Disclaimer: Not mine, I can wish….but no :(
Setting: After Winter War
Chapter Twelve: Sneak Attack
Note:
Italics is thinking
Bold italics is Ichigo's hollow
11 pm Outside Urahara's Shop
Nanami's POV
The five stood outside the entrance to the Shinigami's shop, hidden by Ami's sword release. There were faint sounds coming from inside.
"My Lady, do you think they are all in the basement readying their plan?" Nanami asked seriously.
"Perhaps, but I do not believe that they will be expecting an attack so soon after Ichi's defection" Hisa-sama said lightly and opened the door slightly to peer in. "the coast is clear, Ichi dear you can lead. Ami remember to keep us hidden until my mark"
Ichi nodded and slipped inside silently, Kaori went after him and Hisa-sama was next followed by Ami and Nanami bringing up the rear. The five snuck through the shop stood around the open trap door. Hisa-sama made a thumbs up sign and Ichi jumped down into the basement.
They all landed silently walked swiftly through the throng of Shinigami, unseen. Eventually they found all the Captains and Vice Captains in a circle near the 12th Divisions equipment. Hisa-sama looked around until her eyes alighted the new member-to-be she gave the others a pointed look and they moved in close to their target.
Hisa-sama nodded to Ami and she made them visible. Nanami lunged forwards and grabbed their target, pulling him against him and pinning his arms. Ichi stood in front of them, facing the Captains and Vice-captains.
"Ichigo?" said one of the Captains disbelievingly.
"Let's remain calm, no sudden moves please" Hisa-sama sang, motioning to the hostage that Nanami was holding. "We wouldn't want anyone to get…injured" she smiled. The Captains and Vice's stood still, many of them thinking how to get out of the situation.
"Ichigo what the hell are ya doing?" Ichi ignored the person behind him. "Ichigo" he growled. Ichi turned to the captured man.
"Following orders" Ichi said monotonously
"Che this isn't you Ichigo, don't kid yourself"
"Renji" Ichi said warningly
"You're jus' running away from ya responsibilities" Renji cajoled with a manic grin. Ichi swung around and held his blade to Renji's neck. "Ya gonna kill me Ichigo?" Renji asked. Ichi looked at him with anger but didn't move. "Che, ya know what ya are Ichigo, s'why ya didn't kill any of us before"
Hisa-sama looked at the pair like one would look at arguing children "I didn't tell Ichi to kill any of you, if I did you would have been dead…I did it to make a point, Ichi is entirely under my control" she said conversationally.
"Ichigo wouldn't let anyone control him…ever" a short black-haired girl said.
"Then I shall give you a demonstration" Hisa-sama said and without missing a beat she looked at Ichi. "Ichi sweetie, you know where the Brachial artery is don't you?" Ichi looked at her questioningly and nodded
"In the arm, it's a major artery" he answered quizzically.
"How long could you survive if it was cut?" she asked sweetly.
"urm…about three minutes, maybe four if you're lucky" Ichi replied, looking slightly more confused. Everyone in the vicinity knew what she was about to ask, most of the Captains looked terrified for Ichi.
"Well, then I have an order for you…severe your Brachial artery…but don't make a sound" she said, Ichi's eyes flashed silver and he lifted the sword to his left arm and slashed harshly across his upper arm. The effect was instantaneous; blood spurted horrifically from the cut before slowing and starting to run down his arm.
"ICHIGO!" the short black haired girl yelled, looking terrified.
"Don't move Ichi dear" Hisa-sama said and he nodded dully, lowering his sword and letting the blood pool beneath him. Renji was struggling against Nanami and shouting at Ichi to do something, stop the bleeding…anything. Nanami felt bad for Ichi's former friends to see him like this, but Hisa-sama had to make a point.
Outside POV
Everyone fell into silence as they watched Ichigo bleed to death; everyone had a horror struck look on their faces. Orihime ran forwards to the front of the collective Shinigami and Humans.
"Please, Please let me save him" Orihime pleaded Hisa as she watched Ichigo dying with an impassive look. She turned to the orange-headed girl and gave her a long look before turning to the Shinigami at large.
"Do you all understand now, I have complete control over him, if I asked him to kill you he would…without hesitating" Hisa looked at Ichigo and saw he was close to death; she could feel it, as could the other three of her servants. They all looked in pain but didn't speak. "Do you understand?" she asked them. The Shinigami nodded and voiced their understanding. Hisa turned back to the girl and nodded to her "save him" she said simply.
The girl rushed forward
"Ayame, Shuno…I reject" she called. Two little lights came from her hair clips and settled over Ichigo's arm. Everyone watched as the skin repaired itself and the blood disappeared back into Ichigo's body. Ichigo just stood still, a statue…a shadow of who he used to be. Orihime finished her work and backed away, standing with the Shinigami again.
"Well, I think we shall take our leave" Hisa said silkily before any of the Captains could start the plan they had been working on. "Ichi, Nanami. Hold Renji will you? Ami get ready for the transport." Ami nodded and drew a circle in the dusty floor before placing her sword in the centre; once it was ready she nodded to Nanami and Ichigo. The two boys hauled Renji over to the sword and made him hold the handle by placing their hands over his. Renji was shouting and swearing the whole way.
"Wait." Hisa turned and saw one of the Captains had stepped forward; he had black hair and a noble air about him. "Why are you taking my Vice-Captain?"
Hisa laughed softly before answering him. "Because he and Ichi are the perfect team" she said gently and walked to the others.
No-one could do anything to stop what happened next. Hisa pulled a hypodermic needle full of silver liquid and plunged it into Renji's neck, injecting the entire contents before pulling it out and grabbing the handle of the sword. She nodded to Ami the young girl placed her hand on top of everyone else's. "Fly, Ayumukagami" she said, and they vanished.
The Shinigami looked at each other. Until someone spoke up. It was Kurotsuchi
"What did she mean? When she said that they are a perfect team?" he asked.
"They are close friends and can work in perfect tandem, in the war they often worked together. Renji's huge Bankai and Ichigo's small one could work together easily and compliment each other well" Rukia said, looking at the spot where two of her dearest friends had vanished.
The Forest Clearing
Outside POV
Everyone arrived in the clearing and Hisa quickly released Ichigo from the control so he could help and then turned to everyone.
"Kaori, please make a barrier a mile wide so our newest member can't escape while my Reiatsu is working through his system. Ami and Nanami go get some wood for the fire and Ichi go catch some fish or deer" Hisa ordered. Everyone nodded and she turned, heading for her cabin.
"Wait" Renji said, "I wanna go with Ichigo." Hisa smiled at him charmingly and nodded
"If you wish to, but remember that you will not be able to stop my control over him, or any of them in fact." Renji nodded, glaring at her before following Ichigo.
"Ichigo?" Renji called, jogging to keep up. "Are ya okay?"
"I'm fine" he answered, smiling a little at him.
"Even after nearly dying?"
"Inoue healed me" Ichigo said.
They reached a small lake that had Koi swimming in, Ichigo picked up a branch and fashioned it into a spear using his sword. Renji did the same and they fished in silence for a minute.
"Ichigo wha' about ya Hollow? Is 'e under her control?" Renji asked hopefully,
"Yeah he is" Ichigo answered as he speared a Koi and put it on the bank.
"We are gonna save ya, ya know" Renji muttered to him, "An' the other three…an' I'll have to be saved now I guess"
"How are the Shinigami planning to do that?" Ichigo asked, casting his questioning gaze to Renji. Renji shrugged,
"Only knew a bit o' tha' plan, the bit where I was meant ta fight ya'" Renji said and caught a fish. The two fell into silence again as they caught fish.
"How does it feel ta be controlled by Hisa then" Renji asked eventually.
"It feels good, I don't feel the weight on my shoulders anymore, I feel kind of…free" Ichigo admitted as they walked back to the clearing with their fish.
"Che, I know it ain't ya then Strawberry, ya aint ever minded being a Shinigami" said Renji gruffly "I hope tha' Captains save us." Ichigo regarded him with a mixture of surprise and hurt, he didn't think he needed saving. But he knew that Renji would see the light soon.
Back at the clearing the group made a fire and cooked the fish. Nanami Ami and Kaori were talking about the success of the mission while Ichigo was listening and chipping in occasionally. Renji just observed from beside Ichigo and listened to them. He was surprised about how happy they were, earlier they had looked in pain when Ichigo was dying and now they were acting as if it never happened. They had either known what Hisa was going to do before hand or they trusted her too much to question her. Renji huffed in an annoyed way, he hoped the Captains could give them back their freedom. He couldn't believe that Ichigo had said he felt free under the control of this woman!
Renji was thinking he should sneak up on Hisa in her cabin and kill her to free them when Hisa came out said Cabin and walked over to them. The change in their faces was astounding; they all seemed to glow with joy at her approach. She settled herself between the two girls, Kaori and Ami if Renji remembered right, and took a plate of fish,
"Tomorrow I would like Ichi to teach Nanami some more swordplay" Hisa started and they nodded, giving each other a grin. "Speaking of swords" she continued and grabbed Renji's
"Hey wha' the heck are ya doing?" Renji said, about to stand but Ichigo grabbed his arm to keep him down.
"So you don't get any idea's Renji sweetheart" Hisa said and placed the sword beside her so she could take it into her cabin later. "That reminds me, Kaori I would like a barrier placed around my cabin. Tomorrow you and Ami will do some more reconnaissance in Urahara's shop if you will." They nodded enthusiastically. "Renji you can either help Ichi train Nanami or just watch, I know you are fully….cooperating with us just yet but you can still try to be helpful." Renji glared at her and took a bite of his fish.
Hisa got up and took Renji's sword as she went back into her cabin with her dinner. Renji finished his fish in silence, ignoring the others. He would just fire a Kido at the cabin…he wasn't very good but hopefully he could put enough punch behind it to break the barrier….Renji yawned…he suddenly felt sleepy. He looked over to Ichigo who smiled slightly at him
"Hisa-sama dropped a liquid sedative over your food when she grabbed your sword" Ichigo explained, "Sleep well." And Renji slept.
A/N: Long delay for this chapter but I didn't know how to do the scene with the Shinigami…it turned out different to how I expected, oh well. Rate and Review, tell me if you think I should change it.
