Chapter 7

Dante was just coming from taking a shower in plain black jeans, Nike sneakers, and was putting on his t-shirt when he heard a knock at the door of the TARDIS.

"It's open." He called, putting on his white muscle shirt and stopping to look at one of the panels.

The door opened to admit tier, who said, "Good morning Dante."

He looked at her and said, "Good morning, or should I say night?"

She smirked under her collar and said, "I take it you remember that I told you about a training session today?"

Dante clapped his hands. "Yes, just let me quickly grab something to use. Connor!" he called down the hallway he had just come from.

"What?!" they heard back.

"Tier is here, says it's time for the training."

"I'll be there in a minute, can't I even brush my teeth without you calling me?!"

Dante turned and said, "Sorry, he's always so touchy in the morning. I'll be right back."

He walked off down another hall, leaving tier to look around. Her eyes locked on the console and she slowly walked up to it. They made absolutely no sense to her at all, and she found her hand slowly moving towards a rather large one with a black handle. (A/N: It's the one The Doctor throws to get into the time vortex)

"I wouldn't touch that."

She jumped slightly and saw Connor coming in in the same clothes as yesterday, though not torn and ragged, leaning against the door way. He pushed off and walked towards her saying, "Anything on that console is likely to kill you if you don't know how to use it."

She looked back at it and asked, "Do you?"

Connor said, "You really want the truth?"

Tier nodded slowly, "Yes."

He looked between it and her, then said, "I have no clue. Only Dante and his dad knew how to work this thing, and frankly I don't think she likes me."

"She?"

Before Connor could explain, Dante said, "Okay, I'm back."

Dante came out of the passage, now in a regular black hoodie, complete with a X logo on the right shoulder. The hoodie was zipped up halfway as Dante said, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, lets."

They left the TARDIS, Dante taking a moment to lock the door with the key from yesterday. They went down to the same area as yesterday to find Appaci, Mila rose, and Sung-Sun already there. "Morning, how are all of you?" Dante greeted cheerfully.

They all muttered "Fine," but they all seemed a little tense. Dante noticed this and thought, 'Okay, maybe I went a little overboard yesterday showing them around.'

"Shall we start?" Tier asked.

"Hm? Oh yes."

Connor and the others beside Dante went 40 feet away to watch while Tier walked 20 feet away from him and turned on heel, drawing her blade from its sheath across her back. She put her index finger through one of the 3 hoops at the end of it and pulled, unsheathing the blade and then spinning it to grab the handle. The blade was normal shape except for one thing. The inside was completely hollow, leaving only the outside line.

"Huh. That's a new one."

Tier jerked her head and asked, "What's your weapon?"

"Hang on," Dante said. "Got 'em right here."

He put his hands inside the hoodie and then brought them out to show a sai clenched in each one, the middle blade gold while the outer 2 were silver. He whirled them around in his hands, both of them making a high pitch whine/squeal until he stopped, ready in a stance.

"He uses Sai?!" Sung-Sun asked, shocked since that was her own Zanpakutō.

Connor chuckled and said, "His father was serious in training him. You name it, he can use it."

Tier noticed this and said, "Interesting choice of weapons."

Dante smirked and said, "Interesting is my middle name. Shall we?"

Tier lifted her blade. "Let's."

They both watched for a minute, Dante moving his Sai slowly while tier kept her eyes on him, neither making a single move. Then they both charged forward, Dante's arm at either side while tier brought her blade back. They meet in the middle with Dante using his Sai in a X to block tiers blade. They trembled for a minute until Dante broke the block by pushing upwards, and then jabbed with his Sai. Tier whirled out of the way and slashed diagonally downwards to his shoulder. He blocked with his first Sai, then tried a slash with the other, but tier ducked. Dante spun on his heel and kicked with his foot, but Tier grabbed his foot and pulled it to the side, knocking him off balance. She tried a slash, but he blocked and pushed off, getting into the air, as tier still held his other leg. He kicked outwards at her face, but Tier blocked with the hilt of her sword and pushed his leg, sending him skidding back. He stopped and stood while Tier spun into a stand. Dante said, "Nice technique. Solid defense and good offense."

Tier bowed her head quickly and said, "You as well. I've never seen anyone use such weapons so efficiently."

Dante smirked and said, "Practice…"

He blurred only for tier to whirl around and block, locked at handles as Dante finished.

"…makes perfect."

Dante flipped his other sai so the blade pointed inwards and jabbed at Tier's arm twice in 2 places with his index and middle finger. Tier instantly felt her arm go dead and flop down while Dante slashed. Tier dropped down and grabbed her blade with her other hand and slashed upwards, slightly cutting the hoodie with a shallow gash, having only nicked it. Dante put some distance between them and examined the cut and said, "Nuts. This was one of my favorite hoodies."

Tier looked at her arm and tried to move it, but the most she could do was get it to twitch randomly. Dante noticed this and said, "Nerve points. Don't worry; the effect will fade in 15 to 20 minutes."

"He's good." Connor said nodding.

Sung-Sun said, "How can he handle those so well? That's my weapon of choice, but I can't use mine as well as he does."

"400 years of practice." Connor replied. "In any case, I think Dante's wrapping it up."

"Here I come." Dante said.

He charged and started slashing and jabbing. Tier worked to block them all, but her dead arm keep flopping and smacking her, knocking off her timing and forcing her to take steps back. Dante's sai were hard to black due to the fact her own blade was hollow, so she had to use the edges to block. Then with a bit of fancy work, Dante stabbed at Tier's chest, forcing her to block, catching his sai between its blades. He yanked the trapped sai upwards and then spun around, holding his other Sai to her throat. Tier froze as Dante said, "Checkmate."

Tier waited a minute and Dante brought down his sai, whirling them before shoving them back into his hoodie. Tier sheathed her blade and said, "Well done. You've very strong."

Dante bowed to herr, placing a hand on his stomach after flourishing it and said, "I thank you for this praise Tier."

Tier chuckled then looked at her dead arm. "Would you mind…?

Dante followed her line of sight and said, "Oh, no, not at all."

He looked at her arm from a few angles before jabbing 3 separate places and tier's arm jerked, allowing her to move it again. She raised and flexed her fingers a few times before saying, "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

"Well, well, that was a good fight."

Connor was walking over while Appaci said, "Where the hell did you get sai and learn to use them?!"

"Japan, 16th century with my dad. Awesome trip." Dante said.

Sung-Sun then said, "I've never seen Sai used that way before."

Dante said, "Be happy to teach you some time."

"Really?"

"Sure, I…"

He was cut off as he heard Azien's voice saying, "Attention my dear Espada. Please report to the meeting room, as well as Dante Price and Connor Smith please. We have some matters to discuss."

"Azien wishes to speak with us." Tier said.

"Oh great." Dante said. "First week here and we're getting called to the principal's office."

Connor snorted. "Like you've never been called worse places."

Tier turned to her fraccion and said, "Please go back to the tower and wait. I'll talk to you later."

They all bowed and said, "Yes mistress," before turning and starting to walk back.

"And stay out of the TARDIS until we're back!" Dante called.

"We should hurry," Tier said. "We shouldn't keep Azien waiting."

10 minutes later

"Welcome, my dear Espada, and new recruits."

Azien was sitting at his normal place and the Espada in their normal places, while at the opposite end of the table Dante and Connor were sitting in 2 spare chairs, Connor leaning back and listening while Dante had his feet propped up on the table and was leaning back, working on a rubric cube, his tongue sticking out slightly between his lips as he manipulated the surfaces.

"Master Azien, why have these two fraccion been allowed into the meeting?" Baraggan asked.

Azien smiled and said, "Because they are both exceptionally powerful and have previous knowledge of fighting soul society, which I'm sure will prove valuable."

Baraggan glared at Dante and said, "But the brat does not even have proper respect of you."

Dante heard this and replied, "I resent that. I have proper respect for Azien."

"Then why do you insist on putting your filthy feet on the table?" Baraggan snarled.

Dante chuckled and said, "There's a good reason. This is the only way I can block your ugly mug while seeing everyone else."

Almost all of the Espada laughed, Ulquiorra not making a sound, Tier and most of the others chuckling, while Grimjow, Nntoria, and Aaroniero, the one with the mast and frilly collar, were all laughing loudly and joyful in Baraggan's humiliation. Baraggan was looking furious, his face looking like it had a bad sun burn while he snarled, "You insolent little…"

"Enough Baraggan," Aizen said. "We are not here to listen to your ranting against Dante here."

Dante stopped in his rubric cube, looked at Azien and asked, "Then why are we here Azien?"

Azien smiled and said, "Before you and Connor made your…unique appearance, I had told Yammy and Ulquiorra to go to Karakura town to observe…"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Azien paused, surprised as he asked, "You know of that?"

Dante went back to his rubric as he said, "Before we left soul society, Connor and I took some time to learn what we could about you. We managed to get some information from a meeting of the Gotei 13 and discovered you seemed interested in the boy before you left here. Since then, Gotei 13 has been having 2 people watch him and his friends. A Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shimon?"

Azien pressed his fingertips together and said, "Interesting. Did they say how closely they were watching him?"

"Sadly no, but I know for a fact it's not to closely to look suspicious, rather its casual observation. If we're to study him, it'll be easy to for maybe 10 minutes, but I can make it so that time is halved."

Azien raised an eye brow at this. "Really?"

"Yes. I've studied a fair number of people throughout history with my father, Ichigo should be no different." Dante said.

"That is part of the reason as to why you are here. I want you and Connor to join the invasion force to study the boy, then report back any and all findings. Understood?"

Dante brought his rubric cube and fiddled with it for another second before stopping, grinning, and said, "Crystal."

"Good. You'll be leaving immediately."

Dante and Connor stood, Connor saying, "In that case, will you wait one minute for me to receive my cloak?"

"Of course. Just don't take too long." said Aizen.

"It won't take long at all."

He closed his eyes and rose his right arm, rolling up the sleeve to show his tattoo. He slightly cut his thumb with his canine teeth and let the blood drop onto the tattoo, which glowed blue before he reached into it, his hand disappearing, before he pulled it out, cloak clenched in his hand. Once that was done, the cloak drifted and settled on his shoulders. He opened his eyes and said, "Ready."

Szayel looked fascinated as he said, "That cloak can bend space to be summoned? Interesting. Would you be willing to part with it for an hour or two so I can study it?"

Connor looked at him and said, "Do you value your continued existence? Because if so, then no."

Dante stood up and said, "Can we leave now please?", wanting to leave before a fight broke out.

Ulquiorra appeared next to him and looked up as he said in a flat emotionless tone, "Of course."

Dante turned around to see something opening in the air. If he had to describe it, he'd say it looked like the air had gained a mouth and was opening it to show a shifting blackness, overshadowed with shades of gray, barely lighter than the blackness.

Yammy stood and stretched, saying, "About time we got some action, I've been bored out of my mind."

"This is what's call a Garganta, or world piercing gate." Aizen explained. "It's what Espada use to move between the world of the living and Hueco Mundo. Once you arrive, draw out Ichigo Kurosaki and use any means needed. Understood?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "Yes master Azien."

"Sure," Dante said. "But be ready. If Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shimon are as strong as soul society said, someone's coming back from this trip hurt. Oh and Azien."

"Yes?"

"Catch."

He tossed a small cube towards Azien, which he caught easily. He looked at it to see it was the rubric cube that Dante had been working on, completely solved.

Dante smirked and said, "See ya."

And with that, the group stepped into the void, which snapped shut behind them. Azien thought, 'Dante Price. Such an interesting young man.'

Dante and Connor saw that the void really was infinite, with no light or floor underneath them beside the glowing platform that Yammy and Ulquiorra had made under themselves and Dante and Connor.

Dante said, "Interesting." He knelt down and touched the platform and asked, "If I'm not mistaken, it's made of Reishi (spirit) particles?"

"That's correct." Ulquiorra said. "You're sharp for a hybrid."

"Can't help it. Dad taught me a lot in 400 years and made sure I remembered it. How long will it take to get to the human world?"

"10 minutes," Yammy said, "but don't fall off, otherwise you'll be trapped here forever."

"Aww, I didn't know you cared."

Yammy glanced back. "Keep it up kid, and I'll throw you off myself."

Dante looked down at the platform and noticed every detail before saying, "I doubt it."

They walked in silence after that, the platform never seeming to move except for the spirit particles that gathered in front of them while those behind fell away into the darkness. Then Ulquiorra stopped and said, "We're here."

Dante stopped as well and said, "So, how are we going to draw out Ichigo?"

"I think destroying everything in sight will suffice." Yammy said.

Dante looked at Connor, meet eyes, then they both nodded slightly. Time to put a little plan in action. Most everything would run its course, except for a few small things. The next thing they knew, both of them were blinded by a light and rose an arm apiece to shield their faces till their eyes adjusted. They saw they were in a heavily wooded area, somewhere in a crater which was being looked down into by easily 20 people, all of them muttering, but they stopped as Dante and Connor walked out of the gate, which snapped behind them.

One of them hesitantly called, "Are you all right?"

Yammy frowned and asked, "They notice us?"

"No, just me and Dante since we're not spirits like you are." Connor said.

Yammy snorted. "Well, their getting on my nerves. Time to clear out the trash."

As they watched, he closed his lips in a tight O and sucked like a vacuum cleaner. As they watched, the humans around them glowed blue in the wind, then the light left them and were sucked in by Yammy, who belched after they were all eaten and said, "Ugh, tasted like crap."

"What do you expect of soul that low in power?" Ulquiorra said. "Now come, we must…"

He was stopped as they heard a low moan and saw one of the bodies shift slightly. Dante looked at her and felt his heart lurch. It was Tasuki, Orihime's friend. She had short black hair, a thin muscled frame, and she seemed in pain as she looked around, saying "What the…?"

Yammy walked towards her and called behind him, "Hey, Ulquiorra, this one of any interest?"

He replied, "Look at her fool. She can barely move from you being so close. Just kill her."

Dante felt his heart run cold and he fought to not move, since he knew what was about to happen.

Yammy rose his fist and pulled it back with a smile as he said, "Ha, already getting to kill somebody." before throwing his fist forward, towards her head.

Only it never hit. Yammy found his fist to be stopped by one that seemed to be clad in some sort of armor, the smoke from his hit blocking the owner.

Yammy said, "What the…?"

The smoke cleared to show odd man. He had dark skin, similar to Mexican skin, with long, wavy hair and was thickly muscled. He was wearing a flower shirt and black pants, but the real interest was his arm. It was black and red, the red running up the middle of his arm to his shoulder, where it ended in a little bit of a spike. It looked completely organic, but it had stopped Yammy's punch like it was nothing. "So this is an Espada?" He said in a deep rumbling voice.

Yammy called, "Hey, is this the guy we're looking for?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "No you buffoon. He's trash."

Yammy smiled and said, "Well then, more fun for me."

He tried to punch with his other arm, but the man ducked underneath and let go, clenched his armored had, and delivered an uppercut to Yammy's chin which sent him skidding back. He stopped and wiped his mouth as he said, "So a decent little shrimp then."

They heard Tatsuki say weakly "Chad…?" before she passed out and fell on her face.

"Orihime!" Chad called.

The girl in question walked out from the trees. She had long burnt orange hair, held back by 2 hair pins on sides, a curvy figure, and large eyes that were worried as she approached and knelt next to tastuki. "Shield both her and yourself while I take care of him." Chad said.

Yammy just laughed and said, "Take care of me?"

He appeared right next to Chad, whose face whirled around as Yammy grabbed his arm and started to squeeze as he said, "But who'll take care of you?" and prepared to rip of Chad's arm.

"Yammy!"

The next thing Yammy knew, Dante was knelt next to his arm with his own outstretched and Yammy's arm flopped to it side, releasing Chad with his arm still attached, but badly crushed, almost beyond repair and recognition.

"What the hell Dante?!" Yammy yelled.

Dante stood and looked back at him, and said, "We were ordered to study Ichigo, not maim people. Beside…" he looked at Orihime who looked frightened of them. "…we don't need unwanted attention."

Yammy grunted. "Fine, but the girls annoying. I'll kill her."

"NO!" Dante yelled, but Yammy was to fast as he thrust his index finger towards Orihime's head, which was bowed.

"Santen Kesshun (Three Sacred Links Shield)."

Yammy's finger was blocked by a triangular glowing shield that appeared in front of Orihime and stopped it cold. Yammy stepped back while Orihime got to her feet, her face determined as she also said, "Sōten Kisshun (Twin Sacred Return Shield)."

2 small things like tiny airplanes detached from her hair clips and flew towards chad, settling on either side before sending out a orange light around him like a dome as Orihime said, "I reject."

With that, the damage began to heal, the cuts and breaks flowing tighter to form the armor again while the blood began flowing back into his wounds. He was healing at a fantastic speed.

Dante thought, 'No matter how many times I see this, I'm still amazed.'

Ulquiorra was thinking something different. 'What is that? Time regression? No, it's too fast and clean. This girl shouldn't be able to heal that much damage in so little time. What's going on?'

Yammy grinned again and said, "Well, looks like little miss princess has some decent abilities. This will be fun."

She looked at Yammy in a hard face as she said, "Koten Zanshun (Solitary Sacred Cutting Shield)." A single black figure flew to Orihime's hands, which she held one over the other and pointed her palms at Yammy. She shouted, "I…REJECT!"

And fired the object towards Yammy at high speed. He rose his hand to block it, but Dante was faster and grabbed the object with his thumb and index finger, whirled around, and threw it to just besides Orihime. He shook his hand as the object flew through a few trees and returned to Orihime and said "Fast, but not strong enough."

She looked devastated her attack was so easily stopped. She trembled as Yammy approached and asked "Hey, Ulquiorra, is this one okay to kill?"

He closed his eyes and said, "Fine."

He smiled maniacally as he said, "So long, little girl!"

He lunged forward to grab her, but Dante made no move to stop it. After all, he was here.

And Yammy suddenly felt his hand stopped by something poking right into the skin and looked past to see a boy. A boy with orange hair, soul reaper robes, and a massive, cleaver like sword.

"Who the hell are you?" Yammy asked.

Dante walked past and looked at him as he said "Unless I'm very much mistaken, this is Ichigo Kurosaki."