Whatever May Come

A/N: I am still debating over the pairings. Hope you enjoy the update.

Chapter Three


“She’s looking this way,” Kagome smiled as the shini-whatever caught them being nosey. The small features lit up in recognition, it was nice to be remembered. But why the hell did everyone at the table feel the need to glance in their direction? “Oops, this might not be a good thing.”


“What do you think?” Sango couldn’t deny that she felt slight apprehension as the raven haired girl pointed in their direction. They were about to be spotted by the entire table. Being cornered and questioned might not be a good idea. “Move!”


“EEEEEEEhh,” Kagome gasped out of breath and grunted as she was yanked hard around the waist. Really, did Sango feel the need to tote her like an errant child? It was laughable as they quickly dodged a group teenagers sipping coffee at a table. “I can run on my own you know.”


Sango swept pass a family barely jumping outside into the bright sky before the doors closed. As soon as she set Kagome down she was running again. The miko was right next to her sprinting for all they were worth. She doubted the group would be able to locate them if they were out of sight. So much for wanting to get something to eat after their entertainment. This really sucked!


“Haha, we got company.” Kagome leapt towards the next roof top managing to miss the lawn chair. Sango’s hand shot out and knocked the ugly umbrella out of the way as they both turned to take a quick look at their pursuers. She had to give it to them, they were fast. It was just three of them and they were indeed just as quick. The bright orange hair was nothing more than a tiny dot in the distance but she could make it out just the same. “Let’s have some fun.”


“Meet back before dark,” Sango suddenly turned to the right and broke away from the miko. This was the best way to get rid of them. She wondered which one would come after her. She couldn’t produce a shield like Kagome but was quicker on the feet so her chances of getting away were just as good. The last thing she wanted to do was answer a bunch of questions about herself. Who would believe their story?


The taijiya landed on the street below and plotted her next course. Further south would take her to the park, to keep heading west she’d be going towards the bridge. Awareness shivered down her back and her time was running out. Making a quick decision she chose the bridge since it was further away and easier to navigate. It lost her a few precious seconds but she sneaked a quick glance behind her to see who indeed followed. Only one had chosen to follow and it was the slender male with raven hair. All she could make out now was the grey pants and white shirt.


“Dammit,” she had to give him props for being just as fast if not faster. Sango was sure he was getting closer. What the hell did the guy have for breakfast? Her toes barely made contact with the sidewalk before she found the path along the river bank. Why today of all days? If she had known she’d end up playing tag she might have considered to let that shiney-whatever get pummeled. Okay, that was a lie but dammit this was no way to say thanks. For centuries they had been left alone, so why the interest now?


It wasn’t the time to take in how wonderful the grass smelt from being freshly cut. It was a scent she loved but seeing how her pursuer was gaining distance and her luck was getting shittier by the second. Behind her was the strange human and up ahead something ominous was forming. Why did this have to happen to her? So much for raiding that Doctor’s house and having a pleasant evening watching his large screen television.


“Hiraikotsu.” She summoned the weapon as the large palm came out of nowhere to take a swing at her. The edge slid through the large appendage leaving her no choice but to maneuver out of the way. The momentum had her landing and sliding across the grass in an awkward position. It was a horrible time to be attacked. She could handle the male giving chase but not if she were forced to deal with the Masker at the same time. She didn’t believe the male would give her a small reprieve to fight.


“You smell divine,” the rest of it appeared out of a large slit in the sky. Is this how the damn things managed to get around so quickly? They had never figured out where they came from but seeing it make the actual entrance had her stunned. As soon as the large arm began to fall towards the ground another quickly grew in its place. They’d only come across a few that could regenerate. “I’ll devour you whole.”


She righted her footing and had to think quickly. This one resembled a large snake with over a dozen arms. Each hand was fully equipped with multiple claws that would be a bitch if it struck. Three extended from its wide girth and aimed for her chest. A quick swing and the appendages were severed at the wrists. It was hell on her thighs after so much running but she dodged the next two by jumping back. She cried out as something long and pink shot out from the hole in the chest to wrap around her waist.


The creature cried out in pain as a flash of light tore the tongue in two. Sango spun her head fully expecting to see Kagome. It hadn’t held the sensation of a purification arrow but relief filled her just the same. Shock widened her eyes seeing her pursuer standing on the bank with some type of bow in hand and a strange kind of arrow already posed to fire. When had he caught up? Was he helping?


“Who the hell are you?” The creature sent several of the arms towards the male who managed to dodge them all. A second ticked by and a parade of tiny sparks flew from the weapon in the male’s hand. A howl of pain surrounded them as they hit the intended target.


Sango watched after removing the slimy muscle from around her waist. Whoever he was, he had just shot the Masker full of holes. Only the top part slumped back from the assault. Her senses were picking up more trouble from the north but she couldn’t help but smile recognizing the knowing pull of Kagome. It didn’t matter how far apart they were, they could detect each other perfectly. The miko must have sensed her distress and was now heading this way at top speed.


Uryuu kept his eyes on the hollow that was trying to rearrange its top half once more. Why hadn’t it died? He was sure he’d hit all the vital points. Instead it was making various noises and promising to tear them in half. He was shocked that the hollow would attack the fleeing female because even now he couldn’t sense anything coming from her. There was no denying that she wasn’t a normal soul. Rukia swore they were the ones that had saved her life and their speed was impressive. He had been trailing behind to see where she was heading but that ploy had come crashing to a halt with the appearance of the arrancar.


He saw the girl taking a step back. Would she try to flee while he was distracted? The hollow must have sensed his distraction because it chose that moment to snap its face forward and open its mouth. His instincts screamed danger but his legs wouldn’t move as the black mist suddenly shot from that gaping hole. He brought his bow forward hoping to block the attack. He blinked as his vision was filled with black.


“Don’t move,” Sango screamed at the top of her lungs. It was hard to hear anything with the infernal wailing. Not to mention the hissing as the liquid flew by to dissolve the ground behind them. Luckily she’d noticed what was about to happen and had reacted but as she faced the strange male while holding Hiraikotsu with only her right hand she was thinking it might have been a bad idea. The force of it was pressing into her back causing her wrist to ache.


“You,” Uryuu gasped as the girl gave him a smirk and groaned. The black mist had been interrupted by the strange weapon upon her back. It still flowed freely around them, destroying all in its wake. He could smell the burning grass and dirt? The very air around them smelt foul. It was starting to hurt his chest to breath. A soothing light was pulsing from the broad weapon keeping them from being harmed by the attack. What was she doing? A cough racked his chest and he wondered if the mist was poisonous.


Sango heard the cough and wondered why she wasn’t feeling the effects of the mist. The young man’s eyes were starting to brim with tears but there was nothing more she could do, she had her limits. It was a strain just to keep her hold on Hiraikotsu, “On my belt, use the mask. Cover your mouth with it now.”


He wasn’t sure what she meant. Glancing down he saw what she was speaking about. Tied to the pink sash was some kind of facial mask. It took a few seconds to untie it but it was indeed some form of breathing equipment. He’d seen many since his father owned a hospital but had never seen one like this. Could it really stop something as powerful as this poison? What about her?


“Not me you idiot,” Sango shouted right into his face as he placed it over her chin. Was he an idiot? She could breath just fine for some reason and this wasn’t the time to be chivalrous. “Don’t just stand there, I don’t have time to worry about you fainting.”


As if he’d faint, Uryuu resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the ranting. There was another loud howl from nearby and the girl grunted and suddenly leaned forward several inches. The hollow was renewing its attack. The slouching forced him to lean down on one knee in order to keep out of the mist’s path. How long could she keep up the shield? He took a deep breath realizing that the mask was indeed helping and he was having no trouble now. “Are you okay?”


“Just peachy,” hell no, her arms were killing her but she couldn’t let go. There was a chance she’d survive being washed with the dark mess but surely it would destroy him. She didn’t owe him anything but she couldn’t sense anything evil from him so saving her own ass wouldn’t be right. “Hold on, she’s coming.”


“She?” Perhaps Kurosaki and Rukia would come if they sensed what was happening. Could the girl hold out that long? In his crouched position he took the time to inspect her more fully. The clothes were very strange and appeared to be some kind of uniform. His breath caught as they made eye contact. Dark brown eyes almost made him forget where he was. So many emotions swirled in such a small space. He’d once thought his mother had sad eyes but he wasn’t sure what he saw reflecting back at him. She contained the classic beauty that even he could appreciate.


“Do you mind?” Sango didn’t like the way he was staring, it made her feel stupid. Sure she was odd but this wasn’t the moment for him to be rude. It was hard to keep up concentrating on not being liquefied without him making her self-conscious. It didn’t matter if he was cute or had nice eyes, this wasn’t the time for gawking. Not when her wrist felt like it was about to snap in two.


“Sorry,” he was. He hadn’t meant to stare at her. A fierce scream echoed around them as she fell to one knee. There wasn’t much space between them now and he had a feeling the hollow wouldn’t stop until they were dead. The assault had only last for about two minutes so far but it was still too long. “Let me help.”


“Wait,” Sango tried to caution him but his hands were already reaching behind her head. She couldn’t help but blush at how close he was. His head towered over her own, barely under the shielding from Hiraikotsu. After so long she knew that it was her own soul that powered her weapon but how would it react to his presence?


Uryuu tried to overlook that being so close in this position put them mere inches apart and he had her head trapped between his arms. The instant he placed his palms on the weapon it had reacted. Years ago he had helped Kurosaki in a similar manner. If he was guessing correctly the weapon was part of her soul and he should be able to manipulate the particles being a Quincy. The idea was to combine their reitsu to reinforce the shield, up until he touched the damn thing. He felt the bizarre energy swirl and mingle with his own. His eyes widened as he got his first taste of her reitsu. It wasn’t that of a Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow or even human. It was unlike anything he’d seen before. A feeling so pure it made him want to weep mixed with an insane abundance of hatred. The sensation was so foreign and overwhelming, he almost collapsed.


Sango sighed in relief as the weight against her back began to lessen. The ki emitting from Hiraikotsu was growing brighter. Was he somehow lending her his strength? Her blush deepened, she couldn’t help it seeing how close his face was. Miroku had been this close a few times and a few stolen kisses hadn’t made her an expert. Why did he have to look at her like that?


It was amazing, how could they have missed this? Was it because they didn’t know what to look for? Uryuu understood why Soul Society would never be able to locate them on their own. A reitsu at this high of density was clearly too much. Did the two females even know what they possessed?


Sango wanted to squirm underneath that penetrating gaze but held firm. She had no idea what he was thinking about and was sure she’d leave him here to fry if he told her. Instead her ears focused hearing a shout from outside their prison. It was hard to be certain but she thought she felt Kagome near. A sudden rush swept over the barrier and bright light almost had her brain imploding.


“Yeah, take that you fat bastard!” Kagome snorted as the dust swirled to land on the grass. Served it right for messing with the wrong person. She squinted as the mist cleared and the view of Hiraikotsu clearly hid Sango from her sight. Except for something resembling a leg could be seen. “I thought I told you to go straight to the meeting place. I had to by-pass two pizza joints to come save your ass.”


“I got your pizza,” Sango let out the pent up breath at that annoying chipper voice. Leave it to Kagome to make light of the situation. The miko had a way of making her want to grind her teeth.


“What the hell are you doing?” Kagome tilted her head to the side and almost did a face-plant in the soft grass. “Keh, I didn’t notice you had company. If I’d had known you had everything under control I wouldn’t have come. Um, what are you doing?”


“Ugh,” Uryuu blushed fiercely as the other female cocked her head and gave him an odd expression. They hadn’t been doing anything besides surviving. He quickly dropped his arms and stood up.


Sango took the hand being extended towards her in a polite manner. Groaning she accepted and allowed him to help her to her feet. The soft touch of his fingers had her insides going all haywire. Didn’t males usually have rough and harsh hands? What now? She hadn’t exactly been caught but someone else was aware of them. “Thanks.”


“I feel like I should be the one saying it.” He released the firm hand and took a step back. His companions were fast approaching and would be here within the next two minutes. Now that he had them stalled he wasn’t sure what to do. He had so many questions but didn’t want to intrude or anger. “I suppose it would be wrong of me to ask you two stick around.”


“A tad but you are kind of cute.” Kagome chuckled as he blushed at the compliment. Didn’t he hear it often enough? What were wrong with the girls in this dimension? Even if he was in the midst of adjusting the glasses he was adorable. Nowhere near Inuyasha’s sexy or Sesshoumaru sweetness but he had merit. “Mind if we split?”


“I suppose I shouldn’t stop you under the circumstances.” He would admit that they had probably saved his life. He looked at the other female finally for the first time and was almost disappointed. Her features were softer and her face was rounder, the long raven hair also had a slight curl to it. He’d been hoping she might be another Quincy due to the bow but that wasn’t the case either.


“If you don’t mind,” Sango knew what would happen if they hung around. They had remained out of the public eye for so long she was loath to change the fact now. Being lonely was one thing but she didn’t want a bunch of strangers up in her face.


“Actually no, I wasn’t really the one searching for you. Though, I must warn you that you two have caught the attention of Soul Society and should tread lightly. I have no obligation to them so have no reason to detain you. I was merely curious and that has been appeased.” Uryuu wasn’t completely satisfied yet but he didn’t owe the Shinigami anything. “Before you leave might I ask one simple question? May I have your name?”


“I’m Kagome and that’s Sango, but we gotta run.” Kagome waved to the guy before bolting towards the South. Let him stay behind and deal with his friends. She wanted to go home after raiding someone’s fridge.


“I see,” he did. Uryuu Ishida smiled as both waved before disappearing in the fading daylight. It was fine if they left. He’d answer a few of Kuchiki’s questions and hoped it would work for her report. He wasn’t sure how they had come to be here but they were nothing more than souls. Souls with unknown talents. What he had concluded was that they weren’t in any way a threat. Besides he’d found out more in due time. Even as the one calling herself Kagome leapt out of sight, somehow he still felt like Sango was standing next to him. He had a feeling he’d find her again, sooner rather than later.

“I can’t believe you just let them leave like that!” Ichigo crossed his legs and gave the Quincy a searing look. Just when they spotted the two again Ishida does nothing to stop them. He didn’t buy the excuse that the guy had been drained and tired from the fight with a hollow. Sure, there might have been one but he wasn’t falling for it. Rukia might be able to inform the Seireitei enough information to keep from being lectured but he wasn’t satisfied with the answers. How could two souls remain for so long without becoming a hollow?


“Ah, please Kurosaki-kun, there is no need to shout. I’m sure he did the right thing, it’s only two girls.” Urahara waved his fan at the loud man. Whenever would Ichigo learn to speak in a decent manner? There was no need to get upset over such a trivial matter. When would they learn that Soul Society didn’t know everything? If it did then there wouldn’t be any hollows running loose.


“I somehow doubt they are just two normal girls. What do you think will happen?” Ichigo crossed his arms and leaned forward ignoring the offered tea. He wasn’t thirsty or hungry. He wanted answers and waiting had never been his thing. Ishida had seen them up close and spoken to them. Why did he feel like he was missing out on something?


“Yes, yes,” Kisuke shrugged and wished Rukia-chan would hurry back. He had a few things to take care of tonight and he didn’t need the extra company hanging around. So Soul Society was having a hard time catching these two souls that were aimlessly running around. He’d known of their existence for some time now but hadn’t bothered with it. After all he was a very informed man. If what Ishida-kun said was true then he had a feeling where the two girls would be tonight. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment.”


“Whatever,” Ichigo wanted to get some sleep before next year. He had a paper due tomorrow and it was still sitting half written on his desk. At this rate he’d have to ask Ishida to finish it for him. Not to mention the way they had suddenly ran out of the shopping center Orihime would be over to see what was up. He just didn’t want to think about that right now. The situation with her was more than complicated and he always ended up with a migraine.


If you read please review. Thanks!