A/N: This popped into my head one day... and I just had to do it... the first chapter is basically an alternate retelling of the first chapter/episode of Bleach but there are many differences... I hoe you enjoy the story...
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece nor Bleach... if I did then no 4kids and um... I'd be extremely creeped out because my mom loves Bleach...
Luffy: Really? She does?
Me: Me yeah... she's the one that got me hooked... sometimes it creeps me out a little... just a little...
Bleached Marimo
By Emma Iveli
Chapter 1: Zoro's Secret and the Mysterious Soul Reaper
The Thousand Sunny had just docked on another island… the sun was shining… the seagulls were cawing… and Zoro was being bothered by the ghost of someone he killed.
"Ha! Ha! You have a bounty! You have a bounty!" teased the ghost.
"Shut up… I'm trying to sleep…" muttered Zoro.
Zoro had a secret… a secret he kept from the crew… he could see ghosts… just like the living… though he did noticed differences between the dead and the living… like for instance… the dead had chains coming out their chests… he didn't know why… that's how he was always could tell the difference… one the reasons why he kept it a secret… well how you feel if someone on the crew could see ghosts… another reason… well when would something like that come up in normal conversation?
"What did you say?" said Sanji glaring at him.
"I wasn't talking to you…" said Zoro fully waking up.
"Like fun you were…" said Sanji.
And once again the two began to fight…
"What are they fighting about this time?" asked Chopper.
"Who knows…" said Usopp.
Later that night… Zoro sighed while resting in his room… he didn't know why but more ghosts have been bothering him lately… he put that because he was a bounty hunter now with a high bounty on his head (well… he had a high bounty for a while… maybe because of his higher bounty)…
"Why can't they just leave me alone… it's getting too hard to keep it a secret…" said Zoro.
That's when a black butterfly flew past him…
"What was that…" he said.
That is when a girl in her mid-teens walked though the wall… she had short black hair and was dressed in a black kimono and hakama. There was a sword strap her side…
"It's close…" said the girl.
"Hey!" said Zoro.
The girl didn't answer but ignored him… like he wasn't even there…
"Hey!" yelled Zoro again this time punching her.
She of course felt this… she stared at Zoro.
"You can see me…" said the girl, "And punch me too…"
"Of course I can… why can't I?" said Zoro.
"But you are a human…" said the girl.
"Of course I am…" said Zoro.
"How is that possible…" said the girl.
"Stop acting like nothing's wrong… tell me why you're here!" yelled Zoro.
"Why are you acting this way?" said the girl.
"Oh I don't know… maybe because a girl broke into my room when I'm a wanted person…" said Zoro gal reign at the girl.
"I guess you do not know… I am a Soul Reaper…" said the girl.
Zoro raised an eyebrow, "Riiiight…" he said sarcastically.
Meanwhile in the Island's town there was a loud roar… then a crash… a strange monstrous figure walked the night… heading towards the Thousand Sunny…
Back in his room the girl began to explain what she was…
"Sure… you're a soul reaper…" said Zoro, "I've been seeing ghosts since I was kid! And you're the first "Soul Reaper" I've seen! Get out now! Or I will make you leave!"
Zoro began to push her out of his room…
"Don't you dare!" said the girl.
She pointed at him "The fist biding spell…"
That's when somehow all his limbs looked to be tied up by an invisible force.
"What's going on…" said Zoro.
"You are being bound by my Kido… it's a spell that only powerful Soul Reapers can cast…" said the girl, "Despite my appearance I've lived 10 of your life times…I would kill an insolent little fool like yourself but I can't… it's agaisnt regulation…to perform unnecessary executions… so you should feel lucky being let off with a light paralysis… and this…"
She drew her sword… Zoro's eyes were wide… he thought he was going to stab her… but she just tapped the hilt of her sword… on the forehead of the guy who was bothering him earlier. It left a strange stamp…
"No… I don't want to go to hell…" said ghost.
"Don't worry… your destined for a better place… the Soul Society…" said the girl.
The ghost sank into a light that appeared beneath him… when he was completely gone a black butterfly appeared and flew away.
"What just happened?" said Zoro confused.
"I just performed a Konso… the "soul funeral"… in your language you call it passing on…" said the girl.
"Well thanks… I had no idea how long he was going to bother me and tease me…" said Zoro.
The girl sweatdroped, she shook it off…
"Now that you don't' doubt that I'm a Soul Reaper I'll explain the soul reaper's duty to you…" said the girl, "Now there are two types of souls in the plane of existence"
She took out pieces of paper… they looked like they were drawn by a 5 old girl… or possibly Luffy… no wait Luffy doesn't draw hearts and bunnies… which is what it looked like… it had a bunny with the caption "Good Sprit" and in the back ground were hearts… "Now there are the souls you know… they are called "Wholes", she then switched to one of a bear wit lighting in the background with the caption "Bad Sprit" "And there are the are the other type of sprit we call "Hallows" now Hallows attack the living and dead indiscriminately to devour their soul… now Hallows are the bad sprits… any questions?"
"Yeah… did you draw those or did you ask a 5 year old to do it?" asked Zoro with a sweat drop.
The girl took a pen drew a mustache on Zoro's face then wrote on his forehead "Moss" with an arrow pointing to his hair.
"Hey!" yelled Zoro.
"First is to conduct wholes to the soul society by means of Konso" said the girl with another picture of a whole/bunny going in to the soul society, "And the 2nd is to vaporize Hallows…" now she had a picture of a hallow/bear with an X on it "That is my mission now"
"Wait!" said Zoro who was wiping off the mustache and the moss sign on the floor, "You're saying there's one of those hallow here?"
"Yes… but I haven't been able to sense for a while…" said Rukia.
Outside… the other 8 members were talking…
"Is it me or has Zoro been talking to himself a lot more lately?" said Luffy.
"Why bring that up?" asked Usopp.
"I… don't know…" said Luffy.
That's there was a strange explosions… they all went to the side of the ship.
"What happened?" asked Nami.
"No…" said Sanji.
That's when suddenly… his black exploded in blood…
"Sanji!" cried everyone else.
That's when Robin, Usopp and Nami were mysteriously injured as well.
"What's going on!" yelled Chopper.
"I've never seen this before…" said Franky.
That when Luffy was picked up by something invisible.
"Oh man! Oh man!" yelled Chopper.
"Go find Zoro! And get out of here!" yelled Luffy.
"Where is he?" asked Franky.
"I think he's in his room…" said yelled Luffy.
Back in Zoro's room… he heard a howl.
"What was that!" said Zoro.
The girl seemed to be thinking about something…
"What did you say?" said the girl.
"Did you hear the howl?" asked Zoro.
"A howl?" asked the girl.
That's when she heard another one…
"I hear it… but it sounds like there's an invisible filter…" thought the girl, "But how could he hear it before I could sense it…"
That when they heard the crashes…
"Stay here!" said the girl who headed towards the door.
"What you're going to fight it! Undo this before you go" yelled Zoro.
"No… and don't' you dare try to break it… you'll only add to the body count…" said the girl.
When she opened the door she felt tremendous energy coming from outside… "This sprit energy… how come I haven't been to sense until now… what's going on!" she thought.
"Zoro!" cried Chopper as he ran down the hall fallowed by Franky.
The girl stared at Zoro's crewmates.
"What happened to you?" asked Franky staring at Zoro on the ground.
Zoro guessed it was time to let out his secret, "I can see ghosts… and a soul reaper used a spell to bind me…"
"Really?" asked Chopper.
"I'm, unsure if I should believe you…" said Franky.
"This is me… Zoro talking… not Usopp…" said Zoro.
Both didn't know what to say…
"Is some strange invisible thing going after the crew that no one can see…" said Zoro.
Both nodded… then Chopper began to cry.
"Everyone exploded in blood! Luffy told us to get you and run! What ever it is isn't interested in us!" cried Chopper.
"Oh great…" said Zoro.
"Let's get out of here!" yelled Franky who began to pull Zoro's arms but they wouldn't budge… "What the hell… hey Chopper… can you help me…"
"What?" said Chopper.
"Can you help me?" said Franky.
"With what?" asked Chopper who was still a little freaked out.
"I can't; move his arms… it's like their glued…" said Franky.
Chopper turned to Heavy Point and began to help.
"Stop! Your going to rip my arms and legs off!" yelled Zoro.
The girl sighed… and with all her strength gave the two a good knock on the head…
"Ow!" said Chopper.
"What happened?" said Franky.
"It's the Soul Reaper…" said Zoro who began to struggle on his own.
"Hey don't that's that I stop them! Your only cause damage to your soul!" yelled the girl.
That's when Zoro managed ot break the spell… causing the girl to gasp, "Maybe I'll be able to see this thing and we can fight it…" he said as he ran to the deck.
The other two shrugged and ran after him.
When Zoro got to the deck he shivered… he saw the hallow… which was a giant black monster with a white face that was like a skull and a hole in it's chest…
"So that's a hallow… I thought it would look human but… its' a monster… doesn't matter… I've dealt with worse before… but why am I shaking…" thought Zoro.
The hallow still held Luffy in it's hand…
"Zoro! You're okay!" said Luffy.
"Always thinking of us first…" thought Zoro who then noticed the others lying in their own blood, "Sorry no can do… unlike you I can see this thing…"
"Really…" said Luffy, "Wait… why?"
Zoro sighed, "I can see ghosts…that thing that hurting you is an evil sprit…"
"Really cool… that mean you can help the others too!" said Luffy.
"Yeah, year…" said Zoro.
He ran up to the hallow… but before he could draw his sword the hallow punched him sending him flying a few feet. The girl managed to the cut the arm that was holding Luffy… Luffy was sent flying but land softly thanks to his powers.
"Tell your friend to go to where the other two are…" said the girl.
"Hey Luffy…" said Zoro getting up , "I think you should go to the where Chopper and Franky are standing."
"Why?" asked Luffy.
"Just do it…" said Zoro.
Luffy didn't know why he went… possibly on instinct he went over to Chopper and Franky.
"Look…" said Rukia, "The hallow hasn't eaten the other 4 souls… so their okay for now…"
"Wait you said that Hallows attack humans to eat their soul right… why are they attacking my crew?" asked Zoro.
"Hallows are drawn to high levels of spousal energy… but they also attack opportunistically…" said the girl.
"What does that mean?" asked Zoro.
"I've never known a human that can see soul reapers… nor have I known a human that could break biding spell…I have never heard of a human with so much spiritual energy… I believe… it was looking for you…" said the girl.
Zoro froze… "It was all my fault…that they're being attacked…" he looked at the prone forms of his crewmates.
"I wonder what's wrong…" said Luffy.
"I don't know…" said Chopper.
Back with the Hallow fight…
"I did not mean it like that…" said the girl.
That's when the Hallow batted the girl away.
"He broke though my guard… how careless…" said the girl.
"Hey! You monster! It's me you want! It's my soul you want… leave the others out of this!" yelled Zoro.
"Zoro!" yelled Luffy.
"Sorry…" said Zoro, "Sorry to everyone…"
That's when the Hollow's face stretched forward… it was about to eat Zoro when the girl jumped in front of Zoro... and took the hit.
"Soul Reaper!" said Zoro not knowing what to call the girl.
"Fool… you think that giving him your soul will end things! One soul does now last very long… it will go after the others once it is done with you…" said the girl, "It is a matter of time until we all become his food…"
Zoro didn't' know what to do…
"Do you wish to save your friends…" said the girl.
"What?" said Zoro, "There's a way for me to fight that thing…"
"There is… but there is only way…" said the girl, "You must become a Soul Reaper…"
"Is that even possible…" said Zoro.
"I do not it might not work… you have a very strong soul… if it dose not… then you will die…" said the girl.
Zoro didn't know what to think… on one hand he might be giving up his dream to become the world's greatest swords man… on the other he had to protect his crewmates… usually this was Luffy's job… but this time it fell on him… why did being able to see ghosts become so complicated?
"But if it does work… then I will give you half my powers… and you'll temporally become a soul reaper…" said the girl, "Please we don't have time for you to ponder!"
"Zoro!" What's going on!" yelled Luffy.
"It's confusing… and complicated… I might need childish drawings to explain it to you…" said Zoro.
"Okay…" said Luffy knowing that what ever was going was extremely complicated… Luffy also felt that crack might either be a crack on him or one on someone else he could put his finger on…
"So then what's it's going to be?" asked the girl.
"If I don't then everyone will die…" said Zoro, "Fien then Soul Repaper… I'll do it…"
The girl smiled "Please don't call me "Soul Reaper"… My name is Rukia… Kuchiki Rukia" said the girl named Rukia.
"And I'm Roronoa Zoro…" said Zoro, "Let's just hope this works…"
"You must place this sword… the Zanpakutô over your heart…," said Rukia.
Zoro took the Zanpakutô though the heart… then there was a blinding light… Luffy, Chopper or Franky could see any thing… when it died down Zoro seemed to have vanished.
"Zoro disappeared!" said Chopper shaking.
"Are you as lost as I am…" said Franky.
"Yes…" said Chopper, "Hold me…"
"Only if you hold me back…" said Franky.
Both began to hug each other while shivering.
"Zoro…" said Luffy gripping his fist, "I hope your all right…"
For those who did have spiritual abilities one would see the Hollow's arm fall off… Zoro stood there in the same uniform as Rukia wore holding three katana in his usual place (one in each hand and one in his mouth)… she was now in a white kimono.
"No way I only meant to give him half… I have lost all my powers…" said Rukia she began to think "and this sensation… like before… I could not sense the hallows presence. And I heard it though and unseen filter… why did I not realize it earlier… my senses were being jammed by an incredible force… but he was source of it… that room was so full of sprit energy from that is what confused my senses…"
She watched Zoro cut off the leg of the Hallow.
"Never have I heard of a human that can see a Soul Reaper… never have I seen a human break a biding spell… and a soul reaper can only wield one Zanpakutô … yet he wielding three..." thought Rukia.
"That was for attacking my crew!" yelled Zoro though the swords in his mouth.
"What in the world is he?" thought Rukia.
That's' when Zoro used Oni Giri cut the Hallow in half making it disappear…
Luffy just watched… well… if he could see it… a part of him knew Zoro won… and that things were going to be okay… what he didn't know what that his memories were going to be erased and things on the Straw Hats will never be the same again…
Next Time: Zoro wonders if anything that happened the night before was just a dream... that is until Luffy brings a girl that wants to join the crew... hint: She's a certain Soul Reaper... what will happen... find out next time...
A/N: If anyone reading this can draw... please can someone draw one of Zoro as a Soul Reaper... because I can't due to disabilities it's painful... and if I tried... it would be worse than something Luffy and Rukia would draw... combined...
Rukia: What was that!
Me: Look a monkey! (Runs away!)