Everyone's Dead
Disclaimer : Not mine, don't own much. First season of Bleach a few posters...
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kagome opened her eyes when she realized she was falling through air and not sand. Looking about she saw thick, impossibly wide tree trunks, and in the distance moving shadows. Then she was knocked in the head by a branch, she swore and let go of Rukia to protect her face and head. Concentrating she drew power to her and manged to form a platform. Hitting it roughly she lay there and gasped for air before taking a look around. The shadows were hollows or at least some of the ones she had noticed earlier. Ichigo and the others, including the strange child and her companions, were far far away. Ichigo might not be able to feel her. Sitting up she noticed Rukia was in the tree above her and given by the fact she hadn't said something Rukia had probably been knocked out the same time she'd hit her head.
She sighed, she was already regretting her noble impulse, trapping herself with Rukia.
She hopped up toward Rukia and found her laying in the vee of a branch, her sword still held tightly in her grasp. But the bump on the side of her head confirmed her hypothesis. Knocked out. She groaned, she had trapped herself with a weak-bossy-bitch. "Idiot!"
Then she knelt down and started healing her up, already she could feel large numbers of weak, pathetically so, hollows coming towards them looking for a bite to eat. Rukia stirred, she pulled her hand away. Rukia's purple eyes blinked up at her in dazed fashion before becoming sharper. "Kagome."
"Yep."
Rukia sat up and looked around before asking, "The others?"
Kagome pointed off to the left, "That way, a long ways away that way."
"How did you end up here with me?"
"I jumped after you, and I think there was a undercurrent to the sand, so it distributed us differently."
Rukia suddenly seem to notice the approaching fresh meat. "Hollows?"
"Yeah, lots of them but they're really weak. We need to catch up with the others before getting out of here."
Rukia nodded in agreement and stood, wobbling a little she focused just in time to slice the first hollow's mask. Kagome put her back to Rukia's and said; "You cover me I'll try to push through."
Fighting through the hoards was distinctly annoying, Rukia was keeping her end of the bargain up, and Kagome was trying to get them towards Ichigo; the problem was the fighting was drawing more towards them, some bigger ones were coming. "We need to hurry we're only drawing more attention."
Rukia grunted something like agreement from behind her.
Then came the howl of a stronger hollow, it was announcing their position. Kagome decided now was the time to start firing Cero. Taking out the screamer she starting cutting through the ones attacking them. Rukia was using her sword, Kagome was using hers when they got too close but for the most part she was firing purple beams slicing through whole groups. Suddenly there was an opening. Kagome grabbed Rukia and fled, flashing stepping quickly she raced for the group, maybe a hundred steps away she found those enforcements. They had run straight into twelve of those giant menos.
Kagome was about to attack with her swords hoping to avoid lots of flashy light shows drawing more in but then as one they started powering Ceros, she could dodge but she didn't know if Rukia could and if she brought Rukia with her she couldn't get clear for sure. Barrier. Only hope.
She hissed to Rukia; "Stay really close the more compact this is the strong it'll be."
She then was shocked to find an unknown person landing next to Rukia and her, from the corner of her eye she could see several white masks, green fur, but the soul felt like an strong Shinigami. "I have no freaken clue who you are but stay close."
Closing her eyes she brought up a barrier, just in time for the dozen beams to connect to the tube she put up. Grimacing as the small ten foot round tube was under a lot of pressure she ignored Rukia and the new guy's exclamations.
The moment the attack stopped and she dropped it, almost falling to her knees with the change. But a deep breath later and she attacked, slicing through one then another she felt Rukia and the new guy doing the same. Then to her shock the new guy grabbed Rukia, then grabbed her and started running.
Rukia the moment they were clear started complaining, she took direct action from her place over his shoulder, she kneed him in the stomach and elbowed him in the back of his neck. His only reaction was a grunt and she slipped loose. Landing she faced off with him, Rukia elbowed him and quickly joined her.
"I was so over the being grabbed by strange men years ago." She huffed, then said more politely. "Look I have no clue why a Shinigami is here, but our friends are that way." she pointed. "So thanks for the help but we need to go."
He flashed behind them, with a quick hand he drew his sword and pointed the tip to Rukia's forehead. He spoke softly, "I don't intend to hurt either of you, but it's not safe in the open like this, please be patient with me and come back to my hideout before we talk."
Kagome thought hard, he felt like he was equally or more powerful then Renji and Renji had a Bankai. He was fast and use to pain, his non reaction to her hits proved it. She could beat him but not without a long fight and not before he hurt Rukia if he was willing to. "Okay."
He sheathed his sword and gently nudged Rukia in front of him, the midget wasn't happy but wasn't arguing. He took her arm and flashed stepped the way he had been going. Kagome followed a flash step behind him, if he hurt Rukia there wasn't more she could do, she could however insure in that case she was able to attack almost instantly.
They soon came to a natural shelf, she saw a small opening. The man let go of Rukia's arm and walked in, landing she shrugged at Rukia. Since they had come this far they might as well talk. Leading the way she noted the small crevices, like shelves in the walls; mushrooms and moss and few other things all sat on them, there was a ledge covered in a thick green moss, and a glowing blue-ish ball of light near the ceiling. This was his home. He sat on the bed and she could almost feel his eyes on them. When he stayed silent Kagome found herself thinking he felt like someone she should know. He was so calm.
Rukia took it upon herself to break her silence. "Who are you? What squad are you part of?"
The head still covered by the fur and a mask tilted and Kagome could feel the eyes focusing on Rukia. Whoever this man was... he was thinking. Hard. But about what? Then on instinct she drew her sword and caught his blade, stopping his attack on Rukia. He slashed wildly, at random. And something began to press, a feeling, there was something she was missing.
It felt like it should be obvious.
She took the small cut over her scar with barely a flinch, Rukia was shouting but the words made no sense to her ears, she should know something. She was missing something super obvious. Twirling she caught him across the leg, he stepped back and disengaged. Then she realized something, he'd been testing her reaction time. She stepped aside, she felt his surprise. He was surprised she'd understood what he was doing.
But why wouldn't she? He had no killing intent, or at least no evil in his desire to cut her.
He blurred passed her and attacked Rukia. The sounds of clashing metal reached her ears and that something seemed to be sinking in deeper. The fact he was testing them wasn't the thing she was missing. There was something else. Turning she watched him pound little Rukia, the girl was holding her own, not nearly as taken off guard as she would have been had Kagome not stepped in. But... this guy was strong. Really strong. And his attacks were so random...
And with what felt like a snap it sunk in. This was Inuyasha's soul. She was looking at him with no memories of her, no thoughts about Naraku and set of totally different life experiences but it was him. She just hadn't know it was him because of the lack of anger she had sensed, not to mention none of the struggle of being half-human bothered him here.
But it had to be him.
The style of random attacks, the strength, the test.
In a strange way he had tested all of them before, her, Miroku, Sango. He'd tested them in the last life too. If anything this one seemed more sad then the Inuyasha she remembered, but less angry.
He beat Rukia and stepped back, he was ready to talk. Kagome remembered the stinging in the cut on her cheek and reached up to heal it only to find tears streaming down her cheeks. She was surprised and mildly embarrassed when the other two turned to her only she was crying.
"Higurashi what's wrong?" Rukia actually sound worried about her.
She wiped at the tears, her sleeves wiping the bloody water away, "I just never expect to see Inuyasha again."
Rukia frowned. And the soul she knew to have been Inuyasha spoke up sounding confused. "What exactly are you talking about?"
She snickered, "Your soul, I knew you when you were alive."
Kagome could almost see the confused frown.
"That's not possible you would have to be really old and I don't know you at all."
Tears came faster but she kept smiling, "I know. But I know you. And your right I would have to be really old. But I'm not and you're not actually Inuyasha, so what's your name in this life?"
/(DSR speaking) Bet no one saw that one coming. Heh heh!/
Silence crept in and Kagome kept waiting, she could out wait him, if he had been alone as long as this cave seemed to imply he would crack, he was unused to people.
"I am Ashido."
Kagome smirked, and wiped her tears away again, brushing the shallow cut on her cheek away. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ashido I am Kagome Higurashi, this is Rukia Kuchiki."
"This is all well and good," Rukia spoke using her sweet voice. "But why the hell did he attack us!?"
Kagome spoke, "This is a tough place Rukia, he wanted to see how much he could count on us. How well we handle the unexpected."
Ashido spoke up, "What you said is correct but why did you protect her? That is dangerous."
Kagome smirked, the irony in having her protecting people is stupid speech turned on her. "Because she's my boyfriend's friend, if I didn't protect her when I could have he would be most upset with me."
He nodded and tilted the mask off, the fur slid down and she saw his face for the first time; red hair, very messy, and soft but cold brown eyes. Nothing like he'd looked like on his human nights. But on second thought if he still looked like that he could have been mistaken for Rukia's brother by blood.
His head tilted and spoke softly, "You said you have friends here correct?"
Kagome nodded, Rukia doing the same.
"They seem to be fighting."
Kagome reached out, belatedly realizing this was a hideout for a reason, being in this deep dampened Reiatsu. Ichigo was fighting, the others too, Nel and her brothers were being taken away by other hollows. Ichigo noticed and was fighting harder but Menos Grande were showing up. "The idiots."
Rukia frowned at her, "What's going on? I can tell Ichigo and Renji are fighting..."
"Nel and the other two just got kidnapped, so of course Ichigo's gonna go after them."
Rukia groaned back to her.
Ashido healed the minor cut she had given him and then slid the mask back on pulling the fur back up. "I hope their strong."
Kagome nodded, "No one's gonna die with the level of the enemies here."
Ashido shrugged, "I'll help you to them." He lead them from the cave and started rushing towards the fight.
Half way there Kagome realized they were leaving, running away from the fight following Nel and her brothers. "Wait."
Ashido took a step back towards her and Rukia stopped. "You should know Nel is that way." she pointed. "Ichigo and the others are trying to follow and get away from the Menos, so we could just go after Nel and stop trying to play catch up."
Rukia looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "They may be annoying but they do know how to get to Las Noches."
Ashido leaned away from them in shock. "You are going to Las Noches?! But Vasto Lordes are there!"
Kagome shrugged, Rukia took over, "We know, all of us know. But they took a friend, if we left her there none of us could live with ourselves."
Ashido took that in slowly, then nodded and carefully asked, What has happened while I was here?"
Kagome spoke before Rukia could open her mouth, "That depends how long have you lived here?"
He tilted his head to the side, thinking. "Several hundred years? Something like that."
Kagome found herself nodding, made sense a hundred-ish years soul society then three - four hundred years here. It fit. "Lots I imagine, but the key thing is Soul Society has been betrayed, the king of Las Noches is a Shinigami."
He seemingly gaped at her, not that she could see his face, that was just what it felt like. That was when she noticed the powerful, almost-Arrancar level hollow coming their way. He was fast but his power wasn't the slightly twisted feel of a true Arrancar hollow. She drew Shikon and Tessaiga because for all she knew he'd have some strange power. He arrived and was a big hulking brute, large fists and thick arms and a square mask. A brute. Not too many surprises there.
He knew Ashido though, "Ashido, you're with them? All the better." He was closest to Rukia and he punched, his speed was very slow with that fist, at least compared to the speeds she had fought. But fast enough. Rukia leapt to the side and Kagome stepped forward slashed with Tessaiga, the hollow took a step back and counter attacked with his other fist. Kagome just slashed at it cutting his hand. He was surprised.
Leaping back he then found Ashido coming from the side, he moved away but not fast enough, Ashido took a small chunk of mask off with his swing.
He didn't seem to like his odds. "Gillian come forth!"
A dozen plus Menos Grande showed their faces, leaning forward Kagome could only think they looked stupid and hungry.
"Blast them with Cero."
Kagome sighed and sheathed Tessaiga, this would be boring. Weak. Too weak. She raised her hand and fired a cero, the purple light fractured the red beams and broke trees surrounding them. The Hollow was stuttering in confusion but she had had enough. Using Shikon she attacked; "Ai-Kiru."
The hollow gasped and then fell cut in half.
She turned to find Rukia shaking her head and Ashido very focused on her, "What?"
Rukia spoke first, "No wonder you and Ichigo are such a perfect match."
Frowning she was mildly confused, last she knew Rukia still didn't like pairing her and Ichigo into a sentence much less couple like. The Ashido spoke slowly, "That first attack was a hollow attack."
Kagome blinked and then realized using Cero might have been a mistake. he had stayed and fought hollows for far to long to just accept hollow powers, much less Nel... Rukia spoke up in her defense, "Don't ask, it's much simpler that way."
Ashido looked from her to Rukia and then at least stopped asking, the question was still there obviously. Ashido turned towards where Kagome had pointed, "If you don't mind I would like to make a small stop."
Kagome shrugged at him and Rukia nodding, game enough. He lead the way.
On the way to where ever they were going they killed at least a dozen more Menos and Kagome couldn't help but be amazed by the numbers, feeling it was one thing seeing it was another. Soon they came to a almost cave like area but it wasn't a real cave it was more like an arched walk way.
Rukia spoke up; "No wonder you said there were lots of hollows. It's like a nest."
Kagome nodded but Ashido seem caught up in the novelty of having people around. "Yes that's exactly what it is. Let's keep going, we're almost there."
Kagome felt temped to ask where there was but decided to just follow. Not ten minutes later they came to the end of the arches and found a plato in front of them, green moss was growing over what Kagome recognized as graves. Ashido's friends were here. Part of her grieved for her friend who once again suffered a hard life but again she was also proud of him for not giving up.
Rukia spoke up, "If you're willing to talk now I've been wondering how you came to be here and why you where that mask?"
Ashido tilted his head and slowly pulled the hollow mask off. "I was attacking some hollows and they retreated here, I followed them. Me and my friends. This is where we first arrived, we quickly realized where we were and fought to kill all the hollows we could. But because of the size of our group and all the hollows Gillian soon came. I saw friend after friend over whelmed and killed."
Ashido was silent for a minute and then bluntly said. "The mask I wear over my face is the mask of the hollow that killed my last and best friend."
He took a slow breath. "I soon learned to use the masks as shields and weapons."
Kagome didn't open her mouth but part of her had a few questions. Masks were part of a hollow when they died the masks should have as well. So how had he managed to keep them? The few possible answers she had were not ones to ask. You didn't ask if someone had black out moments or a strange voice in their head and you didn't ask if they had pumped power into the masks claiming them or whatever the heck he had done. Kagome knew both her and Ichigo had inner hollows because of the grief their souls had felt, but Ashido had felt more then enough grief at the moment of his last friends death to claim the mask, maybe. But was that even possible?
But it wasn't the time to ask.
"I stayed here to keep my promise to my friends, and to protect any human I could. After all hollows in the human world came from here." Ashido got a very determined look on his face. "Now what does it mean when you say a Shinigami rules in Las Noches?"
Kagome closed her eyes. Rukia stayed silent so Kagome gave him a bit more information. "There was a soul meant for hell that some how got to Soul Society and became a Soul Reaper. He desired more power and found a corrupt way of getting it. The way was to blend Shinigami and Hollow powers."
She opened her eyes in time to see the disbelief and horror in his eyes. It was funny this time she was the half breed. It truly was the best bit of irony since finding out Aizen was Naraku against all odds. "He tested this on four captains and four lieutenants. The captain of 12th squad suspicious managed to arrive in time to save their lives and he even managed over time to give them back control over the hollows Aizen gave them. But all of them were banished before they could get word out of Aizen's roll in this. The next hundred years they planned and plotted and finally Aizen made his move and they made theirs. Now it's war."
Ashido nodded slowly, clearly shocked by this information.
Rukia decided now was her chance to ask another question. "Ashido why did you wait until we were here to ask us these things?"
Ashido's face relaxed into a more blank look. "I ask something and you answer. I thought my friends would like to hear some voices other then mine."
There was a moment of silence before Ashido announced his plans. "I was going to help you back to the surface but if things are really that bad I will come with you to rescue your friend and kill this rogue Shinigami."
Ashido turned and looked over his friends for a moment seeming to say his goodbyes before he turned back to them. That was when something almost like Ichigo's Reiatsu washed over them, Rukia and Ashido flung themselves up and towards it before Kagome could get the words out to tell them it wasn't him. But if you go into an ambush knowing it's an ambush it's kinda a reverse ambush. Following quickly Kagome landed half a step behind the other two who were looking confused.
Don't bother looking for Ichigo, it's a trap." Then she turned to look at the hollow standing in the tree to their right.
The hollow looked surprised but promptly yelled; "Gillian!"
Roughly two dozen Gillian encircled them. Kagome had to admit this was a good trap, but with three of them, it wasn't good enough. Drawing Shikon and Tessaiga she attacked the closest three Gillian ignoring Ashido shouting to her that if they killed the Adjuchas the Menos wouldn't know what to do. She kept her answer simple. "So kill him!"
Meanwhile he yelled, "Use Cero!"
Kagome put up a barrier to protect Ashido, Rukia and the lead hollow she could move fast enough to get the hollow to fire it at one another. From then on she ignored the battle behind her, moving such so the Gillian would take the others out she managed to keep them from trying to bring down the barrier it was distracting enough having the hollow inside it beating on it. Not a minute went by when their focus went out the window. The ones on the edge of the fight drifted away but she finished off the ones closest to her landing she let the barrier fade.
Ashido gave her a speculative look. "That's not Kido."
Kagome smiled at him. "No it's not.
When she didn't say more Ashido simply nodded. "We need to hurry."
Kagome nodded and the three of them started flash stepping. Not to far from Ichigo just out of hearing range, they were stopped by a hollow. Stronger then the ones that had come after Ashido before. Taller too.
"How does it feel Ashido to feel Shinigami fighting so close by? It feels like a little trip down memory lane to me. After all it won't be long before one of them falls."
Kagome sighed. This was stupid and pointless, this guy was powerful, but not that powerful. It would be a hard fight if Ashido didn't release his sword, but Ashido could still kill him. It just would take time she didn't want to spend. She drew Shikon. "You know for a hollow you have no sense. I would have thought something like you would know someone further up the food chain then you when you saw them. Ai-Kiru."
The hollow was taken off guard, and fell in two pieces. Ashido and Rukia turned to look at her as she sheathed her sword. "What?"
"You just killed my nemesis in one move. I'm not sure how I feel about that."
Kagome giggled. "You could have beaten him, it just would have taken time and our friends are just over there. Pardon me for being inpatient."
Ashido looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging, Rukia looked a bit amused. But the three of them started for the fighting. Arriving Kagome started in on the crowd from behind, that was when Renji's Bankai almost hit her. Flash stepping to him she punched him, "You idiot I was back there."
He fell over looking totally surprised but Ichigo greeted her, "Kagome I'm glad you caught up! Rukia's with you right?"
"More like I was with her, but yeah and we picked up a new friend. Ashido." Rukia landed next to her Ashido landed a bit further away unsure of his welcome. Ichigo just raised an eyebrow, "Another hollow?"
"You.. Ichigo I know you can sense people."
Ichigo looked surprised but closed his eyes, after a few seconds they shot wide. "Oh."
"Yes. Now Ashido that's Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai, Uryu Ishida, Nel, Bawabawa, Dondochakka and Pesche." Pointing to each in turn Kagome noticed Nel making a face at her. All her annoyance with the brat came back, that little hollow wanted to make a move on Ichigo after being rescued. "So now that we all know each other lets go... the exit is near by right?" She looked to Ashido.
"It's just up there." He pointed above them.
"Well that's lucky. Lets go." Kagome wasn't going to tell anyone but hollows were closing in. They had felt Renji's Bankai and all the other powers. Climbing on Bawabawa they scaled the cliff and were in the start of a large cage before everyone noticed the hollows coming their way.
"Ignore them. They're still far behind us."
Ichigo made a face at her guessing she had known that the whole time but he said nothing. They headed towards the light. Almost out of sight of where they had climbed the cliff Kagome felt cero charging. She put up a barrier. The cero connected and brought the whole cliff behind them down. Hearing the rumbling and feeling her barrier collapse. Kagome had one thing to say. "Let's run for it."
Running for their lives, the air from behind forced them from the sands at a high speeds, gaining control of her speed Kagome landed gracefully glad to see the strange moon again. The dim darkness of below had started to hurt her eyes. A quick glance around showed everyone made it, even Ashido; who was looking about curiously. Of course he'd never been up here. Made sense.
Nel and her little followers were acting all happy to be on the surface again, but Kagome wanted to get moving, every moment they gave him Aizen was sure to be setting more traps or upsetting Inoue. She turned and found the large castle even bigger then before, they were close. Really close. That almost worked out well for them. Only Kagome knew having killed all those hollows, Renji have gone Bankai once, they were in danger of becoming fatigued. Not to mention all the stupid running.
Nel caught the groups attention yelling from atop Bawabawa, "Come on! It's time to go!"
They all climbed on and the worm started moving them towards the huge castle. Kagome didn't want to admit it but sitting down like this felt good.
Three hours later Nel had made Ichigo play I-spy with her, but Kagome had managed to take a short nap. Ashido while aloft and untalkative seemed amazed by the child hollow. Kagome wondered if he like her knew there was more to the kid or if it was simply her power level that caught his attention. She was after all equal to the most powerful hollows down below but seemed totally helpless. Any other would have simply eaten the others down there but she had been taken prisoner.
That was when they reached the outer wall. Rukia told them it didn't absorb power so they could blast through it. Nel however tried to lead them around to the front door three days away. Ichigo and Renji working together broke through the wall with four swings each, once the smoke cleared Kagome could see it was some sort of hall way, not lit and almost basement like.
"Why did you do that?! The door is just three days that way!" Nel's shrill voice told everyone how upset she was with them breaking in.
"Look Nel we're not visiting a friends house. We're not just walking in the front door."
"Besides," Renji added. "We don't have time to walk for three days."
"Nel thank you for bring us this far, but this is where it has to end. If you involve yourselves with us any more you'll most likely end up being seen as traitors. So this is good bye." Ichigo lead the way in through the hole in the wall.
Kagome didn't want to say it but she was glad to leave the strange kid behind, there was just something wrong with her power.
Charging down the dark hallway Kagome heard Nel calling Ichigo's name in a distracted manner. Then she realized Nel was following, Ichigo had realized the same thing because she almost crashed into him by the side of the hallway.
"Ichigo from the moment Runuganga saw us together our fate was sealed because we were labeled as traitors. No it might have been before that Lord Aizen may have already known and if that's the case he'll never forgive us!"
Kagome knew that part was true. Aizen was not a forgiving man if he was anything like Naraku, he just waited for the best moment to get even.
"And even if he does forgive us for helping you the Espada would never ever forgive us! Nel is not saying that Nel wants you to take us with you. Nel is just telling you this so you don't worry about us! The last thing Nel wants is for you to worry about us!"
Kagome mentally scoffed, saying that was like begging to be worried about.
"And Nel is also not saying Nel wants you to take care of us!
Kagome sighed, she wasn't rid of the little girl yet. It had been a nice try. Ichigo looked annoyed, so she wasn't surprised by his shout.
"Fine! Just be quiet already!"
It was at that moment there was a small rumble and Nel's voice started to get further away.
Kagome had a bad feeling, she started walked back even as Ichigo and Ishida started talking. When she almost couldn't hear Nel any more she picked up speed, Ichigo a step behind her. When they ran into Dondochakka and Pesche that was when she knew it. Rubbing her head and climbing off Ichigo she held in a groan, that hurt.
Chad cut through Ichigo's interrogation of the two lower level hollows, "Ichigo over here."
Looking over she couldn't stop the groan. Of course Nel would fall down some deep dark hole and need rescuing.
"You mean the floor fell through?" Renji asked stupidly.
"Yes Renji they put a latter along the side of random holes in the floor." Kagome didn't want to bash the man disobeying orders to be here but he was down right thick.
Ishida spoke over her. "It's probably an air shaft.
Kagome ignored everyone else's need to talk this out; it was obvious what the answer was going to be, she jumped. Who needs a latter? Besides falling through the air like this was nostalgic. Ichigo was calling her name, and she heard something from Ishida about girls but she didn't want to know what else he said. Slowing herself down she soon landed lightly on the bottom next to a crying Nel.
"Shut it. Ichigo's coming after me."
Nel looked totally surprised to see her there. "But I thought 'Gome doesn't like Nel. Nel thought she was worried Ichigo would see she's far more fun then 'Gome."
Clenching her jaw she held her tongue, she wasn't going to go explain herself to this thing. She and Ichigo were a done deal, everyone else just need to catch up on the fact. Ichigo landed next to her, he gave a her a short glare, but then he walked over to scold Nel.
Who burst back into tears at the sight of him.
"Nel you've got to be more careful!"
The little girl's response was to grab a hold of his leg and wail about he did care about Nel and on. Ichigo gave her a long suffering look. She snickered, it was funny when it was clear he had no patience for the girl's dramatics. That was when she heard the yelling. Looking up she knew it was people falling. Reaching out she grabbed her boyfriend and his leech, and yanked them further down the tunnel she was standing in. Not a moment too soon.
That was when Ishida, Renji, Rukia and Ashido landed and dashed in to join them. Nel's little hollow friends however ended up landing head first and she had moment to consider laughing at them when half a ton of rock and wood landed on them. Then she laughed.
Nel was shrieking about her little friends, when the two of them stood up free of injury. But they were crying. Nel was crying and Ichigo was snickering with her. Rukia and Ashido look disapproving, Chad looked like normal and Ishida seemed to be amused even if he covered it up by adjusting his glasses. The hollows climbed free, Nel stopped crying and looked angry with her, and Chad broke the awkward tension by pointing out there had to be a way up some where down the tunnel. Everyone started walking that way, Kagome glanced back and found Nel glaring at her. Kagome looked next to her and found Ichigo there, so did the only logical thing. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze before letting go so they had their hands free if they needed to fight.
Before long it was pretty black, like can't-see-at-all black.
"It's really dark down here." Ichigo said from in front of her. The tunnel had narrowed so they were walking single file.
"Yeah tell me about it." Renji said. "But it's a good thing I'm here."
"Why? It's not like you can do anything about it."
"I can so! Kido, if tweaked, can be used in times like these. See. Shakkaho!"
The light in front of her was rather sudden, the red light dimmed to a soft glow and she realized it had shrunk to a tiny little red-glowing mote of light. Ichigo and Ishida had seen the same thing and took the chance to tease Renji.
Kagome had to hold her breath to stop the snickers. But Ichigo ruined it when he asked if Renji should be called Rudolph instead. Giggling she stuffed her hand in her mouth, Renji was a totally idiot and he never missed a chance to prove it.
They soon walked on, this wasn't a place to hang around in.
Ichigo soon proved he liked to talk, or at least was curious about his surroundings. "What kind of place is this? Was it here before Aizen?"
Nel answered, "Aizen built the palace above but Nel doesn't know about this basement part here."
"It seemed likely to me this was part of an older building and now isn't used any more." Ishida offered.
"Well that at least saves us the hassle of running into Arrancar." Ichigo agreed. "But lets go up stairs as soon as possible."
Then Dondochakka behind her spoke up, "Hold on a second I saw something!" He was looking down a side tunnel.
"But I didn't see anything!" Pesche said loudly.
"I'll go check it out!" Dondochakka rushed down the side tunnel. Kagome stepped to the end in time to watch Pesche chase after his 'brother'. Nel followed her brothers ad soon everyone was dashing down the side tunnel after the hollows.
The tunnel ended at a big metal wall. It looked like where the old building met the new.
Ichigo looked at her and ignoring Ishida's monologue about sneaking in, cut through the wall. Ishida was scolding him while she held her breath waiting for the dust to disappear. They found a set of stairs that ended in another blocked door, Ichigo cut through four more doors like that before they found themselves in a well lit hallway. Nice and clean. Not Naraku's normal hang out but she supposed tastes could change life to life.
But creepily enough there were ten different tunnels, all going in slightly different directions. Aizen was planning on splitting them up. It felt nasty knowing some how Aizen had the Palace built to split up any intruders. She closed her eyes, Orihime felt closest in the second tunnel from the left direction. That was when she realized everyone was arguing with Ichigo about splitting up.
"Are you guys dumb or what? I told you I can feel Orihime. This tunnel," Kagome pointed. "Feels closest to leading her way.
Everyone stopped and looked at her oddly. "What? I told you I know how to find people."
That was when the Arrancar near by seemed to become aware of their presence. The power barring down on them even from this far away was strong. Very strong. Kagome looked at Ichigo and was amused by the smirk on his face. He was looking forward to fighting even if he didn't realize it yet. Inuyasha had worn a smirk much like that when going into battle. She looked at Ashido, he should have Bankai, he felt like Renji's equal but she had been told that earning a Bankai took time with your sword that Ashido wasn't likely to have had. He could breath, he wasn't going to be crushed but Kagome realized maybe he like Rukia shouldn't be allowed to fight.
But the curious thing was, if she was reading Nel's aura right and she really was at half power. Doubling what she had now she was as strong or stronger then most of the Arrancar auras. Kagome could feel the woman she had fought before number three, the brown haired man Arrancar, and the other really remarkable ones far out. Not close to them at all. Though that black hair green eyed guy was close to Orihime. He was probably her guard.
"Well, alright. If you know which way to go Higurashi lead the way." Ishida waved her on.
Kagome started down her named tunnel everyone following close behind, Ichigo a step behind her, Nel close to him and the others trailing behind them.
Kagome found herself hoping Aizen had planned on the intruders not knowing which way to go so he hadn't set any other traps, but she wasn't holding her breath about it. Aizen knew better then to put all his eggs into any one basket.
Special thanks to Suzume Batchii Taichi for my thousandth review and thank you all who made that number happen. Happy Thanksgiving! a few days early. Hope to post again before christmas but no promises. Almost done with another story that i will be posting soon, if you liked Reverse the Curse you will like this one. look for Can't Stop Running that should be up any day now. my normal Ichigo/Kagome pairing.