10. Entrance
MOTEL
Ichigo woke up rather early. He looked down at the small woman who lay next to hi, her body nestled under his arm with her head against his chest. He softly rubbed her shoulder and smiled. He had always had fond feelings for her, but they had only kissed once, when they thought they were going to die. Last night, they had given in to their desires...and it was wonderful.
Hmm. My first girlfriend is over a hundred years old...
The thought made him laugh, but he did it quietly so he did not wake Rukia up. The covers were down, revealing their bare bodies. Ichigo gazed at her slight curves and sighed. Now, he would never be able to let her go. If she were to die while fighting Ulquiorra...he wouldn't cope. He would most likely join her soon after. It was a bad thought, but he could not ignore it.
The phone rang on the bedside table. Ichigo tried to reach over and grab it, but soon realised he would have to shuffle over, waking Rukia in the process. He chose to ignore the phone and returned to watching Rukia sleep.
A voicemail message played.
#Ichigo...We-#
The message became indecipherable as white noise interrupted. The crackling stopped every few words, creating a cryptic message.
#Ichigo...We...And...Going...To...Iorra's...As...Me...there...#
Ichigo frowned at the machine and scratched his chin. "Maybe this area doesn't get good reception or something..."
Rukia moaned and rolled over. She clutched Ichigo's chest tightly to the point it Ichigo wince. She started shuffling restlessly and making noises. Ichigo stared at her, dumb-founded. He had no Idea what was happening to her. Rukia grabbed her hair and tugged at it, all the while making noises like a frightened little animal.
Ichigo said her name over and over, hoping it would calm her down, but it did little to help. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and she screamed, her eyes shooting open instantly. She was breathing heavily and sweat poured down her forehead. At some point in her strange fit, she had cried. The tears were still present on her face.
"Ichigo..." She whimpered. She then buried her head into his chest and wept.
"It's okay, you're going to be okay...no-one is going to hurt you. You are safe now." Ichigo whispered soothingly. Rukia looked up at him.
"How did you know it was a nightmare?"
Ichigo frowned. "Because I used to do the same thing. It was about Ulquiorra wasn't it?" Rukia averted her gaze as she nodded. "I knew it. He is nothing like a normal person. He crawls under your skin and haunts you every night! He is a monster!" Ichigo froze. He suddenly remembered the voicemail message from before.
Going...To...Iorra...
Ichigo guessed the real message.
Going to Ulquiorra...
"Shit!"
"What's wrong?" Rukia asked.
Ichigo slipped off of the bed and put his uniform on. He then searched for his gun, but realised it was kept in the gun closet at the station. He turned to his friend with a concerned expression. "Do you have your gun?"
"What? No. We all put them in that closet. Why?"
"Because Renji is going to fight Ulquiorra! If we don't get to him in time...he will die! None of us can take him on alone, we must help him!" Ichigo clenched a fist. "Put some pants on and lets go!"
Rukia slipped into the blue pants which were part of the uniform and as she put her bra on, she was dragged out of the room. "Ichigo! Wait for a second!! I'm not even dressed yet!"
"Just go!! Ulquiorra wont wait for you to put a shirt on, he's probably already set up a trap or something!" Ichigo jumped into the car and forced the engine to roar into life.
"Do you even know where we are going?!" Rukia yelled over the loud growls of the engine.
"I'm gonna find out!" Ichigo switched on his radio and tuned it to the frequency they all used. He then brought the small speaker up to his mouth. "Renji! Where are you?! Do not proceed until I get there! Do you hear me?!"
#We're already there! If we sit on our asses, they'll just trap us, we have to keep moving!#
"NO!! Don't!! You'll get yourself killed!!"
#I'm not alone Ichigo. The whole force is here, so is Stark.#
"Stark? What's he doing with you?"
#They've taken Lilynette. And um...have you heard the news today?#
"What?"
#I didn't want to tell you...but...your family...#
Renji trailed off. "What?! What happened to them?! Tell me!!" Ichigo screamed into the radio.
#Well...they were...um...I don't know how to say this.#
"Just tell me!! Quit screwing around and fucking tell me!!" Ichigo was becoming very agitated.
#They're dead.#
The car went silent. Rukia covered her mouth and looked down at the floor. Ichigo stopped the car and stared wide eyed straight ahead. His face twitched and his hands tightened their grip on the steering wheel until it snapped.
#I'm so sorry Ichigo...It should never have happened...#
Ichigo started wheezing. His chest rose and fell erratically. Rukia undid his seatbelt and opened the door to let some air in. It didn't help at all. Ichigo's expression hardened and he closed the door and started the car up again.
"Ichigo...are you okay?" Rukia asked quietly. Ichigo ignored her and pressed his foot down hard on the accelerator. The car thundered down the road and twisted sharply around several corners. "Where are we going? You don't even know where Renji is!"
"I'm not seeing Renji." Ichigo murmured. The car turned into a small street which Rukia recognised instantly. It was the street in which Ichigo lived. Ichigo parked the car outside his house. Yellow tape was strung up around it and several marked cars sat in the driveway.
Ichigo stepped out wordlessly and stormed into his house. He tore through the tape and walked into the living room.
The first thing he saw was the blood.
It was everywhere! The walls were coated in it and it had formed crusted puddles on the floor. The carpet was scarlet from being soaked in the life fluids of the Kurosaki family. Isshin sat slumped against a wall. He was covered in jagged cuts and deep gashes. His mouth hung open in an eternal scream and his eyes were wide open.
Ichigo gagged and ran into the kitchen. He regretted doing so immediately.
Yuzu was crammed into the pantry. The door had been ripped off of it's hinges and was scattered in pieces around the room. The sink was overflowing with crimson liquid. Ichigo fell to his knees and screamed.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WHO DID THIS?!! I'LL KILL THEM!!! YOU SPINELESS COWARD!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!"
A senior forensic officer approached him. "So you're Ichigo huh? There's something you need to see." Ichigo reluctantly followed the forensic upstairs. Karin's room was taped shut. Blood had seeped under the door. Ichigo turned away and entered his own room where two more officers were studying something.
One of them pointed to the inside of the cupboard door. A message had been carved into the door and then painted with blood.
It is time to end this once and for all, Ichigo Kurosaki. Meet me at my palace, Las noches, and we shall draw the curtain on our feud. P.S. Yuzu screamed the most!
Ichigo trembled and fell backwards onto his bed. Tears flowed like a river from his eyes.
"Son, do you have any idea who it was that wrote this?" The senior forensic asked.
"Ulquiorra!" Ichigo growled.
"I'm sorry?" The forensic said, whipping out a notepad.
"Never mind." Ichigo rose from his bed and ran from the house. He could not bear to see his family like this. They did not deserve to be butchered like that...no-one did...except for one twisted, pale man who hid in a palace somewhere out there.
Ichigo returned to the car and did not say anything to Rukia. She turned to him and asked what he saw, but the question was not answered.
"Ichigo? Wha-"
"Get out!"
Rukia stared at him as if he had just said he ate children. "What?"
"Get out of the car, now!"
Rukia frowned and placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Ichigo shrugged it off and growled at her. "This is personal! I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want you to see what I do to Ulquiorra!"
Rukia stepped out of the car gazed into his eyes. A brown inferno was lit amidst the whites of his eye. He was more furious than she had ever seen him before. He was not the Ichigo she knew. He was a creature bred for vengeance. She sobbed as the car drove off, leaving black plumes of exhaust smoke behind.
*****
REMOTE MOUNTAIN REGION
LAS NOCHES
Against a rocky outcrop, a gigantic stonewalled complex loomed over the small unit of officers who stood nearby. White sand crunched under their boots as they made their way to the huge building. It truly was a palace. It was so immense that the sun could not reach the area past it, covering the entrance in shadow.
Stark had told them that this was the original head quarters of the Espada, and that they would still be based here.
Renji stopped the group and looked around cautiously. "Does anybody else have a bad feeling right now?" He asked. "I swear I can sense someone watching us."
The others shook their heads and clutched their weapons closer to themselves, hugging them.
They reached an area which had many large rocks and boulders jutting out of the ground. It was almost like a maze of rock. The strange feeling intensified as they came closer. Renji ignored it and continued on. The ground beneath his feet exploded. He jumped back and scanned the area.
Out of nowhere, a large squad of armed soldiers had assembled outside the palace. They wore all black and had balaclava's on, hiding their faces. All were armed with assault rifles and equipped with body armour.
"What the hell?! Who are they?!" Stark asked as he dived behind a large boulder.
"Renji Abarai!" A stern female voice called out. Renji peered around from behind his cover and watched the troops divide and allow a small person walk through. Renji could only make out that she was a woman, but her face was hidden by a balaclava.
"Who is it?" Kira asked, loading a clip into his automatic pistol.
"I don't know...maybe it's-'gasp'" Renji's eyes narrowed. "No...it can't be?!"
"What, Who is it?" Stark asked.
"Soi Fon. Why is she shooting at us?! Why is she siding with the Espada?!"
"Renji.. I know you are there!" Soi Fon roared. "I don't care whether this is a hideout for criminals, it does not change the fact that you have acted against the captain commanders orders. He has ordered me to eliminate you and take back those who you obtained illegally!"
"We won't surrender to you!" Izuru yelled.
"If you won't come back with me, then you shall fall in the same manner as you wretched leader!" Soi Fon aimed her rifle into the air and fired. It was the signal to attack. Her armed troupe charged forwards, yelling and firing at the retreating police. Renji led his group back to the start of the rocky maze. They hid behind the many objects and shot down a few of the first troops to charge into the open. The others learned from the mistake and took cover themselves.
A shoot-out ensued.
Stark growled and leaned out from cover. He fired two shots which took down a soldier each, the heavy bullets penetrating through the defenceless heads of the enemy. He turned back to Renji. "We can't just injure them. It is kill or be killed unfortunately."
"But...these are shinigami. They are the same as me!"
"I am an Espada. Ulquiorra is the same as me, but he has to die! I have no quarrels in shotting that bastard between the eyes! These so called shinigami of yours, are trying to kill you. They don't care for you anymore, so treat them as your enemy. We can't afford to be distracted right now!"
Renji closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then leaned out and shot down one of his fellow shinigami. He looked to Stark who nodded in approval. Then, the to of them rushed out and made their way to the next set of stone blockades. The others followed, but one of them dragged themselves over.
Kira was holding his left arm. It was oozing red fluid. He let go momentarily to hold his gun and fire at the enemy. "This is for Momo!" He unleashed a volley of bullets into the troops, taking down several of them in the process. His good arm was hit by a spray of enemy fire and he dropped his weapon. He gritted his teeth as another shot hit his knee. He dropped to the ground and winced.
Both sides failed to notice the pouring rain which had been soaking them during the whole battle. They were so focused that the weather had no effect on them.
Izuru blinked out the rain and coughed. Renji helped him to his feet and handed him his gun. The two looked at each other for a moment. Kira's expression said all that was needed. His pleading eyes had a fierce rage behind them.
"I won't make it far..." Kira said, frowning. "I want to go out with pride. I shall take out as many of them as I can!"
Renji bowed his head and sighed. "Very well. You deserve a warriors death. See you Izuru. It was a fun ride."
"Yeah...Renji, just promise me one thing."
"Sure."
"Make sure you kill every last one of these bastards! Too many people have died. This has to end!"
"Don't worry. I promise that by the end of the day, the Espada will be erased and this place will be knocked down! I'll kick Ulquiorra's corpse an extra time for you." The two shook hands and then Kira limped out into the war zone. Before he could even pull the trigger, he was shot twice. He bravely stood his ground and returned fire, screaming curses at them.
Soi Fon appeared from his side and brandished a punching dagger. She drove the blade into Kira's side and then wrenched it out, causing a large gush of body fluid to flow out from the wound. Kira glared at her as he fell.
"I never...really...liked you...Soi Fon!" He snarled as blood pooled around his lips.
"That's good then. The feeling is mutual!" Soi Fon unleashed a burst of fire from her rifle directly into his chest. Kira as flung backwards and hit a large rock. As he dazedly looked around, his vision fading, he lifted his gun.
Soi Fon glared at him and fired into his arm. Kira ignored the pain and continued to hold the pistol, despite his hands shaking fiercely. He struggled to aim as black splotches crossed his vision. He pointed the barrel at Soi Fon, but she ducked behind a boulder before he could glance off a shot. A trio of soldiers ran up to him, ready to finish him. Kira looked up to the sky and roared.
"THIS IS FOR YOU MOMO!!!" The deafening sound of gunfire made him wince. He managed to fell two of the soldiers, one was not going to get back up. The other would be down long enough to be easy prey for the others. The third came down upon him and slammed the butt of the rifle into Kira's skull. He began to cry red tears and he turned to Renji who was taring wide eyed at him. Kira lifted a weak arm and saluted his friend, just before the barrel of a rifle was pressed into his temple. The rain got in his eyes and he was blinded by the droplets and the spreading black waves.
Momo...Renji...everyone...I have failed...but we will win in the end! Our sacrifice will not be in vain!
Goodbye...finish the job for me...
'Boom'
*****
Rukia walked alone to the Urahara shoten. The doors were open before she even got there. Kisuke leaned in the door frame.
"So...Ichigo found out did he?" He asked.
Rukia stopped dead in her tracks. "How did you know?!"
Urahara looked up from the shade of his hat so that his eyes were clearly visible. They looked rather weary and stressed. "I was the one who called the police. I rang Renji as well, but I didn't want Ichigo to find out."
"But they are his family! He has a right to know!"
"True, but Ichigo is currently mentally unstable. This news will affect him far worse than if we had waited until this was all over. Now he is unreliable and reckless. He knows Ulquiorra was behind the attack so he will stop at nothing to slay him. We have lost Ichigo, he will not listen to us anymore...that is why you must do something for me..." Urahara's gaze bore straight through her.
Rukia's eyes narrowed.
*****
INSIDE LAS NOCHES
Ulquiorra watched the battle unfold outside. It appears that a tactical response team had intercepted the Karakura police and were engaging them in combat. Ulquiorra saw it as a welcome surprise. They would weaken the already inferior police and then he and his last bastion of troops will finish the job.
"Today, luck is on our side." Ulquiorra whispered over his shoulder.
The man standing behind him stepped back as if his detection had hit him like a hammer. Ogichi looked around nervously. "I took care of the royal highnesses family."
"Did you remember to clean up afterwards?" Ulquiorra asked. He already knew the answer but it had to be asked.
"No. I redecorated the house with their insides! And I left that message you asked for." Ogichi smiled and leaned forward expectantly. He assumed praise was in order.
"Well done." Ulquiorra said blankly without so much as a hint of any emotion. "It seems that lab subjects are more useful than I thought."
"What?" Ogichi snarled. "You may be the commander in this, but remember that we are one and the same Ulquiorra!"
The pale demon turned to face his subordinate. "Are you challenging me?"
Ogichi glared at him and looked down at the floor. "No."
"Good. Now tell Menoly that I want a word with her. You may leave." Ulquiorra walked back to the large screen. Ogichi stormed off.
In a few minutes, Menoly came into the large room and looked around like it was her first visit there. "You asked for me?"
"Yes. I see that you set off the charges in time. Congratulations. You have proved yourself to be far better than your former friend."
Menoly wanted to defend Loly, but she realised now was not the time. "Um...thank you."
"I want you to go to the battlefield. I want some of those officers left alive for myself, but those armed forces are threatening that. I want you to deal with them. And also..."
*****
OUTSIDE
Renji called out over the deafening thunder of gunshots. He commanded his men to withdraw for now. Soi Fon's punishment force was overpowering them, with extra numbers and extra firepower.
The small group ran backwards, still facing the enemy while they found cover further back.
Kiyone looked to her sister and frowned. "Isane, please stay here." She said sternly. "You wouldn't be able to fight these guys...and we need you alive to heal us afterwards, so stay here where it's safe." Isane opened her mouth to protest but she saw Izuru's body out of the corner of her eye and she lost the words. She sighed and sat against the cracked rock they hid behind.
"Kiyone...don't get hurt...please..."
"Sure. I'm tougher than I look!" Kiyone forced a brave smile as she ducked out to unleash a short burst of automatic fire. Judging from the screams which followed, her shots hit their targets.
Matsumoto shrieked as her arm was struck by a heavy bullet. She was thrown backwards and gritted her teeth as the pain tore through her.
Renji walked over to her and stared at the wound. "Will you be okay?"
"I don't know...I...ow! I can't move it!" Matsumoto looked down at her wounded arm.
"Shit! Where's Ichigo and Rukia?! They should be here by now! We're pinned down and totally outnumbered! We're completely fu-" Renji was interrupted by a series of loud screams from the punishment forces ranks. The gunfire stopped and Soi Fon's voice was the only noise over her soldiers agonised wails.
"Retreat!! Retreat!!"
Renji peeked out and saw the punishment force being torn apart by an unseen attacker.
"They're behind the door! Shoot the door down!!" Soi Fon ordered. Her men did as instructed and unleashed a full spray of lead into the wooden door. It splintered and fell inwards as a large spray of blood came forth. A blonde girl collapsed amongst the wooden scraps of the door. She had been the one fighting Soi Fon's army. Thankfully, her sacrifice had made a perfect distraction.
Renji made a signal to advance. His army of four swept across the quiet field and before Soi Fon turned around, Renji was already upon her. He grabbed her by her body armour and slammed her into the wall. Her soldiers all pointed their weapons at Renji, While Matsumoto and Kiyone aimed for Soi Fon. Stark swivelled his large pistol around, changing his target every few seconds. The standoff ensued in silence for some time before the first word was spoken, but it was not from any of them...it was someone else.
"Move." Was all he said. The troops turned to face him and block his path, but the man knocked them down bare handed. He then swiped two assault rifles and proceeded inside of Las Noches.
Renji craned his neck and watched the man go in. "Hey, Ichigo? What are you doing?! Wait up!!" He turned back to Soi Fon and glared at her. "You either join us or go back, but this fight is over between us for now! Got it?!"
Soi Fon scowled and pushed his hands aside. "Fine. Go ahead. You would have died either way, at least now the blood won't be on my hands!"
Renji muttered his thanks as he charged inside. His guards followed close behind.
Renji caught up with Ichigo and turned him around by twisting his shoulder. "Hey! What are you doing?! You said not to go in alone, so don't run off!"
"Let go Renji!" Ichigo's eyes glowed with contempt. "Ulquiorra is mine!"
"Fine, but at least let us help you get to him." Renji pleaded.
"No." Ichigo snarled.
"But...we're the Karakura cops, we're a team!"
"I am no longer in your team!" Ichigo growled. "I am alone in this from now on! Follow me and I will treat you as my enemy!" He shoved Renji aside and trudged off, deeper into the palace of the Espada.
Renji watched his fiery-haired friend march off. His last words had ripped him apart.
"I am no longer in your team!"
It seemed that their alliance had broken...the Karakura cops had disbanded...this was the worst defeat they had ever faced...Just when victory was in reach, they had fallen.
Renji's eyes widened when he remembered Ogichi's words:
"The king will fall from his throne soon enough. As his kingdom falls around him, he will inevitably fall with it!"
Ichigo has changed drastically since witnessing his dead family and has refused help from the others. He has even renounced his position in the Karakura cops! Will he really throw everything away just for revenge?! Will the invasion of Las Noches result in victory or bitter defeat?! What is Mayuri and Nemu doing? Where is Hanataro? Find out in the next action packed installment of Karakura cops 2: Broken shield!
Please review!! I want to know how I am going and whether you enjoy this as much as I do. I also need some extra motivation to make the coming chapters even better! So please write a short comment. Whether is good or bad, it will help more than you think.