Ryuuto, Momoe, and Kazuki all sat down at the small cafe run by Old Man Yu, the latter two having a conversation while Ryuuto himself was lost in thought.
The idea of Bleach's world being "tweaked" is something that still throws him off. Maybe it could be something as simple as "oh Ichigo's hair is blue now" or something massive like "Masaki Kurosaki is still alive". There were too many possibilities that it could be taken as.
In his previous life, Ryuuto was what most considered a manga purist. He never entertained the idea of material outside of what was published in the volumes. Movies? Light novels? Anime filler arcs? All pointless to him originally but now those have become possibilities to be "tweaked" into this world.
"So what do you guys think of our new first years? We got quite a rowdy pair with Kurosaki and Sado, huh?" Momoe asked the pair.
Right, this is just about the start of Bleach (or at least close enough) so Ichigo had just started school. It'll be around over a month before Rukia shows up which means he has time to mentally prepare for the worst.
Still that uneasy feeling lingered.
"Eh, I don't see why it matters if we worry about the newbies, especially since we're gonna graduate." Kazuki responded as he took a bite of his sandwich. "We still have to deal with the crap from those preppy punks in Naruki High with their embroidered blazers."
"Hey, Ryuuto. You still there?" Momoe asked, waving a hand in front of his face.
Ryuuto was snapped back into reality, looking side to side before facing Momoe and Kazuki.
"O-Oh yeah, I'm fine. Totally."
"Suuuuuure, buddy." Kazuki teased. "Is there really nothing on your mind?"
"I'm alright. I just-... I just feel like something bad is going to happen."
As soon as Ryuuto said that, a rumble was felt throughout the entire cafe. Cups and chairs were knocked over as the trio were suddenly sent to the floor.
"A-An earthquake? Here?" Momoe asked in a confused tone as she tried to pick herself back up. Ultimately she failed, it was as if something as weighing down on her.
"I'll grab the old man. Ryuuto, you and Momoe get out of here!" Kazuki shouted as he got up and ran off to find the short old man in charge of the cafe. Thanks to where he was positioned, the same heavy feeling didn't take him like it did Momoe and Ryuuto.
"Fee fi fo fum..." A voice boomed. "I smell the blood of a Quincy's young. Be they alive or be they dead, I'll grind their bones to make my bread!"
Quincy? Was Ryuuto a Quincy? Not important at the moment. Soon, that rumbling would come back before the entire front wall was shattered. Shards of glass and wood flew in, cutting both Ryuuto and Momoe while Kazuki and Old Man Yu were knocked down.
Before them was a massive serpent-like creature with its head resembling the skull of a horse, a gaping hole in the middle of the body. Ryuuto knew without a shadow of a doubt that this creature was a Hollow, one that had smelt their prey somewhere in this cafe.
The Hollow's eyes darted around around before spotting Ryuuto and Momoe. The monster's eyes dilated as it began to drool acid, burning holes in the ground.
"There you are.~" The Hollow slithered over to the downed pair.
["Dammit. I thought I would've been able to hand some spiritual pressure when getting here."] Ryuuto thought to himself as he struggled to stand up.
Once the Hollow reached Ryuuto and Momoe, he lowered his head down to their level before smacking Ryuuto away and into the counter.
"RYUUTO!" Momoe shouted as she tried to drag herself over to him, only for the Hollow to encircle her. She stared up in horror at the massive creature looking down at her.
"You Quincy have been quite the thorn in my side. In fact, most of my pack was just taken out by one of you." The Hollow spoke as it continued to circle the downed Momoe. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to even convince one Hollow to team up with you?!"
Kazuki, who had managed to escort Old Man Yu out, had ran back in the cafe to get Ryuuto.
"C'mon, man." Kazuki would lift up Ryuuto, trying to get them out.
"M... Momoe. That thing's going to eat Momoe!" Ryuuto shouted as he turned to face the Hollow, barely able to stand.
"What thing? I can't see anything."
"Nevermind. Just go on without me." Ryuuto took a single step forward, catching himself before he fell.
"...If you use this as a chance to get with her, I'm never forgiving you. If you somehow die from this I'm dragging you out of Heaven before killing you myself!" Kazuki reluctantly ran off, shouting at Ryuuto.
Ryuuto watched as the Hollow continued to circle Momoe, trying to draw out as much fear as it could. It wouldn't be long before it got bored and decided to just kill her.
"You have power, you know." A familiar voice echoed in Ryuuto's mind. Infinity's voice. "It won't be fun if I teach you everything but try this: Look back, then reach out. Everything you need, you've seen before."
Before Ryuuto could pose a question, the voice faded away. Look back and reach out? What could that even mean? And he's seen everything he needs? Well what he needs is a way to get that Hollow away from Momoe. A ranged attack. A gun.
A gun.
A pair of pistols formed in Ryuuto's hands, spiritual energy practically weighing them down. As he struggled to raises the guns, he shouted at the Hollow.
"HEY, HORSEFACE!"
This instantly grabbed the attention of both the Hollow and Momoe, each of them giving him their attention.
"I suppose I can do with a light snack before the main course... PREPARE TO DIE AS MY NUTRITION!" The Hollow lunged at Ryuuto with its mouth open wide.
"Cero... Metralleta."
With those words spoken, a barrage of blue lasers were fired from the pistols. The Hollow stood no chance against the attack, being reduced to nothing within less than a second. The same was true for half of the cafe, having been brought to ruin by the attack. It was a miracle that Momoe even went through the attack unharmed.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Ryuuto fell unconscious as the two pistols suddenly disappeared.
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When Ryuuto regained consciousness, he found himself in that white void again. Just like last time, Infinity was there.
"A regular cero would've worked. Shakkaho. Hell even Byakurai would've been enough." Infinity chastised Ryuuto, tapping his foot against the ground with his arms crossed.
"Ok first of all, why are you lecturing me about how to use my powers. Second of all did I die again?" Ryuuto snapped back at Infinity.
"One: It's not gonna be fun if you use up all the strong cards instantly. Two: You're not dead but you could've been." Infinity unfolded his arms before sighing. "I'll give you a rundown on how your abilities work just so you know exactly what can be done."
"That's- That's actually really nice of you." Ryuuto would suddenly find himself sat behind a desk.
"Oh I know." Infinity grinned, a chalkboard suddenly manifesting behind him. A chalk drawing of Ryuuto appeared on the board before.
"Ryuuto Adachi, your spiritual power is tied to your memories. Well you memories of the world of Bleach that you knew." A thought cloud was suddenly formed around chalk Ryuuto's head with a mini chalk drawing of Ichigo in it.
"When you tap into your memories, you can draw them out for yourself and use them how you'd like." The chalk Ryuuto was now wielding a chalk Zangetsu.
"So I can use everyone's powers how I see fit?" Ryuuto asked.
"Well not exactly. One: You're limited to what you've seen in your life time so good luck trying to use a Bakkoto."
"A what?"
"Exactly. Second, and this is the big one: Once you use a memory, it will be gone forever so pick what you want to use wisely." The chalk Ryuuto's chalk Zangetsu was suddenly erased, leaving the drawing in a defeated state.
"Wait wait wait! So my power is finite?!" Ryuuto stood up, slamming his hands on the desk. "You mean I'm gonna run out of options?!"
"...Yeah." Infinity responded, looking at Ryuuto as if he was insane or stupid for even asking that question. "You do or at least will have a way to circumvent this but I'm not gonna tell you."
"You can't just say there's a way and-"
"Na na na boo boo." Infinity taunted, sticking his tongue out at Ryuuto.
"Did you just-"
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Ryuuto would suddenly find himself slowly regaining conscious. Now he was in a hospital bed, Momoe sitting next to him.
"Oh good, you're waking up." She smiled brightly at him.
"Where's Kazuki? ...Is he alright?" Ryuuto would sit up in body, letting out a groan.
"Old Man Yu made it out unharmed and Kazuki went to go grab snacks." Momoe would glance out the window, brushing her hair aside.
"I want to thank you for saving me. Really, I- I can't even put into words how much it means to me." Momoe would reach in her bag, taking out a small silver cross: The symbol of the Quincies.
"What is that?" Ryuuto asked, playing dumb as to draw out more information.
"This is the symbol of the Quincy, a people devoted to keeping the world safe from Hollows. I am an outlier in my family, as I can only bestow power to others rather than draw forth my own." Momoe spoke, putting on a more elegant and formal tone as she divulged information on who she really was.
So that's why she didn't defend herself from the Hollow. She can't draw in Reishi like other Quincies but she can share her power. The only person Ryuuto knew off the top of his head like that was none other than Yhwach, however that was a problem two years down the line.
"Ryuuto Adachi of the...Adachi family. I, Momoe Nishitani of the Nishitani Clan, request that you partake in my power-"
"Yeah ok."
"wait just like that?" The formal act was dropped entirely by Momoe.
"Yeah. I accept."
"But- But I didn't even go over the risks! How you'll have to fight Hollows with your life on the line. How you must train yourself daily. How-"
"Momoe. I can handle it. I accept humbly."
"Fine." Momoe reached into her bag, taking out a vial of blood. "Drink this and you'll technically become a Quincy."
Without hestiation, Ryuuto took the vial and gulped it down much to Momoe's shock.
"...So do I wait or?" Ryuuto raised an eyebrow.
"I-I don't know. You're the first person who took me up on this offer."
"oh."
"Yup."
The two sat in silence for a few seconds before Kazuki threw the door open, carrying several bags filled with snacks.
"Guys guys guys they had those limited edition chips and I had to fight my way out the store for 'em!"
The three would eat the snacks Kazuki had brought in, spending the rest of visiting hours talking with each other. Tomorrow would be the start of a hectic life as a Stand-In Quincy... His title could be workshopped but that's a problem for another time.