Ch. 9
Luck of the Soul Reapers
Shit, shit, shit! I've got to get Rukia out of here, but there's practically a platoon of armed suits between us and the exit.
Ichigo noticed that everyone had their attention on the speaker, who was still digging around in his pockets, he quickly thought of an escape plan.
"Hey, Rukia, I've got a plan, follow my lead." He said. Rukia agreed without hesitation; she wanted out fast. Ichigo grabbed a ketchup bottle and quickly covered his arm with the crimson substance, and then he splashed a little water from his glass on it.
Rukia noticed the water making the ketchup look like blood and got a pretty good idea as to what he was planning. The deputy Soul Reaper picked up his glass and looked around, and then smashed the glass on the table, this was followed by a fake scream of pain.
"Mother f***er! That shard got in deep! I better get some help before it gets infected…" he shouted. Rukia collected two cloths and wrapped up the "wound". Ichigo was a bit surprised that she knew what he was planning in her emotional state.
Guess she still knows how to read my mind.
But they didn't even get halfway to the exit before Ichigo bumped into a guy, his arm skimmed across his face as they fell.
"Hey… this isn't blood, its ketchup!" he said while whipping his lips. Ichigo scrambled to his feet, took Rukia's hand, and dashed for the door… only to stop in time to avoid hitting a guy blocking their escape route. The announcer spoke again.
"Here it is; they're both 15, the boy is of average height, has distinctive orange hair, and the girl is rather short, with jet black hair, and unusually purple eyes."
After a few seconds of silence, every patron sprang from their seats and pulled out concealed weapons; pistols, shotguns, SMGs, assault rifles, etc. Ichigo got in front of Rukia (who was scared to death at this point), and scanned the room for an opening… but there was none.
"Well, it's not our fault the food here sucks." He said.
"Being a smartass well get you nowhere, boy. You made a big mistake; messing with one of us." One of the thugs said. Ichigo got a little angry and threw on his trademark scowl.
"Mistake? That pathetic excuse for a human being would've raped my closest friend had I not been there! Besides, he's not one of you anymore why would you care?" he asked.
"It's a matter of principle." A voice from the back said. The owner of the voice made his way into view, he was bald, wore a gray tux, had a thick beard, and lacked his left arm.
"He was a good earner, but that's not the point, it makes us look like a joke having one of our (former) best be taken down by a punk kid." He said. Rukia peeked from behind Ichigo.
"I didn't have a choice, people who screw with this girl behind me get screwed back." Said Ichigo. Rukia couldn't understand how Ichigo could be so brave while being surrounded by weapons that could blow his limbs off, she found comfort in it anyway, and tried to stay as close as physically possible to him.
"Really?" the man asked, "Let's test that!" A guy grabbed Rukia from behind, her scream alerted Ichigo and he spun around to pound the guy, but a second man bashed his head with the butt of his weapon. Disoriented, he struggled to stay on his feet, when his vision came back into focus he saw Rukia struggling to get free from the big guy's grasp, she stopped when the one-armed man aimed a pistol at her face, all she did now was stare fearfully at it.
"Let her go! I'm the one you want, I got him tossed in prison!" Ichigo said desperately. He looked at her, wishing that he wasn't so useless, scared out of his mind that she could be taken from him at any second. Rukia was suddenly taken back to that night in the alley; she remembered the gun, the assailant, how close she came to experiencing pure hell. She thought of what these men could do to her; torture her, kill her, or even…
"You took a good friend from us," the one armed man said, "Now we will do the same to you." He pressed the gun's barrel into her forehead. Ichigo lashed out but was held back by two other guys, the O.A.M. laughed at his pathetic attempt.
"She never did anything to you!" he yelled.
"Don't worry, you will be joining her." Rukia squeezed her eyes shut, and waited for the bullet to blow her head open… but a dozen gun shots suddenly echoed through the room. Bullets soared through the air, breaking glasses, shattering windows, even ripping through a few men. The man holding Rukia took a bullet between the eyes and she fell to the floor along with the corpse, she scrambled to Ichigo as the O.A.M. dived behind the counter. The two Soul Reapers stayed low and pressed up against the wall, Ichigo held Rukia close as relief washed over him.
I don't know what's going on, but she's safe for now, that's all that matters.
One of the doors flew open to reveal Renji with a shotgun, he quickly grabbed a guy and held the weapon to his head.
"Now, unless you want to scrape your pal's brains off the wall; you'll drop your weapons and back off!" he said. Ichigo was surprised and irritated at the same time.
"Are you retarded? They're not going to…" Suddenly, all surviving patrons complied with the lieutenant's demand.
"What are you waiting for? Get Rukia out of here! Go to the parking lot!" Renji said. He didn't have to tell him twice, he scooped the traumatized Soul Reaper in his arms and dashed to the door Renji took.
"No cop uniform this time?" Ichigo asked as he ran by.
"Shut up." Renji replied. Once out in the parking lot, Ichigo caught the sight of someone waving at him, the person shouted for him to come where he was, he complied.
"Get in the car now!" he said.
"Hold on, who are you?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm Packie McReary, I came here with Renji. Now get in!"
Ichigo guided Rukia into the back seat while Packie took the driver's seat. He held her as she began to tremble, surprised that she still trusted him after he was virtually useless. It's not like he wasn't shaken up as well, in fact; being faced with losing Rukia would probably be the most terrifying thing he'll ever experience.
Don't let her know you were afraid; she's got enough to worry about already.
But now he just needed to get her out of harm's way.
"Was that you shooting earlier?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah." Said Packie. "The plan was to create some confusion so your friend could go in and cover your exit."
"I would like to know where you got a weapon like that." Ichigo said, feeling a little uneasy.
"I… uh… made some deals of… questionable legality, I use to be part of the Irish mob in New York City."
"Wow, that makes me feel a lot better!" Ichigo said sarcastically. Packie turned to face him.
"I came to this fine country to get away from all that! But I got into debt with your friends in the yakuza and had to get back into that business to stay alive. I can't just sit by and let you and your friend get caught up in this shit." He got his first good look at Ichigo.
"Uh… is your hair naturally orange?"
"Yes… and no I'm not on drugs." Packie looked down at Rukia, who was frightened half out of her mind from earlier.
"So, this is the infamous Rukia Kuchiki?" he asked. "I imagined she would be a bit taller." If Rukia were herself she would break his legs and threaten to hunt down and torture his family, anyone who joked about her short stature mysteriously turned up in a bunny suit, beat nearly to death, delirious, and suffering from amnesia.
"She's very beautiful, doesn't seem fair for someone like her to go through all this." Packie commented.
"It isn't fair." Said Ichigo. A gunshot made them jump, Renji came sprinting out from the restaurant seconds later.
"Start the car! Hurry!" he shouted as he took shotgun.
"Renji, what the hell happened in there!"
"Just go!" A bullet flew through the back window as they backed out, making Rukia scream. They were out on the main road in seconds.
"It's over, Rukia, we made it." Said Ichigo, trying to calm her down.
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet." Said Packie. Two cars blazed through the street behind them, flashes erupted from their windows with every gunshot. Ichigo pulled Rukia down between the front and back seats while Renji ducked, Packie still had to sit upright however.
These ain't exactly healthy driving conditions!
He turned suddenly as if he thought the car would turn on a dime, faked it hoping they would turn down another street, and went off road a couple times. But their pursuers remained on them like Soifon on Yoruichi.
…...
Orihime got a little worried when she saw police cars speeding ahead of her, the turn they took up the street went to the restaurant .
You're being paranoid again, what are the odds they're heading for the restaurant?
When she turned the corner, her worries slapped her in the face; police cars surrounded the place, along with barricades and scrutinizing officers. Without thinking, she dashed towards the cluster.
"Hold it! You can't be here." One of the cops said.
"What happened here!" she asked.
"There was a shoot out here, a lot of bodies, that's all I know."
"Was any of them a teenage boy with orange hair, or a short girl?" she asked, heart racing.
"No." She sighed in relief, she couldn't forgive herself if they got killed because she screwed up.
But… where are they now?
….
Being chased by psycho mobsters in a car that smelled like a dead donkey wasn't exactly Ichigo's idea of a good time. He and Rukia were still down between the seats, well under any bullets piercing the air above, but it did nothing to help Rukia feel safe.
What are the odds of running into those guys? Why does this have to happen to her? Will we ever get a f***ing break?
The gun fire stopped abruptly at the sound of a car being crushed.
"Hey, Packie! What the hell is going on out there?" he asked.
"I don't have a clue!" Packie said in disbelief. He just witnessed one of the cars get tossed away by some invisible force, not along the road… but into the air… as in it would land at least a mile from the road. Suddenly, the roof of the other car caved in as if a truck fell on it, killing the unfortunate passengers. The car launched into the air like the other one.
"Packie, what-" Ichigo was interrupted by an all too familiar howl.
Oh shit!
He lifted is head and looked out the back window, flying after them was a particularly terrifying looking hollow; like all hollows it sported the hole in its chest, its skull mask resembled that of a pterodactyl's, lethal claws on the ends of powerful arms and legs, a whip-like tail, large bat wings, and the body was black as death with red streaks going down the limbs.
Rukia and Renji saw it too, Packie couldn't see it however. The hollow let out a shriek that mercilessly tortured the Soul Reapers' ears, the car windows shattered and Ichigo shielded Rukia from the raining shards. He suddenly felt like tipping when he heard the sound of concrete cracking, the shriek had caused an earthquake that made the road split into teetering fragments, the one they were on tipped like a ramp. The car launched off the edge of the "ramp" and was struck in mid-air with one of the hollow's claws, making the right side cave in and sending it flying. It crashed on a rooftop, and tumbled across kicking dust and rubble in the air, until finally coming to a halt on its wheels.
After coming out of a daze, Ichigo quickly scanned the interior; Renji was bruised pretty good but still able to walk at least, Packie's right side was screwed up pretty bad due to his side of the car caving in from the smash, plus he was unconscious, and Rukia was still in one piece (thanks to him) but was now scared out of her wits.
"Hey, you're going to be okay, Rukia. Don't panic." He said. "Renji, how's Packie?"
"He's not going to make it if we don't get him to a hospital." Said Renji. "I can carry him, but I don't think I'm in any shape to fight now."
"Take him and head for the stairwell, I'll take care of Rukia" Said Ichigo. Renji didn't want to leave her, but he couldn't leave Packie here to die; he owed him. After they all got out of what was left of the car, the lieutenant ran ahead carrying Packie while Ichigo guided the short Soul Reaper at pace. Just after Renji entered the stairwell, the hollow appeared from nowhere and blocked the two Soul Reapers' path.
It swung its tail and sent Ichigo skidding across the roof, leaving Rukia vulnerable. The hollow approached her as she backed away, its eyes pinned her, steam flowed from its gaping every time it exhaled, and saliva dripped down the skull mask's beak. Rukia was now at the very edge of the roof, she turned and saw a long drop that could kill her. Her breathing quickened as she began to panic, the hollow's jaw was now filling up with an intense light, it reared back and an orange mass of destructive spirit energy fired from its mouth. The formless mass exploded as it seemingly reached her, sending flaming rubble in all directions, smoke concealed anything within the flaming blast.
Suddenly, the smoke was swept away by the swing of a huge cleaver blade, one with the hilt wrapped up in a cloth. Rukia was without a scratch; in front of her was Ichigo as a Soul Reaper.
"I'll make you regret doing that!" he said to the hollow. The corrupted soul took to the sky and fell into a dive bomb, Ichigo launched himself like a cannonball at it. Just before they collided, he swung and sliced deep into its side, the force of the swing sent it plummeting into the streets below with blood gushing out of the wound. Rubble and dust kicked up where it crashed, Ichigo landed gracefully on his feet near the wounded demon. But when it rose again, there was no sign of the cut he left.
Hold it, didn't I cut him? I saw Zangetsu connect perfectly! How is he not bleeding now?
"I know what you're thinking, Soul Reaper." The hollow said. "You're wondering how I healed myself so quickly, it's a little gift from Aizen."
"I take it you're another one of his experiments?" asked Ichigo.
"I'm the best of them… besides the Espada of course. I am Kiryu."
"I don't care who you are, you're still just another hollow." He raised Zangetsu in front of him. "You're going to pay for trying to kill my friend." Kiryu's wings glowed with an orange light as his eyes flashed with anger.
"I'm not just another hollow!" he shouted before firing another blast. Ichigo dodged it with flash step and dashed for the hollow, he swung but the blow was blocked by a claw.
How could he block me when I was using flash step?
He leaped sky high before the other claw could skewer him. While in the air, he unleashed a Getsuga, Kiryu fired an orange beam which obliterated the attack and slammed into Ichigo, launching him to the side of a building. The hollow soared towards him as he was stuck in the wall. At the last second, Ichigo jumped out of the wall, leaving Kiryu to slam into it. He sliced the hollow as he fell, sending him into an even faster plummet. He landed on his feet however, and fired a beam at Ichigo as he fell. The deputy Soul Reaper held Zangetsu in front of him defensively, making the beam deflect elsewhere. Kiryu sidestepped before he could fall on him, once he landed, Ichigo lunged but was blocked by a claw again. He used flash step to get behind him but was rewarded with getting nailed in the face by the whip-like tail, sending him into an arch through the air followed with a skid across the concrete. Kiryu charged but Ichigo quickly got back on his feet and unleashed a Getsuga, the blast flew straight and true, colliding with the hollow and knocking him back.
Rukia watched the fight from the rooftop, worried that Ichigo might actually get killed. She never saw a non-arrancar hollow as intelligent and cunning as this one before, but Ichigo was still holding out despite his injuries.
Please… don't die, Ichigo. I need you!
Ichigo leaped onto a light post before a wounded Kiryu could skid into him. The hollow got up and fired another energy blast, Ichigo jumped off the post to avoid it, but quickly realized where it was heading now that he moved.
"Rukia!"
He used flash step to get on the roof and in front of his friend, the blast nailed him in the back, making him drop to his knees and cough blood. Rukia's heart leaped as she looked at her wounded savior, steam flowed from his burnt back as he breathed heavily.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. This is nothing." He said after a few seconds. One look at her told him she wasn't convinced. Reluctantly, he flashed stepped back down to the street, and faced Kiryu once more.
"So, that pathetic excuse for a Soul Reaper means a lot to you, doesn't she?" the hollow asked. "It would be a shame if she died in a tragic accident."
"What do mean by that? What the hell are you up to?" Ichigo asked. In the blink of an eye, Kiryu pounced on Ichigo and pinned him down. The hollow glared up at Rukia and began charging a powerful blast, Ichigo struggled to get free but no dice. Rukia's mind shouted for her to run but her legs wouldn't move, it was as if she was trapped instead of Ichigo. The light within Kiryu's jaws grew brighter and more intense every second, Ichigo could feel the heat faintly.
As he struggled, he felt less weight on his sword arm, he concentrated on freeing that. The hollow reared back his head as the light reached its peak in intensity, just as he fired, he suddenly shrieked out in pain as the massive Zangetsu sliced off his left wing, sending blood all over the pavement and freeing Ichigo. Kiryu's energy blast went a bit below its target, impacting beneath the roof and making the ledge crumble. Rukia turned and ran but the crumbling ground caught up with her, soon she was falling with random rubble and screaming. Ichigo flash stepped up the opposite building, launched himself off, soared between falling rubble, and caught Rukia. They crashed through a window and tumbled a couple seconds before Ichigo slammed into a wall.
After coming out of his daze, he looked out the window and saw Kiryu crawl into a portal to Hueco Mundo. Rukia buried her face into his chest and trembled, today's ordeal has taken its toll on her. Ichigo held her close, ignoring the pain from his wounds.
"I said you'd be okay didn't I? I'm sorry it turned out like this."
