New Dawn, The Shinigami in Training

Yuuto sat quietly on the roof of his family home, it was the last day of the first week of school. The sun was rising higher in the sky, slower and slower as Sai and Oda walked outside towards the small car

"But Daddy, why does Yuuto always get to stay home on Fridays!" Sai cried, her face red with anger as Oda pushed her into the car while holding her backpack.

"Because sweetheart, Yuuto...uhh..."volunteers" at the local cemetery on the weekends and can't go to school." Oda replied, placing the backpack next to her as he buckled her up. Oda looked up at the rooftop to Yuuto who seemed to stare at the view of Taitou City, waving good bye as he walked towards the driver's door.

"Good luck son!" He shouted "Don't forget to put those fliers in the cemetery!",

"Which ones, the one for the store, or for the room for rent?" Yuuto cupped his mouth, shouting back at his dad.

"The room ones, the store ones I'm taking with me!" Oda shouted back, as he moved towards the driver's seat of his car. Yuuto sighed, the car door slammed and drove away. Yuuto turned around and walked towards the door on the roof. Opening it up, he walked downstairs to the bedroom hallway then down another set of stairs to the dining room. On the table sat several green sheets of paper all saying "Want a Room?" on the top, grabbing them as he passed by the table. He stared down at them, sighing as he walked out the door, the sun was high in the sky and he looked at his watch. I'm gonna be a little late, He thought to himself, but a good apology is all I need. He smiled and made his way to the cemetery.

===

Meanwhile, Ume sat cross-legged on the roof of a house. Unseen by anyone, she was a Soul Reaper. Her eyes closed, and her hands on her lap. She taking slow breaths and concentrating, she exhaled slowly. Her eyes suddenly shot open. Her brain was sensing something, it was weak but it was worth investigating. She grabbed her Zanpakuto and dashed over the building tops towards the cemetery. Dashing from roof to roof, without being seen, suddenly she caught a glimpse of a young boy. She stopped and stared at him, standing alone on the rooftop.

Yuuto looked towards the rooftop, seeing a woman staring at him. A large sword on her back, he felt a bit awkward. He looked around, seeing no one else. Her eyes began to wonder as well, Ume looked behind her and saw nothing. Yuuto slowly raised his hand and waved it, her eyes widened and she ran to the next house and continued her dashing and leaping. He - he can see me?, she thought to herself, ''He was looking right at me and-. ''Then she looked over her shoulder and saw him.

Yuuto was running right behind her, he leapt over a trashcan and continued his way towards the cemetery following her. The concrete clapped with each step as he followed her, it was odd. She was silent, dead silent. ''Is she a ghost? Yuuto asked himself, If she is, I haven't seen one like her before''. Suddenly, he ran into a crosswalk. A screech was heard, The purple haired woman turned around to see a car screaming its brakes as it headed for the human who followed her. Her eyes widened, she raised her hand at the car and shouted.

''"Stop! For thy will commands it!" ''Her hand glowed a bright purple, Yuuto turned his head to the car as it came to a stop mere inches in front of him. He stared confused at what had just happened, then shook his head.

She's getting away! He thought to himself, and continued chasing the purple haired woman. The chase began to get more and more futile, then he saw one of his friends, Seti, walking out of a store holding new roller-skates. He dashed quicker, Seti caught him in his sight and gave a warm smile.

"Hey Yuuto what's goin-" Seti was interrupted as Yuuto grabbed the roller-skates from his hand. "HEY! Give those back!", Yuuto looked over his shoulder at his fuming friend.

"I'll pay you back!" Yuuto said as he slid them on quickly then skating after her, now speeding going at greater speeds. Seti, scratched his head, shrugged and walked away. Yuuto looked up, seeing that she disappeared. He knew she was heading towards the cemetery, he gained speed and skated forward. The sidewalk clacked with each step he took, he looked up and saw the treetops blocked the sky and the road and sidewalk mixed together. He was getting closer, then he saw the metal barrier poles of the cemetery. He reached his hand out, gripping the rounded top of the pole and throwing himself over.

The skates met the ground with a loud crack, he continued down as the graves passed by each side as great speeds. He looked down at his watch, he was 30 minutes late because of that woman he chased. He raised his head and saw a little 5 year old girl sitting on a bench, he leaned his left foot back and the brake hit the ground. He slid to a stop and turned to the girl, her chest was bleeding and her eyes were a dim gray color.

"Y-You're late..." She mumbled, Yuuto rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a nervous smile.

"Sorry about that Azumi, I kinda started chasing someone and-"

"Well, at least your here" She said, giving him a slight childish smile. Her eyes closed and she giggled a bit,

"Yeah, so what do you need me to do here?" Asked Yuuto, looking at all the graves in the cemetery.

"I want you to pray at my grave, my daddy used to but since he met new mommy..." She placed her wrists against her eyes and sniffled, "He hardly comes anymore..." Yuuto looked at her, rolling his eyes.

"Fine, show me where your grave is and let's get this over with", Azumi, the ghost girl, removed her wrists as she cried blood. She looked up at him with innocent child's eyes. Then closed them with happiness,

"It's this way! Follow me!" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward, Yuuto rolled after the little girl who ran down the walkway. Finally, they came to her grave. A small plaque with a name, Azumi Fusoyami, 1993-1998. She pushed him forward, then again a bit more. Her head poked out from the side, and her tongue stuck out in thought, then pushed him forward a little more.

Her head stuck out a bit more, then finally ran around him and sat on her grave. Crossing her legs and flatting out her skirt, smiling as he stood there in his roller-blades. He looked down at her, a bit confused. An awkward silence followed. Yuuto rubbed the back of his neck, looking slightly away from the little girl. Her hands clenched shut and her eyes grew a bit angry.

"Say something!" She shouted at him,

"Like what?" Yuuto shouted back,

"Sing me a song!" She shouted as a response,

"I don't know how to sing...well, not good anyway!" Yuuto said back, she crossed her arms and looked at him. Yuuto glared back at her; She sure is demanding, though Yuuto, Wonder how I can please her?. Yuuto yawned a bit as he thought.

"Sing!" Azumi demanded, still crossing her legs and arms with spite,

"Fine!" Yuuto said, he cleared his throat and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, and raised his hand to begin singing when he felt another spiritual presence and it wasn't the little girls. He turned his head slightly and looked over his shoulder, a white masked shadow was standing behind him a low growling sound coming from the hole in it's chest. Yuuto turned around completely and looked at the creature, confused by it. Suddenly, it made a roaring sound and Yuuto stumbled backwards, falling onto the dirt of Azumi's grave.

Four more shadows rose from the ground, their white masks forming as they surrounded him. Azumi curled up behind Yuuto, and they shared the same expression; fear. Yuuto grabbed his backpack strap and slowly rolled it off his shoulder, as cold sweat ran down his face. He gritted his teeth,

"Take this, freak!" His arm swung forward, throwing the backpack. The Hollow's claw swept around, slashing the backpack in two. Green paper flew from both halfs and danced around, Suddenly one lunged at him. Yuuto closed his eyes, a sound was hear; Shing! and a loud agonizing roar. Yuuto opened one of his eyes, A tall, slender woman wearing a black kimono with long purple hair stood in front of him with a long katana in her hands. The white masked monster faded into nothing, as she stood in after swing.

"W-Who are you?" Yuuto asked, confused by this sudden encounter with her. She looked over her shoulder, with a timid smile.

"Ume Tsukiko, Shinigami" She sheaths her katana and turns to the two, the monsters back away. "I'd recommend you run, human." She spoke in a deep, serious tone and her eyes seemed unwavering as she looked down at them. Another one of the monsters lunged at the woman, she turned around and raised her hand, it glowed a bright blue. The paper around her straightened,

"Senbaduru! Buyou Kakitsuki!" She clenched her fist, paper flew into the hollow, ripping through the skin. The body split into two, three, then finally five pieces and hit the ground. She was worried about the two she was protecting, then turned back to them.

"You two!" She spoke sternly, Yuuto's ears perked with surprise. "Run!". Yuuto grabbed the little girl in his arms, turned and dashed down the street as his skates clacked with each movement. Ume tightened her grip on her sword, her eyes narrowed with a hint of anger.

"Foul demons, face my wrath!" A hollow charged at her, another jumped up and lunged. She closed her eyes and exhaled, her eyes opened. The blade slashed through the hollow's mask and sliced the monster in half, she ducked as the other hollow flew over her. She spun around and stabbed the other hollow in the back, she gritted her teeth and raised the blade upward; slicing the hollow in two from the waist. She turned to the final hollow, or so she thought. Suddenly six more holes opened, and more hollows began entering.

"Why are they all here for the spirit of a little girl..." She thought to herself, she watched their movements. Then an idea came to her, "Unless their after..." Her eyes widened as she realized, they were after the human and she just left him alone.

Yuuto skated faster and faster down the slope, the edge of town was coming into sight as the little girl was cradled in his arms. Though no one else could see her, Yuuto could and was trying to protect her with all his might. She looked at the metal poles that prevented cars from entering, and then back at Yuuto.

"Yuuto, I would stop if I were you." She said calmly,

"Why, we're almost out of th-" The little girl suddenly stopped in mid-air, slamming into his chest, His legs jack-knifed upward and he fell on the cobblestone ground.

"I-ummm-I can't leave the cemetery Yuuto." The little girl said,

"That would've been good information BEFORE I ATTEMPTED IT!" He shouted back. Scoffing, she offered her hand and then looked up in horror as a huge, white-masked beast stood over them both. Yuuto stared up, his eyes widened and his pupils shrunk. The monster growled loudly, it's arm reeled back then launched forward. Yuuto rolled out of the way, placing the wheels of the roller-blade onto the concrete and launching himself away from the monster.

The monster roared into the sky, looked down and ran after Yuuto. His skates clacking vigorously as he attempted to find the woman with the purple hair, he looked over his shoulder hoping the monster would have stopped. Suddenly, the roller-blade lurched to a halt, he fell forward, and rolled himself and his shoulder hit the pavement. He stood up, his elbow was bleeding and the crack from his shoulder wasn't exactly a good sign.

He looked to see a pole laying on the ground, grabbing it without question, he had no idea what he was doing. The Hollow's arm reeled back and the white mouth slowly opened with a groan. The claw swung at him, Yuuto leapt up as the claw smashed the ground and his roller-blades landed on the Hollow's hand. The hand nudged, it was stuck. Yuuto looked at this in surprise and back at the Hollow's mask. He pressed his right skate forward and ran up the Hollow's arm. Nudging and twitching, he reeled the arm back as he approached it.

"Go to HELL! MONSTER!" Yuuto swung the bar into the Hollow's mouth and his skates left the shoulder, the bar pulling the Hollow with him. Yuuto finished the swing and the Hollow slammed backwards into the concrete walkway. The Hollow opened it's eyes as Yuuto pulled his left leg back. The right skate slammed into the Hollow's mask, Yuuto leaned down as a piece of the mask broke free, revealing it's face.

Yuuto spun the metal bar in his hand and swung it backwards. The Hollow groaned a bit and it's hands lifted up. Yuuto looked to the left and then the right as the hands rose high above him and swung forward. The bar stabbed through the mask and into the Hollow's head. It screamed, his fingers clenching in pain. The arms bent, twitching as Yuuto slowly pulled the bar out of the Hollow's face. The arms fell back and the mask began to fade away. Yuuto leapt off of the Hollow, and looked up at the hill. The woman in a black kimono was running towards him, then a thought came to him.

"Azumi!" He shouted, The little girl poked her head out from behind a grave.

"Hoy!" She shouted as she began to walk towards Yuuto. Ume stopped at the group, looking at the small girl then to Yuuto.

"I must say, you've impressed me human. I have never seen one with such strength to take down a hollow of his strength." She said, her voice a bit blunt. Yuuto's face turned a bit red, as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, Holl-thingies have no chance against ME!" He said, standing proudly. Ume merely rolled her eyes and knelled down to the spirit, smiling timidly as she placed her hand on her shoulder. A smile came across Ume's face, then a nervous one across Azumi's. Yuuto looked just confused at what was happening, then Ume grabbed her sword. She placed the end of the hilt against Azumi's head, who closed her eyes as the sword came closer.

"What's going on?" Yuuto asked, scratching his head. Suddenly, Azumi began to glow and Ume gave a serious look to Yuuto.

"I'm exorcising the spirit, something you were trying to do for a while. Am I correct?" She asked, Yuuto's face turned red.

"No-o..." He responded, Ume stood up and crossed her arms as the remnants of the spirit faded away. "Yes..." Yuuto changing his answer. Ume responded with a slight smile.

"Well, you tried. But next time, leave this sort of thing to the professionals like myself." Ume said, Yuuto bowed his head in defeat. "Now, you better get home. A lot of time has passed and I bet your parents are worried." Yuuto nodded and began to skate away from the graveyard. His elbow bleeding a bit and his leg aching with each movement. Ume smiled as he skated away, surprised that hollows were after him. She turned around and heard a crunch, then looked under her foot. A green piece of paper sat there, she removed her foot and grabbed it and raised to her face.

"Room...for rent? Hmmm..."

===

It was around 6 PM when Yuuto got home, his friend wasn't too happy that he borrowed his new skates; let alone the fact that he scratched them up so badly. Sighing, he opened the door slowly. His sister walking passed as he did,

"Huh? Daddy! Yuuto's home!" She cried, their was a suddenly crash in the kitchen. A teardrop appeared behind Yuuto's head as his father rushed to the door frame of the kitchen, a stack of yen in his hand.

"Yuuto, because you did such a good job with the fliers. I'm giving you TWICE your usual allowance" Oda said, smiling.

"But I-" Yuuto studdered as his father placed the large stack in his hand, there must've been 3000 Yen, if not more. "I didn-" Interrupted again by his father.

"Ume! Time for Dinner!" Oda shouted upstairs, Sai pranced passed happily as Yuuto's eyes widened suddenly.

"U-Ume?" He stuttered, nervously.

"Yup, while you were gone. This girl came over saying she saw our flier in the cemetery and needed a room to stay in." Suddenly, a tall, slender woman with long purple hair wearing a school girl's outfit walked down the stairs smiling.

"Oh Mr. Hiroyuki, you didn't have to. I could've just gone out to eat" She said innocently, Yuuto just looked slack-jawed at her as she sat down at the table.

"Nonsense, Nonsense! You're a guest here now! And you'll eat what I make. You're family now" He looked up at Yuuto who was still staring at Ume, "Yuuto! Don't stare, it's impolite"

"Bu-bu-bu-but Dad!" He tried to respond,

"No buts! Now sit down, you're dinner is getting cold" Oda shouted, Yuuto bowed his head in defeat and sat across from Ume.