Chapter 14: The Board is Set
"So, Arrancar are hollows that have removed their masks?" Rukia asked Ichigo's enigmatic teacher, summarizing the explanation she'd been given.
"Correct. And in doing so, they gain shinigami-like abilities. The whole process is called shinigamification."
"But, why was this not taught in the academy? Surely every shinigami should be prepared."
"Perhaps…but consider this: arrancar are relatively few in number and captains and lieutenants are usually more than enough to handle them. Soul Society is not perfect. Much of its most important secrets are 'need to know only.' It's done to protect the rank and file."
"That's foolish!" Rukia protested, pacing furiously in Urahara Shōten's small yard, "We should all have a right to know. We are shinigami and these arrancar are a concern for us all. Especially since the one we fought spoke like there was a group of them, as if they were organizing. If hollows become united, they could be a serious threat to Soul Society!"
Urahara shook his head solemnly. "I…would advise against telling your superiors. There are those in Soul Society who would go to great lengths to silence or discredit your claims."
"But why?!"
"It is…complicat-"
In the middle of Urahara's deflection, the door to the patio was thrust open; Tessai stood in the open doorway, his manner grave, and Ishida at his elbow.
"Kurosaki is gone!" the Quincy said, breathlessly.
"Gone?" Rukia blinked, puzzled by the pair's serious demeanor, "What do you mean gone?"
"When Kurosaki and I separated, I could still sense his reiatsu from afar. It's not hard to miss…the point is, I felt his presence disappear abruptly."
"Wh-what are you saying?!" Rukia asked, fearing the answer, "Is he…is he-"
"He's not dead, as far as I know," Ishida shook his head, "However, I did sense something…something similar to when the shinigami came for my grandfather. It was the portal the shinigami use to move between worlds."
"A senkaimon," Tessai rumbled, sharing a meaningful glance with Urahara.
So, he's made his move, the former captain mused ruefully, I suppose it was inevitable, really…
"Impossible!" Rukia denied immediately, "Even if I believed you, what would Soul Society want with Ichigo?! He's-"
"Kurosaki-san is a shinigami who is acting outside their jurisdiction," the blonde ex-captain pointed out.
"So are you!" Rukia shot back, "And you too Tessai-san."
"We have hidden from Soul Society for a very long time," Urahara replied seriously, "Kurosaki-san is not nearly skilled enough to hide his presence as we have."
Not to mention the fact that they need us…
Rukia shook her head, refusing to believe that the people she'd sworn to serve could have been responsible.
Soul Society just can't…
"Why? How?" she asked wildly, still unable to comprehend.
"How indeed…"Urahara murmured, stroking his chin, "But perhaps…the 'how' we should be wondering about is: how are we going to get him back?"
"Are you insane?!" the dark-haired shinigami stared at him as if he'd grown a second head, "Even if you had an army, you couldn't storm Soul Society, much less just you and Tessai-san! It'd be suicide!"
"I'm going too," Uryū spoke up, surprising them all.
"Ishida?! Even you?"
"Of course. I cannot allow mere shinigami to deny me a chance to test myself against Kurosaki."
He doesn't even know what he'd be up against, and yet he'd still risk his life for Ichigo. I thought he hated him…
"You honestly expect to effect a rescue with two ex-captains and a Quincy? The two of you may be powerful, but there are thirteen captains, not to mention the hundreds of rank and file shinigami."
"Interesting…"Urahara said, a gleam in his eye, "Why aren't you including yourself in this scenario Kuchiki-san? Don't you want to rescue Kurosaki-san?"
"I…well…that is…" Rukia replied haltingly. He had caught her off guard.
Of course I want to help him, but…to defy all of Soul Society…Nii-sama, Renji, Ukitake-taicho…could I really face them in battle if I had to? On the other hand…I failed Ichigo once before…and this, this could be my second chance!
"I…I have my doubts, but…I suppose if we have a plan, the four of us might have a chance."
"Eheheh…that's the thing…we cannot accompany you…" Urahara laughed nervously, as his towering assistant looked down in shame.
Both Rukia and Ishida nearly fell over themselves. "Huuuhh?!"
"You see, the truth is…we're physically incapable of returning to Soul Society," Urahara explained, scratching his neck in embarrassment and avoiding their eyes.
"Each time we have tried, attempting to cross the threshold has caused us great pain. We believe that entering fully would kill us," Tessai added, with a hint of melodrama, "Such is the price of our banishment…"
"B-but…that would mean…just Ishida and I?! We'd be killed for certain! There's no way!" Rukia said, balking at this revelation.
"Oh, I don't think you'll be entirely without help…" Urahara said slyly, inclining his head towards the patio door.
Moving swiftly, Tessai slid the door open; causing Chad and Orihime to fall over, as their support was taken away.
"Sado-kun?! Inoue-san?! You were listening?" Ishida blinked in surprise.
"Err…yes. You made a lot of noise when you came in," Chad admitted, flushing slightly as Orihime jumped up from where she'd fallen on top of him, "Although, we didn't really understand most of what you were talking about…"
"Mmm," Orihime agreed, brushing herself off, "All I could understand was that Kurosaki-kun is in trouble."
"Right! And Ichigo has always been there for me. I'll do whatever it takes to help him," Chad said firmly.
His fellow eavesdropper chimed in, "Please, let us help. Tell us what we need to do."
Rukia shared an apprehensive glance with Ishida.
I don't know anything about these two…she thought, sizing them up, This Sado person seems very strong…but could he have the skill to fight a shinigami? And the girl…she doesn't seem the fighting type…
"Allow me to explain the situation," Urahara said, his fingers together in concentration, "The two of you encountered masked creatures earlier today, correct?"
"…Y-yes…" Orihime said reluctantly. Despite the fact that she'd seen more than one and that Chad had been there the second time, she was hesitant to admit to seeing such unbelievable things. She'd never voice it out loud, but she knew some of her ideas weren't always the norm among her peers, and confessing to seeing a brightly colored skull monsters wasn't likely to improve people's perception of her sanity.
"Those are called hollows. They are the result of an unhappy soul's inability to move on Soul Society, or heaven, as you call it. Eventually a spirit's heart will collapse if they become too attached to something they've left behind, which causes the hole in their chests to appear. In turn, hollows and restless spirits are laid to rest by shinigami, the protectors of Soul Society."
The two of them were silent, processing the torrent of information that the strange blonde man had assaulted them with.
"That's a little…" Chad said slowly, trailing off.
"Hard to believe?" Ishida asked, extending his arm and gathering reishi from his surroundings to form his spirit bow. Drawing an arrow from the bow's middle and pulling it back, he let it fly; sending it into a tree some distance away and splitting it in twain.
"Believe your own eyes," he said, sighing and adjusting his glasses.
"Ishida-kun…" Orihime murmured, her eyes wide, "You're a part of this too?"
"Yes…I am a Quincy, a living human who fights hollows…differently, than shinigami."
"Even if all you're telling us is true…what does it have to do with Ichigo?" Chad rumbled, trying to steer the conversation back to its original point.
"Well, you see-" Urahara began, only to have Rukia interject.
"It should be me. I'll tell them," she said heavily, leveling her gaze at Ichigo's friends and steeling herself, "I am a shinigami. My name is Kuchiki Rukia. I was assigned to protect Karakura Town several months ago. When Ichigo's family was attacked by a hollow, I intervened and in the course of the fight, Ichigo…died…"
Orihime had clapped her hands to her mouth, while Chad was frowning thoughtfully.
"If Ichigo is dead," the latter postulated, "then how is it we, and others, have seen him for the past few months?"
"That is where I come in!" Urahara exclaimed brightly, cutting through the somber atmosphere like a knife made of sunshine and causing most of the porch's occupants to fall over at the awkwardness of the statement.
After they had all picked themselves up off the floor, the shopkeeper explained, "I located Kurosaki-san's spirit and offered him the chance to become a shinigami. Naturally, he wanted to stop any more hollows from attacking his family or friends."
"That sounds like Kurosaki-kun," Orihime smiled.
So that time…Chad thought to himself, with Shibata…was that Ichigo? Did he lay his soul to rest?
"I also gave Kurosaki-san a gigai, an artificial body, so that normal people could see him and trained him to become a better shinigami," Urahara finished.
"I see…" Chad said, digesting all the information, "And how is it you know so much about shinigami and such?"
"These two used to be captains, the highest rank in the Gotei 13, the military strength of Soul Society," Rukia said dryly, pointing at Ichigo's ad hoc teachers, "but they were banished."
"Just a little misunderstanding," Urahara scoffed dismissively, "Anyway, to the point: Soul Society does not like what they don't control and so they most likely apprehended Kurosaki-san because he falls outside their jurisdiction."
"So that's how it is…" Orihime said in an awed whisper, before grinning, "Yosh! Let's break Kurosaki-kun out of prison! I've always wanted to drive a motorcycle!"
"R-right…" Chad muttered, "So, what is the penalty for this sort of transgression?"
The light-hearted air about the former captain was gone as fast as it had arrived.
"I am nearly certain…that Kurosaki-san will be executed."
Even Rukia was stunned by this declaration.
"What?! There's no way! They've only just learned of his existence, they wouldn't kill him so soon!"
"Are you so sure, Kuchiki-san? Imagine you are one of the Central 46, that is the governing body of Soul Society," he said, pausing to explain the term to the three unfamiliar with it, "and you hear of a shinigami not under your jurisdiction, who has not attended the academy. Imagine if word of it got out to Rukongai that one could become a shinigami without having to go through such a long period of training. You are from Rukongai correct? What do you think would happen?"
There would be unrest. The relations between Rukongai and Seireitei are tenuous at best. If all the starving people in Rukongai who could not become shinigami heard of someone who didn't have to pass the academy entrance exams…there's no telling what kind of uproar it would cause.
"Urahara-san…don't tell me you plan to incite rebellion, because if so I-"
"No, no, nothing like that. A mob is too unpredictable and untrained. No, a small team like this is better for the time we have."
"Time?" Chad questioned, "How long do we have before Ichigo is to be killed?"
"Don't worry," Urahara assured them, "the typical execution will not occur until a month after the arrest. For the next ten days, we will train you, to develop your abilities and ready you to fight against shinigami. Kuchiki-san or Ishida-san may be able to help you in this area as well. In addition, Kuchiki-san, you may be able to act as a scout; gaining information on the situation in Soul Society and giving you all easy access when the time comes."
"But how will these three cross over?" Rukia frowned, seeing a flaw in the plan, "A senkaimon would not accept them without a hell butterfly, not to mention they're not even spirits."
"You leave that to me," the blonde smiled roguishly, "The process of setting up a proper gateway and converter will take seven days. That leaves thirteen days to rescue Kurosaki-san once you're in Soul Society. Plenty of time!"
There was a pause as everything sank in.
"Still…"Rukia muttered, tapping her foot, "I don't see how the four of us alone can manage to infiltrate Soul Society and fight off anyone who might discover us…"
"I may be able to increase your party a little," Urahara said, flashing them his ever mysterious smile, "Now, why don't we all go inside and have Tessai make some tea so we can discuss things further, eh?"
As the group trouped through the door back into the shop, Urahara glanced up at a small, black, feline form lying languidly on the roof.
"You heard everything, I take it?" he said, raising an eyebrow at the cat.
"Yes," it replied, licking one of its paws, "And you want me to join them in this little escapade?"
"It would be helpful. Besides, out of all of us, you're the only one who can go..."
"Do you honestly believe this will work?"
"Well," Urahara chuckled, "Isshin will kill me if it doesn't…"
"You never change, Kisuke" the cat said, shaking its head and meowing out an odd laugh.
"In what way?"
"You're crazy."
"And I was raised in your household, Yoruichi-san," Urahara smirked, "What does that say about you?"
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Ichigo recoiled as a bright light struck his closed eyes. Blinking rapidly, he sat up slightly.
The source of the glow was a small square of light, emanating from the panel beneath him, which was roughly three feet square; and which he was placed in the middle of.
The next thing he noticed was that his arms were bound behind his back.
Looking up, the confused shinigami discovered that he was in a stadium of sorts, with several rows that apparently seated large, opaque screens, each with a number emblazoned on the front.
"What's going on here?!" Ichigo muttered, his fear-tinged voice carrying easily in the cavernous room, "Where am I?!"
"Silence!" one of the screens barked down at him, "You will speak only to answer our questions."
"No! If you kidnap me I want to know what the f-"
His angry comeback was cut short, as a powerful shock was delivered to his feet from the glowing tile below.
"We will not tolerate another outburst," a different man's voice said disdainfully.
Gritting his teeth, Ichigo glared defiantly in the direction of the last voice.
"You are charged with the illegal acquisition of shinigami powers. For this crime you will be executed in thirty days time."
"WHAT?! Hang on a-"
"Further interruptions will add to your sentence!" the first voice thundered.
"You're already going to kill me! What else can you do?!" Ichigo spat back.
"We can make your last days extremely unpleasant."
Seething, Ichigo looked frantically around the dark room for some sort of exit.
How did this happen? Is this a dream? No, it must be Soul Society…but how did I get here? I was coming home from Urahara's when-
"It is possible that your sentence may be reduced, provided that you reveal the ones who assisted you in becoming a shinigami," yet another voice said, breaking through his panicked thoughts.
"You want me to rat out my teacher?" Ichigo sneered, disgusted by the very suggestion. He had been in trouble at school often enough that he was quite familiar with this method of interrogation. It never ended well for anyone.
"We have our suspicions, but it would be…easier…if you confirmed them."
"Why don't you guess then? How many ex-shinigami can there be in the living world?"
"A dozen," one of the men said flatly.
Really? Hmmm…
"Happy guessing then!" Ichigo replied, a rebellious grin on his face.
There's no way I'm going to dance to these guys' tune. I'll just have to bide my time 'til I can figure out a way to escape.
"Very well then. Guards! Take this felon to the Shrine of Penitence. Perhaps the solitude will show him the error of his ways."
A shaft of light appeared as one guard opened the door leading outside. A second seized hold of Ichigo's bound arms and dragged him roughly up the stairs and into Soul Society at large.
XXXXXXXXXX
Unknown to Ichigo or his guards, the room's occupants disappeared after their departure; its sole remaining inhabitant smiling calmly as he lowered his sword.
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Author's Note: Not to be overly dramatic, but "DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!" Yeah, that was Aizen. I know some people were assuming Mayuri was going to be the big bad because I had him capture Ichigo, but my only reason for having him do so was because I wanted the take down to happen fast and be a big shock. Given the paralytic abilities of Mayuri's zanpakutō, I thought he'd be the perfect fit. Just thought I'd clarify that. Also, because so many people have asked about it, Aizen physically opened Ichigo's eyes to hypnotize him while he was still unconscious.
Orihime believes that all prison movies end with a motorcycle chase, like in The Great Escape. They should, but sadly, that's not the case.
I've been thinking of changing the name of this fic to "Divergent Journeys." Whaddaya' think? It's something I've been kicking around, but I'm still on the fence about it myself.
Opinions? Opinions contained in reviews? Opinions contained in reviews that are more than a sentence long? SUBTLETY!