A/N: I've put up a poll in my author's profile. Please take a look and let me know what you think on how Destined Fate should end!
I would really like to see your opinions for a possible sequel.
Thank you for the nice reviews and special thanks to The Hollow Inside for the post in my forum and the two of you who have already found my poll.
-- Chapter 11 –Time for the cavalry --
The fire crackled in the fireplace. It covered the place in warm light. Shadows were playing on the figure in his arms. He held the person close to him, adding his warmth to the heat of the fire. Ichigo needed the warmth and he knew it. One arm curled around the waist of the younger one, his other around his shoulders, drawing innocent patterns on shoulders and neck. Renji felt Ichigo leaning against him, snuggling. He burrowed his nose in soft orange hair, taking in the smell.
-.-.-
Slowly Renji opened his eyes...and wished he had not done it. Sleep had been so peaceful, but waking up was terrible. Absolutely horrible! The throbbing pain in his head told him something was not right. He tried to focus his mind.
First, where was he? Second, what was the last he could remember? Third...what could he do to stop the pain?
The first was not as easy as it sounded. Well, he lay on a futon. But he did not remember why. He had gone to bed the night before and could not sleep. He had gotten up and had met Rukia in the living room of Urahara's house. Ah...that must mean he was still at Urahara's.
„Oi Renji, not that I want to complain. It's really nice to take me along when you visit Ichigo. But do you have to drag me with you into your drunken dreams, too?"
Drunken dreams? Ah...
He remembered he had drunk with Rukia... She had asked him something about Ichigo, hadn't she?
Damn!! Zabimaru what did I answer?
„You confessed your undying love for your little strawberry!"
Renji paled immediately.
I did WHAT?!
There was no way he had done this. Not to Rukia. He could not have told her. If she knew... he would be dead. She would tease him to death. Wait, he was a shinigami. That meant he was not alive anymore in the normal sense of the word. Ok.. It would be the end of his existence. She might tell his taichou. Their friends. Urahara. Everyone... and... Isshin... oh he was so dead...
„Oi Renji. Remember how to breathe! Ok, I was just kiddin'. You didn't tell her that you love him. Geez, calm down already. BREATHE!"
Renji's red face slowly returned to its normal color with every breath he took. Belatedly he realized that he had been holding his breath for a while.
What did I tell her?
„Find it out yourself."
Useful as ever.
Renji got up and strolled into the bathroom. Tossing his clothes away, he got into the shower and let himself get soaked with warm water. The warmth flooded his body immediately. It was soothing and made the pain in his head lessen. It reminded him of his dream. The warmth. The comfort. The young shinigami in his arms. He could almost feel Ichigo's hands combing through his hair. Ichigo had liked to play with his hair in that dream. Entranced with the long strands and the black lines of his tattoos. Renji had let him follow the lines with his fingers as far as he could have reach them in their position in front of the fireplace. It had been such a nice dream.
Dream...
Dreams...
What was it about dreams anyway? He had had a lot of dreams lately. Mostly about Ichigo in this dangerous dimension...
SHIT!
„Ah, you finally realized what you have told her?"
And the memories were back.
„Che... she had planned on that, hadn't she?"
-.-.-
It became hard to move forward, but he kept himself up as best as he could. He felt the power that his elementaries were giving him. He could ignore the fever with it. Ichigo knew he could not afford to lose time. He was near. He could feel it. He could see the red string which led him to Zangetsu clearly in front of him. Well, it was the only thing he could still see clearly. His vision was blurring from time to time and he had to pause. Cabu repeated a worried meow every time.
„He's near. I can feel him... soon, very soon..."
Ichigo muttered into his non-existent beard. His words were soon followed by a „meow".
BANG!!
A loud crack. Dust.
Ichigo knelt on the ground. His coat was covered with dirt.
„Wow, amazing reflexes, Ichi."
What...?
Rocks crumbled. The dust settled down.
Ichigo stared at the point where he had been walking only seconds before. Clearly and sweetly a melody sounded through the darkness. It was beautiful. The new chimera in front of him was tall but slim. The elegant figure was deep black. It had human arms like wings. Long black feathers were topped with white. Delicate human legs ended in sharp claws that were forced into the ground. The chimera was singing. Its voice was incredibly rich and nice. The face wasn't human. Ichigo could not classify the species but it was graceful. Long ears were raised proudly. Deep brown eyes stared at him. It didn't stop singing. He could not move. He did not want to move. Such beautiful eyes. Such a nice voice.
But the chimera moved. Slowly. Her movements were only minimal.
„What are you doing?! Fight already!"
What?
„Stupid MEN!"
Ichigo blinked. The amazing creature in front of him was only a few steps away. It exposed its fangs.
A vampire!
Finally his reflexes kicked in. He jumped away. Within a second his zanpakutou was in his hands.
„That was about time, Ichi!"
He took the sword in both hands. Ready to strike.
Yeah... sorry. Let's fight.
„Yeah sure, but use only your left hand!"
What?! Are you crazy? You're heavy!
„NEVER tell a lady that she's heavy! You have to train your left. Your right hand is for Zangetsu, your left for me, got it?"
Ichigo mumbled something inaudible, but took her in his left hand. Again ready to strike. The voice stopped. The chimera grimaced. Its fangs glinted in the darkness. Ichigo jumped forward, brandishing his oversized zanpakutou.
The chimera simply flew higher. Out of his reach. Dashing down, it spread its claws. Ichigo dodged easily. Both chimera and boy danced around each other. Attack and dodge. It was clever enough to keep itself away from the blade.
Ichigo knew that he couldn't do anything against the chimera's strategy of constant attacks broken by the short times it readied itself for another swoop at him. Even if he tried to counter its swoop directly, it would just ram him into the ground. He knew, he did not have the strength for a fight relying on brute force these days.
„Ichi, that doesn't work. Release my shikai form!"
Shikai?
Ichigo had to dodge again. He jumped back.
I thought you already were in your shikai. Like Zangetsu!
„Ichi, how would that look like? An oversized kitchen knife and a little tooth pick."
Ichigo shook his head. Asking himself why he could not achieve anything in normal ways.
„SHINE HIMAWARI!"
His zanpakutou began to glow and change its form. The blade got thinner and longer. The hilt became golden. A few scales reached over to the blade. A blue dragon eye shone brightly. Right under the eye a part of the blade returned and formed a crook. The hilt ended in a long golden tail which curled around Ichigo's waist a few times.
„Wow..."
„Amazing, isn't it?" Himawari sounded very proud.
„... you really like to hug me, don't you?..." He looked down on his waist, where the long tail curled around him like a belt.
If Himawari could have done it, she would have hit him.
„You're lucky that I don't take you too seriously with your fever! Analyse and fight!"
Analyse?
On instinct Ichigo raised the surprisingly light sword up in front of his eyes.
„ANALYSE!"
The blue eye glowed, sending data directly to his mind. Uninteresting things like height, weight and looks. Already known facts like its ability to fly and its singing. But it also covered important things like possible weaknesses. The chimera was attracted to his blood. He reeked of blood, although it was not fresh. Old and dry was the blood on his coat and bandages.
„You can fight with me led only by your mind, Ichi. Concentrate and I could fight alone as long as my tail is touching you."
„With my mind..." He repeated absently.
Meanwhile the chimera got over its shock. The transformation had made it freeze for a second or two. But now it started another attack and shot to the ground.
Ichigo jumped, hardly dodging its claws. But he was not fast enough. The claw hit his arm. Ichigo let go of the hilt. The tail grew and hovered in the air. The eye was still glowing. Ichigo's brown eyes were overlaid with a constant blue gleam.
Blood dripped out of his wound, driving the chimera wild.
„Onii-sama, how could you be so incautious?" Hibana cried in his mind. The elementaries were busy with keeping up his energy. Cabu cheeped worriedly and furiously at the same time, burying itself deeper under his hood.
The vampire-sirene chimera licked its teeth. Dashing down, it cried a triumphant song. In its mind only the smell of fresh and red blood.
„I have a crow to pick with this birdie!"
He grinned and ignored the screams of his elementaries. He watched the chimera dashing down onto him.
He waited.
It gained more speed.
He still waited.
Only a few meters left.
„ONII-SAMA!!"
„HIMAWARI NOW!!"
He jerked at the tail. The blade shot down.
One meter.
Blood splattered. A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night.
Ichigo sank to the ground covered in blood and buried under a vampire-bird-sirene chimera.
„Ichi...don't dare to do something like this again!"
He had caught it flat-footed in its back. But he had been occupied with directing Himawari and too distracted to dodge the last attack.
„This is disgusting..."
„It's your own fault. You should have avoided that tackle."
„Onii-sama, you're cruel! How could you frighten us!"
„Would you be so kind as to let us in on your plans next time, onii-sama?"
„MEOW!"
Ichigo could have sworn that Cabu could hear the comments of his inner world's occupants. Again it sounded like it wanted to agree with them.
Ichigo chuckled faintly.
„Sorry guys... I thought you would know about it, with being a part of my mind and so on.."
„You have to practice. Your technique is quite.. well rough and plain. You shouldn't have jerked at my hilt like you did."
„Er... onii-sama?... How long are you planning to stay this way? You're already drenched!"
And he was. The chimera lay dead on his torso, black blood seeping, still impaled by his zanpakutou.
And the stench was unbelievable!
„Ugh...!"
-.-.-
„Come again?" Renji asked hopefully.
Urahara looked at the only two remaining shinigami in Karakura who sat there on the couch in his living room.
„My, my. I think you heard me quite well. I said gather all volunteers who aren't on duty. My dimension-portal is modified. You have an hour to get here."
Renji pricked up his ears as Urahara had told Rukia.
„Oi, Renji, hurry up. Help me to get them!"
Rukia rushed out of the living room, her mobile in her hand already.
„You'll call the 11th division and I'll call the others. Let's try to get Inoue and the ohters out of school."
„Don't forget to get specialists of sensing reiatsu. Kurosaki-san's reiatsu should be low." Urahara shouted after her. Renji nodded instead of her and followed.
They could get the half of the KIRT (Kurosaki-Ichigo-Rescue-Team)within the hour. Now they were waiting of course for Renji and Rukia. Ikkaku already sat against the house wall as they returned to the shop. Yumichika was next to him on a bench. Their taichou and fukotaichou were on duty or they got lost on their way, who knows. Matsumoto arrived a moment later with Isane in tow.
„Is everyone there? Good, then..." Urahara rubbed his hands.
„Wait! Where are the humans?" Ikkaku interrupted Urahara.
„Their class is preparing a school project. We couldn't inform them secretly."
„They won't be thrilled when they find out."
„They'll forgive us if we bring Kurosaki back home. Everyone ready?"
Urahara stepped over to the machine that he was rightfully proud of. The modified udp. Nobody could have done the modifications this fast.
He activated it and entered some data.
„You're sure that it'll lead us to the right dimension?"
Urahara did not seem to have heard the question.
„Have fun, guys and don't get caught by Hellords."
With these words he ushered the team through the portal.
„Hellords?"
Matsumoto asked Yumichika who walked behind her.
„Ah, you weren't there when Ukitake-taichou informed us. Guys in black coats with a deathly hug. They simply raise their arms and you drop dead supposedly."
„Sounds like some friendly guys."
The portal glowed blueish-white and swallowed the group.
-.-
„Ta da da daa, Ichigo hang in there. It's time for the cavalry!"
Ikkaku shouted as soon as his feet touched the ground of the other dimension. It was dusky, but soon the dimness was replaced by the light of a rising sun. Wait... sun?
„Er...where are we?"
Disoriented, the rescue team looked around.
It wasn't all black and dark. The only gray was shooed away by the sun. A bright green grassland greeted them. In the distance they could see a few trees. Small birds were flying over them.
„ARGH, the idiot with the hat'n clogs sent us to the wrong dimension."
Renji shouted angrily using Ichigo's favorite term for Urahara.
In this peaceful landscape there was no enemy. No chimeras. And not a sign of Kurosaki Ichigo.
-.-.-
Meanwhile said person was back on his feet. Ichigo had cleaned himself by calling some water, but some of the blood and grime was still sticking to him. He had reached a mountain pass. It was small and narrow. Sometimes the mountain reached over his head on both sides. More often than not there was no path to follow and he had to climb.
„Onii-sama? Are you sure you took the correct way?"
Yes, I am... I can...still see the red ... the red string...
He had to pause, leaning against the wall as he stopped long enough to catch his breath.
„Have...to...move..."
Ichigo felt Cabu nuzzling his neck. It changed positions every few minutes.
„Meow, meow?"
„What's up, Cabu? Did you sense something?"
Ichigo asked tiredly and listened to the quiet response of the small chimera.
„Ah...I see... okay, you can fly ahead...but ...be careful."
Cabu crawled from his hood and flew ahead. Ichigo nodded when it stopped midair with a questioning look in its eyes.
He's close. I can sense him.
The end of the way came unexpectedly. He lost his hold on the wall that he had used for support and stumbled forward. With tired eyes Ichigo looked up.
He let himself fall on his butt.
He stared at the image in front of him with disbelief. And then... he started to chuckle quietly.
A huge crystal stood only few steps away. Blood-red and glowing. In it he could see something very familiar. It was a welcoming sight.
„Zangetsu.." Ichigo whispered between his shivers. He could not tell the cause for the violent shivers. His chuckle? Or did he cry? Or was the fever the cause? He did not know, but he did not give a damn about it at the moment. He got to his feet and walked over to the red crystal.
Without a word Himawari appeared in his hand.
„Any ideas on how to get him out of this shit?"
„I would suggest analysing the crystal before wasting your energy, Ichi."
Ichigo nodded and released Himawari's shikai form. Lifting the blue dragon eye to his own, he scanned the crystal. Again data flooded his mind.
I hope he can explain how he got imprisoned like this once we free him.
„Onii-sama...I don't think kidou or a simple slash can destroy the crystal."
Yeah... you're right, Sora. How much power can you give to me?
„You could try my bankai. I'm basically support but my vankai-attack is powerful, too. But you're weak at the moment. I can't promise a success."
I don't ask for a promise. Let's do it.
He concentrated on his reiatsu. Even he could tell that his reiatsu was not healthy at the moment. He felt the energy that was sent by his elementaries and Himawari.
„Ichi? Are you ready?"
„BANKAI!"
Energy swirled like fog around him. As it was gone Ichigo looked down. The force of his bankai had cracked the crystal but it was not destroyed yet. Himawari was now a reversed version of Zangetsu. While Zangetsu was black, Himawari was completely white.
„It seems like I have a fondness for unimpressive looking bankai forms..."
„It's your enemies fault to underestimate you."
As far he could see, only the blade had changed. Nothing else. What he did not see was that his hair color changed to white. But as he looked down to the scratches on his hands...
„Woah... Himawari? Are my scratches healing?"
„That's my power. My bankai isn't visible but powerful. Zangetsu is mainly for fights. And my power is to protect you. Like a healing second skin. And now get the old man out of the crystal. I want to tease him."
You're weird…!
He knew he only had energy for one slash left.
„Make or break!
A crude white beam shot forward. It clanged loudly. The crystal burst asunder. Zangetsu fell to the floor.
„That was about time, Ichigo!"
Welcome back, old man. It's good to see you, too.
-- chapter 11 end --
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