Fipp: I'm torn. While I am a little disappointed that it look that the Zanpaktou Arc seems to be coming to a not-as-strong finish as it could have, that last fight was certainly one of the best filler fights I've seen.
It even had some new kido spells that I'll be using in future battles.
Squad Eleven Arc: Meetings Asunder
"Dammit," Ichigo cursed, trying to pull the sticker thorns out of his robes. "Why are we following her? She doesn't know up from down!"
"Last time we questioned her sense of direction, she bit my head."
"She was kid! I'm sure she outgrew that habit."
"It was last week actually." Ikkaku rubbed his sore scalp.
"Hm, is it me, or have we been here before?" Yachiru asked, looking around. "That tree looks familiar."
"That's because we have been here before," Yumichika said. "Several times. In the last two hours."
"S'that so?"
"Yes."
"Hmm,"
"I'm leaving," Ichigo said, walking away from the three.
"Where're ya going Ichigo?!" Ikkaku cried down.
"To find the damn hollows!"
"But they're that way!" Yachiru called, waving to the path behind her.
"We just came from that way."
Yachiru bit him on the arm.
She would have bitten his head, but he had too much hair.
000
Hitsugaya signed several papers before looking at the clock that hung on the wall.
The weekly meeting was in ten minutes, so he should probably get going soon to get there before anyone else, but he had only a few more papers left and he wanted to leave with nothing on his desk, as he knew when he got back, there would be a stack as tall as Omaeda standing on Komamura's shoulders.
He picked up the last pieces of paper and looked down at them, just glancing them over, before several words caught his attention.
"What the-?" Something like this wasn't uncommon, but this situation was-
He then looked down at the remaining several papers.
He then clenched his fist and slammed the papers down on his desk, before pushing himself from out of his chair and storming out of the room.
000
Nel and Inoue entered the meeting room to find a number of the captains and vice-captain had already arrived.
The only ones who were missing were Hitsugaya, Byakuya, Ichigo, Nagasawa and Yachiru.
"I wonder what we should bring up in this meeting?" Inoue wondered aloud.
"I have a topic on mind," Nel said.
"What?"
"Like making sure that Yachiru and the guys don't end up in our care every other day. I consider myself a patient person, but this is just getting tiring."
"Yeah, I wonder why they keep getting hurt like that?"
"Oi, Inoue! Nel!" Both women turned around to see Rukia walk up to them.
"Rukia," Nel greeted.
"Hello Kuchiki-san!" Inoue happily said. "How've you been lately?"
"Good, thank you for asking," Rukia replied. "But, I wanted to ask you a question."
"A question?"
"Yes; Have either of you seen Ichigo around?"
"Ichigo?" Nel asked, looking around the room. Ichigo did appear missing as she did not spot his sore-thumb hair color anywhere.
"Yes," Rukia answered.
"Doesn't he usually show up with Hinamori-chan?" Inoue looked around to see Hinamori engaged in a conversation with Renji and Kira.
"He does, but when I asked her about it, she said that she hadn't seen him in a few hours."
"Where'd he go then?" Nel asked.
There was then the sound of a stumble, prompting the three of them to turn around to see Nagasawa leaning against the door, his breathing heavy.
"Nagasawa-taichou?" Nel asked with concern. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine," Nagasawa said, standing up. He tried to hide the fact his breath was haggard.
"Are you sure? You don't seem aright." Nel looked down. "And why are you wearing gloves?"
"You wear gloves," Inoue spoke in.
"Yes, but that's my normal attire," Nel answered, before turning back to Nagasawa. "Are you sure? You look a little sick, here, let me check-" Nel reached her hand out, to use a healing kido for a diagnostic check on him, but-
"Don't you dare touch me!" Nagasawa yelled, slapping Nel's arm away with his hand. This sudden flare in temper caused shock in Nel, and drew attention to everyone's attention.
"Hey!" Inoue called, taking a step forward. "She was only trying to help!"
"Tch," Nagasawa sneered. "As if I would accept from help from someone like you."
"Someone like me?" Nel asked hesitantly, eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean by that."
Nagasawa chuckled to himself. "Of course you wouldn't, a disgusting creature such as you couldn't understand something so simple."
"Disgusting creature," Nel said darkly.
"Yes, a pitiful hollow is all you are, regardless to how much of a shinigami you look like. You are nothing more then a mindless killing machine, regarding as to how many lives you save."
"Where I come from," Grimmjow said, walking forward several feet. "That's a good way to get yourself killed."
"And you just proved my point," Nagasawa smirked.
Grimmjow growled. "Bastard."
"Must I remind you," Nel said to Nagasawa. "That regardless to my origins, the instincts I had as a simple hollow have long been buried. So despite the fact I am a hollow, in a technical sense, I am not."
"As if anything you have to say will sway my opinion of you. You disgust me." He then turned to the rest of the room. "And you are far from the only one."
"Bring it," Grimmjow sneered, his right hand twitching to grip his sword and run the man through. Mosqueda simply stood there; what other people thought of him had no bearing on him.
"You are so conceded to think I was talking about only you." His eyes gazed over the entire crowd. "There isn't one person here who makes me sick to my stomach."
"What?" Renji asked. Sure, Renji could understand not likely a few choice members amongst the ranks to dislike, but to give such feeling, even when he didn't know anybody here all that well?
"Yes, that is true, with the minor exceptions of Kira-taichou, and Omaeda-fukutaichou," Nagasawa said, looking at said people, only to turn away. "Even so, I cannot bring myself to not hate you."
"What'd you say?!" Omaeda yelled out, pointing a finger at the captain.
"What about us?" Kira asked.
"Tell me, Kira-taichou, what separates you two from everyone else here?"
Kira remained silent.
"Your places in birth. You were both born into nobility, albeit lower and not recognized amongst the rest of the families, but still noble. What I hate about you is that you either willingly let yourself be under the command of someone from a servant family," he spat out the last word. Soifon gave him a dirty look. "Or you socialize with people below you with no shame." His stared down Matsumoto, Renji, Hisagi, and Hinamori. "Disgraceful,
"If only the Soul Society could do back to what it once was, long ago; where only those of noble could become a shinigami. But after several centuries, that fool, Genryƫsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who founded the Sereitei nonetheless, decided to allow the filth that thrives in the Rukongai into our ranks.
"The last century in particular has been nothing but an insult; We've allowed human, Quincy, hollows, and other such filth into these halls."
"Do not insult the Quincy!" Ishida called out.
"I'll say whatever I want about a dead race."
Had Chad not placed his hand on Ishida's shoulder, it was likely he would have attacked the captain.
"You know, from all this talk about 'the superiority of the nobles'," Grimmjow said, "I'm surprised that you ain't kissing up to Kuchiki over here," he pointed towards Rukia, "and her brother."
Nagasawa spat. "As if would hold either of those two in any regard. While the Kuchiki clan is indeed one of the most noble of families in Soul Society, it has been tainted when he took you," he glared at Rukia, "and that married that disgusting sow of a wom-"
There was then a large burst of reiatsu that erupted throughout the room, and Nagasawa felt a blade pressed to the side of his neck.
"So, you've arrived then," Nagasawa said, turning around to meet cold, hard eyes, "Kuchiki Byakuya."
"Nii-sama!" Rukia gasped.
"I didn't even see Byakuya-taichou shunpo into the room," Senna said from her spot in the room. "He must really be pissed."
"You have insulted my sister, and dared to call my late-wife by such an atrocious name," Byakuya said, slightly pressing the blade to Nagasawa's neck, slightly drawing blood. "Give my one reason as to why I should not cut you down where you stand."
Before Nagasawa could even respond, the temperature of the room fell about twenty degrees.
"Nagasawa!" yelled a shout from the door.
"Taichou," Matsumoto gasped at the head-captain's appearance at the open doors.
"I would like to speak with you in my office," Hitsugaya said in a deep growl. "Now."
Nagasawa regarded the man, and walked out the door, heading towards his office.
"As for the rest of you! Meeting dismissed!" Hitsugaya then turned around, leaving the rest of the room's occupants in wonder.
"Bastard," Nel said, on her way out. This caught several people's attention as they had never heard her insult someone.
"That was odd," Hisagi said.
"What was?" Hinamori answered.
"I hope Hitsugaya-soutaichou deep freezes his ass," Renji growled.
"I'm not sure why, but that outburst was very odd if you ask me."
Hisagi left the room, troubled by this.
Please review
Mrfipp
