Revisiting the Past

This article, , is the opening chapter of the Blank period, which takes part in the second stage of Bleach: War of the Worlds. Garrett Sheppard and Anko Amatsuki are the primary characters. The first and last paragraphs are set during Bleach: Cataclysm but the flashback segment, which comprises the main part of the story, is set during Bleach: War of the Worlds.

Garrett awoke with a pounding head and a dull pain in his right shoulder. Sometimes he thought back and wondered how his decisions had led him down this road. He was fighting Hollow almost every other day, and getting banged up each time. Would he change things? Maybe. Could he? No. And he wouldn't anyway. This was his life now. Garrett rose out of his bed and looked at a photo on the wall of his bedroom that depicted Anko Amatsuki, who was his old teacher. She had recently accepted a post at Grat university and had secured him a job as a janitor for by. As he looked at that photo he couldn't help but think back...

...Two years ago...

Class was over for another day. Garrett saw his classmates packing up and leaving. Most where eager to be anywhere but where they currently were, and normally he would have shared their sentiments. Hell, he was usually the first one out the door when that bell rang! But he had something he needed to do today. And sadly his teacher, Miss Amatsuki, was the only person he could think of who could answer his questions.

So he left his school-bag on the floor beneath his desk and took a sharp inhale of air before walking towards her.

“Miss? Can I have a word?”

“That depends. What is it?”

Anko Amatsuki was everything Garrett did not expect in a teacher. She was young by his reckoning -- it was hard to tell with spiritual beings inhabiting a Gigai -- with a curvaceous figure and long pink-coloured hair. She looked like something straight out of some cartoon. Today she wore a pristine white lab coat over the top of a black suit, minus the tie and plus one black hat with white sides he had yet to see her without. Those brown eyes of hers regarded him with mild curiosity.

“I want to know about my powers.”

She looked irritated for about two seconds before amusement took its place.

“Could you say that any louder, Garrett? Not all of them are spiritually aware and I don't believe that all of your fellow students heard you!”

“Okay, okay, I'm sorry! But you're the only person I can talk to at this point. Kusaka tells me to piss off every time I ask him, and quite frankly what he did to me the last time I asked him for a favour makes me think twice about asking him again. So I go to his wife and she says the same thing only a bit more politely. Throws in a jibe about hospital rooms for good measure.”

He thought he seen genuine concern and sympathy in the way she looked at him, but she quickly turned around to erase the chalk from her black-board.

“... Is there a reason you cannot talk to Hawke? You and he are as thick as thieves. He has the same power, you know.”

“Hawke's been... busy. He won't tell me what he's up to, but I know its dangerous. That's why I can't go snooping around without knowing what I'm dealing with. So here I am. Trust me, I wouldn't ask if I weren't desperate.”

She slammed the eraser down on her desk and turned to look at him with what Garrett could only describe as fury. It was only then that he saw the indecision on her face; saw her war with, beat it down until her face was smooth and unreadable once more. At that point she let loose a heavy sigh. She took her seat and rubbed her temples, as if this conversation was a massive headache.

“... Please.”

“Close the door.”

When he did she motioned him to sit in one of the front-row desks.

“The power you possess is known as Fullbring, and you haven't yet awoken to it. You will soon however and I can only help you when that time comes, so until it does you will have to stay close to me. Is that understood?”

“Sure, but why?”

“Fullbring is a power tied to Hollow reiatsu. I trust I don't need to explain what a Hollow is?” She continued at his nod. “Good. Fullbringer's come to realize their powers at different times. Some do so early, as Hawke did, whilst others like yourself do so later. Up until now you've been facing Hollow because you happen to be a gifted martial artist who knows how to utilize their reiryoku, but things have started to change, haven't they?”

“... I'm using powers I've never been fit to use before with greater frequency. You're saying that its this Fullbring?”

“Yes, I am. And someday soon that power will spiral out of control, unless you stay close to me. I can prevent that.”

“So what happens now?”

“That's up to you.” Anko answered simply, with a sigh. “You can come with me after class until we master your power, or you can forge on alone and do yourself irreparable damage. It's your choice.”

“More extracurricular classes?” Garrett groaned. “Lovely. Let's get started.”

“On one condition: you finish what you start. If you quit, never speak to me about this again. I don't waste my time on quitters.”

“Thanks, Anko.”

“You won't thank me later.”

... Present day...

That had been two years ago now. Anko had been true to her word. She guided him through the harsh development of his Fullbring, and that allowed him to fight at Hawke's side against increasingly stronger threats. He owed her a lot. But that could wait for another day. For now Garrett stepped into the shower and prepared himself for what was likely going to be another hectic Saturday dealing with all manner of Hollow.

End.