Hey guys, sorry I'm so late! Lots of stuff has been happening. Junior. Year. SUCKS! Here's a new chapter as an apology. A new chapter is coming soon. Like really soon hopefully!
The inside of Gringotts was just as elaborate as the exterior except a little less… weird. All in all it looked like a normal bank aside from the miniature, pointy eared, men rushing about or standing behind counters that would make even Kenpatchi look small.
"The Grigotts goblins are extremely protective and very thorough in their accounting. No one can get into or out of a vault without a key." Ichigo hadn't realized he was staring until Snape's distinct voice pulled him back to reality.
'Keep your head in the game, Ichigo. Don't get distracted.' Zangetsu told him.
'And you keep to yourself please!' Ichigo sighed. 'I'm a little busy.'
"That's really impressive and all Professor, but I don't have a key." Ichigo shrugged. "Actually, I don't even have a vault."
Ichigo felt Dumbledore's reiatsu suddenly leap as if excited. Ahead of him the professor's once calm steps suddenly quickened and it soon took almost two of Ichigo's strides to keep up with the older man's one. 'Wow, he's fast.' Soon the four of them found themselves at the foot of one of the many podiums. The goblin that stood behind the counter looked down at them calculatingly.
"We'd like to open this young man's vault." Dumbledore stated waving a hand in Ichigo's direction. Snape had stepped aside and allowed the goblin a good long look at Ichigo who was glaring back into the little man's small, creepy eyes.
It only took a moment before the goblin's eyes seemed to grow exponentially larger. The sudden change put Ichigo on edge and once again he wished that he could have been allowed to walk around in Soul Reaper form. Having Zangetsu in hand always made him calm down knowing that if anything went south he wouldn't be defenseless. Now was not one of those times. The goblin backed up out of view.
"What the heck was that?" Ichigo growled. With a flick of his wrist and a glance of his eyes Urahara's face was again hidden by his fan, but his skepticism was evident either way.
"I don't know." He muttered.
"HA! The great Kisuke Urahara is stumped! That's got to be a first!" Ichigo laughed.
"Yes, yes, very funny Ichigo. Now stay alert or I'll tell Kenpachi you're getting soft." Ichigo's sudden laughter went silent.
At this point the goblin had returned accompanied by another goblin who was dressed in a nicer suit and had an even grumpier expression.
"Name?" The new goblin hissed.
"Ichigo Kurosaki."
"Yes, yes, I see. Wait here." The goblin disappeared himself leaving Ichigo even more confused than before. That was until a sudden sound rang through the building. "Would all those desiring the withdrawal of funds please vacate the building."
"The heck…" Ichigo watched as all around them guards moved to escort witches and wizards toward the doors. Many were protesting and reaching for their wands; one man had to be knocked out with a spell in order for the guards to keep from making a scene, and soon the entire bank was vacant except for the four of them.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Snape hissed as the goblin suddenly appeared again but this time at their feet. The bug eyed creature gave the raven a disgusted look before returning his calculating gaze to Ichigo's.
"Follow me." Snape moved to make a comment, as did Ichigo, only for the two of them to be stopped by their respective accomplices.
"It would be best not to cause trouble, Ichigo. Anyways, I don't feel any malicious intent from him." Urahara explained, trying to keep his voice down.
"Yeah, that's because I can't feel a damn thing from these creeps."
Minutes passed and the group was still follwoing the goblin, much to Ichigo's annoyance. Snape had earlier mentioned during their travel that the vaults were below the bank; the lower you got the more high level the security became, but they had yet to take a single flight of stairs. Instead they had been walked through a maze of hallways winding deeper and deeper into the bank until there wasn't a single window or light of any kind in sight. As the halls became progressively darker Ichigo took it upon himself to light the way.
"Sho." Suddenly a small light erupted from his index finger (An1). Hearing Ichigo mutter the Hado Spell Urahara whirled around a scolding on the tip of his tongue. Instead he came face to face with Ichigo's tired gaze.
"Ichigo, what are you doing?!" Urahara hissed.
"Relax! I've been practicing. If I don't give the kido too much energy then it's just a instant flashlight."
"How interesting! Is that Japanese magic?" The Soul Reapers turned to see Dumbledore and Snape staring at them wide eyed.
"Y-Yeah," Ichigo said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously and staring at the wall. "It's supposed to be a destructive spell but if you know what to do with it it can be useful."
"Amazing, I didn't even know that one your age could so easily perform a spell without an incantation. You must tell me of your school's teachings later my boy." Dumbledore mused. "But for now we must keep going. We are getting closer to our destination."
"Finally…" Ichigo groaned. After a while longer in the dark, unending corridors of Gringotts the carrot top teen finally saw some form of light seeping toward them. "Is that it?"
Dumbledore nodded, but remained silent.
As they continued Ichigo began to understand why this particular vault wasn't underground. The vault doors themselves were massive reaching almost a story tall on their own; the metal was polished to perfection so that it shone silver in the sunlight seeping through a small opening in the ceiling; and engraved in the center was a strange symbol written in red and rippling in the sunlight like the lines were inked with blood. The closer he got the more he felt a surge of power rushing through him. A new sort of energy that felt familiar yet, strange at the same time. It pulsed from the vault in a rhythm similar to that of a heart beat; ebing and flowing with renewed strength each time.
"Ichigo, Ichigo." The sudden sound of Kisuke's voice forced Ichigo to step back in surprise and snapped him out of whatever trance he had been in. The blonde didn't stop there though. Instead he pushed further. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, fine." Ichigo sent his gaze back to the doors and then toward the goblin waiting patiently at its base. "Why did bring us here?" For some reason this made the goblin scoff.
"Your people pride themselves on respect and yet you treat me as you would an enemy. Did you not feel a connection to this place when you came into its presence?" He hissed. Ichigo remained silent refusing the give the creep the satisfaction of his response. "Exactly. Please place your hand on the gate, boy, unless you've wasted my time."
"Tsk." Ichigo pushed past the professor's toward the door, ignoring Dumbledore's excited gaze and Snapes suspicious reiatsu. Now at the foot of the door Ichigo could feel the full force of the gate's power. Even just a little farther away than he was now the power seemed to be lessened, here so close that he could touch it the energy seemed to penetrate his very being. Everything began to fade aside from the thought that he had to open those doors. Without thinking Ichigo placed his hand on the smooth surface.
Almost instantly a red light began to radiate from the engraving on the door but he couldn't have cared less.
"Aperi mihi in imperio." The words flowed from his mouth easily, like he had been speaking them all his life. The light began to fade leaving the room in its former, dim, existence. A clicking sound came from the door as the trance in which he was held began to fade. Snatching his hand from the door Ichigo's hand went to his back only to realize that he could not use Zangetsu and he was defenseless. The clicking stopped. The group stood in silence; watching, waiting for something to occur like the miracle they had just witnessed. Instead the doors simply slid open of their own accord. (An2)
Inside sat mountains and mountains of gold, silver, and bronze coins. Jewels of different kinds sat along the walls that were covered in different silks, tapestries, and racks filled to the brim with scrolls and books. The professors were in awe, standing dazed in the doorway as Ichigo and Urahara surveyed the room with skepticism.
"What is this?" Ichigo asked turning to the goblin who was giving him an almost disgusted look.
"This is… the pride of Gringotts. The vault of the long deceased line of Kuro also known as the Wizards Shadow clan. Or so we thought." The goblin begrudgedly bowed to Ichigo. "I will leave you to your own devices, sir."
Silently, he turned and disappeared into the darkness leaving Ichigo with his thought, his awestruck former teacher, his teacher to be, and a very strange old headmaster who appeared to be ready to collapse from excitement.
An1: Sho
Sho is also known as Hado #1. It is the weakest Hado spell but I decided to use it as kind of a sort of Lumos for the story's sake.
An2: Aperi mihi in imperio.
It means "Open at my command." in latin.
That's all for today. I hope you guys aren't too mad. I promise to get the next chapter up ASAP.
