We're early today... but I think it's preferable to me forgetting to update altogether...
Someone mentioned in a review recently that they thought too much information was being given way too fast. Like I tried to explain then, it's for a variety of reasons: on the one hand, to show how different things are from canon. Here Ichigo and the others are older, wiser, they have a better understanding of what they're getting into, and have sought to be better informed. Doesn't mean they know everything, because they don't, but still. Also, it's a way of showing how much Urahara isn't able to play puppeteer, not with the Nakama. While I don't dislike Kisuke per-say, I do think he's too manipulative, and not always in a good way. Too much like Dumbledore in Harry Potter, and to be honest I'm not much of a fan of Dumbledore; regardless of how much of a grandfather figure he might want to portray himself as, he's still a manipulative bastard more than half the time.
Anyway, this isn't about HP. And the reason why this comment is relevant right now, is because we're having another 'info dump' so-to-speak. Also, the other reason why I chose to do things this way. There came a moment in canon-Bleach, where it was impossible to tell who-knew-what exactly. We, as readers, knew a lot (though not everything, of course). But there were things we knew, that not everyone pertinent did. Like for example, Isshin going against Grand Fisher and destroying the hollow; or how about the Visored? When Urahara told Orihime she shouldn't fight anymore? The lack of proper communications caused a lot of trouble, in my opinion, so I'm doing away with it as much as possible.
If you have any questions about why I'm doing some things, or the way I'm doing them, ask away, I'll do my best to answer.
Also, I don't know if I've said this before (though it is in my profile), there's carte blanche for anyone who might want to make translations, remixes, add-ons, spin-offs, podfics, fanarts, etc., for this fic. Just let me know so I can see them, and advertise it right here. Thanks! And see ya around!
Chapter 22. Insurmountable Odds
Keeva ran as fast as she could in the direction of her apartment, only to stop in the staircase, a floor below the apartment itself; she held onto the railing so tight her knuckles began turning white. She stood there, gasping, trying to calm herself, what had happened, what she had said to the Quincy…she had totally lost control of herself, and she needed to calm down before meeting with her lady, who would worry if she saw her as she was in that moment.
It took several minutes, but finally Keeva's breathing went back to normal, and her heart began to beat at a normal rhythm. That is, at least, until she sensed the darkness, so incredible close it was a terrible slip on her part that she hadn't felt it before. She'd really believed that all the hollows attracted by the huge battle at the school gates had been defeated already, how everyone have missed one? How could she have missed it?!
Keeva hurried, practically flying up what was left of the stairs, she slammed the apartment's door open, only to find her lady standing in the balcony, hands raised in the direction of a nearby hollow, it wasn't very big, but certainly powerful, at least Menos class.
"My lady!" Keeva cried out.
It was too late by then, a rush of power and light could be seen and felt, and a second later the hollow was dissolving into reishi particles.
The younger girl was about to say something else, when unexpectedly the older girl dropped to her knees, holding her head tightly as a pained moan escaped her lips.
"Lady Serenity!" Keeva cried out in panic.
She hurried to the balcony, where she then proceeded to help the young woman back into the living room, as she kept holding her head and letting out tiny moans of pain.
"My lady…" Keeva whispered, not quite knowing what to do.
"I am alright Keeva…" Serenity whispered, though it was quite obvious that she was lying. "It's just a headache…"
"But it's not!" Keeva surprised herself by saying that, she'd never called her lady on her lies, just letting her get away with it. "I know it's not…"
Serenity shook her head, but as soon as she had enough energy she got up and then proceeded to half-stumble down the hallway and to her room.
"I know it's not…" Keeva repeated softly to herself.
She felt so terribly, not being able to help her lady, the young woman she admired more than anyone else…but how could she help someone who didn't want to be helped?
xXx
Uryuu was the last one to arrive to Urahara's shop that evening, he'd just let the phone ring the first few times, not being able to sense any hollow in Karakura and deducing that whatever was going on couldn't be that urgent. He'd been totally lost in thought all afternoon, until the insistent ringing of the penthouse's phone, and later on even the denreishinki finally pulled him out of his musings and back to reality.
It had been Yuzu on the phone, apparently Urahara had something very urgent to discuss with everyone, and of course the Nakama were included in that. The only ones not involved were Keeva and the Visored, for obvious reasons.
Also, Uryuu wasn't alone, his father had just arrived after his shift at the hospital when the teen had finally answered the insistent calls, and upon hearing that Urahara was calling 'everyone' for an emergency meeting, the doctor had decided to include himself, especially since, for reasons he didn't really know yet, he'd been forced to destroy several hollows earlier that afternoon, and of course he'd sensed the powerful negative reiatsu that had invaded Karakura for a short time.
The moment the Ishidas stepped into the backroom, where everyone else was already sitting, with cups of tea or coffee each and a couple of plates of pastries, they both became aware of a few things: first there was the tension, practically everyone was so stressed out, one would think a fight would break out any second; another detail was the very clear separation that was being made, with the Nakama sitting on one side of the room, Ichigo and Rukia in the middle, being surrounded by the others in a semi-circle, the adults and other members of the Urahara-shouten in the other side. Something was definitely going on, and it went far beyond Urahara calling all of them for some as-of-yet-unexplained meeting.
Wordlessly, Uryuu went to seat on Ichigo's free side, deciding that if the Nakama were already making such a show, either consciously or unconsciously, of who was in charge, he might as well take his rightful place. Ryuuken for his part seat himself separate from the Nakama, while still closer to them than to the others, he didn't need to say whose side he would rather be on; in fact, it was unlikely he would ever say it, but to some it was still pretty obvious, and it wasn't a one-sided sentiment either.
"You okay Uryuu?" Ichigo asked, in a low enough voice than the adults wouldn't hear.
"Yes, why?" Uryuu was surprised by the question.
"You never not answer your phone, and today it took over a dozen calls for you to answer." Ichigo pointed out quietly. "And don't try to say you weren't home, Orihime, Yuzu, Karin, even I could tell you were at the penthouse…"
"I was…busy…" Uryuu mumbled.
It was obvious he didn't want to say any more, and Ichigo nodded, deciding to accept his nakama's decision and hope that, if it was something really important, or that might affect the rest of them, Uryuu would decide to share sooner rather than later; and even if it didn't affect any of them, Ichigo still hoped the Quincy would eventually trust one of them.
Once the little exchange was over, Ichigo turned to Ryuuken, acknowledging his presence with a short, respectful bow of his head, before turning to the others; he sat up straighter, instinctively knowing the part he was meant to 'play' in that moment; his father would be so proud of knowing he was putting his noble-training into practice even without having actually claimed his birthright just yet…or maybe not.
"So," He said seriously. "What exactly were we called here for, Urahara-san?"
"Yes, yes." Urahara was uncharacteristically serious as he spoke. "As I am sure at least some of you are aware of, several extremely powerful reiatsu made an appearance in the World of the Living today, they were, in fact, arrancars, the most powerful arrancars I've ever sensed. We know they were in this plane for a while, before unexpectedly departing; however, we don't know exactly where in Karakura they were, what they did, or why they even came and then left so soon. That is disturbing, for we have no idea what kind of trouble, of disaster they may have wrecked, regardless of how short a time they were actually in Karakura…"
Urahara interrupted his speech at a touch from Yoruichi, who had noticed by that point the sly, silent looks the Nakama kept directing at each other.
"You know something about those Arrancar, don't you?" Yoruichi guessed.
For a while there was no answer, only silence, tension grew until it was almost stifling, and it wasn't broken until someone finally spoken.
"What if we do?" Ichigo inquired with a shrug.
"Then you must tell us at once!" Urahara stated strongly.
"Why should we?" Ichigo hissed.
"What do we owe you?" Uryuu asked at the same time with a hint of derision obviously directed at the adults save his father. "Nothing, nothing at all, that's what. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: We, the Nakama do not trust you Urahara Kisuke, nor do we trust anyone who associates with you."
Surprised by the last part of that statement, Isshin immediately turned to look at the teens, his gaze settling on his children one by one: Yuzu turned sad eyes away from him, Karin looked away with a snort, while Ichigo stared back at him with defiance. The former 10th Division Captain's heart broke a little at that, his own children didn't trust him, and yet, was it really that surprising? After everything he'd done, and not done…
"I thought we had arranged our differences already." Urahara said, trying to remain aloof. "I know I've made mistakes, first with the Hougyoku, and then with the gikon…"
"This isn't about any of those things." Ichigo interrupted him with a huff.
"Do the names Hirako Shinji and Sarugaki Hiyori ring any bells, Urahara?" Rukia asked, steel in her eyes as she glared at the former shinigami.
The whole situation with the Visored was a sore spot for her, and at least the two she'd met thus far were in her black list already; anyone wanting to take Ichigo away from her would be, it wasn't like she would ever allow such a thing to happen.
Urahara's eyes widened slightly at those words.
"You couldn't come to me with your assumptions, or were they Yoruichi's?" Ichigo asked, then shrugged, not really caring about that. "It doesn't matter in the end. The fact is, you are a coward, rather than facing me straight on with what you believed I might be, you went behind my back, called others to come and then what? Did you expect that I would go with them, or that we would just allow them to take me away against my will?"
The fathers of the two leaders of the Nakama could hardly believe what they were hearing, and the two as one turned accusing eyes to Urahara at once, feeling at least slightly temped to unleash their respective techniques on the man for what he'd dared do. Did the man never learn? Why did he always have to mess in others' lives? And for the worse, most of the time.
"Kisuke…" Isshin began, about to hit his own best-friend for what he'd done.
"Over my vanquished spirit!" Rukia practically snarled, her reiatsu flaring slightly as the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
"We left quite clear that if they didn't cease their attempts and stay away…the consequences would be unpleasant." Uryuu agreed.
"It was more than that." Karin pointed out. "I remember punching Sarugaki in the face and stating quite clearly that if she dared do anything, to anyone I would personally take her down. Visored or not, hollow powers or not, they don't scare me…"
Ichigo smiled slightly as he whispered thanks to all his nakama for the way they had stood up for him then, for the way they were with him in that moment as well. It made him feel all the stronger, to have such loyal comrades and friends with him, and Rukia…he could hardly believe that just that summer he'd believed they were together just out of convenience, that he'd been wondering what true love, what a soul-mate was like…such an oblivious, blind idiot he'd been, thankfully he'd come to his senses in time, Rukia was his, she'd always be.
In that moment, noticing the deep stare Ichigo was directing her way Rukia couldn't help but blush deeply before she elbowed him lightly in the ribs to remind him they were in the middle of something. Still, it was amazing the kind of feelings, so deep and in such intensity, that he was able to raise in her with just one look. Just a few months earlier she'd believed she was nothing but a bother, a street-rat walking among nobles, someone who didn't deserve what she had; and she had known how likely it was that they would end up making her pay for it all, marrying her off to whatever noble the Clan Elders found more convenient, regardless of the fact that it would most likely mean she would have to quit being a shinigami and be miserable for the rest of her existence. And yet…things hadn't been exactly that way, though the Elders actually had tried doing that very thing, they weren't allowed to get away with it. Now, even after months, and the huge mess she'd been and was still involved in, she couldn't quite believe it. Even with the very real threat of a war over her head, she couldn't help but be absolutely, radiantly happy…
"So, that's the crux of the matter." Uryuu went back to the main topic. "You've failed us all… again. You went behind our backs, called in a bunch of strangers, very powerful strangers who, for all we know, could be working for the enemy!"
"Shinji and the Visored would never…" Urahara began.
"How do you know that?" Tatsuki interrupted him. "Have you seen them, talked to them, at all in the last century? I mean, aside from when you went to them behind Ichigo's back to tell them to come. And for a reason you hadn't even confirmed, might I add."
"Yoruichi saw the mask!" Urahara tried to defend himself. "Tessai and I could both sense the corrupted reiatsu during the fight against the Bount, and again on the aftermath of the battle against Grand Fisher…"
"And you thought it was alright to go behind Ichigo's back and call others in, instead of facing him with your suspicions?" Rukia asked sarcastically. "What part of 'next time, ask', did you not get Urahara?"
"I think…" Orihime spoke unexpectedly. "I think he's just not used to not being in control. He feels the need to be…that's why he keeps going behind our backs. He somehow believes he's doing what's right, for everyone."
"Yeah well, he better realize how wrong that is, and soon." Karin said with a snort. "I don't promise to be patient about his stupidities for much longer."
"But there was a mask!" Urahara insisted. "And dark reiatsu! And…"
"So what?!" Ichigo practically snarled. "I never asked you for help, or the Visored for that matter. I don't need you to meddle into my business! If I ever need help, I will ask for it, from Rukia, Uryuu, or some other Nakama, but certainly not from you!"
Urahara shut his mouth with an audible clink as his teeth clashed, he didn't actually know what to make of Ichigo's rant. Did he have an Inner Hollow and didn't need the Visored? Did he just not want others to interfere? Had he actually gotten everything wrong? Urahara had no idea what the answer to the enigma was, and that frightened him more than he cared to admit, even to himself. Inoue Orihime had been absolutely right when she had pointed out the true problem of the situation, he was so used to being the genius, to knowing everything that was going on and planning accordingly, to being at least two steps ahead of everyone else…not knowing things was something he wasn't quite sure how to handle.
"Under normal circumstances we would leave right about this point." Tatsuki growled, before making a rather rude gesture and turning away.
"But these aren't normal circumstances." Uryuu went on. "And while we do not trust you, we know it would be detrimental, to the safety, not of us, but of all the defenseless humans in Karakura, not to present the facts as they are."
"Wait." Rukia stopped him as she began dialing on her denreishinki. "If we're going to do this, we might as well make it official. You know we were going to have to report the happenings to Seireitei, in particular to Ukitake-taichou and Yamamoto-soutaichou, especially considering the latent risks as the situation continues to escalate."
"So we won't be doing the report in person, but by phone conference." Ichigo nodded. "I think it's a good idea. I'm not sure it would have been a good idea for any of us to leave Karakura at this point anyway, who knows when the next attack will be. And Aizen might actually send a competent group next time."
The comments just kept either shocking or just confusing the adults as they heard the teens talk. One thing was clear to everyone though: what had happened earlier that day, in relation to the stable Arrancars that had appeared in the human world, was like nothing any of the adults might have imagined…
"Ukitake-taichou?" Rukia called as her call was answered. "Good evening, this is Kuchiki Rukia, Nakama liaison, speaking…Actually, this is an official matter Ukitake-taichou…We are currently at former captain Urahara Kisuke's place, we've been asked to explain some things that happened earlier today and thought it might be a good idea to report to the Gotei at the same time…Yes, it was important…Ok, let me put you on speaker…"
After arranging for the speaker, Rukia put the phone on the table, right in front of her.
"Good evening Nakama, Kisuke-san, Yoruichi-san, and everyone else that might be present." Ukitake Juushirou's cordial voice greeted them.
The greeting was answered accordingly, and soon pleasantries were over.
"Nakama." Juushirou called, addressing the group in general. "First, to let you know that Shunsui and Ise-fukutaichou are both here with me. They will be giving their input when necessary. Does what you're going to be explaining relate to an unusually large amount of reiatsu, particularly hollow reiatsu that was reported by Kurotsuchi-fukutaichou to have appeared on Karakura earlier this afternoon."
"Yes, Ukitake-san, that is correct." Ichigo nodded.
"Then maybe one of you should contact the soutaichou, he will want to be informed of whatever may have happened, especially if we're to take measures to ensure the Living World will remain safe." Juushirou suggested.
"A good suggestion Ukitake-san." Uryuu agreed. "Originally two of us would have gone to Soul Society to deliver this report in person, but Ichigo has raised doubts on that, since there's the risk of an attack and no way of knowing when it will happen, it might be unwise for us to separate at this point in time."
They didn't call the man, or any shinigami for that matter, by their titles, since they didn't mean anything to the human teenagers, it wasn't like they were part of the Gotei themselves. Still, they respected at least a few of them, which is why they were at least somewhat respectful, if not of their rank, of their person.
"Completely understandable Ishida-san." Juushirou agreed. "And I'm sure the soutaichou will understand as well."
"He does." Ichigo informed them as he laid his own denreishinki on the table. "Yamamoto-san, like I was saying, the Nakama, as well as Yoruichi-san, Ishida-shishou, my father and the members of the Urahara-shouten are currently reunited; we have Ukitake-san, much like yourself, on speaker on a phone. If you would be agreeable to have us explain what's been happening recently. We believe it is important for everyone to be on the same page, especially considering what happened today."
"I agree." Yamamoto said sternly. "It might have been better for you to present a full, formal report before all captains and lieutenants, but if the current situation prevents it…"
"Yes sir." Uryuu agreed. "The situation has escalated, beyond what Rukia-san must have reported to you on her last visit. I believe an all-scale confrontation against Aizen is imminent, and it most likely will happen far sooner than the Gotei had anticipated."
"Explain." Yamamoto stated, stiffly.
"As you already know, two weeks ago, aside from the previously reported increase in hollow appearances in Karakura, a hamen made an appearance." Ichigo stated. "We knew what it was thanks to Karin, who remembered about the imperfect arrancars. We made our way to where we managed to track the origin of the reiatsu, but a few blocks before we reached it, it was gone. We have reasons to believe it was vanquished, by someone not in this room right now."
"Do you know who it was?" Ukitake inquired.
"No, we've been trying to find the person, but it's proven impossible." Ichigo declared. "However, we've come in contact with another person with the power and ability to fight hollows, she's also claimed to having previous experience."
"Who?" Yamamoto wanted to know, wondering if there was a rouge or something.
"A human teenager." Ichigo answered calmly. "Her name is Castelo Keeva, American, recently moved to Karakura. She appears to have gained powers in much the same fashion as most of the Nakama did."
"By the way, I have a doubt I was hoping one of you might be able to answer for me, sirs." Rukia spoke up unexpectedly. "When we spoke to Castelo-san, she said that, before Ichigo she had never seen a shinigami. She also seemed to imply that no one but she fought hollows in her former hometown."
"Where did she say she came from?" Kyouraku Shunsui asked, curious.
"She said she was born in Mexico, but had lived in several places, mostly America." Rukia answered. "Could she just never have seen a shinigami, despite her obvious ability to see spirits? I mean, it's not like there could not be a shinigami, right?"
Silence reigned for a short while, before Shunsui gave her an answer.
"Actually, Kuchiki, it is quite possible that there were no shinigami there." Shunsui admitted. "It's not a widely known fact, but there are some areas of the Living World that were long ago claimed by others, races of spiritually empowered humans capable of defending themselves, leaving shinigami to focus on other lands. Japan was one such area at one point, guarded by sacred miko with amazing powers, but as their numbers decreased, shinigami were forced to intervene. It's been theorized that, because of how long spiritually empowered humans inhabited your land, that is the reason the Juureichi came to exist where it does."
"However." Juushirou went on. "Even those areas are patrolled by a shinigami every once in a while, so we can be sure the humans who swore to protect it are still there. What you say about this girl, it seems to imply the possibility that the race that guarded the area exists no more, and yet the shinigami have yet to take over the guarding of the place. That is certainly a dangerous situation, one that we will have to look further into."
As the white-haired captain spoke, Uryuu couldn't help but remember with almost painful clarity, Keeva's words as she ranted at him: you have no idea what really being the 'last one' is like! If her words, and Ukitake's theory were to be believed, that might explain Keeva's situation, still, it didn't really explain how exactly she'd come to be the last one. Had her people been victims of genocide, much like his own had been? But then, wouldn't the shinigami know already and have picked up the slack? Then what, what could have happened to make a spiritually empowered race, one that was undoubtedly strong, just considering what Keeva had shown herself to be capable of, what could have caused them to disappear? To leave the girl all alone in the world?
By that point, Uryuu was the only who realized that Keeva wasn't just a human who had acquired powers to fight when the natural protectors of her hometown were all gone, but that she was most likely part of that race everyone else assumed to have become extinct at some point: the last one…He would make the others aware of his theory, but later; the last thing he wanted was to put Keeva's life at risk, he still wasn't sure the shinigami weren't somehow responsible, or related to how her people had disappeared; and regardless of how briefly he'd known her, the Quincy couldn't help the deep desire to protect her as much as he possibly could. Nothing would ever be more important to him than his father and his nakama, of course, but she came very close…
"Back to the main topic." Ichigo said after the captains agreed to further investigate the other matter. "Ukitake-san has told us that members of the 12th Division registered the hollow reiatsu that appeared on Karakura earlier today, even if no one knew the exact reason. Urahara confronted us on that same matter…We were there."
The statement was enough to send everyone reeling, though the Nakama could only see the badly-disguised shock in those in front of them.
Ryuuken, while not actually looking shocked, was very tense. He'd sensed the reiatsu that had appeared, and knew that whatever had happened it had been serious. The kind of danger his son, his student, and the rest of the Nakama must have been in…it was the very reason why he never wanted them to get involved with spiritual matters; however, they were all so stubborn, never understanding to reason, long ago he'd made the choice to help them train, rather than leave them to their own devices, possibly dying for lack of training…he just hoped it would be enough. It was too late already to keep the teenagers from what was going on, and the true war was yet to come…Ishida Ryuuken really hoped things would turn out alright, he'd lost too much already, Uryuu, and in a way Ichigo and the rest of the teens, were dear to him, the only people he'd allowed himself to come to care for after losing everything and everyone else, he couldn't lose them as well.
"By that point most of the students had left already, only seniors were left, and the soccer team since they had practice." Ichigo began his explanation. "We sensed the reiatsu, and immediately knew it was very close. So we rushed out of the classroom. Chizuru, Keigo and Mizuiro stayed in the hallway, to make sure no one would try to leave the building until things were over, while Rukia, Uryuu, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki and I hurried to the front yard, Karin joined us there. We stopped a cero with a mix of shields before facing against our enemies. They were four, two females, and two males; and while one of the males was way bigger than any human could ever be, the rest looked very much like humans, except for the dark aura, and the fragments of masks on each of their faces. They also each wore a white outfit with black details, almost like an inverted shihakusho, except with variations."
"Four Arrancars?!" Nanao and Tessai expressed their shock at the same time.
"Four stable Arrancar." Karin clarified. "They were nothing like the hamen from two weeks ago, or even the incomplete arrancar Grand Fisher managed to turn himself into before he attacked Karakura again and was ultimately destroyed by Ichigo."
"They were way more powerful." Ichigo agreed. "They even introduced themselves to us, though…" he turned to his second in command. "Uryuu…"
Uryuu could have smirked in that moment, Ichigo had never been good with faces and names, not until he became very familiar with the individual, and he didn't have as much of an eye for details as Uryuu himself did. However, the situation in that moment was just too serious for the Quincy to truly want to laugh, or even smirk, so instead he turned to the phones on the table as he focused on everything he could remember:
"The two females appeared as teenaged girls." Uryuu enlisted. "They introduced themselves as: Loly Aivirrne, Numero 33 and Menoly Mallia, Numero 34. While we know what the particular title they used for their rank means, we have no idea what it means in this context. Are they numbers 33 and 34 in their creation, in their rank? Or is it something else entirely?" he shook his head before continuing. "With the males we were actually given a bit more of an explanation. They called themselves Espada, one of them claimed that meant they are two of the most powerful Arrancars serving Aizen…"
"Espada…" Yamamoto's interrupted was quite unexpected, but no one commented on it. "I've heard such a title being used…but not in a very, very long time."
"Soutaichou?" Rukia asked, half confused, half afraid.
"Continue Nakama." Yamamoto instructed. "I'll say my part when you're done."
"From the two males, the one who was considerably bigger, introduced himself as Yammy Llargo, Décima Espada." Uryuu went on without hesitation. "The other one…he said his name was Ulquiorra Schiffer and he was the Cuarta Espada…"
There were a few gasps heard, both in the room and through one of the phones, but it was impossible to know who they'd come from exactly. And it didn't matter that much.
"Did you go into battle against any of those Arrancar?" Shunsui wanted to know.
"We did." Ichigo retook the duty of giving the report. "Against all but the Cuarta, Ulquiorra. Orihime created a shield around the school to keep the students safe, anyone else who might have been in the vicinity when the Arrancar arrived had been consumed already by that point. Tatsuki fought against one of the females, but she couldn't access enough power in her human body to take the Arrancar down."
How insane it had been, for them all to have gone against enemies so powerful, without being in the form which allowed them to fight better…they obviously hadn't been thinking very clearly at the time.
About Tatsuki, the Gotei was well-aware that she was the reincarnation of a zanpakutou-wielding spirit, one that had never been a shinigami, even if no one but she and Renji knew why exactly. The facts had been accepted and no comment made.
"It was then that Keeva stepped in." Ichigo went on. "She helped Tatsuki take down one of the female arrancars when Tatsuki began getting some whiplash, while the other was soundly defeated by Karin, while she was still in her human body."
"Wait a second." Yoruichi interrupted. "You are telling me that you all, even those of you who are shinigami, fought these stable Arrancars while in your human bodies?!"
They all nodded.
"Are you insane?!" Isshin practically screeched.
Exactly what the Nakama had been thinking, not like they would admit it anytime soon.
"It's not like there was that much time." Tatsuki muttered. "By the time we even got out of the classroom the Arrancars were already practically at the school-gate; and seconds after we got out of the building they were firing a cero at it!"
"That's right." Uryuu nodded. "There was no time for us to actually get ready for a fight, all we could do was hurry and try our best."
"Which apparently somehow included defeating three stable Arrancar…" Yoruichi muttered, not quite believing it.
"Rukia and I were on our guard before Ulquiorra, though he didn't seem that interested about fighting at all." Ichigo continued with a sigh. "The Cuarta said he was there to test me, on orders from Aizen, at which point the other three attacked the other Nakama. And still, Ulquiorra never actually made a move to attack me. He gave me the chance to get out of my body, leaving it for Rukia to guard, and still seemed more interested in talking than actually fighting, which was rather strange. Meanwhile, Chad and Uryuu teamed up against Yammy, he fought dirty and managed to seriously injure Chad's arm, nothing permanent, but still; Uryuu got a few bruises and scratches, the most serious one on his side, I think he cracked a rib, regardless, he managed to cut off one of the Espada's arms with his arrows."
They had been so very fortunate that Yuzu was so talented at kidou, with Orihime out of commission after using such a powerful shield, it was been the young, gentle Kurosaki twin who had healed them all, and helped them restore at least enough reiatsu so they wouldn't be totally drained, it would have been just too risky with the danger upon them.
"At that point I was in bankai already." Ichigo went on with the recount. "I fired a Getsuga Tenshou at Yammy when he went again after Chad after managing to get Uryuu away. It wasn't the most powerful Getsuga I'd ever used, but it wasn't weak in any way either; it barely managed to cut into Yammy's side, their skin is incredibly hard…"
"Hierro…" Urahara muttered, and then clarified. "That's what it's called. The Arrancars reinforce their own skin with reiatsu, forming what is called Hierro, the more powerful the Arrancar is, the stronger their hierro can be."
"It makes sense." Chad commented. "Hierro…Steel…"
"At that point I told Ulquiorra that either he took his allies and got the hell out of Karakura or I would kill them." Ichigo deadpanned.
"You what?!" At least half of the adults, shinigami included, screamed at him at that.
"You actually think you would have had the power for that, boy?" Yamamoto asked, steel in his own voice.
"Maybe." Ichigo didn't allow any hesitation on his voice. "If it were to protect my nakama… I believe I could do anything."
"Infant." Yamamoto chided sternly. "You really have no idea the kind of enemy you were facing. Even feeling his reiatsu, even standing before him, neither was enough for you to realize how far outclassed you were."
"Maybe if Ulquiorra had fought." Ichigo agreed. "But like I said before, he didn't seem that interested, even after telling us he was there to test me. Yammy…he was all brawn and no brains, I was sure we could take him down if necessary; with the female arrancars, the only problem was that Karin and Tatsuki hadn't been in their spirit forms when fighting him, I'm confident that if they had been, they would have won easily."
"You overestimate yourself child." Yamamoto insisted. "And you overestimate your comrades as well. Arrancars are never pushovers."
"Neither are we." Uryuu stated, offended by the lack of trust the general was showing.
"In any case, they left, we're here." Ichigo stated. "Regardless of if we could have actually defeated them all, something we did was enough to make Ulquiorra choose to leave rather than continue the fight, than actually testing me; because I seriously doubt a sole attack against another fighter can be considered a test."
"You were lucky." Yamamoto insisted. "That doesn't make you the better fighter, or the more powerful, it only means you're lucky!"
"What aren't you telling us?" Uryuu demanded. "There must be something, a reason for you to be saying all of those things. What don't we know?"
The Quincy was really frustrated, and it wasn't just him; they had just vented against Urahara, and yet it wasn't enough, why was it that those around them were always keeping things from them? Especially when what they didn't know could end up killing them?!
"I believe you are aware of the existence of Menos." Yamamoto began his explanation, in a tone of voice akin of a teacher before a class. "How they're at least a thousand times more powerful than the average hollow."
"We are aware." Karin said calmly. "My brother slew one a few weeks before Byakuya-san and Renji-san came and took Rukia and her shinigami powers from him."
The insinuation was pretty clear in her words, but no one reacted to it. However, Nanao, and the captains of the eight and thirteenth division seemed more interested on the fact that Ichigo, while still only using Rukia's borrowed power, had been able to slay a Menos…especially since, according to the timeline, he hadn't had those powers even two months by that point… Ichigo was really something else.
"Yes, the Menos that appeared at that point was a Gillian." Yamamoto went on.
"Menos? Gillian?" Orihime inquired, a bit confused. "Aren't those two the same?"
"No." Karin whispered, as if just remembering that fact in that very moment. "A Gillian is a Menos, but a Menos isn't necessarily a Gillian…"
"Wha…?" Ichigo had no idea what that was supposed to mean.
Yamamoto sighed, realizing that the human teenagers really didn't know, they had fought a Menos and thought that was it, that was as high as a hollow got in evolution, aside from the Arrancars they'd discovered…they really had no idea. And they were the ones who were supposed to fight them, at least until all-out war became imminent? It had to be insanity, to leave the fate of the Living World, or at least a highly important zone of it, to a dozen of spiritually empowered humans…
And yet, wasn't that exactly what they had done when making those pacts with the other races? Though, on that front, it was obvious that at least some of those areas had become high-risk zones as the usual defenders died, their lineages becoming extinct, and leaving no one to fight the hollows plaguing those lands…But they had done such pacts, because they'd been necessary, how could one organization, regardless of how big it might be, be expected to protect two worlds on their own? It just wasn't possible.
"Nakama." Juushirou decided to take over the lesson, even not knowing why exactly his own teacher hadn't continued, though he understood how worrying the whole thing was. "The Menos aren't one sole group, they're actually divided in three categories. The first are the Gillian, you can consider them the foot-soldiers among the Menos, they are all huge in size look pretty much the same as the next and do little except hunt hollows or souls to consume, can be as powerful as a high-seated Shinigami; next come the Adjuchas, they are smaller, their bodies more agile, are capable of reasoning, though not very advanced and their power is easily that of a lieutenant-level Shinigami, maybe even a low-level captain; the last, they are the Vasto Lorde, they have humanoid forms, are capable of perfect reasoning, of strategizing, their power is also superior to most Shinigami captains…"
The answer from the Nakama was instantaneous and unanimous: "What?!"
It was awful, it was worse than insane, how could they have not known any of that?! Karin and Rukia not remembering was understandable, particularly since the different categories of Menos had never been more than mere theory from their Academy Days for them, but still, how could no one warn them?! In particular knowing that Aizen was preparing an army and was likely to gather the most powerful hollows he could find!
"Wait, wait a second." Uryuu broke in before going into panic himself. "Where exactly do Arrancars, stable or otherwise, fit into all this?"
"An arrancar is a hollow, most likely a Menos, that has broken its own mask, gaining shinigami powers in exchange." Juushirou explained. "Most of their hollow powers are sealed in a zanpakutou, and they gain a somewhat-humanoid form. You have to understand that that is not an easy process by any means, for a hollow to be able to break its mask and gain shinigami powers instead of destroying itself, it must be really powerful already…"
"And Aizen has already more than 34 such Arrancars…" Orihime whispered, burying her face in her hands. "Oh Lord…"
"This is bad." Chad agreed, grimly.
"Yet again, why did we not know any of this?" Tatsuki complained.
"We didn't expect anything to happen for at least half a year." Kyouraku began.
"The Hougyoku was in stasis!" Urahara interfered. "He shouldn't have been able to unseal it for at least a year!"
"This is Aizen we're talking about, remember?" Karin said sarcastically. "The man who has been laying down plans to conquer heaven for over a hundred years? Who knows what kind of contingency plans he had already in place? And forget contingency plans. It's quite possible he planned ahead for the possibility of the Hougyoku being sealed, and on a way to unseal it, at least temporarily, whenever he needed its power. With how careful Aizen seems to be about everything, don't you think he would have thought that a possibility?"
"So, considering the time he's had to plan, his power and the fact he has that cursed jewel, we can assume he has quite a bit more than 34 Arrancars even now, and every day he could be making more, right?" Tatsuki deduced in a somber tone.
"I don't think it's that easy." Uryuu said. "I seriously doubt Aizen would use the Hougyoku on just any hollow, only the most powerful would interest him. Aside from that, I would say Tatsuki is most likely right."
"Oh Lord…" Orihime whispered again.
Silence reigned for what seemed like forever. Uryuu and Ichigo were the first to recover their composure and be able to reason and speak again.
"So, let's see what we know thus far." Ichigo began.
"It is likely that Aizen has found a way to awaken the Hougyoku, at least for short periods of time." Uryuu began enlisting in a very formal tone. "To that follows the assumption that he's using it to create as many Arrancar as he can, and right now he has at least 34, quite possibly more; it's also likely that most, if not all of them are Menos. The most powerful are the Espada, which most likely are ten and…"
"What makes you think that?" Nanao interrupted suddenly.
"The strength of the one that called himself Decima Espada." Uryuu answered stoically. "While he was able to seriously injure Chad, I was on par with him, and Ichigo was able to wound him even when not having much time to prepare an attack, it is likely that if the battle had gone for much longer we would have been able to defeat him, just like the two females. In few words, he was strong, but not outrageously so."
"He hadn't called on his Resurreccion yet." Juushirou pointed out morosely.
"What is Resurreccion?" Several Nakama asked at the same time.
"Like we explained before, when Arrancars break their masks they acquire a zanpakutou, along with shinigami powers." Shunsui said soberly. "Also, most of their hollow powers are sealed in their zanpakutou, as well as their fully-hollow forms. When they draw their zanpakutou, on that power that was sealed, that is called Resurreccion."
"What kind of a power boost are we talking here?" Rukia asked, feeling she wasn't going to like the answer. "I mean, if we were to compare it with a shinigami?"
"If we compare it to a shinigami, the power boost would be would be the equivalent of a shikai, maybe even a bankai, depending on the level it was." Shunsui answered softly.
"Oh Lord…" Orihime whispered yet again.
It was the third time she had done that in just a handful of minutes, but no one blamed her, things were seriously complicated in that moment, and incredibly dangerous. Even when they'd all agreed on fighting to protect those they cared for, and Karakura as a whole, they'd never imagined things being that bad…
"Ok, enough of the morose thoughts." Ichigo said strongly, cutting through the tension as easily as if he had used his zanpakutou. "Things are bad, that's true, but they also looked pretty bad a few years ago when we all first gained powers and hadn't the slightest idea of how to use them. We're going to train, like we've never trained before, and we're going to get ready to fight; because Karakura is our town, and I'll be damned if I won't do my very best to protect it. Besides, I promised Ulquiorra that if Aizen attacked again he would come to regret it, I have to keep that promise. So, are you with me?!"
"Yes!" The response from all the Nakama was unanimous and full of a power that just a second ago they'd seemed to be lacking.
It was like, somehow, Ichigo's words, the strength behind them, had given the Nakama back their own power, their will, their hope. In one instant their auras flared as one, and in the next they were slowly mixing, acquiring a mysterious silver tint, like they'd very nearly done a day, months earlier, as Ichigo prepared to call on his own shinigami powers consciously for the very first time.
All of those who heard, first Ichigo's speech, and then the Nakama's response, were absolutely amazed. Just what kind of person was Kurosaki Ichigo, that he could give back hope and strength when they had all seemed to be on the edge of despair a second before? How was it that he could hold such confidence, in himself and his companions, despite everything that they had all just been made aware of?
Under normal circumstances Yamamoto, and even the other shinigami, would have called the teens a bunch of blind fools, believing they could actually stand a chance against the kind of enemies that would be coming at them. And yet…until just a few months before, hadn't they all believed that Seireitei's walls were impenetrable, only to have them trespassed, and only made aware of the fact because the ryoka decided to let them know they were there? Hadn't all shinigami in the Gotei believed themselves to be so far above humans, only to have some of the strongest among them defeated by a bunch of teenaged ones?
The Nakama had gone against insurmountable odds and come out victorious before, maybe they would be able to work out another miracle? In any case, Yamamoto knew that the Gotei too would need to be prepared; able to work miracles or not, they Gotei wouldn't be leaving the fate of all worlds on a dozen of human teenagers. No, purifying hollows, defeating Aizen was their duty, and they would fulfill it, or die trying.
xXx
It was evening already when Keeva finally decided to try knocking on Serenity's door, hoping she was feeling better, in any case, it was never a good idea to miss a meal, they needed their energies, especially with the constant threat upon them.
She was just about to knock on Serenity's bedroom door when it was opened from the inside and there stood Serenity, looking just like always. Her room smelled heavily of incense, something Keeva was only half-aware of, having become so accustomed to the scent in the little over a year she'd been sharing living quarters with the young woman.
"Is everything alright Keeva?" Serenity asked the girl in a low tone.
Keeva just sighed, thinking that she should be the one asking that same question, though, what was the point when Serenity was obviously not going to be truthful in her answer?
"Dinner is ready." The girl informed her finally.
Behind her, Serenity sighed as she followed into the kitchen, she knew Keeva didn't like it when she lied, especially because she knew the truth, or at least part of it…and it was precisely because of what the younger girl did not know, that Serenity preferred to keep on with the lies, she believed it would be better in the long run. What use was it for Keeva to worry about something she could do nothing to change?
"Tell me about the battle today." Serenity requested of the younger girl when they were half-way through dinner.
"I thought you would have already seen it." Keeva commented offhandedly.
"I do not see everything, I'm not omniscient, or an Oracle." Serenity pointed out.
It looked like Keeva wanted to make a comment on that, but in the end she shook her head and focused on what the young woman had asked of her.
"It was like you said, they weren't enough." Keeva began. "They are all so incredibly strong, and yet…I don't know if it was because they were still in their human bodies, with human limits, but still…" she shook her head. "Today I finally began to understand why it is we need to be there…and my help alone won't be enough."
"You're not alone, Keeva." Serenity reminded her softly. "I'm here."
"I wish it weren't necessary, my lady." Keeva said mournfully. "But unless some kind of miracle takes place…even the two of us helping all of them might not be enough."
"Always believe in miracles, Keeva." Serenity said, smiling like someone who knows a secret she won't share. "One just might happen when you least expect it."
The short-haired nodded, not quite convinced but not willing to argue with her lady on that matter either. Serenity had always been like that, so full of Hope, and Faith, of belief in the impossible…and considering the kind of power she possessed, maybe it was normal; still Keeva found it harder to share such beliefs.
"There's one thing I wanted your opinion on." Keeva said unexpectedly, way more serious than she'd ever been before.
"Yes," Serenity nodded, noticing it had to be something important for the way the younger girl was acting. "What is it?"
"It's about Inoue Orihime…"
xXx
The sun had long since set, when a young woman found herself sitting by her window, watching the waning moon silently, its silver rays of light reflecting on shadowed eyes. Ever so slowly, crystalline tears began falling from the corner of her eyes and down her cheeks, while she did nothing to stop them or brush them away, all her attention still fixed on the moon, the only light in the dark night-sky.
She remained there, in that same place and position for what seemed like forever, and only one word ever left her lips: "Utokui…"
xXx
It was the middle of the night when a young woman rose rather abruptly from the futon she slept on. She silently thanked the spirits that she'd been given a private bedroom since her change in rank, even if she hadn't wanted the attention such a position would call upon her, at least she wasn't bothering others in the middle of the night.
Making sure to cover her nightclothes with a soft-pink robe, the young-woman stepped out of her bedroom and walked barefoot and in absolute silence the rather short distance from the back porch to the gardens.
For a few minutes she did nothing but walk through the moonlit garden, her eyes straying to gaze at the white crescent in the sky ever so often. Then, she began talking, not to anyone in particular, but to herself.
"Something's changed…" she whispered to the empty gardens. "And changed greatly, so much I cannot seem to be able to see the end of this anymore…" she sighed and closed her eyes briefly. "A decision was made, so huge that nothing is what it was just a short time ago anymore. Destiny has changed…"
Yes, destiny had changed, and she probably knew that better than anyone, dead or alive; the question was: would that change be good or bad?