Hey all! Sorry for another delay! We kind of got absorbed into Fire Emblem Awakening... eheheheee... And we had an issue at the end of the chapter with a character suddenly leaving when I had other plans. That set us back a little, but here you go. Extra super long chapter! Bonus, chapter 22 is already 2,000 words long, so we just need another 1,000 at least.
-Airumel (2/26/13)
-Chapter 21-
Another sleepy soul in the seireitei was also about to have a rude awakening. As the day had stretched on, Hanataro hadn't moved from his chair aside from the occasional moments when he felt fidgety enough to reposition himself. He was beginning to drift off while listening to the sounds of the vice captain and Zezuri training in the courtyard out the window. They'd been at it for quite some time; mostly kido work, from what the young shinigami could hear.
He began to nod off and slumped down in the chair when he sensed the strangest sensation that the solid back of his chair was no longer there. Snapping back to consciousness, the healer was on his feet facing his chair.
Except it wasn't there anymore.
Instead, a gaping black void hung in its place.
"W-what the-" Hanataro was too sleepy to be scared, instead a strange curiosity caused him to inch slowly towards the void. It was missing the ornate doors of a shinigami's design, but it still seemed more refined than the gashes he'd seen hollows and arrancars create to travel through dimensions.
While he was still puzzling what was going on, a black cat dashed out through the portal.
"Huh?" Hanataro watched it run by him. What should he do, he wondered, chase the cat or stay here? Looking back at the seemingly sleeping arrancar on the bed next to him, Hanataro snapped to attention. The portal hadn't gone away yet and what threat was one cat? He had a responsibility to protect Airi, and he wasn't about to give up on that.
Warily, he put a shaking hand on his zanpakuto's hilt, not sure what would come out next. He hoped he'd be able to handle whatever it was.
Movement from within the void caught his attention. The shinigami tightened his grip.
A wooden chair slowly slid out from the darkness.
"Eeep!" squeaked Hanataro. Chairs didn't move on their own! What was going on here?
"What's the holdup?" a voice spoke softly from within.
"Our distraction didn't work. I sense someone still in the room."
"Anyone we know? Oh, wait, you wouldn't... anyone I would-"
"I know him."
Hanataro was shaking violently now. The voices were talking about him! He took a deep breath and drew his sword.
"You do?" The first voice sounded intrigued.
"It's... a long story." The second replied, not wishing to divulge any further details. "He'll cooperate."
"Okay, anyone else around?"
A pause was heard before the second voice spoke again, "No, the cat seems to have taken care of everyone else."
Filled to his limits with anxiety, Hanataro found his voice, "W-who's there?! I-I can h-hear you!"
"Well, I guess that's our cue." The first voice said with amusement, "After you!"
With that, two tall figures emerged from the darkness.
"What in the world?!" Isane exclaimed as a black cat rushed by. Zezuri turned her head towards the distraction that ran across the way. But then the cat seemed to pause and watch them.
"Aww, a kitty cat." Zezuri exclaimed, it reminded her of a certain someone, but in a less threatening sense.
"This can't be good..." The 4th lieutenant said, looking worried.
"Why? Do you think it is bad luck?" Zezuri didn't think the shinigami believed in such superstitions.
"No, that's not it. You see, there aren't any animals in the Soul Society, let alone the Seireitei..." She explained, but Zezuri was failing to see her point."We should catch that cat!" She said quickly. But as they approached the black feline, it dashed away again, only to pause once more, as if teasing them.
Hanataro didn't know what to do. Both of the figures that had emerged from the void were somehow familiar to him. They both looked human enough, but he couldn't sense what they were.
"Hi there!" greeted the owner of the first voice he'd heard. This one had straight blond hair cut a little ways above his shoulders. The healer was sure he'd seen this guy before, maybe not in person, but somewhere...
The other man stood silently beside his companion and was by far the more familiar to Hanataro. Wavy brown hair hung in an untidy way below his shoulders.
"Would ya mind putting away your zanpakuto?" the blond asked, "We won't hurt ya."
Hanataro had forgotten that he was still standing in a battle-ready stance. He didn't sense any malicious intent from the two, nor did they appear to be armed. Both were wearing clothing from the living world and neither had a sword at their side. Warily, the healer sheathed his sword.
The brown-haired man moved without a sound to the bed where Airi lay.
Hanataro's hand remained on the hilt of his sword.
"I see you've been doing a good job taking care of her," the man spoke.
Suddenly, Hanataro recalled where he'd seen the brown haired man before. He had been the one who had approached him and Matsumoto during the battle against Aizen's forces. Or was he? As the details of the memory surged forward, Hanataro would have sworn that the man who had approached them had been an arrancar, possibly an Espada by the power he'd had resonating off of him that night. Yet, instead of wearing the white uniform of Aizen's forces, this man was wearing a brown pair of slacks and a green button up shirt. If that wasn't strange enough, no sign of a mask or hole was visible. The man that was looking at Airi now lacked all characteristics of an arrancar. Was that even possible?
"Y-you?!" Hanataro exclaimed, "Y-you w-were the one w-who-"
"Yo, Starrk," the blond man interrupted, "We're about to get some company. Hurry it up!"
Starrk nodded and lifted the unconscious girl with little effort.
Zezuri and Isane continued to race after the strange black cat but no progress seemed to be made. The feline was just too fast.
"This is impossible!" Zezuri said, wiping sweat from her brow. The two stopped to catch their breath, but when they looked up again, the cat was gone. But another shinigami came running from around the corner; it seemed to be the lieutenant from the Third Division.
"Izuru?" Isane noticed the usually timid lieutenant was frantic.
"There's been a prison break!" he blurted before stopping to gasp for air, "The Espada is gone!"
The two girls exchanged a glance. Why hadn't they sensed anything?
Zezuri took a minute to process the information. Had Grimmjow broken out? No, he couldn't have on his own, she was sure of it. Her heart stopped with dread as she thought the next possibility; Aizen had finally come back for them.
"Have you checked on the other?" Izuru directed the question to the other lieutenant.
Isane was having thoughts similar to Zezuri's, "Hanataro was watching over the girl..." her voice trailed off.
A strange sensation Zezuri recognized from when the menos had appeared crept up her spine. Something was definitely wrong.
Despite their current state of exhaustion, the three turned back towards the 4th squad barracks and took off as fast as their feet could carry them.
"WAIT!" Hanataro shouted as he made to draw his sword again, "Y-you c-can't take her! I-I... I won't let you!"
Eying the short Shinigami, Starrk said nothing. His glance was a threat in itself.
"I wouldn't challenge him, if I were you," remarked the companion. "He's stronger than me, for cryin' out loud!"
Hanataro didn't have any clue who the blond thought he was, but he could tell he was vastly outmatched. Still, he refused to back down. Even if he hadn't slept in the past day and a half, he still had to try, "I-I have to protect her!"
The blond man sighed.
"I understand your concern, Shinigami, but there is not anything more you can do for her," Starrk looked Hanataro directly in the eyes. "You know she will die. Your captains will not help an arrancar. The Seireitei's history should tell you that much."
"B-but-"
"Retsu was just taking pity on you. Had you actually healed her, she would have been executed eventually." The other man spoke, "We're going to take her somewhere we can help her."
Hanataro was trying to make sense of everything. How did this man know his captain on a first name basis? No, that could be pondered later! The healer shook his head to clear it.
Airi's life was in the balance here. Was he sure that these strangers could take care of her? No. Yet, on the other hand, he knew the truth of the matter; Airi was not going to last much longer, not without better care. He also didn't know what she needed. Maybe he could trust them?
Before he could come to an answer, the thundering sound of footsteps came running down the hall.
"We need to go, NOW!" shouted the blond.
Starrk nodded and rushed past the baffled Hanataro.
The sliding door was thrown open harshly. Isane and Izuru burst in, swords drawn, just in time to see the two men jump through the void.
Isane's face turned sheet white, "Hirako-taicho...?"
Izuru and Zezuri rushed in at the void as it closed in front of them. The lieutenant stopped short while Zezuri reached out as if to grab the portal. Her hand closed around thin air. "No..." whispered Zezuri, she had caught a glimpse of the two men escaping, one of them carrying off her friend. Her heart had dropped when she recognized the Espada named Starrk. Of course Aizen would be behind this! But who was that other man? He didn't look like an arrancar. And neither had been wearing white for that matter. Did they take Grimmjow too? "Who was that?" She finally asked.
"The blond one? He used to be a Shinigami... but... he's supposed to be dead..." Isane tried to explain, but was finding it too difficult to put it into words. She had only been in the academy when an attack in the Rukongai had resulted in the deaths of three captains, three vice-captains, and the vice-captain of the kido-squad. Reports had been mixed as to what had actually happened, but all had ended the same way; no one that had been sent out that night had survived.
Zezuri wanted to ask more about what Isane had meant, but they were already rushing off to the prison where Grimmjow was being kept.
With every pounding step forward, Zezuri's emotions became more complicated. She hoped she would see him. This had to be a nightmare! Both of her friends gone in one day leaving her all alone in this strange place. Yet another part of her was glad Grimmjow had escaped, despite the fact she might never seen him again. Or worse; she would meet him on the battlefield as an enemy.
As the three arrived in the courtyard of the Second Division, they stopped suddenly to see the captain of Squad Two staggering towards them.
"Did the espada do this?" Izuru exclaimed.
"No, he was already gone. But Yoruichi-sama..." Before Soi-Fon could finish she collapsed on the ground. The name she uttered made Isane and Izuru exchange increasingly puzzled looks.
Suddenly the cat's appearance made sense, "So, she's behind this..."
"Do you think Ichigo is in on this too?" Izuru whispered to his fellow lieutenant.
Zezuri noticed the strangeness she felt earlier had now vanished completely. "They're gone..." She murmured.
"Damn it! I couldn't find her!" Ichigo said frustrated emerging from the other end of the portal into the barren landscape of Urahara Shoten's basement.
"Ah, Ichigo, welcome back," The owner greeted him cheerily before looking him over. "Where's the other girl?" Kisuke asked becoming serious, "We're short one."
"I dunno, she was moving around too much. Not to mention she had almost zero spiritual pressure! How the heck was I supposed to find her?!"
"Oh yeah..." The man in the hat scratched his chin.
"Is there something you forgot to mention?" The boy with orange hair was losing his patience.
"Yes, there is. I figured this would happen." He laughed at his absent-mindedness.
"Well we can't go back now!"
The green-garbed man sighed, "I know. But at least we know they trust her enough to let her join. She wouldn't be any safer here."
"Huh?"
Ichigo's only response was the distant look of the ex-captain. Sighing, he walked away, knowing he wouldn't get the answers he was looking for until Urahara deemed them important at the moment. Why did he always have to be so full of mystery?
Another figure watched from her perch atop a large stone formation. When she was sure the young man was out of the basement she leapt down with surprising agility for her size. "What are you up to, Kisuke?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." He grinned sheepishly.
Yoruichi was not as easy to dislodge as Ichigo when it came to unanswered questions. She stared determinedly at her best friend and partner in crime. "I had to beat down Soi-Fon again," She waited for him to respond. When he didn't she continued, "They know it was us, no doubt. What was so important that we had to risk ourselves like that?! They've left us alone until now!" The ex-captain's temper was rising.
Rather than try to get a word in, Urahara let his comrade continue.
"You even involved the Hirako's group! What the hell was so important that you would risk their safety too?!"
Not much longer now...
"Since when did we keep anything from eachother!?" Yoruichi shouted.
Her words seemed to hang in the air as silence filled the air.
Kisuke dropped his false smile and very plainly asked, "Can you trust me, just this once? I will tell everyone, but not right now."
"Then when?! When it's too late?!"
"Soon. I promise."
Yoruichi gave Urahara a pained look, "Fine, but I don't like this... And what are you still doing here?! As I recall, someone needs some medical attention! Don't tell me you forgot!"
Upstairs in a small back room that frequently served as a guest room, a small crowd of people gathered around an unconscious girl. A futon had been laid out in the center of the floor upon which Airi now lay.
Ichigo stared at the girl lying on the futon. The solid white feather-like fragments along the side of her head seemed so unreal. He had seen her the day before she had vanished, back when she had been human. Her white robe did not quite cover the hole in her chest that only further emphasized her lack of humanity. How had all this happened to her over such a short period of time? And she had seemed to remember him when they had crossed swords around a month ago. From what he knew, that wasn't how the process of becoming a hollow worked. And he knew from first-hand experience.
"So, this was one of your classmates, eh?" Shinji asked, breaking the silence. The Vizard had made an excuse of traveling abroad to skip out on the summer semester of school.
"Not exactly. Her friend, Okinami-san, was in my class."
"Well, what's her name?" asked the Vizard.
"I, uh, well... I don't remember. It wasn't Japanese and I only met her once..." Ichigo scratched the back of his head.
"It's Airi." Starrk provided. The ex-Espada had seated himself in the corner of the room furthest away from Ichigo and Shinji. He was still uncertain that the Vizards trusted him despite their easy acceptance of him. The turncoat Espada had encountered the charismatic leader of the Vizards while tailing after Grimmjow's group on one of the earlier missions to collect shards. As neither party had sought battle, an odd sort of uneasy truce had formed between the two. The point where it had become an alliance was still a bit blurry as he looked back on it.
Starrk noticed Shinji and Ichigo looking in his direction, expecting more.
"...What?" it would take a lot of adjusting to get used to having to communicate with people. At least this group didn't want to try to fight him for his rank. Starrk wasn't sure what they saw in him, but he was going to give this a chance.
"How well do you know her?" asked Shinji, curious to see how much of a back-story he could get out of his unlikely comrade.
The ex-Espada arched an eyebrow, "All the Espada knew them. Aizen had us pretty much babysitting..." What he wouldn't give for a nap right now.
His opportunity came sooner than he guessed it would. A clatter of materials announced the arrival of Urahara, arms laden with a box of various supplies.
"All right you three, clear out! I've got some work to do."
The blue haired Espada was stretched out on the roof of Urahara Shoten, reveling in his freedom. It was still hard believe that he actually made it out of the Soul Society, alive. If he hadn't been able to provide his unlikely rescuer the whereabouts of Airi, he'd still be wasting away in that awful prison. He shuddered at the thought. After he'd been brought to the living world, all attention had shifted to the urgent state of the girl, leaving Grimmjow to his own devices.
As for Zezuri, the Espada was unable to tell discern her location. After all, a prisoner had no business knowing about such things. An inkling of sadness entered his eyes; he hoped Zezuri wasn't too upset that she had been left behind. It was better this way; she was safe from Aizen. At least for the moment. Grimmjow was no fool; he knew Aizen was biding his time and waiting for the right moment to strike. His thoughts wandered back to his homeland. Perhaps he should return to Heuco Mundo? Reclaim his rightful place as Espada? A new thought made him cringe; there was a good chance that Aizen had already replaced him. No one would have expected to see him alive again after that capture. He smirked thinking of the reaction he could get if he returned. But then again, what of Zezuri?
"Hey, you up there!" A voice interrupted Grimmjow's thoughts before he could think any further.
Looking down, he saw the tall man with straight blond hair standing below. By the way he acted, Grimmjow was assuming this was the group's leader.
"What's your deal? You gonna help us out or just be a bump on a log?" Shinji shouted up at the Espada.
Grimmjow stared back, unamused by the man's antics, "What do you want?" he grumbled.
"Just curious to know who's side you're on." The Vizard cut straight to the point.
Grimmjow shrugged, "What's it to you? Going to chase me off?" Knowing he still hadn't fully recovered himself and with a broken spirit from his capture, the Espada wasn't sure he was in any mood to fight.
"Well, this certainly isn't the Grimmjow I remember..." muttered a familiar monotone.
Blinking back his surprize the Sixth Espada met eyes with the First. Yet, the man standing in the yard below was clearly not an arrancar. "What the Hell?" Weariness forgotten, he flashed from his spot on the roof to stand in front of his former comrade and grabbed the front of Starrk's shirt. "YOU-!" Grimmjow was at a loss for words.
Starrk's expression remained placid.
"Easy now." Shinji cautioned the enraged Espada, "We can't have a fight here. You'll flatten everything! If you two need to work it out, go use the basement."
The ex-Espada removed Grimmjow's hand from his shirt. "That won't be necessary, Shinji, I have no intentions of fighting." He turned to walk back inside. There were more important things to deal with right now.
Grimmjow was left to balking at Starrk's dismissal. Why would the First Espada become a traitor? Why leave his position in Aizen's army?! Reduce himself to something less than arrancar?!
Starrk had become weak and nothing angered Grimmjow more than weakness. A growl of fury issued from deep within as he felt his rage welling up inside him.
Without warning he charged at the brown-haired man's back. "YOU MIGHT NOT-"
Starrk looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow and released enough spiritual pressure that Grimmjow was forced to sink to his knees, choking on air.
Without a word or glance more, the ex-Espada returned inside of the shop.
Shinji stared in amazement. "That was harsh..." He thought for sure a full fledged fight would have broken out. Again, he had underestimated his new comrade. Hurrying to catch up with him, he too left Grimmjow to wallow in his defeat.
Grimmjow sat in the dirt where he'd been defeated. What was going on? Nothing made sense here. There was no way the First Espada would change sides! Aizen had given them all a reason for existing! Hadn't he? Placing his hands in his pockets, he found an unfamiliar object. Curious, he turned out his pocket. Something clattered to the ground. Zezuri's hair clip, small, green, and flimsy, looked out of place in the Espada's large hand as he picked it up. Words of a promise he had made faintly floated back to his memory. "Well, you were what started this whole mess..." he muttered to it.
Brows knit with much frustration, Zezuri thought she might die with worry. Aizen must of taken Airi and Grimmjow! She knew he had to be behind this! But who was that other man? She was sure she'd felt Ichigo nearby during this whole mess, but that didn't make any sense. Hadn't she been told he couldn't get here without permission? Unsure of this part of the issue, Zezuri kept silent.
Then there was the question that bothered her the most: why had she been left behind? Was she really of no use to him? Perhaps Aizen was planning to return and destroy the Soul Society when he came to reclaim her.
"Zezuri?"
The brunette looked up to see Isane entering the room, "The captain felt it would be best if I took you back to the Sixth Division while she deals with Soi-Fon taichou. Things can get... a little scary when she needs medical attention."
"Oh, okay." Zezuri was emotionally numb, still dealing with the shock of events that had just transpired. The sun was just beginning to set and Zezuri was feeling more alone than ever as she trudged in silence down the cobbled streets behind the silver-haired lieutenant.
Renji was waiting on the porch with a few of the other lieutenants Zezuri recognized as Momo, Rangiku, and Izuru. "What is everyone doing here?" she asked.
"We heard what happened today," began Momo, "Izuru told us."
"We just wanted to make sure you were okay." Rangiku added.
Zezuri was taken aback. She hadn't realized that the other shinigami had accepted her as a friend so quickly.
"A-are you okay?" Matsumoto asked noticing tears welling up in Zezuri's eyes.
Fighting to hold back her tears, Zezuri tried to smile, "Y-yeah! I'm fine. I just... didn't realize you all cared so much about me!"
All attempts to hold in the tears failed as suddenly Zezuri found herself being embraced by the busty lieutenant of the Tenth Division.
"We might have just met, but we understand, at least a little bit..." Hinamori's voice trailed off as her mind traveled to her former captain's betrayal.
Izuru nodded and Renji gave Zezuri a soft smile of compassion.
Releasing the emotional brunnette, Rangiku pulled back. "We should forget about today! I'll go grab some sake!"
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"My captain will skin me if he catches me drinking tonight."
"Rangiku, must alcohol be your answer to everything?"
"Wait, Masumoto, don't you have a patrol tonight?"
Zezuri laughed as the night dissolved into arguments only close friends could have. It was just enough to make her feel better. How could people be this happy if their world was about to end? Perhaps there was hope after all.
Thank you for reading! We hope you enjoyed! Please feel free to review/ask questions/comment/cheer us on etc. Suggestions are also fun. I love suggestions. And since I have a good chunk of the next chapter up, I'll tell you that many many many things will finally be answered. Things you didn't even think to ask! Be excited! I am! Until next time! -Airumel