Bleach: The Ryoka

Chapter 1: Conversations

    A zanpakuto's blade swoops down vertically through the air of the night. The moonlight reflects off of the illuminating blade. A shriek of an inhumane creature echoes throughout the atmosphere but falls on the deaf ears of the human world. The sharp sword falls right through the middle of a forsaken hollow and its body splits into symmetrical halves. It dissipates as the cry fades.

    Haru raises his arm to wipe his sweating forehead with it. His other arm wields his zanpakuto that he recently used to exterminate the hollow.

    He speaks, "I think I'm getting the hang of this Soul Reaper business." The dull side of the zanpakuto rests on Haru's left shoulder and behind his head as he fixates on the spot where the hollow once stood. "All I got to do is to kill hollows and send wandering spirits to the Soul Society."

    Then Haru's attention shifts to a nearby bench where Kisuke Urahara is sitting. The mysterious shopkeeper holds his usual fan in front of his face and under his green and white striped bucket hat.

    "Very impressive Haru!" Kisuke compliments the Substitute Soul Reaper's abilities. "That's hollow number twenty-seven that you have taken care of in the last month."

    Haru remembers now that it has indeed been exactly one month since he became an actual Soul Reaper. It has been one month since he had received his zanpakuto, Soraryuu. Ever since that day, Haru has been patrolling the streets of Karakura Town for hollows and training a few hours a day with Urahara. His skills improve with each minute he gains experience.

    "That many already, huh?" Haru responds. "Felt like I only done away at least a dozen hollows by now, but I wasn't keeping track. I was just only-"

    Urahara intercedes, "Doing it for the sake of being a Soul Reaper, right Haru?" He lowers his fan down to peek over the top of it at him. Haru goes to a nearby bush where he stored his unconscious body to protect it from being discovered by anyone or anything. His soul goes back into the lifeless shell and it becomes alive once again.

    "Yeah..." Haru answers. Kisuke shuts his fan in one motion.

    "You know," he starts to state, "It really is starting to become a pain that when you want to become a Soul Reaper that you have to go find me every single time, don't you agree?" Haru notices this and finds truth in it. "What if I'm not around when you really needed me to stop a very dangerous hollow and you're stuck in your natural human self?"

    Haru then asks, "Well then how can I change into a Soul Reaper if I don't have anything to get out of my body with like your cane?" He points to the former Soul Reaper's cane that has an interesting graphic of a flaming skull on the bottom of it.

    "Correction Haru," Kisuke says as he looks at Haru. Then with his free hand that isn't holding the cane, he tosses a pearlescent green spherical pill towards Haru. He quickly catches the pill and inspects it. "You do now have a method to become a Soul Reaper when I'm not around."

    "What is this pill?" Haru asks Kisuke.

    Kisuke replies, "It's what's known as a mod soul pill. This small container contains an artificial soul that will inhabit your body when you swallow the pill and forces your own soul out of it. Then the artificial soul will take your place in the body so normal humans won't suspect a thing."

    "That's really handy," Haru says in awe.

    Then Urahara goes on, "This one is Tomoko. He used to be my mod soul when I was an actual Soul Reaper myself. He hasn't been getting into any action for about several years so I thought he could use a wake-up call by giving him to you."