XXVI.
Before the Calm
Dated: Gotei Thirteen Era Five
Ichigo knocks solemnly on Urahara's door three times in the dark of the early winter night. No answer comes.
"Strange… He's always here." Rukia mutters.
"Oh well." Ichigo turns away from the door slowly.
Behind the two, Urahara stands silently.
"Hey! What's going on?"
"It's…" Urahara chose his words carefully, making sure to mask his true meaning. "I have to make sure things don't happen the way they did before."
"What?"
"Go home. Things have gotten out of hand here, Ichigo."
"The war's over, Urahara. What's wrong?"
"I wouldn't bet on it, Kurosaki. This is the calm before a storm. And it is very calm… too calm. This is no small storm to weather… this is a hurricane, and it will take us all with it when it comes. Find shelter. Stay out of it."
"What the hell…"
"Go home. Return to your life, Ichigo. You are a hero among the Shinigami. Now live your life as it was before. You don't need the same fate that we few accursed survivors share."
Ichigo paused for a moment, before turning to leave.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean, Sandals-hat?"
The dull click of two straw sandals on the dirt street echoed loudly over the silent group. "It means that you need to give up on being a Shinigami. We're sorry to have to ask you this, Ichigo, but it's for your own good."
"Dad?"
"Trust me, Ichigo. This isn't the time for us to talk about this."
Ichigo sighed. "What's with all of you?"
"A war is coming… one that you don't want to be involved in. We all have our places for revenge. You, at the moment, do not." Ichigo looked to the roof of the building to see the third speaker. He was a rather frail man in a white suit.
"Heh… you actually showed up this time, Ryukken." Isshin muttered under his breath.
"Who's he?"
"Ryukken Ishida." Urahara answered. "We can leave once Yoruichi gets her."
"Go home, Ichigo. You too, Rukia-chan. This isn't safe."
"What is going on?!" Ichigo shouted.
Rolling his eyes, Isshin drew his Zanpakuto.
"I'll explain when we get back. Go."
Ichigo rolled his eyes as Rukia tugged him away.
"So… I guess we aren't going home…" Rukia muttered.
"…Don't want to…"
"Is something wrong?"
Ichigo sighed. "No."
"Are you sure…?"
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE?" He screamed.
"Ichigo…"
"After everything we went through for them, they just tell us to get out of the way and let them deal with it!"
Rukia grabbed her friend by the shoulder. "Let's go to the carnival."
"Huh?"
"You said we could. Let's go. You need something else to think about." She smiled, but it was half-hearted at best, more to comfort Ichigo than to show her own feelings.
A moment of silence fell between them before Ichigo finally spoke again. "All right."
Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto was tired. He had not had a full nights sleep since killing Ikatsue. Only a single stretch of sleep just after returning to Seireitei had satiated him since his visit to Hueco Mundo.
Instead, he stared at the stars again. He had long since lost count of the sleepless nights. In truth, he had long since lost the natural need for sleep, or food, or drink, but those necessities kept him tied to the living dead who went about their lives around him. His mind was haunted by the silhouette of a dream that had come the night he returned. The callous, careless, conscience-less voice taunted him whenever his eyelids drooped.
"Are you all right, old man?"
He turned slowly.
"Kenpachi?"
The massive warrior smiled slightly.
"You aren't sleeping. Wanna fight?"
After a moment, Yamamoto accepted the offer. It would take his mind off the taunting of the dead man.
The carnival lights were strung, and Ichigo and Rukia blended easily into the crowd. For some reason, the lights brought back memories in Rukia. Memories of their first meeting.
"I see. So basically, you're a Death God? And you came all the way from some place called Soul Society to vanquish evil spirits? Which means that monster earlier was one of those evil spirits? And it attacked that little girl? Okay, I belie-- NO WAY I'LL BELIEVE THAT, DUMBASS!"
The two wandered together, speaking scarcely. The quiet seemed to bond them, wiping out the noise of the crowds around them.
Carrying a small bag of popcorn and drinks, Ichigo and Rukia found a seat on the bank of the river.
"It's beautiful here." The Shinigami girl murmured. The crisp air of an autumn night settled over the open space.
"I'm glad all the trouble's over." Ichigo sighed, realizing that he really wished that there were more to do. More to keep his friends together.
"I'm glad they let me come back."
"Me too…"
Lying on their backs in the grass, they stared at the stars.
The red robes hung over the side of the massive steel bridge. Fingers slid over the wound on the tight, muscled skin. Slowly, one finger paused as the man gazed down.
The single gold band that hung on the finger brought back memories of an old love.
Now she was dead, and he was alone.
Ichigo's closed eyes ran through the memories of the past months as he sat on the riverbank. Now it was winter.
"The war will come with the snow, Kurosaki. Neither of us can survive by ourselves… but together, we might just win…"
Yamamoto's words seemed ironic now. And then, his eyes still closed, Ichigo felt the pressure on his arm.
His eyes flickered open for just a moment. Rukia leaned against his arm, slowly falling asleep. He merely relaxed, letting her find a comfortable spot, before returning to the memories.
"You know she loves him." Urahara noted.
"I didn't want him to get involved in everything we did all those years ago, Kisuke. But you were always the best. Can we keep them out of it?" Isshin answered as the group of four walked the side-streets of Karakura.
"I don't know. She will be saved…."
"But Ichigo?"
"I don't know."
Isshin hung his head slightly, neglecting the rest of their conversation.
Chad's heavy footfalls echoed over the empty street. His path was silent, cold, and lonely. It didn't bother the giant, though. He merely kept walking.
"Hey, Chad."
He barely glanced to the side. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Ishida.
"Hey." He muttered to his friend.
Ishida sensed something in Chad's voice.
"Something wrong?"
Chad shook his head. "Just thinking."
"Something's bothering you, Chad. What's wrong?"
"…"
"Come on. You'll feel better if you talk about it."
"I was just wondering… what's going to happen to us now?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well… now that it's all over, they don't really need us anymore, do they?"
Ishida laughed. "Then we'll just ram it in their faces that we're better than everyone else, and they won't have a say in things, will they? Just like we used to."
Chad smiled slightly at this, thinking of all the crazy things they had done as friends. "What happens next?"
Ishida grinned. "I don't know. Although I hate to admit it, Kurosaki would know better than me right now."
At that moment, Ichigo's substitute badge exploded in a flash of light.
He looked up as the black portal from Hueco Mundo opened before his eyes. He still lay on the riverbank, with Rukia lying next to him, asleep. Slowly, his hand slid her to the ground.
The hollow was massive, and emitted an enormous reiatsu. An educated Shinigami would have instantly identified it as an Adjuchas, but Ichigo had no such training. Instead, he stood slowly, seizing in his fingers the substitute badge.
The hollow opened its mouth, releasing a veil of needles. Ichigo merely slashed down with Zangetsu, knocking them out of the way.
A faint moan echoed from the ground behind him.
He glanced quickly over his shoulder, and instantly felt his bloodlust rise.
Rukia lay, bleeding. Her body was covered from head to foot in foot-long needles.
Instantly, his eyes exploded in fire. He didn't care at all about the overpowering rage that accompanied his power. Instead, sheathing his Zanpank-to, he charged forward, ripping the hollow's mask in half with his bare hands.
Still, his fury remained unsettled.
Behind him, another small portal opened. Out stepped a tall, rather attractive green haired Arrancar woman. Nel smiled at her friend.
"Ichigo! I was wondering where you were. The flood finally settled, so I…" Nel's words died on her tongue as Ichigo rounded on her, eyes burning.
"Ichigo?"
"Hello…" Ichigo smiled slightly. "…Hollow." He reached onto his back, drawing Zangetsu.
"Ichigo? What's wrong?
"Nothing's wrong, Arrancar. Everything is absolutely…" he spat the word "…the way it is supposed to be." He grinned at his friend manically.
"Ichigo…"
She barely managed to lift her own Zanpakuto in time to block Ichigo's slash.
Then, with a blur, he was behind her, and she dove to avoid a second blow. The wide blade scratched her back, and she rolled across the grassy hillside before regaining her feet.
Ichigo smiled from his place near Rukia. Then, at once, his shadow was over her, and he lifted his Zanpakuto to her head, readying himself for the final blow.
