"Err…. Where do you want to go hime-sama?" I asked. What was I thinking going with this princess! And that look on Rukia's face! She must be really mad at me. I hope I can get this over with quickly.
"Nowhere and particular…. I just want to be alone with you, Kurosaki Ichigo." Said the princess. She drew close and placed a hand on my chest. What the hell is she doing…?
"W-why do you want to be alone with me?" I asked nervously
"Well because… You're Kurosaki Ichigo, the strongest shinigami. The one who defeated the traitors and the one who saved Soul Society. Who in their right mind would not want to spend time alone with someone as interesting as you?" she said. She was even closer now and our bodies were almost touching. As I realized this I backed away from her and looked at her in surprise. Me? Interesting? Maybe…
"I uhh…." was the only thing I managed to say. How was I supposed to react? This princess, although I'm not sure… Seems to be making a pass at me…
"Oh don't be like that Kurosaki-taichou! No need to be so shy!" She was now walking towards me again. "How can I get to know you more if you're like that?" She was now standing in front of me and she dared to get closer. She placed her hands on my shoulder and the next thing I knew, her lips were in mine. I couldn't think straight. It took me at least 10 seconds to realize that she was kissing and I suddenly pushed her away.
"W-what are you d-doing!" I shouted at her. Oopss, bad idea.
"You dare reject me, Kurosaki-taichou?" said the princess. The tone of her voice is far from pleasant! As I answered her I was stuttering, I was really nervous because I don't know what this princess is capable of doing.
"N-no… It's just that you're the princess, and I'm just a captain. I mean don't princesses usually have fiance's or something?" I asked, trying to sound sincere. But I'm not though…
"Well I do have one. But who cares about him! I want you, Kurosaki-taichou."
"I-i…" and it was a good thing my cellphone started ringing! I backed away from her a couple more steps and answered the call. It was Ayame on the line.
"What's wrong Ayame? What are you serious?! Where are Renji and the others?" Ok. I'll be right there!"
"What is it now?" asked the spoiled princess
"I need to get going, hime-sama. It seems that hollows are appearing all over town. Our cellphones don't seem to detect the presence of these hollows. Excuse me your highness!" I said as quickly as I could and changed to my shinigami form, and shunpoed away from her. I took my body with me and left it in a park somewhere. I made my way towards Ayame and the others and when I arrived, Ayame, Toushiro, and Rangiku-san were all fighting separate hollows.
"Ayame!" I said as I landed next to her as she battled a hollow.
"Kurosaki-taichou! That was fast!"
"Oi Kurosaki! Why not start helping us! These hollows may be weak but there sure are a lot of them!" Shouted Toushiro who was a couple of meters away from us. As I looked around the area, there were indeed a LOT of hollows. Fifty at the most. I took out Zangetsu and spinned it. (That move my Hollow side always used, I've fully mastered it when I took control of the hollow within me.) I used that move and I managed to kill a lot of hollows. The others had defeated a number but what was weird is that, no matter how many times we defeat a hollow, they don't seem to die.
"What the hell? Is this a new breed of hollow or what?"
"Taichou! This seems pointless; they just keep on coming back alive!" said Ayame
"I've already asked for more back up from Soul Society! They should be here any minute now!" said Rangiku san as she fought off more hollows.
"Hey you guys, why not release your zanpakuto's! Life's easier that way you know!" I told them as I noticed they were still using the normal form of their zanpakuto's and using Kido on the side.
"But we still have limiters on! Even you! If ever you'd go bankai, you'd lose a lot of reiatsu!" said Toushiro. I forgot about that limiter! Shinigami's can only use 20 percent of their strength when fighting in the real world. You'll have to have some sort of permission to release your full strength
"And If we release them now, with these much hollows, we won't be able to last very long!" added Rangiku-san
"Rangiku-san! Ask permission from Soul Society to release our limiters. Ayame, inform everyone once we have it released!" This giving orders stuff is beginning to sink in.
"Yes sir!" said Ayame and Rangiku-san at the same time. Rangiku-san began dialing on her cellphone as Toushiro, Ayame and I fended off a couple more hollows. Rukia, I hope you're okay…
(Meanwhile…)
"Oi Rukia matte!" said Renji as he went after Rukia who was running around in no particular direction.
"Argh!!! I am so mad! I've never been this angry since… That time Ichigo spilled juice on my chappy plushie!" said Rukia as she began to slow down now and eventually came into a full stop.
"But you don't need to be that mad! You just said back in the restaurant that Ichigo is your man after all!"
"Yeah I know but I can't help feeling mad! How would you feel if a princess is hitting on your boyfriend!"
"Well I wouldn't know since I don't have a boyfriend…"
"I mean if ever you have a girlfriend!"
"If I did have a girlfriend, I wouldn't be this mad since she became my girlfriend because I have complete trust in her and I know she'll never betray me. Isn't that how you feel about Ichigo?"
"I…" Rukia began pondering on Renji's words. He was in fact right. Ichigo was the type of guy who always kept his promises. She trusts him completely. And since Ichigo has told her once that he'll always be with her, she knows that he means it. So there really was no reason to be mad after all.
"Rukia, Isn't that?" Renji was pointing at something that was lying on the grass. They were in an abandoned playground near Urahara's store.
"Ichigo!" exclaimed Rukia. She hurriedly went over and kneeled down beside the body. It was empty, which only means that Ichigo's off somewhere fighting hollows.
"Wait, I can sense Ichigo's reiatsu. He's somewhere north of this area. Should we get going then, Rukia?"
"Of course! We can't let him have all the fun now, can we?" Rukia stood up and downed a soul pill. Renji did the same. Rukia ordered chappy, who was in her body, to take Ichigo's body to Urahara-san's store. Renji's soul pill followed Rukia's gigai. As they were about to flash step, someone had appeared before them.
"Ukitake-taichou! What are you doing here sir!"
"Rukia-chan! Matsumoto-fuku taichou had asked for more back up and I volunteered to come here myself since I have heard that strange hollows have been appearing."
"These hollows are strange alright! We didn't even receive any warning from our cellphones!" said Renji
"That's because Soul Society was not able to detect them from the radar."
"It must be a new breed of hollow, one that is able to hide its reiatsu."
"You are correct Rukia-chan! This is the first time that something like this has happened." Suddenly a huge hollow had appeared before them. It was as big as a menos grande.
"Is that a menos?" asked Renji as he drew his zanpakuto.
"That is!!! A menos gillian! And it's a type 5! But this one is slightly different, and its way more powerful!" exclaimed Ukitake. The menos looked like a Gillian similar to the first menos ichigo fought, but its armor and mask are different.
"Type 5?" asked Rukia and Renji in unison
"A type 5 gillian is a menos that spawns numerous hollows to aid him. These hollows that are summoned are immortal. They would only die if the Gillian is defeated. But the armor and mask on this one, is oddly different." Explained Ukitake
"Ichigo and the others may be fighting off this one's underlings. It's pointless if they do so! They should know about this!" said Rukia
"Rukia, open a communication channel for everyone to hear!" said Renji
"Okay then! Black and white net. Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts. Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line. Form a circle and fly through the heavens. Binding art number 77! Heavenly Rickshaws in Silken Air!" chanted Rukia as she opened the communication channels. Only shinigami's in the human world would be able to hear it.
"Everyone listen up! This is Kuchiki Rukia! The hollows that you are fighting are spawned from a menos Gillian type 5! They won't die unless we defeat the Gillian! We are currently facing the Gillian but it may be too strong for us and we need your help! We're here in the abandoned playground near Urahara-san's store. Hurry!" said Rukia as she stopped the spell and dropped to her knees. The spell took a lot of reiatsu since it was I high level art and since the limiters haven't been released yet.
"Rukia! Ukitake-san! I just got a message from Rangiku-san! We have permission to release our limiters!" shouted Renji "Limit Release! Howl, Zabimaru!" Renji attacked the Gillian on its legs but it had no effect whatsoever in its armor.
"This Gillian seems to be using an armor made from that piece of rock we found! It's too tough!" said Renji as he once again tried to attack but to no avail, the Gillian remained damage free.
"Abarai-kun, get out of the way! Wave become my shield, Thunder become my blade, Sogyo no Kotowari!" Ukitake released his twin zanpakuto and attacked the Gillian using a combination of a water and lightning attack. The Gillian had been hit in its chest and it fell down. After Ukitake's attack, the hollow stood up but it was evident that it had sustained damage.
"Rukia-chan, Abarai-kun! This hollow seems to be weak to elemental attacks!" said Ukitake
"Elemental attacks? Then Zabimaru is useless in this case!"
"Then let me try! Dance! Sode no Shirayuki! First dance, White Moon!" The Gillian had been enveloped in ice. "Renji! Attack it now!"
"Here goes! Hah!" Renji directed an attack towards the Gillian but before Zabimaru could reach it, the ice around it broke. Renji ended up being hit by the Gillian.
"Renji! You okay?" asked Rukia as he went towards Renji. Ukitake on the otherhand, kept the hollow busy.
"Ughh… Yeah I think I am."
"I'll try using the first dance again and hold up the Gillian and you attack it quickly okay?"
"I'll try but… Rukia look out!" a beam attack from the Gillian was about to hit Rukia but luckily, someone had appeared in front of her and parried the attack easily.
"You okay Rukia?" asked Ichigo. Just then, the others had also arrived looking very tired from all the fighting.
"Ichigo you idiot! What took you so long!" said Rukia as he gave Ichigo a smack on the head.
"Oww! Hey I just saved you! The hell's you're problem!" Boy am I so glad to see Rukia safe.
"It's because you took damn long you jerk! Hmph!"
"Now now! Cut it out you two! The menos is still alive you know!" said Ukitake
"Ukitake-taichou! Don't tell me you're the back up!" asked Rangiku-san
"Yes I am. Ichigo-kun! Go bankai!"
"H-huh? Why?"
"The Gillian's armor is very strong! Rukia's ice attack can just hold it up for a while, so we need someone who could attack fast and you can do that by going bankai!"
"Ok then. Guys! Make sure this one's pawns don't get in my way!" Toushiro, Rangiku-san, Ayame, Soi Fon-san, Kosuke, Renji and Ukitake-san fought off the weak hollows spawned by the Menos Gillian.
"Here I go! Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!" Boy! How I missed wearing my bankai clothes! It still looks too damn cool! "Rukia! Now!"
"First dance! White Moon!" The Gillian had been once again covered in ice and it froze, I shunpoed and slashed the hollow numerous times and it was finally defeated. As I landed on the ground, my bankai had suddenly disappeared and I fell to the ground feeling very weak.
"Ichigo! What's wrong?" said Rukia as she helped me stand.
"I don't know, I just suddenly felt very weak… Ughh…" The last thing I remember was Rukia shaking me and calling my name as I slipped out of consciousness.
(Urahara's store, the next morning)
"How's Ichigo?" asked Renji as Yamada Hanatarou came out of the room were Ichigo was. When Ichigo had collapsed, they hurriedly contacted Yamada, who was fortunately in the human world visiting his former employer when he worked at a convenience store.
"Ichigo-san will be okay. He's just lost a lot of reiatsu but I'm sure he'll be able to recover in no time!" said Yamada. Hitsugaya and Matsumoto had left for Soul Society to report to the commander what has happened, with the hollow attacks and Ichigo's sudden collapse. Rukia stayed by Ichigo's side all night and didn't even sleep. While the others, Kosuke, Soi Fon, Ayame and Renji were at the living room discussing. Ukitake was outside the store talking with Urahara.
"Ichigo is pretty much used to going bankai! So why the hell did he lose all that reiatsu?" said Renji
"Yeah it is pretty weird. We had our limiters released then too." Added Kosuke
"Well, this is just my theory but… It seems to me that someone or maybe something stole Ichigo's reiatsu.." said Yamada
"Who would do such a thing?" said Ayame
"Could it have been that hollow?"
"I don't think so Soi Fon-san, the Gillian never did have any close contact to Ichigo-san." Said Kosuke
"But nevertheless, something that could steal Ichigo's relatively massive amount of reiatsu in an instant is something we should be careful of." Said Renji as the group continued to discuss Ichigo's condition.
A/n: Sorry if this chapter took so long! I've been just really busy! I just hate that princess! Argh! Heehee… What the hell happened to Ichigo? Stay tuned to find out! The next update may take long since I'll be going on vacation. But I'll try to update chapter 21 before I leave! Reviews are really really appreciated! Thank You!