A Time Not So Remembered

Chapter 7

Babysitting

(A/N I'm glad that so many people like my story. I know I make a few mistakes but you get the general point, yes? That's all that matters. Onward to reading, now!)

SOUNDS/sounds

Thoughts


(Last Time)

"Huh? You say you can see the shards? How interesting! It may have something to do with you being of mixed blood," Kurotsuchi said. "Hm, yes, that could be it. You are a human with the powers of the shinigami and take your hollow side. I can see where this might happen. It seems this report wasn't a total failure after all, gentlemen . But you two still could have grabbed Hitsugaya before—"

The mist vanished as though Kurotsuchi was never there. It was quiet again. Renji and Ichigo let out a sigh of relief. They hoped that not all reports would go like that. Ichigo rubbed his shoulder before leaning back against a tree.

"I wonder what Kurotsuchi-taichou has in mind now that you told him that little bit about you seeing the shards," Renji said, stifling a yawn. "You know he's going to report this to Yamamoto-sotaichou."

"Yeah, I know," Ichigo said, closing his eyes. "I say we get a little sleep. We haven't located Toshiro since that day and for all we know we could be headed in the opposite direction. We're going to need our energy."

"Fine," Renji said, tossing a little more wood onto the fire before laying back. "I hope we find him soon and get out of this place."

"Me too. Well, good night," Ichigo said, moving to a laying position.

Renji let out sigh and closed his eyes. This was turning out to be harder mission that he had expected. He hoped for a quick mission and then that would be it. But wasn't at all. Soon he was fast a sleep.


(Present Time)

It was now the dead of night now and Rin was trying her hardest to stay awake. But her eyes kept drooping shut and her head would nod. She wanted to make sure she was awake for when Ryu woke up. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was for pushing him like that. She even resorted to biting a finger to stay awake.

"Rin, there is no need to force yourself to stay awake," Sesshoumaru stated, watching the girl sit quietly by Ryu's side. "Lie down and go to sleep."

"Nuh-uh, I'm going to stay up yaaawwwn until Ryu wakes up so I can tell him I'm sorry," Rin said, pulling her knees to her chest. "It was my fault he fell and hit his head. I need to make sure he'll be all right."

"Lie down, Rin. I'll watch over the boy during the night," Sesshoumaru said, looking at her sternly.

"But…" She started but quickly closed her mouth getting a glare from the demon lord. "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Rin finally did as she was told and laid down beside Ryu. Her eyelids only got heaver and the sounds of the frogs and insects started to fade from her ears. Soon she was fast asleep. Jaken was fast asleep leaning up against Ah-Un who was also asleep with a bit of a snore. It was only him that remained awake. He began to wonder if the boy was going to wake as well. It had been quite a few hours now since he was rendered unconscious.

He let out a long sigh and reached for Tenseiga to communicate with Hyorinmaru again. Suddenly he heard the boy let out a soft groan and his face contort in pain. Just in time. He stood from his spot under the tree and moved closer to the boy. The boy slowly began to open his large teal eyes.

His vision was cloudy, it was dark all round, and the back of his head was killing him. He then saw a hazy black figure loom over him. He couldn't make it out. He blinked slowly a couple of times to see if that would bring his hazy eyes back into focus. It took him a couple of times but his vision cleared enough to see what or who was looming over head. It was Sesshoumaru-sama.

"What h-happened?" Ryu asked weakly, trying to sit up but got no where.

"Rin pushed you and you fell hitting the back of your head on the river rocks," Sesshoumaru said quietly not to wake Rin. "She was awake watching over you and just recently fell asleep. She hasn't left your side."

Ryu turned his eyes to this right to see her sleeping beside him. Her face was still a little flushed and her eyes were a little swollen. Had she been crying? He wasn't mad at her but he figured she felt guilty for shoving him. He let out a sigh laced with a touch of pain before turning his eyes back to Sesshoumaru. He slowly sat up against his better judgment and his head began to throb and a black haze came into his vision. He started to lurch forward against his will until Sesshoumaru braced him from falling on his face. Ryu reached out to brace with one hand on the ground and the other to around the demon lord's arm. He felt really sick too.

"You hit harder than I first thought," Sesshoumaru said, getting a look at the cut on the back of Ryu's head. "You shouldn't be up."

No sooner had Ryu laid back on the ground did his stomach decide to rebel on him. He rolled over on his side and brought up whatever was left in his stomach. It was mostly bile by this point in time. Sesshoumaru felt lucky laying him down in time to avoid a mess in his lap. However, the smell of stomach contains was a little much even the for the boy that just brought it up. He rubbed his tongue on the roof of his mouth to try and get rid of the sour taste.

"Ugh. I'm sorry," he said his face looking a little green.

Sesshoumaru said nothing and in an attempt to get rid of the smell of bile the demon kicked some dirt on it to cover it and to get it out of the boy's face. Ryu was in no condition to be moved at this point so he had to get the bile out of the boy's face somehow.

"By dawn should you feel better I would like to talk to you about your Zanpakuto," Sesshoumaru said, looking down at the boy. "I may know something that can help you."

Ryu gave a light nod as the demon lord left his side. He closed eyes again to try and push the ache out of his head. Suddenly flashes of images and broken dialogue began running through his head. Some were of girl a little older then him with her hair in a bun covered in blood lying on a wooden floor, a silver heard man with an everlasting evil grin, a busty woman laughing with bottle of saké in her hands, an elderly man with no hair and a very long beard with a wooden cane in his hands, people dressed in black carrying swords, large creatures with masks killing people, a large dragon made of ice and water, two people with orange and red hair yelling at each other, and an elderly woman who looked very kind and smiled at him.

A few words started to come into mind but they were jumbled and made no sense. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut to try and block everything out. Suddenly it all came to a halt. Were those memories? If they were, some of them he wished never to see again like the girl covered in blood. He had a feeling that he was close to her even if he didn't know who she was currently. His mind then drift back to the last image he saw.

"Granny…" Ryu said under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Sesshoumaru asked a ways off.

"I think I remember something. I think I had a grandmother but…" Ryu tried to focus on her image. "I'm not too sure and there was this girl a floor she was bleeding heavily. Then there was a man that had a grin that never faded from his face and it looked so hateful."

"This just started to come back to you?" Sesshoumaru said, walking back over to him and set a small slightly wet bamboo container next to the boy. "Drink this."

Ryu lifted his head a little and grabbed the container. It was fresh water. It managed to get the bile taste from his mouth.

"Arigato," he said setting it back down and put his head back.

"Anything else?" Sesshoumaru asked, standing over him.

"A bunch of jumbled words. Like a strange chant or… I don't know…" Ryu said, putting a hand to his throbbing head. "My head hurts and the more I think about it the worse it gets."

"Then don't. Get some rest," with that Sesshoumaru left the boy's side again.

Ryu heard him walk off and sit down not far from him. He closed his eyes again. So after pushing those thought aside about the grinning man and someone who might be his grandmother he went back to what the demon lord had told him. He might be able to teach him how to communicate with his zanpakuto. If he could do that then he would be able to learn how control it. Finally he wouldn't feel like such a burden on Sesshoumaru-sama.


Morning came and went bringing a hot afternoon sun with a dry heat. The sounds of noisy insects filled the hot air only added to the summer ambiance. Renji and Ichigo sat under a large shade tree, picking at their food a bit. The heat wasn't doing much for their appetite this afternoon. They didn't want to go anywhere but they had to keep looking for the young captain of Squad 10.

Deciding he had enough Renji folded up his food and put it up. Ichigo did the same not long after as he grabbed his pack and they both stood up. They started to move on down the road again. With any luck they'll run into a village with an inn so they could rest for a day or so. They've been camping for a few days now and that had gotten old, fast.

They would stop once in a while under a tree to rest. It was under one of these shade trees that they heard something that they wished they hadn't. The sounds of people screaming followed by the familiar howl of a Hollow. It wasn't that far up the road. They grabbed their belongings and ran towards the location. They gripped their Zanpakuto as they drew closer.

They could start to see the Hollow's large form looming in the trees. It was a big and ugly one; practically frog like but boney. It lunge at something on the ground. There was a scream followed by what looked a Quincy arrow just missing it. This didn't look good.

When they got there they could see the ground was soaked in blood and the cries a woman pierced the air. They could see the hollow pinning down a female Quincy pushing the life out breath by breath. There was no way she could draw her bow to defend herself.

"Get your hand off of her," Ichigo shouted, coming right at it, his Zanpakuto drawn. I hope Zangetsu can cut a Hollow in this form. I never did come up with a release for it.

The blade made contact with the Hollow and cut it easily enough. The Hollow pulled his large boney arm back and howled in pain. Renji came in behind Ichigo and pulled the young woman out of the way. When he had pulled her far enough back he noticed another dead Quincy on the ground. A man not much old than her. They looked to be in the late 20's. The man's soul didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. Did the Hollow eat him?

"I'll be right back," Renji said, setting her up against a tree. "I'll take care of you then."

"Don't," she said weakly.

"Don't what? I've got to go," Renji said, looking at her, pulling out his Zanpakuto.

"You can't defeat it like that," she said, looking at Renji. "That sword won't harm…"

"I'm betting it will. Now just sit tight and don't move," he said, running off towards Ichigo and the Hollow.

"I can't exactly fight like this," Ichigo said, seeing Renji heading his way. "Is it always this hard to fight in these stupid gigai?"

"I wouldn't know I always ditch mine when I fight," Renji said, blocking an attack. "But—ugh—but currently given the circumstances we can't exactly get rid of them."

"Why not? We can't fight like this," Ichigo said, ducking out of the way from a whip like tongue. "Hey, let's see if we can get Frog Boy here to get tongue tied."

"What?" Renji asked, looking rather puzzled.

"You know, let's get his tongue wrapped around all these trees and bushes and then when he can't move we go for the head," Ichigo said and Renji looked at him like was an idiot.

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard," Renji snapped, thumping Ichigo in the back of head.

"Well, I'm out of ideas and you're not throwing in any suggestions," Ichigo snapped, nearly getting hit by a large webbed hand. "YIKES! That was a little too close!"

"Fine but I doubt that's going to work," Renji snorted, running off. "OI! Frog Legs, over here! I bet you can't reach me from all the way over here! Nah- nah!"

The Hollow turned around to face Renji who was mocking him. He opened his mouth and released his large tongue at the redhead. Renji ducked out the way but just barely. This Hollow's tongue was wicked fast. Renji quickly turned around a tree and the tongue was still right behind him.

"Over here, Frog Breath! You can't touch me," Ichigo called out and the long tongue then reached out for him.

The taunts and the teasing continued until the long super tongue fell sort of hitting Renji in the back. Renji turned around to notice the struggling tongue trying to reach him. Well, huh, stupid plan actually seemed to have worked. Taking notice Ichigo went in for the first blow. He came down and knocked out on the Hollow's hind legs sending it to the ground, screaming. The Hollow found out all too quickly that he couldn't pull his tongue back in. Renji came in for the last blow. With Zabimaru in hand he brought the blade down on the Hollow's mask, breaking it.

In only a few short seconds the Hollow vanished completely. They doubted that they would be this lucky again. Having now finished what the Quincies had started they sheathed their Zanpakuto. Renji quickly rushed back to the woman with Ichigo right beside him. She was barely awake.

"Hey, you need to stay awake, okay," Ichigo said, patting her on the side of her face. "If you close your eyes you're not opening them again. You need to stay awake."

"I'm not the best at it but I can try," Renji said, getting down on his knees. "I'm not sure if it will work or not."

"What are you doing to do?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm going to try my hand at a healing spell," Renji said, putting his hands over her worst wounds.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ichigo said, looking at Renji. "Your Kido skills leave much to be desired."

"Shut the hell up you don't even know Kido so don't even lecture me about it," Renji bit back, before turning back to the woman. "Hold on. Just give me a minute to remember the incantation."

"D-don't even try…" She said, looking bitterly at him. "I would rather die with the honor of a Quincy then live with the shame of being saved by Shinigami in human skin."

"Don't be stupid," Ichigo snorted at her. "One of my closest friends is a Quincy and I've helped him out a lot of times and he does the same for me."

"I don't think that really helps," Renji replied.

"I can try, can't I?" Ichigo bit back.

They just stared at each for a couple moments before remembering the dying woman. Ichigo quickly got up and pulled out all the bandages he could and some ointment to put on her wounds. She had lost a lot of blood and he doubted he could do much with the limited amount of equipment he had.

"We're just trying to help," Ichigo said, picking up one of her arms to clean it. "This may hurt."

"I don't wish to be saved by Shinigami. I don't know how you mask yourselves so well as humans but you're still nothing but dirty Shinigami," She bit out, pulling her arm away from Ichigo. "Just leave me here to die and be gone."

"We can't do that," Ichigo said, grabbing her arm back. "Now please, let me at least bandage you."

"Leave me alone, are you that stupid?" she retorted, trying to pull her arm back but this time Ichigo kept a firm grip on her. "Let go of me! I'm going to die even if you try to save me! You know that, don't you, so why even bother? What's the point?"

"The point is we tried! A life is a life, you got that, woman?" Renji said, pointing a finger at her. "We obviously don't care that you're a Quincy to us you're just another human. Another life! We'll at least get your wounds covered if nothing else and we'll be done with you!"

She shut up after that as the two Shinigami cleaned and bandaged her wounds the best they could. They couldn't stop the bleeding and she was slowly going with each breath she took. When they finished they packed up their things but didn't leave.

"What are… You waiting for…?" she asked.

"You being a Quincy your soul will attract another Hollow. We're going to do a Konso to make sure you don't become another meal for a Hollow," Renji stated with a snort. "Is that so hard to understand?"

"Whatever…" she replied dully.

"Whatever my ass! Listen here you! Don't just brush this off like you don't care! My mother was eaten by Hollow when I was small trying to protect me for that bastard! I have to live with that fact! I'll never see her again and being some Hollow's dinner isn't a good way to go," Ichigo bit out. "So get off your high horse and let us help you!"

She took in a staggered breath as she looked at Ichigo. He obviously wasn't lying when spoke about his mother. She slowly let the breath back out. She could feel a little more life drain out of her. Her eye lids started to feel heavy and her body started to feel cold. Her breathing was becoming shallow. Soon her body went limp and her lungs stopped mid breath.

Renji reached out and shut her eyes the rest of the way. They heard the rattle of a chain as her soul stood up out of the body and looked at the two men still sitting on the ground. Renji got up and drew Zabimaru again.

"This will be painless," Renji said, holding the hilt towards her face. "You have anything else to say before I perform the Konso?"

"What are your names?" she asked, looking at Renji.

"We can't tell you that," Renji said.

"Then will you do me a big favor?" she asked as Renji cocked an eyebrow.

"I guess, what's this favor?" Renji asked.

"Go up the road a little ways. You will find our camp there you will find my—children," she said quietly as Renji and Ichigo looked dumbstruck. "Could you please take them to their grandparents that's just a two days trip from here. We were headed there when this happened."

"Why didn't you tell us that earlier," Ichigo asked, getting to his feet. "Are they Quincies too?"

"The eldest is but my other child lacks any ability," she stated, hanging her head low. "My husband's parents will take care of them."

"Why the sudden change in heart?" Ichigo asked as she set her dark blue eyes on him.

"What you said about your mother. My husband was already eaten and one day I'd like to be able to greet my children again considering their father can never do so," she said, taking Ichigo's hand. "Please, I'm begging you. Do me this one favor."

"Yeah, sure," Ichigo said as she turned to face Renji.

"I'm ready now," she said, looking at Renji.

Renji just nodded and tapped the end of the hilt to her forehead. A soft blue light surrounded her as she slowly slid downwards into it. Soon the light faded and a single hell butterfly was all that remained.

"Well, that's that," Renji said, putting Zabimaru away and grabbed his pack. "Let's go find those kids and get them home. At a village we might be able to find a lead on the Captain."

"And maybe a place to sleep for a night," Ichigo moaned, following after Renji.

"I welcome that," Renji said as they headed down the road keeping an eye and ear out for the two kids. "Hey, kids, where are you?"

"Do you honestly think they'll answer?" Ichigo said, looking around. "They may be hiding."

"Shut up, look there's smoke. My bet it's a campfire," Renji said, picking up his pace with Ichigo right behind him.

They hurried to the camp but no kids. They looked around and didn't see anyone. Where could they be hiding. They better not have run off. They didn't feel like tracking down a couple of kids in this heat. Suddenly there was a small rustle in one of the bushes. No sooner had Ichigo turned around to look did he see a small Quincy arrow come at his face. He fell over backward just missing the arrow.

A little boy around 8 walked out, holding a Quincy bow with a little girl around 4, clinging to his waist. Ichigo sat up and glared at the kid.

"Little brat! What's the big idea shooting at me for?" Ichigo snapped, getting to his feet and the little boy pointed another arrow at him. "Oi, now, put that down. We just want to talk to you."

"No, you're here to steal from us," he said, taking aim.

"I am not! Your mom sent us over here to take to you to your grandparents," Ichigo said, holding his ground.

"Mama! I want my Mama!" the little girl started to cry.

"Mana, hush! It will be okay. She'll be right back," the boy said, turning to look down at her.

"Kid, can we talk to you without your little sister?" Renji stated, looking at the boy. "You're older and I think you'd understand better."

"Why?" the boy demanded. "Where are our parents?"

"It's about your parents. So, please, just come over here," Renji said, making a come gesture. "C'mon. C'mon, we're not going to do anything to you. Promise."

"You truly promise?" he asked, lowering his bow just a little

"Yes, we do. Now, c'mon over here," Ichigo said as the boy walked over to him.

"Stay right here, Mana," he said, cautiously walking towards the two men. "Why aren't my parents here?"

"We're sorry about your parents… Well, they didn't make it," Renji said, keeping his voice low. "The Hollow got to them first."

"That's a lie! My Mom and Dad wouldn't let a Hollow beat them," the boy shouted. "They're tougher than that!"

"Keep your voice down you want to upset your sister?" Ichigo said in a soft voice. "We didn't make it in time to help your mom and dad. We're trying to put this as easy as possible for you."

"I don't believe you," the boy snapped.

"Shut up and listen, kid. When we got there your father was already dead and his soul eaten by the Hollow and your mom was barely alive," Renji snapped, picking the kid up by his haori. "They're gone now and your mom told us to watch after you both and to take you to your paternal grandparents! You got that? We tried to make this easy on you but apparently you just won't listen!"

They boy looked like he was on the verge of tears after Renji's not so subtle attempt at putting the death of his parents gently. Ichigo just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Nice work you want to make the little girl cry too?" Ichigo snapped, hooking a thumb towards the girl.

"Well, he wouldn't listen any other way," Renji said, letting the boy go. "I'm sorry I did that to you but you left me no choice. I didn't want to tell your sister because I don't think she'd quite understand just yet and since you're now the man of your house you needed to know."

"Then why—why isn't mom's spirit here?" he said, rubbing his eyes. "You said she's dead so why… She could have at least said good bye to me and Mana."

The two looked at each other. They couldn't say they were Shinigami the children would never go with them then. They needed a lie and they needed it quick. What to say and how to say it?

"Uh, yeah, when we got there your mom had just defeated the Hollow," Ichigo said, elbowing Renji in the side. "Isn't that right?"

"Oh, yeah, she got the Hollow but she was too badly hurt to go on," Renji said, trying to think of something else. "We bandaged her wounds the best we could, but see then… Uh… There was…"

"A couple of Shinigami that came by after hearing the Hollow's howling off in the distance," Ichigo continued. "Your mom had just died when they got there, you see? So, uh… Yeah and they helped her pass on before another Hollow came after her soul."

The kid looked a little unbelieving. Ichigo and Renji were sweating bullets. What to do, what to do? Renji looked like he was about to say something but it fell short of come out of his mouth. Ichigo having told many a fib to his little sisters was quicker than Renji.

"Oh, but she didn't let them perform the Konso so easily. Oh, no, she put up quite a fight and wouldn't let them anywhere near her!" Ichigo added and the doubt finally started to wash out of the kid's face. "She kept going on and on about her children. That's when she told us to find you and take you to your grandparents."

The boy studied these two in front of them. They didn't look like they would hurt him or his sister. But something kept bugging him about them. Like how did they know about the Quincy, Hollows, and Shinigami the way they did. They were in the loop somewhere but where he wasn't too sure. They didn't have a red spirit ribbon and they had solid living bodies so that meant they were human at least.

"How do you know so much? Are you Quincy too?" he asked as Renji and Ichigo looked at each other.

"Yeees…" Renji said with a nearly fake grin. I can't believe I just called myself a Quincy. My Captain will kill me if he ever hears about this.

"We are just traveling a little incognito at the moment," Ichigo added with a grin, rubbing the back of his head.

"What is 'incognito?'" the boy asked, looking a little puzzled.

"It means in disguise," Ichigo said, biting his lip. "Let say we pack up and get moving."

"Why are you in disguise?" the boy asked.

"Uh, because we… Are in a little bit of trouble," Ichigo said, helping the boy pick up their camp.

"What kind of trouble?" the boy asked.

"You really like to ask questions, don't you?" Renji chimed in and the boy seemed to shut up.

"After we get you packed up we need to…" Ichigo voice trailed off.

The boy looked a little lost. Renji whispered what Ichigo meant. He meant the needed to bury the bodies. The boy looked at his sister and wondered how he was going to tell her that Mommy and Daddy weren't coming back. When they packed up the little girl didn't understand and the boy had yet to tell her.

"Why are we going? Mama and Daddy will come back," she said, not even wanting to leave. "They told us to stay right here, Sosuke."

"Mana, please, come with us," the boy now known as Sosuke held out his hand. "We have to go."

"But Mama and Daddy told us…" she protested.

"Don't fight with me! Just come with us," he barked at his sister.

"But... But…" she began to cry.

"Shut up, Mana! Mom and Dad aren't coming back, you got that?" he snapped at her. His own voice cracked, trying to hold back his own tears. "They're never coming back!"

"And yelling at your sister isn't going to help," Ichigo said, knocking the boy on the head. "You're her big brother you shouldn't do that!"

"But she never listens," Sosuke snapped, rubbing his watery eyes.

"Must be a family trait," Renji muttered under his breath. "Oi, Sosuke, was it? You better tell her or we're going to. We're wasting daylight just stand around here."

Sosuke looked at Renji and then back at Mana. How was he going to tell her? He had about as much tact as this redheaded man did when it came to putting things gently. She understood what dead meant but she didn't quite grab the concept just yet. She was about to understand today.

"Mana, Mom and Dad aren't coming back," he said, trying not to cry.

"Yes, they are!" she protested.

"MANA! They aren't coming back because they're dead!" he shouted at her.

"Wow he's worst that you," Ichigo snorted.

"Shut up," Renji growled.

"Noooo! You're lying!" she yelled back.

"Mana, I'm not—"

"Nooooo!

"Listen to me—"

"Nooooo! Nooooo! Nooooo!"

"MANAAA!"

"NOOOOOOOOO! Waaaah! I—I want my Mommy! Waaa-haaa-haaa!"

"Great job, kid," Renji said dully. "Grab her and let's go."

Sosuke went to take her hand but she wouldn't let him have it. He started to get fed up with her and grabbed her arm but she didn't want to move her feet. She collapsed to the ground and refused to move. Sosuke was just about to drag her along the ground when the man with the orange came over and picked her up off the ground.

"Let's go," Ichigo said, carrying the little girl in one arm and her little bag in the other. "Once we get this over with we'll be taking you to your grandparents."

Sosuke followed after them as Mana cried into the man's shoulder. He didn't want to believe it himself but when he finally got to the site where his parents were it was like the final nail in the coffin so to speak. The man sat Mana down a good bit away and told her to stay put. Sosuke went over to her but she wouldn't have anything to do with him. She just continued to cry, screaming that she wanted to Mommy and Daddy to come back. She understood that dead meant they had left but she didn't know that it meant for good.

Ichigo and Renji worked on making the graves for them as Sosuke watched from a distance. Mana still wouldn't talk or look at him the entire time. After a while the job was done and they went over to the kids. Mana still refused to move on her own power so once again Ichigo picked her up.

"Do you wish to say something to them?" Renji asked, looking at Sosuke.

"What's the point? Dad won't ever hear it and Mom won't either," he stated.

"Definitely a family trait," Renji mumbled. "It's the thought that counts and a way to bring closure."

"Just take us to grandma and grandpa!" Sosuke snapped.

"Don't get huffy with me, kid," Renji snapped right back. "We're doing you and your parents a really big favor. Don't test your luck with us."

"We really are wasting daylight," Ichigo butted in. "Let's get moving along. Do you know which way to get to your grandparents?"

"They are that way," the boy pointed down the road.

"Crap! That's the way we just came from. I told you we should have taken the other fork!" Renji growled out, looking at Ichigo.

"You did not! You instead on going on this path," Ichigo bit back.

"I did not! This was the path you insisted we take!" Renji retorted.

"That's the biggest load of—"

"Do you fight like this all the time?" Sosuke called out to them already up the road a ways. "C'mon, you were the ones complaining about wasting the sunlight."

Ichigo and Renji looked at each other and snorted. They quickly caught up with the 8-year-old and away they went. They hoped that this would be a short 2 day trip.


Night had finally fallen again bring with it a cooler atmosphere. Rain clouds had started to build in the distance flashing and rumbling as they moved closer. Ryu was given a whole day to rest, before following Sesshoumaru out into the woods and away from Rin and Jaken so he could concentrate and not be disturbed. Once sure that they were far enough away Sesshoumaru turned to Ryu.

"This is good enough," Sesshoumaru said, looking at Ryu. "Rest here."

Ryu nodded and sat down on the ground looking up at Sesshoumaru. Now what was he suppose to do?

"It's called Jinzen according to what I have been told," Sesshoumaru said. "Remove your Zanpakuto from your back and set him in your lap. I brought you out here so you can meditate with your sword. Do you know what meditation is?"

"Hai," Ryu nodded.

"Do you know the process of achieving meditation?" Sesshoumaru asked and Ryu nodded, weakly. "Very well. I shall leave you for a while but I will not go far. Concentrate only on your Zanpakuto. It will meet you half way you just have to meet him the rest of the way."

"Understood," Ryu said as Sesshoumaru vanished into the dark woods. "Concentrate only on Hyorinmaru."

He looked around the area slightly before closing his eyes. He cleared his mind of everything but the ice cold sword in his lap. He must concentrate only on Hyorinmaru. Hyorinmaru. The sounds of the distance storm and the insects started to fade away little by little but yet at the same time the distance rumbles only to seemed to amplify his medication farther. Like thunder and lightning was also a part of what Hyorinmaru was.

Suddenly almost like spiraling down Ryu found himself standing in a totally black area with a low lying mist. Lightning flashed and distant thunder rolled around in the air. An overwhelming feeling of power and cold swept over him. He turned around to meet the dragon he had so longed to see. Its red eyes and liquid ice body stood in a proud state. His wings spread wide shining with every flash of lightning. Ryu was in awe at this spirit that resided in his Zanpakuto.

"You are… You are Hyorinmaru."

(A/N Haha long chapter. Longer than I expected it to be. I hope you enjoyed it. I really did work rather hard on this. Please review! Thank you.)

Millie M. Banshee