Chapter 35
The day had finally come. The third year has just started. After a rather boring speech by the Vice-Principal, they all went to their respective classes. Except Nel and Ishida, who were called by the principal.
"Wonder what that pervert wants from them?" Ichigo whispered to Tia.
"Probably to…examine his newest student." Tia stifled a laugh. "Brings back memories."
"It was just nine months ago." Ichigo deadpanned.
"It feels like years." Tia smiled.
"Hey! Are you two lovebirds going to chat whole lesson or are you gonna actually listen to me." Gintoki-Sensei said with a tired look.
The duo fell silent. Then the doors snapped open. Nel and Ishida entered the class, both with heavy blushes.
"Well now I'm totally having déjà vu." Ichigo said. "I hope he won't have to battle a gigantic monster inside her head too." Suddenly his shoulder stung from Tia's punch.
"Shut up, I think it's sweet for him to accept her despite his upbringing. That's not a thing many people can do." She stated. "And I hope that he won't go after another one. He seems to be copying you pretty well." Tia said, giving him a pointed look.
Ichigo had the decency to blush, rubbing his neck sheepishly.
"Ok girly since the lesson is about to end introduce yourself. Your name is way to much of a drag to say." Gintoki Sensei said, rubbing his nose.
"My name is Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, and I'm from Austria. I like my friends, fluffy things, and Uryu-kun!" She exclaimed with a bright smile. Instantly Uryu found himself under a heated glare from every male, save Chado and Ichigo.
"And where do you live Neliel-san?" Keigo said, trying to act respectfully. He would've succeeded if not for the leer on his face.
"With Uryu-kun." She replied again, making everyone glare at Ishida.
"ICHIGOOOOO! Why the hell are you guys getting all that hot transfer students!" Keigo wailed. "What about me?!"
"Ok everyone just shut up! I can't read my Jump with all this chatter!" Sensei exclaimed. "Ok, since we won't get anything productive done today, you're all dismissed." He waved his hand, burying his head in the magazine.
The students left their classes and headed home, since it was their last lesson of the day.
"Good riddance, thankfully today's Friday." Ishida said.
"For you maybe, but for Tia and I it's almost two and half weeks of constant work in the S.S.." Ichigo sighed. "Good thing we managed to rest up a little in Hawaii."
"Yeah." Tia said with a dreamy smile. "Pity that it was so short."
"Don't worry, we'll go there again." Ichigo reassured her.
"That's great! I loved the last time!" Nel chirpped.
"It was fun." Chado added.
"Especially for you, Casanova." Tia smirked, making the large teen blush crimson.
"Tia-san don't embarrass him…he wasn't in control then." Inoue said with a fierce blush.
"But those girls seemed to love that." Ishida added with his own smirk.
"Not funny Ishida." Chado half growled.
"Ok, ok, we're not doing that anymore." Ichigo said with a chuckle. "Now let's get going Tia, we've got work to do. See you guys Monday." Ichigo waved, and headed home with his girlfriend.
Since everything had already been revealed, Tia and Ichigo could leave their bodies at home and go directly to the S.S. from there.
After a brief trip, via Garganta, the duo jumped onto the pavement in front of the Kido Corps HQ.
"Ugh, wonder how high the pile of documents is?" Ichigo groaned.
"Stop whining, you could always get a worse job." Tia said, crossing her arms under her breasts.
"Name one." Ichigo dared.
"Being your Vice-Commander." She said dryly with a perfectly straight face.
"Veeeery funny Tia really." Ichigo deadpanned making her burst out laughing. "I think I preferred the emotionless you." He mumbled.
"Sorry, couldn't resist. Let's get to our glorious work place." Tia stated, and moved to the entry of the main building.
They went straight to the library. On their way they were greeted by various squad members. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ichigo saw something very interesting. In one of the rarely used corridors he saw a pair of Shinigami in a very intimate embrace. He halted and signaled Tia to look in that direction. Upon seeing it she stifled a laugh.
"Totally saw it coming." She whispered. "There was always sparks between those two."
"Yeah I agree…but now..." He straightened his back and walked in the pair's direction. The young couple were so busy that they hadn't noticed the approaching Commanders, still kissing each other deeply.
"Ekhem!" Ichigo coughed loudly. The pair jolted apart like they were burned, and looked in shock at their Commander. Both of them had heavy blush on their faces. "Well well, what do we have here? Mind explaining Hashiro? Or maybe you Lilly?"
"C-Commander…I take full responsibility for this." Hashiro stated, paling and blushing at the same time. His usually emotionless façade was now torn apart.
"N-No i-it's my fault." Lilly stuttered, hiding her eyes behind her hair. At one point Ichigo introduced Orihime to the young Shinigami. He never saw the usually collected Lilly this happy.
"And was your fault?" Ichigo asked still keeping his hard expression.
"F-Fraternization." They shuttered together. Tia almost 'awwed' they looked so sweet together.
"Well if I had a stick up my ass, I would probably punish you." Ichigo broke into grin, surprising them. "But since you looked so happy together, I can only say…carry on." He gave both of them a firm pat on the shoulder, and went on his way.
"So Commander, you're ok with this?" Hashiro asked with a bit more courage.
"As long as it doesn't affect your duty, I don't mind….and seeing that you tried to do this in secret I won't tell a soul." His smile widened. "I not gonna punish someone for doing the things I do myself."
Lilly and Hashiro sighed in relief.
"I can only say that you two look cute together." Tia added her two cents, making them blush harder. "Now, let's leave these two love birds to themselves Commander-Sama." She took Ichigo's arm and walked away.
After few minutes they reached the library where Hachi, Shiro, and Ashido were doing paper work.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Ichigo greeted them.
"Welcome back Ichigo, Tia." Hachi said. "How was your vacation?"
"Great. We managed to regain some energy for the next year of endless paper work." Ichigo grinned.
"That's great because your office is literally filled with paper which needs to be signed." Shiro said in the matter of fact tone.
"You had to Jinx it didn't you?" Tia sighed.
"Ok, ok, aside from that anything extraordinary happened in our absence?" Ichigo asked exasperated.
"Well, we decided to introduce your training method from H.M." Ashido said.
"You mean pairing our men?" Ichigo clarified.
"Yes. Now the unit cohesion has improved dramatically." He stated. "I dare say that it is the best out of the whole S.S."
"I still don't get why you even did that? The men worked together well enough before." Shiro stated, looking at him with anticipation.
"Originally I just wanted the seated officers to work well as a team, to cover each other weaknesses, and to build trust between them." Ichigo said. "You made a sound decision to introduce that to the rest of the squad." Ichigo praised them. "But this is only the beginning of changes I'm about to make."
"Please elaborate." Ashido said.
"As you know the fighting style of the S.S. is usually one versus one, and the Division's are nothing more than bands of individuals not units. Basically warriors, not soldiers." Ichigo explained. "While this is only a concept now, I'm intending to change my men from warriors to soldiers."
"I see." Hachi rubbed his chin.
"What purpose would it serve?" Shiro pressed, furrowing his eyebrows. He didn't like the changes.
"Our squad mostly consists of mid to long range fighters, and in, let's say, direct combat against the 11th, it would be decimated as soon as they would reach our men. But, if the squad fought as unit some tasks could be shared between the members. Hado specialist would destroy the enemy, Bakudo would slow them down, and our few sword masters would mop up the stragglers, protecting the rest from direct combat. Though this is only a concept right now, as I said." Ichigo finished.
"But it's not bad. It would give a small squad like ours the advantage against normal Shinigami of higher levels." Tia nodded in approval.
"I agree, an organized army can beat a more numerous unorganized one." Ashido supported.
"You might be right." Shiro begrudgingly admitted. "I still remember the disaster when Captain Amagai proposed the joint exercises…."
"Then it's settled, after Tia and I get rid of the paper littering my office, we will start working out the future strategy for our squad." Ichigo stated. "So until then, later guys." They left the three men in the library, and went to their office.
When they reached the office there was no surprise that it was littered with papers.
"And five hours later we'll still be doing the same." Tia deadpanned.
"Maybe we should call Yoruichi, she might help us." Ichigo proposed, sitting at his desk.
"Rather than distract us?" Tia chuckled pulling out her mobile and texting a message to the Goddess of Flash. "Now let's try to thin this pile…."
Later, 1st Division HQ.
The meeting as usual was extremely long and plenty boring, so Ichigo was glad when it was finally over. He was just about to Shunpo away, when the C.C. addressed him.
"Commander Kurosaki, I would like a word with you."
Ichigo rose his eyebrow in question, and sat back in his seat. The rest of Captains left, with Shinji making "busted" signs at him.
After they left a tense silence fell over both men. The C.C. was staring right into Ichigo's eyes, as if gauging him. Ichigo held his stare as best as he could though. While he wouldn't admit it, he held the C.C. in high regard. The sheer of authority and strength the old man possessed humbled Ichigo. While the C.C. was defeated by Aizen, it was only because his own power was used against him.
"Are you fit to continue your duty as Commander of Kido Corps?" C.C. asked finally breaking the silence.
"Yes I am." Ichigo replied calmly. "But I have question I would like to ask…about my…test."
"You've earned the right to know, ask." He motioned for him continue.
"I get that those shadows were previous Commanders of the Kido Corps….but I will get to that later…Who the hell is Xalek? What had happened to the Commonwealth of Souls? How is that connected to the…" He paused when he saw, or rather felt, another presence in the room. His head minimally turned to the side, and to his terror he saw…Shadow.
The creepy figure seemed to look at him with amusement, yet he could feel the figure daring to ask him more.
"It's here isn't it?" C.C. asked calmly, and Ichigo stiffly nodded. "From your questions, I gather they haven't called you yet?" Another nod. "They will give you some answers….Though I advise you to not pursue the matters they don't wish you to know."
"So what? Now I'm slave to them?" Ichigo said bitterly.
"I won't feign ignorance…I have seen what happened to those who resisted…but that is not to say they are not reasonable, and as long as you don't pry into matters that you shouldn't, they will leave you alone." C.C. said with a grim face. "Be wary Kurosaki, you are now in a very delicate position."
"Then why the hell'd you forced me into it!?" Ichigo snapped. "I didn't want any of this!"
"Don't raise your voice at me, boy." He said sternly, not tolerating Ichigo's disrespect. "I too thought that you were far too young to shoulder this responsibility."
"My apologies…but why did you appointed me to it?" He asked quietly, in a defeated tone.
"It wasn't me. I was ordered to do so." He sighed.
"C46 made you do it?" Ichigo pressed, but then reflected upon himself. 'They have no say in that area. Who else is able to give the C.C. orders….no way.' Ichigo's eyes widened in realization.
"Yes, it was the Soul King himself." C.C. said gravely, and glared at Ichigo. "You have been noticed Kurosaki."
"But why would he choose someone like me?" Ichigo asked desperately.
"I honestly don't know…While I can see that you're doing a remarkable job for your age." C.C. gave him one of his rare accolades. "You still lack the necessary experience, and you're still learning. Personally I would have offer you a Vice Captain seat, and let you gain experience under more experienced Captain before handing you your own Division."
Ichigo nodded, there was nothing false in the C.C.'s statement.
"Without Hachi and Shiro keeping things in check, I would be lost." Ichigo smirked. "And of course my fantastic Vice-Commander."
A ghost of a smile appeared on the C.C.'s face, but it quickly fell.
"About your "Fantastic Vice-Commander", I'm afraid that C46 have finally taken notice of her." He said tiredly. "While they're refraining themselves to simple observation now, I fear that they might take action soon. Some nobles are voicing concerns about letting Hollows inside the S.S.."
"But she's not a full Hollow anymore! Hell she even has a Zanpakuto!" Ichigo protested.
"We're aware of that, but the government is not." He replied. "I advise you to warn her that there might be…provocations."
"I see." Ichigo said through clenched teeth. "I understand that it is a minority now?"
"Yes, the duel with Captain Hitsugaya helped her case, but others will still look for any mistakes." He warned.
"Thank you for the warning C.C." Ichigo stated. "Is that all?"
"Yes, you may leave now Commander." He used his dismissing tone. Ichigo stood and gave him shot bow, then left the room only to see a certain Captain waiting for him. The one he was never pleased to see.
Soi Fon.
"I guess you were waiting for me?" He asked in a neutral tone. Soi Fon bit back a sarcastic reply. The matter she wanted to discuss was far more important than her own personal grudge.
"I wanted to ask you if you were able to contact Lady Yoruichi in recent days?" She asked, also keeping neutral tone.
"We had texted her about five hours ago, but she still hasn't responded." Ichigo said carefully frowning. "How long have you been trying to contact her?"
"Over a week. Usually she has sent a reply by now." She crossed her arms, her brows knitting in concern. "Do you know where she might be?"
"I have a guess. She mentioned that she was about to investigate something." Ichigo said, not wanting to reveal anything substantial to Soi Fon.
"By something you mean the Shihoin clan, yes? I know about it already." She said in a patronizing tone. "Look Kurosaki I'll be honest with you, we hate each other, but we also care for Lady Yoruichi, so let's make a deal. We'll start sharing the information we have about her, and join forces to find her." She glared at him. "I don't like this anymore than you, but I care for Lady Yoruichi more than my personal grudges."
"Just to be sure, I'll verify every bit of info I get from you." He replied.
"Likewise." With that she Shunpo'ed away.
"Just what the hell have you gotten yourself into Yoruichi?" Ichigo sighed and Shunpo'ed to this office.
Unspecified Location
She'd been running nonstop for almost a two days, with pursuit hot on her heels. The Goddess of Flash cursed herself for the umpteenth time for underestimating her foes. She hissed in pain while landing on the roof of the house in District 29, clutching her bleeding side. She was covered in scratches and nasty bruises.
'I screwed up badly.' She took a raspy breath, and quickly continued her run. Normally she would've lost the chase days ago, but the wounds and exhaustion were slowing her down considerably.
Sweat and blood plastered her clothes to her as she pushed her body to the very limits, trying to keep up the speed.
"I SEE HER!" A shout sounded from behind, and instantly Yoruichi found herself dodging various Bakudo and Hado spells. People on the streets below started to scream in terror as the pursuit on the roof tops continued.
"Shit!" She swore when a Shakkaho grazed her shoulder. "Bakudō no 21. Sekienton!" A burst of red smoke covered the area.
She dashed away as fast as she could, hoping that the Bakudo would slow her chase for just few seconds.
And indeed twenty five silhouettes jumped out of the cloud of smoke exactly five seconds later…
'Just a bit more, just a bit more!' She chanted, feeling her legs weakening with each step.
Next Day - Kido Corps HQ
Ichigo was pacing nervously in his office. Both Tia and he had tried to contact Yoruichi all day, be it calling or texting, but nothing worked.
Yoruichi was deadly silent for once.
Adding the fact that Soi Fon couldn't reach her for almost a week, was even more disturbing.
"Ichigo calm down…I'm sure she's fine." Tia said using soothing tones. "She's more than capable of taking care of herself."
"Aren't you worried about her?!" Ichigo snapped angrily.
"Ichigo…" Tia said quietly. "I know that you're nervous, but I won't stand you speaking to me like that." She said coldly.
"Sorry...sorry." Ichigo mumbled ashamed. Tia sighed and walked to him, giving him tight reassuring hug.
"Listen, she will be fine, don't worry so much." She said gently. "And of course I'm worried about her, but panicking won't help. Look, I've sent a few of our men yesterday to go into the city and ask if people if they had heard anything."
"You did?" Ichigo asked dumbfounded. Why he didn't though of that earlier.
"I did." She added smugly. "I'd like them believing we're staying in control."
"Thanks." Ichigo smiled at her. "I would be lost without my V.C."
"I know. I don't know how you survived without me before." She said with a good natured chuckle.
"Well it wasn't easy, I alwa…." His eyes widened when he felt a surge of Reiatsu.
Yoruichi's Reiatsu.
From the shock on Tia's expression, she felt it too. The Reiatsu was wavering, almost erratic in nature. That indicated one thing.
She was wounded, badly.
Without a word the duo exploded out of the room as fast as they could.
Gates of Seireitei
Yoruichi breathed heavily, walking at a painfully slow pace. Her whole body felt like it was made of lead. In a last desperate attempt she used the very last ounces of her Reiatsu in the final burst of speed, flashing her presence as strongly as she could. And now here she was, limping towards the gates of Seireitei. The crowd of people parted as she strode by, looking at her in horror and worry.
She almost felt like chuckling. If only she knew that she looked way worse than she thought. Her bruises were now swollen beyond belief, almost obscuring her vision. The wound on her side had opened again. Her eyes were blood shot, and had dark rings under them from lack of sleep and exhaustion. Her hair was a mess and glued to her face with her sweat and blood.
In short she looked like a total wreck.
'Wonder if Ichigo will still think of me as sexy when he sees me like this?' She mused idly. Her thoughts were interrupted by a brutal shove from behind. Yoruichi fell hard on the pavement, hitting her face hard.
Her body started to feel numb. With a last ditch of effort she rolled on her back and looked at her assailant.
Like the remaining twenty four, his body was covered in dark attire. His face mask showed only his eyes.
His golden cat-like eyes glaring spitefully at her. He pulled out his tanto blade.
"And this is how the legends dies!" He snarled bringing his blade down, to deliver the final blow.
Time seemed to slow for Yoruichi. As the blade neared to her heart she felt a wave of regret. She wanted to see Ichigo and Tia one last time. Laugh with Tessai and Kisuke, or tease Soi Fon.
She felt her eyes water.
'I was so close…at least Ichigo still has Tia…She will bring him out of his mourning…' She felt the world around her darken.
Then she heard a crack…and that she was being lifted, and pressed into something soft, with pair of arms wrapped protectively around her.
Yoruichi suddenly felt very safe, so she decided to use the opportunity.
She took a nap.
The assassin's nose broke with an audible crack, when Ichigo fist collided with his face. He was shot back like a bullet a few dozen feet. Ichigo's back was turned to Yoruichi, but he had been able to see her horrible state briefly. Raw fury boiled in his blood, clouding his judgment.
His eyes turned black and gold.
"Tia take her to Unohana." His voice was laced with anger. "She needs help."
"Ok. Don't do anything stupid." She replied, feeling his Reiatsu blacken. She lifted the unconscious Yoruichi into a bridal style, and left for the 4th Squad Barracks.
"I'll give you one chance to surrender." Ichigo uttered, baring his sword. The group of assassins bared their weapons too, which varied from daggers to twin swords. The crowd that had gathered around them realized that it was beginning to get serious, so it quickly dispersed. 'Perfect.'
"I see you have found Lady Yoruichi." Soi Fon said, appearing via Shunpo with Omaeda following her, along with the rest of her division. Suddenly the assassins found themselves outnumbered three to one. "Now let's bring these scum to justice."
"You've taken those words right out of my mouth." Ichigo growled, and charged at the assassins, only to be enveloped by a cloud of red smoke when they used Bakudō no 21. Sekienton to cover their escape. All of them shot off in different directions, forcing the Shinigami to separate, and chase individual opponents. The fact that every single one of them could mask their presence only complicated things.
Ichigo shot out of the cloud, and saw the shimmer of black clothes in a nearby alley. He Shunpo'ed there and found one of the assassins running for his life.
The bastard was fast, but Ichigo wasn't Commander of Kido Corps just for show. In a matter of seconds he caught up to him, and blocked his path. With sadistic glee he noticed that it was the one that tried to kill Yoruichi earlier.
"Tell me who sent you and I'll let you live." He said honestly.
"Screw you! I won't tell you a damn thing!" The assassin spat, and pulled out his tanto blade.
"Then I'll force you to talk!" Ichigo charged him, raising his sword high. The assassin dodged swiftly and slashed at Ichigo's side, ripping his clothes, only to have his blade blocked by Ichigo's Hierro. The blade slid down his side, creating a waterfall of sparks.
"Tsk, damn abomination." He spat. Ichigo, using the assassin's brief confusion, slammed his elbow in the masked face, sending him crashing to the wall. The man regained his footing almost instantly, and jumped at Ichigo, front kicking him in the chest. Young Shinigami grunted in pain as he hit the opposite wall. In the narrow alley his large sword was an inconvenience. He was aware that any large attack would kill many people, since he was surrounded by buildings, so he decided to stab his sword into the ground, and give a real test to his hand-to hand skills.
"Big mistake, boy." The assassin mocked before running at him, and sending a straight punch to his face with his left fist. Ichigo blocked the attack and used his second hand to uppercut him, but had to quickly retreat it when his opponent swung his blade at him. Using the momentum, the assassin spun around and delivered a spinning kick to the side of Ichigo's face, giving him a show of his nimbleness. Ichigo saw stars, but didn't let it distract him. With a roar he hit his opponent in the solar plexus, kicking the air out of his lungs. But he paid dearly when his shoulder was pierced by the assassin's tanto blade.
Ichigo growled in pain and kicked assassin off him, forcing him to let go of his blade. He ripped the blade out of his shoulder, and casually threw it behind him. He quickly chanted a self-healing spell.
But the assassin wouldn't let him finish.
"Hado no 31. Shakkahō!" He shouted. A beam of red energy shot towards Ichigo, but something the assassin wasn't expecting was Ichigo simply extending his hand. The energy collided with his hand, and shot in every direction as it met hard resistance.
The man stared on, stupefied.
"You might be fast and agile, but in terms of Reiatsu we're words apart." Ichigo uttered coldly. "Tell me who sent you!"
"Over my dead body!" The assassin jumped at him, swinging his fist. Ichigo caught it with ease, and pointed his index finger to his stomach.
"Hado no 1. Sho" He simply stated. The assassin was thrown back by an incredibly insane force. He hit the brick wall with a sickening crunch, and collapsed on the ground. Ichigo walked up to him, then lifted him up, noticing that his legs were bent at an unnatural angle. "Names now!"
"Go to….hell!" The assassin spat with hate, and stuck out his tongue. Ichigo was confused for a moment, until he felt a seal's power. His opponent smile widened as the seal started to glow past the black fabric. Instantly the assassin's entire body was devoured in flames. Ichigo dropped him, startled by the sudden appearance of the fire. Now he could only look on powerlessly as the man burned to crisp.
"Fuck." He snapped, picking up his sword and the assassin's weapon. "Maybe Soi Fon can find out who was behind this."
Then he Shunpo'ed as fast as he could to the 4th Squad Barracks, praying that Yoruichi was ok.
4th Squad HQ
Tia sat on the one of the many chairs in the medical wing. She was currently waiting for the results of the operation. When she barged into the HQ like a madwoman, she was afraid that Unohana would throw her out, but one look at Yoruichi chased away such ideas. The Goddess of Flash was immediately taken to an operation room. Tia could barely contain the tears in her eyes. Yoruichi was so cold when she arrived there, she prayed that she would survive.
And ever since Tia had been waiting. Every second seemed like an eternity.
'Why do I always have to be the one to do the worrying?' She sighed.
'Would you like to trade places with her Ti-chan?' Ningyo asked.
'Of course not, but those two could learn how to handle themselves better.' She replied with a slight pout.
'Hmm, I don't remember you saying that when Ichigo helped you.' Tiburon chimed in, making her blush.
'That was a long time ago!' Tia said defensively. 'And besides, I wouldn't have ended up dead!'
'Fine brain dead then.' Tiburon chided with a smug smile. 'Still, I hope that Kitty's gonna be ok. I would miss our nights of fun.'
'I think I would miss her even if weren't having sex.' Tia deadpanned.
'O'rly? I'm sure you would.' Ningyo chuckled.
'And what's that supposed to mean?' She almost growled aloud, but got no response. Despite herself her lips slightly curved upwards. Her inner spirits always knew how to lift her morale.
Soon that smile fell, as she came back to worrying for her friend and co-lover.
She would be devastated if Yoruichi died. Even her more selfish thoughts of having Ichigo just to herself were silenced by the sinking feeling in her stomach. Without her, it would feel like an important part of her relationship with Ichigo would be gone…
Unless you knew someone who could resurrect the dead.
Tia's eyes snapped open.
'Of course! Inoue can help her!' Tia jolted up and was about to open a Garganta, when Ichigo Shunpo'ed into the corridor.
"How is she?" He asked anxiously.
"Ichigo, you're wounded!" She exclaimed, seeing the red stain on his shoulder.
"It's nothing." He dismissed it quickly. "How is Yoruichi?" His voice thick with worry.
"I don't know. Captain Unohana is taking care of her, so she should live, but if the worst happens…" She saw how quickly Ichigo paled. "...I was about to go and bring Inoue here just in case she has to…." Yeah, bringing back to life would really sound bad now.
"That won't be necessary." Unohana said leaving the room, wiping her hands of blood. "She's lost much blood, and had few organs rupture, but she will live. She also had a few traces of poisons in her bloodstream, but also the antidote. That's a former Captain of the 2nd Squad for you. Now, does anyone mind explaining why she was in such a state?"
"We don't know everything yet Retsu-san." Ichigo said. " What we do have is she was chased by the group of assassins. I fought one of them, but before I managed to interrogate him he activated a suicide seal."
"That's unfortunate. Any group that can push Yoruichi to that state will be problematic." She stated.
"Not for long." Ichigo said darkly. "Whoever did this will pay dearly."
"I understand your anger," Unohana said empathically. "but you can't let it cloud your judgment. You could end up in the same state. Yoruichi is by no means a pushover, and I honestly couldn't tell who would win in a battle between the two of you."
"I know…" His shoulders slumped. Tia walked to him and hugged him from behind. "But I can't forgive myself for not being there when she needed me….Can we see her?"
"Yes, she will be moved to her room in a minute." Unohana stated. "She will be unconscious for few days, she was extremely exhausted." As this was said the bed with Yoruichi was moved out of the operation room.
The Goddess of Flash looked now like a mummy. Everything up to her chest was hidden under a blanket, while everything above was wrapped in bandages. Leaving only her mouth and nose visible. Those patches of visible skin froze the blood in Tia and Ichigo's veins. Yoruichi's skin was ghastly pale by her standards.
That explained the two I.V.s hanging on the bed frame with her. In silence they marched to her room, and soon the trio was left alone.
Tia and Ichigo sat with a heavy sigh on the chairs near the bed.
"Damn…You better be ok Yoruichi." Ichigo mumbled his voice breaking.
"Now you know how we felt each time you were in coma." Tia said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Sorry…I'll try my best to not get in a state like that again." He whispered, taking her hand in his. For two hours they sat in silence, keeping vigil over the sleeping Yoruichi. Her chest rose and fell with every breath, which was a great source of relief for them.
Then they had visitors, namely Captains Unohana and Soi Fon.
The latter's eyes widened to comical proportions, when she saw Yoruichi, but aside from that she kept herself collected.
"How'd the chase go?" Ichigo asked awkwardly.
"We managed to round five up of them, but they committed suicide before we captured them." She replied calmly. "The trail has gone cold."
"I see. It happened to me too." He pulled the tanto blade from his robe, and handed it to Soi Fon. "It belonged to one of the assassins, maybe it will help you find who was responsible for this." She accepted the blade with shallow nod.
"It's time for you to go back to your Division" Unohana said, addressing Tia and Ichigo.
"But…" Ichigo began to from a protest.
"Do I have to insist?" She said with her sweet smile.
"N-No Retsu-san." Ichigo mumbled.
"Good, now let's give Captain Soi Fon some privacy." She told them, motioning for them to leave, but before they left Ichigo gave Yoruichi gentle kiss on her way too cold lips.
Soi Fon narrowed her eyes, but remained silent until he passed her when he was leaving.
"This changes nothing." She whispered.
"I know." He replied with a shrug, and closed the doors behind him. "Retsu-san I'll send a few of my men to guard her, in case the assassins come back."
"That won't be necessary Ichigo-san. The Division grounds are well protected." She said with a reassuring smile.
"Please Retsu-san, just for a my peace of mind." He pleaded.
"Oh fine." She sighed. "But just two. I don't need a whole Division here. Now I must go, I'm needed elsewhere."
"Come on Ichigo, the men are probably getting anxious. After all we ran out of there like the place was on fire." Tia said.
With Soi Fon
The 2nd Division Captain gently caressed Yoruichi's cheek. She hated to see her mentor and role model lying like that. So lifeless, so still, it wasn't anything like her. Soi Fon sighed, if not for Kurosaki Yoruichi would be dead. She witnessed the last second intervention of the brattish Commander, and probably, for the first time, she was glad when she saw him. Just when the accursed blade was about to pierce her, he appeared and defended her mentor.
'Maybe he isn't all that bad…' A stray though hit her, making her frown. 'NO! One good deed can't wash away all the blunders that brat made!' Her eyes traveled to Yoruichi again. 'And he took her from me!'
She sighed, the situation will get messy if her resolve fails her. Her deal with Kurotsuchi needed to be carried out, and Kurosaki needs to be knocked down a few pegs.
'But maybe not too much…. Lady Yoruichi will be sad if we do permanent damage.' Soi Fon was bitterly aware that her mentor was in love with Kurosaki, and any harm to him would hurt her immensely. '…I need to speak with him if it's safe to use.' She smirked at what would be the ultimate solution.
"Don't worry Lady Yoruichi, we'll just rough him up a bit."
Late Evening - Kido Corps HQ
"Ichigo come to bed. You can finish those reports tomorrow." Tia called from their bed.
"Just a minute." He scribbled something rapidly. "There, done." He walked to the dresser, and stripped to his boxers. Walking to the bed, he nestled comfortably with her under the blanket. Tia snuggled into his side, and sighed contentedly from her position. As soon as she closed her eyes though, her thoughts drifted to Yoruichi, chasing all her sleepiness away. She peered at Ichigo and saw that he was staring blankly at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression.
"I worried about her." He sighed, feeling her eyes on him. "She's all alone there."
"I know, but we can't do anything about it. Unohana threw us out as soon as we snuck in when you were unconscious." Tia said with a small smile.
"Heh heh, guess we're all that hopeless when one of us is hurt." Ichigo sighed again. "I just wish Yoruichi wouldn't be so distant."
"What do you mean?" Tia asked surprised.
"Hadn't you noticed that we hadn't got any call from her past two weeks, when we were in human world? With the time difference it was almost three months here." He said saddened. "I know that she is under a lot stress now, but she could've at least called."
"Ichigo, you saw how happy she was when we were in Hawaii. I'm sure she's not doing it on purpose." Tia said soothingly.
"I know, but it's just…I just miss her…We only spend time together in the S.S., while she almost never visits the H.W… I wish she would be more present in our lives…" He released another sigh.
"Then after she recovers, you have to talk to her. Let her know that you're not at all content with the situation." Tia told him.
"Ok, maybe I-" He suddenly paused when he felt a presence…the exact same he felt while speaking to the C.C.. His head turned to the side.
Shadow was standing near the doors to his room.
"You are needed." He simply said. "Come to us."
"Ichigo are you ok?" Tia asked worried, when Ichigo suddenly went pale, shivers going down his spine. "What's wrong?"
"I-I need to go." He shook, standing up from the bed.
"Where? What is going on?!" She all but yelled, growing concerned.
"The Shadows called me." He whispered so softly she barely heard him. Upon hearing him her blood went cold.
'No, not now. Not when Yoruichi is in this state…I'll will lose it if something happens to him too.' She felt dread creeping into her. "I'll go with you!"
"Tell your mate to stay here." Shadow instructed. "We only wish to speak, we won't harm you."
"Tia…I need to go alone…don't worry I'll be fine." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"No!" She shook her head vehemently. "I won't let you go there alone ever again!"
Ichigo in a spur of possessiveness hugged her tightly, resting his head in the crook of her neck.
"I'll come back. I'll definitely come back for you and Yoruichi." He said with passion. Then he went about dressing, and left the room, sparing Tia one last look. He gave her the best reassuring smile he could.
It fell as soon as the doors closed. He walked stiffly to his office, and stood in the middle of the room.
"What now?" He asked into the air.
"Activate your contract." Shadow instructed, materializing near the wall. Ichigo closed his eyes and activated his contract. He immediately saw the neat arrays of glowing seals around the room, with his ever changing irises. "Now do you see the Kanji for open in the middle of the floor?" Ichigo nodded. "Put your hand on it and just order it to open." He did as instructed. Upon touching the seal he instantly felt it attuned to him.
"Open." He stated. On command the stairwell began opening. "Must've awoken the entire building."
"Don't worry, they won't hear a thing." The Shadow reassured, making Ichigo raise his eye brows. This one was unusually friendly. " Now let's go." He said disappearing.
Ichigo look into the black, dark hole.
He swallowed hard and walked down, creating a sphere of light above his head. It gave him minimal amount of comfort. After few minutes of constant walking he decided to speed up, and Shunpo'ed the rest of the way down. As soon as he touched the rocky terrain he gasped in wonder. The whole cave was covered with glowing seals, which illuminated it with an eerie blue light. In the distance he could see the silhouette of the temple.
"You can look around after the meeting." Shadow ripped him out of his musings. Ichigo nodded and Shunpo'ed towards the building. Landing at its precipice he noticed that the building was much larger than before. He guessed it was because it was now better lit.
As he crossed the threshold of the temple, he felt dread creep and sew deep roots into his heart. With each step forward towards the Chambers of Trials his body grew heavier, as if it screamed at him to stop moving in that direction. He felt a cold sweat on his back, and that his heart felt about to burst of his chest. The last few steps towards the door felt like a dream…or rather a nightmare.
'They just want to talk this time.' He vainly tried to soothe his tattered nerves. He crossed the doorstep and looked around. The long room had statues of men and woman on each side, and the altar on the increase. He walked towards it and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the last statue.
It was him.
He was in his battle stance, with his bankai in his hand. What unnerved his most was the left half of his face was covered by his Hollow Mask, a mighty horn sticking out of it.
Then he felt an oppressive pressure that froze his very soul.
"I see you have arrived, Kurosaki." The leader shadow greeted him, flanked by his twelve colleagues. Ichigo remained silent, unable to utter the word. Fear had completely paralyzed him.
"Are you afraid of us, child?" He asked. Ichigo's throat was as dry as the Sahara. "Answer the question." He said in a commanding tone.
"Y-Yes." Ichigo choked, ashamed of his fear.
"Do you hate us?" Another asked.
"Yes." Ichigo said more firmly this time.
"Oh, and why would you?" Another asked, mocking him. "Those little tricks frightened you that much boy?"
Ichigo mustered a glare at the shadow.
"Why?" He whispered.
"Why what?" Another asked.
"Why are you testing me like this?!" He finally lost it and shouted. "What was the purpose of that test! Please…help me understand the reason.." He added more desperately. He had to know that his suffering had a reason…it had to.
"Maybe it was to make you realize the true value of those close to you." The shortest shadow, aka Kyoko's shadow, said gently. "To see how much you have to lose."
"Or maybe to humble you, and get rid of your arrogance." Another said.
"Or maybe to show you true despair to let you taste utter hopelessness." Yet another uttered.
"Or maybe because we get our kicks from mind raping people!" One cackled with sadistic glee.
"Or maybe to bring your soul to a state where we can safely imprint the contract on it." Another one said.
"Or maybe to teach you that sometimes the odds are just to impossible to cross, no matter how hard you try, you will always fail." The Leader Shadow, Xalek said.
"So I should just lay on my back and wait for death to come?" Ichigo asked bitterly. He was surprised when a low baritone laughter filled the room, but it was anything but joyous. Even the remaining shadows were surprised when their leader began laughing.
It was a flat, dark, and a bitter laugh of a man who saw too many things in his life span. It was the kind of laugh that deprived you of any illusions of life. The words that followed just confirmed it.
"No! Of course not! You will struggle and scream! Clawing and biting as hard as you can, throwing curses and insults at the heavens. And when your body is finally broken, your vocal cords are torn, you will realize that all your efforts were in vain. Yet in those last seconds you will find a small comfort in knowing that you died giving it all." A heavy silence fell on those gathered, as everyone pondered on his words. "But that's not why we called you here."
"Then why I am here?" Ichigo asked.
"To get the basic knowledge of your new powers, and the pilgrimage." He said.
"What pilgrimage?" Ichigo asked. "Tessai had already explained the way my power works."
"Ahh yes…There are now two bearers of the contract…That's unusual." The leader shadow mused. "What did he tell you about your powers?"
"Basically I can absorb Reishi from my surroundings, and then use that energy to create objects, but it will take a lot of time to master the skill of creating, so for now it's just an additional power up."
"I see. Did he tell you about the rule?" He inquired.
"What rule?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes.
"That you cannot absorb the energy of living beings, be it Human, Shinigami or Hollow nor even Animal." He said gravely. "The only exceptions are the situations where your survival depends on it."
"And what if I break that ru-AHGH!" He screamed in pain when his chest suddenly burst into a burned sensation, as if touched by real fire. As quickly as the pain came it was gone.
"You will be punished….and that was the weakest level of pain." The leader shadow uttered ominously.
"Or if you don't fulfill our will." Another, the one Ichigo dubbed asshole, shadow sneered.
"If you really think that I'll do EVERYTHING you will want of me, then you're sorely mistaken." Ichigo spat.
"If you're thinking that we'll force you to harm the ones you love, then you really must have low opinion of us…Well on the other hand it's not really a surprise, seeing your history with us and the attitude of one of us." A shadow said, turning his head to the asshole shadow. "It's just prevention in case you abuse your powers, and we'll not interfere in your private life, no matter how interesting it is." He let a chuckle out.
"I see." Ichigo said, ignoring the jab. "Then let me ask you a question before we move to the pilgrimage…Was that rule established because of what had happened in Tlaloca?" He asked, and suddenly felt the temperature fall to almost absolute zero.
"You're too sharp for you own good boy." Kyoko's shadow said quietly.
"Kurosaki…" The leader Shadow Xalec said quietly, but for Ichigo he might as well have been a scream of fury. "You are to never mention Tlaloca in my presence again…but as I have shown it to you, you've earned the right to get an answer….yes. That was precisely why that rule was established. That was why we must take such precautions and restrictions in handling this power….So that individuals using it won't destroy everything around them…like the last time."
"The Ancients…" Ichigo muttered.
"Again yes…That is why we'll do everything to prevent you from turning into such a monstrosity…While we can't outright kill you, we can permanently take your ability to function." He said.
"Then why the hell are you giving that sort of power out in the first place! It's dangerous! What if someone finds a way to overcome your precautions!" Ichigo screamed in outrage.
"That leads us to the pilgrimage, and the Gate." He said calmly. "To put it plainly, the Gate is a barrier of enormous magnitude separating the rest of H.M. from our world."
"The rest?" Ichigo uttered. H.M. was enormous, bigger than the whole S.S…
"The H.M. Shinigami have access to is roughly ten percent of the whole." He stated, shocking Ichigo to the very core. "Even someone of the Soul King's might could only create a barrier of that size…So now we're living in nothing but a small shred of the Spiritual World. True it grows, but it is still nothing compared to the world beyond the Gate." He continued. "And before you ask what growth means…Have you noticed that the horizon in the S.S. is a straight line? It's not a plane like Earth…."
"Then what is this, a dimension?" Ichigo choked feeling weak from the sheer amount of the revelations.
"Darkness…You saw how it looked while traveling through a Garganta…How your very own Reiatsu shaped that dimension…Having enough power allows you to create solid objects there." He said simply. "You will travel to the very edges of H.M., and have the gate recognize you…But I cannot predict what will happen, as there are two contract bearers at the same time…The map to the Gate is located in the library. Ask Tessai's construct on how to get it…this is all we have to say, you may go."
"How soon do I have to get to that Gate?" Ichigo asked.
"There is no hurry, the Gate still holds." The shadow said.
"Now yes, but not that long ago it wasn't so obvious." Ichigo said cryptically.
"What?" The leader shadow snapped. "Don't play smoke and mirrors with us, boy."
"Some time ago, I fought six Vasto Lorde's….The last one gave me a warning….the Ancients are coming…whatever that meant. I heard from Tessai that the Gate's being fixed, but I can't shake a feeling that something is going to happen." Ichigo said with grim fatalism. "So if you have any ideas on what that might be, please tell me…I need to know how to act accordingly."
"Very well, we will discuss the matter." He said dismissively. Ichigo turned around and was about to leave, when Kyoko's shadow's voice stopped him.
"Kurosaki, for someone who said that they hated us you seem to accept what he told you with ease, why is that?" She asked.
"Don't mistake me…I still hate you to the point that it makes my skin crawl. You're methods are twisted, cruel, and sadistic…but I don't have the luxury of hate now. Whatever is coming I will need your strength and guidance to protect what I love. That's why, and only for that reason, I'm willing to work with you." He said coldly. "Even if that's a deal with devil." He added quietly, and then left leaving the shadows to their own musings.
"I told ya that the brat had spunk." Kyoko's shadow laughed. "He reminds me so much of Tessai."
"Please, I don't want to hear that story for the unpteenth time." Another groaned.
"Tsk, he's just a pitiful existence, not worth noticing." The asshole shadow said.
"Says the kettle. It's no damn wonder that everyone upside was ecstatic when you kicked the bucket." The leader shadow said, making the rest laugh.
Ichigo's Bedroom
Tia started to slowly loose her mind. After Ichigo left she tried to sleep, but the her worry for him and Yoruichi prevented all attempts. She tried to take a bath, hoping to ease her nerves…nope. Finally she went through all the reports Ichigo had for tomorrow and finished them. After that she rested on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
After god knows how long, the doors finally opened revealing Ichigo.
He looked like had he aged a century.
Without a word he sat heavily in a chair, and ran his hands through his hair tiredly. Tia got up from the bed, and enveloped him in tight hug, giving him her silent support.
"Why's everything so complicated?" He finally said, sounding incredibly weary. "Why can't we just enjoy our lives without the damn Sword of Damocles hanging about our heads?"
"Ichigo, what's going on?" She asked, gently rubbing his back.
"I don't know Tia, I just don't know." He said defeated.
"What did they do to you this time?"
"Aside from showing me what will happen if I break their rules, nothing." He explained everything that occurred at the temple.
"I can't believe it." She said slowly. "They can just like that inflict unimaginable pain on you?"
"Yeah, I'm now a dog on their leash." He sank deeper into the chair. "I don't even want to think what will happen when they order me to do something against my will…They said that they weren't interested in my private life…but they could just be lying to give me a false sense of security." He hid his face in his hands. "Shit is coming in from every side Tia…Those Ancient bastards are lurking beyond the Gate, Quincy's are out there too, someone almost killed Yoruichi, the nobles are starting to gang up on you, and I'm pretty damn sure that something else will pop up soon."
"Ichigo it can't be that bad…we'll get through it." She lifted his chin making him look her in the eyes. "We'll be all right."
"I'm scared Tia…" He muttered, surprising her. "Things used to be simple…The line between friend and foe were clear, and I always knew who I was fighting against….but now? It's a damn game of shadows everywhere…Not to mention that now I have this accursed power."
"It can't be that bad, it's just additional power up…" She started, but Ichigo cut her off.
"Remember when I told you of Tlaloca." She nodded hesitantly. "Those people…were ripped apart indiscriminately, out of thin air…just like that. Women, men, and children….just because those sick bastards abused the same power I have now…"
Tia just then realized just how heavy his burden was. To have something like that always weighing on his consciousness.
"You're worried that you're going to abuse it too, aren't you?" She asked slowly, but she didn't gave him a chance to respond. "Then listen well, because I won't repeat myself. You're one of the most noble people I know and have ever known in my entire life, if not the most noble. You're selflessness, heart and courage give other people a symbol that they can follow in the times of need…" She smiled warmly. "I believe in you Ichigo…Everyone who knows you believes in you."
"Thank you Tia." Ichigo said pulling her into a deep kiss. After a few minutes of passionate making out, they finally felt weariness getting to them.
"Let's go to sleep." Tia said, stifling a yawn.
The Next Day
After slightly sleeping in, Ichigo and Tia went to visit the still unconscious Yoruichi. The bandages were taken from her face, so they could see a few faint bruises and cuts, but Unohana reassured them they won't leave the scars. The color had already come back to her face, and there was a high possibility that she would wake up in three days tops.
After they returned, Ichigo decided that it would be best if he visited the Gate as soon as possible, to get a grasp of the situation. He left Tia in his office, and went to the library. He greeted Hachi before moving deeper into the library. He pulled out a random book, and concentrated.
"Welcome back Ichigo." Hana said with a smile. "What can I do to you today?"
"You meant what can you do for me….right?" Ichigo said with small smirk.
"That too." She said playfully.
"Hana-san, I need the book that will lead me to the Gate." He said, and saw her immediately get serious.
"I see. Maybe you should speak with Tessai too. He will lead you there with much more ease." She proposed, her eyes glowing for a second. "Ok you should have it now. Have a nice day." She smiled and Ichigo found himself back in library, holding the book he pulled in one hand, and a large scroll with a map in other. He put the book away, and walked to the nearby table unfolding it. It was quite long, taking almost the entire length of the table The map was obviously drawn in an archaic, almost cartoonish way. Most of it was covered in dunes or rock formations.
He eyed the map, trying to find some familiar point.
'Hell I can find anything!' Ichigo growled, but then an idea struck him. He activated his contract and suddenly saw small letters on the map. 'North dune see…nope, rock wastelands…nope, Forest of Menos ha, I've got it!' He smirked and then moved to find the Gate. It wasn't that hard. The large letters accompanied by a cartoonish image of the Gate, were glowing at the very end of the map. 'That's quite a distance.' He thought. ' I really should call Tessai.' He pulled out his mobile, and called him.
"Hey Tessai, it's me."
"Hello Ichigo-dono, what can I do for you?" He replied.
"I spoke with the Shadows yesterday-" He started.
"Meet me in seven hours, in front of the Senkaimon." Tessai replied instantly. "I'll travel with you to the Gate."
"Ok, thanks Tessai." Ichigo said and disconnected. With seven additional hours he decided to try to sneak into Yoruichi's room to keep her company.
He quickly traveled to the 4th Squad Barracks, and concealed his presence. He snuck into the gardens, and crept to Yoruichi's room. He silently opened the doors, and was just about to enter when suddenly Retsu's voice spooked him.
"I thought I've told you, two hours per day." She said from the corner of the room.
Ichigo hung his head in defeat.
"I have to admit your hiding skills have improved. Now please leave." She said more sternly.
"Can't I stay, even for a bit?" He pleaded.
"Ichigo, I'm doing this for your own good. You can't sit here wasting the whole day away." She said more gently. She understood that the boy wanted to be with his lover, but it would be counterproductive for him to just sit here and worry.
"I didn't mean to. I wanted to spent some time with her before I go." He said with a bit of sadness.
"And where will you be going?" She asked.
"I don't know if I can say Retsu-san." He said in hesitation, feeling a slight pressure on his mind.
"I see…Very well, but just a hour and then I'm kicking you out." She said meaning it, and left the room to them.
Ichigo sat in his usual chair, and observed the sleeping Yoruichi. A deep sigh escaped his mouth. He gently took her hand and started caressing it.
He really missed her. Her witty humor, limitless optimism, cocky smiles, and even her teasing. But like he told Tia, she seemed to be very distant lately, almost ignoring him and Tia when they tried to contact her. Then suddenly she appears, half-dead, being chased by a band of assassins that had almost killed her.
Ichigo suppressed a shiver. The scene where the assassin rose his blade to finish her off hit way too close home. The illusion of Aizen brutally murdering her flashed before his eyes.
"I've told you not to do anything dangerous without our help." He said exasperated. "Do you really have to do everything on your own you damn fool!" It took an enormous effort to calm himself down. "Why do you keep pushing us…me away? Was what we had just a fling to you?" As soon as those words left his mouth he felt like a total bastard. She was lying here unconscious and defenseless, and he was accusing her. "Sorry…I didn't mean it like that…It's just, so much is happening now…we'll talk when you wake up." He planted a gentle kiss on her lips, caressing her cheek lovingly. "See you later Yoruichi."
Senkaimon
The young Commander waited patiently for Tessai to arrive. He really wanted to get this over with. Everything connected to the Shadows seemed to bite him in ass in the end, so there was no need to prolong it.
Soon the gate glowed, and two figures stepped out of it. One of them surprised Ichigo.
"Dad? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked flabbergasted.
"What? Can't I visit my son at the work?!" He boomed, but his face quickly sobered. "How's Yoruichi?"
"She's still unconscious…but she looks much better than yesterday." Ichigo said with a small smile. "She should wake up in three days or so."
"Then we should hurry, so sleeping beauty will get her wake up kiss." Tessai chuckled, making Ichigo blush.
"S-shut up…are we going or not?" He snapped angrily.
"Ahh still so young. Open a Garganta, it will be easiest to get there from the Forest of Menos." Isshin said. Ichigo did as said, and soon the group found themselves in H.M., just above the forest.
"Ok Ichigo-dono, normally I would travel via a space time spell to save time, but for your sake, we'll do this the old fashioned way." Tessai said moving forward via Shunpo, with Isshin and Ichigo following behind closely.
"So Dad why are you here?" Ichigo finally asked.
"As you probably guessed by now, I'm somewhat involved with the Gate." Ichigo nodded, he knew that much already. "But what you didn't know, is that there is a whole organization dedicated to keeping an eye on the Gate…we call ourselves the Lost Division."
"Lost Division?" He asked incredulously. "That sounds so cliché."
"Yeah I know, I've told them that too." He chuckled. "But I digress, they approached me just before I moved to the H.W., and offered me a position there. I agreed since I knew that their duty was essentially to maintain the balance and our survival, but due to….unfortunate circumstances I've lost my Shinigami powers. So my integration in their structure was halted for over twenty years." His face turned thoughtful. "The only ones that know of them in the S.S. are the C.C., Kyoraku, Ukitake, Unohana, and a member of the Elder Council of C46, officially they don't exist."
"Someone should've noticed the disappearance of a Captain, and the members of their Divisons." Ichigo pointed out.
"Well that is something those particular Captains are ordered to cover for. Making sure the disappearances are done without anyone asking questions, is part of the job." Isshin explained. "The structure of the Division is basically the same as an ordinary Division, with one exception, everyone is at least Vice-Captain to Captain level in power. I guess there are over thirty members by now that have achieved Bankai, including me."
"Over thirty?! That's more than the S.S. has now!" Ichigo exclaimed.
"Mind that they only picked the most talented individuals, and have existed longer than the S.S.." Isshin boasted. "But in our line of work anything less is certain death."
"Why?" He inquired with anticipation.
"Because everything worth fighting that sneaks out of the Gate is of Vasto Lorde level." He said gravely. "Of course Hollows to Adjuchas level sneak in too, but they're ignored, since they are not that much of a danger…Ever wondered why there are only so many Vasto Lorde's in H.M.? That's why. Most are wiped out by us, and those that evolve on our side are rare and far between."
"Like Tia and Nel." Ichigo said with a smile.
"Yeah those two…." Isshin suddenly stopped, and head-butted Ichigo.
"Ow! What the hell old man!" He nursed the bump on his head.
"That's for all that pain I went through, because Ryuken thought that you forced his son to have an Arrancar Girlfriend! Why the hell did you do that?!"
"It's not my fault! They did it on their own own." He skipped the part where they immensely helped Nel to overcome Ishida's prejudice towards her kind.
"So he just had to copycat you. Do you know what Ryuken will do to me when Uryu decides to find himself second one?!" He wailed.
"Then complain to Uryu not me!" Ichigo growled, dusting the sand off his robes. He glanced at Tessai, seeing that he was barely stifling his laughter. "How long till we get there?"
"If we keep up the speed we have, I guess half a day." He informed. "Isshin-dono you might as well finish telling Ichigo-dono about the organization." They again started moving.
"Oh yeah, the Captain of the Lost Division is called Oda Akabashi. He's almost as old and cranky as the C.C.. So be respectful, he's really into the whole protocol thing, but his power and prowess are undeniable." He warned. "Aside from that, you will just have to attune yourself to the Gate and we can head back."
"Ok. Sounds easy pops." Ichigo stated.
"Yeah." Isshin's smile became somewhat strained.
"There's more to it, isn't there?" Ichigo asked feeling a headache coming.
"Let's just say that you will see how far one being can go to ensure the survival of the rest." Isshin said carefully. "The sacrifice for the Gate is immense."
"Let's get this over with." Ichigo said with a sigh.
The Gate
Ichigo's jaw hit the ground with a thud. He just could not believe what he was seeing. The Gate, as they called it, was a wall in truth…a multicolored, half transparent, wall. The closest thing that could be compared to it was an Aurora Borealis, and that still was a very distant comparison. The size of it was simply enormous ,stretching as far as Ichigo could see, and reaching to the very sky.
The being that could create such thing could only be referred as…
"God…" Ichigo mumbled awestruck.
"Marvelous isn't it? It really humbles you to know that the thing that created it is still around." Tessai said. "But enough sightseeing, they're expecting us."
Ichigo nodded stiffly, and followed them to the foundation of the wall. It was a large rock formation, with many holes that, he only now realized were carved out. Soon he noticed the majestic entry to the mountain carved in a way that could only describe it was a work of art. The high roman-like columns, winged the heavy stone doors, with hundreds of seals craved into them.
Ichigo suddenly felt like a little kid excited by the discovery of the unknown. The group climbed up the carved stairs, and crossed the threshold of the doors.
They found themselves in a gigantic cave, lit by hundreds of floating light spheres. Ichigo saw the enormous columns supporting the ceiling, and tiny figures walking between them.
"Impressive isn't it?" Isshin asked, with a grin at the wonder filled expression of his son. Ichigo nodded dumbly as he walked deeper into the cave. The people walking inside stopped and looked at Ichigo with curiosity. They looked like standard Shinigami, the difference was their uniform was grayish, instead of black. He guessed it was an adaptation to the environment. At the end of the room stood a group of people. Behind them was an even larger door, which were currently closed.
When they got closer, Ichigo could get a better look at the group.
In the middle stood an old man with snow white hair, and his pale face was covered by a web of wrinkles. He was fairly tall, but rather skinny. One look into his green eyes told Ichigo volumes about his power. He doubted that he would win a one on one with the guy. On his left stood a bulky, black haired man with a two handed sword on his wide black. His face was surprisingly intelligent, his blue eyes scanning Ichigo with curiosity.
The last one was a well-endowed female. She had waist long blond hair, and blue eyes. Her skin was slightly tanned. He would've consider her attractive if not for the colder than sub-zero look she was giving him. She had a simple katana strapped to her side
"Greetings again Oda-dono." Tessai said. "I came here to present you the newest Commander of Kido Corps, Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Even here, I have heard of your exploits Kurosaki-san." Oda said in a smooth voice.
"Thank you, it's an honor to meet you too, Oda-sama." Ichigo gave him a respectful bow, only to hear a stifled chuckle from Tessai and Isshin. He realized in horror, that he was set up, if the look of slight amusement on Oda's face was anything to go by. His face turned crimson.
"It's an honor to meet you Oda-sama, hahaha!" Isshin burst out laughing. "Oh that's hilari-GYA!" He was stopped when Ichigo planted his foot into his face, sending him flying.
"Oh you are so gonna get it this time." Ichigo spat, embarrassed as hell. He advanced on his father, but was stopped by booming laughter coming from Oda.
"I've waited so long for him to be put in his place." He wiped a tear from his eye. "I like you, kid." He smiled warmly. "I'd like you to meet my charming Vice-Captain, Aki Sasame." The blonde graced him with one cold look, and shallow bow. "My 3rd seat Roku Asam." The large men extended his arm, and shook Ichigo's hand.
"It's a pleasure." He said in a polite tone.
"Now that the introductions are behind us, you probably can't wait to see the Gate." Oda said, snapping his fingers. The enormous doors behind him glowed and slowly opened. The room behind wasn't lit by anything, so Ichigo couldn't see through the darkness. "Don't be shy, go on inside." He encouraged him. Ichigo shrugged, and walked calmly into the room. He stopped at the very doorstep.
"Now boy…see what sacrifice truly means." Oda said saddened. He heard another snap, and the room suddenly was lit up. If it was possible, the cave here was even larger than the previous one. Ichigo hadn't noticed that. The entirety of his attention was glued to what was in front of his eyes.
A wall of bodies.
He felt his breath catch in his throat as he witnessed the abomination. Gigantic black doors were surrounded by, from the looks of it, a messy design. However if you looked closer, you realized that this messy design was…bodies. Pitch black, with their hands extended towards Ichigo. Like they desperately tried to get over to this side, only to be caught in the middle. Their faces twisted in agony and despair. He felt bile rise from his stomach. There had to be tens of thousands…no hundreds of thousands bodies, melted together to create this wall. He knew that they weren't sculptures, because absolutely no one could make something that horribly believable.
"W-What the fuck is this?" Ichigo stuttered, horrified by this atrocity.
"The last thing that separates us from extinction." Oda said gravely.
A/N
Uff that took a while..damn you Uniwersity!. Ok rants done. I have one thing to announce from now on the chapter's progress will be written on my profile so check it to see how long till the chapter is done.
Ok that's all as always Review&Review that always bring joy to my heart!NEED MOAR!
BBWulf: Yeah my sadist part got better of me.
Drekk: nice, but now imagine that your girls have super powers…
TNB: Just for the kicks, I'll maybe make omake with them in this story.
gecko.458: As soon as I write them, as for your suggestion…nope rather not.
Iskandar06: thanks
GetsugaCero: I'm happy to hear that, good luck with your story.
Andigatron: you wouldn't be saying that if he was your PE teach,
Seventh Sanctum: Got inspired by the ME 2 in after life
DukeScarlet: thanks
Vail Ryuketsu: Heh don't worry it will come one day
RelocationAgent: Thanks.
Ebonzekken: Thanks, and maybe, no, possibly
NaruxFemHaku: I noticed the same thing too, I'm secretly hoping that Tia will get more screen time since he bother to draw her all wounded and chained( Damn you Juha Bach!)
Littica Marek: You're choice, I would call that minorities but well you're choice.
Vesting: thanks, and sorry but no Yoruichi is staying.
Vail Ryuketsu: Yeah I'm considering making an omake with schools staff.
54: thanks
OMAC001: Yes and Blood war is still distant future.
vic boss: thanks and those question will be addressed in it time, you won't be disappointed.
diosdiavolo96: heh
ThePhenakism: thanks
Namz89: And thanks for reviewing it, and well with this chapter I guess it even got bigger.
G0thic Riv3ra: then nothing stops you from re-reading it
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan: I'm glad to make it special
Krazyfanfiction1: It's not possible those other souls were consumed by Nel's dominant ones and removing them would kill her.
DragonNOOB: They're not they are something more vile.
Adrian92:thanks
Mitomeru: I do Urahara/his fan ;)
Ghost132: thanks
Haydunn: thanks
Tracyheart: Glad to hear it
DeezDeez: hmm good question, when the time will be right
VicRB: I might put more but when the timing will be right and yeah I now I will have a lot of chapter to write.
Guest1: thanks
Psudocode Samurai: damn that was so easy to see?
Holy Writer: Glad you liked it
Xager-the-Chaos-King: Hahah( putting my pinky to my lips) thanks and yeah she will appear.
Kyassaru: Yeah I'm so proud to be first one to do it.
HollowPheonix: Well maybe and as for his powers I'm still thinking about it.
DragonNOOB: he's still alive.
Mexican ninja1996: Yeah Chado deserved some
Kiwifan7:Thank you