Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater

Arc I: Genesis

Chapter 11: Finally, They Met!

"What was this feeling just now? I sensed as if that female Vasto Lorde is somewhere around. If her Mask remnant is here then she might not be far enough, I must continue looking for her." Sesshomaru murmured to himself and then headed in the direction from where he was sensing several Gillians.

"I have to be careful; he almost caught me this time but it seems that I managed to retreat at the right moment… however, where is he going? I can sense a large number of Gillians that way, I must pursue him." She whispered while rushing in the same direction in which Sesshomaru had left.

Head Captain's chamber, Squad 1 building, The Soul Society…

Genryusai Yamamoto was standing in his chamber all alone. He was curiously waiting for those 10 Lieutenant level Shinigamis whom he sent to kill Sesshomaru. Though he already knew the result of their confrontation with the Daiyokai yet he wanted to listen to their experience in order to gain sufficient knowledge about his battle prowess. Suddenly a messenger appeared in the chamber and spoke while bowing down to him, "Sir, the team of 10 Lieutenant Level Shinigamis has returned from World of the Living and they are ready to report." Genryusai responded, "Send them in."

At first, Chojiro Sasakibe entered the chamber following him Marechiyo Omaeda, Izuru Kira, and Tetsuzaemon Iba. Head Captain Genryusai got a bit surprised to see that only a few of them were present to report. "Where are the others?... How dare they avoid reporting in such a serious situation?" Head Captain asked them in a slightly angry tone. "Captain… they are injured… and currently undergoing treatment in the barracks of squad 4." Chojiro answered him.

"I have already received the report of the incident by the surveillance team of Squad 12 but still, I would like to listen to you… tell me the complete truth." Genryusai said while addressing all the four of them. "H..Head Captain, he is very powerful… he defeated us very easily." Omaeda said with great hesitation and fear with his face tilted downward. "The complete truth… Lieutenant, Sasakibe Chojiro." Genryusai said to him in a very strict tone. "Ca..Captain… Urahara-san… and Yoruichi-san… they aided him in the battle and…" Chojiro replied as he was tensed to observe his Captain's anger. "And what?" He asked further angrily. "They are the ones who helped him in traveling to the Hueco Mundo," Chojiro spoke further with an expectation of immense anger from him but for everyone's surprise, he didn't even respond to it.

"Any fu..further instructions… for us?" Chojiro asked in a low voice as he was intimidated by the silence of his Captain. "Yes, all of you are suspended from your respective positions for an unknown period of time. During this time, all of you will be stripped off of your Zanpakutos while none of you will be allowed to use any kind of Kido technique… now leave." Genryusai replied in a cold manner while deeply pondering over the current situation. After listening to his words, all of them left the chamber with great shame and disappointment while looking towards the ground. Genryusai mumbled while looking out from his chamber, "I must do something before it gets out of my hands."

Forest of Menos, Hueco Mundo…

Sesshomaru was continuously searching for that female Vasto Lorde whose Hollow Mask remnant he found recently. And his search seemed to come to an end when he witnessed that she was passing through a group of giant black Hollows who were constantly firing Ceros on her. "These Hollows are much larger in size in comparison of the ones I have confronted so far yet they don't seem to be much powerful. They are nothing in comparison to her in strength but still, instead of attacking them in return; she is simply dodging their Cero beams to escape this area." Sesshomaru mumbled while quickly rushing towards her.

Halibel immediately sensed Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure, "he is close," she uttered while looking here and there. "Stop!" Sesshomaru said to her in a loud voice. "Oh no, he is coming from behind. I must escape quickly," she uttered in a low voice while increasing her speed in order to make him lose sight of her. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was interrupted by the barrage of the Cero beams from the Menos Grandes. Halibel succeeded in her attempt of escaping him as his path got blocked by the giant rocks which fell from the ceiling after it got damaged by the multiple Cero beams. Though the barrage of the Cero beams was unable to get past Sesshomaru's demonic energy yet it proved to be enough to stop him in his tracks by creating immense chaos and disturbance in a large area.

Meanwhile, on the other side of giant rocks, Halibel was unable to leave as she was still wondering about Sesshomaru's intentions. "From his face and his body language, it doesn't seem that he wants to hunt me down but still I must stay alert because he is too powerful and also an unknown being," she mumbled to herself. Suddenly she listened to the loud noise of blasts. It was coming from the barrage of Cero beams which the Menos Grandes were constantly firing at Sesshomaru. "He seems to be trapped by those Ceros but the Menos Grandes also seem to get destroyed one after another, however, he is killing them very slowly, perhaps he doesn't know much about us Hollows," she spoke to herself while standing close to the wall of fallen rocks and then she shouted loudly, "break their mask, stranger… it is the quickest way to kill them."

Sesshomaru was quite surprised to listen to her voice, especially to know that she was still hanging around and moreover, was trying to help him. He didn't reply to her but did exactly what she told him to do so and soon enough he managed to neutralize all the Menos Grandes. Afterward, he walked up to that wall of fallen rocks in order to have a word with her. "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked her. "That is none of your business… now get lost and do not pursue me." Halibel replied in a strict manner and left. "I must find a way to reach her as soon as possible." He mumbled while looking around in order to find a way out.

Now Sesshomaru didn't take much time in reaching close to her once again. He didn't find her but he was sensing her spiritual pressure very clearly and that's how he knew that she was much closer to him than he was anticipating. On the other hand, Halibel was also able to feel his spiritual pressure which was enough for her to figure out his exact direction and location. "Damn! He is still pursuing me and he is too close… I have to do something about him," she mumbled to herself as she decided to attack him.

While he was still trying to find her, suddenly she appeared in front of him by bursting through a wall. She had gathered enough spirit energy to boost her strength and speed to a great extent. Sesshomaru wasn't expecting such a response from her and hence he was caught off guard. The next moment, she pinned him to a wall while the point of her sword was pressing against his throat.

"Why are you pursuing me?" She asked furiously while Sesshomaru released some of his demonic energy and pushed her away from him. "Where is my Tensaiga?" he asked in a cold tone. "What are you talking about? Are you the one who sent those Hollows to abduct my comrades?" she asked with slight confusion but the seriousness and valor was clearly reflecting through her tone. "I have no interest in you or your kind, I am simply looking for my sword which was stolen by some Hollows," he replied in a strict manner. "I know nothing of you or your sword… but why are you pursuing me?" She muttered while wondering about his intentions.

Now Sesshomaru took the piece of her Hollow Mask out of his clothes and asked her while showing it to her, "it belongs to you, isn't it? Those Hollows who stole my sword dropped it nearby me." She recognized that Mask remnant as hers and replied, "I don't know… I really have no idea but it seems that it was all planned because some Hollows attacked me and my comrades a while ago and they abducted them. Suddenly a large number of Adjuchas surrounded both of them and it seemed that they were planning to feast on them. "You are one of them, a Hollow, aren't you? Hence, I can't believe you but I will need you to retrieve my sword." Sesshomaru said while preparing himself to fight against the Adjuchas while Halibel took advantage of this situation and once again fled.

To be continued…