Wind's Calling

Shadow Work

The members of division two were not only winded but injured as (Y/n) cut down the dolls, her blades rehanging to one another. "Are you all right," she turned to them, only to get angry glares.
"We're okay," the girl that was hurt slowly stood up, clutching her side, "Thank you."
"Stay back to back next time. These dolls are hunting in packs," (Y/n) nodded. They stood there for a moment before the woman attempted to bow slightly.
"Yamamoto, we apologize for our suspicions but we have a few questions to ask you," she said. (Y/n) tensed and stared before giving a slight nod, sheathing her zanpakuto.
"I'm not stopping you," she replied.
"We got reports of a soul reaper in cooperation with the bounts. There's speculation that it's you," one snapped at her.
"It's confirmed to be Ichinose. A former member of squad eleven," (Y/n) informed them. "I made contact when the wild dolls appeared."
"Have you reported any of the bodies," the other man asked quickly. (Y/n) scowled and flashed in front of him. He was intentionally being rude and flinched back from the glare she gave him.
"If there were bodies, I'd have reported them but there aren't even their souls," she reported. "Who sent in the suspicion that it's me?"
"We did," the other sniffed. "It only makes sense considering how fast you get to the attack sites."
"Did it ever occur to you that my flash step is faster than yours," (Y/n) snapped. The three flinched back and looked to one another.
"You don't have a soul pager either though," the woman muttered with an unsure tone.
"I can sense the reishi being taken," (Y/n) replied. "And what's this about a soul pager? When were those developed by the Tech branch?"
"Are you serious," the man she stood in front of pulled his mask down, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Do I look like I'm joking," (Y/n) scowled and sighed. "Honestly, is all of division two uneasy about me or is it just you out in the field?" She tensed up, a familiar pressure off in the distance. It wasn't a soul reaper or the humans and it took a moment for the three with her to notice, beeping coming from inside their shihakusho. She was the first one to take off, coming close just as the gates to Hueco Mundo closed itself.
The dog-like hallow snarled, slowly turned and facing her. She drew her zanpakuto, glaring as it launched at her. She threw it off and lunged, stabbing into its neck. The blades didn't go very deep and she twisted to hook the hallow's skin. She braved her hand on the back of the blades, turning and throwing it over her shoulder. The blades were stuck as she tried to wrench it from the hallow, a grunt escaping her as it started to stand with her still gripping her blades.
She wrenched it down before stabbing upwards, burying the blades and their hooks deeper. Someone yelled from behind her and the hallow cried out, slowly dissipating and her swords being released. She turned to Ichigo, letting out a sigh, "Hey Ichigo."
"How'd you get here so fast," he rubbed the back of his neck, Rukia running up behind him.
"How has a substitute not been executed yet," she blinked and flinched back, the three caught off guard by the sudden retort. "Wow, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"
"You know, you're kind of an ass," Ichigo sniffed.
(Y/n) sighed as Rukia opened her mouth to scold him, "I'm sorry. There's a lot going on."
He groaned and rubbed his hair roughly, "Damn it, will you stop apologizing? Seriously, you're lucky your Renji's friend." (Y/n) blinked when he hooked his arm over her shoulders. "Come over for dinner, tonight. I got some questions."
"Okay, whoa there human," (Y/n) moved his arm from over her shoulders, stopping him from leading her as they walked. "We aren't close so don't act so friendly."
"He means he wants to get to know you better," Rukia cut in. (Y/n) blinked as Ichigo looked off to the side.
"Renji said I should try to understand you more because we're fighting together," he huffed. "And as much as I hate that guy, he's right."
(Y/n) snorted and started laughing, "So you invite me over for dinner? You know, we could just sit and have tea right?"
"Shut up," he groaned. "I feel bad okay? I was a jerk at your birthday."
"I didn't take any offense," (Y/n) sniffed. "You were right and I agreed with you. Honestly, it was just another day." (Y/n) scrunched her face a bit as they started walking, her hand on the hilts of her swords. "Hey, how did you become a soul reaper? It's been a while since we've had a substitute and grand- Captain Yamamoto is pretty strict about it."
"Rukia's the one that would have died," Ichigo replied. She looked to the black haired woman and grit her teeth tightly.
"Right," she muttered. "I'm glad you both survived. You might have been the one to make them see their laws were slightly unfair."
"You sound like," Rukia's voice trailed off and her eyes became empathetic as she smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad we survived too."

"You want to explain it now," (Y/n) stared at Urahara and Yoruichi who she was recently introduced to. They seemed grim as they sat around the table. It was one of those moments she was alone and the two felt like they were parents scolding her.
"It's called hallowfication. It's a process used to surpass the limitations on the four styles," Urahara explained. "Of course, that process was kept under wraps after it was discovered and the 13 Court Guard Squads deem it taboo. I discovered it and immediately hid my research but it seems spike someone found it. You weren't the only one this process was experimented on it turns out."
The word failure echoed in (Y/n)'s head and she grit her teeth, "That really adds up."
"What was that," Urahara hummed as he slid the mask across the table to her slowly.
"I woke up in Hueco Mundo," she informed him. Yoruichi frowned and leaned forward, staring hard at the woman across the table.
"You've mastered shunko, haven't you," she asked.
"It was a misplaced warning. I didn't realize who you were and I apologize," (Y/n) said quickly.
Yoruichi laughed and waved her hand, her eyes still sharp, "Don't apologize, I was impressed!"
"(Y/n), would you mind putting the mask on for me in the training room? I would like to see it used," Urahara smiled. She nodded and stood as the two got up and the door was opened for them. She dropped down after them, holding the mask as the voice that was hers but wasn't laughed softly in her mind.
"Don't reject me. You know deep down we need each other."
"You're hallow me. Why didn't you keep control," (Y/n) muttered. The two were already prepared for her when she landed. She glanced at the mask and slowly put it on, the slit of the eyes blocking her view almost completely of them.
"Accept it. We are the same person. I'm the innermost you that gets pushed down and buried. You now are the person we both want the world to see. I admitted my role so now it's your turn."
(Y/n) barely blocked Yoruichi's kick, grabbing her foot and squeezing before throwing her aside, "Why can't I remember?"
"You rejected the truth. Rejected me when I finally went to speak to you with those weasels. You locked me away."
What was she supposed to do with that information? She drew her zanpakuto, blocking an attack from Urahara and sliding back a bit. She didn't want to but deep down there was truth to the voice's words. It didn't make sense that a hallow would rationalize like that but it had. The narrowed vision became normal instantaneously and she flashed from Yoruichi and Urahara's teamed attack.
Her fingertips twitched and she held her hand up, the white ball forming in front of it. "If you're me, than we need to work on your temper," (Y/n) sighed as the sero released. "It seems words fix my problems."