Summery has been updated so it fits better. Last chapter set the scene. This chapter moves things along slowly; hopefully everyone's still in character, and the plot would stay realistic even though it veers off in a slightly different direction. Chapter three is in the works, so stay tuned!
Disclaimer—I do not own Bleach. I'm not making any profit off Bleach!
A Slight Change in Plans
Chapter 2- Changes.
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"How far will you need to fall before you realize you're playin' straight into their schemes?"
"What we are doing now is for the benefit of Soul Society! We cannot let this go unchallenged, not when our enemy left important information behind."
"What if they said that on purpose to better predict our next course of action? That would be suicide!"
Unfamiliar raised voices buzzed at the edge of his awareness as his hazy mind fumbled to place the owners. It took a few seconds for him to realize they belonged to the Shinigami Captains that surrounded him before he fainted. Shinigami Captains that still thought him a threat. Panicking, Ichigo sent out a pulse of energy as his body jerked and struggled to sit up.
"He's waking up!"
"Calm down, Ryoka! We mean no harm!
The alien energy pressure continued to build; a crash sounded, and pain started to register again in his hazy mind. Defenseless against even Kon, Ichigo realized that he couldn't see even though his eyes were wide open, just as he couldn't feel the uneven rocks that was poking his tired muscles a moment ago. He hovered between wakefulness and unconsciousness; only his hearing remained with him as the rest of his senses seemed to have shut down.
"Ichigo, I need you to relax. Orihime, Sado, and Ishida are beside you right now. The 4th division had too much other patients to tend to. I need to send a message to Urahara before we decide on our next course of action." THIS voice he knew.
Yoruichi's presence beside him served to be enough reassurance that nothing was wrong. With a soft sigh he allowed his hearing to join the rest of his senses in oblivion and slipped into unconsciousness. As if surrendering his last sense was the switch, the darkness melted away to show the familiar skyscrapers that signified his entrance into his mind.
That's right. It's over. Just do as she says and relax… let down your guard. I have been waiting for you, my king!
"Who's there!?" the orange-haired teen spun around violently, trying to pin down the echoing voice that clawed at his eardrums.
You know me, King! From his vantage point, Ichigo caught sight of the pale copy of himself poking his head off the side roof the building he occupied. Somehow, his twisted mind seemed to defy the laws of gravity as both him and his hollow self located themselves at different slides of the building without falling off.
"What do you want from me? Where's Zangetsu?!"
Don't be so hasty! Now that you've decided to join me here, we have all the time in the world…
Having just reassured the thrashing 15 year old, Yoruichi sighed, the events of the last few days getting to her. She needed to talk to Urahara, as soon as possible. The information she's gleamed so far was worrying—with the traitor's reasoning, taking an average vice-captain was logical, but the way Ichimaru went on seem to be like he gave too much information.
It's true that all the points he gave were valid—it was the phrasing he used that irritated her. Why would he need to mention the other younger shinigami, anyways? Of course Aizen's going to want to rule soul society along with the Hollow's world; he stated that much by taking that stupid jewel Urahara invented all those decades ago. That thing's cursed. Nothing good has ever come of it; it's got too much power for anyone to handle… She grumbled.
Stretching lazily and using the same movement to switch on the transmitter on her forearm, she covered the quiet click of confirmation with yet another sigh before she stood at attention beside the coughing captain of the 13th squad, hoping to gain some insight on what's going on. If Urahara were on schedule and still fallowing the plan, he would be able to listen into the conversation.
"Nice of you to join us, Yoruichi. We will turn a blind eye to your presence if you can shed light on what's happening."
"I don't know that much. My first priority was to help Kurosaki rescue Kuchiki Rukia." Yoruichi glanced warily around the clump of captains not being apart or attended by the 4th division. Tired, grim faces stared back at her. The recent betrayals still fresh on their minds.
"We have to decide our next course of action—the official report cannot be withhold much longer. News will spread about the 9th Division Vice Captain is taken by the enemy." Captain commander Yamamoto sighed as he leaned on the staff.
"We do not know what they would want with Hisagi-Fukutaicho-"
A keening wail sounded from Yoruichi's transmitter, effectively cutting off the talking shinigami. The ex-shinigami captain had something to say, and decided to voice his input with the flashiest disturbance he can manage at the time. Grinning sheepishly, Yoruichi excused herself.
"How good for you to join us, Urahara" she grumbled into the little device, fully aware that everyone was watching her. The shinigami captains kept silent, able to hear every word Urahara transmitted.
"Aizen knows of the my project from 12th division a century ago. Visards are shinigami cursed with Hollow's powers. He should be looking into hollow with shinigami powers as his new soldiers. The natural balance can come in effect." Instead of the usual banter, Urahara cut straight to the facts.
"Yet another old voice... are there any more of these reunions we should be aware of?" Instead of replying, the usually laid back prankster prowled with his explanation.
"Is there any Shinigami overrun by hollows after the incident which I was banned?"
Far from the usual carefree attitude, the voice coming through the transmitter sounded nothing like the cheerful shop owner located in the living world.
"The late Vice Captain Kaien Shiba of the 13th Division, along with a squad that was eaten by the same hollow before that." The busty cat women gave a sympathetic look at the sickly captain standing beside her. It was a well known fact that 13th division refused to take another vice captain after the incident.
"Kaien, then. If a soul was eaten by a hollow, it cannot be reincarnated. My guess is as the Vice Captain was avenged, his soul broke free from the hollow to attach itself at the nearest soul, then splintered. The splintered pieces should hitch onto similar spiritual powers and maturity levels. The pieces of soul reincarnated the best it could under the circumstance. " Urahara paused, gathering his thoughts.
"My guess is Aizen is trying to find all the scattered pieces of the soul of Shiba Kaien to piece together the Hollow with Shinigami powers and use that as a model for his new soldiers." he finished.
"How come it—" for the second time, the shinigami was cut off as a huge burst of power exploded. Instead of the shinigami like power, this energy did not feel right.
"YORUICHI-SAN! IT'S ICHIGO!"
All heads whipped around to stare at the source of the problem. A Hollow tainted energy shattered the reject barrier Orihime put up around the orange-haired teen easily. The twisted mask was slowly starting to form on the twitching boy's face. The teen's lips pulled back into a snarl, letting loose an inhuman shriek. No one who heard the voice can stop a wince fallowing the sound.
"DAMN! The process has been sped up. Yoruichi, I need you to bring him back here, as soon as possible! He can't fight it out in soul society!" for the first time since the transmission, Urahara's voice held panic.
"Stop the mask from forming! It should hold off the hollow for awhile. He should be fine in a bit!" Ishida wasted no time in punching Ichigo in the face, only to withdrew with a since of pain. In response, Sado charged up his energy onto his right arm. "Get out of the way, Ishida."
You got lucky this time 'round, king!
Before his lookalike get to elaborate on what exactly he was so lucky about, Ichigo felt a calloused hand roughly pushed him back down.
"Ichigo! The fight's over! Lie down and stop moving!" a familiar voice. The calloused hand gripping his upper arm spoke of the owner's weapon of choice—a bow. Ishida. But I am lying down..? The skyscrapers disappeared just as abruptly as they appeared, bringing darkness in its wake.
Ichigo peeled back an eyelid to find himself incased in a globe of gentle light. The sounds outside were lightly muffled, and he felt like a yellow lens were placed before his eyes, seeing that everything looked off color from the bubble Orihime no doubt rejected from her hairpins.
A slight movement on his upper torso caught his eye. It was an odd sensation, seeing his torn organs knit back together as skin, muscle, and tissue seemed to grow back on its own. It was probably good that he could not feel anything other than the drowsiness he pushed to the back of his mind when he stormed this world that finally caught up with him.
Outside, Ichigo can already tell that chaos reined Soul Society. Renji can be seen standing with his own power already—the 4th division's healing Kaido is not something to be scoffed at. Sado and Ishida seemed to be in shock—from his perspective, he was able to pick out her eyebrows knitted together in worry.
There were some other shinigami he never seen before scattered across the execution hill, arguing over something he cannot quite place. The captains standing beside Yoruichi were all looking at him oddly. Loosing the will in staying awake any longer, he allowed the drooping eyelid to close, and dozed off.
While Ichigo slept off his exhaustion, Renji was left to pace after his own healing was finished. The news was already spreading—the betrayal of Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen was nothing new; the announcement few moments ago by the 4th division was testament enough.
The news of the Vice Captain of Division 9, however, took many by surprise. On top of that, there was the strange hollow-like energy that spiked when Ichigo screamed, along with the mask that formed. The Vice Captain of the 6th Division felt a headache coming as he attempted to sort out the jumble of information scattered throughout his mind.
Putting Ichigo aside for the moment, Renji decided on trying to figure out who he can go talk to about Hisagi. Although Hisagi was pretty well known in his Academy days, (being an active member in the Gotei 13 even before graduation was rare, but not unheard of), Renji's sempai blended in pretty easily into the background once he actually graduated and joined the Gotei 13 full time. The official report had not been given, but already there were whispers that Hisagi betrayed soul society to fallow in his Captain Tosen's footsteps.
"Who can kidnap a vice captain anyways? He must have left voluntarily." Even with the few unseated officers of 9th Division backing the honorable vice captain, they were still pretty hesitant to step up and rebuke any other division for disrespect, not wanting the wrath of the public to turn on them as well.
Putting things simply, the 9th division was left in chaos. Tosen was known to be one of the most just Captain there was in soul society, Hisagi ranking the first for vice captain. Yet, Tosen was the first one to betray the ranks for Aizen's path to Justice—what's there to say about Hisagi Shuuhei?
The worst part of it was, Renji decided, those who really care about the captured shinigami had their own share of problems to deal with. Renji himself was on probation for lifting the sword against his own division.
Hinamori, though alive, was in critical condition in division 4, was healing from the supposedly fatal wound Aizen gifted her before he'd left; and that's not counting the countless mental wounds that would surface once she woke from the care of the healing division.
Kira was being shown in a negative light; soul society needed a scapegoat for the Aizen mess. Because Hinamori was still in her coma, she was not attacked since the public saw a distraught, mislead and defenseless girl. Kira was not in the care of the 4th division, therefore he bore the blunt of the public's hurtful opinions—Ichimaru's behavior even before the betrayal had spooked basically every other division's unseated officers.
Like the 9th division, the 3rd division stood firm behind their vice captain's back and offered their own support behind closed doors. Not much can be said to help opinions, however, since Kira took up arms against the 10th division which indirectly led the young captain to land in 4th division under critical condition.
Iba, was also seen under unfavorable light. Since both he and Hisagi took up arms beside their respective captains against Kenpachi, who, at the time, supported Ichigo, and therefore were considered the 'bad' guys although they were just fallowing orders. This was the reason why Hisagi's image was toast; Iba at least had the change to redeem himself to the public's eyes; the other vice captain was no longer there.
Although not as severe, the last person on the short list Hisagi considered companions was Matsumoto, being drinking buddies. Matsumoto herself was dealing with mental trauma of being betrayed by Ichimaru Gin along with being swamped with paperwork. The less captains there were, the more paperwork gets pushed around. By loosing the entire 9th division, and with the 5th division without an acting captain along with the 3rd's short handed division, captains from the other divisions were in chaos.
The most important factor was, though no one would say it outright, was that subconsciously, it was common knowledge that Hisagi Shuuhei was left to die. As old man Yamanoto from Division 1 mentioned, vice captains were worth nothing; any third seat officer can easily replace them. There was not way soul society would send a rescue team even in the days without the chaos for a Vice Captain rank. Even Captain ranked would be iffy for getting rescue missions themselves. It seems that the curse of the 9th division was to live on.
Groaning and muttering darkly under his breath, Renji allowed himself to be led off to the 4th to see how Byakuya was doing. Rukia would not leave Byakuya's side ever since he has undergone intensive surgery. The slight movement of the Hell Butterfly fluttering away cemented the well placed fact as Renji walked pass the scattered Captains conversing in whispers. Captain Yamamoto was wrapping things up.
"It will be announced without fail. Hisagi Shuuhei is a Traitor to Soul Society along with Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru. We must look at this objectively; if what the three say is true, then Hisagi coming back to fight past comrades would deal a severe moral blow; better to strike before they strike Hisagi Shuuhei's reputation needs to be soiled. Hisagi Shuuhei would be our scapegoat." The next move from soul society had been cast.
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Again, please leave some comments so I know what I can improve on! Chapter three would NOT be of Soul Society. Bits of everyone else would be seen! The Visards shall make an appearance, hopefully, and Aizen reveals more of his plans! Urahara and the humans shall take center stage.
Until next chapter!!
