Blazing Caravans

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just the green goddess is mine.

Note: No, I'm not dead! I just needed a break, but now I'm back and well... I'd like to say things will be more frequent, however, I have finals next week and then I'm on break... ah, who knows what'll happen!

Once again, I thank the awesome NocturnalFerri for beta-ing!

Hope this was worth the wait!!!-Airi

"It's getting dark," observed Isane as the group walked alongside the wagon across a field by the edge of a forest. The trees cast their long shadows upon the party and beyond in a feeble attempt to reach the horizon.

"We can see that," stated Grimmjow, irritated. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious!" They'd been walking all day without rest or food thanks to Mayuri's argument with a goddess. It was too early to give up; even though the sun was going down, it was still the first day of traveling.

Isane sighed inwardly, ignoring the Espada's retort. She didn't understand what exactly was going on, but then again, no one else really did either. Tired, hungry, and feeling all alone, she was having trouble keeping her wits about her.

--

The sun sank further into the ground as did the remnants of everyone's patience.

"Strange, I thought we'd have found a town by now," muttered Mayuri, looking to the horizon. The dark of the night seemed to spread out to the ends of the earth.

"We're lost, great…" muttered Ichigo, keeping his eyes downcast at the ground as he trudged on. He was still trying to decipher the events of the day and was half lost in thought.

"Just where the hell have you been leading us, you crazy clown?" shouted Grimmjow. The blue haired Espada looked as if he was about to throw himself at the 12th captain who was seated comfortably in the driver's seat of the wagon as he had been all day.

A strong grip on his shoulder prevented his attack. "We should stop for the night, we need the rest," said Sosuke Aizen calmly, as if he were addressing his lieutenant.

But, Mayuri, of course, had his own agenda and was intent on keeping it. "Nonsense, there is no need to stop. After all, this is just some prank being pulled on us by some stupid goddess. Peh, I'll show her that I'm not so easily disposed of!"

"Mayuri, we should stop for the evening," suggested Aizen, reasonably. "The oxen and every-"

"Did I not make myself clear? We are not stopping!" Mayuri gave the reins an extra slap to urge the oxen on.

--

Darkness had taken the world long ago, or so it now seemed to Ichigo. He hadn't come to any conclusion about the situation; no quick solution seemed present and Urahara wasn't around for advice. For the moment all he could do was put all of his focus into placing one foot in front of the other. He was lagging a bit behind the wagon now but was still the closest one to it compared to the others. Mayuri was ten feet away and falling further behind at every moment. Aizen was a few feet behind Ichigo, silently admiring how resilient the oxen were pulling a load all day like they had. Behind the traitor captain, Grimmjow trotted slowly, silently longing for his adjuca form so he could be on all fours; maybe he wouldn't be so tired then. At least he wasn't as bad off as that silver haired Shinigami. He glanced back to see her straggling behind.

Isane's thoughts were as blank as Ichigo's; she just had to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. But as she glanced down, the hard ground began to look so comforting; the grass poking out of the ground looked so soft; as did the various other plants. In fact, even the thistle bushes looked so inviting, like little clouds. Even the rocks looked nice enough for a pillow. Thinking only thoughts of sleep she felt herself getting dizzy. "No," she thought desperately. "I can't give in; Captain Kurosutchi will leave me behind." But her body and oh-so-comfortable looking ground were putting up a ferocious fight with her. Eventually the ground won out and she felt herself falling, but passed out before her weary body met the earth.

---

The sun was just beginning to race the trees for the sky when Hitsugaya woke up the next morning. He, along with Kenpachi, Yachiru, Rukia, and Chojiro, had spent the night in their starting room without much event. Yesterday, they'd bought the supplies they deemed necessary, loaded their wagon, and decided to wait for sunrise to start out. Chojiro had assumed the driver's seat, Kenpachi declared that he'd rather walk, and Yachiru took up her usual perch on her captain's shoulder. "We're all set; everything's all accounted for," said Rukia as she climbed out of the wagon after double checking their supplies. This team was determined to survive.

"Chojiro, after we exit the town, take the trail to your right," said Hitsugaya as he looked up from the map he held in his hands. It was irritating how almost nothing on the map was labeled and was left mostly unfinished. Only key landmarks, rivers and some boundary lines seemed to be labeled. He now understood why the store keepers had given him odd looks when he'd asked for a map.

"Yes, Hitsugaya-taicho," said Chojiro. The elderly man started the wagon's team of six oxen with a gentle touch of the reins.

---

Neliel and her odd group had departed shortly before dawn at the Quincy's urging. "It makes more sense to travel with the sun," he had reasoned. "After all, the risk of self-injury increases in the dark." The group had easily seen his reason and quietly, as not to disturb the residents, left the town while still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.

It was now mid-morning; the sun still had not quite reached the top of the trees that lined their pathway.

"Think we'll run into any of the other groups?" asked Ikkaku, strolling alongside the front of the wagon.

"Where'd that question come from?" asked Ishida as he glanced down from the driver's seat.

"You're all being too quiet. I thought I'd start a conversation," said the third seat of 11th squad, rolling his eyes. They'd been walking in silence since they'd started. At first he assumed that this was the way people not from 11th division started their days, but as the hours passed, the bald man found the lack of noise increasingly irritating.

Ishida took a moment to adjust his glasses before answering. "Well, I guess…we might run into them. I don't see why not, assuming we're all in the same place."

"Hmm…"

"But knowing who's in some of the other wagons, do we really want to run into them?" said Ishida. He turned his attention back to driving the slow moving wagon.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Hanataro, suddenly interested enough to partake in the conversation. The shortest member of the group walked on the other side of the wagon with Neliel. Still unsure of her intentions, Hanataro was doing all he could to pretend she wasn't there.

"If we ran into Aizen, things would become problematic," Nemu stated breaking her own silence and surprising everyone.

"A-Aizen?!" Hanataro stopped in his tracks and shook with fear.

Neliel hung back to stand with Hanataro. "Don't worry, we won't let him get any of us," she said with a bright smile.

The Shinigami stared up at the former Espada and asked, "B-but, aren't you on his side?"

Neliel's olive eyes became suddenly serious. "No, not anymore. Anyways, we're all unarmed; I doubt he could do much without his kido and sword."

These words only slightly reassured Hanataro, but it was enough to calm him down.

"Yo! You guys are going to get left behind!" called Ikkaku from up ahead.

"Ah, w-wait for us!" yelled Hanataro as he and Neliel ran to catch up.

---

The cheerful sound of birds chirping was the first thing Isane heard when she woke up. She opened her eyes to see a bright blue sky above and the sunlight coming through the leaves of the surrounding trees. For a moment, she couldn't remember where she was. Lying on the ground, she wondered how far everyone had gotten before they noticed her disappearance. "I bet they haven't noticed that I'm missing yet." Her stomach's rumbling made her situation ever clearer to her; she had to find some food, since she hadn't eaten anything in the past day. Stiffly, she got to her feet and brushed off her dress before realizing that she hadn't a clue where she was or which way she had to go. "Well, it's still morning… that means the sun is still in the East, so I think West is that way." She started walking, glad it was at least good weather.

---

"Hey, is that… uh… the other Shinigami?" said Grimmjow, pointing into the distance.

Aizen looked. "Indeed, it would appear that Isane fuku-taicho has caught up."

Grimmjow, Aizen, and Ichigo had given up on keeping up with Mayuri a few hours after Isane's collapse. The blue haired Espada had simply sat down in his tracks and cursed up a storm at the distant shadow of the wagon. The other two members came to realize that following Mayuri was pure madness. At first, Ichigo had been quite reluctant to stop, not wanting to admit that he had been defeated or that his enemies were right.

Aizen had been the first to notice the disappearance of their female companion, but said nothing of the matter; she meant nothing to him other than a small obstacle in his plans once they got back. Ichigo and Grimmjow had passed out before either of them had a chance to think of anything besides how tired they were.

Yet, there she was, walking in their direction in the valley below the grassy hill they stood atop of. Isane hadn't noticed them yet. The same thought flashed through both Grimmjow and Aizen's minds: Maybe they could get away and leave her on her own.

Clearly, Ichigo did not share their thoughts. "Hey! Isane!" Ichigo shouted and waved his arms in the air to signal the girl over. Hearing his call, Isane lifted her skirts a bit and ran the remaining distance up the hill.

Gasping, she reached the top, sank to her knees, and fought to catch her breath.

"You okay?" asked Ichigo, concern in his voice.

She nodded, panting heavily. "This…dress is…impossible…" She looked around, finding only the three men and the grassy hill they stood on. The 5th member of their team was nowhere in sight.

Grimmjow noticed her search and rolled his eyes. "We ditched that circus freak last night. I don't care if he dies. In fact, I hope he drove himself off a cliff! It'd serve him right!" He kicked the ground in frustration. "This is stupid," he added.

"The question is: what do we do now?" Aizen asked, but the other three knew it was rhetorical. The answer was obvious: find the nearest town and some food.

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