Tamashi no Kiri
Chapter 1: New Beginnings
We see clearly in the sun
Unless our eyes are covered in mist
And we either cannot or will not see
The dangers that lie ahead
Hidden in a shroud of mist
Captain-Commander Genryusai Yamamoto stood in the center of Central Forty-Six's main court. The six judges and forty wise men surrounded him, their faces hidden either behind the screens in front of them or in the shadows. He leaned on his staff, feeling his age for the first time in a long time. The battle left him feeling more tired and made him aware of his age.
"As you are aware, we have a situation that we find most troubling," one of the wise men said from behind his screen.
"I am well aware of the situation," Yamamoto said. "We have two former Espada in our midst as well as some of the former Arrancars. They have been properly purified and…"
"It does not change the fact that they were Arrancars," one of the judges said. "They were enemies to the Soul Society and to the Balance. Their very existence here makes some of us nervous."
"With all due respect, but the purification of an Arrancar is no different than that of a Hollow," Yamamoto said. "Most Hollows who are purified are sent on to the Soul Society where they can find a place in society or are sent to Hell if they committed grievous sins while alive. That is the way it has been for us."
"Yet some of us doubt that they've been truly purified. They have, for reasons we cannot fathom, maintained their Arrancar forms, minus Hollow hole and mask. There are some in our number who are arguing in favor of utter annihilation and others who are in favor of sending them to the Maggot's Nest. However, the majority are willing to put them under your command for a trial period."
"In other words, having them join the Gotei."
"We find it to be an adequate solution," one of the judges said. "This way they can be kept under proper supervision. If they are likely to be loyal to the Soul Society over the other Arrancars then they may prove to be an indispensable asset. If they prove to be a liability then they can be quickly dealt with."
Yamamoto mulled over the words and stroked his long white beard.
"I agree. I shall have them enter the Academy once Captain Unohana has discharged them from her ward."
"We would appreciate it that during their time at the Academy that they stay in any of the Squads' barracks who will take them in. If none of the Squads will take them in then they are to remain in the Kido Squad's cells."
Yamamoto frowned at that, but did not say anything. He was certain that some of the Squads would voluntarily house the Arrancars.
"I accept your terms," Yamamoto said and bowed.
"Then you are dismissed. Go forth and serve the Soul Society and the Spirit King."
Yamamoto bowed before leaving the chamber. He wondered if giving the former Arrancar was a prudent decision, but he had made it. If it turned out to be a mistake then he would deal with the former Arrancars personally.
Coyote Starrk
"WAKE UP, STARRK!" Lilynette shouted as she jumped onto the bed. She landed squarely on Starrk's stomach, causing him to bolt upright. "WE'RE GETTING' DISCHARGED TODAY!"
Starrk coughed as he caught his breath and glared daggers at Lilynette who only stuck out her tongue. He ruffled his shoulder-long brown hair and was tempted to go back into bed.
Lilynette's punishments be damned, he thought.
"HEY! DON'T GO BACK TO SLEEP! I WANNA GET OUTTA HERE AND GO BACK HOME!"
"I thought that we went through this, Lilynette. We can't go back."
Lilynette was about to say something and then stopped. She lowered her head and looked away. She made her way to a wooden chair next to the door and sat down. She put her hands on her knees and looked at the floor.
"I know," she said. Starrk looked at her. "It's just that… Hueco Mundo will always be home for us, won't it?"
"I suppose."
"But that doesn't mean that we can't find a new home. So let's get outta here and go to our new home." She looked up and smiled. "Besides, we're not the only ones here."
Tia Harribel
Harribel looked at the bowl of gruel and then at the short, dark-haired officer who brought it to her. He had introduced himself as Hanataro when she first woke up and he seemed to be responsible for bringing meals to the former Arrancars who woke up in the Soul Society.
"I'm sorry," Hanataro said. He could not seem to bring himself to look into anyone's eyes.
"It's fine," she said. "How soon can I leave?"
"Well, that's up to the Captain, but…"
There came a loud noise from the room next door. Voices rose in argument and Harribel closed her eyes. She knew that her Fracción were getting into another of their squabbles that usually neared full out war but never seemed to cross the line.
"But she seems that those three need to stay a little longer to learn some manners," Hanataro said, his large eyes looked to the wall separating rooms.
"I wish her the best of luck," Harribel said as she began to eat the gruel. The gruel had very little taste to it, despite the honey that was added to give it some sweetness. "How many of the Espada crossed over into the Soul Society?"
"Just you and the Primera," Hanataro said.
Harribel paused for a moment before taking another bite of gruel.
"I see. So it's just the two of us?"
"I guess. I did see some former Arrancars, but I suppose they might just be foot soldiers or something."
"Fracción."
"I beg your pardon."
"The proper term is Fracción or, if you prefer, Números. We may not be Arrancars anymore, but our titles are still important to us. It was what maintained a sense of order."
"Oh. Sorry, I…I should be going. I have other meals to deliver."
"Well, if you haven't given the Primera Espada his meal then inform him that I'm looking forward to being able to walk outside again."
"I'll be sure to tell him," Hanataro said and bowed before departing.
A loud crashing sound came from the room next door. Harribel glared in the direction that she knew her Fracción were in. She tried to release a burst of Reiatsu, much as she did when she calmed them down back in Las Noches. She smiled when she felt the energy flow from her, but it was different.
It doesn't matter. So long as I can use it, I can deal with a different Energy.
She returned to her meal when she was certain that peace was, temporarily at least, restored. She thought about what Hanataro told her and smiled.
Starrk, I wonder what walking with you in this new world will be like.
Coyote Starrk
Starrk made his way down the hall. Nurses in bright pink uniforms bowed as they went about their daily routine. Lilynette walked side-by-side with the tall silver-haired Lieutenant leading them to the Captain's office.
"How are you liking the Soul Society?" Isane asked.
"It's hard to know if we'll like a place or not just from the medical barracks," Lilynette said. "But so far I find the sun be much warmer than the one in Las Noches."
"That's because that one was fake," Starrk said and yawned.
"Well, I'm sure that you'll find it to your liking. Especially after the first time that you feel wet grass beneath your bare feet. It's something that you just can't understand until you experience it."
"Much like being able to nap a full day without interruption, I bet," Starrk said glaring at Lilynette. Lilynette only grinned at him with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Well, here we are," Isane said and opened the door. "Captain, I brought…oh…"
Starrk and Lilynette looked into the office and saw an old bald man sitting behind Captain Unohana's desk. Unohana stood to his left.
"YOU!" Lilynette shouted and pointed to Captain Kyoraku, clad in his pink kimono over his white haori. Shunsui Kyoraku only lowered his straw hat over his eyes with a sigh. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
"Calm down, Lilynette," Starrk said eyeing Kyoraku with suspicion. "They're not our enemies anymore."
"Like Hell they're not," Lilynette snarled. Her pink eyes narrowed as she glared at Kyoraku.
"Lieutenant Kotetsu," Captain-Commander Yamamoto said. "You are dismissed."
"Y-yes sir," Isane said and bowed before taking her leave.
Starrk turned his gaze to the Captain-Commander and frowned.
"I thought that we were merely going to be discharged from Captain Unohana's care today. I see that I was mistaken." Lilynette bared her teeth in a snarl as she crouched, ready to attack or defend.
"There won't be any need of that, little girl," Kyoraku said. "We're not here to kill you."
"How do we know that?" Lilynette asked. "You killed us before, you bastard. What's keeping you from killing us again?"
"Be quiet, Lilynette," Starrk demanded. "If he wanted to kill us he could have done it while we were unconscious. Am I right?"
"Now why would I kill a defenseless enemy?"
"I wouldn't put it past you," Starrk said. "You're the type who would use evil to fight evil and not give it a second thought."
"You got a point there. But I'm not beyond showing at least some degree of mercy for a worthy opponent."
"We don't need your pity. Right Starrk?" Starrk didn't say anything, but turned his attention to Yamamoto.
"And why are you here? I thought that the Captain-Commander of the Gotei would have better things to do with his time."
"You are an unknown anomaly in the Soul Society," Yamamoto said. "When a Hollow is purified the souls that form them are separated in order to be either reborn in the Soul Society, sent to Hell, or be reincarnated. You Arrancars, however, did not undergo that."
"The laws that govern the souls of Arrancars differs from that of mere Hollows. It's true that some Arrancars did undergo the normal evolution," Starrk said. "Others, however, are born in their form and are reborn when their Resurrección is formed, a task that we call 'The First Death.'"
"Is that right?" Kyoraku asked. Unohana didn't say anything and her eyes were closed in thought.
"Regardless, Central Forty-Six has concerns as a result," Yamamoto said. "They're willing to permit the former Arrancars remain as long as they are kept under constant supervision. Some wanted to secure you in our maximum security facilities while others preferred you to be annihilated. However, fortunately for you and your kind, the majority felt that you might be valuable assets."
Lilynette and Starrk looked at each other. Starrk looked back at Yamamoto and asked, "What about you? Do you think that we'll merely be a tool for you to use?"
"Yeah, from what we were told, that bastard used us as tools. We would rather not go through all that again, thank you very much."
"I see you as potential soldiers," Yamamoto said. "That is why I agreed to let you enter the Gotei. There will be conditions, of course. The first is that you are to attend the Academy until your instructors feel that you're ready to become members of the Gotei."
"School?" Lilynette asked.
"Would it require a lot of work?" Starrk asked, earning a kick from Lilynette.
"It always requires effort," Yamamoto said. "The second condition will be for you to stay in one of the Squads' barracks. Captain Kyoraku has agreed to house you in his. Captain Hitsugaya has agreed to house the Espada woman and her fracción."
"Although I think it was more Lieutenant Matsumoto's idea than Captain Hitsugaya's," Kyoraku said.
"The third condition is that you are to swear fealty to the Soul Society and the Gotei. If you break your oath then you will be destroyed immediately."
Starrk thought about it and shook his head. "I refuse to kill any Arrancars for your sake," he said. "We may not be Arrancars anymore, but that doesn't change the fact that we once were. The only reason I would kill any Arrancar would be if they threatened me or anyone I care about. The same holds true for Soul Reapers.
"I don't care about your 'Balance' or any of the justifications that you use. If you want me to fight then I will only fight to protect my pack. Do you understand?"
Unohana and Kyoraku looked at Starrk as though he had slapped God in the face. Yamamoto's face remained grim as he stood. The top of his staff unraveled to reveal the hilt of his Zanpakuto.
"Does that mean that you refuse my offer?"
"I will only accept the first two conditions," Starrk said. "However, I wish to discuss the third condition with the other Arrancars who ended up here. If we agree that it won't be a problem for us then we'll gladly take your oath. However, if we feel that it would violate a part of us then we will refuse to enter the Gotei. Send us into exile if you want, I'm sure that the Soul Society is far bigger than just the Seireitei and the surrounding districts."
"What if I decide that it would be best to destroy you?" Yamamoto asked.
"Then you I'll make sure that you regret threatening my pack," Starrk said. "You threaten Lilynette or Harribel and I will make sure to sink my fangs into your throat before I am killed again."
Starrk and Yamamoto stared at each other. The atmosphere in the room became tense and Unohana could feel it weighing upon her. Kyoraku stepped in between and smiled.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's not talk about killing," he said. "Captain-Commander, I am certain that it wouldn't hurt anything if the former Arrancars talked it over. In fact, how about we just change their oath and let's make sure that the soldiers in the Gotei swear another oath not to kill Starrk or his friends. Central Forty-Six may not like it, but… What they don't know won't hurt them. Am I right?"
Yamamoto's brow furrowed in thought and he nodded. The top of his staff reappeared, concealing his Zanpakuto. He nodded.
"Very well. I will allow the former Arrancar to deliberate with each other. However, the oath is a non-negotiable issue. Captain Unohana, you will make sure that all of the former Arrancar we received are informed of this. I want their decision by tomorrow when the sun's at its zenith. Captain Kyoraku, you will come with me."
Shunsui sighed and said, "Yes sir." He looked at Starrk and smiled. "Hey, I'll be alright. Old-Man Yama isn't as bad as he seems."
"I doubt that," Starrk said. "He has a lot of blood on his hands, and if you know what he did then you would understand why I don't trust him."
"I suppose," Shunsui said as he left the office.
Starrk looked at Unohana and said, "You have my gratitude for your healing. But we never forget those who wronged us in the past. You have a lot of blood on your hands too. Am I right?" Unohana flinched slightly at that and her eyes opened.
"That was long ago," she said.
"We know," Lilynette said. "But that doesn't mean we'll just trust you. You gotta earn our trust with more than just taking care of us. We were betrayed once. Don't betray us a second time."
Unohana nodded and smiled her other smile. Lilynette gulped and hid behind Starrk. She glared at Unohana from behind him. Starrk only returned the smile and left the office with Lilynette in tow.
Shunsui Kyoraku
"You shouldn't have defied me like that, Kyoraku," Yamamoto said.
"I know, Captain-Commander. It's just that I don't like a tense atmosphere, especially in Unohana's barracks. They have a way of becoming more than just tense if not taken care of immediately."
"Shunsui, you felt it too."
"Yeah, when I looked in his eyes. I saw that he really meant to kill you."
"Are you certain that your Zanpakuto purified them?"
"I'm sure."
"Then why was it that I felt traces of the Arrancar in him? Why is it that they all still have that old aura lacing through their new aura?"
"I don't know, sir. But if I was to place bets, I would bet on it being purely natural. Their original nature is that of an Arrancar. So it makes sense that even when donning a new nature portions of the old would still remain."
"If that is the case, then it would be best for them if Central Forty-Six did not suspect," Yamamoto said. "It might be best for us if we just kept this between us."
"You know they won't swear any oath of absolute loyalty," Kyoraku said. "They'll be loyal to each other, but we'll have to earn their loyalty. Loyalty without trust is a very fragile thing, easy to turn potential allies into foes."
"I understand that, Captain Kyoraku. That's why we must tread carefully."
Tia Harribel
"They want us to what?" Ggio Vega asked. His long black hair was braided and his golden eyes shone with alarm.
"They want us to swear loyalty to the Soul Society," Lilynette said from her position on a window sill. "That means that they could force us to wage war against our fellow Arrancars if they want to."
"Like Hell they can," Yylfordt Granz said. His long blonde hair was tied back with a bright green ribbon. "If they think that we'll fight against our own kind…"
"But are we still Arrancars?" Avirama Redder asked. His black hair was tied back with a leather cord. A grey feather with black speckles hung by one of the cord's end.
"What kind of dumbass question is that?" Apacci asked. "Being an Arrancar is more than just a mask and a hole. It's in our blood."
"That's gotta be one of the sappiest things you've ever said," Mila Rose said. Her long raven black hair and dark skin made the white hospital gown seem brighter on her.
"What was that? Are you tryin' to pick a fight with me again?"
"Would you both be quiet? We do not want that Captain of theirs coming in on us again," Sun-Sun said as she played mahjong with Charlotte Chuulhourne.
Tia Harribel sat in one of the wooden chairs. Her arms were folded across her bosom and her green eyes seemed distant in thought. The other former Arrancars were gathered in one of the larger patient rooms. She looked over at Starrk who lay in one of the beds with his eyes closed. It was sometimes hard to tell when he was truly asleep or when he was fully aware.
"Regardless of what we may want," Shawlong Kufang said. His black hair was shortly cropped and he no longer had the tail that he had once worn. "We must accept the fact that we may never go home to Hueco Mundo. This place is our new home."
"For the time being," Yylfordt said. "But they will have to change their oath before I agree to it."
"They might kill us all for that," Ggio said. "And I don't know about you, but I would rather not be killed by any Reaper a second time. It would be insulting to Arrancars."
"Yet we're not Arrancars," Harribel said. "We're Reapers now and we might as well accept it."
"But does that mean that you'll take their oath?" Kufang asked.
"No," Harribel replied without a moment's thought. "We may be Reapers, but that doesn't mean that we should forget that Aizen was one of them. He betrayed us and I will not swear an oath lightly ever again. If they want me to swear an oath then they better show themselves worthy of it."
"It's settled with us," Apacci said. "As Lady Harribel's fracción we will follow her example."
"Even if it means being cast into the darkest depths of Hell," Mila Rose said.
"Don't be so melodramatic," Sung-Sun said. "It makes you sound like an idiot."
"Who are you calling an idiot, Sung-Sun?" Mila Rose snarled. "Do you want me to kill you all over again? I'll be more than happy to oblige since that old bastard took the chance from me the first time around."
"Don't be so obtuse," Kufang said. "But I will agree with this much: I will not swear any oath that the Reapers puts before us if it means betraying everything I was."
"If they think that they can force us to do anything then they're in for a surprise," Lilynette said.
"I don't think the Captain-Commander will do anything to turn us into enemies," Starrk said. "I think he understand that he can use us, but that he won't have the same freedom as Aizen did. We know that regardless of what we decide we'll still be used. That gives us an edge."
"True," Harribel said. "Aizen knew that he could use us because we didn't know he was using us. Now, we're aware that we'll be used as tools. It will make it more difficult for them to succeed and it will make them more cautious."
"So what do we do?" Ggio asked. "I don't want to be killed again, because…this might be it. This might be our last shot."
"We hear their oath and we change it," Starrk said. "We'll protect the Soul Society because we'll be protecting ourselves by extension. But we won't go on the offense for them against Arrancars. Hollows…I don't think killing Hollows really bothers any of us."
The other former Arrancars shook their heads. They could kill Hollows if they were called to do so since it had been a part of their lives as Arrancars.
"Then it's settled," Harribel said. "Starrk, you and I will talk to the Captain-Commander to let him know of our decision."
"Why does it have to be you two?" Kufang asked. "There are others who are better fit of delivering this message."
"It won't mean as much to him if it came from a former fracción," Starrk said. "It may be a pain in the ass, but it will mean something if it came from the former Espada."
Uryu Ishida
Uryu could see Orihime's apartment building and switched his sewing kit from his left hand to right. He bent his fingers in order to loosen his joints. He walked up the concrete steps, thinking about the message that Orihime left him on his cell. She had told him to come right away and that it was very important.
I wonder if she realized that she forgot to copy down her homework assignment for school tomorrow, he thought.
He supposed that it did make sense that she would forget. It had been relatively difficult to return to the daily routine of an average high school student after the Winter War ended. Even Keigo, who normally didn't notice anything beyond the growing breasts of their female classmates, noticed a difference. He reached the door to Orihime's apartment and was about to ring the doorbell when he stopped.
Why would she call me? Why not Tatsuki?
Well, I suppose there's only one way to find out.
He rang the doorbell and heard the buzzing sound inside. He could hear movement coming from inside and waited. Orihime opened the door and smiled at him.
"Uryu, I'm glad you came."
"Is everything alright?"
"Well…uh…it's just that…" She noticed that he had his sewing kit with him and looked at him. "Uh…why did you bring that?"
"Sewing club," he said. "We usually meet on Saturdays, but we had to postpone it to today because another club scheduled to use the room we're in."
"Oh. Well, come in."
"I did bring my notes in case you needed help with our homework."
"I already got that done," Orhime said.
"Really? Uh…then why did you…?"
"I called you because I need some advice. Do you want anything to drink?"
"Oh, water will be fine, thank you. But, if you needed advice, why call me? Did Tatsuki have practice at the dojo today?"
"This isn't exactly something that Tatsuki could help with, and I would appreciate it if you don't tell Ichigo," Orihime said as she put a glass of water on the table.
Uryu put his sewing kit down and removed his glasses. He rubbed his eyes, trying to think of what Orihime could possibly need his advice on. He wondered if Orihime was wondering how to confess her love to Ichigo. He wasn't blind nor was he stupid. He saw the way that Orihime looked at Ichgio and he recognized her flustering. He was sometimes flustered around her. If so then he would have to tell her that he was the wrong person to ask.
"Look, Orihime, if it's…"
"I suppose it would be easier to just show you. But…" She bit her lower lip as though in thought. "Promise me that you won't react too harshly. At least not until I have a better idea of what to do."
"Orihime, what are you talking about? React to what?"
Orihime sighed and said, "Follow me."
Uryu followed Orihime to the apartment's main hall that ran from the living room. Orihime paused for a moment and looked at the small shrine devoted to her deceased brother before continuing. Uryu saw that the narrow hallway was lined with photos of flowers from around the world.
"Rangiku got me those," Orihime said, smiling. "She said that it would cheer up the place a bit."
"At least she didn't get you anything inappropriate," Uryu said. He looked at the framed photos. "Why did she choose photos of flowers?"
"She said that it was because of my name and my hair pins. She said that flowers suited me." Orihime stopped near the end of the hall and turned to Uryu.
"I need you to promise me that you won't try to do anything violent."
"Uh…why?"
"Just promise me. I want you to promise me not to do anything violent until after I know what needs to be done."
"Okay, okay. I promise."
"Thanks. Now, you best be quiet. He's sleeping."
"Who's…?" Before Uryu could finish asking his question Orihime opened the door.
"Rangiku slept here when she stayed over with Captain Hitsugaya," Orihime said as she led Uryu into the room.
Uryu took one look at the bed-spread on the ground and froze. He could see that someone was sleeping in it. He looked at Orihime, but she only gestured for him to get closer. Uryu took another step forward and he could see a pale face with black hair resting on a pillow. His eyes widened and he had to restrain himself from summoning his bow. He looked at Orihime.
"How? He's dead so how did he get here?"
"I don't know how he got here," Orhime said. "I heard a loud thump outside my apartment last night and when I went to see what it was…he was just there."
"But why is he in your apartment? He's our enemy."
"He was our enemy," Orihime said. "Look at him. He doesn't have his mask nor his Hollow hole. He's not an Arrancar anymore."
"Do you think that he was purified, then?"
Orihime thought about it and shook her head. "No. I think that the wounds Ichigo inflicted on him destroyed him, but… I still don't understand it, Uryu. That's why I called you. You seem to know more about these things than I do."
"You should have called Urahara. He was a Soul Reaper Captain once."
"That's why I didn't call him. Kisuke may know more, but I…" She fell silent. Despite what Kisuke and Yoruichi did for her she didn't trust them with this.
"I think you should," Uryu said. "They would have a better idea than I would. My initial thought is to destroy him because I'm a Quincy. It's what we do. But it's obvious that you won't do that." Orhime shook her head and Uryu sighed. "In that case, my only advice to you is to be careful. Whatever he may be now he was once our enemy. I wouldn't trust him."
"I know, but…but I want to have hope that any soul can be redeemed. That a foe can become a friend. Just like you and Ichigo."
"Ichigo will never truly be my friend. He's a Soul Reaper and I'm a Quincy and he is my foe because of it. Nothing can change that."
"Then why is it that you fight alongside each other?"
Uryu remained silent for a while and then said, "I fight alongside him because it's my way to be sure that I will be the one to kill him; nothing more."
Ichigo Kurosaki
Ichigo took another scoop of rice from the cooker and sat at the table. Isshin sat with Yuzu in front of the television as the image of Don Kanonji, clad in his bright red suit and crown, appeared. Ichigo and Karin groaned.
"Not this again," Karin said. "Dad, why do you always watch him? He's as real as those other ghost hunters and paranormal investigators."
"Hey! Those guys are real," Yuzu said before putting a bit of shitake mushroom in mouth.
"Yeah," Isshin said. "There's scientific evidence to support the existence of ghosts." He looked at Ichigo and winked. Ichigo rolled his eyes. He knew that ghosts were real, he kept seeing them and it turned out that his dad was a Soul Reaper. But that didn't mean that he had to watch Don Kanonji perform his antics, despite having some degree of actual ability.
He'll get himself killed one of these days if he keeps thinking of ghosts as merely harmless amusement, Ichigo thought as he started eating the rice and curry on his plate. Damn fool nearly got himself killed during the war against Aizen.
The memory made him aware of the price he was willing to pay to ensure Aizen's defeat. He could not deny that he was losing his power since he found it more difficult to come out of his physical body. When he did become a Soul Reaper he got tired quicker than before. He sighed at the knowledge that someday he would not be able to see Rukia or Renji anymore.
"Not another one!" Isshin cried out.
Ichigo looked at the television and saw a man clad in a white suit sitting behind a large cherry wood desk. A Christian flag pin gleamed on his left lapel. The smile on his soft face displayed twin rows of dazzling white teeth. His Scandinavian blue eyes seemed to gleam and his snow white hair was immaculately stylized. The script at the bottom of the screen named him Reverend Gabriel Angell, Founder and Senior Pastor of Healing Hands Ministry in the United States. Ichigo heard a little bit about them, but never realized that they were starting to proselytize in other countries now.
"Good evening, friends," he said in flawless Japanese that Ichigo wondered if someone else was reading his message for him. "Have you ever felt as though you were lost and rudderless in this world?"
"Who is that?" Karin asked.
"It's one of those faith healers," Isshin said. "This is the fifth time one of them advertised during Don Kanonji. I'm tempted to write a very stern letter to the station for advertising a quack during a legitimate program."
Ichigo rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his dinner.
"He actually thinks that Don Kanonji is legitimate?" Karin asked.
"Let me tell you about these faith healers," Isshin said, disgust laced his tone. "They're all con artists. They prey on the gullible to where people who need doctors think that they don't. They're not held accountable for their deceptions because of that 'religious freedom' nonsense. Religious freedom is not a justification for cheating people out of their money or sending others to an early grave."
"So faith healers are con artists, but not psychics?" Karin asked. "Talk about a double standard."
"Psychics and faith healers are as different as night and day," Isshin said. "And a lot of those alternative medicines…" he said and pointed at the television again. This time a commercial for a fast fat-burning pill was on. "…are frauds as well. If someone says that this will work for everyone then you know that they're a fraud. I only say these things because I love my children."
"We know," Karin said as she took another bite of curry, not really interested.
Ichigo smiled. He wondered what Orihime would think if she knew his dad's thoughts on faith healers. In a way, her Shun-Shun Rikka made her a kind of faith healer.
I haven't really talked to any of my friends lately, he realized. I should call them up some time.
Orihime Inoue
"Thanks for coming," Orihime said.
"Call me if…if you need anything else," Uryu said. He looked past Orihime's shoulder, still unable to comprehend how Ulquiorra wound up in her guest bedroom. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I'll be fine. I don't think he can do much in his current state if that's what's worrying you."
"You never know. He might not be as helpless as he seems."
"Well, if he tries to hurt me I'll knock his block off," Orihime said and swung her right arm around as though demonstrating how she would do that. Uryu sighed and walked towards the stairs that would lead him to the street.
Orihime waited until Uryu walked past the gate and back onto the sidewalk before going back into her apartment. She walked down the corridor that led to the guest bedroom and stood outside the door. She couldn't hear anything and wondered if she should check on Ulquiorra. Instead she went back to the main living area and picked up her phone. She pushed the buttons and held the receiver to her ear.
She thought about what Uryu told her and she realized that he was right. She needed to seek advice from someone who could at least relate in some way to what she was going through. On the one hand Ulquiorra had been her enemy, but on the other she began to pity him. It wasn't really his fault that Aizen played him the pawn. He had played them all like the pieces on a chess board.
He's not a piece any more, am I right?
She heard the ringing on the other end and nearly lost her nerve before the other end was picked up.
"Urahara Shoten," Tessai's voice said. "How may I be of service?"
"Hello, Tessai, this is Orihime."
"Well, hello Miss Inoue. It's been a while since we last saw you. How are things?"
"Things are good?" Orihime said. "Uh, is Urahara in?"
"Oh, yes, the boss is in. HEY BOSS, MISS INOUE'S ON THE PHONE!" Orihime held the receiver away from her. "Just one moment please, Miss Inoue. The boss just got a delivery in. Oh, here he is."
Orihime could hear the sound of the phone being handed over. Then she heard Kisuke's jovial voice. "Well, hello Miss Inoue. It's good to hear from you. I trust that you're recovering nicely from all of the excitement we had a couple of weeks ago."
"Oh, yes. Uh, Mister Urahara, uh…I… Would it be alright to come over and talk to you?"
"Well of course, Miss Inoue. Stop by whenever you want. I'm sure that Yoruichi would be happy to see you again."
"Thanks. I'll come right over if that's alright."
"Well, then it must be something very important. Could it be that you want our advice on dating?"
"No, it's…uh…something else."
There was a long pause and then Kisuke asked, "Are you sure that everything's alright?" His tone was no longer jovial. She had only heard his serious tone a couple of times before, but there was something different about this one. There was curiosity in it.
"Uh…I think it would be better if I talked with you in person about it."
"Then by all means come over as soon as you can. I'm all ears."
Genryusai Yamamoto
Captain-Commander Yamamoto glared at the two former Espada from across his table. His eyes were narrow and his hands folded in front of his face.
"You have demands," he said, slowly. Menace of an unspoken threat laced his voice sending a shiver up Starrk's and Harribel's spines.
"They're quite reasonable demands," Harribel said. "We want to know what oath you want us to swear and to accept any changes that we deem necessary. If you accept the changes then we will swear it."
"It will depend on what kind of changes you want."
Harribel was about to say something when Starrk put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Remember, this is poker," he whispered. "We can't show our hand right away." She nodded and looked at Yamamoto.
"First, we need to know what this oath looks like. We need to know what we'll be promising so that way we will know if it is acceptable or not."
"A soldier does not need to know the terms of their service," Yamamoto said. "They only need to obey."
"What if an order violates our conscience?" Starrk asked.
"Then you only need to obey the order," Yamamoto said.
"What if the order contradicts the oath?" Starrk asked again.
"Such a thing is impossible."
"Are you sure? If I recall, you had three Captains who swore an oath and then violated it by acting in contradiction. I wonder if their soldiers were given orders that also contradicted their oath," Starrk said. "So you see, receiving an order that contradicts the oath is not too far-fetched."
"Are you suggesting that you would also betray the Soul Society?"
"No," Harribel said. "We're only suggesting that our orders might cause us to act in such a matter that it might be seen as treason to the Soul Society. If we're to obey orders then we need to know if the oath permits us to disobey if it might put us at risk as being seen as traitors. Surely, you see our concern."
"Your Central Forty-Six practically threatened us with annihilation if we were seen as being a liability to the Soul Society. You told us that much yourself," Starrk said. "They want us to swear an oath so that they feel somewhat better about us, but they'll never really trust us. What's to keep them from twisting this oath around to where we'll be perceived as a liability?"
"You're in no position to negotiate," Yamamoto said.
"On the contrary," Harribel said, "we are in a position to negotiate. You see us as an asset, and we know that you'll use us as tools. But we're not mere tools. We're flesh and blood. We have a right to negotiate the path that we want to go down."
"We want to make sure that the path you'll lay out before us is the one that we want to go down," Starrk said. "We were used by one of your kind. We won't be used like that again. I'm sure that you can understand where we're coming from."
Yamamoto sat in silence. He looked from Starrk to Harribel and sighed. "Alright. I'll give you a copy of the oath that all members of the Gotei swear. If you want to make any changes then I will take it into consideration."
"Thank you," Harribel said and bowed.
Yamamoto watched as the two former Espada left his office and sighed. He began to wonder if he gave them too much leverage by agreeing to their request. If they did then he would have to put his foot down sooner than he hoped.
They clearly learned too much from Aizen, he thought.
Harper Bradbury
Harper Bradbury felt ill.
She tossed in the couch and her mind felt as though a thousand thoughts were racing through her. Her muscles were tightening and would twitch without warning as though she was suffering an epileptic fit. They stood around her, watching and waiting, but none with more intent than the man who took her in. He knew that the morning after the first consumption was always the most difficult. But suffering was a part of life and evolution. He noticed that the areas on her spiritual body that were translucent were beginning to become more solid.
"I could never get used to this," one of the figures, a woman, said.
"Suffering is always difficult to watch, but it's necessary," the man said, getting up and walked towards the girl.
The figure of Sylvia O'Conner moved with him towards the girl. He knelt beside the couch and put a hand on her. She was gasping for breath. He knew that the moment was near. He put his forehead against hers and whispered soothing words to her. She relaxed and fell asleep.
"The moment's getting closer," he said. "When she awakens, so will her Inner Soul. Howard, is her Gigai ready?"
"It is," Howard Machen said. He was rather tall and thin, wearing a long dark green coat with cream-colored trim that hung to the back of his knees and a dark blue suit. A pair of silver opera glasses that were attached to an ivory and gold-engraved lorgnette handle was sticking out of the inner pocket of his coat.
"Good. When she's ready, make sure the Gigai's lying next to her and the Net's covering her, just in case."
"Very well," Howard Machen said and he rushed to the next room.
"Just hang in there a little bit more," the man said. "Everything will be alright very soon."
Rukia Kuchiki
Rukia and Renji made their rounds on the streets of Karakura Town. Night had fallen and so far they had only performed Konso on only one soul and were not forced to attack any Hollows.
"Perhaps Zennosuke is finally doing his job," Renji said as he shouldered his blade.
"Since what has he ever done his job without proper supervision?" Rukia asked.
"Well, I can't complain. This is the most quiet I've seen this town in quite some time."
"That's what worries me, Renji. There's something different."
"Yeah well, it could just be nerves. We're still coming out of the Winter War. Perhaps the Hollows are staying away."
"What about the lack of souls? A town of this size and we only came across one soul. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"Maybe," Renji said. "It could be that the souls that were in Karakura Town during the Winter War left at the first sign of the Arrancars."
Rukia sighed. Renji had a point. Souls could sense when danger was near and were known to flee an area before something bad happened. She heard from the older Reapers that it happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki before the bombs were dropped. The Reapers still remembered the aftermath and spoke of it in quiet whispers.
"There were no souls to perform Konso on," she whispered. The thought of a bomb powerful enough to destroy souls as well as bodies sent a shiver down her spine.
"What was that?"
"Sorry, I was remembering something that the older Reapers said about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I wonder if this is what those two cities were like before the bombs dropped. Quiet, not a soul in sight."
"Now you're just becoming melodramatic," Renji said. "I doubt anyone's gonna drop the bomb on Karakura Town. If they were we would receive plenty of warning." He took out his Soul Pager and smiled. "We won't be annihilated by the bomb if it came."
"Perhaps you're right," Rukia said smiling. "Perhaps I'm still on edge."
They both fell silent as they continued. The only sounds were the usual noises that were in large cities, but those were living sounds. But Rukia still felt uneasy. The Hollows were nowhere to be found and usually she would have found at least ten spirits by now, even on a slow night.
Something's not right, Rukia thought.
She reached into the small pouch that she had tied to her sash and brought out her soul pager and opened the screen. The screen was blank and she dialed the number for the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, but then something caught her eye. She put her pager away and drew out her Zanpakuto.
"What's wrong, Rukia?"
"I don't know, but…"
She couldn't be sure, but she thought that she saw something in one of the side alleys. She carefully approached the alley, her Zanpakuto drawn and her senses sharp. Renji followed, his own Zanpakuto ready.
After years of being a Soul Reaper, Rukia thought she was prepared for anything. However, she wasn't prepared for what she saw. When she saw the Hollow in the alley, she froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Holy shit," Renji muttered.
"I need to call this in," Rukia said as she dug out her soul pager. She dialed the number for the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. It didn't take long for one of Mayuri's "subordinates" to answer.
"Shinigami Research and Development Institute, this is Rin speaking."
"Rin, this is Rukia Kuchiki from Squad Thirteen, is Akon there?"
"Yeah, he just got here…wait a moment."
Rukia kept her eyes on the Hollow, but so far it had not moved. Either it was very intelligent or it was very dead, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Renji also kept his eyes on the Hollow, still unable to believe what he was seeing. It didn't take long for Akon to get on the line and he sounded rather bored.
"This is Akon, what do you want, Miss Kuchiki?"
"Listen, I've got what appears to be a partially devoured Hollow here. However, it does not appear to have been devoured by another Hollow."
"That's impossible. If it's dead then it shouldn't be there. Hollows dissolve after they die when they're in the World of the Living."
"Well…this one's still here for some reason. I'm sending you the scans right now."
She swept her soul pager across the Hollow's corpse. The information it collected was immediately sent to the Soul Society where Akon and the other members of the Institute looked at it. Their eyes widened when they saw what it said.
"Rukia," Akon said, he no longer sounded bored. "We're sending a team. Stay at your current position until they arrive. I'll notify Captain Kurotsuchi about this. He might be very interested."
"Wonderful," Rukia whispered as she closed her soul pager and put it away.
"What did they say?" Renji asked.
"They're sending a team, and Captain Kurotsuchi might be coming to take a look."
"Wonderful," Renji muttered.
End of Chapter 1
Omake:
"Hey Starrk," Harribel said, "I just thought of something."
"What is it?" Starrk asked.
They were walking back to the Squad Four barracks under the careful supervision of Captain Unohana.
"Well, if you and I are here. I wonder what happened to Grimmjow."
"Who cares?" Starrk asked and yawned. "I'm just glad he's not here. It's bad enough that I have Lilynette still around to wake me up. The last thing we need is for him to be here to wreak more havoc"
"Well, I was just curious."
In Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow stirred slightly in one of the beds at the medical center. False sunlight streamed in through the thin white curtains hanging between the pillars lining the ward. He sat up, blinking his eyes to allow them to readjust.
"Well, look who's up."
He turned to the voice coming from his left and his eyes blinked a few more times before widening. Surprise gave way to anger and he pointed at his neighbor.
"YOU!" he cried.
"Yeah, what do you want, kitty?" Nnoitora asked.
A.N.: This chapter showcases the first really major change between the original and the revised versions. In the original I had Grimmjow, Nnoitora, and Nelliel enter the Soul Society. However, in the revised edition they remain in Hueco Mundo. This allows them to play a more major role in the revised version of Blood on the Sand, which is the companion work to Tamashi no Kiri. Both are kind of setups to a larger work that is yet to come that will be titled The Reaping War.
Thank you for reading and please review.
