Warnings: this and that.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Bleach.
Rain pelted Ichigo in the face as he darted through the trees and brush. Behind him he heard Grimmjow curse and Shinji laugh at the bluenette's misfortune. The orangette shook his head at the two. It was just the three of them since Ichigo had to forcefully order his unit to stay put. They had put up a fight with Keith at the front but thanks to Shinji the group reluctantly stayed behind incase Ichigo needed a safe place to go after saving his two older brothers. Keith had made the teen promise that they would head straight back. Ichigo only nodded not really ready to make such a promise.
"How far till we reach the broader?" Ichigo yelled back behind him.
"Just a few more hours then we will be a day from where we believe they had taken them before they would head towards their capital," Grimmjow shouted back.
"Do we even know where they are actually?" the teen jumped back to meet the two having been a few steps ahead. "Can we trust that source that gave you that information?"
"No, not really but it's all we have at the moment," Shinji said before Grimmjow could.
"So, is there a plan or are we going to bust in and take names," Ichigo grinned.
"Oh don't worry, there is a plan just that you are not part of it," Shinji says with his own teeth showing grin. "Me and the kitty will be dealing with the shinigami you will be getting Kaien and Shiro out and back across enemy lines. We'll join ya soon after."
Ichigo made to argue that he could be more useful then that but a look from both of the Second in Commands had the protest dyeing an early death. Instead he settled for a very angry scowl that was brushed off by both the bluenette and the blond.
They travel the rest of the way in silence before they were met with their first signs of the two Princes. It was really more like Zangetsu noticing it then them. since both Kaien and Shiro had held the blades and such had a small link to Ichigo that let the teen to be able to pick up on them whenever they were close. So finding pieces of shredded clothing and bits of hair that matched Shiro was something that they would have missed if not for the link.
What cause their concern was the red slashes of blood that came with the hair and fabric. Ichigo didn't like that he didn't a stronger link with the two Princes so he could see if they were okay. As of now they would have to keep the worst of their imaginations at bay.
"Have faith that they can keep themselves alive till you find them," the old man's voice drifted from his mind. "Focus on getting there then getting out and trust those watching your back."
"Do we look like a damn taxi service! Let's kick their asses so they won't come back!"
Ichigo snorted at Zangetsu but he could understand why he would go off like that. Neither were best at being on the side lines. Though he would feel better if he did know that Shrio and Kaien were out of shinigami hands. Either way he could see himself worrying about someone; if he stayed and fight his two brothers could be retaken and then he wouldn't be able to find them again or if he followed Shinji's order he would be wondering if he ever would see the two again.
He came to the conclusion that he would do what Shinji said but if the Princes weren't that bad off then he would disobey and teach those responsible the true meaning of fear. So until he could see them with his own eyes he would do what old man Zangetsu said, focus on what's ahead of him now than when he confronts the Shinigami he could decide what's the best course of action.
With a burst of speed, he was ahead of both Grimmjow and Shinji. He ignored their shouting to slow down having no patients to stay back. Ichigo was going to deal with any trouble that would barred them from reaching Kaien and Shiro and he wasn't going to be going easy on them.
As they came upon the first small village across the border the rain had stop. Ichigo wanted to keep going but Grimmjow threaten him to rest. Shinji would go into the town to scout out information and to get Ichigo something to hid his face and hair.
"Your too noticeable," was the bluenette's reason.
The teen sighed as he sank down on the ground to wait out the blond. He kept his senses tune to his surroundings. He was able to pick up that Kaien and Shiro had come through here but they weren't in the village. When he told Grimmjow this the soldier nodded.
"We knew that it was a long shot that they would be in one of the smaller closer villages. But we are on the right track if you can use your voodoo magic to track them."
Ichigo could hear both Zangetsu snort at what they could do as being related to voodoo though he suspected that Shiro Zangetsu had taken a small offence to it. He was surprise that the other had kept silent about it.
That thought was pushed back into his mind when Shinji came back and had thrown a deep hooded cloak at him. he also had more information. With a direction in mind they left leaving no trace that they were there. Ichigo kept part of attention on the link, while he could pinpoint where the two were at he would be able to detect if they were close or not. Sort of like the link saying he was hot or cold. Right now they were cool and it irritated the orangette that he could do no more than that.
"Sheesh kid, relax will ya; you're doing more than me and Grimm would've been able to so without ya," Shinji says when giving the teen a whack to the head.
Ichigo glared but he sighed after seeing that the blond was right. He was going ot say something but stop when the link started to grow warmer.
"This way!" he shouted darting ahead again.
oOooOooOooOooOooOooOo
it was there, just on the edge of his senses. Ichigo could barely feel them but he knew that up ahead of him were both Kaien and Shiro the teen sighed as he leaned up against a building wall. He had been order to stay there and wait for Grimmjow and Shinji who were currently inside one of the taverns with one of their informants. His skin felt itchy as his senses continue to tease him with the Princes aruras Ichigo was ready to bolt to their location, but common sense won out as he stayed where he was keeping one eye on his surroundings and the other on the link.
Ichigo hated feeling like this and Zangetsu's warm humming metal didn't help chase the warring feelings away like he did in the past. Ichigo had summoned the smaller blade not only for protection but also as a way to ground himself. the old man's steady calming presences kept the orangette calm when he knew that he was anything but.
"What's taking them so long?" he whispered to himself.
"Most likely drinking their fill in booze while we're out here getting soaked."
"They must be cautious at this Ichigo, a wrong move on their part could be disastrous."
"One; how can we be soak when it's not raining? Two; I understand that but why did we have to stay out here for them to do it? I can feel them and it's not easy restraining myself from getting over to them."
"While you may feel them through this link you have yet to pin point their exact location."
"Just like your reiatsu sensing you suck at this one," Shiro laughed. "Plus it is going rain Kingy."
"Yeah well I can get a general idea where their at," Ichigo mutter before he lowered his hood as a few shinigami walked pass. "Man, we really need to get out of here before too long."
"Agreed."
"Whatever."
Ichigo ducked further into the alleyway that he was hiding in but he stayed close to the opening so Grimmjow and Shinji could still find him. Just as he made himself comfortable a fat rain drops landed on his face. He blinked as more joined it and cursed at Zangetsu's mad laughter.
'oh the irony,' the teen groaned at the rain went from a trickle to a downpour he wonders if the others knew this and wanted him to catch a cold in hoping that he would retreat. 'fat chance of that happening.'
He stood there huddle in his cloak cursing both Grimmjow and Shinji as he was soaked threw. He was close to storming into the tavern and dragging them out when he saw that someone or rather some group was doing that for him. but unlike Ichigo this group was the wasn't doing it for their welfare. This group was part of the local shinigami unit and they were currently arresting both the second in commanders.
"Great," Ichigo was quick to get out of sight but he made sure to keep the group on his line of sigh. He almost couldn't believe that they had gotten caught and what was worst was that they were going in the opposite direction from Shiro and Kaien. "What do I do now?"
Ichigo could rescue both parties but only if he had the time. Because as soon as Shinji and Grimmjow were taken Ichigo could feel the link start to strain from the increasing distance. They should've known that if just one of them were caught that the ones holding the Princes would take off. Ichigo decided to take a chance and got into Grimmjow's line of sight but was able to hid his presences from the guards as they stumble to the jail house. It was a silent conversation but Ichigo got a nod from the bluenette. He was just told to leave without them and go after Kaien and Shiro. the teen reluctantly left.
In the back of his head he kept reminding himself that they were trained soldiers that would get out of their situation and would meet up with him later. He stopped thinking about the two as the link became stronger as he closed the distance. He could feel Zangetsu's excitement as they got closer the larger of the two blades summoning itself to him. soon Ichigo single mindness came as he could feel that something was wrong with one of the Princes. With a burst of power, he vanished before reappearing in a bastardize version of a shunpo.
"Keep calm Ichigo don't jump into the fray. You must keep your senses sharp in order to pull this off successfully."
"Yeah King don't get us kill!"
The teen grinned as he followed the link closing the distance just as the rain continue to fall and as the sun tried to push through the clouded skies both would work in his favor.
"Let's show them why it is a bad idea to kidnap people."
Zangetsu cackled and old man hummed in agreement.
OOooOooOooOooOooOooOo
Kaien came awake with a groan and he wished that he stayed unconscious when pain stabbed in his head. He sat still for a few minutes letting the pain ebb its way into a dull roar. When he could open his eyes again he was met with darkness. He stretched out his senses to get an idea where he was at. It was when he felt the metal on his wrist and ankles and the bouncing underneath him that he remembers what had happen to him.
"Great, just great," he twitched when he voice sounded louder then he intended. But it was the sound of rustling next to him that Kaien twisted just enough to see a white blob. "Shiro?"
The blob moved again but made no sound. Kaien shifted closer as close as his own restrains would let him. his hands touched heated skin that wasn't hidden by bandages. It hadn't escaped his notice that the bandages on Shiro's face were bloodied more than the rest of him. Kaien didn't like what his mind was telling him about that.
Due to his younger brother's condition he wasn't as trussed up like him so Kaien was able to pull the other into his lap to offer what small comfort he could give his injured brother. As his eyes adjusted to the dark Kaien sighed in relief that he didn't see any orange headed teen but it was short lived when a small traitorous voice told him that the youngest could be in another wagon or worst.
"H-he is f-fine…Kaien," Shiro's tired voice drew Kaien back and the eldest Prince looked down into his brother's dull golden eyes. The white Prince gave him a strain smile before fallen back to sleep.
"Yeah, your right," Kaien says as he runs his fingers threw white locks. "He is too stubborn to die or go quietly."
Another jarring hit from the wagon had Kaien curled protectively over Shiro as best as he could. When the wagon settles again he leaned back and let his mind wondered. He wasn't relaxed nor was he not aware of his limited surroundings. It was during this state that he became aware of a another presence but when he placed his attention on it, it vanished only to come back when he went back to ignoring it.
'hmm interesting,' he mused.
So he pretended that he wasn't paying attention to it and it came out of hiding. He secretly kept one eye on the presence and one-word jump into his mind when he felt something familiar.
"Ichigo," that was what the presence felt like. it was the feeling of protectiveness, of power, and other things that Kaien associated with the orangette. The thought that his youngest brother was aware of him was a nice thought and he wonder if this was the same with Shiro. "Well I guess we better be ready for him then, huh bro."
Kaien smiled at the thought of Ichigo rushing in to the rescue and he chuckled when his thoughts turn to Shinji and Grimmjow following after him trying to keep him out of trouble. Kaien hoped that Ichigo wouldn't come alone and that Grimmjow and Shinji was with the other. They didn't need the Shinigami getting ahold of more of their family and he doubted that the Sereitiei forgot about Ichigo's last visit either.
"Well; time will tell," Kaien leaned back cradling Shiro's head in his lap. He allowed himself to fall into a light sleep. He wasn't aware of the speeding orange bullet heading in their direction.
oOooOooOooOooOo
Ichigo could feel them, the link getting stronger as he closed the distance. Though he still couldn't see the group that had Kaien and Shiro he knew that they weren't as far as he first feared. The rain pelted his face and to anyone else going at the same speeds as Ichigo the water would feel like little needles hitting them, but to Ichigo he hardly felt them.
He wanted to reach them before he lost their trail and they ended up in the Sereitiei and he did not want to go invading it again regardless that it wasn't the same place that he broke into the first time. Though if he had to he would but he just didn't want to go through all the hassle. His plan was more like a snatch and grab with a little bit of busting the heads of the guards. Ichigo had yet to figure out how to help Shinji and Grimmjow but he'll cross that bridge when he got to it.
"What do you think would be the best approach," he asks the two blades. He wanted their opinion first before he did anything.
"I say we bust in beat some heads then grab the princesses and leave."
Both Ichigo and old man Zangetsu stared at Shiro. Ichigo with more of a scowl while the old man wore a blank look. Shiro Zangetsu mutter darkly when the staring continued.
The old man turned to the teen, "Hang back and observe before going in. I will not tell you to be stealthy when I agree that blitz attacks would work."
Ichigo thought it over and he agreed that the idea of small blitz attacks would work he had to think on how to use them that they would work in his favor. He also had to take into account the possibly that Kaien and Shiro may be injured which would lengthen his return trip back to his unit. He was already going to have trouble carrying the two of them by himself when he retreated using his shunpo.
"I'll have to worry about it when I get them; until then I'll do what I do best."
With that in mind Ichigo increased the flow of power to his legs to give him more speed. The greenery blurred as he sped forward and the rain became almost a non-existence as he came close to flying without his wings.
He had to be reminded to eat and take a small break. He was reluctant to though fearing that while he was resting they were getting further and further away. But Zangetsu was firm in that the teen took care of himself saying that he couldn't fight to his fullest if his body was low on energy.
After getting food and water in him Ichigo was off again pushing himself more. He stopped only when he found evidence that he was closing in on his targets. Deep grooves in the muddy road with several footprints. But what let him know that he had the right path was the bits of white hair and a scrap of clothing that he knew that belong to Kaien.
Ichigo wasted no time as he continued. He slowed down when he started to hear sounds belonging to a large group of people. Some of those sounds where shouts but it was one that caught the teens attention.
"Leave him alone ya bastard!"
"Shiro stay there!"
A shout of pain followed Kaien's shout and Ichigo jumped into a nearby tree to see without being detected. He saw Shiro on the ground tied up and bandaged up. Kaien was no better though not as bad off as Shiro. Ichigo couldn't see all that was wrong but he wasn't going to let them stay with their captors any longer than necessary.
"Wait until night fall, there will be no moon tonight," Zangetsu whisper to the teen. "Let them know fear as we spring from the shadows."
"Fine by me," Ichigo stayed two steps from the group taking note of those who hurt his brothers further.
As the sun set and his brothers where tied in the center of camp; Ichigo slink down to the forest floor. He let Zangetsu near the surface, letting his long taper horns out and his eyes change. He was leaving his wings in reserve for their getaway.
The first guard came near him and Ichigo came up from behind him. in the past he would never have thought of doing something like this and he still felt sick to his stomach about but he stops thinking about it when he places his brothers into the forefront of his mind. Gripping the man's head covering his mouth Ichigo was quick in driving the blade up into the man's brain.
When the body fell to the ground Ichigo continued. He pushed everything to the back to his mind. Later he will deal with the nightmares, later he will deal with the feeling of blood coating his skin, later he will do what his father; his sisters; Rukia; Renji; and his friends told him to do during the last war. He will talk to someone about everything that was weighing him down but until then he was focus on his task in hand.
Saving his new older brothers and bringing them back home in one piece.
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Chapter end.
Thank you for reading.