Chapter 36! There is a note down at the bottom for you guys please read. And that's all for before the chapter. Enjoy! And thanks to everyone who reads, reviews and has waited for this!
Ichigo was feeling rather annoyed as he hung upside down from the vines attached to the ceiling. The Espada had trapped him there by vines that latched onto spiritual power rather than physical things. Then she had spent the last five minutes talking about how wonderful she was. Ichigo wasn't fighting the vines. Rather he was replying sarcastically to every brag she made keeping her attention focused on him while Uryuu got closer and closer to the girls.
Ichigo wasn't one for strategy, he was more inclined to act first and think later. He liked being that way. But he knew it wasn't practical in his type of war. With a sigh he stuck a finger in his ear and glared at Yolanda. "Do you ever shut up?"
Yolanda sputtered for a few moments then crossed her arms and slid further down the vine she held herself on to get closer to him. "Ya ain't very nice, orangey."
"Can we just fight already?" He asked seeing Uyruu give him a thumbs up from the corner of his eye and pull out a sutra from his shirt. Which one is that? Ichigo absently wondered then grinned as Yolanda finally drew her sword. "Finally!"
"Don't get antsy. It ain't for ya." Yolanda sneered and spun quickly launching herself at Uyruu.
Ichigo was in front of her in a split second the vines he'd severed away from him barely having time to fall. "Now, now." He grinned leaping for her and slamming his sword against hers. "You're my opponent." She pushed back trying to regain the ground she lost but it wasn't enough to move Ichigo. He felt her power beneath her sword, felt it rising up to battle his and he knew that the battle would be much harder if she got the chance to unleash her zanpakto.
He didn't intend to give her that chance.
Uryuu threw the sutra at the vines littering the ceiling, when Miroku and Kagome had explained what a sutra was and how to use them, he'd instantly latched onto the idea to help him be able to do something his powers were locked up after the incident saving Rukia. He knew there was a way to regain those powers but he had yet to accomplish it. The regular purifying sutra electrocuted the vines and busted them apart sending Orihime and Rukia falling towards the ground.
Uryuu leapt forward catching Orihime as Rukia slowed her own fall. The three of them took a moment to catch their breaths and at a snarl above them, turned their heads to look at Ichigo. He was straining forward against the attacking Espada and his right side dripped with blood as she made her vines whip and snap at him in attempt to untangle her sword.
"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted worriedly staring up at Ichigo.
Rukia glanced over at Orihime and in a split second she saw everything clearly. She had loved Ichigo, might even still love him, but her feelings were nothing compared to those of Orihime. Orihime had known Ichigo for years, known him before he became a savior of the world, and she had probably loved him the whole time. Rukia admired him, liked him, and in her own way did love him, but she wasn't sure her feelings were anything compared to that of Orihime. Oddly enough, it didn't make her sad. She wasn't jealous, she wasn't upset, rather she felt proud to know Orihime. She hoped to be able to find her own love one day but she knew it wouldn't be in Ichigo.
Uryuu touched her shoulder softly bringing her back to herself and she saw a reflecting awareness in his eyes. Then they turned as one to the focus of Orihime's love.
Ichigo grinned as he forced Yolanda further back. The fight was burning brightly in his eyes and he seemed to love it. "Uryuu?" He glanced down at his three companions. "Everything alright?"
"Just waiting for you to finish up." He replied adjusting his glasses.
"Don't think ya can take me out so easy!" Yolanda shouted and let herself plummet to the floor.
Ichigo cursed and chased her only to freeze in confusion as the vines that she'd been controlling began to attack her body. Within seconds she was completely covered head to toe in the thorny branches. "What the hell?" He asked dropping to the ground to stand beside his friends.
Their eyes widened when blood began to drip from the tightening vines. "What just happened?" Rukia asked her voice trembling slightly.
"I'm not sure." Uryuu replied. A vibration thrummed the air and Uryuu felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. "Duck!" He shouted throwing himself to the ground and yanking Rukia down with him. Ichigo and Orihime hit the ground just as the withering nest of vines exploded outward.
Inuyasha stopped and felt his heart sputter for a moment as the two figures approached. Yuki paused beside him and looked at Inuyasha wondering exactly what was going on inside his head at this moment.
Inuyasha watched Kagome come closer and had to remember to breathe. Her eyes were sparkling as she gazed back at him and her cheeks were prettily flushed with the exertion of her battle. Her hair swayed softly behind her and she walked as if floating down the dismal hallway. He had loved her for so long; sometimes he took her beauty, her strength for granted. As she walked towards him, he knew that nothing in this world mattered more to him than Kagome and the family they were going to make.
But he couldn't just say that.
"Took you long enough." He told her walking forward to run his hands over her frame to check for injuries. He lifted her arm to inspect it as Yuki stood jittery next to Kimi.
"Are you alright?" He asked her, hiding his desperate concern almost as well as Inuyasha. His eyes took in the blood splattered state of her clothing and fought not to wince. However, judging by the grin on her face, very little of the blood was hers.
Kimi moved, letting Kagome hold her scythe as she darted forward and wrapped her arms around Yuki. He grunted in shock and then glared up at her from his tiny body as he changed forms.
Inuyasha snorted and smacked the back of his nieces head as she giggled and wriggled lifting Yuki into her hands. "Don't turn our fighters into animals Kimi. Especially against their will." He picked up Yuki's clothing while Kagome picked up the demon blade. At her first touch it snapped at her and she simply glared at it sending it into a more submissive state.
"Bloody swords." She muttered and linked arms with Inuyasha and the two of them swept majestically down the hall.
Kimi giggled again settling her scythe along her back and then setting Yuki onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Yuki. I was just so excited to see you. Were you worried?"
Yuki sniffed to hide his embarrassment and didn't answer. "How was your fight?"
Kimi's smile turned almost evil and Yuki couldn't stop the smile that tilted his own whiskers up. "Kagome is wonderful to fight with." She trailed a hand up her cheek, over her ear, and out through her hair in a fashion that her father was known for. "The Espada didn't stand a chance."
Yuki fell off Kimi's shoulder as his body exploded back into its human form and a deep blush ran across his cheeks as Kimi held him around his waist keeping him from slamming his head into the floor as he fell. "Can I have my clothes?" He asked trying to keep his pride intact.
Kimi's eyes flashed in humor and she nodded moving to Kagome's side as Inuyasha came over with Yuki's clothes. She laid her head on Kagome's shoulder and sighed. The end all battle was coming, they were getting closer with very dead enemy to Ronin and she was worried about the after.
She was a demon; the daughter of the Lord and one of the most powerful female demons ever. Her black stripes and blood red lips had inspired sonnets among demon men and women. Her fighting skills had protected her home and family from attackers and assassinations since she was a child.
And a single, almost human, male had her wondering about what to do with her future. He seemed to like her well enough, but when this horror was over, when this terror was done, would he want to stay in a life of magic and oddness? Especially after magic had ruined his life so badly.
Kagome ran a hand though Kimi's beautiful hair and felt the turmoil within her. Kimi had said nothing to her about her feelings. But Kagome was pretty sure she knew what they were. In some ways her feelings were probably a lot like Kagome's when she was unsure if Inuyasha would choose Kikyo or herself. "Faith." Kagome whispered quietly to Kimi as the boys wandered back over.
Kagome handed Yuki his sword back and watched as he reverently slid it back into his belt. He paused and then slammed it into place giving Kagome the feeling that the demon inside had spoken some choice words to his wielder.
"NEVER LET HER TOUCH ME AGAIN!" Mizu shouted into Yuki's head.
"And why is that?" Yuki asked following the others as they headed to meet up with the others.
"I wasn't expecting a priestess to touch me! Nearly sent me into a coma when my power rebound back at me." Mizu grumbled crossing his arms. His fur still felt like it was standing on end.
"Maybe that will stop you from zapping anyone who touches you." Yuki replied though he doubted it.
"So someone can just wander off with me? Not likely rat." Mizu growled and then turned away severing his conversation with Yuki. Idiot.
Kimi touched the back of Yuki's hand lightly, unable to not have some form of contact. He blushed lightly and looked everywhere but at her, and threaded his fingers with hers.
Yoruichi watched Gin closely as he panted across the room from her. He was confused and he was angry. He had no idea how she had managed to kill Tōsen and it scared him. He didn't like being scared.
But Yoruichi liked Gin scared. It made him do stupid things. She ducked under another swipe of his sword and darted forward beneath the extended blade. His swings were so wild that she was having no difficulty dodging and was slowly but surely was getting closer.
"Why are you here Yoruichi?" Gin asked suddenly trying anything to get control of the situation. "The Boss wants nothing to do with you."
Yoruichi smiled softly watching Gin gasp air into his lungs. He wasn't exerting himself necessarily but the stress was getting to him. "But he is going against my family." She closed her eyes briefly and jerked forward stopping inches in front of his face. She felt him suck in air in preparation for jumping out of range and snagged the wrist that held his sword as she opened her eyes.
Gin felt his heart stop as Yoruichi opened eyes revealing blood and gold colored eyes. His knees weakened and he sagged to them as her killing intent exploded outward. "What are you?" He asked quietly. He was going to die. He knew it without question. There once was a time that he'd have been able to hold his own against Yoruichi, but that was long before she left the Seireitei. Whatever she had done since she left had changed her. And it was going to kill him. Maybe he should have been spending this time training to be stronger, maybe he shouldn't have become so complacent, maybe…
"I'm mated to a demon." She smiled and leaned closer her breath tickling his face. "It was a big mistake to threaten our family." She thrust her freehand forward into Gin's chest and pierced his heart. He stared at her in shock and horror then his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed at her feet. With a sigh of annoyance Yoruichi flicked her hand to rid it of his blood and her eyes faded to their normal color. "Never mess with a demon's family." She told his corpse and turned. Both Gin and Tōsen were easy kills. Tōsen had taken a direct punch to his throat that had crushed his windpipe and severed the veins inside his throat. He hadn't died instantly but without anything to heal him, he had no chance of surviving and had died within minutes.
It was a good day's work, she decided. Two of Aizen's top men were gone and they were getting closer to Ronin himself. As she turned to leave she scooped up Tōsen and Gin's swords. It was a mistake to mess with the Tashio Family (I searched and searched and couldn't find another instance when I mentioned their last name, so we will go with Tashio the most common one around and pretend that's what it's been this whole time). With the thought of her family in her mind she closed her eyes and mentally called to her daughter.
"Kimi?"She waited a breath hoping the potion Kimi had given them would work as she had said it would.
"Yes, mama?" Kimi's voice floated into her mind and she felt herself calm further.
"I'm on my way to join you guys." Yoruichi told her and strode off in the direction that she felt her daughter in along with Inuyasha, Kagome and Yuki.
"Alright. We haven't had any enemy's since we took down the Espada. Either Ronin is calling all the lower ones to his side or they are fleeing." Kimi replied.
Yoruichi studied the corridors around her as she flash-stepped to them. There was a sense of emptiness in the air but that was all she could really feel. "I'm going to guess he called them." She turned a last corner and slowed to a normal walk as she spotted Kimi and the others. She hugged each of her family and patted Yuki on the shoulder. "Let's go find the others."
Ichigo looked up, his body still sheltering Orihime's, and his jaw almost dropped at the sight before him. Yolanda had looked like a small green woman before, nothing threatening to gaze at, just a simple woman.
Now she was completely different. She was taller, rippling with muscles, and the vines formed clothing for her as well as becoming a part of her weapon. "Now…let's try again." She whispered though her voice carried throughout the whole room. With a twist of her wrist, the vine attached to her sword wrapped around Ichigo's throat and yanked him into the air.
He yelped and sliced into the vine to try to get it to drop him but his sword simply bounced off. "What the hell?" He yelled instead trying to yank the vine from around his neck.
"Something wrong?" Yolanda asked bringing him up to face level. Her speech had changed as well, instead of broken-English, it was more refined and calm. "Are you having difficulty?"
Ichigo gritted his teeth and kicked forward trying to force distance between himself and the Espada but there was no change. "Damn!" He muttered and concentrated on his blade. Zangetsu…more power! He saw a shine of power grow around his blade and sliced once more at the vine. This time it succeeded and he fell toward the ground. He landed softly and frowned when a fine powder began to trickle down after him. "What's this?"
Uryuu studied it as it landed on his out-stretched hand. The Espada simply watched from her perch, a small smile on her face. "It's some form of ash…" He turned as Rukia swayed and caught her just as she fainted. Orihime was already laid out behind them unconscious. "What did you do?" He yelled glaring up at their enemy.
"The powder affects women. It causes unconsciousness and if not purified within half an hour, it causes death." She smiled and lifted her sword into an attack position. "Now let's see if your friends lives hanging in the balance will cause you to fight me seriously."
Ichigo cursed and leapt up to meet her blade. Uryuu clenched his fists helplessly. He knew that there was a way to unlock his powers but he didn't know how to do it. He didn't know what he needed to do but he had to do something. Orihime and Rukia were unconscious; they would die if Ichigo and he couldn't get rid of the Espada and find Kagome or Tohru quickly. God he hated everything at this moment. Hated Aizen, hated his quincy blood, hated soul reapers, hated Espada, hated everything. He wanted to help, wanted to protect. It was the only thing he'd ever wanted to do, why he'd started on the path of a quincy; to protect others.
He felt a burning in his arms as Ichigo yelped and slammed into the wall. He didn't want to rely on that stupid man anymore! He threw his arms up out of habit and watched in shock as an arrow blasted from his hand to slam into the Espada sending her sideways into her own wall.
Ichigo grinned down at Uryuu and finally had enough of a break to bring up more power. "Bout time Uryuu."
"Shut up Ichigo." Uryuu sighed hiding the burning excitement in his body as he felt more power than he'd ever felt before racing through his body. He drew back one hand watching the bow solidify until he was able to hold it and feel it's weight in his hand. In that instant he knew, at the end of the battle, the bow would remain. He felt his world right itself as the Espada climbed from the crater he'd sent her to and stepped up beside Ichigo. "Let's end this."
Well? Was it worth the wait? Probably not lol! But I hope you enjoyed it at least a lil.
I will be going through all the old chapters and rewriting and editing lots of them. Especially since my pen has decided to put Rukia and Uryuu together when I hadn't originally planned that at all. But the psychology in some chapters was gone and so no one got to know personalities so I am going to work on that. I will be updating and continuing the story as I edit though so you won't have to wait for all the other 35 chapters to be reworked before the next one.
Anyway please review!