11: Variants of Frustration
Women speak because they wish to speak, whereas a man speaks only when driven to speech by something outside himself--like, for instance, he can't find any clean socks.
-Jean Kerr
Sesshomaru found himself mostly dodging energy as it came at him, it was dangerous to launch a counterattack to a powerful creature he wasn't able to see. Though taking a hit had a chance of extending his senses further by following the scent of blood it was a dangerous gamble if the scent disappeared to this bizarre spiritual world Kagome had told him about. He wasn't about to take a hit on nothing but a speculation of help.
He had to admit that this one was faster and stronger than the one he'd gotten the jump on before. Without the element of surprise he probably wouldn't have been able to catch the other one in his Meidou, this one wasn't even distracted by anything else. He didn't have much of a chance of using the power and instead decided to continue his dodging for now and search for a pattern, it didn't really matter to him if they did this for a while.
Ulquiorra meanwhile was testing himself, surprised at how easily this creature managed to evade something he couldn't see. The reaitsu he put off was on a scale he hadn't felt before, though was definitely at least captain class in level. If not on some tier above even that.
Each of the two weren't really going all out or putting a load of effort in, more like they were sizing each other up - as much as possible in the demon lord's case. The battle didn't have a chance to take a more serious note before Kagome returned.
The high school priestess was heralded by the gentle sapphire glow of her sacred arrow, the projectile cutting clean through the arrancar's shoulder and knocking him away from his next strike at the demon lord. Ulquiorra had to blink at the angry priestess drawing another arrow on his person, that had actually hurt quite a bit but the wound didn't bleed, the energy around it had burned it closed. He started to redirect his attention, moving toward the girl before he found a sudden need to hop back.
Sesshomaru had gotten in front him, his blade barely tracing the edge of the spiritual creature and doing massive damage. The fact that Tensaiga had cut something that brought a cruel smile to the demon lord's face, Kagome's strike had apparently rendered Ulquiorra visible to the demon and he was quick to jump on the new opening, glad to see that his weapon was going to come in handy.
"It seems I've underestimated what it is I'm fighting." the arrancar admitted as he put his own blade away again.
"That's right!" Kagome yelled angrily, still pissed at how she was treated as she loosed a second arrow the creature's way. "I'm tired of everyone taking me so lightly!"
The green eyed arrancar had managed to dodge the shot but was still somehow weakened by the nearness of the purification energy.
"You stupid….man-monster-thing!" Kagome yelled as he started to disappear through a gate to Hueco Mundo, her final shot barely missing the opening to the spiritual world, singeing the bark of a poor tree that just happened to be a causality of a war it had nothing to do with. "…stupid…"
"Feeling better?" Sesshomaru had already returned to normal, as if he could switch his reaitsu on and off as easily as he might flick a light-switch. He was vaguely amused at how angry she was, but had to admit it was nice to be able to see his opponent. "I think you frightened him off."
"Good." Kagome muttered, putting the arrow she'd drawn for a fourth shot away with a small huff. "I am tired of people acting like that. I am capable of defending myself."
'If you'd of fought him alone he would have killed you." Sesshomaru pointed out with a shrug. "Once I was able to see him is when he left…it's good that you can do damage but don't get ahead of yourself."
"Gah!" She pointed at Sesshomaru accusingly. "You too! I shouldn't be surprised. That's it! I'm just gonna go home then, apparently everyone else has everything handled without me."
She huffed again and stormed off, leaving the demon lord to lift a silver brow. She acted so much like the rest of her descendants. He hadn't had the chance to tell her she was one of the long descendants of Rin but then, he wasn't sure he would. As long as he looked after them, that was enough for the demon lord, and it seemed that in this generation he would have quite an interesting job of it at least.
Kagome meanwhile with no idea that she was descended from Sesshomaru's ward from the feudal era stormed into her house and threw her bow and quiver onto her bed. Men, oh how they pissed her off, they all needed necklaces that would face plant them into the ground when she told them to 'sit'. How women ever managed a normal relationship without beads of subjugation she'd never understand.
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The next day school was back to it's usual boring self and Kagome was staring out the window as her teacher was going on about the feudal era and well…in that area she'd always gotten the best marks. Instead distracted with thoughts of the spiritual world and anxious to speak to Ishida after school, she'd noticed he was in class today along with a bunch of the other missing students and was planning to accost him after the day if he didn't talk to her otherwise.
It all seemed to drag on way too long and she did what she could to finish as much of her homework as possible in some of the free time she had. Though when the final bell rang she was out the door and following the blue-haired student from the other day. "Ishida-kun?" She finally spoke up when he didn't acknowledge her right away, ignoring the various whispers coming from the students in his class. She'd already been warned that some of the boys were far too interested in girls than she would consider healthy.
"Yes?" He sighed lightly and pushed up his glasses, his tone close to hostile.
"Can we talk?" She wasn't about to back down. "Man, no wonder this guy is always walking alone…"
"I suppose…I have to be at a meeting for the school paper in half an hour though so this will have to be quick." He lightened the unfriendly tone to a more neutral one once they reached a hallway that was empty otherwise, still walking. "I don't want to give the wrong idea. I'm curious about what they say with you being related to the Quincy but if you are keeping company with the soul reaver's then I don't plan on being friends with you."
"…." Kagome blinked at that reception…why is it everyone was always so mean to her? She didn't do anything to him, he was nice to her the other day. She missed Tokyo, and home, and the feudal era, and friends, and people in general that weren't complete jerks.
She kicked him as hard as she could in the shin and ran off again - it was something she was getting good at in the new town. She was starting to wish she'd of never fallen in the well and her life had never gotten so bizarre in the first place.
"Ow…" He blinked after her as he nearly fell over and caught himself, holding his leg where she'd rammed the toe of her shoe into it. He always got treated so poorly for his honesty, though it was fair enough that she would be irritated she didn't have to assault him. He frowned a little and let her dash away…apparently she could take care of herself as Byakuya was heading to Urahara's as he had left the shop the night before.
He just shrugged a little and did his best not to limp his way to the class where they would be working on the student paper.
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"You say it was another of these mortals with spiritual energy…they do seem abundant here." Aizen observed as he considered the report he was given by his new head arrancar in a library area he was currently settled in, looking over ancient looking parchments. "And another Quincy? They must be breeding for another one to be around. If they are as ignorant as you say they shouldn't pause too much of an issue…don't attack them again unless they are about to get more directly involved. Continue to keep an eye on them however, I don't want another unpredicted interruption."
"Understood." Ulquiorra answered, he still had a hole in his shoulder though it was smaller than when Kagome had first put it there. "I will continue my observations until you give me further orders or it is needed that I step in."
"Good, dismissed." Aizen commented, glancing over to where Tosen was standing nearby. "Are the plans continuing as needed?"
"Replacements have been made as needed but we cannot take many more losses without needing to withdraw." He explained calmly. "They've been ordered to keep themselves hidden and are waiting in the appropriate places, none of them are with the group that was following Grimmjaw."
"Excellent." Aizen nodded with a small smile. "Then we're back on track, we just need to wait until we can open the gates and send the hollows directly into the city…with soul society still repairing and trying to fix the damage to the squadron setups they shouldn't be able to interrupt in time. It'll give us the chance to complete the ritual."
"If that is what is needed for justice then it is a sad sacrifice but one that needs to be made." Tosen nodded seriously. His words those of a hypocrite - but that's what he was so it wasn't too surprising. "I will go and continue to attend to the details."
Aizen nodded lightly, continuing his research for the coming time when he would ascend this pointless world…
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"A priestess?" General Yamamoto considered the story that Captain Kuchiki had given him. "If she holds the power you say then both her training and a watch on her while the Aizen issue remains unresolved would be wise."
"I am honored you agree with me General." Byakuya's head was still down, when it came to his military obligations and the need to show respect he was undaunted from doing so. It wasn't a lack of pride to do his duty after all. "May I assign someone?"
"I would like you to watch her and attend to her training." the older captain said simply, the noble faltering only a moment at the polite order.
"With all due respect sir, with all of the problems happening with the squads wouldn't I be better suited here?" He asked, trying to avoid being sent back to the real world in his own right.
"We have already been considering new people for Captain positions and your Lieutenant can take over your tasks in your absence, it will be a good training exercise for him. Unless you doubt your choice of your subordinate?" The way he posed the question would leave the noble no real choice but to take the assignment he'd been given.
"I have every faith he'll live up to your expectations, I will train and protect her to the best of my ability General." Byakuya replied seriously, head raising again as it seemed it would be the end of the meeting.
"I have another request." The old man resisted a small smile, he could be clever in his own right. "We believe that Aizen is still planning something to do with Karakura Town so I would like you to hunt out any hollows or arrancar you sense during your other training. A low level hold on your powers will be put into place but I request you keep a way to contact soul society on you in the case you need to access your bankai."
"I will do that." Byakuya replied with a nod. "Thank you for your time General."
He left the hallway a little irritated, he had things to attend here and back to the mortal world he would be heading to soon. If Renji screwed anything up he wouldn't have to worry about Old man Yamamoto, Byakuya would kill him himself before that came to pass. He sent a cold stare his Lieutenant's way as he drifted past him in the waiting area and toward where he kept the normal equipment he would take with him back to the mortal realm.
He never noted the fact that Mayuri was eavesdropping, the freak of a twelve squad captain delighted to hear about even more new possible specimen's for study. While the girl was considered under the protection of the squads like those other mortals with Ichigo he was always refused, the creature that had amazing reaitsu in a mortal form was never claimed to be off limits and he was off to prepare how he would bring him in for research…
End Chapter
I jumped around a lot this chapter, but it was a much needed 'omg so much crap going on in different places' chapter. Espically with my leading lady and guy in different places I needed to explain Byakuya's return.
-Aura
P.S. Squee! I love the reviews guys, thanks so much! I feel all…liked and stuff. You make me feel warm and fuzzy! And my deviant art thingy is: AuraRaPhen
