A/N: Here's the highly anticipated chapter 12! :D XDDD Okay, it's probably not highly anticipated, but I promise it'll be way better than chapter 11, which was kinda like a filler...
Let's just get on with the chapter now...
Disclaimer: If my name was Tite Kubo, then yes, I'd own Bleach.
Chapter Twelve:
Where the Rain Left Off
After the initial shock of the moment went away, I ran up to him and gave him a hard punch to the arm. He yelped in pain while I crossed my arms. He glared at me and I asked, my voice quivering slightly, "How...How did you get here?"
He pointed behind him and answered bluntly, "I climbed down the ladder."
I scowled at his response and looked away. "That's not what I meant…" I whispered angrily.
I sensed his hesitance in the silence that followed. Then, I bit my lip and rushed to him. He stepped back, bewildered and expecting an attack. What I did instead was something I would usually never do, although, at the moment, I didn't care. I held him in a crushing embrace and he staggered back so he wouldn't fall. I looked up at him and noticed his amber eyes were wide with shock and he stood there completely frozen. I frowned at his lack of response and buried my face in his gi, my eyes squeezed shut so I wouldn't cry. "Fine...You don't have to answer...I'm just glad...you're okay..." I muttered and I felt him stiffen in my arms.
Suddenly, he burst out laughing. My eyes snapped open and I stepped back with a raised eyebrow.
He snickered, "Kuchiki-san, I know I don't look or sound like myself right now...But I'm Urahara!"
I studied him with disbelief. The Ichigo look-alike seemed to notice my confusion and continued, "Kuchiki-san, I'm in his gigai. If you're also wondering about how I sound like him, I installed a voice chip here." He pointed at his, or rather Ichigo's gigai's, Adam's apple.
I glanced away and muttered, "Why would you want his gigai to sound like him if he already sounds like himself?"
He raised a finger and replied with a small grin, "Well, that chip wasn't put in place for his sake. It was for my own. You see, with this chip in place, I have the absolute perfect disguise. I'll sound like Kurosaki-san, look exactly like Kurosaki-san, and, if I could copy his mannerisms, then to others, it would appear to them that I am Kurosaki-san. Ingenious, no?"
"No. Get out of his gigai and train me," I ordered flatly. I hated to admit it, but the sight of Ichigo, even if it wasn't really him, had brought up my hopes. And now those foolish hopes had just been shot down brutally….
Urahara frowned and refused with his lower lip sticking out, "No! I'll train you, but in his gigai!"
I clenched my hands into fists and snapped, "How is training me while looking like Ichigo going to accomplish anything? Dammit Urahara! Don't tease me like that! You know...how...how much I..." I trailed off, my voice faltering.
He stared at me with sympathy and said, "Look, I know this is difficult for you, Kuchiki-san, but from your reports, it seems that the key factor in regaining your memories is Kurosaki-san. One thing I found quite interesting was that during those moments, you were experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety. If I could put these factors together in your training, I believe it would create a situation where a memory can resurface. What do you say? Would you rather I baby you like Kurosaki-san did or expose your full potential while gaining memories in the process?"
He extended a hand out to me, as if inviting me to choose the latter option. I furrowed my eyebrows with determination and answered, "I'd rather be the strongest I can be than the little weakling Ichigo thought I was."
He grinned, as if he was expecting me to answer this way. "Thought so. Lesson One: Knock off my hat while we battle and you pass!" I raised an eyebrow. He wasn't wearing his striped hat.
"I apologize in advance, Kuchiki-san..." he muttered and his face darkened. I tilted my head in confusion. All of a sudden, his eyes widened and he snapped his fingers, seemingly in frustration.
"Oh! I forgot something!" he exclaimed and turned around. He hurried up the ladder again, bringing a deep, irritated scowl to my features.
The shopkeeper leaped down a few minutes later and I noticed a few things in his hands. He ran over to me and gasped, his shoulders heaving forward as if he had run a long distance, "Sorry...about that...Kuchiki-san…." Urahara was gripping his cane in one hand and his prized hat in the other. "Almost forgot my hat...And my zanpakuto! Whew, what a bad first day that would've been!" He laughed to himself breathlessly and put the hat over Ichigo's spiky orange hair. I blinked and stared at the cane in his hand.
"Urahara?" I called out tentatively.
He asked, still using Ichigo's voice, "What?"
I pointed at his cane. "Um...That's...not...a zanpakuto…."
He glanced down at his hand and shook his head knowingly with a smirk. He held it in front of him horizontally by the hooked end and then gripped the straight edge with his other hand. Urahara slowly pulled and I saw that something shiny was coming out of his cane. I squinted and noticed that it was a sword. Its hilt was the hooked end of the cane and his smirk grew.
"Not a zanpakuto, you say? That, Kuchiki-san, is where you are wrong." He slashed an arc in the air and cried out, "Awaken, Benihime!"
A blast of powerful reiatsu started pushing me back but I stood my ground with gritted teeth. The released katana was strange-looking, probably reflecting the shopkeeper's odd personality. The hilt's grip was black; the end of it curved forward and a red tassel hung from it. It had a U-shaped guard with a flower design on it. I was so transfixed by the peculiarity and strong reiatsu of it, I almost didn't notice when he leaped to attack me. He was just above me when I brought my zanpakuto up with a gasp. I struggled against him and put my hand on the dulled back of my sword. I parried his attack away and he flipped backwards in mid-air. I thrust the blade up at him, but he suddenly disappeared. My eyes widened in surprise but then I remembered that when Ichigo's other personality attacked me last night, he was also able to use shun-po in a gigai. I sensed his reiatsu move behind me and brought my sword behind me to cover my back. As expected, I heard the clang of metal against metal as our swords struck. I whipped around and parried again. I began breathing heavily and scowled. I was tired already?
He skidded back a few inches and regarded me coolly. "Kuchiki-san, you must attack with the intent to kill or you will surely perish in the Soul Society."
I glared at him and complained breathlessly, "Well, when you look like Ichigo, it's really-"
"No excuses, Kuchiki-san. Nothing you think matters will matter once you are in the midst of battle. If you truly wish to rescue Kurosaki-san, I'd advise you to cast aside all compassion, because where you're going, a friendly-looking face could carve up your entire body in minutes," he interrupted harshly.
I scowled at his response. It's not like I didn't know that...I thought furiously. He aimed his katana at me again and rushed forward. I sidestepped and slashed at him. Unfortunately, even in a gigai, Urahara was fast. He twisted to block my attack and then suddenly kicked me in the stomach. I stumbled back, trying to suck in air, but he didn't give me a chance to recover. He stood up and lashed out at me with a blitz of slashes. I was barely able to fend him off, earning myself a shallow cut to the right sleeve of my gi. My eyes widened and I jumped back. I clenched my jaw angrily while he stared at me with a serious expression. I lifted my katana and yelled, "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
I brushed my hand along the cold steel and quickly pointed it towards the ground "Some no Mai..." I tilted it to its side and slashed the air while shouting, "Tsukishiro!"
A large white circle appeared underneath the Ichigo look-alike's feet and he looked down incredulously.
I smirked in victory as ice started to creep up his legs. This was short-lived, however. He disappeared before the pillar of ice shot up from the ground, which now engulfed nothing. I clicked my tongue in disappointment and glanced around, waiting for him to pop up. I wiped my sweaty forehead and tried to slow my quickened breathing. I cursed myself for getting so exhausted so quickly. Suddenly, I sensed Urahara's reiatsu coming to me from the right. I brought Sode no Shirayuki up just in time as his zanpakuto clashed against mine. I was pushed back several inches by his forceful attack when my head felt like it was bursting open. I gasped and faltered slightly, an opening that Urahara took. He tilted his sword and slashed upwards, sending me flying back. My vision was getting cloudy and I was already starting to close my eyes.
No! I can't...fade now...Not in the middle of a battle! I…The last thing I saw was Urahara right above me, aiming his zanpakuto at my heart.
The faint chirping of birds and large oak trees that provided a cool shade surrounded me. My forehead and palms were sticky with sweat and I was gripping Sode no Shirayuki in my hands tightly. My breathing had become shallow through the passing hours, making me grimace. I was waiting with anticipation for something.
My violet eyes flickered to the right when I heard a twig snap. I quickly brought my zanpakuto up and a harsh clang echoed throughout the quiet forest. Our swords were locked together, neither one of us willing to give in to the other. I glared at him heatedly when he started to impel me backwards. He shifted his katana and batted me and my blade away. My back hit a rough tree trunk and I gasped in pain. Sode no Shirayuki clattered noisily some feet away from me. I huffed in frustration as I sat down. I brought up a taut, shaking fist and wanted so badly to punch something. I reluctantly let it fall to my side.
He ran to me, Zangetsu strapped behind him again. He wore an apologetic expression on his face as he approached. "Hey, are you okay? Sorry if I-"
He was cut off when I reached up and kicked him in the stomach. He hunched over while I stood up with a frown. He glared up at me and asked breathlessly, "The…hell? I said I was sorry already…."
"That wasn't for knocking me back. That was for thinking that I couldn't handle fighting you anymore after getting hurt." I brushed off the dirt on my hakama and ordered, "Again! You can't give up on me just because I get a scrape like this!"
The orange-haired fool actually smiled and his amber eyes reflected a newfound respect for me. "Fine...Just don't blame me if you get injured even more..." he muttered, straightening his back.
I went to get my zanpakuto and turned back to him. "Alright, let's go!" I shouted.
We fought each other for a few minutes and I thought I was finally going to beat him when he suddenly kicked my feet from under me, sending me toppling onto the soft earth. I landed in a crunchy pile of dead leaves with a little surprised holler. Ichigo pointed Zangetsu at the base of my throat, preventing me from rising again. He smirked at my furious expression and hefted his sword over his back. He held out a hand to me, which I smacked away angrily.
The Shinigami frowned at me and muttered, "Geez, no need to get so mad..."
"Yes, there is a need for me to get mad. I can't beat you, or even push you into a corner! It's just so frustrating!" I said in a huff and got up. I brushed off the leaves stuck to me and glared at him with rage.
He let out a long sigh and wiped the glittering sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Well, I'm the fukutaichou for Squad 13. What the hell do you expect?" he asked impatiently and ran a hand through his bright hair.
I had no comment about that. I merely scowled and twisted around. "I need a break...It's getting really hot and I'm thirsty…" I announced, glancing around for my water bottle. I had placed it on a nearby rock but now it wasn't there. I raised an eyebrow and looked around the small boulder but I couldn't find it. I whipped around and yelled, "Hey Ichigo! Did you move my water bottle?"
He glanced back at me and I saw a clear plastic bottle in his hand. "No. This is mine, so don't think I took yours," he replied simply and brought the water bottle up above his head. He then tilted it and drained it of its contents. He took a breath and then sat down by a tree. He leaned against the bark and stared up at the canopies of the trees, which were covering the sky. I frowned and wandered around, feeling stupid for misplacing my bottled water. As I searched, I thought, I know I left it on that rock though...I could've sworn-
I finally spotted it by a large berry bush. I furrowed my eyebrows and advanced towards it. I squatted down to pick it up, twisted the cap off, and began to tilt it to my chapped lips when I saw a gleaming pair of eyes peering at me through the brush. I screamed, throwing my hands, and my water bottle, into the air in shock.
I heard Ichigo shout, "Ow!" along with a faint crinkle. I looked back at him and saw him rubbing the top of his head angrily. His hair was dripping wet and the plastic bottle, now empty, lay next to him. I rushed over to him and tried to hide myself on his right side. I squatted, gripped his shoulder, and buried my face into his sleeve.
He jerked his shoulder up and shouted, "Oi! What the hell are you doing? Get off of me!" I fell onto my butt as he stood up suddenly. I glared up at him and got up hastily, brushing off the dead leaves that stuck to my hakama.
I pointed to the bush several feet away and screamed, "There was–There was...a pervert in that bush over there! He saw me!"
Ichigo rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Rukia, how many times do I have to tell you that only other Shinigami and Hollows can see us? Besides, you're the only human I've sensed that's had any sort of high reiatsu, so just calm down. I bet the heat made you hallucinate or something. This is why I told you to take a break earli-OOF!"
I socked him in the stomach infuriatedly and he bent over with a gasp. "I am not hallucinating! I saw it with my own eyes! That perverted guy was spying on me! He could've seen us fighting, Ichigo!"
He quivered as he glowered up at me. "What the hell...Stop punching me, midget!"
We argued for a little while before something, or rather someone, popped up next to us. "Hello!" he greeted us in a friendly manner while grinning.
Ichigo got so freaked out, he punched the stranger right in the face. "Who the hell are you?" he screamed, looking like he was going to have a heart attack. I stared down at the odd person's figure. He was wearing a long black robe, traditional sandals, and a weird green-and-white striped hat. He was trembling as he held his nose, looking quite peeved by being socked in the face by someone he didn't know.
"By dabe's Udahada Kisuke..." he tried to say while pinching his nose.
"What?" Ichigo asked. "Speak up!"
The man slowly released his nose and introduced with a bow, "Urahara Kisuke, proud owner of Urahara Shoten, where I sell candy as well as a variety of black market Soul Society goods. I was hoping to advertise my business to the local Shinigami, but I guess you don't need my help." He sighed dramatically as he twisted on his heel and started to walk away. "That's too bad. I could've offered you a place to stay, three square meals a day, as well as the occasional free gigai and equipment for it, all for just 50,000 kan, but I guess you don't-"
"Hold up!" Ichigo shouted, making the weirdo pause.
Urahara glanced back and exclaimed, trying to suppress a smile, "Yes?"
Ichigo scowled as he reluctantly asked, "I…Can I…I mean…." He hesitated and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I think I'll take that offer…Thanks…" he muttered with a grimace.
I glanced at him incredulously. "You mean this whole time you've been sleeping out on the streets? And how did you get that water bottle if you have no money for food? Did you steal it?" I questioned loudly.
His scowl deepened as he answered, "No, I just go back to my house in the Soul Society, which is really inconvenient as well as annoying…Anyway, I didn't steal this." He waved the plastic bottle in front of my face for emphasis.
I smacked his hand away angrily and murmured, "Okay, okay already…."
Urahara grinned. "Glad we got that settled. Now…about your method of training, Kurosaki-san…" he began seriously.
Training...Wait, that's right! I'm still in training! I thought and the memory shattered like glass.
My eyes snapped open and I gasped. It was at that moment that I noticed Urahara, still in Ichigo's gigai, right above me, his zanpakuto about to plunge itself through my heart. I quickly brought up my katana as a block and his eyes widened in surprise. I put a hand to the blade and shoved him away. I back flipped, which was very difficult to do in mid-air, and landed in a crouching position, panting heavily in exhaustion. The aftereffects of that resurfacing memory had sapped me of most of my energy. I struggled to stand, scanning the area warily in case of an attack.
I felt a slightly suppressed reiatsu behind me and jumped to the right a few seconds too late. The sharp blade grazed my cheek and cut off a little bit of my hair. I whipped my sword around to defend myself just as he swung Benihime at my chest. The tip began to create small cracks on my blade where it had hit it. Urahara narrowed his eyes and I felt his reiatsu rise suddenly. My eyes widened as Sode no Shirayuki snapped in half. I stared in disbelief and he took this hesitation as an opening. He lashed at me with a swift kick to the stomach, sending me sprawling to the ground. I gasped when my back hit the ground and I moved my arm under me to push myself up again. Before I could do so, however, Urahara pointed Benihime at my chest.
I glared at him and gritted my teeth angrily. He stared down at me coolly and muttered, "Kuchiki-san, I'm so disappointed in you. You can barely fend me off and I'm not even trying. When you attack, you're afraid to cut me. When you dodge, you're afraid that the enemy will cut you. When you protect someone, you're afraid that they'll die. Whenever you battle, you reek of fear. That's not good, Kuchiki-san. When you attack, you do it as if you intend to kill. When you dodge, you don't let the enemy cut you. When you protect someone, you don't let them die."
His reiatsu rose even more, and I stared up at him with apprehension. Sode no Shirayuki spoke in my mind then, "Rukia, this fear is not worthy of you. You must calm yourself. While I am broken, I can be healed again. Do you not remember the technique I have shown you?"
I gripped the hilt of my zanpakuto and muttered, "I do remember…."
The shopkeeper tilted his head. "What?" he asked.
I lifted the severed sword, aimed it at his striped hat and cried out, "San no Mai, Shirafune!"
The air became several degrees colder suddenly. Ice gathered at the cut end of the katana and quickly rose to form a blade-like shape. It pierced Urahara's prized hat and the ice began to spread over the cloth. I flung it away and the frozen hat shattered into little pieces. Urahara's jaw dropped and his grip on his sword slackened. I kicked it out of his hand and stood up abruptly. "Looks like I pass then..." I muttered, not able to stop the pleased grin from stretching across my face.
He glanced at me with amazement and then smirked slightly. He clapped his hands and complimented, "Well done, Kuchiki-san! That move was very impressive! I've never seen a zanpakuto regenerate itself so quickly before! Very interesting!"
He exhaled sharply and picked up Benihime with one hand. He turned back to me and announced, "I think we should take a break for now. That memory must have taken a lot of you, yes?"
Suddenly, I felt dizzy and I collapsed onto my hands and knees. My chest felt constricted and my breathing was uneven. I looked up at the shopkeeper and he frowned slightly. "Kuchiki-san, how did you manage to fend me off while a memory was resurfacing?" he asked, a curious air about him. He flicked his wrist and I saw his zanpakuto's hilt transform back into the hooked end of a cane. He slid it back into its hilt as he stared at me, awaiting an answer.
I pushed myself up and wobbled. My head swirled and the next thing I knew, I felt incredibly warm. I blinked and found Ichigo, no, Urahara I reminded myself, carrying me in his arms bridal-style. I blushed a faint pink and yelled, "Let me go!"
He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "What, you don't like me holding you close like this…." He leaned forward and I could feel his breath tickling my ear. "Rukia…" he whispered softly.
My face grew hot and I punched him in the face while screaming, "PERVERT! I told you to let go of me, Urahara!" He dropped me abruptly and I winced when I landed on the hard rock floor. I scowled and sat up slowly. My head was still spinning from the memory earlier.
Urahara rubbed his jaw and whined accusingly, "Kuchiki-san! That hurt! I was just teasing! Geez, I just wanted a hug!"
Then, he sighed and stared at me with a serious mask. "Hm...I won't tease you like that anymore then...Let's take a short break, then we'll fight again." Urahara stretched out his arms and yawned. "Well, let's see how the lovebirds are doing..." he sighed and strolled over to the area where Renji and Sakura were training, if you could really call it that. The last time I saw them, they had been hit by Ururu-chan and were sent flying back about twenty feet. My sweat dropped at the thought and I began to worry. How were they doing? Were they alright?
I put a cool hand to my head, though it wasn't hurting much anymore, and shut my eyes. Suddenly, something cool smacked my forehead and my eyes snapped open. Yoruichi stood over me, holding out the cold can of juice that rested on my head. I took it gratefully and she sat by me, opening a thin can of mango juice. I looked at the label and smiled sadly when I saw it was strawberry-flavored. "Thanks, Yoruichi..." I mumbled and cracked open my juice. I stared off into the distance, sipping it occasionally.
Then I asked, "Where's Orihime?"
She chugged the rest of her juice and crushed the aluminum can in her hand before replying, "She went to go visit her boyfriend. With her unique powers, she shouldn't worry so much about his health, but she left anyway. Ah young love…."
I stared at her. "Okay…So is she done with training? That was short…."
Yoruichi shook her head. "Nope. She's getting pretty close though. She can defend herself and heal wounds simultaneously without getting tired, though tomorrow, I'm setting up targets for her to shoot Tsubaki at."
"Tsubaki?"
She smirked. "Never mind about her. How about you? How's your training going?"
I looked down and replied, "It's going fine. I managed to knock off his hat in battle, which is a start. Urahara's method seems to be working, though I…I'm having a trouble getting used to it…."
She patted my back sympathetically and her eyebrows furrowed, though I'm not certain she noticed. "Yeah…I told him not to do that to you, but he's stubborn…."
"I gained a memory, but it wasn't really an important one…" I muttered and tilted the can of juice up, only to find out there wasn't any more left.
"Hey, it's progress, at least. You should be happy about that, not down in the dumps!" she encouraged, grinning and flashing me a thumbs up.
I gave her a small smile in return. Suddenly, I heard a rather loud explosion and glanced to my right. An enormous sand cloud started billowing up from where Renji and Sakura were training and my violet eyes widened.
Without thinking, I got up and rushed over to them. The dust stung my eyes as I approached and I began coughing. I heard a groan and flinched, squinting into the smog. The smoke cleared and I saw two craters cut in the surface of a boulder, a person fitting inside each of them. As I looked closer, I noticed Renji, the left side of his head gushing blood and covering his face like paint. I took a step towards him when I spotted another figure in the other crater. I glanced over to it and spotted Sakura and a large man behind her. It was Tessai-san! He had protected her from the impact of whatever had thrown her into the rock and was surprisingly unhurt.
I sprinted towards them and shouted, "Are you guys okay?"
Luckily, Sakura was also unharmed and she politely thanked Tessai-san before standing up. She rushed over to my childhood friend, her face contorted with distress. "Renji-san! Hey, are you alright?" she yelled, gripping his arm tightly. He started to stir and he lifted his head. He blinked in a daze and glanced around.
"Ow...That hurt..." he groaned and started to get off of the boulder, holding his bleeding head with a hand. Sakura sighed in relief and looked at me as I came over to them.
"Sakura! Renji! Are you-"
He winced and muttered in pain, "Rukia...stop shouting...My head hurts...a lot…." He glared back at Tessai-san accusingly and asked with irritation, "Hey, why didn't you save me from hitting that stupid rock too?"
A gruff voice taunted, "Aw c'mon, Renji! I thought you were stronger than that! You wimp!"
I straightened and twisted around, glaring at the Ichigo look-alike, a.k.a. Urahara. He was wearing a new striped hat identical to the one I shattered and had obtained his fan from somewhere. He was waving it around and grinning in a very non-Ichigo-like manner. My eye twitched and I heard Renji stutter from behind me, "K-Kurosaki? Wh-What are you d-doing here? Aren't you...you know, supposed to be in prison or something? And why are you wearing Urahara's hat?"
I rolled my eyes and put a hand to my temple, muttering under my breath. I was about to tell him that that wasn't really Ichigo when a warm hand clamped over my mouth.
I struggled but whoever was holding me just tightened their grip. "Now now, Kuchiki-san...Can't have you spoiling the surprise now, can we?" a voice whispered gently in my ear, making me flush.
I furrowed my eyebrows in anger and elbowed him in the stomach. He staggered back, stunned, and I smirked at the stupid expression on his face. "You fool! Stop messing with me, Urahara!" I bellowed as he clutched his stomach.
"Urahara? Wait, what's going on here? Isn't that Kurosaki?" Renji asked, baffled.
Suddenly, Urahara stood up straight and shouted in mock fury, "Hell no! Don't compare me to that guy! He's much sexier and more mysterious than I am! Some even say his very presence makes girls swoon!"
I slapped a hand to my forehead and sighed. My mouth quivered as I tried not to laugh, which was extremely difficult when I saw Renji and Sakura's bewildered faces.
"Anyway," he continued, putting on a serious demeanor, "well done with Lesson One! I was very impressed by your brilliant teamwork! You managed to knock Ururu-chan's hat off! Your movement in your soul form should be easier to move than your normal body, yes? And your breathing should be a lot better too…Now it's time to celebrate with…" He paused to flick open his fan. "Lesson Two: Shattered Shaft!"
I noticed a slow movement out of the corner of my eye and glanced behind them. Tessai-san was creeping up behind them; his glasses shone with an unusual light. He was holding something in his hand and I didn't know what it was until he lifted it above his head. My eyes enlarged as I saw the giant axe swinging down at their Chains of Fate, which were the only things connecting them to their bodies.
I stretched a hand to them and opened my mouth to scream for them to run, but it was too late. Their severed Chains swung limply in front of them and Renji fell to his knees. Sakura dropped to the floor quickly, as if she had been shot.
He put a hand to his chest and choked out, "I feel like…I'm dying!"
The blonde twitched on the floor and let out a gasp of agony. Urahara flashed them a playful smile and exclaimed, "Well, your Chains of Fate have been cut, which means that you can no longer return to your human body. In other words, we've basically killed you."
My childhood friend looked incredulous. "What? You…." His chest heaved and he gripped his shirt tightly as he sucked in a breath.
Sakura looked up at the shopkeeper and mumbled, "Why?"
The Ichigo look-alike simply turned on his heel and pointed his fan to something in front of him. "Shattered Shaft…Go!" he yelled. Everyone craned their head to see what he was pointing at. I squinted but I couldn't see anything. Just then, I heard two piercing screams from behind me and I twisted back around, only to gape at a huge hole that had opened up on the ground where Renji and Sakura had previously been.
They were plummeting down at a fast rate and I peered down in horror. Their screams were cut off abruptly when they crashed into the hard-packed earth about twenty feet below. My sweat dropped when I saw the position they were in. Renji had landed on his stomach and gasped for air. Sakura had somehow ended up sitting on top of him, though she quickly rolled off of him, apologizing so fast that I couldn't really decipher what she was saying. The tattooed man continued silently twitching in pain on the floor.
Urahara went next to me and stared down at them. "Ouch...Renji had a pretty rough trip..." he commented with a faint smirk.
I glared at him, making his infuriating smirk grow. He then shouted down at them, "Hey! Are you alright?"
After a while, Renji yelled back, "Screw you, bastard!"
"He's alright," I answered with an amused smile.
Urahara yelled, "Well, that wasn't very nice, Renji! But let me explain the point of this lesson…." He cleared his throat and assumed a pensive air. "The encroachment of your Chains will begin soon. When it reaches your chest, a big hole will be eaten there and you will become a Hollow."
I felt cold all of a sudden and stuttered, "Wh-What?"
He ignored me and continued, "Don't fret; there is actually a way to survive after your Chain of Fate is cut. But there is only one way. You must become a Shinigami!"
I glanced down and saw Renji get up. "What? But how-" He broke off and looked behind him at his arms. "Hey, what the hell is this?"
I noticed that both Renji and Sakura's arms were being held back by these black straps crossing over them and these weird pin-like items poking out of the straps. "It's Bakudo 99: Kin! I am terribly sorry, but I have to bind your arms until the lesson is over," a low voice apologized and I glanced at the area behind them, only to spot Tessai-san, his fingers folded in a strange-looking manner. I didn't even notice he had gotten down there.
"Try to get up there like that and you two will have the powers of a Shinigami!" Urahara finished with a mischievous smile.
Renji gaped up at him and screeched, "Are you insane? We can't get up there like this!"
The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and said, "I wouldn't waste my time yelling, if I were you...The Encroachment-"
Suddenly, the bottoms of their Chains of Fate had begun to move. On closer inspection, I noticed they had become these tiny, gross mouths that ate at themselves. I put a hand to my mouth to cover a gasp. Their frightened screams rose up and echoed around the hall with an eerie clarity.
I shouted their names and was about to go down and help them when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at Urahara with desperation but he shook his head. He pulled my shoulder with a sense of urgency. "Kuchiki-san, we must go back to training," he commanded in a serious tone.
I glanced worriedly at the two of them before turning around. I gave him a curt nod and followed him back to the training grounds without looking back.
Three days later….
I was lying on my stomach, staring down at Renji and Sakura pacing inside the shaft. My head rested in my tiny hands. I was extremely bored right now. Urahara had paused the training for now to record how our session went in his notebook, like he usually did at around this time. I thought it was a waste of time, but he claimed it would help me gain more memories and that this was "for the sake of science".
I guess it was helping a little; I had acquired two memories, though they were just random flashes of moments with Ichigo. In one, he had taken me out to my favorite ice-cream parlor, where I had dunked my chocolate cone on his head when he called me "midget" for the first time. In the other, we were fighting about my superior art skills. He said they were crappy, while I disputed that they were masterpieces. Our faces had gotten a little too close to each other's, and it was at that moment I realized that I minded. I had looked away, my face flushed, and allowed him to win the argument. I began to notice him more and more until I grew attracted to him. I still don't remember when he felt the same way for me, or how we had even gotten into a relationship, but it's not like I resent that we are.
These memories weren't necessarily important, but it was nice to regain them. It gave me something else to think about, other than Ichigo's imprisonment in the Soul Society.
Suddenly, they paused and lurched back as if they had been punched in the gut. I glanced away, knowing that they were going through their fifth Encroachment. Their Chains of Fate were eating themselves away, and frankly, it was a disgusting sight. I couldn't imagine how painful it was for them. How torturous it must be to know that if you failed to become a Shinigami, you faced certain death, and yet you weren't given the information on how to hone your spiritual powers.
My eyes went back to them when I heard Renji mutter, "So...what was that? The...fourth one?"
"Fifth," Sakura wheezed and scooted back to lean against the rock wall.
"Dammit, at this rate, we're gonna turn into Hollows and die!" he cursed and stood up. I watched with a frown as he continued to pace back and forth, trying desperately to come up with a plan.
After a few minutes, the blonde commented, "That's not going to help."
"I know it's not gonna freakin' help! But I don't see you coming up with any ideas!" he snapped.
"I've thought about how I don't want to become a monster! Renji, isn't it reasonable to be afraid and not know what to do? Because I haven't the slightest idea of how to survive this!" she shrieked and then bowed her head. "It's not like...I want to die…." Her voice wavered and she glared at Tessai-san, as if he was the one responsible for all of this.
He blinked and turned around, his face crimson with guilt.
All of a sudden, Sakura jerked her head up and breathed out, her eyes wide, "Wh-What?"
Renji whipped around, puzzled, then he hastily staggered back and glanced around. "Who's there?" he shouted, his voice rose in slight panic.
The both of them remained frozen for quite some time, which worried me considerably. "Hey, are you two-" I broke off when I noticed their whole Chains of Fate had transformed into those nasty mouth things that ate at each other.
"Boss! They're…They're going through their...Final Encroachment!" Tessai-san yelled in warning.
Urahara, still in Ichigo's gigai, suddenly appeared next to me and I looked up at him in sheer hysteria. "What's happening? Why's the whole chain going at once? And why aren't they moving?" I tossed question after question at him until he bent down and put a finger to my lips.
"Don't worry, Kuchiki-san. They'll be fine," he whispered and gave me a reassuring smile. I frowned and studied my two friends, my eyebrows furrowed with concern.
Then he stood up and shouted at Tessai-san, "Just leave them be, Tessai! Don't use Part Two of the spell! I don't want them dying! They can make it!" He sounded so confident in them that it made me feel guilty that I doubted my friends.
A harsh light pierced my vision and I was blinded by it for a few seconds. I felt an arm ensnare me around my waist and jerk me back at a fast pace. Before I knew what happened, I heard an explosion that rocked the ground underneath me. I shut my eyes and covered my face with my hands, awaiting debris to rain down over me. I heard several crashes and the person holding me pulled me closer, as if to protect me.
The rumbling stopped after a few minutes and I tentatively removed my hands from over my face. The arm was still wrapped around my waist and I glanced to my right. Urahara lay by me, his eyes staring back into mine. I blushed and squirmed out of his hold. I stood up and crossed my arms, glowering at the shopkeeper.
He frowned and groaned, "Is that any way to treat the guy who just saved your life? You're so mean, Kuchiki-san…." He rubbed the back of his neck wearily and coughed as dust coiled in the air around us.
I waved away the smoke impatiently and felt two unfamiliar, yet powerful, reiatsus. I gripped my zanpakuto's hilt as a precaution and silently approached them. The dust cleared and I saw Renji and Sakura lying on the ground. They were both wearing shihakushos and had katanas tied in their sashes. I lowered my hand from my sword, realizing where the strong pressures had come from. My sweat dropped when I saw how they had landed.
Renji was on his back, his head bleeding a bit, and Sakura ended up on top of him, her arms sprawled and her head lying on his chest. He groaned and lifted his head, blinking slowly. He seemed to notice something on his chest and focused his attention there. His face became the same color as his hair and he flailed wildly while screaming, "What the hell! Wha-Wha…Sakura!"
She shifted a bit and glanced up, only to see Renji's face centimeters from her own. Her blue orbs enlarged and her face grew scarlet. "Renji? What…" She glanced down and turned even redder as she discerned where she was. Sakura squealed and quickly lurched off of him.
"How did I get on top of you?" she shrieked, horrified, and then tilted her head. "What...are you wearing?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows.
He pulled at his gi and then sat up, looking down at himself. "Um...It looks like that outfit that Rukia was wearing."
"It's called a shihakusho, Renji," I explained and they glanced back at me.
The blonde waved and gave me a friendly smile. I blinked and returned it somewhat awkwardly. Renji coughed and looked away. I frowned at him. After finding out that he liked me, it was quite easy to see it now. I felt ashamed for not noticing it earlier.
My ears pricked up when I rapid clapping from somewhere behind me. I twirled and spotted Urahara, a faint smile playing on his lips. He congratulated, "Great job, you two! Becoming Shinigami at the last second! That was amazing! Now, on to your final lesson!" He paused and pointed at the swords in their sashes. "You must ask your zanpakuto its name and learn to harness its powers in battle. And when you do, you will have to fight someone to properly grasp these powers…."
Sakura inquired, "And our opponent will be…?"
He smiled slyly. "Each other."
"What?" they cried out in shock.
"I-I can't hurt a girl!" Renji protested, enraged by the very mention of the idea.
Sakura frowned and stuttered, "I-I don't w-want to hurt R-Renji…" Her cheeks became a soft pink and she looked away.
I sighed and explained, "I know you guys don't want to hurt each other, but you're going to have to if you want to fully understand your powers and their potential. To start, you have to get to know your zanpakuto, the katana in your sash, so it can tell you its name."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "These swords have names? And what do you mean by it telling us its name? Just how are we supposed talk to a sword?" he asked and crossed his arms, exasperated.
Urahara stepped forward and inquired, "Well, I'm sure you two heard a voice, probably in your head, while you were in the Shattered Shaft, yes? Otherwise you wouldn't have become Shinigami. That was the voice of your zanpakuto speaking to you. Zanpakuto are part of a Shinigami's soul, the portion of you that seeks battle. They take the form of katanas to aid you. All zanpakuto are unique, as all souls are different. Therefore, these weapons take on distinctive abilities and forms. Did you hear a name at all while it spoke?"
My childhood friend scratched the back of his head. "Well, I kind of heard two voices…They were mean and scolded me a lot…" he reported with a grimace.
The blonde murmured, "Hm…Well, I thought I saw a floating woman with silver hair in front of me one time. She was holding her hand out to me, as if inviting me to come with her. She was singing in a haunting, yet beautiful voice. But when I blinked, she disappeared. Maybe I was hallucinating…."
The Ichigo clone looked genuinely stunned. "Wow...You can already manifest your zanpakuto's spirit...You may be more powerful than I anticipated. And Renji-san, you heard two voices...Twin zanpakuto? Hm...You two...are very interesting indeed..." he whispered and smirked.
Renji tilted his pineapple head. "Huh, how do you know so much about this, Kurosaki? And why are you wearing Urahara's hat?"
I slapped a hand to my face and sighed. Renji was so dense, it was a miracle he made it to high school. Sakura stared at him with a funny half-smile, as if she was restraining a laugh. I could tell she wanted to inform him of who "Kurosaki" really was, but she held it back.
"So, Lesson Three. On you two go. Fight to learn. Learn to fight. While me and Kuchiki…." He strutted over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "We'll be doing our own thing over here…." Then he leaned forward and gave me a short peck on my cheek. My face heated up and I noticed their shocked expressions. Renji looked away as he became pink, frowning deeply.
I froze for a couple of seconds before I punched Urahara in the jaw. "PERVERT!" I screamed as he staggered back with a grunt.
I glared daggers at his fallen form as he shook in pain on the floor. "Ouch...You can really punch a sucker good..." he complimented while holding his bruised chin.
Yoruichi appeared next to him suddenly and socked him in the side of his head. "You idiot! I told you not to play with her emotions like that! Geez..." she chided, a vein bulging on her forehead.
Urahara lay flat on the ground and complained, "Everyone hates me..."
I stared as the shun-po expert continued yelling at him and then circled on my heel. "Well, um...You guys should train now...I think they'll be at it for a while..." I said.
Renji's eye twitched. "Um, so we find out our sword's name how exactly?" he asked with a doubtful frown.
"There's a technique called Jinzen where you can communicate with them and even battle them to learn their techniques. It's not really too hard to do. You just sit with your katana in your lap while meditating. This allows you to go in your inner world, a place in your mind where your zanpakuto spirit lives. Then the rest is up to you," I explained.
Renji looked even more confused than before but simply nodded. "Right, so we'll leave you alone then." He started walking away and waved for Sakura to follow him.
She beamed at me and exclaimed, "I hope we can find out their names before we have to leave for the Soul Society! Or Renji and I will be screwed, big time…."
I shook my head. "You won't be. I'm sure you two are going to find your powers soon enough!" I said encouragingly. Sakura's grin grew a little and she ran to catch up to the pineapple head.
I hope Renji will feel the same for Sakura someday...They seem right for each other...I thought and went back to training with a pleased smile on my face.
The day finally came for us to head to the Soul Society. I was allowed to stay at the Shoten for the five days of training, as well as the week it took to prepare the Senkaimon. Urahara explained it would take about two days to construct the Senkaimon, about three days to charge it with enough reiatsu to channel a way to the Soul Society, and two days to make and install a reishi-conversion device that would help Orihime through.
I found out from one of the maids that my brother had supposedly gone on a "business trip" for a month, so I assumed he wasn't coming back until that time. I gathered my necessities and instructed the servants to keep the house clean, as I would be "coming along" with my brother on his trip; I was just going on a "separate flight" from his. This worked and I've been at the Shoten ever since.
Urahara had called everyone to the shop at around one in the morning to go over a few things. Renji arrived first, followed by Orihime and finally Sakura. Luckily, they had come up with the excuses for their parents that they were coming with me on a trip to the beach, so they were covered for a while. Urahara was in his regular body as to avoid confusion among our rescue party. He had admitted to them a few days ago that he was just disguised as Ichigo, which shocked my dense childhood friend but just answered Sakura's questions.
We gathered in his training hall where he explained how to get through the Senkaimon safely. After that, he said, "Now, I'm relying on an old friend on the other side to shelter you from the other Shinigami until you decide to infiltrate the Seireitei, a place in the middle of the Soul Society where the base of operations for many powerful groups, including the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Stealth Force, are. He's rather...eccentric and has two fraternal twin girls who are currently attending the Shinigami Academy, so I'm sure you won't meet them."
Urahara turned around and said, "I've instructed my friend to put up a barrier I designed to disguise your reiatsus while you stay there, so no one will detect them until you leave. The Senkaimon will connect to his personal Senkaimon, so you'll just be walking into his front yard. Also-"
He broke off when we felt a strong reiatsu above us. I twisted to the ladder to defeat the possible enemy when Urahara grip my shoulder. I glanced back and saw him shake his head. He looked at Orihime and ordered with a tiny smile, "It seems we have a guest…. I suggest you go greet whoever it is out there, Inoue-san."
She appeared to be a bit puzzled but she went to the ladder with a good-natured shrug. My eyebrows scrunched together and I volunteered, "I'll come with you." She grinned gratefully at me as I followed her.
We walked up the ladder and down a long hallway to the entrance of the small candy shop. Orihime slid the front door open and our eyes widened at the figure in front of us.
He was dressed in some strange apparel; his clothes were mostly white, from his shoes to the short cape flowing on his back. He was also wearing a strange navy blue and white glove on his right hand. Orihime beamed and ran happily to him. "Uryu! You came!" she cheered and gave him a massive hug.
He blushed in embarrassment and pushed his glasses up his nose. "O-Of course I did! I can't let you go to the Soul Society without protection!" he exclaimed which made Orihime pout.
"Hey! I can protect myself! I got some training from Yoruichi-san! I'll show you just how much stronger I've gotten!" she protested with determination.
He let himself smile and then seemed to notice me for the first time. He wrinkled his nose at me and declared rudely, "No offense, Kuchiki-san, but your clothes are hideous. Why would you wear such trashy garb?"
"Speak for yourself, you weirdo…" I muttered under my breath as I scanned his clothes.
I blinked and realized that he could see me. I stammered, "W-Wait…Y-You can see me, Ishida?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Of course. I'm a Quincy. I should have strong reiatsu!" he yelled, his chest swelling with a bit of pride.
I stared at him, uncomprehending. "A…Quincy? What's a Quincy?"
Ishida's eyes flashed with anger and he sighed. "We are, or should I say were, a great group of people with strong reiatsu who found a way to completely kill Hollows. We use a bow and arrows made of highly concentrated reishi that we gather from our surroundings. And I…." He paused dramatically to push his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "I am the last Quincy there is…" he muttered and frowned darkly.
I nodded in understanding. So the blue bow and arrow that Orihime described to me a few days earlier was Ishida's power. "What happened to the Quincies? You say you are the last one," I pointed out.
Orihime stepped back and stood next to him. She grabbed at his fingers and he allowed her to hold his hand. She grinned and rested her head on his shoulder. Something in Ishida's eyes flickered and he squeezed his girlfriend's hand for comfort. "Look, Kuchiki, do you want to find out more about me or save Kurosaki?" he asked with a repressed scowl.
I frowned at his words but saw the logic behind them. I guessed it was his rude way of motivating me at the task at hand. I twirled around and waved for them to follow me back to the training hall.
We dropped down the ladder a few minutes later, where Urahara was waiting. "Ishida-san! So you changed your mind about coming with us!" he exclaimed with excitement, his cheesy grin stretching his face.
Ishida pushed up his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "I'm only doing this for Orihime's sake. I'm not fond of Kurosaki, especially since he's a Shinigami. But I'll do what I have to in order to rescue him," he answered seriously.
Urahara nodded and began heading to where Sakura and Renji waited for us. We strayed after him and Renji glanced at us in surprise. "Ishida? Why's he here?" he wondered aloud.
The glasses-toting boy scowled. "What I am here for is none of your concern, Abarai," Ishida spat with irritation. Renji glowered at the other boy and there was an electric tension in the air. I felt my sweat drop as I stared at them.
Urahara shouted from a considerable distance, "Okay kiddies! Now that everyone's here, please focus your attention to me!" We glanced over and saw him standing on a huge slab of rock a few feet away. He snapped his fingers and four paper-covered pillars shot out from thin air, forming a square. My eyes grew huge in surprise. This was the Senkaimon? It looked nothing like the one Ichigo was taken into. My hands clenched furiously at the thought of him being dragged away by my brother.
He put his hands inside his enormous sleeves and dropped his usual peculiarity. "Please listen carefully. I'm about to tell you how to pass through this gate without getting yourselves killed. I've already informed most of you of the reishi-conversion machine I've installed into it, but I'll explain what it does for Ishida-san's sake."
Ishida gave a curt nod and mumbled, "Thank you."
Out of nowhere, Yoruichi popped up next to the shopkeeper in her human form and cut in, "As…ahem…most of you already know-"
"Hey! Are you implying something, Yoruichi-san?" Renji interrupted. His cheeks were flushed with rage.
She gave him a chilling glare that made him shut his mouth almost immediately. He became scarlet and dropped his gaze to his shuffling feet. Sakura patted his back comfortingly.
Yoruichi looked over all of us and continued on as if Renji had never spoken, "The Soul Society is a world of reishi and, well, souls. Right now, only three of you may enter as souls: Rukia, Renji, and Sakura. We cannot turn Inoue-san or Ishida-san into souls, as that would turn them into ghosts, thereby killing them. No, Kisuke here created this device so any matter of kishi, which is what makes up the matter in this world, into reishi!"
Urahara peeked at her with a childish frown. "Hey, it's my invention…I wanted to be the one to explain it…"
She grinned slyly back at him. "Sorry," she said, though she didn't sound too sorry. In fact, it looked like she was going to laugh at any moment.
The shopkeeper wrinkled his nose in disapproval and glanced back at us. "The conversion itself is painless and you will look exactly as you are now as you pass through the gate. However, there is one issue with my homemade Senkaimon…." His shiny eyes flickered to his female companion.
She scowled. "And now you want me to talk? You're unbelievable, Kisuke," she huffed while crossing her arms.
"I just don't want to be the harbinger of bad news," he replied with a casual shrug.
Yoruichi sighed and warned, "But once you enter, you'll have to move fast! This Senkaimon can only remain open and connected for four minutes at the most."
"Four minutes?" Renji and Sakura shouted incredulously at the same time. They looked at each other with large eyes and then quickly glanced away, their faces pink with humiliation.
Urahara went on, "After these precious minutes pass, if you aren't through the other side, you will be trapped in the Dangai, the precipice world between this world and the next, forever! In addition, there is a restrictive current within the Dangai that paralyzes souls in order to prevent any sort of invasion. If you so much as touch it, your chances of getting through the Dangai will be next to zero. So I suggest you set everything you have in going forward. Concentrate your heart and mind to your destination without doubt, fear, or hesitation. Your resolve is what will sustain you while in the Dangai, as well as in the Seireitei.
"Once you pass through, my friend will greet you on the other side and escort you to his home. I must remind you, once you leave the safety of his humble abode to rescue Kurosaki-san, you're on your own. I recommend you stick together or something…unfortunate could happen."
Renji stepped forward and yelled, "Yeah yeah. We know all this already. Everyone here is ready to face the consequences. Let's go!"
I expected Yoruichi to snap at him again, but she merely grinned. Urahara smirked and the both of them leapt off the boulder they were on. Yoruichi vanished before she landed and reappeared on the left side of the Senkaimon. The owner of the Shoten walked over to the other side. Then they knelt down and powerful waves of reiatsu started pouring toward us. The Senkaimon started to light up and I heard a faint humming sound emitting from it, as if it were coming to life.
Urahara looked at me and yelled, "Run as soon as it opens!" The portal's hum became a dull roar as it gained more power. "Here we go!" he screamed over the deafening din and we all sprinted forward. A blinding white light engulfed us, and then….
A second later, my vision cleared and I stopped to look around. We were in a thin corridor. The light purple walls were moving like sea waves. That must've been the restrictive current they mentioned. I glanced behind me and noticed everyone was staring at the place we just arrived in. The Senkaimon had closed behind us, showing a long stretch that seemed to go on to infinity. I turned around and saw a glowing doorway not too far ahead of us. If we go through there, we'll be one step closer to rescuing Ichigo…I thought longingly.
I furrowed my brows in determination and yelled, "C'mon! We only have four minutes to get through here! Let's move!"
I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me. I found I couldn't use shun-po in this place, which was frustrating. I heard everyone's panting breaths and scuffling feet behind me. I prayed that we would all be able to make it.
I stepped through the portal and skidded to a stop, letting out a breath of relief. I glanced behind me and smiled when I saw everyone stumble through after me. Sakura was breathing heavily, but managed to return the grin. Renji ran a hand over his face and muttered, "I do not want to do that again…"
I laughed to relieve the tension we all felt when I suddenly felt a powerful reiatsu next to me. I gripped my zanpakuto's hilt in my right hand and turned to the source. Before us stood a tall man with black spiky hair and a thin beard growing from his cheeks to his chin. He grinned at me casually and was wearing a simple light blue gi and hakama. A katana was strapped in his white sash.
"Who are you?" I questioned suspiciously, my eyes narrowed. I unsheathed Sode no Shirayuki slightly to show that I meant business.
The stranger shook his head and beamed at me affectionately, as if I were someone he knew. "Urahara didn't tell you? I'm Kurosaki. Kurosaki Isshin, Ichigo's father. But you already know that, Rukia-chan…."
A/N: *wipes sweat off forehead* That took me FOREVER! I apologize for not publishing this earlier! Although you think this was a long chapter, it wasn't as long as Chapter 9...It was about three pages shorter. XDDD
Anyway, ha! Cliffhanger again. :P Makes you wanna read more doesn't it? Well reviews make me update faster, just so you know...XDDD
Yeah, please review, favorite, alert, tell your friends about this, whatever you wanna do. :D
Next chapter will introduce the Kurosaki twins and some other mind-boggling events that will mess with what you already know about this fic!
Next chapter…
Karin-chan then whirled to face me and roared, "Our brother went through hell when he found out you lost your memories of him! Urahara told us he was so depressed that he nearly killed himself! And just as he was getting better, you had to ruin him again!" The corners of her eyes were pricked with frustrated tears and she furiously wiped them away. "He hasn't come home or reported back to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads in months! He's suspected of being a traitor and going over to Aizen's side! Now he's in prison because you messed with his heart! You disgust me! You're a monster!"
