Chapter 6

 

I watched as Toshiro put his arms out as far as they’d go, spinning himself in tight circles. The grin that spread across his face filled me with joy. I loved to see him so happy and carefree. It was a Saturday and it had been a little over a week since we’d been attacked by that strange, black creature. My smile faltered as I thought back to what happened, placing a hand on my hurt shoulder.

 

“Mina-chan,” Toshiro called and I realized he’d stopped spinning. “Does your shoulder hurt?” I smiled softly and knelt down to kiss his forehead.

 

“Only a little, Shiro-chan,” I answered. “Hold my hand as we go across.”

 

I held out my hand and he grasped it lightly. Toshiro needed a new pair of sneakers and the store was nearby, so we were taking advantage of the warm weather. As we walked across the bridge, various people passed by; I could see a couple of spirits in the crowd as well. Toshiro didn’t seem to notice them as he walked alongside me.

 

“Can we see Mr. Ishida and Miss Inoue again soon?” my brother asked, surprising me. I looked down at him with slight confusion. What had brought this on?

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

“They’re really nice and I like them. Miss Inoue said I look like one of her friends. I didn’t know anyone else around here had white hair. It’s cool.” I chuckled and ruffled his hair.

 

“We’ll see, Shiro-chan. I might bring you with me the next time I go to where Mr. Ishida works.”

 

Toshiro nodded with a smile and looked ahead once again. When he did, he stopped in his tracks with wide eyes. I stopped moving and followed his gaze, but saw nothing. The air around us felt heavy, though, and it was suddenly more difficult to breath. Whatever was coming was a threat.

 

“Mina-chan,” Toshiro murmured, his grip around my hand tightening. I could practically sense his fear.

 

“Come on, Toshiro,” I whispered and pulled him to the left.

 

I wasn’t sure what was ahead of us, but I knew I wanted to avoid it. A low growl rumbled through the air, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. It sounded just like the creature that attacked us only a week prior. Without another thought, I lifted Toshiro into my arms and began running. My right shoulder screamed in pain at the sudden weight, but I didn’t care. All that mattered to me was getting to safety.

 

Toshiro’s legs were on either side of my torso as I ran with one arm under him for support and the other pressing on his back to hold him close. My racing heart pounded in my chest in time with my feet on the pavement. Toshiro’s hands clenched around the fabric of my blouse, trembling in fear. He’d seen what that monster could do; I didn’t want him to see that again.

 

“It would appear you can hear us, querida,” a smooth, tenor voice said. I stopped running and glanced around in fear.

 

“Who’s there?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone. Toshiro trembled in my arms.

 

“It’s back,” he whispered into my shoulder, “from my nightmares.”

 

My mind immediately jumped to a few weeks before, when Toshiro had woken up screaming. My arms tightened around my brother as two figures came into view, seemingly from out of nowhere. One of them looked almost human, but it seemed like bone coated the entire left side of his face. His right hand was bony as well; sharpened to points at his fingertips. This man wore all white and had oddly soft facial features. The creature beside him looked nothing like the creature that attacked us before. This one looked like a monster of a serpent, again with a mask.

 

“Who are you? What do you want?” I demanded. The human-like figure chuckled darkly.

 

“I’m very surprised you can see us. You and that boy in your arms have very high spiritual pressure,” he answered and my grip tightened around my brother even more.

 

“You didn’t answer me.”

 

“My name is unimportant to you, querida. You will not be of this world very soon.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, the snake-like monster attacked, striking as quickly as lightning. My heart stopped and I heard Toshiro scream. My eyes widened in shock and fear as a wall of ice formed in front of me, blocking us from the beast. The breath caught in my throat as I took a stumbling step back. I didn’t do that. Toshiro pulled away from me and looked behind him at the icy barrier. The bone-coated man’s eyes widened in shock. My brother then looked up at me, his eyes lowering as though tired. He suddenly went limp in my arms, his head falling on my chest.

 

“Toshiro!” I screamed, trying to wake him. He was completely unresponsive.

 

“That boy…”

 

“What did you do to him?!” I shook my brother’s shoulder again. “Toshiro, wake up!” The snake-like creature reared back again, preparing for another attack.

 

“Hey!” a voice yelled from above.

 

I looked up to see a man with short, messy strawberry blond hair wearing a black outfit in a style that reminded me of feudal Japan. He was carrying a sword just as long as he was tall, and he was floating. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any weirder! The man dropped down from the sky, slicing straight through the giant serpent. A strange rift opened from thin air and the bone-coated man disappeared as the rift closed. The orange-haired man approached, stepping around the ice wall in front of me. I took a step back, holding Toshiro close.

 

“Who are you?” I asked.

 

“I’m a friend. I’m not going to hurt you,” he answered.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“My name is Ichigo Kurosaki. I’m a friend of Uryuu Ishida.” At those words, I relaxed slightly and turned my attention back to my brother.

 

“Shiro-chan, please wake up.” Ichigo took another step towards me and I pulled back, bringing my brother close to myself.

 

“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”

 

“I’m sorry, but I’m just not sure what to believe right now. I’ve been attacked by two monsters, saw someone with an exoskeleton, watched a wall of ice appear out of nowhere and saw the only person who looks normal float! I just want to know what’s wrong with my brother!”

 

“He’s asleep. Protecting you took a lot out of him.”

 

“Protecting me?” I repeated. That was something I wasn’t used to. Normally, I was the one doing the protecting.