"Nemu! Eh, Nemu?! BLAST!" screamed the captain of the 12th division, as his long pale fingers furiously clattered over the controls of an incomprehensible gadget.
"DAMM IT!!" Mayuri Kutsuchi screeched, pounding his fist into his invention, effectively smashing it to bits. "GAH! Now what am I supposed to do??" wailed the head of Research + Development, shaking uncontrollably in absolute rage.
A slight, practically undetectable rustle and Mayuri leaped to his side, simultaneously drawing Ashishogijizo in a single smooth movement. Snarling, he pounced upon one of the hollows that had once been suppressed in Mayuri's contraption, neatly slicing its grotesque mask.
"All my hard work - Gone! How many hours, how many days, have put it into all this??? And now its all gone!! Someone's going to pay, oh when I find them - !!! Stupid hollows, I thought I made it clear they were only to use their powers when I wanted them to! Nemu! Clean up this mess!" The captain smacked his head as he remembered – Nemu had been caught in the portal during the accident. "And now Nemu's gone too! How many years have I put into her?? This isn't fair, no no no, this isn't fair!!!"
Grunting and grumbling and mumbling, the most eccentric of the captains of the 13 guard squads bustled around, trying to salvage what he could and clean up the room, occasionally drawing Ashishogijizo to annihilate the hollows from his gizmo – the now ruined gadget that Captain Kuchiki had ordered Captain Kurotsuchi to finish at all costs.
Chidori and Rasengan – both high level techniques whose technique is only known to so very few a number. And no one had ever known what'd happen should they meet.
Now they were doing so, an ominous opaque sphere resulting from the clash of two friends. The two of them had been successful in their goal of defeating the other, they both lay unconscious on the dirt, the scene framed by two magnificent statues and a gush of water flowing down between them.
And carried in that furious current a body was carried away, its arrival unnoticed by the crazed shinobi desperately intent on defeating the other.
Water. That was the first thing she was aware of, it surged around her, engulfing, besieging. Coming to, Nemu gasped for breath and feebly struggled to the surface against the raging currents, but to little avail.
The force of the running water forcing her under, Nemu's feet cut open as she slipped on the rocks at the riverbed, as smooth and sharp as any zanpakuto. Opening her mouth to gasp in pain, instead she found her lungs inhaling a startling amount of water.
Frantically thrashing her arms in a desperate lunge towards the surface, a worn and battle scarred Nemu nonetheless found herself helpless to the relentless poundings, and lost consciousness.
"Have you heard?" Ukitake Jushiro asked his long time friend, Kyoraku.
"Mhm. Lieutenant Kurotsuchi's gone missing, and Captain Kurotsuchi going mad. Well, madder, I suppose," sighed the kindhearted eighth squad captain.
"I'm kinda surprised he even cares. Considering the way he treats her, I'd have thought that he'd just make a new one. I always thought he never gave a rat's tail for his subordinates," Ukitake remarked
"True, Ukitake, but consider the situation," and the gloomy mood the two captains had been trying to push a side washed over them.
"I know... Lietenant Abarai, Captain Zaraki, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Captain Soi Fon, Captain Komamura, Lieutenant Choujirou, Lieutenant Shuuhi, Lieutenant Tetsazaimon, Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Omadea, even the Head Captain... And now Lieutenant Kurotsuchi as well."
The two captains were eating dinner, such as it was, in a small cave packed with shinigami. With three of the captains deserting the 13 Court Squads, the Seireitei was unable to repel the invaders from the Rukongai. Ukitake shuddered at the thought of them, their strange eyes somehow reading every movement around them, the odd powers they wielded in their hands, the flames engulfing his barracks.
"Hey Ukitake, try to relax," Kyoraku told his friend. "Byakuya's -"
"Kyoraku," Ukitake interrupted, "We both know these foes are far beyond are own capacities, even if we were at full strength. I hate to say it, but if Captain Kurotsuchi fails, we're doomed. Byakuya's strategizing and organizational skills can only take us so far."
"Ukitake, this isn't much like you, you know."
Ukitake remained silent, and Kyoraku looked worriedly at his friend. It must have taken a greater toll at him than he thought, seeing Yama-ji and Soi Fon fall. That, and out of the thirteen guard squads, squad thirteen took the hardest hit, somehow accumulating more fatalities than that of squad eleven.
He followed Ukitake's gaze, and saw Isane Kotetsu, lieutenant of Squad Four. Pensive, tense, and obviously very concerned, the tall shinigami stood right outside the designated healing ward. He lowered his eyes and realized that one of Ukitake's loyal third seats, Kiyone Kotetsu, must have also been severely wounded.
"It'll be alright Ukitake, Unohana's takin care of Kiyone. With a little luck maybe Captain Soi Fon will make it through as well, Unohana said that there's a chance."
Ukitake sighed and glanced at his pink-clad friend, "Thanks, Kyoraku, thanks. I just really don't know though... Do you really think we'll be able to manage this?"
Forcing down his exasperation the best he could, Kyoraku replied, "Since when have you been a pessimistic doubter, Ukitake? We have a chance."
"A shadow of a chance."
"That's more like it. A shadow of a chance is a whole lot better than no chance at all, ey Ukitake?" a comforting Kyoraku smiled before stuffing the last of his meal down his throat, finishing it off with a swig of sake.
Nemu came to on a riverbank, the fierce river finally relenting her to its shore, and she'd been there for several days.. A brown-haired, ragamuffin boy in a furred jacket with a blue headband engraved with what appeared to be a leaf sat on a rock not to far away, looking at her suspiciously.
"Who are you?" the boy demanded, standing up and moving towards her. Nemu abandoned her fatigue and leapt to her feet wearily. This boy... Can see me? Still, despite this abnormality, Nemu didn't see any point in her hiding her name.
"My name is Nemu Kurotsuchi. But never mind that, may I ask how can you see me?"
Kiba Inuzaka stared at the shinigami as if she were insane. "Any reason why I shouldn't be able to see you?" he asked, somewhat befuddled. Something behind Kiba barked, and Nemu was surprised to see a little cute white puppy.
"Most people cannot see me. I suppose the fact that you can means you have high spiritual pressure."
"Huh? Spiritual pressure? You mean like the spiritual energy in chakra?" Kiba asked, beginning to be more wary of this black-garbed freak.
Kiba looked the girl up and down, wondering just who she was. He'd never seen anyone like her, but he eyed the badge on her left arm and wondered if that was some strange form of forehead protector. He glanced at Akamaru, making sure he's prepared if things got ugly.
"Chakra? My apologies, but I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term."
Is she playing dumb with me? If so then it's probably pointless to ask, but even still.. Kiba thought, taking a few steps towards the girl.
"Hey. Are you a shinobi?" he intensely studied her face, desperate to read her reaction.
Her eyebrows raised and knitted surprise, and her eyes flashed in sympathy, as if she felt sorry for someone so stupid. With a small sigh, she replied, "No, I'm not a shinobi. I am a shinigami of the Thirteen Guard Squads. Pardon my ignorance, but who are you? Who're these 'shinobi'?"
"I'm Kiba Inuzaka. A shinobi. And this here's Akamaru."
The shinobi looked at the 'shinigami'. He knew he should probably bring her in for questioning, but he wasn't quite sure how to do it. There was a good chance he could just quietly lead her there, but... Akamaru brushed against his legs, and Kiba's eyes narrowed. So Akamaru noticed as well. I must not be imagining things.
The girl in front of them, in spite of her blank countenance and being seemingly open, was tense and ready to fly into action at any second. She merely seemed to be standing there, but her guard's way up. If she was a mere ignorant bypasser, he highly doubted she'd be so edgy. In which case, the best course of action would be to...
"Ichigo! Ichigo!!!" A familiar voice shouted from Ichigo Kurosaki's window, where the shinigami Rukia Kuchiki stood. Ichigo turned around, and didn't think he'd ever seen Rukia look so worked up. He grabbed his substitute shinigami badge and activated it, questions could be dealt with later.
Both surprised and somewhat relieved at Ichigo's quick reaction and transformation, a small glimmer of hope rose in the diminutive shinigami. "Come on Ichigo," she said, opening the Senkaimon Gate.
"What's the matter Rukia?" Ichigo asked, trying to shake the feeling of foreboding.
Rukia paused, standing silent before the Senkaimon Gate.
"Is it really that bad, Rukia?" inquired a cautious Ichigo.
Rukia inclined her head and sighed, "Yes Ichigo, it is. The Soul Society has been overthrown."
Whatever shock Ichigo felt, he quickly hid it. Panicking wasn't going to help anything. If the Soul Society was overthrown, there was only one thing to do.
"Huh. Well, I guess we better reclaim it then, shouldn't we?" the substitute shinigami attempted a smile for his friend's sake. "Don't worry. The Soul Society can't be truly defeated. I won't allow it."
For another moment the sea of fear and hopelessness receded in Rukia. It'll be okay... Somehow, Ichigo's never failed in his promises... He can help us... But then the reality over swept her again, washing away the faint thought. Nonetheless, that brief interlude gave her the courage to enter the gate, running alongside Ichigo.
"Where does that idiot think he's going by himself? I don't think he even noticed us." Uryu asked, disgusted at his shinigami friend, standing outside the Kurosaki residence with Chad and Orihime. He'd gathered them after sensing Rukia's spiritual pressure, and meant to see what was going on... But they'd already left.
"Ichigo..." Orihime murmured, staring at the closing Senkaimon gate and starting towards it.
A large hand stopped her. "Don't, Orihime, you're still a human, remember? We should probably go to Mr. Urahara's shop. He'll know what to do." Orihime glanced up at Chad, gave him one her smiles, and nodded. "Right," she chirped, though she glanced back at the now-disappearing gate. Ichigo... Be careful...
Kiba seized three shuriken from his pack and flung them with deadly accuracy at Nemu, who jumped up and out of the projectory. She landed by a snarling Akamaru who pounced at her, teeth shining wickedly sharp. Nemu's arm swung out at the ninja hound, wincing a little as her skin snagged on Akamaru's fang, bloodying the white enamel.
Growling at the sight of Akamaru being thrown back by Nemu, Kiba charged the shinigami, clutching kunai between his fingers. Kiba was startled to find his swipe at Nemu's turned back blocked by a katana, behind which Nemu glowered fiercely.
A rustle behind the lieutenant, and Nemu began to learn what fighting an Inuzaka meant as she leapt away at the last moment, barely missing Akamaru's ferocious attack. She stood on the same rock Kiba had been sitting when they had first met, and observed hound and master with keen emerald eyes.
The shinobi Kiba crouched down on all fours, and his hound jumped onto his back. Nemu gasped in recognition of the strange hand sign, and flash-stepped further back.
"Ninja Art: Man-Beast Clone!" Kiba roared, and Nemu silently, impassively watched as the human took on traits of the hound and the hound traits of the human until they were identical; feral, ragged excuses of men practically frothing at the mouth.
Perhaps her master would've preferred her to fight this strange technique, learn whatever she could during combat, and attempt to apprehend this interesting specimen. But Nemu was worn out, and here she was in a strange land; Nemu didn't particularly feel the need to tangle with these two, and flashstepped away.
"Heh. Looks like our jutsu scared her away. Too bad that's not happening. Let's go Akamaru!" Kiba shouted, gleefully loping after the retreating shinigami. Just then, Akamaru gave a sudden whimper, and the puppy dropped back into his original form.
"Huh? Akamaru, what's wrong?!"
The white ninja hound whined again, and Kiba remembered his own injuries. It had only been a week since Sakon and Ukon had battled with Kiba and Akamaru, and their injuries still hindered them. In fact, they weren't even supposed to be out and about, but... Akamaru had begged and whined so much to be taken on a walk Kiba couldn't possibly resist. Besides, he himself had felt the need to stretch his legs.
"Akamaru..." Kiba murmured as the realization that his wounded partner must have been experiencing at least some discomfort all this time during their walk, even before they met the mysterious Nemu Kurotsuchi. He knelt by his closest friend, and caressed his head and mussed with the fluffy white ears. Never mind that Kurotsuchi person. Akamaru had priority.
Please be so kind as to review – if you like it, review, if you hate it, review, just let me know what to make of this fic. I have no way of unbiased judgement of my writing outside of ff, so please.. The writing, the plot, the characters, the concept, the pacing, please be so kind as to critique it, even if you will never read this story again. I'm merely trying to learn, and would be so kind as to help me. I can't shake the feeling that I'm doing something wrong, having the story since September and only receiving nine reviews so far, while those around me easily have thirty. I know that you aren't supposed to judge a story on reviews, but if not those, what else is there for me to go by? So please, give me advice, suggestions, anything, and thank you for reading.
6/6 in FF_1909464_1550286453