Toboe, Who Doesn't Howl

**Toboe, Who Doesn't Howl** is the second episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

Having met Rukia, Ichigo learns about the existence of Soul Reapers, that wolves still exist, and of the place they all seek to find: Rakuen.

## Summary

Within the confines of an abandoned keep, a Noble known only as Darcia is informed by his servant that a wolf has been sighted in the city to the north. He watching over a woman lying in a sleep-like state, asking his servant if the Flower Maiden has awakened. When she say that she apparently has, Darcia tells the sleeping woman, Hamona, that soon she will awaken as well.

In the police station at Freeze City, Kisuke asks Yoruichi for her help on something. She finds that Gehl's body is lying on a slab, stating that humans "aren't her specialty", but he still wants her opinion. As she examines the body, Yoruichi finds tooth marks that she asks about, Kisuke saying that the wounds are still fresh. This leaves her with questions.

Back at Ichigo's place, Rukia manages to come to. She looks for Ichigo, only to find that he isn't there. Looking out the window, she senses that there are wolves somewhere in the city.

At that moment, a red wolf in an alley attempts to scavage scraps of food, but the crows there attack it. Frightened, it hides behind a couple of trash cans, when it sees a girl named Leara shows up. When she picks up a potato she dropped, she sees the wolf, thinking it's a dog.

She offers it some food, but it isn't sure if it should come out, but she replies that it doesn't have to be afraid. Coming out, Leara brings out a string of sausages that she holds it as the wolf inspects it, until it finally decides to eat it. While as curious as she is about it, she hears her father call her, causing Leara to tell the wolf that she has to go. At first, it tries following her, but she stops it, explaining that it can't come with her. To her surprise, it sits, looking curiously. Leara apologizes, and leaves to meet her father.

Meanwhile, Ichigo returns to his place to find that Rukia has woken up. He decides to fix her something to help in her recovery, and as he does, notices her sword. Asking her about it, he wonders if she's from another land, to which she says that it's something like that.

Elsewhere in the city, Kiba and Hige make their way down a street. Hige takes notice of a hot dog stand, but passes it, Kiba following him to a secluded area. He tosses a hot dog that he swiped to him, who sniffs it. After he takes a bite out of it, he thinks it's awful, but Hige says that's the best he's going to get.

Saying nothing, Kiba takes another bite, when they see that gang members are being taken to the police station. It's Hige who mentions about a lab, as well as the fact that the Flower Maiden, Cheza, is being held there. He decides that his human state will allow him to sneak inside, even though Hige doesn't like the idea at all.

On the phone with Kisuke, Yoruichi informs him that she found dog hairs on Gehl's body, and did analysis on hairs found in the cage, to which she wasn't able to come up with anything. As soon as Kisuke hears that there were a third set of hairs outside the cage, he seems confused by this, but curious. When Yoruichi asks what it is, he answers it's nothing, thinking he should speak to Quent again.

At his place, Ichigo has finished cooking a stew for Rukia, who has been able to recover from her injury. Once she eats some, he finally asks her what she is. She says nothing at first. That is, until after a while does she reveal that she is a Soul Reaper; a soul guardian that exists to watch over spirits. But more importantly, to help the world's remaining wolves to reach, Rakuen, or what they refer to as Paradise, the place they originally came from. Ichigo doesn't think she's serious, mentioning that wolves have been extinct for about two hundred years, so they can't exist. However, Rukia tells him otherwise: not only do wolves still exist, but there are wolves living in the city.

During that time, the red wolf, Toboe, decides to see Leara in his human state. She walks past him though, causing him to catch up to her, thanking her for the sausages. This confuses her, Toboe saying that it was his dog that she gave to him. With the mention of it, Leara is happy to hear it, and introduces herself, allowing him to do the same.

In an alley, Tsume sees that some of his gang have been apprehended, then takes notice that Kiba has also let himself get taken as well. While entering the alley from elsewhere, Toboe is excited having gotten to know Leara, until he runs into Tsume, who he's taken back to see is also a wolf. He simply tells Toboe to get lost, when Quent enters the alley with Blue in a bit of a drunken stupor. It's as Tsume jumps away does he ready his rifle, and starts making his way towards Toboe, stating that he's "not a boy". Once he finally is able to see past his human disguise, Quent aims the rifle at him, but Toboe doesn't know what to do. Before Quent can shoot, Tsume leaps down to attack, and orders Toboe to jump, the two of them doing so to leave the alley up to the rooftops above. Quent takes a look at the claw mark on his hand, declaring he's "finally found them". Safely away, Toboe wonders about what happened back in the alley, but either way thanks Tsume for his help, hoping to get to know him. However, all Tsume does is tell him to get lost. As Toboe asks if he can't hang around him, Tsume answers that he can't. Looking back, he sees that he's gone.

While Kiba is locked in a cell after being taken in, he's greeted by Hige. He's surprised to see him, asking what he's doing there. All he says is that they're friends now, which Kiba replies to him saying that's "kind of fishy".

Later on in the day, Toboe sees Leara from outside her house, watching as she tends to a falcon. She then let's it fly out, which causes him to chase after it, until he catches it as he shrieks out in surprise. Leara leaves the house to find her bird, when Toboe brings it over and hands it to her.

It doesn't move at all, which makes him wonder what's wrong, until he realizes that he accidently killed the falcon, Leara confirming that it's dead.He admits that he didn't think it would die while he apologizes. Feeling guilt, Toboe breaks down, when she sees him in his wolf state, completely taking her by surprise as he then starts howling. Passing by, Tsume sees what's going on, until he finally goes over to grab Toboe, taking him away.

In an abandoned building, Toboe reveals to Tsume that an old woman named "Granny" found him outside the entrance to the dome, gave him a set of bracelets, and he lived with her since then. He breaks down a little when he painfully mentions that even after all that, she still died, and he wasn't able to save her. Tsume says nothing, when he sees that someone has shown up outside the room. It turns out to be one of his gang members, Sedo. He tells Tsume that he knows that he's somehow been affected by what happened to Gehl, and that he and the others talked it over. They're willing to do one last heist. Once Tsume asks if he plans on leaving, Sedo simply says that he too different from the rest of them. Taking this in, Tsume suddenly senses a Noble's ship entering the city.

Also sensing the ship, Rukia gets up and leaves, Ichigo wanting to know what's wrong. But she doesn't answer him, causing him to go after her. From in the cell, Kiba senses it too, believing that something doesn't feel right. When Hige asks if he wants to break out, he replies he does. Trying to break the bars, Kiba is stopped, seeing Hige bring out of his hair a key to the cell.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi is woken up by on of her lab assistants, who goes to say that the rest of the team went home, and that maybe she might want to call it a night as well. She feels a bit embarassed, when all of a sudden, power goes out, and she wonders what happened. At the entrance, a figure makes his way inside.

Checking the lab, Yoruichi sees that everything is fine, since the lab is seperate from the main hub. A voice agrees, and she turns around to see Darcia, who asks about how vital Cheza is to her. Yoruichi asks him who he is, but he informs her that everyone is asleep, and that she should rest for a while. With that, he removes his mask, causing her to lose consciouness. His attention is then brought to Cheza, wanting to know if she can sense him, but Darcia believes that she can't, but believes it doesn't matter. Using the control console, he then says that they can finally "set off on their journey.

While Kiba and Hige make their way outside, they look around, they happen to notice Ichigo and Rukia coming. Not sure what to do, it's then that they see Darcia holding Cheza.

## Appearances In Order

* Neige

* Darcia The Third
* Lady Hamona
* Kisuke Urahara
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Gehl (Body)
* Toboe
* Leara
* Leara's Father
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Rukia Kuchiki
* Kiba
* Hige
* Tsume
* Granny (Mentioned)
* Quent Yaiden
* Blue
* Sedo
* Lab Assisant
* Cheza

## Notes & trivia

* This episode features the first appearance of Toboe and Darcia.
* When Ichigo and Rukia first meet, they are civilized. In the *Bleach* series, they get into a scuffle in their first meeting.
* Tsume doesn't appear to feel as much guilt for Gehl's death as opposed to in the *Wolf's Rain* series.