Chapter 37: Separation
*Please review. Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just the OCs.*
Naoko had to admit the reishi platform her brother created was impressive. The impromptu elevator brought the five safely down from the outside of the dome's roof to the tower they had left from earlier. Naoko leapt off first and watched the others disembark, huh I guess I wasn't the only one experimenting with reishi control and formation. I wonder when this is all over we can do some testing together. The idea of expanding her skill set alongside her brother sent a brief giddy thrill through her.
Both Nemu and Ichigo had relinquished their Bankais and Orihime had healed them all, including Naoko at Uryu's insistence, to peak condition. Reluctant to admit it, but she was grateful for the healing. All the little aches and wounds she had garnered disappeared and she felt fresh and ready to fight again.
An opportunity that presented itself all too quickly.
A swift kick sent her tumbling across the ground. She heard the others cry out and sounds of a struggle. Shaking off the shock of the sudden attack, she looked up. Ichimaru had Uryu and Nemu pinned under his very long blade, Tousen stood over Ichigo with his sword poised to separate the boy's head from his neck should he wish to. Aizen stood with his hand firmly clamped on Orihime's upper arm, appearing poised and calm as if holding a frightened teenage girl hostage was normal.
"Ah, Miss Ishida, it seems you've escaped your tower," she saw Aizen's eyes narrow at Ichimaru.
The Quincy felt a strange urge to defend the man, "There is very little that can stop my brother from saving me, you know."
"Be that as it may, I actually have no more use for you," he brought Orihime closer to him. "I have need of Miss Inoue and her services. Follow us if you dare."
With that the trio of traitors and Orihime vanished. Ichigo scrambled up to his feet and was about to follow when Uryu seized his arm.
"Kurosaki, stop! Stop and think. We don't stand much a chance of just the four of us going up against them. Fighting Ulquiorra took everything you had and then some, do you really think you can take on his leader Aizen?"
Ichigo wrenched his arm free, "So what are we supposed to do? Let him take Orihime and leave her with him?"
"Of course not!" Uryu snapped. He took a deep breath and said more calmly, "We get help. We get the other captains, Rukia, Chad, and whoever else. This is not a fight we should take on by ourselves."
His words surprised Naoko especially since her brother came off as a loner and always did things by himself. Only because he didn't have anyone to help, no one to rely on. But it's different now and he knows that now. Pride and warmth flickered in her heart. She studied Ichigo's face and saw the internal war he was having between chasing after Orihime and listening to Uryu.
"Okay, but we don't even know where they went or what'll happen to her by the time we get everyone together."
Nemu quietly raised her hand, "I have a solution. There are two kidō spells that can aid us. First we will need to locate Miss Inoue."
She dug out a small jar and unscrewed the lid to reveal a black paste. Scooping out a dab with two fingers, she drew a circle on the ground, divided the circle into quadrants and drew a symbol in each.
Setting the jar down Nemu placed her hands on the circle and recited, "Heart of the south, eye of the north, finger of the west, foot of the east, arrive with the wind and depart with the rain. Bakudō 58: Kakushitsuijaku."
The circle glowed blue, symbols and numbers flashed faster than their eyes could read them. A set of numbers finally settled within the circle, some form of a longitude and latitude reading from what Naoko could tell.
"Do you know where that is?" Ichigo asked.
The lieutenant removed her hands from the circle and nodded. She pointed out to the distance where they could make out a white tower, "There."
"They didn't go far," Naoko observed.
'I think that's because they want to be found,' Naomi surmised.
'Why?'
'It's easier to fight an enemy that comes to you. They've got something planned, be careful.'
"Shall I contact the rest of your friends?" Nemu asked.
"Yes," Naoko answered before the boys could. "My brother is right in that we are going to need all the help we can get. They want us go to them, so let's go… with reinforcements they won't be expecting."
Nemu rolled up her sleeves and dipped her fingers in the jar of paste. She drew geometric lines up her arms and held her hands out in front of her. "Black and white net. Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts. Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line. Form a circle and fly through the heavens. Bakudō 77: Tenteikūra."
A glowing rectangular box appeared, and she moved her hands and arms in a series of movements. Transparent roots sprouted from the box, branching out to every corner of the room in a vast network. The glow from the box spread through the roots.
"This is Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi, I along with Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, and Naoko Ishida request the aid of Lieutenant Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, and Sado Yasutora in the retrieval of Orihime Inoue from Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tousen. Her location is approximately 3.3 kilometers east of your location."
"You could've just told them to follow Carrottop's reiatsu," said Naoko.
Ichigo twitched and growled, "Shut up, I've gotten better at controlling it."
Uryu adjusted his glasses, "Not by much."
This was Aizen's favorite room, net to his throne room of course. The spacious balcony provided the perfect view of the barren, sandy wasteland that is Hueco Mundo. It was perfect for when that boy showed up to rescue his friend and fight Aizen. The lord almost chuckled at the idea. Fight him… that boy was leagues away from being his equal. No need to spill blood in his throne room after all.
"Go and greet our guests when they arrive," he ordered Ichimaru and Tousen. Once they were gone, he pulled out the cracked Hōgyoku, "Now Miss Inoue, if you'd be so kind as to heal this?"
The Hōgyoku's breakdown was… unexpected. It should be stable, it had been for months. Such an inconvenience and when he had the perfect chance to kill Urahara along with the Quincy, and his successor as captain of the Fifth.
That woman… When her metal clad hand touched his sword emotions he had long since buried briefly rose up with a surprising vengeance. Trying to amend Soul Society and make it the heaven its claimed to be through normal means got him nowhere. Drastic actions were the only effective means of eliciting the changes he wanted. He only wanted to end the hunger, strife, and oppression faced by those in the Rukongai. Not to mention root out the corruption, stagnation, and hypocrisy in Seireitei. Those were noble goals and if he had to kill thousands of people to achieve those goals, then what of it? They are merely a means to an honorable end and in time he'd been seen as a hero and savior to all.
The girl hesitated, but obliged and called forth a small orange shield to encase the orb. He watched with concealed amazement as the cracks receded and the jewel was flawless once more. Her powers truly were extraordinary and for that he would keep her close. Eyes subtly roving over her body, he could think of other reasons to keep her near. Indulging in those reasons would have to wait until this little war was put to an end.
Along with his ally from overseas. If that man wanted the Quincies so badly he should have come for them himself. With the Hōgyoku complete and in his grasp, he had no more need for the older man and thus no need for the Quincies. Each of them would meet their end in due time.
A brief flutter of reiatsu skimmed across his senses. The girl suddenly teetered on her feet and fell to the floor in a dead faint.
Before he could react, a sword erupted from his chest.
"You guys sure got here fast," was how Ichigo greeted the rest of their friends.
Rukia scoffed, "Of course we did. Orihime is our friend too and we are not letting you fight Aizen by yourself."
"Where are the captains?" Uryu asked.
"They're still fighting that huge Espada, Yammy I think?" Renji answered. "Did you know he's the zero Espada? And that the rankings are from zero to nine?"
Naoko blinked and felt her eyebrows jump up. No… no she hadn't known that. "Well the lower the number the stronger they are, Captain Zaraki must be having fun."
The group stormed the tower, sprinting down the halls and upstairs until they came into a vast empty room with only one person standing in the center, Kaname Tousen.
"This is as far as you children go," his threat emphasized when he drew out his blade.
Ichigo grabbed the hilt of his sword, but instead of drawing it out he looked back at his friends, "Who wants to take him?"
Chad stepped up, "I will."
Renji followed, "You might need help and I think I have a better shot against him than the other two."
"I'm not letting you boys have all the fun," Naoko quipped. She stopped and looked slightly worried at her brother, "You'll be okay, right?"
"I'll be fine, just so long as you are," he reassured.
"Okay," she snagged the Seele Schneider hanging at her waist and handed it to him. "You might need this."
He hesitated, but took it, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure." Naoko felt true confidence bloom in her heart. She didn't need a blade, for she had her bow and so much more. "I've gotten a lot better drawing my bow, I'll be fine."
"You heard them, now let's go," Ichigo ordered. He and the others took off for the doorway on the other side of the room.
Tousen made a move towards them, "I said you will not—"
Renji whipped out his Shikai, stopping the former captain. "Whoa there, did we give you permission to stop them? You're fighting us now."
A shimmering liquid covered Chad's arms and solidified transforming his appendages. His right arm was now black with red stripes with a large matching shield that extended from his hand to his forearm. His left arm was white with red stripes and a horn protruding out from his shoulder. Not to be outdone, Naoko summoned her bow. A simple, sleek silver bow embossed with curling lines and crescent moons manifested in her left hand.
Naoko nocked an arrow and fired, however Tousen sidestepped and flash-stepped towards her. He swung his blade only for it to hit Chad's shield arm instead of the Quincy. The taller teen threw his left fist at the ex-captain. The blow only grazed the enemy's shoulder and Renji swooped in with his whip-like weapon.
"Insolent children," the blind man held up his sword, "Cry, Suzu—"
'Stop him before he releases his Shikai!' Naomi ordered.
Not questioning the order, Naoko fired six arrows in rapid succession. Two of which struck her target, though that didn't seem to phase Tousen much. Renji and Chad took that as their cues to dive in with their own attacks. Going against her preferred fighting style, Naoko remained at a distance and fired an arrow at every opening she could spot.
'What's so bad about his Shikai?' The Quincy asked while carefully tracking her enemy's movements.
'It releases a piercing sound that'll make you pass out.'
She fired an arrow. 'How do you know that?'
A pause. 'A mutual friend of his and mine told me that.'
"I grow tired of your constant obstruction to our just cause. Lord Aizen is trying to save Seireitei and all of Soul Society from its wicked hypocrisy and unjust means of governance."
"It's said if you say a word enough times, it loses its meaning and I'm pretty sure the meaning of justice is lost on you at this point," Naoko lectured. There was nothing just about killing thousands and thousands of innocent, living people.
"Allow me to educate you on the meaning of justice you ignorant pup," Tousen sneered.
He removed his visor, let it fall to the floor, and rested his hand above his face. Dark, predatory energy coalesced in his hand. He tore his hand across his face, leaving a white mask that covered his face and head with a single vertical black line running down the center. A white chest plate and slim shoulder guards appeared on his person. The area where his mouth would be split open with small vertical lines along the top and bottom of his mouth, giving it the look of teeth.
'Uh… did your friend tell you about that?'
Naomi spoke softly in shock, 'Nope, that's a new one on me.'
In the blink of an eye, he zoomed towards Renji, punching the red-head and sending him crashing into the wall, leaving a sizeable creator. Next, he rounded on Chad with just as much speed and force. Naoko fired arrow after arrow, but her attacks had little effect. Tousen charged, though a burst of hirenkyaku carried Naoko safely away.
Or so she thought.
With a burst of speed Tousen shoved his sword through her shoulder and pinned her to the wall with her feet inches from the ground. Naoko gripped his blade and tried to pry it off, but she only succeeded in slicing open her fingers. I can't… get him off. He's too strong. She whimpered when he dug his blade in deeper.
"You are a worthless creature, unfit to live in Lord Aizen's new world. I will eliminate all of you," Tousen hissed.
'Naoko, I have an idea.'
'What?'
'I… I think if I cut the chain binding us… it might release me from your body and I can fight him.'
Naoko did not like the hesitance and pauses in her friend's words. She did not want Naomi to get hurt… or worse. 'Might? You don't know for sure?'
'No,' Naomi admitted. 'But it's the only plan we've got.'
The Quincy knew she was right, but… damn it she did not want to take that risk. Naomi could die or disappear, or they could both die. Who knew if Naoko's Chain of Fate was stronger than it had been when she was an infant? What if—
Tousen twisted his blade slightly sending bolts of burning pain lancing through her body. 'Okay, okay just… do what you have to and… please be careful and don't die.'
'I'll try.' Naoko could not see what was happening, but she could feel it. Deep within her soul, she felt something fracturing, a painful splintering.
A chain breaking.
A separation.
A release.
A flash of light and a powerful burst of energy threw Tousen back. His sword slipped free of Naoko's shoulder and she fell to the ground in a sore, bleeding heap… alongside another body. Weakly turning her head, she saw it was Naomi, whole and alive. She let out a breathy chuckle of relief and shakily pushed herself onto her knees.
"What trick is this? Do you think another fighter will help you?" Tousen growled.
He swung his sword and struck Chad's shield. The teen had placed himself between the ex-captain and the girls. Renji jumped in and scooped the two of them up and shunpoed a distance away.
The red-head gently set them down before turning to Naoko, "What the hell just happened? And who is this?"
Naoko ignored his questions for a moment to check on her friend. Naomi stirred slightly, a good, reassuring sign. "Not entirely sure and her name is Naomi. She's a Soul Reaper and used to be a lieutenant."
Renji blinked, "Right… well I've seen stranger things I suppose."
Chad soon joined them, and Naoko spied a deep cut across his shield and another on his cheek. "Everyone okay? Is she—"
"Alive," Naoko said firmly as she clambered to her feet. "And yes, we're fine."
"Not for long," Tousen lifted his hand and a ball of green energy began to form and quickly grew in size.
The cero shot forth from his palm. Time slowed down, and Naoko's body moved before she could think to do so. With speed and a half-formed idea, she gathered as much reishi as she could. The particles easily came at her call and materialized in her hands. However, she did not call up her bow, but a shield akin to one of Orihime's. She pressed her hands together and extended her arms, forming a pointed blue shield that cut through the cero making it harmlessly divert around them.
Dispelling the shield once the cero was gone, Naoko drew in the reishi particles remaining in the air from the cero. Tiny green particles shifted to blue and coalesced in her hand, though instead of forming an arrow she molded the light to cover both hands and curve into long, sharp claws.
I am a Quincy. However, that does not mean I have to limit myself to just a bow and arrow. I can fight in more ways than one. Naoko bolted and raked her claws down his face and chest with as much force as she could muster. The ecstasy of fighting (of hunting) flooded her senses. Clawing his chest, leaving gouges and streams of blood in her wake satiated the animal within.
Tousen grunted and leapt back a distance. "You are a beast. A mindless creature of murder and bloodlust, you are no better than that monster Zaraki."
"Murder? That seems a bit dramatic," she said idly. "But I am an animal and I'm quite offended you would call my captain a monster." Her gaze turned dark and sharp, "At least he doesn't try to kill thousands for some twisted notion of justice."
Tousen would have said more… but Renji's Shikai sliced through the side of his neck. Chad moved in quickly with his white arm aglow with power and rammed his fist into the Hollow captain. Tousen's body flew and struck the wall, the impact left a massive, demonic skull gouged on the surface.
The mask fractured and fell to pieces while Tousen fell to his knees, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. His body dropped lifelessly to the floor. No movement, no reiatsu, nothing. Naoko let out a breath. Their fight was done and over with, now they had to go help the others.
Naomi groaned and weakly pushed herself up on her arms. She blinked blearily and looked around until she found Naoko, "What'd I miss?"
*Another long chapter! We are nearing the end which makes me both excited and sad. I hope you liked the fight between Tousen and Renji, Chad, and Naoko. Fight scenes are still not my forte, but I'm trying. I'll post again by the end of the month, until then please review.*