Witch Soul Chapter 1

Bleach parody: tier 1

Witch Soul

The Quincy feared one race of being. The Witches, a race said to be aligned with the hollows, capable of making them stronger and their unique powers clashed with them completely. Most of the witches were wiped out, but one little witch known as Masaki made her own little family.

Chap 1 Witches

Before the Quincy and Shinigami dispute, the Quincy had their own problems. They wanted the soul reapers to help dealing with a problem.

This problem was the witches, this group of beings was quite troublesome. They had unique power and a connection to hollows. Hollows were poison for Quincy so they tried to wipe them out, and the witches protected them.

The soul reapers were torn, on the one hand, the witches were making hollows more powerful, but at the same time hollows under the care of witches didn't eat souls, somehow not needing them.

Witches weren't weak either, they had their own unique power, and set of skills. Eventually, the Soul Reapers declared they would not interfere with witches. The balance was being kept and the witches weren't hurting anyone so Soul Society stayed out.

This proved to be a bad idea, angering the Quincy and fanning the flames of hate. The king of the Quincy managed to con some hallows into working for him promising them power. He gave and they turned on the witches, luring them into traps, turning on their masters.

Witches tried their best but the betrayal threw them off. The Quincy used the betrayal to their advantage and the witches were wiped out, coven by coven. The hollows who had led the betrayal were later killed by the Quincy. The Quincy king had no honor for hollows, seeing them lower than pawns.

A few witches might have survived, and that they could gather the hollows and get revenge. So it began the hollow hunt, the Quincy got to work killing as many hollows as they could, this caused an issue with the soul reapers and thus led to war. They realized too late that the Witches were a necessary force to hold the balance in the world. Without them, hollows were like mad beasts once more. The Quincy began disturbing the balance without being checked, Quincy destroyed the hollow soul completely which cause an unbalance.

-x-

Masaki was a witch, she was saved from being wiped out by a Quincy, one who opposed the Quincy king’s practices. She met a handsome Soul Reaper, and the two settled down to have a family. The witch gene was strong and her children gained her witch powers. She was torn on training them but since they could see ghosts it would only be a matter of time.

So she did it, she trained them, teaching them all there was to know. She explained why they could see ghosts, and shared with them their history. A witch had a unique power, it could be manifested by bringing motion to the motionless, by creating a Doll. The Doll would gain a name and be similar to a familiar to the witch. They would gain their own power and serve their master.

Her eldest son was first, his spiritual power was so strong. He was so happy when he made his first Doll it was a green turtle-like doll, he called him Noba. He was shy with everyone except Ichigo when Masaki greeted him he sank his head down into his plush shell.

Noba had the power of teleportation, he could warp himself and others to any location within a certain range. He also was able to make wormholes that can redirect ranged attacks, both physical and energy-based. Ichigo and Noba were connected, Ichigo can increase his power.

Her daughters each made their own doll. Karin's Doll was a pink bunny-like doll she called Kurodo. He had the ability of shape-shifting and could mimic other people’s voices. Yuzu created a bird-like doll she called Ririn. She had the power of illusions.

The Dolls acted as familiars and high-quality sensors. They could detect hollows and would protect their masters above all else. This was the first step in protecting her family. Their dolls would watch over them until they grow into their full powers. Her own doll was called Vood, it was an older stitched up doll with button eyes and a stitched mouth in a grin.

The next step was teaching combat, Ichigo enrolled in a kendo class and an archery class. He wanted to protect his family even at a young age. He liked to talk to ghosts from time to time, but he’s not met a hollow yet. Sadly the first hollow he comes across was not one of the good ones.

It was raining...truly ugly weather…

Masaki was walking Ichigo home after kendo class. He was holding onto her hand so tight, but then he appeared before them. To a witch they can sense the very nature of a hollow, they can read souls.

Hollows might be like a wild beast but they were once human, some who couldn’t let go of their earthly ties and soon fell losing themselves. If the human soul was wicked so would the hollow, some witches enjoyed the challenge, others knew it was too dangerous to mess with souls bound for hell or ones that lusted for power. Those kinds of hollows were dangerous, quick to betray or even eat their witch to gain more power.

So when the Hollow Grand Fisher appeared before them, Masaki knew he was dangerous. “Ichigo stay behind me,” she said, taking a defensive stance.

“Hello witches, I am Grand Fisher,” his grin was terrifying, Masaki could smell death on him. This hollow killed and killed for fun and for power. “I was hoping you could aid me in my growth?”

Even Ichigo felt unease around this hollow. “You seem quite powerful yourself.”

“Thank you,” he gave a polite bow. Ichigo clung to her, even to his naive senses he felt something was wrong with this hollow.

“Tell me, how many soul reapers have you killed?” Masaki asked.

“None...” as soon as the words left his mouth an arrow made of dark light fired at him. His arm got hit, and Grand Fisher jumped back. “What on earth?”

“You lied!” Vood was hanging from her arm, it’s stitched mouth was open. Its black button eye on the right was glowing.

“My Doll is gifted with the eye of truth, when an enemy speaks a lie before it, Vood attacks,” she stood her ground, protecting her son. “You lie, have murdered Soul Reapers, no witch will form a pact with you. Now begone!”

Grand Fisher growled at her, before laughing. “Mommy,” Ichigo clung to Masaki tighter.

“I don’t need your blessing or your pact. There is another way to gain power, by devouring a Witch’s soul.” his fur bristled. “It was said if a hollow consumes a witch’s soul, they gain the power that surpasses the Death Gods!”

Fisher charged at the two but Masaki didn’t move. She fended Fisher off with a barrage of energy bullets. She kept him pinned, cause if he tried to move to the sides or jump above, Vood would fire strange arrows from his mouth. “You should retreat now, and never show your face in this world again!”

Grand Fisher growled. “Do not think you’ve beaten me, wench!” He used his hair to attack Masaki and Ichigo.

“Leave my mommy alone! Noba!” Ichigo cried the hair spears were suddenly sucked into Noba’s wormholes, and thrown back at Grand Fisher. He used his claw to sever the fur.

“You brat!” Fisher growled, glaring at the two.

“Thank you sweetie, but let mommy handle this okay?” he nodded.

“You witch, I will devour you!” his nails extended and shot at Masaki.

“Halt!” the nails stopped mid-air.

“You witch...I can’t move...what have you done…?” he cursed.

“Wow!” Ichigo watched her in wonder. She was so cool and confident, just amazing!

“Crumble and break apart...” Before she could finish her spell, a strange flash of light was seen. Masaki was able to dodge, but Vood’s arm was clipped and blasted apart. Masaki cried out in pain, her own arm going numb, and her body is wracked with pain.

“Mommy!” Ichigo cried out.

“Ichigo...run...” her spell had been broken, and she was trying to recover from the shock.

Grand Fisher chuckled. “Seems your luck ran out, witch!”

“Noba!” Ichigo cried out. In an instant, they warped out of Grand Fisher’s reach. Masaki’s head was spinning. ‘This pain!’

Whoever had attacked them wasn’t a hollow, they had appeared, attacked, and disappeared so fast. She was distracted fighting Grand Fisher. ‘Could that man still be alive?’

Ichigo was panting. He wasn’t used to moving multiple people, and Grand Fisher was tracking her energy. He was fast, Ichigo barely had a few seconds to warp them away. He was three warps in and he didn’t know where to go, he knew he had to get home, Masaki had wards there. He just wasn’t strong enough, his energy was being drained and they were still far from home. ‘At this rate, we’ll both be caught.’

It would only be a matter of time before Ichigo was tapped out, and she still hadn’t fully recovered. She knew the attack had come from a Quincy, but knew Ryuken wouldn’t have attacked her. “Mom, I’m sorry...” Ichigo cried.

“It’s okay sweetie, you did great.”

“Can you move?” he asked.

“Somewhat...” she looked at her doll. “Remember this Ichigo, when your doll is in this state, connected to you in battle it is a part of you. Should it take damage you will feel it...” She could feel Grand Fisher approaching. “You need to escape by yourself, I have enough strength to buy you time.” She handed over Vood over to Ichigo.

“Mom...I can’t leave you...” he cried.

“It’s okay, your father is coming,” she said. Unaware to Ichigo she placed a spell on Vood.

“Dad...but why…?” he was so confused.

“There is no time, you trust me don’t you?” he nodded. “Then run!” she turned around and faced Grand Fisher.

“Do you think I will let him go? Once I kill you I will devour him as well.” His nails lengthened.

“Quite arrogant aren’t you, you still have to fight me.” She couldn’t move her left arm at all.

“Don’t act brave, you can lie to your son, but I can see you barely have the strength to stand.” He was right, she had enough strength for one more spell, this would be her last spell.

‘Isshin my love, look after our children. Help them grow brave and strong like you.’ she chuckled.

“Why are you laughing? Do you think that Soul Reaper approaching will save you and that kid?” Grand Fisher readied to attack. “Your son is next!”

No, she knew Isshin wouldn’t make it, it’s been quite some time since he took soul reaper form. “You might kill me, but my son is strong, once he grows into his full powers he’ll build his own coven.”

She didn’t even defend herself when Fisher ran her through. Her energy surged out and channeled up his arm like electricity. “Crumble and Break, O source of my power I beseech thee, turn his blood to dust, leave his flesh to crumble, and break him to the core! Decay!” Fisher’s arm began to crumble away, once his nails dissolved away her blood gushed out.

With the last of her strength, she blasted his other arm with Decay, causing it to rot and dissolve as well. “YOU WITCH!” he cursed. The pain was excruciating, it was pure torture having one’s skin, blood and bones turned to dust. Even for a being of reishi.

Her life force was giving out and her spell ended after destroying his arms. The pain would last for years, she crippled him, even if he ate to try and regenerate her curse would hold, long enough…she collapsed into a pool of her own blood.

“I’LL KILL YOU!!!” He went for her soul, only for Isshin to arrive and drive him off.

“MASAKI!” Isshin screamed, rushing to her side.

“Is...shin...” she said weakly, but smiled. “Is he safe?”

“Ichigo is safe, Masaki...I’m sorry...” he held her tight.

“Protect...them...” she rasped out.

“I will I promise, just hang on.” even with the healing kido he learned from Urahara her wounds were too deep.

“I...love...you...all...” her life force faded, and her soul appeared before him. Isshin wasn’t one to believe in angels until he saw her. She gave him a goodbye kiss before her soul vanished. Isshin didn’t know what happened to a witch’s soul when they died, they didn’t go to Soul Society or the realm of hollows, and they sure as hell did not go to Hell. She explained it once as returning to the source, but he didn’t know what that meant, Masaki was always such an enticing mystery.

With Masaki gone, the family changed. Isshin had to explain what he was, and where they went from here. Ichigo was the coven leader now, he promised to protect them and see to it Ichigo grew up into a fine witch. Ichigo dedicated himself to the craft and looked over the house until Yuzu grew up and helped with those duties. Karin honestly wanted nothing to do with the supernatural, going as far as to say she didn’t even believe in ghosts.

Ichigo said it was fine, he wanted his sisters to be happy and safe. He spent the following years training and getting stronger. What surprised Isshin was that Ichigo didn’t hate hollows, he may have hated Grand Fisher though. He took Masaki’s old stories to heart, he wanted to help hollows, and build his coven up.

To be continued...Dolls