Chapter 1: Be What You Want

Where...am I...?

...Kura...kara...Town?

Wait, that's not right...

...Kara...kura...

So this is Karakura Town...?

Kurosaki Clinic...?

A scruffy...beard...?

This all feels so familiar... ...But why?

Here you go, Karakura Town. Breathe it in, folks. This'll be your first taste of field training.

Oh man, we're really here...

I thought Shino was gonna lead this group with me... How'd things end up with me on my own? I'm not sure I can hack this...

Quit embarrassing yourself, Ryunosuke!

The Academy students are watching! Get your act together!

Shino, don't you remember your promise?

You said if I fall 100 times, you'll pull me up 101 times, right?

...Yup. I did.

How are you going to pull me up if you're not HERE...?

For the love of...

Look, Ryunosuke, you can do this. You managed to survive that war, this'll be a piece of cake. Have some confidence.

Shino...

Now get a move on!!!

Alrighty then... Ahem. Let me re-introduce myself. I'm Ryunosuke Yuki, and I'm here to teach you all about patrolling the World of the Living. Let's do our best!

Maiko Tokishima. I can't wait to see what you'll teach us.

...Giro Hando.

Naru Jurinna, at your service!♪ Let's get along, Ryunosuke!♥

Uh. R-Right, of course.

You're a man ain't ya? Nothin' wrong with looking.

Seems like something might slip loose!

Right! Wait, I mean, Agh!

You got this, Ryunosuke!♥

O-Okay! On to the patrol. Let's start with the basics: purifying and eliminating Hollows.

Hollows, huh? Could be a fun little workout.

Measuring our abilities with a practical test...? Hehehe...

Hollows? Boring! I wanna go beat up some even badder bad guys!

Remember, a Soul Reaper's main duty is to take out Hollows. Let's do our best to protect those in the World of the Living!

Help? From an unagi restaurant? Wait... This isn't a restaurant...

Don Kanonji...

Gold...?

A heroic color, I guess...

SP...?

SPIRITS ARE... ALWAYS... WITH YOU...

Uhh... Do I know this guy...?

Bohahahaha!

What the heck...?

...I know this town... At least I think I do...

C'mon, where are all the Hollows?

Due to the high spirit vein concentration in Karakura Town, spirit elements are easily drawn to the area, making it something called an "Enriched Spirit Zone".

So a Hollow should be popping up any time now...in theory.

Didn'cha say there's a Substitute Soul Reaper runnin' around? He mighta' let loose and took 'em all out already, leavin' squat for us.

Assuming Ichigo Kurosaki, the Substitute Soul Reaper, is a simple meathead like yourself? Now that's what I'd call criminally ignorant.

Wanna repeat that?!

Whoops! Slip of the tongue! I'll fill you in by way of apology.

After the Great Soul King Protection War, Kurosaki was relieved of his position as a Substitute Soul Reaper.

There may or may not be rumors that he may or may not have been appointed to some kind of top-secret mission, but,

Hold on, Ichigo got assigned to a top-secret mission? That's like Head Captain-level classified! I had no idea.

Well, no surprises there.

How'd YOU know, Mai-pie?

How indeed?

Information is a blade without an edge. I'm afraid how I forge and sharpen my blades is a trade secret.

So if you want to know my sources, you'll need an exceptionally valuable scoop to trade!

No freebies? Mai-pie, you tease!

Tch, ain't you a pain.

Finally! Hollow time!

What? Where?

Ya snooze, ya lose.

Hey, no fair! You still won't beat me though!♪

Wait guys, you can't just, !

...Run off on our own?

Exactly! Alright Tokishima, stay close.

...Shinoooooooooo!!!

...?!

Ngh...

I've got to go...

It's dangerous here...

Huh? Dangerous...?

Oh...you can see me? Can you see that Hollow too? Behind those guys over there.

Hollow...?

That monster is called a Hollow. If you don't run now, it'll kill you.

SQUEEEAK!

Look out!

Huh? What?

Whoaaa!

Oof!

...Hurry, get away!

No... I can't... 'Cause I'm already dead...

D-Dead? What...

No time for twenty questions right now, I'm afraid.

?

You see, Hollows aren't known for their patience.

SQUEE-SQUEAK!

AHH!

Hee hee... Looks like I'll be completing today's training all by my lonesome!

Skeeee...

And that's that!

......

My Zanpakuto thirsts for a worthier foe! No Hollow can prevail against the might of a Soul Reaper! ...Ok, I'm done with that.

Zanpakuto...

......

Sorry for the scare. But don't worry, I'll erase your memories real qui,

SQUEEEOOOAAARR!

Seriously?! Wait, get back here!

......

Oof.

The hell d'ya think you're doin' shovin' me?!

My, my...

This person is your savior, young man. Let's keep things civil, shall we?

Huh?! Who the hell're you? That punk didn't save shit.

Things aren't always as they seem.

You ain't makin' any sense! Get lost!

......

Ahhhh!

Wh-Wha, ?

Am I making sense now...?

Yessir!

Good answer. Kids these days sure are quick on the uptake.

Would you look at that... Those boys might be international track stars someday, don'tcha think?

Um... Thanks...for helping...

Don't mention it! If anything, you should be the one getting thanked. Right, little miss?

...Yeah. Thank you.

If you hadn't stepped in, those guys and I would've been eaten by the Hollow.

...Oh, right. Where did that monster go...?

You chased it away. That'd be why I called you a "savior" earlier.

......

Oh, but we haven't been introduced yet, have we? My name is Kisuke Urahara.

I operate a humble candy store in town. And you are...?

I wonder...

Hm? You don't want me knowing your name?

Okay, sure, I might look a little shady... But I'll have you know quite a few people consider me trustworthy.

I can't really say...

Don't want to identify yourself? No need to worry about me.

C'mon, do I look like a cop trying to nab minors out partying too late?

That's...not possible...

You wound me! It's the truth, I swear.

If I was going to lie to you, I'd claim a more respectable profession, a traveling doctor or some such.

No... It's not that... I mean, I can't remember my own name...

...Amnesia?

It got away...from ME of all people.

What a mess...

What'd ya mess up?

Eek! Greyhound!

The hell d'ya mean, Greyhound?

There's these hunting dogs in the World of the Living called greyhounds... Sounds kinda like your name, y'know, and,

No. I DON'T know. But it sounds to me like you're askin' for a beating.

C'mon guys! Are we Soul Reapers or aren't we? Let's hurry and find the Hollow that gave Mai-pie the slip.

Ugh... Busted, huh?

Whaddaya take us for?! Tch. Get lookin' already.

No need to tell me twice.

Gotcha!

!

Behind that building, straight ahead! The school rooftop! It's going after a human girl!

Let's move!

SQUEEEEEAK!

Eeeeeek!

Ain't happening!

Not bad, Girry♪

Hmph.

SQUEE-SQUEE-SQUEAAAAK!

That all ya got?!

SKREEEAAAHHH...

Jeez, you guys! You can't just do whatever you want!

If I might offer a counterpoint, we did just save this maiden from a terrible fate.

That's... Okay, look. From here on out the four of us will work together to defeat this Hollow. Understood?

I can handle this myself.

No, wait! I actually have a gadget I've been wanting to test out,

If you don't start listening to me I'll give you all failing grades!

SQUOOOAAAA!

Ryunosuke, incoming!

Okay! With me!

Roger!

Skreeee...

Aha, what a great start to my win streak!♪ Impressed, Ryunosuke?

Er... Y-Yeah... You all did great! Truly!

Just a word of advice, but I wouldn't compliment us too much. It'll go to Mr. Giro's head, you see.

Whazzat s'posed to mean?

It's a classic trope! Winning the initial fight with ease, then becoming overconfident only to meet a grisly,

Hrk-

Tokishima!

Mai-pie!

Tokishima!

Aaugghh!!

H-How? We defeated...the Hollow...

Do I look defeated to you?

I...ngh...see... You're like that...Grand Fisher... I've heard about.

You Academy students really know your stuff, huh?

But he had some weird hobbies. Letting the son of some woman he killed grow up before hunting him down to torment him? Heh.

I don't play with my food.

My, my, for the wimpiest-looking one you don't give up easy, do you, Mr. Trainee?

I am... Ryunosuke Yuki... Member of Squad 13...of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!

Coming on a bit strong, aren't you? Sorry, I'm not interested in pushy men OR pushy Soul Reapers!

, !!!

......

*pant* *pant*

Don't worry, I'll make it quick.

ROOOOAAAARRR!

...I can't fall... I have to protect...the others!

AAHHHH!

Ngh... I don't want to lose... I can't...afford to lose!

GWOOAR!

......

...Another wannabe hero...? As if there weren't enough pests already...

Look out!

U-Urghh...

......

Don't worry, I'll make sure to savor you. But first, it's time for you to die!

GWOOOOO...

Get outta here... Protectin' humans is our job...as Soul Reapers...

Soul Reapers...

Gah... Like hell I'm going out...before I even join a squad... Dammit...

You're nobler than you look, I'll give you that. However...

......

...You...moron... The hell're ya doin'?!

Protecting you.

Why...?

Does it matter?

Huh?

Do I need a reason...to protect someone?

You at least...need strength! An' a human like you...ain't got any!

...History repeats... Heh...

?

A human who can see Hollows... Who can touch Soul Reapers... ...and only one way to save them.

...!

...?

You gotta become a Soul Reaper.

?!

Are you crazy...? If you do that...

To hell with the law...we're outta options here. An' we ain't got time to argue...

......

Thrust a sword...into your heart... Its owner will give you half their Soul Reaper power.

Then ya can fight Hollows as a Soul Reaper... At least for a bit...

But... The probability of success is...vanishingly low. And if it fails...you die.

......

Your move.

......

<param=player_first_name>! Welcome back!

Oh, umm...

I heard you lost your memories, but do you really not remember me?

You're...

Shirane, Shirane Sanari.

Yay! You remembered me!

Of course.

Starting tomorrow, we'll be studying together at the Academy again! I'll be counting on you!

...I mean, I would be, but I'm actually taking a leave of absence right now.

Oh? Why's that?

I got hurt pretty bad in the war six months ago.

...Are you alright?

Oh, I've already healed, don't worry about that. The trouble is my Spiritual Pressure hasn't fully recovered yet...

But I'm still in the middle of treatment and I'll make a full recovery, just you wait!

Well, make sure you don't overdo it. By the way, which one's your room, Shirane?

This one.

Huh?

So, the Academy dormitory doesn't have enough rooms to spare at the moment.

And we've been together since we lived in the Rukon District, so we're basically family already. Makes sense to share, right?

Well, I'm fine with it if you are.

I still have a lot of holes in my memory, so it's probably better to have you nearby.

Yay! Just leave everything to me, <param=player_first_name>!

Alright. Sounds good.

Welcome back, <param=player_first_name>.

Oh, umm...

So it's true then... You really did lose your memory.

You're...

...Shirin, Shirin Migishima!

You...remember me?

Of course! Starting tomorrow, we'll be studying together at the Academy again!

...Not exactly. I took a leave of absence.

Huh? What for?

There was that war six months ago. Some stuff happened.

I don't think you'd be taking time off from the Academy just because of "some stuff"! If you're still THAT injured, shouldn't you be in the hospital?!

My injuries healed a long time ago. It's my Spiritual Pressure that isn't back to full strength...

I see...

I'm fine, though.

You clearly aren't!

No, I promise, I'm all better now. And it's only a matter of time until my Spiritual Pressure goes back to normal, too.

Okay... Well, I'll be here rooting for you! Oh, by the way, which one's your room?

This one.

Excuse me?

The Academy dormitory is a little short on rooms right now.

And since we've always been together since our days in the Rukon District, I guess that pretty much makes us family in their eyes. They told us to "deal with it".

......

...Sorry.

Huh?! You don't need to apologize!

My memories are still kinda fuzzy... I can't tell you how much I'd appreciate having you around, Shirin!

Leave it to me. I should be strong enough to help you out. Let me know if you need me for anything, Shirane.

That means a lot. I'll do everything in my power to help you out.

Got it. I'll be counting on you!