Ichigo stormed down the grated walkway. Yes, his side killed him. Yes, his stitches strained with his fierce movements. But no, he was not slowing down, not even when heard the grunting and groaning and sobbing when he neared the cell.
It was the first time in his life he meant to kill someone—or in this case, something. He had killed countless times, but always at the end of his blade, because it was the only way to end the battle. This time though, he knew before he opened the cell that he was going to murder the two creatures assaulting the young vandenreich soldier.
He took a page from Grimmjow's book. First he used the element of surprise, then he used his forearm to hook around the first one's neck and haul back. He dropped to his knee in order to get enough force but there was no mistaking the crunch as a fatal one. He dropped the hollow on the ground. Then he turned to the second who still held the prisoner around the neck.
This one put up a fight. Ichigo's back hit the wall, he rebounded into the creature's waiting fist. The room spun, but he came back with a hit of his own. Then he kneed the creature low. It howled and bent over. Ichigo's knee came up again, this time in its face. It crashed back against the bed. The wrecked soldier struggled away from it.
Ichigo brought his foot down on the hollow's leg while it was at an angle. It screamed desperately, clawing at the bed sheets. When it turned, Ichigo kicked its side. It fell all the way to the floor, gasping.
He had a moment then, when he could have let it go, when he could have told it to crawl away. But he remember the shower room. He remembered those faces and the one soul who had come to save him. And he knew he'd become far more like Grimmjow Jaggerjaques than he'd ever intended when he stomped down on the creature's wind pipe.
Its body quivered in death, tightened and then sagged. Ichigo watched it go inert. His breath calmed. He saw others at the door, waiting, uncertain of what was happening. Then he marched over to the bars, slammed them shut and grabbed the heavy curtain above.
"My turn."
He let the canvas drop, plunging them in near darkness.
No one questioned him.
Ichigo left the cell door and stepped over the bodies. He found a bucket of water in the corner and brought it over to the prisoner.
"Here." He squeezed out a rag and brought it up to filthy skin. The man flinched at first, but then seemed to realize who Ichigo was and let him work.
"It's you…the soul reaper boy."
"My name is Ichigo. What's yours?"
"Bellamy."
"Well Bellamy, I'm sorry this happened to you." He worked the cloth down his chest and arms. Then he did his feet and legs. "Can you handle the rest on your own?"
Bellamy nodded. Ichigo undid his bonds and handed him the cloth then turned his back to give the man some privacy. He could still hear him though, and there was no way for him to complete the task without sobs of pain.
He was shaking when he finished. Ichigo turned back. While he'd been waiting he'd stripped one of the already half naked bodies and now he helped Bellamy cover himself up. He sighed when it was finished, hugging his middle with both arms. His dark hair hung into his face, but it didn't hide what streaked from his eyes.
Ichigo waited for him to collect himself. It took some time for the shaking and tears to quiet down. Then he peeled back the filthy sheet to make a place to sit. He sat at his side and asked the question for himself.
"Is there a way out of here?"
Bellamy looked up at him. He suddenly grew tense and eyed Ichigo up and down.
"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I just need to know the truth."
Bellamy's lips tightened. He started to nod, then stopped. "You first. Why did the King have you locked up?"
Ichigo considered. There was no real reason not to tell him. He explained his worth to the king. Bellamy nodded as if he'd already known.
"I'd heard rumours. I wasn't sure any of it was true though. And the espada. Why did he have him there?"
"That's a little less straight forward. Basically I think they were keeping him on reserve, in case he knew something of value."
"I see."
"So, Bellamy, are you going to answer my question now?"
"There is no way out for prisoners of this place."
Ichigo stared at him. "For prisoners."
"Yes."
"But this place is only made for prisoners. There are no guards."
"…not until now."
Brown eyes widened. Ichigo gripped his shoulder. Bellamy winced. He eased up his hold but kept eye contact.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying there is a failsafe…of sorts. But only for those with quincy blood in them. If we ever accidentally came through powerless, we can use a blood sigil to open a portal."
"A portal where?"
"Wherever you choose. The portal opens an area in which spiritual pressure can exist. After that, you could make a Garganta if you wanted, or a Senkeimon, but obviously it was made to return to the Vandenreich homeworld."
"Why haven't you done it yet?"
"Because…I haven't been left alone long enough to do it."
"Oh." Ichigo turned his eyes back to the canvas concealing them from the others beyond. "So you could do it now?"
"If you could guarantee we have the time. If the others got wind of this…you know what would happen."
Yes he did. The others would never let up torturing him until he agreed to open a portal for them all.
"I have to get Grimmjow."
Bellamy's eyes widened. "What? No way. I'm not telling that animal anything."
"I can't leave here without him."
"WHAT? But that creature took you, didn't he? And he ordered them to—to—" his voice failed him. He clutched his gut. Ichigo felt sick as well. His voice lowered.
"He never did this to me. It was an act to protect me."
A strangled laugh escaped the prisoner. "An act? What happened to me definitely was not an act."
"He could only save one of us." Ichigo found himself giving into Grimmjow's logic just after having argued against it with the espada. "He didn't think he had a choice."
"Like he would ever have shown me mercy. He's pure evil and I won't take him with me. If you want me to take you from this place, I will. But it has to be here and now and just the two of us."
"But you'll take me back to Bach."
Bellamy looked to him and slowly shook his head. "I failed in my duties. I let myself be…tainted by hollows. No Vandenreich would ever accept me back into their fold. And the King would slaughter me for my failure. I have to get out of here, but I can't go home. I'd have to go to Hueco Mundo, or the world of the living."
"Are you alive? I mean, the original quincies were humans from my world. Is that where you belong?"
"The original quincies were from your world, but those under Bach have lived so long in the shadow dimension that our souls and bodies have changed. Yes, I do have a physical form in the world of the living, unlike the soul reapers and hollows. But that form is different. I won't age as rapidly, nor be as vulnerable to injury."
"But you could live there. You could pretend to be human."
"Yes."
"Then that's where you should go."
"You…would accept an enemy into your homworld."
"Why? Do plan on harming the people of my world?"
"No."
"Then there is no reason for you not to go there. You're out of this war now."
Bellamy looked at him in awe, as if unable to really believe Ichigo was being so merciful to him. He reached out and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"You are a remarkable soul, Ichigo Kurosaki. If you would do all that for me, then I would not be out of this war. I would fight with you."
Ichigo smiled. "I'm afraid my chances aren't very good. I don't know how many Soul Reapers are left alive or uncaptured."
"Enough that the war hasn't ended."
"True. Alright, Bellamy. We have to leave this place. But I do have one ally left, and I am sorry, but I can't go without him."
Bellamy bit his bottom lip and looked to the canvass curtain in fear. Ichigo didn't blame him, but he also couldn't leave here without Grimmjow, and not just because his conscience wouldn't let him, but because he was starting think the universe was throwing them together time and again for a reason. If the soul reapers had suffered too many losses, Grimmjow with the strength of a captain, could be crucial in them holding their ground, or if possible, winning.
Maybe Bellamy saw this too, because slowly he nodded, though that look of fear and disgust still on his face.
"F-fine. But don't leave me alone in here."
"I'll send for him."
Ichigo peeled back the canvass curtain. He saw several hollows waiting outside but among them was Gleb. Grimmjow must have sent him to keep an eye.
"What the fuck are you doing, kid?" he hissed when he was beckoned over. He tried to look inside the cell but Ichigo's body blocked his view.
"Get Grimmjow, right now."
Gleb's eyes narrowed. "Does he actually know something? Did you find a way out?"
"I'm not sure, but I need Grimmjow right now."
Gleb nodded. He wasn't going to stand in the way of a potential escape route. Ichigo watched him go with a bit of guilt. The hollow had only ever helped him, albeit because of Grimmjow's orders, but Ichigo would have liked to have freed him too.
It didn't take long for Grimmjow to show up. He seemed wary, but stepped inside the cell and let the curtain shut behind them.
"What's going on?"
"There is a way out. We're going now."
Blue eyes narrowed and landed on the young Vandenreich. He read his face and body language then turned back to Ichigo.
"I think he's lying."
"What difference does it make? If it doesn't work, then we'll know."
"It will work," Bellamy pressed. "Just help me stand."
Ichigo approached him and got an arm around him. He staggered, leaning into the teen.
"Grimmjow, watch the door, make sure no one comes," Ichigo said. The espada maintained his glare.
"He was in Hell. He would have said something if it could have gotten him out of it."
"Again, what difference does it make? If he's lying we'll know soon."
Ichigo didn't think Grimmjow was going to back down but Bellamy was already carrying out the procedure. He had a bad cut on one wrist and now he dipped his finger into the blood. He raised it up to the wall and traced faint lines—foreign characters Ichigo didn't recognize. It took a moment but when he was finished he smiled, as if finally accepting he was going to escape this place.
"Here goes." He pressed his palm against the wall. The red lines glowed blue. Ichigo's eyes shot wide. It was real. It was working.
Then he staggered back from the blast of power that escaped the sigil. Bellamy gave a short cry, his body seizing up, then he staggered as the light dimmed. He didn't fall, but stood panting when it was over. Ichigo stared at him. Was this what was supposed to happen?
"Bellamy, are you okay?" He moved around him, bracing his shoulder. The Vandenreich was breathing slowly now and when he raised his head Ichigo saw the smile in his features.
"Yes, I'm quite alright, Kurosaki." His hand shot up, a vice around Ichigo's upper arm. "Ready to go home?"
Ichigo stared back at him. The fear and anguish had vanished from his eyes. That face that a moment ago had been so pale and horror-struck was now sharp and hard and borderline gleeful.
"Kurosaki, get away from him!" Grimmjow shouted.
"What's going on?" Ichigo tried to yank his arm away but couldn't. "Bellamy, we had a deal."
"Thank you, Kurosaki, for freeing me. I'll take care of you, don't worry. But him…" he turned back to Grimmjow who was on edge, body tensed. "He's going to suffer."
Bellamy raised one hand. The door to the cell and Grimmjow along with it suddenly disappeared in a blast of blue. The prison beyond lay exposed through the crumbling wall and Ichigo staggered in the sudden weight of Bellamy's spiritual pressure.
"What the Hell are you doing?" Ichigo tried again to pull away but this time he was floor by a blow. The force of it stunned him. He blinked back black and red until he was aware that his hands were behind his back, snug chain around them. Bellamy hauled him back up, half dragging him.
"Sorry Kurosaki. I really do appreciate the save, but you're my ticket into the King's good graces."
"You just said—"
"I just played you. Get over it." They were out on the walkway now. Ichigo saw a pair of bodies who'd been killed in the explosion. Gleb was still on his feet however, leaned over the broken rail of the walkway and staring down to the pit floor. Ichigo wasn't sure he wanted to see—Grimmjow was most likely a dead body on the floor. But Bellamy kicked Gleb out of the way and jumped up over the bar.
The force of their landing made Ichigo's knees scream and his body jolt in pain but Bellamy still held onto him. He saw the broken chunks of stone and metal but they stopped moving when they saw no body among the wreckage.
The metal pipe swiped through the air barely missing Bellamy's head. He ducked beneath the swing and drove his fist into Grimmjow's gut. The espada doubled, blood spewing from his mouth. He fell to his knees, the metal pipe clattering to the ground, and the strike across his face floored him completely.
"Stop!" Ichigo tried to shove Bellamy back but it was no good. He was struck with both fist and a blow of spiritual pressure that sent him to the filthy floor and subdued him. They were at the mercy of the only being with spiritual power in this place.
Grimmjow was beat up from the fall and now barely holding onto consciousness. He raised himself from the ground and back to his knees, wiping the blood from his nose. Bellamy stepped away from Ichigo to close in on Grimmjow.
"Nice going, Kurosaki," the espada muttered. "See what happens when you try to play nice?"
Another strike across his face. Grimmjwo caught himself before he hit the ground again but it was a monumental struggle for him to push himself back up.
"Got…any other bright ideas?"
The kick to his shoulder sent him straight back. His head hit the ground hard and he groaned.
Bellamy stepped over him. "Your turn, espada. How about I turn you over to those hungry bastards?"
"Be my fuckin' guest. Not damn one of them would dare."
Bellamy started to laugh but cast his eyes up at those watching. Anger deepened in his features as he saw the truth of Grimmjow's words.
"Fine. Then I'll make sure the Vandenreich destroy you." Bellamy put his palm straight out before him and spoke an incantation. In seconds a familiar swirling vortex appeared. Bellamy bent and pulled Grimmjow up by the hair.
"Kurosaki," Grimmjow said as he was forced over to the breach, "I'm gonna fuckin' kill you."
With one last kick, Bellamy sent him head long through the portal, back to the Vandenreich homeworld.
"Now it's our turn, Kurosa—"
Blue light pierced the low light of the prison, all the way from the pit floor to that unreachable ceiling high above. Bone white faces and bodies were illuminated all along the rails where the prisoners of Purgatory had gathered.
And at the center of the surge of energy stood the soul reaper, the hollow—the quincy. Ichigo wiped the blood from his palm. The sigil faded back to red beneath him where he'd etched it in the ground. He stood slowly, snapping the chains around his wrist.
"Did nobody tell you?" He turned to Bellamy. "I have quincy blood too."
Bellamy's eyes went wide. He produced his bow in panic but it was already over.
Ichigo didn't relish in taking the soldier's life. But when he closed the distance and put his hands around the man's neck with all the eyes of Purgatory on him, he knew there was only one way to end this. And when he stood up from the pale body on the prison floor and raised his eyes to those countless faces, he also knew there was only one thing left to do.
"If you want revenge, you'll get it on the other side of this portal."
He turned away from the masses of demon shapes, and left Purgatory behind for the last time.
"I can't believe it. This means Kurosaki must be over there too." The stunned guard held Grimmjow around the throat as he addressed his companion. "I'll take this one to Bambietta and—"
Grimmjow hit the ground hard. His palms slipped on blood and he face planted with a groan. Two bodies collapsed next to him. He lay still as a new someone approached. He didn't give a shit anymore. Let whoever it was beat him to death.
"Grimmjow."
The voice above him caused his eyes to flare wide. He let out a long sigh and decided to survive a little bit longer.
"You asshole." He got to his knees before Ichigo stooped and took his arm, pulling him the rest of the way to his feet.
"I got us out, didn't I?"
"I would have preferred doing it without getting the shit kicked out of me." Then he looked Ichigo up and down. "How did you do it?"
"I said I would, so I did."
Their conversation ended when the first bulky form came through the vortex. He was quickly followed by another and another. Grimmjow stared at Ichigo.
"You let them out?"
"It's war, Grimmjow, and they're an army waiting to fight."
Ichigo's conviction was unwavering. Slowly, a smile spread over the sixth espada's face. "You know what, Kurosaki, I think you finally get it."
"Maybe I do."
"Well good, then maybe we actually have a chance of winning this damn thing."
"Yo, King." They turned at Gleb's voice. The room was full of bodies but they stilled now. "What's the plan?"
Grimmjow looked around at all the others. They were waiting too. His face darkened with a hungry light that was reflected back in hundreds of hollow eyes.
"This is the Vandenreich's homeworld, in particular, this is their headquarters. This is where you will do them the most damage. So let's tear this fucking place down."
There was a roar of approval. The others began to flood from the room, spiritual pressure erupting all around them.
"They won't be at full strength," Ichigo reminded. "It takes a while."
"There's a shit ton of them though, they can do some damage."
Ichigo nodded. The order Grimmjow had given would keep them in this building. That mean the civilians beyond this base might be spared. Had Grimmjow meant to do that? But Gleb was running past and Grimmjow caught his arm, a number of his original subordinates stopping too.
"I have a special task for you," he said.
"What is it?"
"There's a girl." He caught Ichigo's look. "Actually two. One's young, red head. The other's the hottest, most badass blonde you'll ever meet. They're with us and they might be prisoners here."
"Got it. If they're here, we'll find them."
"Good. Go."
They flashed away. Soon Ichigo and Grimmjow were alone in the room.
"Shouldn't we go after Orihime and Candice ourselves?"
"No, Kurosaki, we have bigger fish to fry."
"Which is?"
"We gotta get your damn sword back. And then, we have a war to win."
Back again! Things are winding down on this story (though I have yet to figure out just how to conclude it!) I am really excited to start posting my next Grimmjow and Ichigo fiction "Apocalypse." It is among my favourites so far! As for the question about any of my fics being romantically inclined, Point Blank will be eventually and I am toying with a couple of other story ideas that might go that way. I am usually for the friendship fic, but I wouldn't mind trying the sexual and romantic side of things as well so I may pursue that with one or two of my other stories in future. We'll see! Thanks so much for your continued support on this fic! It got pretty dark again, I know...but there's a note of hope now!
Until next time,
Riza.
