Hey all, only a quick Chapter this time, kinda low on idea's, but since I was putting out work for the Naruto story, I figured I should do my best to put out one for the Bleach story too, hope you all enjoy!
"Haa, what a blast!"-Ikkaku exclaimed loudly as he sat upon the steps outside the mess hall of the 11th Division, casually swinging a large jar up to his lips as he drunk the raw spirits inside. Behind him, his partner sighed as he leaned against the door frame, chuckling quietly as he replied-"Indeed, today has been rather interesting to say the least." As he finished another slug of alcohol, Ikkaku leaned back in content, a loud belch exclaiming his appreciation of his drink, before laughing, saying-"Damn right it was, I mean who in their right mind waltzes right into our division and challenges our Captain right in his face? I swear, it's been easily been a century since anybody was brazen enough to do that and live!"
Yumichika nodded in return to his friends words, raising his eyes to the sky as he regarded the pale moon, a slight smile on his lips as he remembered the event. "I have to say, it's been a long time since I've seen Zaraki-Taichou so happy, he even invited Kenshin-Taichou to join us for the afternoon, I don't think I've ever seen him do that with anybody."-Yumichika murmured quietly, earning another loud laugh from his bald headed companion, Ikkaku shouting out-"Of course he would be, I don't think I've ever seen anyone fight Zaraki-Taichou on even grounds like that!"
Yumichika just sighed in the face of his partner drunken exuberance, running a hand through his sleek hair, but not able to keep the smile from his lips. A thought suddenly sprung back to his mind as he looked down at Ikkaku, asking-"So are you still planning to have that rematch with Kenshin-Taichou?" Ikkaku continued bellowing out his laughter, taking another swig of alcohol for good measures as he replied-"Damn straight! After seeing that fight I'm even more pumped up to fight him, course he's probably going to beat my ass seven different shades of black, but no way in hell am I taking back that challenge!"
Yumichika could only shake his head in mock despair at his partner's gung ho reply, but he knew that nothing in this world or the next would stop him from being there to watch that rematch between the 3rd seat and the former 3rd seat-turn-Captain. However, Ikkaku turned sullen suddenly, grumbling-"Damn that Aizen-teme for getting in the way though, our rematch is on hold until that bastard is dealt with! Seriously, most fun I'm possibly going to have for the next century and that asshole messes it up for me, hope he burns in hell!"
"Now now, Ikkaku, just think about it this way."-Yumichika placated his comrade. "Because of his betrayal, Kenshin-Taichou stepped up his training, and has been getting stronger and stronger at a phenomenal rate, you could tell couldn't you? He's worlds apart from how he was when you two sparred in the dojo a few months ago, now are you saying you would have been satisfied with just fighting the 3rd Seat Yoshirou's powers if you knew his potential to be stronger with a little *inspiration* was this much?"
Ikkaku paused for a moment, letting the thoughts penetrate his drunken thoughts, before grinning widely in turn, turning back to look at his partner with a huge drunken smile plastered across his face, replying-"Ya know what, your damn right! Guess that bastard was good for something after all then!" Turning back to the night sky, Ikkaku raised his jar to drink one more, before exclaiming with dismay as only a drip or two flowed out. With a quick movement, he dashed the jar against the ground, leaving a pile of broken clay before rising. After a quick stretch, he loudly shouted out-"Yosh, c'mon Yumichika let's get some more drink! I'm not gonna stop tonight until I hit the deck face first!"
Yumichika just smiled knowingly as he pushed himself away from the door frame he had been leaning on. However, as Ikkaku started back towards the mess hall and Yumichika was about to turn into the doorway, he noticed something fluttering nearby, coming down from the darkness with a small trail of reishi floating brightly behind it, a tiny bell like chime coming to Yumichika's hearing. It seemed he wasn't the only one who heard the chime, as a second butterfly floated alongside the first, Ikkaku turned back to the courtyard as well, snapping out of his drunken stupor as he was instantly serious.
(P.O.V change)
Yoshirou watched with surprise as he saw a hell butterfly approach from the distance, his eyes easily picking it out even through the darkness due to his trait of seeing perfectly in any situation. Beside him, Kenpachi seemed to hear his movement, turning his solitary eye to look at the Captain, before following his gaze into the distance, then growling in annoyance. Kenpachi closed his eye, ignoring the butterfly's approach as beside him, Yoshirou curled his stomach muscles in, before fluently flipping up to his feet.
Bored of her chase of the insects, Yachiru noticed the sudden movement, calling up-"Yoshi-kun?" From his still lying position, Kenpachi growled out to the little girl-"Ignore him, seems he's got some business to deal with." However, as the butterfly drew closer, Yoshirou started to doubt it was for him, he couldn't hear the almost telekinetic chime warning that came to alert a shinigami that a hell butterfly was inbound with a message. Instead, Kenpachi grunted, raising his torso from the floor as the butterfly changed course, instead flying for him.
Why are there orders coming out to Captain's at this time of night? Yoshirou wondered as Yachiru finally spotted the incoming Hell Butterfly, crying out in childish delight as she set to chasing it down. Fortunately, her charge was interrupted by a small stone, causing her to give out a cry of surprise as she dived headfirst into the soft grass beneath her. By the time he managed to pick herself back up, complaining loudly as she tried to spit out the grass she had accidentally gotten into her mouth, the Hell Butterfly had managed it's flight without any untimely interruptions, and landed softly on Kenpachi's shoulder.
"Tch, what a pain in the ass…"-Kenpachi growled as the butterfly took flight once more, it's message delivered telekinetically to the Captain, before he suddenly rose completely, shouting out-"Oi Yachiru, we got work to do!"
"Eh? What's happening for you to be summoned?"-Yoshirou asked in surprise as Yachiru ran up from the grassy area, easily hopping up onto the veranda, and from their jumping high up onto Kenpachi's shoulder with a giggle, taking her customary place while shouting-"Let's go Ken-chan!"
Kenpachi growled out in seeming annoyance, before answering-"Hollow clean up, seems a couple managed to get in by the east section of Seireitei." Hollow clean up? Yoshirou wondered with surprise. Such a mission as dealing with ordinary hollow's would normally never be given out to a Captain unless the hollows were Gillian or above, and even then it would be directed to the Vice Captains unless Adjuchas or above, something that hadn't happened in centuries. What made it more confusing was the order came to this division; they were almost on opposite ends of the Seireitei, making it unwise to deliver such a mission to the directionally challenged 11th division Captain.
Kenpachi seemingly didn't notice Yoshirou's sudden lapse into thought, instead twisting his neck left and right, causing the tendons in his neck to crack loudly as he complained-"It's a shitty job alright, but I need to loosen up my muscles anyway, still a tad sore from fighting for so long." At this, Kenpachi regarded the younger looking Captain with a wolfish, almost predatory smile as he said-"First time in a century that I had a battle that lasted for a good few hours, need to get used to it again, especially if we are going to be killing Aizen in a few months' time."
Yoshirou nodded in reply, trying to ignore the savage expression on the Captain's face. Turning away, Yoshirou said-"Well, today was pretty fun, might go for another round some other time but you had best get going-" However, halfway through his words, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, an iron grip holding him place as the Captain gruffly said-"Oi, you're coming too!"
Yoshirou was half tempted to break the grip on his body and make a run for it, but he knew the Captain all too well, Kenpachi would definitely give chase across half of Seireitei if he tried running now, and while he was pretty confident he could escape the Captain, while the chase was on those hollow's would continue to wreak havoc. As he breathed out in defeat, another reason presented itself to him. They were indeed on the wrong side of Seireitei, and without somebody to guide him, Kenpachi would obviously get lost, leaving the Hollows without a person to clean them up.
With a sigh of defeat, Yoshirou relented, saying-"Alright you win, I'll come along too, just we are following my directions, not that *intuition* of yours!" Kenpachi didn't even register the potential insult, he knew just as much as everybody else did that he sucked in directions, and was pretty suspicious the guide he kept on his shoulder sucked just as badly. Releasing his grip on the Kidou Captain's Haori, Kenpachi grunted in agreement, before gruffly saying-"Well, let's get a move on then, I've got stuff to kill."
(P.O.V)
Unnoticed to the Shinigami Captains, on the rooftop of a storage warehouse nearby, a pair of individuals watched them from afar. "Keh, so these are the two Captains Muramasa wants out of the way?"-The leaner of the two individuals said disappointedly. This person stood as though he was human, thin arms casually hefting a giant Kusurigama in each hand, both connected by a long chain that looked deceptively short all things considered. However, it was easy to tell he couldn't be human from the rest of him, his body almost like a three dimensional human shaped shadow outlined in red, covered slightly with dark grey strips of cloth across his shoulders, legs, and arms, leaving an impressive, if not human like, set of pectorals outline in red for the world to see. Long black hair trailing down his back as he regarded the two shinigami below him.
"C'mon Kazeshini, you got to get a good look at them, now let's hurry up and get out of here."-a giant figure behind him grumbled. This man was also only a facsimile of human, he looked more akin to an Oni, but even this looked more human than his gangly comrade. A long spear was held casually between massive trunk like brown arms, his wrists seemingly covered in huge tufts of orange hair. Across his completely bare torso, a black tattoo of a dragon stretched straight across his chest. However, the most noticeable aspect had to be the hair, an absolutely huge mane of orange hair stretching down his back almost the whole way to the floor.
"Kehah! Although the one eyed one looks like he would be fun, that thin one looks weak as hell! What's so special about these two then?"-The first being who somehow bore the name of Hisagi's zanpakutou challenged almost in outrage to his temporary comrade. However, the Oni just gave a massive yawn in response, his gravelly voice returning-"Who cares? Like hell if I know, all I know is that we're late, Muramasa told us to all go to the places where we could find the most shinigami, and wait for his signal, now c'mon we need to get our asses moving already."
"Damn it Hozukimaru, they look so weak though, we can just kill em here and that saves us all the bother, right?"-Kazeshini countered back to his comrade, however a meaty hand dropped on his shoulder, Hozukimaru rumbling-"Drop it, you know the orders, if Muramasa didn't summon them, then we leave any Captain class be for him to deal with later."
"Keh, screw those orders!"-Kazeshini replied back, suddenly hefting his massive scythes, his legs tensing, arms already drawn back as he prepared to leap up high and hurl his weapons at the unsuspecting backs of the two Captains below. However, Hozukimaru was having none of it, his grip suddenly intensifying into bone crushing strength, causing Kazeshini to quietly shriek out-"That hurts you bastard! I'll kill you! Lemme go, I'm gonna crush those two weaklings!"
Below, the two Captains started to walk away, their conversation barely audible to their ears as Yoshirou laughed, saying-"Hey, don't go killing them straight away, let me have some fun first!" Kenpachi just grunted in reply, continuing to follow Yoshirou lest he get lost on the way to the foreseeable killing grounds.
Back on the rooftops, Hozukimaru watched their movements, even as Kazeshini continued to try and break free from his grip, he watched as the two Captains vanished, one with a shunpo step, the other with just an explosive dash. Breathing out slowly, he finally relinquished his grip on the other zanpakutou's body, ignoring the stream of curse words and death threats Kazeshini poured out at him. Once again, he hefted his spear, resting it against his shoulder instead as he rumbled-"C'mon, let's get going already."
"You bastard, before this is over I'm gonna kill you as well!"-Kazeshini shouted out, no longer having to lower his voice to avoid attention now the two Captains had departed. Hozukimaru just grunted in reply, before turning away from Kazeshini, saying-"Let's go, or do you want to explain to Muramasa why we were so late for the party?" Kazeshini suddenly stopped his outburst, thoughts of having to explain that he deliberately ignored orders for his own interest to their enigmatic leader even had his bloodthirsty mind worried.
"Keh, all right, but I swear you're gonna pay for stopping me from killing those two!"-Kazeshini said back scathingly, hefting his Kusurigama as the chains jingled with his movements as he turned to follow the other zanpakutou.
Give it to him, he was fast, it only took half a second for the thought to penetrate the Zanpakutou's thoughts. Jingle?
Too late, that half a second took too long as Kazeshini was suddenly alerted to a pressure against his neck. His eyes darting down in shock, he could see a katana blade extending past his neck, the blade obviously held level with his throat. Even in the instance of shock, his eyes registered the elaborate Kanji wrote across the beautiful blade's surface.
"The blade…that defends…the cherished…?"-Kazeshini read as his mind finally picked up on the presence behind him. Ahead of him Hozukimaru turned his head in surprise, as he did so saying-"Eh? You say something?" However, his eyes widened greater still as they first saw the insane grin that lit up the face of the man who now stood behind him, an eye patch over one eye and the huge scar across the other only adding to the intimidation of that grin. That and the almost serrated blade that rested lightly on the white Haori the individual wore, marking him out as a Captain.
With an exclamation of surprise, Hozukimaru kicked off against the rooftop, flying further away from the demonic man before him, landing further away across the roof as he saw the full situation before him. The two Captains hadn't been unaware after all, they had simply waited for the best opening, and they had it. Hozukimaru's expression darkened as he saw the blade pressed against Kazeshini's neck, Kazeshini's teeth clenched in anger at how easily he had been caught. Hozukimaru couldn't make any moves, not only was the man before him radiating out bloodlust and killing intent, all promising a quick death, but if he attacked or ran, Kazeshini would be destroyed immediately by the other Captain.
"I don't know why you two were watching us, but you made a fatal mistake in targeting us, it was all too easy to pick up on that killing intent earlier…"-Yoshirou announced darkly from behind Kazeshini's back, his zanpakutou held over Kazeshini's shoulder, edge pointing towards his vulnerable throat. The zanpakutou spirit risked turning his head to get a good look at the Captain behind him as he swore under his breath. Now he got a clear look at the man, Kazeshini realised his mistake, this man was strong, you could tell just from his expression, there was no cocky look of success, no fear of the unknown, just a determined expression.
"If your partner hadn't stopped you from attacking, I would have levelled the entire warehouse with one kido blast before you could have even thrown those weapons at us, it's only because he showed rational thought that we are talking now."-Yoshirou again said darkly. Kazeshini could only grit his teeth in anger, the words that he had overheard the two Captains saying now making sense if he considered that they had detected him before they had spoken.
"Don't go killing them straight away…"
"Keh, you cocky bastard…"-Kazeshini growled back, carefully trying to twist the weapons in his hand until the points would be aiming at the Captain, and then impale him. However, that attempt was cut short as Kazeshini'e eyes widened in shock. Without warning, a chain of golden light had suddenly wrapped around his body, emitted from the Captain's free arm, binding his arms in place as Yoshirou intoned-"Bakudo no. 63, Sajo Sabaku!" As the chains tightened sharply, Kazeshini lost his grip on the Kusarigama, both of them dropping to the rooftop with a metallic clang. All it took was a small push in the middle of his back, and Kazeshini unwillingly fell to his knees, cursing loudly at the Shinigami.
Lifting his blade away, he now pointed the Zanpakuto at the second foe, the Oni's features tightening as Yoshirou fixed a glare into his eyes as well. Yoshirou simply said one word-"Surrender!" Houzukimaru could only growl in response, however, with the giant man barely a meter away from him, he knew he had two Captains ready and able to destroy him, and he knew he couldn't escape. "Damn, what a disgrace…"-Hozukimaru grumbled as he abruptly sat down on the roof, dropping his spear to the side as he surrendered to the two Captains.
Chapter over! Yeah, kinda surprising, I picked two of the four zanpakuto Muramasa sent out to destroy parts of the Seireitei and had them encounter the two Captains. Now, if you haven't guessed, the Hollow summons was meant to distract Kenpachi from joining the battle atop Soukyoku, this might have been what happened in cannon, since when he arrived later on, Kenpachi claimed he had been chasing hollows. However, instead since Yoshirou and Kenpachi were together, I put Kazeshini as unable to hold back his need to kill them, and in doing so messes up Muramasa's plan to keep both Kenpachi and Yoshirou away from Soukyoku, so it should be fun to see what happens next.
Oh, and the reason why I have put them as being captured is simply because Yoshirou has no idea who or what they are, he doesn't know they are zanpakutou at all.
Anyhow, hope to see you all next time! For those who read the Naruto story (Special thanks to EVA Saiyajin! Always nice to get a certified new reader for that story!), the next chapter is almost complete and should be up within 1-2 days, so cya all next time!
P.S Does anybody know a way to do the ? followed by ! in text? Every time I try, the document reader deletes one of the two, so is it possible to get around this? Please help if you know!