To once again meet.


Nine Lives

By Curiosity Killed Kristy

[Chapter 2: Again]

The pill had long been lodged into the Espada's bloodstream. He lay still and unmoving inside the transparent, cylinder encasement.

Her captain had gone on to execute endeavors, and she wasn't too keen on meeting the smiley man today. Mayuri had been neglecting his other works to observe the Espada's movements and non-movements, so the put-off work had piled. He hadn't been so enthusiastic about his experimentation being interrupted.

The day had finally come for the arrancar's shipment to the Living World, and the pill's fusion with him was close to its finish. Nemu knew that her master would be delighted to come back knowing the Embodiment and One Square processing unit had been a huge success.

The water abruptly whooshed through the pores of the casement with a press of her fingertip like a vacuum. The Espada's floating body slumped against the glass shield.

A section of the shield hissed and unbolted from its other half like a door, bearing the sixth Espada's naked body. Nemu pulled his arm around her shoulder to steady him. She dragged the slumbering man to a nearby table, where a renewed pair of clothes was laid out upon it.

After fitting the fabric over his arms and legs, she carried the unconscious Espada into a wooden box cart. She glanced at the experimented Espada with one more look, and then closed the door, sealing the man within.

XLXLXL

The scientist hurried along on foot, ecstatic about being informed of his conduction. Surely the pill was well mixed with the man's blood by now. Today was the day that he would have to send his discovery to those barbaric bumble heads.

After ignoring his subordinates, and unlocking the codes and passwords into his laboratory, he quickly whipped his head from side to side. He saw Nemu sitting on a nearby chair, staring at a wooden box cart. "Welcome back, Master Mayuri." She bowed her head at the sight of him.

He didn't need telling twice where the Espada was. He was definitely inside the box, and he wasn't about to pass an opportunity on seeing how his unearthing was holding up. He opened the box, and there was the sixth Espada, asleep and ready to awaken in approximately twelve hours. "Nemu, the data."

"As you wish, Master Mayuri." She handed the papers, her father beaming at the information.

"Excellent. The fusion went on nicely." The scientist tucked the wad of paper into his garments, patting the skin over his chest with contentment. "Nemu, wheel the Espada to the 11th squad's barracks."

"Yes, Mayuri-sama." Nemu obliged, pushing the box cart. Mayuri watched his daughter as she exited. After he was sure that she was far enough, he began to type on his many-researched computer.

The device took up most of his lab, connected to a screen that stretched from left to right on a wall. Instead of normally working with the vast screen, he used a smaller computer.

For the umpteenth time, he typed a lengthy password into the system. A tab popped from the corner of the screen, and the scientist smiled. He clicked the message with no breath to rest. The tab displayed absolutely nothing, nothing but the color of black, and that was exactly what he aimed for. This was going swimmingly.

He twisted the knob of his speakers, and he could faintly hear the crunching of gravel. On the left corner of the screen, a square displayed an emotion in coordination with a color, and it was white. Emptiness. He chuckled at the blinking sensor. Oh, this was marvelous. Everything was going to plan, and he was satisfied. This should keep his interest piqued until the Espada returned.

XLXLXL

"Ken-chan! You've got a present!" the little, pink-haired child perched on his back chided in. Kenpachi replied with a "Hm?" and a glance at Nemu.

"Mayuri-sama has ordered me to deliver this to you." Kenpachi glared at the box cart, knowing full well what was inside.

"Yeah, yeah," Kenpachi muttered, swinging his sword. Nemu bowed, and then spun on her heel, marching back to her squad's barracks. Kenpachi watched her retreat further and further down the dirt path.

He jabbed the back of his foot onto it, as it wiggled back and forth on its wheels. "Yachiru." She raised an eyebrow. "Go tell those two idiots that their delivery's here."

"Ai!" Yachiru saluted her captain, as she raced off to do her biddings. Kenpachi spitted beside the crate, beginning another fruitless search to find somebody worthy enough to fight.

XLXLXL

Yumichika and Ikkakuhad rapidly shunpoed to their appointed destination. Yachiru was perched on Ikkaku's back. "Ah, Ken-chan is gone!" the bubbly child exclaimed. Yachiru leaped off of Ikkaku's hairless head with a cackle. Ikkaku growled and reached for her, missing her flying leg. She stuck her tongue out at him.

He growled. "If she weren't our lieutenant, I'd be pummeling her to the ground by now!" Ikkaku seethed. Yumichika just rolled his eyes.

"Even if she weren't, you would do nothing." Yumichika flipped a section of his ebony hair behind a shoulder, inspecting his hand's fingernails as he did.

"Yumichika! Are you with me or against me?"

"It depends. What are you willing to pay me? You know my services never come without a price." The 5th seat wagged his finger in mockery.

The rattling and shaking of the box cart alerted the two out of their humorous mood.

Immediately, they aimed for their zanpaktous.

The box cart stopped shaking, and was at a standstill again.

They slowly eased themselves back, stashing their zanpaktous back into their sheaths. They eyed the box cautiously, waiting for anymore movement. The look they shared decided their choice of actions, wielding them onto the path of the Senkaimon without another glance back. They needed to get this to the World of the Living as soon as possible.

The box cart bounced as they wheeled it, but never moved.

XLXLXL

He felt light-headed. He rubbed the lids of his eyes, trying to stir awake, yawning as he did and stretching his arms. His foot touched solid wood, polished and mopped.

He swerved to his left and punched out of pure instinct when he felt someone hurtling towards him and received an "Oof!"

"Why do you always have to pull off stupid stunts like these in the morning, baka Oyaji?" he spat at his father, who was currently clutching at his stomach. His father raised him a thumbs up with a bloody nose, Ichigo rolling his eyes.

"Your kicks have improved greatly, my son," he congratulated, as Ichigo began to undress and throw on his usual ensemble for school. The closet door broke the loud morning's goings-on as a raven-haired shinigami peeled herself from her perch in her usual hide-out, stepping on something that evidently squeaked. Much to her chagrin, the stuffed animal beneath her foot involuntarily blurted an "Oof!" like Ichigo's father did, her brows knitting together in a scowl.

She glanced southwards to find herself staring at a plushy lion. Rukia kicked Kon from beneath her, Karin-soccer-ball-styled, with a grunt, as he zipped around the room with a flop onto the bed. With a final sigh, she straightened her uniform once more. "Good morning, my beautiful third daughter!" Isshin cried with a sense of glee.

"Oh, good morning, Isshin-san!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes again.

"Aww, Rukia-chan! You're making me sad!" His father snatched her palms into his own. "As far as I'm concerned, you can call me Dad- argh!" Ichigo swung his foot atop his father's empty head, as he fell to the floor again. He slung his bag over a shoulder.

"Come on, Rukia." Rukia stepped over the heap of Isshin on the floor, sprawled in an awkward fashion. Downstairs, it wasn't as rambunctious. Karin was eating her breakfast, while Yuzu was washing dishes.

"Oh, good morning, Onii-chan, Rukia-chan!" his blonde sister exclaimed, a pan in her hand as the other waved in greeting.

"Morning, Yuzu." Ichigo drew himself a chair, sighing as he sat. Rukia nodded in return.

"Morning," Karin greeted monotonously, sipping her orange juice.

"How could you leave your father up in that dingy room of yours, Ichigo?" Isshin complained, as he pointed an accusing finger. "I was so lonely! Masaki, why is our son so cruel?" His father clung onto a portrait of his mother's taken years ago, sobbing up a storm.

"Will you shut up, Dad? My morning's being ruined because of you," Karin hissed, crossing her arms.

"Karin! I'm just trying to liven up the mood!"

"All you're doing is pissing people off. Come on, Yuzu; we'll be late." Her fraternal twin sister dropped the sizzling pan into the sink with a few clutters and clatters here and there.

"We're off, everybody!" Yuzu yelled from the living room. Karin speedily put her shoes on, wanting out of her zealous household as soon as possible. With a wave over her shoulder, the two left the three individuals to their usual pattern of the morning.

"We should probably go too, Rukia." The boy bit off a piece of his toast, placing his scraped egg-laden plates into the sink along with Rukia's.

"Rukia-chan! Will you need anything in your bento? Notebooks? Pencils? A uniform perhaps?" Isshin laid out the titled items on the cleared table, as he gestured to each one. Ichigo sent his father a fisted palm to his face.

"Let's go." They exited the house with subconscious farewells, abandoning a very broken-boned Isshin behind.

"Don't you think you're being too harsh?" Rukia questioned with a giggle as they walked side by side to school.

"Please. I could've done worse to him than that, and he practically deserved it." Ichigo stashed his free hand into grey pockets as they carried on with their walk to school.

XLXLXL

"Kurosaki-kun!" Ichigo steered his attention behind him, as he spotted a jogging orange-haired girl. Behind her was Ishida and Chad, the usual combo.

"Ah, Inoue, Chad, Ishida." Ichigo scratched the back of his head out of habit, his bag slung over his right shoulder.

"Do you have homework tonight, too?" Orihime ecstatically questioned.

"Oh, uh-" Ichigo began, when he heard a faint beeping from his left. He turned towards Rukia who was currently gazing at her Denreishinki, the phone detecting a hollow nearby.

"Ichigo!" Rukia alerted, while Ichigo dug his pockets for his Substitute Shinigami badge, patting it to his chest. His soul separated from his body, clad in black shinigami attire. The raven-haired Kuchiki swallowed a Gikongan, Chappy saluting her boss. "Chappy, take Ichigo's body back to the Kurosaki Clinic, and protect the household from any lurking hollow while we're gone."

"Roger!" The soul within the Gigai saluted with that incredibly silly smile, hefting Ichigo's lifeless body onto her back.

"Rukia, lead the way." Rukia nodded, as she shunpoed to the location, the berry-boy trailing behind her.

Orihime prayed.

Ichigo Kurosaki would lose his powers within a week or so, maybe a month from now. There was no definite answer. As long as he continued to exert his powers, he'd only be increasing the possibilities of his mundane life even further.

"Be careful, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime whispered.

XLXLXL

The hollow shrieked, stomping its skeletal toes on the ground, breaking the darkened concrete. Its orange mane wisped in the air behind it, atop its humungous head.

Ichigo grasped the hilt of his zanpaktou, Zangetsu, hitched on his back by a band. Gauze fell in waves, unwrapping from around his sword. The hollow turned his gaze onto Ichigo, screeching another round of fits. The right arm swung at him, elongating the length so that he had no choice but to block the blow with his zanpaktou.

The hollow screamed, rattling the ground.

Ichigo swung his sword and brought it down with as much force as he could muster. The hollow screeched in agony as its severed arm began regenerating.

"Ichigo! Be careful! This hollow can restore any of its severed limbs in a manner of seconds!" Rukia informed, itching to help.

"You think I haven't figured that out?" Ichigo shouted, using Zangetsu to obstruct the hollow's fingers from reaching him. The front heels of his feet were slowly being pushed back.

Rukia could see that he was having a bit of trouble trying to push the arm back, but she didn't interfere.

The hollow smashed its beaver-like tail on the ground, but Ichigo had already shunpoed to a different location.

"You never give up, do you?" Ichigo shook his head in disbelief, flaring his spiritual energy as a blue glow surrounded his figure.

Rukia frowned. This was a low-level hollow. Ichigo would've never had to blaze his reiatsu for such a weak foe.

It only reminded her that soon,verysoon, that he would…

"Haaah!" Ichigo's battle-cry rang out, as he leaped into the open air, raising Zangetsu as far as his arm could take him. The hollow threw an elongated arm his way, knocking Ichigo into a nearby building.

"Ichigo!" Rukia cried. This was going too far, and she needed to end it before it created any more damage. She unsheathed her zanpaktou, the blade reflecting off of the streetlights, as she placed it before her, the tip of the sword pointing south. "Mai, Sode No Shirayuki…" Four streaks of white light touched the ground before her. "Tsugi No Mai, Hakuren!" A pillar of ice shot forth from her zanpaktou, targeting the screaming monster. The ice served to cover the whole torso, causing it to disintegrate and vanish.

The petite Kuchiki blew out a short breath, as she returned to Ichigo, currently trying to stand. "Ichigo, are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine…" He stood fully erect, feeling his back aching and his head swirling with a headache. He stepped a foot in front of him, the ankle twisting. As he began to fall headfirst, Rukia caught him by the chest.

"Kuchiki-san, do you need assistance?" Rukia placed her best friend's head on her lap, her ears pricking at the sound of the familiar voice. She whipped her head behind her to be met with a man clad in a green suit, a bush of blonde hair hidden beneath a striped hat.

"Urahara…"

XxxX

"Urahara, this is insane! This puts Ichigo in a very dangerous spot!" Ichigo stirred in his sleep, rotating on his side. "I'm sorry, Urahara, but Ichigo's just going to have to decline this mission."

"Ah, I'm sorry, Miss Kuchiki, but I'm afraid that is not your choice." Urahara flipped his fan, fanning the bottom portion of his face. "And even if Kurosaki-san did have a say, the Soul Society would not accept his decision."

"There has to be some other way. I am sure that there are more fitting candidates to train this individual!" At this, Ichigo sat up, rubbing his left eye with the pad of his hand, and ruffling his hair with the other.

"Kuchiki, there's no negotiating with any of us. It won't change fate. In our personal opinions, a hollow, an arrancar at that, taking position as a soldier, is unbelievable. But, I'm willing to admit that I get where the Captain-Commander is getting this from." Yoruichi crossed her arms, folding her legs underneath her lithe body. Tessai gave each individual a hot, steaming cup of tea, bowing and then sitting formerly. "Arrancars are powerful, but do not have the proper intellect to know what right is from wrong, while Espada can guarantee what and where their actions will lead them. They have the strength of a high-level captain, and would lend great power to the army."

"But, there lies the fact that Espada are borne from hollows, and opinions of the Gotei 13 will not be pleasant, but what else is new?" Urahara stood to his feet, patting his thighs as he went.

"Wait! Doesn't the Central 46 have any say in this?" Rukia interjected, picking herself from the floor. Urahara stared at her with complete bleakness. Yoruichi sat still and plausible.

"The Central 46 has granted access to this problematic situation." Urahara slapped his fan closed, his hat obscuring his eyes. "This means… they're getting desperate." A flash of light flickered in his eyes. Rukia swallowed.

A sliding shoji door alerted the whispering participants.

They all glanced at a bed-ridden, orange-spiked shinigami boy, gazing at each and every one of them. "Urahara-san, you better start talking," Ichigo bluntly ordered. A smile began to form on the shop owner's lips as he stashed his fingers in a pocket and brought out a metallic bracelet with a silver cross dangling from it.

"This is the Tamishi Sutabiraiza, otherwise known as the Soul Stabilizer," Urahara explained, pointing at the contraption dangling in his fingertips. "Whenever clasped around an individual's wrist, their reiatsu is compressed so that the individual is reserved of any spiritual emitting, or spiritual use. Therefore, the soul will be deprived of any of its techniques. In our case, hindered of its Resurrección."

"Y-you mean-" Ichigo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, an Espada still remains," Urahara disclosed. "It is up to you to train this Espada."

"Whoa, whoa, wait! This is an Espada we're talking about!" Ichigo gripped at his tangerine locks, his feet itching to move backwards, forwards, left, and right. "This Espada can do major damage in about fifteen minutes, and you're telling me that I have to train whoever the hell this Espada is?"

"Hmm…" the older male thought in wonder."Why, yes! Ah!" Urahara yelped as an elbow collided with his nose. He fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ichigo, you have to understand that this Espada was sent here so that he could be trained not to sabotage the town. The Tamishi Sutabiraiza disables the Espada's use of any form of attack, and the only way the powers are to be regained is through the use of the locker, and that would be you," Yoruichi informed. "His zanpaktou's already been stored away, and only to be returned when you think the time is right. But, you have to remember that this could be a fatal risk. Once you give the zanpaktou back to the Espada, this Espada will surely react to its first instinct, and that is to be a hollow. Use your training wisely."

Ichigo gulped at the warning. "Wait, this is crazy! I never agreed to any of this! I don't even know this Espada, and you're telling me that I have to train him?" the boy asked with incredulity.

"On the contrary, Kurosaki-kun. This Espada has claimed to have fought you before. For that reason, the Captain-Commander thought it best that you be his instructor for you do know him, and you have indeed met him." Ichigo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He met this Espada before? Which one? The only Espada he fought at Las Noches was Ulquiorra Cifer, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, and partly Nnoitra Jiruga. If he broke it down, Ulquiorra had disintegrated. There was no retaliation from him in the past, and he knew for sure, not in the future.

Nnoitra was defeated by Kenpachi Zaraki.

Which meant…

"Which Espada survived?" Ichigo asked. Urahara looked shocked but regained his composure, and fanned away.

"Come take a look yourself."

"Hold on, the Espada doesn't have the Soul Stabilizer clasped around his wrist. How are you so sure that the Espada won't attack?" Rukia inquired.

The sound of wood being severed resounded.

Shoji doors were thrown forth, only to land at the front of the Urahara Shoten as smoke and soil flew in every which direction. Ururu and Jinta coughed, Tessai leading the two children far from the damage.

"Oh, dear. It seems the sedative has worn off from the estimated time." Urahara clicked his tongue, waving his head from side to side. The dust was beginning to clear, and just slightly, Ichigo could make out a muscular body underneath all the dirt. He sucked in a breath.

He knew exactly who this was.

Teal tresses were soon uncovered, light-blue eyebrows pulled together in a frown, as piercing, ocean-deep eyes with turquoise markings etched underneath the waterline of each were soon revealed.

A black haori was torn to shreds, exposing a rippled chest and abs.

Ichigo stared.

The silence filled the gaps in their empty minds. This did not look like any other ordinary Espada. No, this one looked human. This one was still capable of using its immense strength; very capable. This one had the thirst of battle in his eyes. This one was…

"Grimmjow."