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Lucky 13

Chapter 13

Hoshi looked at the slumped defeated form of Jidanbo the gate Guardian. Ichigo had dispatched him with little effort.

“Looks like they really don’t need my help if their guards are this weak.” Hoshi said spitefully, taking a drag on the cigarette currently in his mouth. “I’ve got better things to do with my time.”

“Don’t underestimate Soul Society, Hoshi.” Cautioned Kagami, sitting on his shoulders. “There are people in there that are hundreds of times more powerful than this.”

“You would do well to listen to Kagami.” Yoruichi stated sitting on the ground. She stared up at him, and Hoshi could almost swear a smirk crossed the impassive face of her cat form. “She’s not as much of a flake as she appears.”

“I resent that Kitty.” Hoshi let out a heavy sigh releasing a puff of smoke, he then dropped his finished cigarette on the ground.

“Why me.” He looked on he saw Jidanbo lifting the gate into Seireitei, he could see a figure approaching, a man with silver hair and slit eyes. Almost immediately several things happened at once. The Dog began warning him of danger; the Tiger subconsciously activated, the man was pure deception; he couldn’t even begin to fathom what the man was even lying about. The Cat hissed angrily at the sight of him. Every fiber of his being told him only one thing.

“Rip him limb from limb, nya!” the Cat screeched angrily. Without thinking he launched himself at the Shinigami. Kagami falling off of his shoulder in the process.

“Hoshi don’t that’s a captain!” Kagami screamed.

“He’s quite suicidal isn’t he.” Noted Ishida

“Hoshi come back!” Inoue screamed.

“Die you bastard.” Hoshi had reached the Shinigami, his jade eyes flickering with flashes of red. He aimed a punch straight for the silver haired man’s face; however the man only moved his head slightly to the side evading Hoshi’s punch.

“What’s got you so riled up?” the man asked. The very tone of his voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard to Hoshi.

“I don’t know.” Hoshi snarled. “Everything about you just disgusts me; I just want to beat you to a pulp.” Hoshi sonidoed behind the man, crouched low he performed a sweep kick on him, the man dodged to the side.

“Now that’s not very nice, I don’t even know you.” The man continued smiling that false smile.

“I don’t care!” Hoshi flicked his wrists and from the metal bars on his wrist shot blades about a foot long. He ran at the Shinigami preparing to slash but the man drew his sword and blocked the attack.

“Gin Ichimaru.” He stated his expression still unchanged. “Now tell me your name.”

“Hoshi Juuni; not that it matters to you.” He pushed harder against Gin’s sword.

“I guess you’re not going to listen to reason.” He kicked Hoshi in the stomach and he flew back several feet. However the blow was enough to knock Hoshi back into rational thought. He still had an unexplained hatred for the man in front of him, but that didn’t matter as the man pointed his sword at Hoshi. “Shoot to kill, Shinso.” (Divine Spear) the blade of his sword rapidly extended and collided with Hoshi’s blades, but even with him blocking he was still pushed back before being pushed out of Seireitei completely. “Bye, bye.” Gin waved as the gate slammed shut.

“What the hell was that Hoshi.” Yelled Ichigo. But Hoshi didn’t respond as his body collapsed into a cloud of spirit particles. “What the…”

“He made a clone using the Rabbit; he’s most likely still on the other side using the Rat to hide.” Kagami sighed. “Let’s go; he’s on his own for now.” She fluttered over and landed on Chad’s shoulders. “Looks like I’m with you big guy.”

“I guess.” Was Chad’s only reply.

Inside Seireitei

Hoshi had invisibly been following Gin for the past few minutes. He had to get to the bottom of this. Why did he have this hatred towards a man he never even met?

“Just what is it about him?” he thought. “Why did I go crazy like that; the Cat didn’t take over; but it still doesn’t make sense.”

“I don’t always have to take over, nya.” The Cat stated. “You just don’t get it do you, nya?”

“What don’t I get you stupid Cat?”

“We were on the same wavelength, nya. What you call the Dog I just call instinct. That man he just rubbed my fur the wrong way. And you can’t stand liars, nya.” The Cat drawled on. “You just don’t get that we’re one and the same.”

“I’m nothing like you.”

“But you are, nya. The sooner you accept that the stronger you’ll become, nya.”

“Don’t you mean you’ll become.”

“You just don’t get it, nya.” After that the Cat fell silent. Hoshi not wanting to rile him simply kept following Gin until he reached a building, he talked briefly with a red haired man sitting outside the door before he slipped inside. Sensing the massive reiatsu inside the building Hoshi decided it would be best to stay out of it.

“Looks like I just wait here I guess.” After about a half hour later the doors to the building opened and group of people all wearing white haori like Gin filed out of the building. Seeing his chance he began following his quarry once again; however this time he was not alone, he was accompanied by a dark skinned man wearing goggles. The two captains chatted idly about various things. The wandered on until they reached a rather deserted area of Soul Society. Suddenly the Dog warned him of impending danger but it was too late.

“Cry, Suzumushi.” (Pure Insects) said the dark skinned man as he drew his sword, and a loud high pitched noise filled the area. His concentration shattered his invisibility dropped, as he dropped to his knees the noise seeming to grate at his very soul. He felt a sharp pain to the back of his head and he fell forward as blackness took him.

Later

Hoshi woke up pinned to a wall by a strange energy force against his wrists and legs.

“Where am I?” he said groggily as he struggled against the bonds.

“You are in the Chamber of the Central 46.” Said a man with glasses as he walked in. “I had Gin and Kaname bring you here.” The man spoke in a very kind tone but the Tiger instantly told him that this man was a lie. For every bit as kind as he seemed he was just the opposite. “I must commend you; you are very brave coming here unaided. Brave but foolish.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Souske Aizen; Captain of 5th division.” Aizen smiled. “Now how about you tell me who you are.”

“My name is Hoshi Juuni and that’s all.” He snarled.

“That is all; no Hoshi there is much more to you than that.” Aizen stepped closer to Hoshi. “You’ve got a hollow in you; and that intrigues me. You see you are very much like others I used to know, but the difference is they were Shinigami; you as a human well it’s unheard of. So tell me how did you become this way?”

“Why should I answer you? You’re nothing but a deceitful bastard. Why don’t you show me you’re real face?” Hoshi struggled against the restraints more but to no avail.

“I asked nicely but it appears I will have to use more drastic measures.” The door opened and the red haired man Gin had talked to walked in and he closed the door behind. He walked in and bowed before Aizen.

“Lord Aizen.” The man said solemnly. Before he looked up at Hoshi his golden eyes hardening. “It’s you the hollow human.” He said venomously.

“I leave you to find the information I need Hajime.” And Aizen turned and walked out of the door.

“Hajime Sakuya.” Hoshi said flatly. “You’re the Shinigami that was sent to kill me back in the human world.”

“You know my name.” Hajime stared intently into Hoshi’s eyes. “No doubt Yoruichi told it to you.” Hajime said through grit teeth.

“So you know Yoruichi-sensei.” Hoshi replied. “Looks like you don’t like her very much.”

“Shut up!” Hajime shouted. “That woman will pay for what she did, both her and Kisuke.”

“Wow, what did they do cut in front of you in the lunch line.”

“You think this is funny.”

“In a cosmic sort of way.”

“How dare you, Kisuke killed my sister and Yoruichi helped him escape.” Hajime looked down and clenched his fist, before staring at Hoshi a look of pure hatred on his face. “Kisuke Urahara was responsible for the deaths of nine prominent Shinigami, my sister included. You’re very existence proves he is still up to his old ways, you the latest result in his hollowification experiments.” Hoshi began to laugh.

“That lazy pathetic excuse of a shop keep is some sort of mad scientist.” Hoshi continued to laugh. “I’m no experiment, I was just a random accident of chance, that’s what that Aizen guy wanted to know why I’m this way. So how about you let me out of here or at least let me have a cigarette.” Lunged out and gripped Hoshi’s throat crushing it to the point he could barely breathe.

“IS THIS ALL A JOKE TO YOU!” Hajime roared. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to have someone you love turn into a monster right in front of you. To lose the only one that matters in your life.” He tightened his grip. “NOW TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW BEFORE I CRUSH YOUR THROAT!” Hoshi couldn’t breathe he struggled against the bonds and Hajime’s brute strength. He very briefly heard the Cat screech as his eyes flashed with only a hint of crimson and large blast of red energy shot out of his mouth; Hajime jumped back and dodged the cero. He looked up to see Hoshi coughing and sputtering.

“Damn Cat, I don’t know how he can stand cero from there.” He coughed. “Sorry survival reflex.” He sighed. “We came here to rescue Rukia.”

“I didn’t think it would be so easy to get information, you so readily betray your friends.”

“They aren’t my friends, acquaintances at best the only one I even remotely care about is Inoue, and that’s only cause she is important to Tatsuki. I’m only here on a favor anyway.”

“I don’t care about all that just tell me who is in your group and what they are capable of.”

“There is a girl by the name of Orihime Inoue, she is capable of healing and defending but her combat ability is non-existent; Uryu Ishida a Quincy, Yasutora Sado he can create energy blasts with his fist, Ichigo Kurosaki a Shinigami.” He took a breath to pause. “Yoruichi-sensei she’ll be disguised as black cat.” Hajime tensed slightly at the mention of her. “And then there is Kagami-sensei; she’ll be disguised as a blue bird.”

“I’m sorry but who was that last person?” Hajime began to look slightly unnerved. “Tell me more about her. What does she look like out of bird form?”

“Kagami Hakanai, long blue hair in a ponytail, violet eyes, very vain and narcissistic.”

“Who…who put you up to this? Kagami Hakanai has been dead for 100 years.” Hajime said his composure rapidly falling. “Did Kisuke tell you how she was and looked for the purpose of mocking me; don’t you dare lie to me.”

“I’m not.” Hoshi suddenly groaned in pain as Hajime had run at him in a rage and stabbed his shoulder with his zanpakuto.

“Liar!” he shouted. “I was there, I saw it. I saw Kisuke turn her into a hollow, and he would have done the same to me…” tears of anguish started to form in his eyes. “If not for Lord Aizen, he saved me, and he tried to save Kagami and the others…but Seireitei…they killed them like common scum.”

“Hajime.” Hoshi looked to see the dark skinned man who had knocked him out. “That’s enough for now.” Hajime almost immediately composed himself and removed and sheathed his sword.

“Yes Captain Tousen.” Hajime turned and almost in a trance turned and walked out of the room. Tousen starred with blind eyes for a moment longer on Hoshi before leaving Hoshi alone.

“Damn it.” Hoshi sighed. Because a screeching voice in the back of his mind told him one thing.

“We need to have a chat, nya.”

He was never alone.