Song of the Soul Reaper

Summary: (Kamen Rider Hibiki/Bleach) There are more then Soul Reapers and Quincies that hunt Hollows. They are the unseen guardians, they are there and gone like the sound of a drum. They are as mysterious as the soulful tones of the trumpet, and as powerful as the wailing guitar. They are as fierce as the darkness that they hunt and as human as those they fight for. To us they are heroes, to them they are Oni.

a/n: Yes I know another new story but having recently gotten into Bleach I was inspired to write once I finished catching up on the anime eps and after various false starts I began to wonder how an Oni of Pure Sound would deal with a Hollow. Hence the story you are now reading. I hope you enjoy it and please Review. And many thanks to Kamen Rider Chrome for beta reading, if you enjoy this please check out some of his works. They are great reads.

And now submitted for your approval...

Ch. 1: The Opening Beat

The little girl Plus ran for her life even though she was already dead. Her chain clanging loudly as ran from her pursuer. "Yes little soul, run. Run until you can run no longer, and when you collapse I will consume you entirely!" called the monstrous shadow that had been trailing her. Using the little strength she still had she turned into the park she had played in when she still lived and tried to hide amongst the jungle gyms, and seesaws, and swing sets.

'Please, don't let him find me. Please don't let him find me,' she prayed silently as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "Please Mama, help me" she pleaded as she curled up into a ball trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

"Nothing left already little one, such a shame. I had hoped you would give me more sport. Such a shame," said the monstrous voice cruelly as it stepped into view. It skin was black and hairy and shaped like an ape's with a gapping hole in it's chest where its heart should be and on it's head a white skull like mask that grinned mockingly. "Such a small morsel, but a fitting start to an evening," it said as it loomed hungrily over the small girl, ready to swallow her whole.

"Sorry but your dinner plans are canceled," called a defiant voice from the other side of the park making the beast look up.

"WHO DARES?!" it cried as a dark haired man in his mid to late teens stepped into the light of a street lamp with a smirk on his face and his eyes alight with confidence. He was dress in t a brown leather bomber jacked and jeans with metal plated fingerless gloves on his hands.

"Like I said Hollow, your dinner plans are canceled. So turn around and walk away or risk your life," said the stranger firmly.

"You talk very big human, just who do you think you are?" said the Hollow with a laugh as it turned to face him properly. If anything he would provide a better meal then the girl, best to save her for desert.

"Me, I'm nobody," he said with a shrug as he reached to his belt and unclip a folded device. "Just a wandering minstrel passing through," he continued as he flicked his wrist unfolding the item revealing it to be an ornate tuning fork with a gold ogre head on it. "But you can call me, Oni," with that he rapped the fork on the metal plate of his glove letting out a single clear note as it shined with energy in the dark night. He then raised it to his forehead letting the energies reveal the small Oni crest on his forehead. In an instant he was enveloped in purple flames.

In an instant the flames died revealing a man in purple armor with silver crisscross reinforcements on his chest. His arms and legs adorned with gold bracers and heavy boots. About his waste a belt with what looks like a taiko decorated with three tome marks that appeared to look like circling fire balls on the buckle and on right was the tuning fork in its folded position and on the left was a loop of metal looking discs shaped like CDs. His face was masked by a faceless helmet with red markings like a kabuki actor would wear and silver horns with the Oni crest resting between the two. "Now then, let's Rock n' Roll."

With that the Oni rushed the Hollow and sent him flying with a powerful right hook putting himself between it and its prey. "You're going to pay for that you bastard!" it yelled as it got back on its feet.

"Sorry I don't know that song," the Oni taunted as it reached behind himself and pulled out a pair of Taiko drumsticks both adorned with red gem like Oni heads, one grinning merrily and the other snarling. "But if you hum a few bars, I bet I can fake it," he then gave the two a quick twirl causing the heads to ignite with purple flames and fired off a volley of fireballs that sent the Hollow crashing into a high wall at the other end of the park.

Not wasting the chance, the Oni rushed forward and unclipped the Taiko style buckle, the Ongekikou Kaentsuzumi, and plated it on the chesh of the Hollow just below its hole. It quickly expanded into a large red trimmed Taiko. "Ongeki Da: Ikki Kasei no kata!" it cried charging his Rekka drumsticks and began to pound the Taiko forcefully with the two sending waves of sound and energy into the Hollow causing it to cry in pain and with the Tenth hit it succumbed it the Oni's power as it exploded in a blast of blue sparks. In its wake though flew out a black raven with gold tipped wings that vanished into the night as quickly as it appeared.

"May my song grant you your peace," said the Oni solemnly as the bird flew off. He then sighed and turned around to face the scared looking Plus. Shaking his head, he returned his Rekka to their straps on the back of his belt before he unclipped his tuning fork. "Be at peace child, I mean you no harm," he said as gently as he could kneeling down in front of the little girl.

"Who, who are you mister?" the Plus asked fearfully, her whole body shaking with fright.

"One who is to send you on your way little one, you have lingered too long and your love ones await you on the other side," he said kindly.

"But I promised…" the girl started to say.

"Promises of the living only burden the dead. If you linger too long child, you will become like the sorry soul that I just fought. And I would hate to have to hunt down one so innocent," the Oni said with sad kindness. This was always the hard part, getting a Plus to let go.

"But, I'm scared. Momma and I had a fight before the accident and I… I…" said the girl as she started to tear up. The Oni simply smiled behind his mask.

"Such things can and are forgiven little one, you need only to show remorse."

The girl let out a sniffle before standing up shakily, "I'm… I'm sorry Momma" she said softly.

The Oni nodded as he stood up and carefully grasped the end of the girls chain of fate and rapped it smartly with his tuning fork. The device let out a ringing crystal clear tone as he placed it in front of the girl's forehead in the same manner he did to transform. Instantly the girl's form relaxed as the soothing sound of the Konso no Uta (Song of the Soul Burial) coursed through her as a the Oni symbol appeared on her forehead before she vanished into a blur of blue light leaving behind yet another gold tipped raven to soar out into the night. "May you find peace in the beyond little one, and may my song guide your way," said the Oni satisfied before he began to walk out o the park releasing his transformation as he went becoming the dark haired young man again. He stopped just out side the park enterence to pick up the bag he had left before he pulled out his cell phone to make a call.

"This is Hibiki, target has been deported and subject crossed over," he said formally but utterly satisfied, "Continuing on to Tokyo."

"Negative Hibiki, new intelligence has come in. For now you are to stay in town," said the voice of one of his superiors in Takashi.

"May I ask why sir? I was to understand that the Tokyo members need back up due to increased Makamou activity?" he asked curiously. Orders were rarely changed mid transit like this and when they did, it usually gave is old sensei that "Bad creak in the bones" feeling.

"Still analyzing the data Hibiki; but at this time we believe that one of the Soul Reapers in the area was injured badly and was forced to transfer their powers to a mortal. However the transfer set off every Spirit Pressure sensor we have from here to the mainland. For now your orders are as follows, to locate recuperating Sour Reaper and the Substitute and ascertain the situation and help as needed. Your support team is already in town creating your cover ID and setting up one our safe houses as your HQ. Also given the nature of the situation, additional units will be dispatched to assist as they become available" stated the superior coolly.

"Understood, text me the address of the Safe House. Hibiki out," said the young man tiredly as he hung up. "Well, guess I'm sticking around for awhile. Hopefully this Karakura Town will be more interesting then my last post" he said to himself as he read the incoming address and headed off not realizing that he had invoked an ancient Chinese curse, May you live in interesting times.

0o0o0o0o

Next Day

Karakura High School

'I can't believe that those two are making me go to school,' thought Hibiki to himself as he walked through the front gate of the local High school. He had met with his support detail last night and was given his cover ID as a transfer student from America under his old name of Marcus Radner, who was staying with cousins while his parents were away on business. But the worst part was perhaps having to go to school and being around kids his own age. When you spend the majority of your formative years training to fight the forces of evil as an Oni warrior the normal stresses of being a teenager; acne, does he/she like me, homework; seemed so trivial. 'They did this on purpose to get back at for that little joke I pulled on them,' he concluded as he entered the school.

After registering in the office he made his way to his assigned classroom and was greeted by a short girl with dark black hair that kinda flipped at the ends and a perpetually serious look on her face. "So you're new too?" he asked making conversation causing the girl to jump slightly.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she cried angrily as she pounded her chest to steady her heart.

"I didn't sneak up, you weren't paying attention," he retorted hotly.

"I was so!" cried the girl indignantly.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that… shorty," Hibiki retorted coolly.

The girl's eyes quickly went dangerously sharp as she began to mutter something under her breath that Hibiki couldn't make out when the teacher opened the door. "Alright you two, you can come in now."

0o0o0o0o

"Class I would like introduce to you our two new students, Rukia Kuchiki and Marcus Radner," said Miss. Ochi as Ichigo half heartily paid attention as he tried to wrap his head around what happened last night that was until he heard one of the new students speak.

"Hi everyone, I hope that we all become good friends," said a cheerful version of the strict voice of the Soul Reaper that helped him last night. His eyes bugged out as he saw her standing at the front of the class, waving cheerfully like nothing was wrong. The guy next to her was giving her this look like she was insane as he gave a very casual "Hi."

"Alright Miss. Kuchiki why don't you take a seat behind Mr. Kurosaki and Mr. Radner next to Mr. Sado, then please turn your text books to pg. 52 and read the opening paragraphs," said Miss Ochi but Ichigo only half heard her as Rukia walked past him her eyes conveying a silent message. 'We'll talk later.'

0o0o0o0o

Hibiki gazed down at the text he was suppose to be reading. He had already read the passage but he wanted to maintain his cover of being an average student. Once he was sure the teacher was no longer paying attention he picked his head up and began to scan the room with his senses. Most Oni had at least rudimentary Spiritual Awareness, usually just enough to track Makamou. Hibiki however was one of the few skilled enough to detect the various fluctuations in individual beings. The only drawback was that he needed to concentrate. With the class silent and the teacher busy, this was the best chance he would get to begin his search for the Substitute Soul Reaper. 'Hmm… No, no, huh a Quincy. I thought they were all dead,' he thought to himself as he noted one of the students in the front row. A thin, somewhat gangly boy with long bluish black hair and glasses; he looked like the quintessential class nerd. The variance in his Spiritual Pressure though screamed Quincy.

'He could be problematic,' thought Hibiki as he made a note of it. 'Normal, normal, boarder line, Extremely boarder line, curiously boarder line, short and… I think we have a winner,' he came to an orange hair guy in his late teens who looked to have thuggish tendencies, the teacher called him Kurosaki. 'Found the replacement, now just have to find the regular,' thought Hibiki with a smile as he noted then name. He then leaned back casually just as the teacher stood up and began to speak to the class.

Now came the hard part.

A/n: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, until next time true believers... DISMISSED!