Rebellion
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"You can't be serious!" I blurt out despite the weak shred of hope billowing up out of the darkness in the pit of my soul.
Ichigo just shoots me a look that says 'Well duh!' and flashes a wide grin. He's oddly happy considering Aizen has declared open war in his home town. But I guess that is how Ichigo has always been. Misfortune isn't something to be depressed about. It is merely a challenge, or at least that seems to be how he would put it. If I was as strong as Ichigo I would probably have that outlook on life but surely you can understand why I am shaking?
"Aizen is too strong for us to take on alone!" I groan, trying to deter him for reasons beyond me. Maybe I was afraid my friend was going to get himself killed when we really need him for the coming battle. Or maybe it's just because I'm a pathetic coward and I want him to chicken out as well so that I won't be alone. Fuck it. Either way I'm gonna lose right?
"Alex, of course I know he's strong. The captains wouldn't be on edge if he wasn't. But that doesn't matter. There is bad blood between us and I want to pay him back hundredfold for what he has done!"
"Rukia?" He nods. Lucky guess. Do I get a cookie?
"You know it. You're more than welcome to join me, but whatever you say, I'm still going." I swear to god his optimism is infectious. Even I got bitten by the bravery bug.
"Ha! I wouldn't want you to die alone! I'll have to go with you."
Ichigo chuckles, "Yeah, if we're going to die we might as well die like heroes! We'll cripple Aizen and his invasion force and stop the war from ever happening! And if we happen to fall in battle we'll make sure to take Aizen and his minions down with us!"
"I'm in!" I said without thinking. I don't think I need to think (Confused? So am I) This battle is for everyone. Not just me and my friends. Not just for Rukia. This is for every single living thing in the entire world, Hell even the dead things are counting on the outcome of this battle! If we could at least give our side the edge we need to win then my death won't be in vain. All those times I woke up in a hospital or infirmary because I was too weak, all those times I had to be saved by someone else because I couldn't win...All of it would be worth it for this one moment of glory!
I have to go!
"Any other takers?" I ask with a sidelong glance at my partner in crime.
"Of course. We may have been ordered to stay put but there are more dissenting individuals out there who cannot wait to tear out Aizen's throat."
"So who's coming with us?"
"We are!" a voice carried over my shoulders and sure enough I spun around to meet them. I saw familiar faces among the raiding party. Some were a surprise I must say.
"Wow! This is perfect! We can totally win this war before Aizen even knows what hit him!" Call me over-confident but I need something to take my mind off the terrifying reality of Aizen's unmatched power. I don't dare mention he could take on a couple of captains and kill them all in one fell swoop without even breaking a sweat. That wouldn't help at all. So instead I resign myself to think of victory.
Besides, we've got a good shot at glory with this lot.
A couple of high ranking officers stand before me. A bald guy, a freakish fancy boy, a red-head with unexplainable zebra stripes on his forehead, a lonesome looking guy, a dark-skinned maiden with purple hair, Rukia, Urahara and Orihime.
Sounds like a party!
We assemble by the foot of a great cliff on the outskirts of Sereitei. The strangers all made their introductions since half of us had never met before.
"Ikkaku Madarame, eleventh squad lieutenant." The bald guy. He seems to carry Kenpachi's mannerisms; the two must have been close. But then again I heard that the eleventh squad practically worshipped their captain as a god so I guess his influence could easily rub off on his followers.
"I am Yumichika Ayasegawa, eleventh squad, third seat." The oddball with a couple of brightly coloured feathers jutting out from his eyelids in some kind of weird fashion statement (or maybe he head-butted a bird? I don't know) He seems to lack the aggressive vibe that Ikkaku has, but I guess if he is a third seat then he must be no pushover.
The red-head opens his mouth but no words come out. Instead all eyes fall on the unusual bulge in Ikkaku's uniform. Something bright and pink pops out from his collar and suddenly a small child rolls out onto the grass. She has a white captain's coat but...Surely she isn't...It's just for dress-ups right?
"I'm captain Yachiru! Nice to meet'cha!"
Wait a minute...I remember her! She was the little girl that clung to Kenpachi like a lamprey and hitched a ride everywhere they went. I never expected her to be strong I mean...Look at her. She's a bubbly little girl who barely fits her haori. Her sword even has training wheels! How in the hell does a girl like that make it to be captain? And of eleventh squad no less!
"Betcha I can tell what you're thinkin'!" the girl chirps. In the very next instant that little smiling face is gone and suddenly I feel weighed down on one shoulder. I turn to face her but before I can even glimpse her shadow she is back beside Ikkaku. I rub my neck and turn away, embarrassed, but my hand comes away slick and wet.
It's blood!
Did one of my wounds open up again? But how did-
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Yachiru giggles so innocently as she waves around a rolled up bandage like a flag in a parade, "You're funny!"
"I'm not funny!" I snap, "You stole my damn-" A hand rests on my shoulder and the red-head looks me straight in the eye as he speaks.
"Don't test her. She may not look it, but she is scary if you get on her bad side."
"Yeah..." I mutter awkwardly. As I turn back to face the little demon I realise now that her entire body is surrounded by a slight blazing aura. It is faint but considering she isn't even concentrating... The human zebra was right. I sure as hell don't want to push her buttons.
"Anyway," stripes announces as if he deserves the spotlight, "I'm the lieutenant of squad six, Abarai Renji! And if you're a friend of Rukia, you're a friend of mine!"
I find it odd that for someone who feels so close to Rukia, I honestly have never heard her mention his name before. I guess they must be friends from way back or something but even so you'd think she would drop his name once or twice right? Oh well. He seems just like Ichigo, headstrong, overconfident. That must be Rukia's type, but then what the Hell am I? I'm not really anything like them...I guess I'm just lucky.
I shake hands with Renji and then glance over to the solitary guy standing away from the group. He hasn't made eye contact with anyone the entire time, at least I don't think he has, but half of his face is concealed by a mop of blonde hair so it's impossible to tell from my angle. If he can even see through all that then who knows he might have been staring right at me the entire time.
Either way he senses my gaze and looks up slowly. His eyes are ringed in black and his expression is hard to read, but it's not half obvious he's not in high spirits. "Izuru Kira." And with that he looks away again. If this were a cartoon there would be a little black rain cloud hovering over him. It's not my business to pry but seriously, what is wrong with him?
"We all have unfinished business with Aizen," Renji snarls, "Some of our personal demons are stronger than others." He says this almost solemnly and suddenly the whole mood of our raiding party has shifted. That ray of hope from before just dulled considerably, but at least it is still there...
The introductions are almost over when the lithe woman in ninja barb approaches me. Urahara stands close by and grins wider than usual. I don't really know what he's smiling about but really I don't want to know.
"Yoruichi Shihoin. I'm an old acquaintance of Urahara's. He's told me quite a lot about you. I look forward to fighting alongside you." She smirks as I bow to her and then she pads over to Ichigo and gives him a sidelong glance that makes him shift uncomfortably.
How much have I missed? It seems everyone has some personal history with each other except for me, but then that should be expected when they have all been alive for hundreds of years. If you didn't know anyone by the age of two hundred you are better off dead.
Anyway out of obligation and because I have nothing else to go on, I introduce myself, bowing awkwardly as if I were forced at gunpoint to do so, "Hello, my name is Alex. I hope I won't be a burden on you all. I just want to fight to protect the people I care for. I may not be the greatest swordsman, or have years of training like you do, but you can count on me to watch your back no matter what!"
Their appraising stares make me feel slightly self-conscious and a little guilty that I might not be able to help them that much when push comes to shove. But at least with these comrades we might be able to make a difference in this coming war and save our world. It's all I can hope for and all I can do is keep moving forward.
And so, Urahara begins setting up some sort of gateway in silence. We watch on and some of the others talk freely, but I don't really feel like chatting right now. At best I try and meet the stares of the strangers around me but I don't feel 100% on this. Every single time I think about our chance to be the heroes and save the day before Karakura town is reduced to rubble I just get reminded of the fearsome Lord Aizen and his demonic subordinate, Ulquiorra Schiffer. His minions alone are enough to destroy me; I can only hope the others stand a little more of a chance against them.
Something rubs against my shoulder and of course when you're thinking about imminent death you can't help but jump and panic like a complete idiot. Especially when it's only Rukia.
My outburst surprised her as much as it surprises me and we both stare wide-eyed for a moment before we regain our bearings again. She begins to apologise but I cut her off with my own feeble attempt at saying sorry for scaring her. Renji and Ichigo both watch on with smiles that dig under my skin but I try and keep that fact hidden since this time I really don't need to get on Ichigo's bad side. He's watching my back and I'm watching his. We need to stick together if we are to have any hope in this coming battle.
When the tension lifts a little we all just watch Urahara set up whatever the Hell it is he is setting up. I look to the others for a clue, like I always have in situations I don't understand but even they are somewhat stumped by Urahara's set-up.
Between two large boulders there are now two large poles jutting out. Something is wrapped around the ends making them look like huge cigars and after tying off one end Urahara glances down at us and smiles. Everyone gets the message that it means he is ready and we assemble beneath the poles and watch on once again with child-like awe as Urahara begins his incantation.
"In my right hand I hold the stone that connects the borders of worlds. In my left hand I hold the blade that binds existence. The black haired shepherd, the seat of the noose, a bank of clouds comes, striking us and the crested ibis..." He trailed off and turned his attention to the gap between the poles.
Something is wrong. The air is splintering, cracking as if it were cheap shitty glass. The rift grows bigger and like jaws open up in a great silent yawn and in the next moment there is a black hole in the sky, stretching far between the two boulders.
I'm sure I'm not the only one gawking like an idiot. A quick glance around proves me right, everyone else is standing with their jaws dropped and eyes wide like a toddler seeing fireworks for the first time.
Urahara's suddenly booming voice wakes us all from our trances and brings us back to reality.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Roll up, roll up! Next stop, Hueco Mundo!"
That idiot...
But still, with no other choice we line up and march towards the darkness. There is no turning back now, no time for fear, no time for doubt. We can only move forward...
One step at a time...
