orihime rounded the corner, her usually cheerful expression replaced with a rare look of concern.
"Tatsuki!" Orihime called out, her voice laced with unease. Tatsuki turned, noticing the worry in her friend's eyes.
"What's up?" Tatsuki asked, her brow furrowing slightly.
Orihime hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting to the distance as if she had heard something. "Nothing, it's just—"
Before Orihime could finish, a loud, blood-curdling scream cut through the air, echoing across the street. Both girls froze, their bodies stiffening at the terrifying sound. It was a cry of fear, of something wrong, and it made their hearts race.
Without a word, Tatsuki was already moving. She grabbed Orihime's arm, pulling her along as they both sprinted toward the source of the scream. Their feet pounded against the pavement, urgency driving them forward. The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with an unspoken tension.
Tatsuki's mind raced. What was that? She had a sinking feeling that whatever was happening, it wasn't something they could ignore.
...
Chad was walking casually through the bustling city, his friends chatting animatedly around him, but something in the air suddenly shifted. He stopped mid-step, a chill crawling up his spine, as his instincts flared.
"What's wrong, Chad?" one of his friends asked, noticing his sudden pause.
"Nothing," Chad replied, his voice calm but with an edge of uncertainty. He turned back to continue walking, but his mind was elsewhere.
'I've felt this before,' he thought, unease pooling in his gut. The sky above seemed to crackle with a strange energy, the air thickening as if it was holding its breath. It was a feeling he couldn't ignore, a familiar presence, one he never quite understood but had come to dread.
Without warning, the sky shattered as a massive hollow tore its way through the fabric of reality. Its monstrous jaws gaped open, sharp, jagged teeth glowing with an ominous hunger as it plummeted toward the ground.
Boom!
The impact was deafening, sending a shockwave through the city. Chad's friends jumped back in alarm, the ground quaking beneath their feet.
"What was that? A gas explosion?!" the blonde one shouted, eyes wide in disbelief.
But Chad barely registered the question. His focus was locked on the enormous figure now standing before him, its form hazy and indistinct, as though it were not entirely part of this world.
A shiver ran down his spine. The Hollow moved with a terrifying speed, its monstrous form looming closer. It reared back, ready to strike.
In a heartbeat, Chad pushed his friends aside, knocking them out of harm's way. His body tensed, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he sidestepped the creature's massive, invisible fist.
The Hollow growled, its enormous arm swiping through the air again, a sickening whoosh following the force of its attack. Chad barely dodged, his heart pounding in his chest.
'It's after me. Okay, fine.' His thoughts were clear, his mind now focused. He turned and bolted, running at full speed, his legs pushing him further from the danger, hoping to draw the Hollow away from anyone else.
"Chad!! Where are you going?!" one of his friends shouted, but he couldn't stop. His mind was made up.
Chad's feet pounded the pavement, his thoughts a blur of confusion and fear. This wasn't just some random attack; there was something he couldn't put his finger on. It felt all too familiar, like something he had been running from for far too long.
After what felt like an eternity of sprinting, Chad arrived at a quiet park. He didn't stop to catch his breath as he looked around, his eyes searching for any sign of danger. That's when he spotted her—Karin, Ichigo's younger sister, standing there, her bag, seemingly ready to leave the park.
"You're the parakeet guy," Karin said, her tone more curious than surprised, though she still seemed unsure of who he was.
Chad blinked in surprise. "Ichigo's little sister!" He hadn't expected to see her here, of all places.
Before he could react further, the ground shook beneath their feet, and the Hollow struck again. Chad instinctively grabbed Karin, pulling her behind him just as the creature's punch slammed into the ground with an earth-shattering.
CRACK!
Karin's eyes widened as she saw the Hollow's menacing form, its grotesque mask staring down at them. "What is that?!" she gasped, her voice filled with disbelief.
Chad's eyes were locked on the shimmering figure, struggling to keep track of the monster's movements. It was invisible, but he could feel its massive presence. He knew where it was by the way the air trembled around him.
Karin seemed to sense something wasn't right, and with wide eyes, she shouted, "Look out!"
Chad reacted instinctively, his body moving before he even fully processed what was happening. He spun, swiftly picking up Karin and dashing away just in time to avoid another strike from the Hollow. The creature's claws slashed through the air with a WHOOOSH as it barely missed them.
Chad took a moment to scan the surroundings. The Hollow was still there, but now it was harder to track its movements.
"Hey! Open your eyes! It's to our right!" Karin yelled, pointing urgently to the side.
Chad's heart skipped a beat as he twisted to the right, sprinting once more. The Hollow's destructive arm slammed down again, tearing through a nearby boulder in a cloud of dust and rubble.
"You can't see it?" Karin asked, astonished.
"I only see a shimmer," he replied, his voice steady despite the fear that clung to the air.
"Okay then," she said, her eyes determined. "I'll be our eyes, you be our legs, okay?"
Chad nodded, grateful for her calm and decisive attitude. "Sure," he said, his voice low but resolute.
As they continued to run, Karin's words rang in his mind. "I've seen monsters before. And something's been bugging me for a while. I want to know what Ichigo has to do with them."
Chad's brow furrowed in confusion. "Ichigo? What do you mean?"
Before he could get an answer, the Hollow suddenly appeared right in front of them, the air around it distorting as it materialized out of nowhere. Karin's warning came just in time.
"Look out!" she screamed, her voice filled with urgency.
Chad braced himself, halting abruptly. He stepped back just as the Hollow's massive fist shot toward him. Instinctively, he threw a punch, hoping to land a blow on the creature. His fist collided with the Hollow's form, but it did nothing. The attack barely fazed the beast.
The Hollow retaliated, its fist crashing into Chad's side with bone-jarring force.
BAM!
The impact sent him flying across the park, skidding across the ground. His body ached, but he refused to go down. He could feel Karin's safety in his hands, and he was determined not to fail her.
He pushed himself to his feet, bloodied but unbroken. He looked over at Karin, who was now staring at him with wide eyes.
"You okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Before Chad could respond, Karin's friends arrived on the scene, their eyes wide with shock and fear. "Karin! What's going on?" they asked, rushing toward her.
But just then, the Hollow made its move, looming over them with its grotesque mask twisted in a horrifying grin. Chad's instincts screamed at him to protect her, but the Hollow was fast. It loomed over the group, its claws raised.
In that moment, Chad's mind flashed back to a memory. A memory of his grandfather, his voice full of warmth and wisdom.
"You're tall, you're handsome. You were born with all these things people wish for. People who are different always get picked on. I don't know what it's like in other places, but in this world, that's how it is. But Chad, learn to be kind. You've got big, strong hands. You need to learn to use them for good."
A warmth spread through Chad's chest as his grandfather's words rang in his ears.
"I know, abuelo. My big fists aren't for hurting people. They're for protecting the ones I care about. I know that now. I've learned my lesson."
His brown eyes glowed with an inner power as he called upon that strength.
"Give me the power."
In an instant, Chad's fist shot forward, slamming into the Hollow's arm with a resounding sound
CRACK!
Blood splattered across the ground as the creature's arm was torn off, its grotesque form flailing helplessly. The force of Chad's strike sent a shockwave through the park, sending dust and debris flying in all directions.
As the dust cleared, Chad stood tall, his arm now transformed into a powerful, monstrous form, glowing with energy. His expression was fierce, his eyes narrowed with determination.
He was ready to end this fight.
TO BE CONTINUED