Chapter ?+1
Show me what you've got!
'As I said before... I can not let you pass!' Ichigo stood before them, with Zangetsu in hand, and his famous scowl firmly in place.
'But Dad!'
'They've kidnapped Mom...'
'… and Yuzuki!'
'There was nothing we could do... '
'… we tried to protect them...'
'… and who knows where they have taken them!'
'Where the hell were you?'
'We almost died!'
The two kids started shouting at the same time, cutting into each others speech. Ichigo gritted his teeth in frustration. He flash-stepped before his blabbering sons, and punched them in the face, Sora with the hilt of his sword, Michi with his elbow.
'Ouch!' They both said, supporting bleeding noses.
'I don't have time for your nonsense! I already know everything! Why do you think I'm here in the first place, Idiots!' he sighed. 'I'm going to save them... bring them back... ALONE! And you two...' He pointed to each teen in turn, still scowling. '… can go right home!'
Michi bowed his head, but Sora's face hardened at these words.
'No.' he said simply, but stubbornly, standing up straight, and looking his father in the eyes. Ichigo only raised an eyebrow at him.
'I told you... I don't care who you are, I must pass... I want to go save them! Do what you want, I don't care! I won't be left behind!' Sora declared.
'Oh, really?' Ichigo asked in a sarcastic tone. 'And what do you hope to accomplish with a blade so dull, and your heart so full of doubt?' Pain crossed Sora's face, but Ichigo didn't care.
There was a long silence, while Michi looked from Sora to his father, and back. It almost seemed for a moment, that his brother's will was broken. Almost... then finally...
'You may be right... but even so... I want to do what I can.'
'... you may just die trying.'
'It doesn't matter... I have to bring them back... otherwise... I won't be able to live with myself...'
Ichigo looked at his son's hardened expression. He studied his set jaw, his tense muscles, and the light shining in his eyes. He knew how to value determination... and he could understand the pain of one feeling guilty...
'I see...'
Then he suddenly turned to his other son. Michi was so taken aback, that he jumped slightly.
'What about you, Michi? You can still turn around, and go home peacefully you know! I'll just kick your worthless brother's ass quickly, and he'll join you soon enough...'
Michi collected himself, and answered quietly.
'I want to fight too... I think we deserve this chance to help... we love Mom and Yuzuki... and want them back.'
'You're terrified... but not of your enemies... and not me...'
Michi hung his head again.
'You fear the thing inside you... You fear what it might do to you. You fear what it might do to others... But your hollow won't be the one to endanger everyone on the battlefield... it will be your fear... You are not ready...'
Ichigo turned his back on him, to turn to Sora once more, but was stopped by Michi calling after him.
'You have fear too... I can tell... you fear for us... Sora and me... you only don't want to let us go, because you want to spare us...'
A laugh suddenly interrupted their conversation, alerting the Kurosaki's to the fact that Urahara was still there, behind there backs, enjoying the show.
'Oh, sorry! Just continue, please! This is so intriguing!'
'Urahara!' Ichigo sighed, annoyed.
'I must remind you of my earlier point...'
'Shut up! I'm doing this my way...'
'Ichigo.' the shopkeeper told him more seriously, and maybe with a little sadness coloring his tone. 'Even you can't do this alone...'
'They are just kid's!'
'I'm 17! Two years older than you were, when you rescued Rukia!' shouted Sora angrily.
'That's not the point! I was more mature...'
'Says who?'
Sora and Ichigo were looking daggers at each other, only to be interrupted by an other one of Urahara's laughs. They both looked at the shopkeeper indignantly.
'You two are so much alike... it's funny! Anyway, the point is, I really think that they would be in less danger fighting by your side, with proper supervision and guidance, than they would be if left to themselves... Michi's hollow obviously needs to be taken care of, and fast. You know that. And this mission would be suicide without the healing powers of the Rikka... That's how I see it. Even if you don't like it.'
Ichigo growled. The teens looked at Urahara hopefully. They've never expected to get support from him of all people, but looking at it more closely, it wasn't that incomprehensible either. After all, this was the person, who had trained there father in the first place...
'No!' Ichigo said stubbornly.
'But, Dad...!' cried both teens indignantly, but he raised a hand to silence them.
'You have no idea what's waiting for you on the other side... I just can't take someone weak with me...'
'We're not weak!' protested Sora.
'It didn't seem like that to me! You weren't even able to starch me!'
'That's hardly fair, Dad!' Michi fumed.
'Do you think your opponents on the battlefield would care to be fair? All right... I'm giving you this one chance... You come at me...' a grin split across his face. 'Two against one... if you can make me drop my sword, you can come with me... And just an advice: do it like you mean it this time... for I won't be holding back...'
Ichigo took up an attacking stance, waving Zangetsu in front of him in an expert way. His voice was firm, and his eyes full of determination, that well known killer instinct necessary for battle already activated... 'Show me what you've got!' He said, and with a great battle-cry, he launched himself forward.
'Go all out, Sora!' Michi shouted, while jumping out of the attack's range.
The two kids have seen their father fight a few times before, and even sparred with him playfully now and then, but nothing came even close to this. Sora's heart was beating painfully inside his chest, as he lifted his sword again...
'Reject! Tengetsu!' (A/N:"Sacred" or "Heavenly Moon", obviously the name of Sora's zanpakuto...)
The two getsu-blades clashed, and Sora fond his knees touch the ground, as he struggled to hold back the overwhelming force above him.
'Shiten Koshun!' he hissed, and his zanpakuto glowed yellow. Ichigo was the one to be thrown back this time, but only a little. He stopped in mid air, facing his son again.
'A Shikai. Impressing. Let's see how you use it...'
Ichigo felt movement from his back, and turned to stop Michi's attack. His white mask covered his face again, but you only needed to take a good look at his eyes to tell that he would be overcome even quicker now... Ichigo pinned him to the ground.
'Don't fight it... you'll get nowhere like that... let it out, and I'll deal with it!' Ichigo told him. But Michi just shook his head, terrified, his eyes flashing between yellow and brown. 'Have it your way...' said Ichigo, and grabbed the front of his robes, lifting him up in the air, and tossing him away roughly. Michi landed hard, rolling over on the floor. He had the taste of blood in his mouth.
'Fuck!' he cursed.
He heard a triumphant cry, as Sora was just able to deal a great blow to their father's chest, thinking he got him surprised this time. But the blade just stopped when it reached Ichigo's skin, doing no visible damage.
'What the...? Holy shit! Aaaaw!'
He didn't even have time to raise his sword again. When Zangetsu flashed, he only staggered backwards, but the blade still reached him, leaving a huge gash on his shoulder. He fell down to the floor. The pain was so intense, that tears were starting to pool in his eyes. He looked up, as a shadow fell on him. Ichigo was standing above him, his expression merciless.
'Well... what did you expect? Candies and peanut-butter sandwiches? Anyway, this is what you get, if you don't concentrate your spirit energy. Fighting with a zanpakuto is not just swinging it around madly! Now defend yourself!'
Ichigo dealt an other blow, that was stopped by his son projecting a Rikka shield at the last moment. Sora tried to hold the shield in place, but the pressure was too much. Craks began to form on the yellow surface, and panic set in. He just had a taste of what it was really like, being cut by a blade, and had no desire to repeat the experience this quickly. He stood up, trying to gather himself, and the moment his shield gave away, he attacked. But he could only match his father's strikes, having no chance at really countering him. He was already panting and sweating like crazy after the first few clashes, while Ichigo was still unshaken.
'Is this all you've got?' Ichigo angered him further.
Sora backed away a few steps. He directed the point of his blade towards his father.
'Koten Zashun!'
A yellow light, like an arrow shoot out, set on it's target. Ichigo put Zangetsu in it's course, stopping it. There was an explosion, but after the light vanished, and Sora had the chance to look, he discovered, that he hardly made any damage at all. Ichigo examined his own sword-holding hand, on which there were now a little burned mark, but nothing more.
'Ah! I always wanted to know how you would fare against that one...' commented Urahara's amused voice. He was clearly having the time of his life with watching... 'But somehow never been able to convince Orihime-chan to fire it at you...'
Ichigo rolled his eyes at him. He looked back to Sora, but fond his place empty... his son could take the tension no longer, and succumbed to his better instincts, and ran...
'Oh, boy...' sighed Ichigo. 'Looks like that's it... I'm going alone after all. Unless...' he turned briefly to Michi, who was sitting in a corner, not moving. He seemed terrified too. '… no objections from there either I see...'
oOoOoOo
Sora ran to the next room, and collapsed down to the floor, catching his breath.
'What ever am I doing? Why am I running away? Am I just a big coward after all... Man, this cut hurts! What's wrong with me? I have to go back... I'm the one who got Yuzuki in trouble... It's all my fault! Everything! I just can't turn my back on her, when I promised to bring her back! She's counting on me! And Michi... he didn't want to come in the first place, but I made him do it... I taunted him for being a coward... looks like I'm no better...'
Suddenly he heard a soft voice, calling him.
'Sora!'
This voice was familiar, like he had known it since the beginning of times, even though in reality he had only heard it once before... Then he saw her. She was walking towards him, like a queen, her slender frame seeming totally out of place in that messy surroundings. Jet she came...
Like the first time, Sora was taken aback by her beauty. Her long silver fountain of wavy hair, reached down to the middle of her back, sparkling light as she moved. Light-blue robes of a thin, flowing material concealed very womanly curves, while her delicate features didn't show her older than Sora himself. But her midnight blue eyes, that resembled deep pools showed more wisdom, and made her seem ageless.
'Tengetsu!' his thoughts said.
The girl-zanpakuto spirit looked at him with narrowed eyes.
'I though we've already been through this... "Tengetsu" is really a mouthful... when we're talking I would like you to merely call me "Tsuki"!' (A/N: tsuki=moon)
Sora couldn't help blushing.
'Tsuki then, whatever...' he answered, hiding his eyes.
'Sora! Just what are you doing? Why didn't you use my powers... you CAN heal yourself, you know! You only have to reject the wound.'
Tsuki knelt down next to him, and put her elegant hand over his shoulder. The wound closed up instantly.
'I knew that...' Sora sulked.
'You don't trust me...' the girl said, with sadness in her intense eyes.
'No... it's just...'
'You don't think I'm strong enough!' she challenged, with a hint of anger now.
'No! I mean...' Sora bowed his head again. 'I don't think that I'm strong enough...'
The girl's expression softened instantly.
'Of course you're not... but you never will be, unless you go back, and fight!'
Sora looked into those blue pools of her eyes, and felt a strange hotness spread through his whole being, filling him with hope and determination.
'Trust me... and I will lend you all the strength you need...' said Tsuki, giving him a hand, and helping him stand up.
But as soon as Sora was on his feet, the vision vanished, leaving him alone again, standing in that dimly lit room. He looked down, and saw his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. As he run back to resume his fight with his father, his only thought had been, that he would be damned to disappoint her...
oOoOoOo
'Wait!' Sora jelled at his father's back. 'I'm not done jet!'
Ichigo turned back, and couldn't help grinning. 'Look who's back...' The proud mentor was battling inside him with the protective father at the moment.
Sora attacked. His attacks now were more firm, having more power and real intent in them. He wasn't thinking, just letting his instincts drive his moves, and help him counter blow after blow. He didn't slow when he got hit, only attacked more desperately.
Michi followed the fight with wide eyes. He was amazed by the speed and the ferocity of it. His hollow was agitated by only looking at it. He pushed it back firmly, retraining his control.
'Koten Zashun!' Sora shouted.
'Getsuga Tenso!' cried Ichigo. The yellow arrow, and the blue half moon shaped energy beams met, blue conquering yellow easily. Sora landed on the ground again, bleeding from several nasty wounds,and his hands and arms being burned and bruised.
'Sora!'
'Gah!'
Michi watched his brother turn pail as a ghost. He lost so much blood... But he stood up again, leaning on his sword.
'Had enough?' Ichigo asked him.
Sora only lifted Tengetsu.
'Koten Zashun!' he fired again, with his last bit of strength, falling down to one knee. This time he had succeeded in hitting Ichigo's chest square on. The explosion did throw him back, but he came back again almost instantly, giving Sora no time to recover.
'Dad, no! What are you doing?' Michi screamed in desperation. But Ichigo didn't heed him. He continued to advance on the weakened Sora.
'Santen Kesshun!' the poor boy choked out, having no strength left for using offensive powers at the moment.
The yellow shield appeared, but weaker than usual. Ichigo brought Zangetsu down hard on it, and began to cut through it, with a shrill battle-cry.
Michi could take it no longer. Anger boiled up inside him. An anger so powerful, like he had never felt before. And that was when he lost it... it was not that he didn't have the strength to hold back his hollow any more, but the will to do so vanished... Seeing Sora blooded like that made him want to "kill, tear, rip" too, just like the monster...
Ichigo looked up, when he heard a monstrous roar fill the room behind him. He drew back from the baffled Sora, who likewise turned to search for the source of the sudden out-of control spirit-energy he could feel...
'Michi... Oh, no!' he whispered.
'Time for "plan B", don't you think?' Urahara asked from Ichigo, who quickly nodded his consent.
'Bakudo no. 61! Rikujokoro!' said the shopkeeper confidently. The kido spell bound Michi's arms to his sides.
'What are you doing?' Sora asked, indignantly. He wanted to run to his brother, but his father put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Sora looked up at him angrily. 'Let me go! He needs me!'
'You won't do any good to him by rejecting his hollow over and over again... he would have to face it eventually... To conquer it, he must be given a chance to fight it from the inside... we can not help... only watch over him.'
Sora looked at his brother's distorted form. His hands were turning into clawed paws, and his white mask was growing to conceal all his head, not just the front. Michi was howling in agony, as he fought the six pointed kido-magic light binding him.
'That's harsh...'
Ichigo turned to smile a sad smile at his oldest son.
'Tell me about it... Hey... you'd better heal yourself... you've already proved that you could be SOME use after all... now you can do more...' his eyes narrowed. 'We'll need your help before this is over...' Then he slowly and cautiously neared the struggling Michi. 'If you can hear me, Michi, don't despair! It's going to be all right... just consume it before it consumes you... that's all...'
The kido binding the teen broke, and he growled menacingly, advancing on them.
'It begins...' Urahara commented.
oOoOoOo
Michi woke up, lying face down in some unknown dark place. His hands were touching some rough surface, like a rock wall. He lifted his head, taking a cautious look around. He was in some kind of huge cave... there were a few candles here and there, illuminating the uneven walls. There was no sunlight.
Michi shivered. He was slightly claustrophobic, not liking enclosed places, and simply hating any kind of caves since his childhood.
'Where am I? How did I end up here?' he thought.
'Ah. Your finally awake... made me wait long enough.'
Michi turned abruptly. He saw the one standing behind him. He stared, with his mouth open.
'Oh, no... this is what I get? Someone so pathetic! This is boring!' the pail boy sighed.
'Um, sorry... but who are you?'
He looked just like him... but his skin was chalk white, with black-yellow eyes, and the hair also white. He wore the same clothes as him. The creature laughed. This laugh made the hairs on his back stand up. His hands balled up into fists.
'Are you... him... the hollow?'
The white skinned teen was before him in a flash, gripping his throat and starting to strangle him without warning.
'No! I AM YOU!'
Michi struggled, and both of them fell down to the floor, rolling around. But there was no getting him off him. He felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs. Luckily, his hands closed on a rock lying on the ground at the last moment, and he gripped it, hitting the others scull with his crude weapon. The creature finally released him, taking a step back, and eyeing him with a scowl.
'What's that's supposed to be, idiot! Don't you have any shame? Coming at me with a fucking stone?'
Michi grinned.
'It IS a laugh... but it did quite a lump on your head!'
'Screw you! You're the reason we don't have any real god-damn powers... there's so more to us than we have right now! But you're just too afraid to grasp that... I'm not having this... not any more! I feel suffocated in this enclosed little place all the time... I want out! You can switch with me!'
Michi gritted his teeth.
'I'd rather not...'
And the two boys attacked each other at the same time...
oOoOoOo
'Swich places, Ichigo!' Urahara ordered. 'I'll go this time!'
'I'm still good!' growled Ichigo. Holding back a maddened hollow without actually killing it was really not easy... his respect for Shinji's group of visoreds, who had done his training, had just increased...
'I guess then, that you want to try out how far Sora can take you back from... I'm afraid he's not up to put you back from scratch jet...'
'Ok, then... I'll switch!' he barked, somehow managing to scowl even amidst his pants.
Urahara went forward, with Benihime in hand.
'It's a pleasure...' he saluted his opponent.
Ichigo collapsed down next to Sora, who looked at his father with fear and concern.
'How much time passed?' Ichigo inquired, regaining his composure now.
'32 minutes 45 seconds.' Sora informed him.
'Good... there's still time...'
'Dad... what's going on? I mean I understand parts of it... but what's happening to Michi?'
'He has turned into a hollow almost completely. To be able to use his hollows powers, he must show it who's king. He's fighting a fierce internal battle at the moment. If he looses, he would never come back... remain a hollow for forever... we would have no other choice but to cleanse him, and send him to Soul Society...'
'So he could die?' Sora felt desperate. Not only his mother's and sisters kidnap, but now Michi's death would also be on his conscious!
Ichigo could read his son's reaction like a book.
'Don't worry... Michi's strong... kind of like you. And it's not your fault...more mine than yours...and as I said before... he would have had to face his hollow some time anyway.'
'Dad?' Sora asked tentatively. 'Where were you? Why weren't you with us? Why didn't you come to help?'
Pain shoot across Ichigo's eyes, even though Sora's question wasn't accusatory this time.
'I was held back...'
'Held back?' Sora asked unable to believe his ears.
'Yeah... is that so hard to believe?'
'Well...' his son squirmed uncomfortably. 'I mean... I heard you quarrel with Mom...and... I thought... that you two had a row or something...' his voice trailed off.
Ichigo looked at him, baffled. But then he understood.
'Oh, that. You see we had known Yuzuki was in danger. I went away to prevent anything happening... Your Mom was against me going... She wanted us to stay together... and she was right.' he sounded bitter, and Sora gathered from his tone that he was not the only one feeling guilty. 'But they were prepared for me, expecting my moves...'
Sora and Ichigo was both silent for a minute, just watching Urahara struggle against Michi's hollowfied form. Then Sora unexpectedly said in a quiet voice.
'Soten Kisshun.'
Ichigo smiled at his son briefly, as the rejecting shield restored his body and spirit energy completely.
'Do you want to try after Urahara?' Ichigo asked after the shield was done. He chuckled at his son's marveling expression. 'I was under the impression that you two kids embrace just about any opportunity to fight each other...'
'I'll do it.' Sora said, determined.
oOoOoOo
The black cavern of the cave was full of Michi's and the hollow-boy's pants. The creature had tunted Michi for using a primitive weapon before, but it seemed that he too was not that picksome about it when it came to fighting... Michi's body was full of his nail and teeth marks.
'I'm tired of this...' the hollow told him. Then suddenly his face turned into an evil sneer. 'Let's play a little game... I know how to take away your only hope... how to make your own fears crush you...'
He waved a hand, and one of the candles giving them light was extinguished. He waved again, and more of them went off, leaving their surroundings noticeably darker. Michi felt his heart squeeze painfully with anticipation.
'What are you doing?'
The hollow laughed.
'Isn't it obvious... Oh, I can almost smell your fear... delicious...mmm...' he continued extinguishing the candles until none remained. Total blackness fell on them. Michi felt like screaming out. The white menace was laughing again, and by the sound of it, coming closer. He tried to ran, feeling his way with only his legs, but bumped into the cave wall. He staggered, and tried to grope his way along the rock surface, desperately trying to put some distance between himself and his pursuer. His mind was numb.
'Ready or not, here I come!' the hollow sang mockingly.
Michi shivered as something touched his arm, imagining long white fingers, and started going even faster. There was nothing here... nothing but rocks... and darkness... he couldn't see... he couldn't fight. He really was weak. Sora was so much better than him in everything... better in fighting at the dojo... in fighting against hollows... in terms of spiritual pressure... and in making friends... hell he even out-shined him in school somehow! He was just no good... maybe he deserved to be pushed away into this endless darkness... to be forgotten.
He suddenly stopped. Was it only his eyes, or did he really see some faint light shining ahead of him? He doubled his pace, instinctively drawn by the light. He reached a bend in the rock surface, and quickly went over it. His eyes beheld an amazing site. The soft orange light was coming from a sword. Michi instantly thought that this was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen in his entire life...
The guard was rectangular, unadorned. The blade was silvery, with a thin line of black running down in the middle. It's length wasn't long, the perfect size for him to wield surely... As soon as this thought crossed his mind, his already reached out a hand for it, without having to think about it.
When his fingers curled around the hilt, the cave around him started to shake. He was afraid again for a moment, but was comforted when he saw the blackness retreat, and the stone walls just melt away like a bad dream. He was now standing under an open sky, gazing up at the star-dotted heaven above him. He took a relieved breath.
'So... you've fond it after all.'
He was shocked to see the hollow being still there, but wasn't afraid any more. Not even when he saw that the other too had a sword in his hand. Identical to his, but black, with the line in the middle being silver.
'I'm glad... now we can take this fight to a more appropriate level... ' the white skinned boy commented, feeling his new sword with a few experimental slashes in the air. 'Come and get me!'
Michi grinned. He too was feeling his sword. He felt so... alive somehow.
'I'm sorry to disappoint you, fellow!' he addressed his opponent. '… but you see... I really don't have more time to waist here... so I'm going to make quick work of this...'
The hollow looked sceptically at him.
Michi lifted his sword, and when he brought it down with a great cry, a large beam of energy burst forth from the tip, hitting the hollow.
'Curse you...' said the creature, falling to the ground. It's outline slowly began to fade away, it's body becoming black smoke, that seemed to be sucked away by Michi's zanpakuto. 'Fine... You've overcame your own fear... and even find your zanpakuto... but I shall tell you this... There is still a long way for you to go, before you can claim to have control over your powers. And I'll be here, watching your every step. There's no other path for you than to be strong. If you waver, even a little bit... If you show fear and doubt again... I'll CRUSH YOU! And dump you in eternal darkness...'
Michi felt himself falling. He became dizzy, but he kept a firm grip on the hilt of his sword. He guessed it was time for him to return to reality...
oOoOoOo
Ichigo hoped with all his heart that this would be the one and only time he had to watch his two sons fight each other like this... He was sanding next to Sora, ready to intervene if things got out of hand.
'Man... so strong!' Sora breathed out in awe.
'Concentrate on fighting you Idiot!' Ichigo scolded him. 'And do put your legs more apart... you look like a pig with a stick, not a warrior! You'll be brushed off your feet by a mere wind, like this!'
Sora growled, but he obeyed, and did feel his balance even out nicely... But at that moment there was a flash of light, and Sora was thrown back by a sudden wave of spirit energy.
'Sora!' Ichigo yelled, seeing something flash in the hollowfied Michi's hand... a sword. He put himself between his sons instantly, raising Zangetsu.
'Shiten Kosshun!' screamed Sora, not realizing in the moment of panic that his father had already came to his aid. Both Ichigo's and Michi's blades were caught up in the yellow Rikka shield. They just looked at each other for a brief moment, with utterly lost expressions, not sure what this would indicate. Then there was an explosion.
Ichigo landed in a not too flattering position on the hard ground... His hand was searching wildly for the hilt of his sword, not finding anything. Zangetsu was thrown out of his grasp. It impacted into the floor by the flabbergasted Sora's feet.
Ichigo looked to Michi. The hollow-body that had formed around him started to break away in layers. The process was over... Finally only a simple mask covered Michi's face. As he fell down and subtended on the floor, that too fell off.
Ichigo ran to his son, and lifted him up, holding him before himself, so that he could look him in the eyes.
'Michi!' he breathed.
He half expected to see sinister yellow eyes stair back at him, but was met by the usual brown pair. They looked tired, but triumphant. He fiercely embraced his son.
'Welcome back...'
oOoOoOo
Urahara appeared behind their backs, and Sora walked over too, holding his own and his father's sword in his hands, staring at them, unbelieving...
'Wow... a zanpakuto... I wonder... Did he have soul reaper powers all along, or is this like a hollow turning arrancar, and forcing some of his powers into a concealed form...' Urahara wondered aloud, but then he saw the look in Ichigo's eyes, and added quickly. 'But surely this topic can wait for more leisure times... I think this concludes this little family-duel... Everything went rather well, I must say... Ichigo? What do you think?'
Ichigo reached out for Zangetsu, and Sora gave it back to him.
'Yeah...'
'Then I should go and prepare the Senkaimon for three people...'
'Make that 4!' said a deep voice, coming from the doorway unexpectedly.
A genuine smile split across Ichigo's face.
'Chad... Old buddy! Long time no see!' Ichigo went to give his oldest friend a grateful thump in the back.
'Don't worry, Ichigo... we'll bring Orihime and your daughter back in no time.'
'Thanks...' he answered sincerely.
'Make that 5 people, while your at it, Urahara...' commanded a crisp voice. 'What a mess... soul reapers and dangerous hollow-half-breeds... got to have someone intelligent in this party...' the speaker's glasses flashed amusedly in their direction.
'Ishida-san...' greeted Sora gladly.
Ichigo and Uryu looked at each other intensely. There was a lot of things exchanged in that brief moment. Then Uryu turned away, not bearing to see the gratitude shining in the others eyes.
'Can't let Inoue-san to the mercy of you idiots...'
'She's name's been "Kurosaki" for... what... 18 years now, you insolent Quincy! Don't try to piss me off! I'm not in the mood right now!'
Uryu eyed Sora's and Michi's wounds, not bothered by his friend's outburst.
'I've got to say, you're giving your kids a hard time, by the look of it, Kurosaki...'
Ichigo grinned.
'Hah! Your one to talk! I've seen the other day, that a Quincy cross is already dangling down from Saki's wrist (A/N:Uryu's daughter's name means blossom+hope... she's an only child, and the hope of the Quincy-lore to pass on to the next generation...) And how old is she anyway? Seven?'
'Eight!' the Quincy answered with some edge to his tone. 'And for your information, I was only 4 when Sensei started my training!'
Ichigo laughed at him.
'Bah!... doesn't matter... just sucks anyway, no matter how old they are... Don't you think?'
Uryu smiled back at him.
'Yeah. It sure does.'
A/N: So what do you think? All the awesome Kenpachi fight and "Dark side of the moon" combined with visored training... ahhh! All the sweet awesomeness of bleach!
Thanks again to Kubo Tite!
When writing this, I had the feeling that I wasn't the one writing it at all... it felt like the story was writing itself (I just know that somewhere in Japan, Kubo is laughing his head off at me right now... or having a serious fit of hiccups...) I could only follow the story go, and be excited about what would happen next...
I still am... so maybe I'm going to continue, most likely with a skip in the story (I'd like to explore Rukia's and Renji's future lives too!), but no promises there. Tell me if you liked this, to help me decide! (Oh, and do tell me how many of you already ship Sora-Tsuki... I do, ever since I first came up with her idea! And I do realize people like to refer to that new villain in manga "Tsuki", but I don't care! Tsuki means moon in Japanese, so it's fitting for her.)
