A/N: I know, it's been forever since I've updated. Stupid job takes up too much of my time -.- But I'm going to try to finish this chapter today. I'll apologize in advance for any mistakes/ overall crappiness for this chappy, since I'm not feeling that good right now. Depression is a bitch -.- But hopefully this won't suck too much. Fighting scenes aren't my thing...and this whole chapter is mostly fighting...so yeah. Here goes nothing.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
"How long has this been going on?" Grimmjow asked Sung-Sun, who was still perched on the tall boulder. The three were still watching their leader fight, looking mildly worried yet bored at the same time.
"They took a break yesterday night, but ever since this morning they haven't stopped. I'm starting to wonder if we should interfere." The woman replied, narrowing her eyes at Urahara as his sword cut into Halibel's arm again.
"Just leave her be. Urahara won't let it go too far, and besides, she wouldn't want us to get in the way. Anyways, shouldn't you three be training too? You should do something productive instead of sitting around worrying." The bluenette said, crossing his arms.
"Shouldn't you be training?" Sung-sun shot back, sending a glare towards Grimmjow who merely grinned.
"Wanna spar? I've got some new moves I need to try out, and you three seem like good practice dummies."
"Practice dummies?!" Apacci and Mila Rose yelled, jumping to their feet in a flash. Sung-Sun also stood, giving Grimmjow an annoyed look and drawing her sword.
"You'll regret saying that. Let's go."
"Alright, Ichigo, we've found our lab rats. Let's see what our combined powers can do." Grimmjow said to the berry, who until this point had been quietly watching Halibel.
"Maybe you should stop insulting them." Ichigo said, sweat dropping as all three girls glared at him.
"Nah, it's more fun to piss them off first. Now, are we gonna fight or not?" Grimmjow said, unsheathing Pantera. Ichigo reluctantly did the same with Zangetsu, looking at the blade curiously. It felt so much different then before, and instead of feeling his own soul within it, he also felt Grimmjow's.
We really are connected...so then why do I feel so far away from him? We're so distant...yet so close...is it because we're not together?
Ichigo didn't have time to think, and he barely dodged a sword that was aiming for his stomach. Apacci glared at him, obviously angry and needing to take it out on someone. Grimmjow was fighting both Mila Rose and Sung-Sun, looking like he was having the time of his life. With a sigh, Ichigo swung at Apacci, their swords clashing.
"Getsuga tenshou!"
"What the— Grimmjow?!"
"What? We share powers, remember? Start trying shit out! That's the point if this, right?" Grimmjow said, blocking a sword that shot out of the dust created by the blast.
"I thought it was to get stronger." Ichigo replied in a deadpan voice.
"Same thing." Grimmjow shrugged, firing another getsuga. Ichigo rolled his eyes and tried remembering one of Grimmjow's moves, yet found it wasn't very easy.
Besides ceros, what else did he do? Shit...I should know this...but it's been so long since we last fought. Let's see...there was that one thing...it was pretty simple, but I can't remember the name. Damn it..what was it? Oh yeah!
"Garra de la Pantera!" Ichigo yelled, swinging his sword horizontally. Five teal colored spikes shot out, and Apacci managed to dodge two of them. The other three actually wounded her pretty well. Grimmjow looked shocked for a moment, but then smirked, feeling proud for some reason.
I don't remember telling him the name of that attack. He must have remembered through Pantera. For me, I can only use that attack in resurreccion form, and they come out of my elbow. Speaking of resurreccion form...no, now isn't the time. I'll save that for later.
"Good job, Ichigo!" Grimmjow said, blocking another hit from Sung-Sun.
"Thanks...b-but, I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you alright?" Ichigo asked, looking at the deep gashes in Apacci's arm and side.
"I'm fine, don't worry about me. This is a fight after all. Just focus on learning your new abilities, try something else out now." She replied through gritted teeth, obviously trying to ignore the burning pain. Ichigo glanced at Grimmjow, who was firing getsuga tenshous like there was no tomorrow, and nodded. He used his own sword to cut his hand, and then held it out, watching as a blue sphere began to form.
"Gran Rey Cero." He said, watching as the light shot forward and just barely missed Apacci. He felt a wave of dizziness pass through him, and his heart began to race.
You should rest now, Ichigo...
Zangetsu?
He's right. You're pushing yourself too far. It's only the first day, idiot.
P-Pantera? Ichigo's legs gave out, and his chest felt like it was being crushed. The female sword spirit sighed, alerting Grimmjow who was too into his fight to notice.
"Huh? Ichigo, are you alright?" Grimmjow asked, quickly sheathing Pantera and running over to the orangenette.
"Yeah..I just pushed it too far, I guess." Ichigo replied, smiling weakly. He then squeaked as Grimmjow swooped him up, carrying him bridal style to the ladder.
"Oi, put me down! I can walk!"
"Horse shit. You're going back to bed." Grimmjow said, sonidoing away.
"He's much weaker than I thought." Sung-Sun said, walking over to Apacci.
"I don't understand it. Lady Halibel has been through so much more than him, yet she's been training harder and longer. He shouldn't be this weak." Apacci replied, looking at the spot where Ichigo had been.
"We don't really know what happened in that place. Juhabach may have done something to him that he didn't do to Lady Halibel, and that might be why he's so weak. The only people who know what happened are him, Juhabach, and Lady Halibel." Mila Rose said, dusting off her shoulders. The other two nodded, a sense of dread creeping it's way towards them.
"Perhaps we should go check on Lady Halibel."
Halibel fell to her knees for what felt like the hundredth time, panting and bleeding profusely. Kisuke walked over to her, sheathing Benehime and frowning sharply. They had been training heavily for two days, and while he wasn't expecting her sword to come back, he certainly thought something would have happened. Yet Halibel still had made no improvement.
"Come on, let's take another break. You need to eat something and to get healed." He said, holding his hand out to help her up.
"I don't want to take another break, I want my sword back! I want to get out of this form already! I'm tired of being so weak, I just want my powers back!" She yelled, slapping his hand away and standing on shaky legs. Urahara sighed, having expected this.
"Halibel, if you don't come willingly, I'll have no choice but to—"
"To what?! Force me?! You think I'm not used to that by now?!" She took a step towards Urahara, her eyes starting to water. Kisuke's hands went for the hilt of Benehime, but then as an afterthought, returned to his sides.
"I never said that, Halibel. I'm just trying to help you. I don't want to force you into anything, but if you don't rest, you'll never get your sword back."
"That's what they all say! Just save your breath, I've heard it all before! I—" She was cut off as a hand knocked into her side, leaving her breathless and unconscious. Urahara caught her, sighing once again.
"Oi, what did you just do to her?!" Mila Rose yelled, running over to him.
"She needs rest, but she refused. I had no choice." He said simply, letting the three women carry their leader away.
"We'll take care of her now." Apacci said, helping the other two sonido away with Halibel.
"You're worried, aren't you." A deep voice said, making Urahara turn around slowly. He stared down at the black cat, not surprised that she had been watching.
"Of course I am. She's not getting better, and at this rate, Juhabach will return and she'll be defenseless. Plus, Ichigo's been reduced to an empty shell of his former self, and can't even use a fraction of his power. Juhabach only had him for a week and a half...and yet he did enough damage to make it seem like years. His reiatsu has changed and is unbalanced, but I don't know how to fix it. What's worse, is I have no idea what Juhabach did. There's just so much wrong with this situation...I'm finding it hard to stay hopeful myself."
"The Head Captain is dead, too."
"They have Shunsui. He won't let them down." Urahara said, running a hand over his face. He had been trying to forget about that depressing fact.
"If Juhabach returns, Shunsui won't have a chance. You know that just as well as I do. The reality of this situation is we need Ichigo back to full power, and Grimmjow is the only person who can help." Yoruichi said, her tail flicking back and forth.
"Why do you say that?" Urahara asked curiously.
"They share powers now, right? If Ichigo needs to regain his strength, who better to help him than the person with the same amount of power? Grimmjow is the key to his recovery. As for Halibel, the time will come when she'll need her sword, and she will get it back. I can tell by looking at her that she isn't one to give up. All we need to do is help train them and wait for Juhabach." Yoruichi explained.
"I suppose your right. Unfortunately, something tells me it won't be that easy."
"It never is."
In the Soul Society, repairs were being made, people were coping with the loss of Yamamoto and trying to wrap their heads around Shunsui taking his place. Each squad had their own ways of coping, and some were better than others. Soi Fon had been drilling her squad members into the ground, making them train non stop. The ninth division had buried itself in paperwork, a habit developed by Shuuhei's overall life style. Some just continued on with their usual lives, choosing to not think about it. The sixth division happened to be one of these squads.
"Renji, did you finish those papers yet? I want to go home already." Byakuya said, his voice calm as ever. The group had gone home shortly after Ichigo returned safely, since there was much work to be done.
"Yeah, I'm pretty much done. Let's just go now, I'm beat." The redhead replied, stretching as he did.
"Jumping at the chance to leave before finishing work? How predictable." Byakuya said, smirking as Renji scowled.
"Ouch. You know, for a lover, you're pretty mean. Sometimes I feel like you're still just my Captain." Renji said, his bottom lip jutting out ever so slightly.
"You wound me, Renji. I only do it for your own good. Would you like me to make it up to you?" The noble asked, his tone suggestive. Renji quirked an eyebrow and smirked, chuckling lightly.
"You know just how to make me feel better."
While the sixth division focused their time doing other things, another squad was having an all out brawl. This wasn't an unusual thing, ordinarily, but under specific circumstances it was extremely different. The air around them was heavy and full of sorrow, laced with the usual bloodlust and love for battle. Three squad members watched, a concerned expression in their faces.
"He's still not back." Ikakku said, a hint of annoyance behind his words. Yumichika sighed, his head resting on the others shoulder.
"You know him, he's probably drawing it out on purpose. I'm sure he's fine."
"Yeah...maybe. But we all know who he's up against." Ikakku said, not convinced by his partners tough front. They were equally worried.
"Oh come on, nobodies ever seen her actually fight. I'm sure he's just training."
"No, Yumi, there's a reason she was chosen to train him. I've just got a bad feeling it isn't just some every day sparring session. What if she killed him?"
"Don't say that about Kenny!" Yachiru yelled, her tiny fists balled up. Ikakku snapped his mouth shut, surprised at the pain in the usually happy girls voice. "Kenny can't die! You're his men, shouldn't you believe in him? You know he doesn't give up, not ever! Kenny...Kenny can't be dead. I won't believe it!"
"...You're right. Captains gonna be okay."
Elsewhere, Retsu Unohana fell, a hole in her chest.
"Lieutenant Isane? Are you alright?" Came Hanataro's timid voice, walking up to the tall woman who had been staring out the window for hours.
"She's been gone for so long, I'm just worried." Isane replied, a hand covering her heart.
"She's training Captain Zaraki, I'm sure it will take some time."
"No..I can feel it. Somethings happened..."
"You can't mean to say...can you truly believe she's been defeated? Our Captain?" Hanataro asked, his eyes widening. Isane shook her head, allowing a few tears to stream down her face.
"I don't know..."
"No...we've already lost the Head Captain and Lieutenant Sasakibe. We can't afford another death! This war...has taken too much from us!" Hanataro raised his voice, not wanting to believe it.
"It's not over yet, either. Someone else...is sure to die."
A/N: Meh...Kinda ended on a depressing note. I just had to throw in a spoiler for chapter...hmm...526 I believe. I don't want to believe it either DX As for the next chapter, I have no idea what will happen. I've been so busy with school and work, it's a miracle I wrote this one chapter. So please bear with me, I will not let this story go unfinished. I thank you all who have supported me thus far, I hope you don't give up on me!