"Alex! Somebody's here to see you!" I heard Mom call from the front entryway as I finished another episode of my favorite anime, Bleach.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtScTcvES1
I closed my laptop and started walking toward her. "Who is it?" I asked her.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMzcyEoENn
"He says that his name is 'Toshiro Hitsugaya'," she replied. "Do you know him?"892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8OyoPGw4v
I froze. Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad Ten? Why would he be here? Most of all, how could he be here? He's only a fictional character.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuSWE4BZVe
"Um...yeah, I do," I replied, continuing on my way to the front door, freezing when I saw a head of silvery-white hair that was slightly spiked in a style I know too well. "You can go finish what you were doing, it's okay," I told Mom, still stunned as she walked away. He wasn't in his shihakusho, but was instead wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt and normal blue jeans, but I could tell that it was Toshiro anyway.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4RJQzfy13
"Wha-What are you doing here?" I demanded. "I thought you existed only in the anime!"892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WOnN63k1e
He shrugged. "The producers of the show noticed your dedication, so they sent me to thank you and spend the day with you," he explained casually. "So, what's on the agenda?"892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XTjRBitNy
Still stunned, it took a few seconds for the question to sink in. "Um...let's just go for a walk so that I can clear my head," I suggested.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeICxOyAO2h
He nodded. "Sure, I'm game," he replied, so I let my mother know that I would be gone all day before we walked out, walking down a path beside the river. "So, how long have you been watching Bleach?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4wdl4hz1o
I shrugged, counting the time. "About...a few months. I'll find one site that has the video from a reliable source for a few episodes, then I'd have to spend a few more days looking for a new site, and the process would repeat itself," I explained.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dWMJ4fLTZ
His eyes widened suddenly at a memory. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. I'm supposed to give you this," he told me, holding out a card, similar to a gift card. "Enter this code at the original site for Bleach, and you'll get unlimited access to all episodes and a complete digital library of all the manga."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOsAlzT5OH
My eyes grew to the size of coins as I pocketed the card. "Thank you so much, you've no idea what this means to me," I told him.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7orsl1EECZ
He shrugged. "It's no problem. So, what next?" he began to ask me when a pebble flew in from out of nowhere and struck me on the side of the head, stinging painfully.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqV5Xu3iNEV
"Oh, look who it is!" a dreadfully familiar voice called from ahead of us. We looked toward the source and found three large kids, all my age, on skateboards. The one that launched the pebble was the leader of the bullies, holding a slingshot in his hand. "It's the little nerd who couldn't!"892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVawLIUonz
"Who're they?" Toshiro asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSfYWSzMgP
I frowned. "Bullies. I never learned their names, but they always mess with me when I come this way. I forgot about them," I explained.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2naG9jPb5
"Aw, he even has a little friend with him!" the leader exclaimed.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSanz913gnY
"Looks like he dyed his hair white or something," one of the guys behind him said.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC33FghVYZN
"Wow, he's short. He looks like he could still be in elementary school," another hissed.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9n6YPYx6eK
"Well, it looks like we'll have to teach his little friend to fear us," the leader added, grabbing another rock and launching it at Toshiro. In the blink of an eye, though, he caught the pebble.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7ebDovg2d
"What big words for somebody so weak," Toshiro muttered, turning to me. "Would you like me to take care of them?"892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapNLe0O3Vh
I nodded. "S-Sure," I replied, startled.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XvMmezt95
He nodded back at me and turned toward the bullies, cracking his knuckles.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSJi3UY0ir
"Aw, the little kid is gonna try and beat us up!" the leader said in a voice you'd use to talk to babies.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3uonEKHaZ
Toshiro glared at them. "I." He kicked one of them in the gut. "Am." Punched another one in the face. "Not." Crushes the skateboards with his bare hands. "A." Chases down the leader. "KID!!!!!" He knocks out the leader, sending the others running before he returned to my side.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbjI7KYWOV
"That was...awesome!" I yelled excitedly as the bullies ran away.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2NU1xFgSD
Toshiro simply shrugged. "It wasn't that good," he told me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SlAlkJ4AV
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? You were the only person to ever fight back against them," I told them.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCcALLrW4B
He shrugged again. "Whatever. Anyway, what now?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4lrnujsfa
Caught by his act, I was filled with sudden courage. "I want you to teach me how to fight!" I told him, saying it before the courage left me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1Le847NY3
He raised an eyebrow at me. "Why do you want to learn how to fight?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SpHxmdRjm
I gulped nervously. "I...I'm always bullied at school," I explained. "I want to be able to stand up for myself so that I won't spend the rest of my time in high school in fear of bullies."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFiZINNxCS
He nodded undertandingly. "That's a good reason to learn how to fight, to protect yourself," he muttered. "Okay, I will teach you as much as I can in the time I am here," he told me. "Is there a place where we can do this without disruption?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskQIS8EE0L
I nodded, turning toward the park. "Yeah, follow me," I told him, walking into the park's small forest. I spent most of the time that I wasn't at school or watching Bleach wandering the forest, learning all the trails. I also found a few good clearings to just sit in and relax. I led him to one such place, where he taught me how to take a proper fighting stance.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaq3Cjncj0
"Now, try to attack me," Toshiro told me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNIP9Huqel
I nodded and brought up memories of every fight he had been in, and all of the tactics he used. I tried to convert it into my own fighting stlye, so I ended up jumping at his left side, swinging at his chest. He just ducked under the attack and used my momentum to send me flying.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWy3PpWb69
"When you're fighting somebody that is larger than you, use their size to your advantage," he told me as I rose to my feet and leaped at him. He simply repeated the technique, although I latched onto his wrist. He stayed standing, though, so I used it to my advantage, keeping my body upright and using my grip on him to try to punch him in the face, but he quickly jerked his hand from my grip by twisting it behind my back in a flash, causing me to step back.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SbXtOMtcd
We spent the next few hours fighting back and forth. I began using techniques he used, although he continued to beat me repeatedly.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0TMsZf2vq
"You've gotten much better," Toshiro complimented when we stopped. I was almost dripping with sweat, but he looked fine. "Against a less powerful opponent, you may have won."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD74T0d9xt
I nodded, accepting the compliment. "Thanks," I replied, sitting on the grass to rest momentarily.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21xFkhzjMg
"Here, let me help you," Toshiro stated, placing a hand on my shoulder and using healing energy, healing any aches and refilling my energy reserves.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9qJiDqb90
"Thanks," I replied. "C'mon, let's get some lunch," I told him, for it was only noon.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3HJFF1uEy
He nodded and I led him to a nearby food truck that serves amazing food. I ordered a few burgers and some bottles of water as Toshiro waited at a nearby picnic table.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfXrCBFf3U
"Here you go," I told him a few minutes later, walking up to him with some burgers and bottles of water. I set one of the burgers and bottles in front of him and sat down with my own.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUZKd8pQ2S
"This isn't half bad for human food," he commented as he ate the burger.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5hmZkcqlU
I nodded. "Yeah, this place has the best burgers ever," I replied as I drank my bottle of water.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZqtPspec3
"So, what would you like to do after this?" he asked me. "We still have roughly eighteen hours left."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF9jmLYxz8
I shrugged. "I don't know, what do you want to do?" I asked him.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBCGtx5Yto
He shrugged as well. "I haven't trained in a while," he muttered.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFAkYBBrSB
My eyes brightened with an idea. "That's it! You can show me your Shikai and Bankai in real life!" I told him. "I've always been interested in your Zanpakuto."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUzBISP6vl
He shrugged. "Sure, follow me," he said once we finished eating. We took care of the bottles of water and returned to the learing in the forest, when he left his Gigai and drew his Zanpakuto.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLqFHeW8XV
"Stand back," he told me before holding his Zanpakuto in front of him. "Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" he commanded, an ice dragon erupting from the tip of his sword as a hooked blade became attached to the end via a chain. He began launching numerous ice attacks into the empty air before focusing. "Ban...kai!" he roared, erupting in a fountain of energy. When it faded, his right arm was encased in a dragon's head, and ice wings had sprouted from his back while three purple ice flowers appeared behind him.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcfPhj9kLC
"So cool..." I whispered in awe as he landed in front of me. The grass he stepped upon became coated in frost.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnCGXrJXkh
He nodded and began launching attacks at numerous imaginitive enemies for a full hour before he dropped to the ground, back to normal. "Satisfied?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYhzwmZaj0
I nodded, dumbstruck by the show of pure power. "Um...yeah," I whispered before pulling myself together. "I wish I could be that strong," I muttered as I approached him. "Now, how about we hang out at the beach and talk?" I told him.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlxRxbTMJQ
He nodded, so we returned to my house, where I changed into swimming trunks and gave Toshiro a pair that would fit him before we went to the beach, setting out towels to sit on.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmdPEhhhmK
"So, what did you want to talk about?" he asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK57TvmroZQ
I shrugged. "What's it like, being a Captain and having so much power?" I asked him.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxSKHMk6Y6
He shrugged. "Kinda boring. There's a bunch of paperwork that needs to be filled out, and I always have to deal with Rangiku's antics as well as everything that goes on," he explained. "Plus, there are a bunch of regulations I need to follow, and I have to do my best to be a role model for my Squad."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHRKIBG9wr
I nodded and asked him a few more questions, like why he became a Captain, his favorite part of being a Captain, his opinion on some of the other characters, and what he thinks of the other Captains.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tvAMS9FpM
"What do you think of Ichigo Kurosaki?" I asked him. "After all, he saved the Soul Society, like, a bunch of times."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBdTcK0wxj
He shrugged. "Ichigo Kurosaki shows a blatant lack of respect for authority, referring to everyone by their last names and Captain Yamamoto as 'Old Man'. However, he is very powerful, and I respect that aspect," he replied.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPvEn9A9h2
I nodded in understanding and proceeded in my Q & A with him, asking whichever questions came to mind.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzspzUbbXRo
"Well, I should probably get going," I told him at the end of the day, after too many questions to count, a swimming race (which he won, of course), and some beach volleyball against another pair of guys that challenged us. Thanks to Toshiro, we crushed them. "It's getting late," I added as we walked back to the house.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdLu28W3TP
He nodded. "Today has been a nice day," he replied.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFonfJ6EZOK
I nodded. "Thank you for today, it's been awesome," I told him. "I wish we could do this again."892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6PEBHCdnW
He shook his head. "Sorry, but this is a one-time-only sort of thing. Don't forget about that card, though, and we'll see each other soon," he added before fading away outside the door to my house.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9JBWgRiBZ
"Hey, how was your day?" Mom asked as I walked in.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfbh5YHJGs
I smiled. "Good, thanks," I replied.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQSdnkZtqT
"Your friend looks like a nice guy, when will you get to hang out with him again?" she asked me.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUOrWyCinR
I grinned. "Soon," I stated simply as I walked up to my room and powered on my laptop, entering the code given to me and opening the next episode for Bleach.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b990Fkpcf
In that episode, I swear I saw Toshiro look at me and wave.892Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQn1txpYZZJ
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