New chapter, the aftermath of both Grimmjow's attack on Karakura, and the rather insane first meeting between Ichigo and Rukia and the Visored.
For those who've mentioned before that I keep throwing information at you, there's more of that coming (sorry, not sorry). One of the things I never fully liked about canon was how compartmentalized all the information seemed to be. I mean, just consider how many things people never knew. Like, did Ichigo ever find out that Isshin had defeated Grand Fisher? (far as I know, no) They certainly never knew about the real mess with the Quincy until it was too late (though that one won't be an issue here), I'm not even sure how much of the Visored situation anyone, even Ichigo, ever knew. So yeah, a lot of info dumps because I like everyone knowing everything they need/should know! (Granted, the Réalta are still a half-secret, but the time for that revelation is coming).
Enjoy the chapter and see ya next week!
Chapter 31. Recounts and Plans
Eventually Rukia decided they better take their leave, before the others began worrying; also, they still had to plan how they would handle the report for the following day. Ichigo was planning to ask Urahara and Tessai to arrange for live video feed between them and Seireitei, he wanted to see the faces of everyone when they talked about what had happened. It was at that point that Shinji made a request of Ichigo, who was happy to oblige.
All the Visored accompanied the couple to the Ground level of the warehouse, the pair was about to step out of the building, when suddenly Hiyori muttered something and Shinji called their attention one last time.
"We're all curious about something." He declared. "Rukia, yesterday, when you managed to get through the kekkai, how did you do it? The kekkai that keeps us concealed is the best there is, or has ever been. Hachi himself created it, it traps our reiatsu completely inside the place, allowing nothing to filter out, no one can track us when here, not even the best Onmitsukidou members of Seireitei. It would take someone of the level of the Ave Blanca to find us. Yet you could do it, you found us, and then you somehow made the kekkai let you through."
"About how I found you, I didn't track you but Ichigo, nothing can block him from me." Rukia stated, letting each of them make up their minds about that statement. "And about how I got in…" She raised her hand, allowing the light of the sun hit the diamonds on her hand, making them glitter. "All the diamonds in this ring are infused with reiatsu from each of us: Ichigo, Shiro and myself, as well as our zanpakutou. That's how I got in."
"You're getting married!" Mashiro actually squealed.
"Next summer." Rukia confirmed. "Maybe you could even come to the wedding."
They finally left the place with that. Leaving the Visored to the new chaos that was the news that their new 'allies/friends' were actually engaged to be married in just a few months. Rukia just chuckled as she walked away, her fiancé/husband shaking his head by her side. That was just so Rukia…on the positive side, at least they were all happy…
xXx
Ichigo and Rukia had gone straight home after leaving the Visored hideout, there they greeted the twins, convinced them they were alright, before asking them to call the others to organize a meeting later that same day. Then the pair had returned to their bodies, taken turns bathing, changing, and along with the twins took off for what had become the de-facto meeting place of the Nakama in recent times: the Ishida secret training basement.
At one point Isshin had even taken a break from his work in the clinic to see his children. Ichigo had assured him he and Rukia were alright and refused to elaborate on anything, only as a second thought commenting that Isshin was welcome to join them when they gave their formal report to the Gotei 13 at noon the next day.
On that front, Urahara had agreed to make all arrangements for the video-conference, and Yamamoto had decided to call a full-on meeting with the highest ranked members of all the Squads. A written report had been arranged by Uryuu and Renji, with some help from the others, and would be sent in advance so everyone had at least some idea what had happened on Friday; even Urahara was handed a copy, just to be fair.
Which is how all the Nakama ended sitting in a semi-circle, in one of Urahara's backrooms, before the huge screen of the video-conference equipment; Isshin and the members of the Urahara Shouten behind them (since they weren't as important).
"Very well." Yamamoto banged his cane against the wooden floor to call the meeting to order. "With everyone accounted for, taichou and fukutaichou of every meeting, with the exception of those lacking one, and the particular case of the 5th division, whose representative is Skye-sanseki. Let this meeting commence. Our order of business: the events that took place on Friday afternoon, in Karakura, the attack of nine Arrancar of various levels and skills, two of which were Espada, the aforementioned Décima Espada, Yammy Llargo, and a new one: Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jeagerjaquez." His eyes narrowed. "If everyone read the material that was sent to your offices yesterday you have a basic idea of what happened already. This meeting is to allow us to go more into detail of each fight, clear any possible doubts and finally, begin a more formal plan to be put in practice when the next attack comes."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Good afternoon." Ichigo greeted formally. "On our side, our first order of business is to introduce the newest member of the Nakama." He signaled to the girl sitting beside Uryuu, looking a bit nervous. "Her name is Castelo Keeva, she's a human with powers, very much like most of the Nakama. Her abilities are in martial arts, as she's capable of using reiatsu to reinforce her muscles and bones, making her stronger, faster and better able to endure."
Everyone on the screen nodded. No one seemed particularly interested, having already gotten somewhat used to all the spiritually aware and somewhat empowered humans that seemed to live in Karakura, and most of whom actually seemed to be part of the Nakama…
"Very well." Ichigo nodded. "Now, in regards to what happened on Friday…"
"Kurosaki." Sui-Feng interrupted stoically. "If the battles took place two days ago, why is this report being given until today?"
"We arranged for this to happen at the earliest convenience, before we were recovering from the draining fights." Uryuu announced seriously. "I hope you realize, Sui-Feng-san, that we're not machines, nor are we invulnerable. We fought arrancars, most either fuku-taichou, or taichou-level. All of us ended with very low reiatsu, and some with very bad wounds."
"How bad were the injuries, Ishida-san?" Unohana inquired, worried about that.
"Rukia had deep slashes in her midsection, Keeva's hand was badly burnt, Renji had several deep cuts and slashes, same as Chad, while I had a deep cut in one arm." Uryuu enlisted impassively. "The real problem was that we all were very low on reiatsu, it made healing a tad complicated. We had to come to the Shouten and ask for Tessai-san's assistance."
"In the future, if you ever require assistance, remember you can count on Hanatarou-san." Unohana told her. "He's an exceptional healer."
"I too would be delighted to help." Kotetsu Isane, Unohana's fukutaichou announced quite unexpectedly, almost immediately blushing at her own admission.
Unohana smiled, while the Nakama nodded their heads in thanks.
"Since the report we sent was already pretty detailed." Ichigo said. "I believe this meeting would go a lot faster, and smoother, it we could focus on whatever doubts there might be, or if someone wishes for a clarification on something."
Everyone nodded in agreement. There was really no point to reciting every detail of every battle. Uryuu had made sure to take as detailed notes as possible when he visited each of the Nakama to take their statements concerning their respective battles.
"First of all." Ukitake said softly. "I've read the report several times and I noticed one particularity. In regards to one of the Arrancar, Número 13. There's no name of the Nakama who fought and defeated him."
Silence was the answer, as several of the Nakama turned to look at each other. Eventually the looks landed on Keeva, something the leaders of the Gotei 13 noticed.
"As stated before, my name is Castelo Keeva." She declared seriously. "The one who defeated that particular Arrancar wasn't any of the Nakama, it was my older sister: Serenity. She isn't actually part of the Nakama, and she isn't present right now. She said the Arrancar was powerful, but never got to use his Resurreccion, she purified him before he could."
"If she was part of the fight, why isn't she with you now?" Komamura inquired in mistrust.
"Why hadn't we been told about this Serenity before?" Hisagi asked at the same time.
"My sister is sick, ladies and gentlemen." Keeva explained. "She barely ever leaves our apartment at all. The only reason she even fought the Arrancar in question was because he appeared in the neighborhood, if she hadn't gone and confronted him he might have hurt innocents; and regardless of anything else, that's something L…my sister will never allow."
That, at least, was something everyone present, could respect and accept easily enough.
"I believe it would be for the best of the alliance between Seireitei and the Nakama that, at some point, we got a chance to meet with this Serenity-san…" Yamamoto declared seriously.
Yet again, everyone turned to look at Keeva, which called even more attention.
"Do any of the Nakama actually know this woman?" Kotori asked, a brow raised.
"I do." Orihime announced after some seconds of silence. "She's helping me learn to better control my reiatsu, so I don't get tired as fast, and so I may use more techniques, more times, and in a better way."
This actually surprised all the Nakama though, in silent agreement, none let it show, deciding it was better if everyone believed that was perfectly normal.
"Kuchiki-taichou." Yamamoto called. "After this meeting is over we'll see about arranging a visit from you to Karakura to meet this woman, in her personal residence if necessary."
"If that is acceptable I see no problem Soutaichou." Byakuya nodded.
"I will have to talk to L…my sister." Keeva declared. "Make sure she's alright with it, and that the visit is in a day when she's not sick or something. Aside from that, I don't see a problem."
Actually, she did, she saw a lot of problems, but she couldn't say that without raising red-flags all around. The Nakama had barely begun trusting her, and the Gotei were still making up their minds about them. Keeva couldn't risk alienating them, not when so much depended on them all working together…or so Lady Serenity had said.
"So that point is settled." Ichigo declared, pushing his own doubts on the matter aside. "What else should be addressed?"
"I would like a more detailed explanation on Sado-san's powers." Kyouraku, surprisingly serious, asked for. "We had been told about the armor, and we'd seen his right arm, but never before this fight had any mention been made of his left arm."
"Almost as if they were trying to hide it…" Omaeda muttered accusingly.
Several people rolled their eyes at that, while others couldn't help but snicker.
"What are you laughing about?" Omaeda demanded, very offended.
"Well, whether you chose to believe it or not, we weren't hiding anything." Uryuu informed him, and everyone. "It was more like a mistake of omission, so to speak."
"What?" There was even more confusion.
"That power wasn't mentioned before because we weren't thinking about it." Uryuu clarified.
"Chad hardly ever uses it." Ichigo added. "Any of you who are observant enough probably noticed that aside from his energy attack, Chad only ever uses his right arm to defend, he hits with his left one. He never used the Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo in Soul Society, or during the Bount Incident, or the Ouin one."
"Why not?" Ukitake inquired, curious. "If his power was such that he could keep an Espada on guard, even if he hadn't used Resurreccion yet, why not use it more often?"
At that both Uryuu and Ichigo turned to Chad, leaving it up to him to give, or not give, any more details; it was his power after all.
"It's very simple, if a bit strange." Chad chose to explain himself. "I have to get angry to be able to use the armor of my left arm. None of us know why really, anger seems to somehow be what fuels that part of my power, while a wish to protect fuels the right one. The second feeling is always with me, but the first…" he sighed. "I was a problem-child when I was younger, until my abuelo taught me to be different, to not use my size, my big arms to hit, to hurt, to use them to protect. Since then, it's actually pretty hard to get me angry enough to really want to hurt someone…which makes activating the power of my left arm hard as well."
"What could have made you angry last Friday, when nothing apparently had even with everything that happened in the last months?" Nanao couldn't help but ask, intrigued.
"Yammy, the Espada, he threatened my nakama." Chad answered simply yet seriously. "My nakama who were all already fighting, getting hurt, tired. There was no way I would ever allow him to hurt any of them further, not if I could stop him."
Everyone nodded, it was understandable, to a point, and it fit with the M.O every single Nakama seemed to follow.
Things got a little simpler after that, as the captains asked for more details in each battle they were particularly interested in. They got confirmation that Orihime had a new technique she'd developed pretty much combining two of her primary ones (in a similar way to how she'd obtained the previous one during the Ouin situation); learnt that Keeva had been burnt by her own power back-firing on her, even if no one really knew why or how.
"Didn't you ask your sister?" Kotori inquired, half-confused, half-suspicious.
"Yes, she has no idea." Keeva answered honestly, then elaborated. "She and I…we're not the same. We're sisters, but only because her family adopted me. When we met I was twelve and an orphan, had been moving from foster-family to foster-family for as long as I remembered, never lasted long with any of them. I just didn't fit. Children Services had finally given up on me when L…Serenity and I happened to meet one summer. We clicked, became friends, and by the end of that break, she asked me to become a part of her family."
"So, you're not blood-sisters, yet you're both spiritually aware and empowered…" Kira commented, brows narrowed. "Isn't that a bit of a coincidence…?"
"Maybe, or maybe it was fate." Uryuu suggested with a small smile.
"Maybe I was just fortunate to find someone who understood me, who accepted me, especially after so long…" Keeva whispered in a heartfelt tone.
"What about your original family?" Isane asked, not quite understanding everything.
"I have no idea." Keeva answered. "Whoever they might have been, they probably just didn't want me. I was found by some Spanish fishermen. From what I was told at one point I was in a ship of Mexican emigrants who were trying to get illegally into Spain. The ship was wrecked during a storm. There were no actual casualties from that particular accident and yet, when the Spanish authorities were arranging to send everyone back to Mexico, no one claimed me. Therefore, the logical thing to assume is that no one wanted me."
Silence reigned, as no one knew how to reply to that. Even those who had no family, they knew it just wasn't the same, it couldn't be the same, not having anyone, to actually knowing, or believing, whoever must have been there at one point, hadn't wanted you. Rukia in particular couldn't help herself, she moved quietly around Ichigo and Uryuu, and then went to place a hand to Keeva's arm, trying her best to communicate understanding, empathy… she actually knew what it was like to feel you weren't wanted, had felt like that back when she'd believed Hisana had abandoned her just because. Of course, she'd come to learn differently, and a part of her wished Keeva would eventually find out something similar about her own family, even if it seemed almost impossible in that moment…
The discussion went on, as Tatsuki confirmed that she had defeated Menoly Malia, when Keeva was unable to finish her fight against her. The others had all confirmed how their respective fights had ended, with little murmuring on the matter, except for Rukia, who some seemed to have trouble believing had defeated an Arrancar all by herself, as very few truly realized her potential, her actual power.
"It was stated in the report that the two Espada escaped, leaving your fights against them unfinished." Yamamoto declared. "We would like more details on that."
"It's pretty simple actually." Ichigo declared. "Chad was fighting Yammy, I was fighting Grimmjow, when suddenly a Garganta opened in the sky and two hollows came out. They didn't fight, just went to retrieve the Espada who, by that point, were the only Arrancar still alive in Karakura." He shook his head. "Apparently what happened on Friday wasn't ordered, or even approved, by Aizen. The way they made it sound Aizen was pretty angry the battles actually happened, not sure why."
"You stated that one of those who arrived to retrieve the two Espada was an Espada himself, the other one that appeared in the earlier Invasion…" Ukitake commented.
"Ulquiorra Cifer, the Cuarto Espada." Ichigo clarified. "Yes, he arrived, along with another hollow, possibly an Arrancar; an unknown, we'd never seen him before. They didn't seem to be interested in fighting us at all, simply talked to Grimmjow and Yammy and then left with them back through the same Garganta they had arrived in."
"Just like that?" Sui-Feng inquired, brows furrowed tightly.
"Just like that." Ichigo and Uryuu agreed at the same time.
It looked like Sui-Feng was going to challenge that statement, but in the end just looked even more thoughtful, which made the Nakama wonder what that was about.
"I think I understand Sui-Feng taichou's skepticism, somewhat." Toushirou announced, just as thoughtful. "I mean, you had all been through long, hard fights. Even if Aizen hadn't ordered them, and didn't like the fact they happened, for whatever the reason, it was the perfect opportunity for him to get rid of you all. And yet he didn't. Orders or not, this Cuarto Espada, and whoever his companion was, didn't attempt to kill even one of you."
"I see." Rangiku nodded, either not seeing, or ignoring everyone's surprise. "It's pretty logical isn't it? Or at least it should be. The Nakama are a threat to Aizen's plans, Ichigo most of all, and yet they let go a perfect opportunity to kill him, or at least truly hurt him, either directly, or attacking any of the other already-injured-and-drained Nakama. Yet they didn't, they just left. Which means…well, I don't really know what it is supposed to mean."
"Aizen either has done something, either given himself power, given power to his minions, or just gotten more powerful ones, that he no longer sees Ichigo as a threat or…" For some reason, Toushirou didn't dare finish his own thought.
"He wants or needs Ichigo for something." Karin finished for him.
Toushirou nodded solemnly.
Nobody had any idea what to do, what to say anymore; all they had were assumptions, though something told them they weren't too far from the truth, whatever that might actually be.
"Yes well, assumptions won't help any of us…" Ichigo began.
"Kurosaki…" Byakuya couldn't help but call him. "Aren't you the slightest bit worried? If Karin-san and Hitsugaya-taichou are right…"
"Then they're right." Ichigo shrugged. "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Many things might or might not be. We won't get anywhere worrying about the possibilities. Instead we must focus in the here and now, our priorities, like training…"
"And studying." Uryuu pointed out. "Do not forget about studying."
"Very true." Ichigo nodded.
"Studying?" Several shinigami were caught off-guard about that.
"Excuse me, Ichigo-san, how old are you all?" Ukitake couldn't help but ask.
"Eighteen, most of us are eighteen already." Ichigo answered, then clarified some. "Except Keigo, who will turn eighteen in a few months, my sisters and Keeva who are fifteen and sixteen respectively." He pondered and then added. "Uryuu is reminding me that we must study because we have entrance exams for college in mid January. And if we do not pass…Ishida-shishou will probably flay us all alive…"
"How right you are…" Ryuuken whispered from the back of the room.
Several of the Nakama actually chuckled. They knew Ryuuken wouldn't actually hurt them. But considering how much he insisted on them that they should live lives, actual lives rather than just keep getting mixed up with spiritual messes…all the Nakama had assured him they could handle both things, they could leave real lives and help protect others with their spiritual abilities at the same time. If they failed the entrance exam they would end up disappointing the man who'd given them so much, of his time of his effort, dedication…the man who'd trained them against his own better judgment.
"You know we will do our best, Ishida-sensei." Orihime stated with a soft smile. "We would never want to let you down."
"This isn't about letting me down Orihime-san." Ryuuken said honestly. "None of you could ever let me down. I just don't want you to let yourselves down. You have so much potential, not just spiritually, but in this world as well."
All the Nakama nodded solemnly in Ryuuken's direction before turning back to the screen where the highest authorities of the Gotei were still looking at them.
The shinigami were actually having a bit of a hard time processing what they had heard. Ichigo had given them his age at one point, back when the Nakama had first gone into Seireitei; but still, with everything that had been going on at that time, the shinigami hadn't fully realized things, didn't fully consider the implications, didn't realize exactly how young the group of shinketsu shinigami and empowered humans were.
"The last thing we are to discuss, is in regards to plans in case of an emergency." Sasakibe reminded everyone as he looked up from the notes he'd been taking.
"True." Several people agreed to that.
"It's easy." Ichigo declared. "There should be emergency teams prepared at all times. As long as no one above the Sexta Espada attacks Karakura, or in numbers bigger than ours, we should be alright. If any of those conditions are broken, or something happens to make things harder we'll call in for backup. Either Rukia, Uryuu or I, or if Renji or Hanatarou happen to be here at the time." He nodded to himself. "On your side, you must be ready, have a team ready at all times in case such an emergency happens and we need immediate backup."
"Wouldn't it be easier to station a team on Karakura already?" Komamura inquired.
"Not in this case." Uryuu shook his head. "More high-ranked shinigami in Karakura will only make the already big target that seems to have been painted in the town, even bigger. We know Aizen wants to use Karakura to create the Ouken, and for that he actually needs the people of this town to still be alive when we finally acts. However, as we also discovered last Friday, he doesn't have as much control over the Arrancar as he probably likes to believe."
"We're strong, we've said it before, and this last attack should have pretty much confirmed it." Karin stated calmly. "We are good enough to keep things under control until the main attack comes, or if something happens and there is a battle bigger than the one that took place two days ago. That's why we need a team to be ready to back us up. But not until then."
"I offer myself to lead that backup team." Toushirou declared unexpectedly.
That threw several for a loop, the idea of there even being a backup team hadn't even been approved yet but, in the end, Yamamoto decided to go along with it.
"Very well, Hitsugaya-taichou." Yamamoto nodded. "You shall choose your team, taking in consideration everything that has been discussed regarding the capabilities of the Arrancar the Nakama have fought against thus far when you do, then come back to me with the list."
Toushirou nodded.
"Is there anything else that should be addressed or will the meeting be adjourned?" Sasakibe asked formally to everyone.
"Nothing on our side." Yamamoto shook his head.
"There's one more thing on our side." Ichigo announced, to everyone but Rukia's surprise. "A topic I've been asked to bring into your attention."
"Yes?" Yamamoto had a feeling things were about to get complicated, again, but then again, the Nakama seemed to be experts at that.
"I'm not sure how many of those present you will want to be part of the discussion I'm sure is to follow." Ichigo stated. "What I can say right now is that the topic is in regards to what happened a century ago, the chaos…"
That froze all the elder captains, as well as several of the lieutenants.
"What do you know of what happened a century ago boy?" Yamamoto couldn't help but sound pretty harsh when he asked that question.
"I know quite a bit." Ichigo admitted.
In an instant, Yamamoto turned to look at Urahara, who was looking at the orange-haired teenager with wide-eyes and a dry mouth. Wondering what could be making the teenaged shinigami bring up such a topic, and in that moment…
"This has nothing to do with Urahara." Ichigo assured the Commander. "I'm bringing this up for an entirely different reason."
"Which is…" Yamamoto really didn't like not knowing what to expect.
"I've been authorized to give you one name, and one name only." Ichigo began.
"Authorized?" Sui-Feng interrupted. "By who?"
"Some who have earned my respect." Ichigo answered simply.
"What is the name?" Yamamoto asked, suspecting what it would be.
"Hirako Shinji." Ichigo answered.
The reaction was immediate from every shinigami who had been either a captain or a lieutenant at the moment in time when the person named Hirako Shinji had last been seen in Seireitei; and yet, one more person reacted as well. One in a lower rank and apparently so young, she couldn't have possibly been in any way connected to Shinji, or to any of the group his name represented… or could she?
"We will continue this discussion with everyone present, on the understanding that no one is to repeat what is talked about here with anyone of lower ranked, or who hasn't been authorized." Yamamoto stated with absolute seriousness. "I suppose the Nakama will all be staying for what's to follow…
"They will Yamamoto-san." Ichigo nodded. "Even though, for the time being only one knows everything that's going on, most of them know already at least a part; and it's important for everyone present right now to know everything. Karakura's welfare, and possibly even more, may someday depend on it."
"I hope you know what you're doing, Kurosaki Ichigo." Yamamoto stated in a hard voice. "The happenings of a hundred years ago are hard, complicated, they are a stain that hasn't been washed from the honor of the Gotei in all the time that has been since. Its relevance to present times and events isn't really…"
"Oh but it is all highly relevant Yamamoto-san." Ichigo interrupted. "It's exactly why it's so important. Because, after a hundred years you're still blaming the same man, for something that wasn't actually his fault. Granted, he isn't exactly innocent, he did create the object that made the whole madness possible on a level, but the mastermind behind the whole thing, and the one who actually set the ball rolling, began the mess that ended with the loss of so many high-leveled shinigami, was not him. It was not Urahara Kisuke, but Aizen Sousuke."
"You seem very keen on defending Urahara…" Sui-Feng commented drily, she really didn't like the blonde shop-keeper, she might even hate him more than Ichigo himself.
"I care little about Urahara, aside from the deals we have in spiritual business." Ichigo shrugged as he admitted to that. "He had already told us some things related to that event, it's how we weren't that surprised about what Aizen did. At the same time, it was Urahara's fault that Rukia was ever involved in the whole madness in the first place, so…"
"If not Urahara, then who do you expect to help by bringing up this topic?" Unohana inquired, not daring to have much hope.
"I already gave you a name, I'm not giving any more." Ichigo said stiffly. "Not unless I get some answers first."
"And what kind of answers are you looking for?" Yamamoto wanted to know.
"I know what the stand was on this whole matter a hundred years ago." Ichigo deadpanned. "I think it might have been the most stupid decision ever taken by your so-called authorities."
There were quite a few indignant mutters among the Gotei, but some remained quiet. Waiting, they knew that Ichigo had an objective for what he was saying, doing.
"In the end, I don't really care about decisions made a century ago." Ichigo went on. "I wasn't even born then. However, I do care about what the decisions might be now."
"What makes you think anything might have changed?" Kyouraku inquired, confused.
"Oh, I'm quite sure they didn't change any decisions, not before Aizen killed them all in any case." Ichigo said easily. "However, they aren't the highest authority currently." His voice turned serious. "From what I understand, Soul Society is currently in a state of Martial Law. Which means you all as the Gotei, and you in particular as the Captain Commander are currently the highest authority in Soul Society. So my question actually is: how much are you willing to change the decisions that were made a century ago?" his eyes flashed in defiance. "You have information now that you didn't back then. You have all the facts, and the names of those truly guilty. However, will knowing all that change anything? What about all the others who were once condemned, and have been innocent all along?"
Yamamoto's eyes stared straight into Ichigo, in that moment he was absolutely convinced that there were many names he could say, aside from Hirako Shinji's, and not only because he might have heard them, no; something else was going on, even if Yamamoto wasn't quite sure what just yet. He would think more on it later.
"What…What exactly is everyone talking about?" Kira Izuru asked, confused.
Hisagi nodded, as confused about the whole thing as his former kohai, and he wasn't the only one. Most of the lieutenants present, and even some of the captains like Hitsugaya Toushirou could only wonder at what was being discussed.
"Taichou…" Ise Nanao sounded so nervous, so hesitant, it made everything even more shocking. "Is what is being talked about related to the disappearance of Lisa-fukutaichou?"
Silence reigned for what seemed like forever, until Kyouraku Shunsui's eventual answer broke it, sending the ball rolling:
"It does Nanao." He answered solemnly.
Shunsui was being so serious, if it had been any other moment Nanao might have even gaped at him, or checked to see if he didn't have a fever, or something like that; something, anything that might explain his excessively out-of-character attitude.
Ichigo focused all his energies in not reacting at all to the name Nanao pronounced. He knew the black-haired Visored had been very tight to both Kyouraku Shunsui and Ise Nanao. In fact, Lisa had been delighted at what Ichigo and Rukia had been able to share with her about those two, regardless of how little it had been aside from meetings of the Shinigami Women's Association, of which Rukia had a lot of stories.
Still, Ichigo knew he was being carefully observed by a number of people, Yamamoto included, if he reacted in any way, that would be enough of an answer.
"Yama-jii…" Shunsui called, turning to the old shinigami. "If there's any chance for Lisa to be alive, to be alright, I want to know…"
And so, the long explanation began. That day, for the first time ever, a full recount of what had happened in a lapse of several days, a little over a hundred years before, was given. It was explained how people had been disappearing from Rukongai, how a group of Shinigami had been sent to investigate and then failed to come back, other Shinigami had gone after that first group. And then the real mayhem struck. Suddenly there were eight powerful hollowified shinigami, the Gotei was in absolute disarray, and the Central 46 ordered the immediate execution of all hollowified shinigami as well as the supposed responsible for the whole disaster: Urahara Kisuke. And then things had gotten even more twisted, when three others, Urahara, included, has stepped in, running away from Soul Society to hide in the Real World, taking with them all eight of the hollowified shinigami.
"In the lapse of a couple of nights the Gotei lost a dozen of its most promising shinigami, including the three highest ranking members of the Kidou Corps." Yamamoto stated solemnly. "A total of seven captains, four lieutenants and a 3rd seat. The first eleven went underground in the World of the Living, while the last was killed during the chaos."
"Dead?" Urahara couldn't help but ask. "Who died? What 3rd seat? I didn't know anything about anyone else!"
Yamamoto didn't answer that question, instead looking at Tessai, Tsukabishi Tessai, the once captain of the Kidou Corps, and probably the only person in the room who knew who that third seat had been; one of very few people, probably no more than a handful, that had known that particular shinigami, that even knew her name.
"She was a very powerful member of the Kidou Corps, a 'phantom agent'." Tessai declared in a very serious tone. "It is well-known that the Kidou Corps act mostly in the shadows, few people even know who we are…even now, I'm sure there is someone, high-ranked, of the Corps standing in a corner of the room, watching this meeting, and he/she won't interfere unless it becomes absolutely necessary." He shook his head. "I won't make it so. In regards to that person, I will only say she was possibly the most powerful and gifted Kidou user I've ever known. She certainly was good enough that she could have challenged either my lieutenant, or myself for our positions at any time, but she preferred being a phantom agent, claiming that working from the shadows was more her style. Her codename is all that is left from her, from her time: she was 'Ave Blanca', the white bird."
The whole revelation about this very powerful shinigami surprised everyone and yet, most of their attention was still on everything that was said before, on the seven captains and four lieutenants that were lost, not to death, but to something else. Particularly those that were hollowified, who were to be executed yet somehow managed to escape with their lives.
"Lisa, Shinji, and everyone else, they didn't stay hollows, did they?" Shunsui asked, his voice hoarse and broken with feeling.
There was so much hope shining in his eyes, even as he kept a hand on his lieutenant's shoulder, helping her deal with what must have been a crazy roller-coaster of emotions. And it was just that Yadoumaru Lisa meant so much for them, in so many different ways. For Shunsui, she was a dear friend, the dearest he had aside from Juushirou, one of the few people who truly understood him, and accepted him for himself; for Nanao, she was her mentor, her guide, her inspiration, the reason Nanao had studied and trained so hard to reach the position of lieutenant, because Lisa herself had held it once; Lisa was also the one that had first connected Shunsui and Nanao; if those two had gotten as far as they had, it was all because of Yadoumaru Lisa.
"No, they didn't stay hollows." Urahara admitted after what seemed like forever. "I used the Hougyoku on them. I was trying to undo the hollowification but it didn't actually work that way. Instead it stabilized their transformation, at the same time it gave them a chance to fight against their Inner Hollows so they could regain full control of their bodies. It worked, they fought, they won, and they regained control."
"So they went back to being shinigami?" Isane inquired, confused.
"More or less, but not exactly." Urahara answered.
"They're more than just shinigami." Ichigo contributed. "They're shinigami, yes, but by defeating their Inner Hollows, they gained the right to use their powers. They are able to wear a hollow-mask, and when they do their reiatsu is amplified and they are able to use hollow powers." He sighed. "They didn't really go back to being exactly as they'd been. They became more. Which, I suppose, is what Aizen had been aiming for when he caused the whole thing in the first place. I suppose that's where he got the idea to create Arrancars, the way he's doing now. After all, it's essentially the same, only in the opposite direction."
"Does that mean this…shinigami with hollow powers are on Aizen's side?" Sui-Feng suggested, immediately in guard. "Because if they are then…"
"Then what? You'll order their annihilation?" Ichigo challenged. "Like you did with the Bount? Or the mod-souls?" his tone turned sarcastic and biting. "It's so easy for you, isn't it? You get an idea, you create it; then, when it either doesn't work as you wanted it to, or you find the slightest inconvenient with it, you simply order it terminated. And ok, I understand the Bount were dangerous, I'm not exactly a fan of them myself. Kariya was a psycho and a lot of lives were lost because of them, innocent lives. Still, there were some you might have been able to reason with, some that were as innocent as the souls they had to feed on…Then there are the Gikon, modified souls, created to be placed in artificial bodies, or even dead bodies, to reinforce natural abilities and fight hollows, possibly as backup of shinigami…"
"There were all kind of moral problems with those souls, with reanimating corpses." Komamura began, immediately defending the law.
"Yes, I'm sure there were all kind of problems, and I'm sure those existed even before the project was approved, you just didn't let those stop you, until you actually lost interest in the project." Ichigo continued attacking. "And if making artificial souls is supposed to be so wrong, how is it that you don't seem to have a problem with the standard Gikongan. I mean, really, how is an odd, quirky, half-crazed artificial soul any better than a serious, focused, battle-oriented one? At least the second can actually be of some help, with protecting innocent or whatever else is necessary, and they're less likely to ruin things by doing something completely out of character of the owner of the body!"
"We understand the reason for your intense defense of the Gikon, and I personally signed the authorization for the ones that aid the Nakama." Yamamoto stated. "I did so when Urahara Kisuke called me requesting it, to make the existence of the first one legal, and allow him to legally create the other three."
"First one…other three…?" Sui-Feng was taken off-guard by that. "You mean to say there are four Gikongan existing right now? Despite the law?!"
"I gave authorization for their existence Sui-Feng-taichou, and that's the last I'll be hearing from this." Yamamoto stated solemnly.
"Can we meet them?" Nemu asked unexpectedly.
Mayuri directed a hard look at her, but she ignored it in favor of focusing on the Nakama. For all answer several of them turned to a side, beyond the reach of the video-feed. A second later all the Shinigami watched in a mix of surprise and confusion as what pretty much were four plush toys, jumped onto the low table the Nakama were seated half surrounding. The first looked like a yellow and brown lion, the second a white rabbit with a purple ribbon, the third a chickadee in a blue dress, the fourth a black girl-like bear in a Chinese tunic.
"These are Kon, Ririn, Nova and Kai." Ichigo introduced them in the order they stood. "And they help me, Rukia, Karin and Tatsuki respectively. It makes things easier when we have to go fight a hollow in the middle of class, or at some other point when we're in public."
"You keep them in stuffed toys?" Hisagi asked, not quite understanding it.
"Yes." Tatsuki shrugged. "They're real. They think, they feel. It didn't seem fair that we would just carry the pills, allowing them into our bodies just when we needed them. They deserved more than that. Ichigo found out accidentally that they could exist in toys, and we followed that lead. It's not perfect, it's not like they can have their own lives. But they have a certain degree of freedom, even when not in our bodies. Also, we tend to take them with us wherever we go, which gives them the chance to go to places as well."
The Shinigami still had trouble wrapping their heads around things. The fact that the Nakama had Gikon, and treated them as if they were almost human, it was something unprecedented. Yet another thing that made the Nakama different, special.
"Yes well, as amazing as seeing Gikongan in stuffed toys is, I believe we were talking about something else before." Kotori suggested.
"True, the shinigami with hollow powers…" Kira nodded.
"Visored, call them Visored." Ichigo indicated. "That's the name they've chosen for themselves. And to answer the…kind question presented by Sui-Feng before, no they're not on Aizen's side. How could they, when it's because of him that they nearly lost their lives, their sanity, and still lost so much…?" he pondered a bit then added. "If I had to say, I would say they're on nobody's side, because nobody is on their side."
"How did you end up contacting them, since they obviously must have been very well hidden?" Unohana inquired, curious.
"I didn't contact them, they contacted me." Ichigo qualified calmly. "They were curious about me, and about my nakama. We talked and came to an agreement. A non-aggression deal. Which means they don't attack us, we don't attack them. It was suggested that such a deal might evolve into a possible truce, maybe even an official alliance with us and, if it works out, by extension, with the Gotei 13; but that will depend in what you are planning on doing about the law that was decreed a hundred years ago." His eyes narrowed. "Will you let it stand? Will you hold onto a law that condemns eight innocents to death, even after knowing that they're not the monsters you believed them to be back then? Or will you open your minds, and your eyes, and give them a chance? Will you take the risk for the more unorthodox side of things, the less-traditional one, for a change? Will you move on with the times, adapt, evolve, or will you hold onto tradition, onto the old, onto the obsolete…?"
"There's nothing wrong with tradition!" Sui-Feng and Komamura stated in unison.
"There is when it stops you from going as far as you could." Uryuu declared. "When it won't allow you to be as good as you could be." He smirked slightly. "It's the exact same thing that happened to the Quincy. They held onto traditions for so long, even when they should have known it wasn't right, that they were condemning perfectly innocent souls to oblivion for sins committed by a corrupted version of themselves. I chose to be different, I chose to change, to adapt, to evolve; and my purifying arrows came to be."
It looked like Yamamoto wanted to say something concerning Uryuu's speech, but in the end he chose not to say anything. It wasn't really relevant for their current topic of conversation, the Visored, there would be a time and place to discuss what had come to his mind right then.
"So, what will it be Captain Commander?" Ichigo repeated the question.
It was the first time he'd ever called the old shinigami by his title, but even he could see how important the whole situation was.
"I am unable to change a decree made by the Central 46." Yamamoto announced in a calm tone. "Especially since there was no reason to suspect there might have been some injustice committed, prior to their murder."
It looked like Ichigo, Rukia and even Uryuu were going to say something about what the aged shinigami was saying, but he kept on talking.
"I cannot give a formal solution." Yamamoto qualified stoically. "What I can do is seal a non-aggression pact with the Visored, even a temporary treaty. Then, depending on their actions during the upcoming war, we might be able to find a more permanent solution. If the Visored prove to be valuable allies, that might convince Central 46 it is a good idea to rescind the order for their execution and consider a more permanent treaty with them."
"What if it isn't enough?" Uryuu inquired, eyes narrowed. "What if they fight, if they help, and it still isn't enough for Central 46?"
"Then the Gotei will have to see a group of very valuable allies and former comrades go." Yamamoto declared with absolute seriousness.
A heartbeat, two, at least half of those present could only remain immobile, wondering if they had really heard what they thought they heard. Was Yamamoto really implying that he would simply let the Visored go…?
"After all, they already managed to escape once, a hundred years ago, when they had no idea of their own powers and little to no control." Yamamoto went on. "They stayed off our radar for decades. It really wouldn't be surprising at all if they were to simply…disappear again, if we were never able to catch them…"
And yes, he'd been implying exactly that.
"Isn't there any other possibility?" Rukia asked thoughtfully. "Is there no authority that supersedes that of Central 46?"
"Only one, the Spirit King." Yamamoto answered. "And that is an entirely other situation."
It was, they all knew that, even if only those who had been present when Aizen and the other traitors had made their escape from Soukyoku had actually heard the traitor's threat against the presumably empty throne; and from them, only the senior captains, and a few more people with very high clearance truly understood everything that was going on.
"So, is that your official decision, Soutaichou?" Ichigo asked solemnly.
"It is." Yamamoto nodded.
Ichigo nodded, smiling a bit, as he sent a pulse of reiatsu. Obviously those in Seireitei couldn't feel it, but the looks the adults in the Shouten directed to the teenager were enough to call their attention just the same.
A few seconds later there was a figure standing in a corner of the room, behind the Nakama, and just in sight of the video-feed. He had short, straight blonde hair, was wearing modern clothes and, surprisingly enough, a zanpakutou…surprisingly at least for those who did not know him, and had not seen him recently.
"Hey!" Shinji smirked brightly. "Long time no see Soutaichou! And everyone else!"
"What…what's the meaning of this?" Mayuri demanded hotly.
"Who are you?" Omaeda demanded almost at the same time.
"Hirako Shinji, former 5th Division Captain, Visored, pleasure to meet you." Shinji stated brightly, then added with a smirk. "Actually no, it isn't really a pleasure. This is actually one of the least pleasurable things I've done in the last decade, probably even longer."
"Then why are you even here Shinji?" Unohana asked, doubtful.
"I like the kid." The blonde Visored pointed to Ichigo. "We all do in fact, almost as much as we hate Aizen…that bastard. So we though…'Hey, why not ally with the kid? And his own allies? After all, he's already fighting Aizen, we might as well all fight him together'." He actually chuckled. "Then we learnt that the Nakama had an alliance with Seireitei…an actual alliance…" he looked straight at the Commander. "Have you really gone soft in your old age Yama? Because it sure seems like it."
Sui-Feng was furious, the nerve of that…that freak, because she really couldn't call him anything else; and the way he was addressing the Captain Commander!
"Think very carefully before you say a word, Sui-Feng-san." Unohana told the younger captain in a soft, yet authoritative voice.
"The way he's speaking to the Soutaichou, it's an insult in so many ways…" Sui-Feng muttered with barely concealed fury.
"That may be true, but Hirako Shinji has the right for that, and more." Unohana told her. "Because he's one of the oldest captains in the Gotei. He was part of the first generation, one of those taught by Yamamoto himself. A generation of which only Juushirou, Shunsui and I remain in service of the Gotei. The rest have either died, retired, or joined the Royal Guard."
Sui-Feng couldn't believe it, the blonde, crazy and immature man was one of the oldest, most powerful shinigami ever. And he was also one of the hollowified shinigami, a Visored…just what was their world coming to?
"You allowed Kurosaki to use your name, to bring the events of a century ago to our attention." Yamamoto declared seriously.
"I did." Shinji nodded, still only half-seriously. "I thought, 'what the hell?' it's not like I'm in too much danger if they know about me."
"You're obviously not the only one, not the only Visored, as Kurosaki named you." Shunsui declared, still wanting to know more about Lisa. "Yet you're the one here, you're answering for them all…"
"No, I'm not." Shinji admitted. "And if you really want to know, yes, I'm the leader."
"Shinji…" Shunsui muttered, not able to hold himself in check anymore. "Lisa…"
"She's fine." Shinji's expression actually softened as he addressed his former colleague. "She sends you greetings in fact, to you and Nanao-chan…"
The half-drowned sob revealed to the Visored that the girl in question was, in fact, present as well; and not only that, he could see Shunsui taking her into his arms, as they both cried.
"Mu…Muguruma-taichou…?" Shuuhei hesitantly asked from his spot between the leaders of the seventh and eleventh divisions.
"Kensei?" Shinji asked as if it were nothing at all. "Back at HQs, most likely training, either that or being annoyed to death by Mashiro."
Rukia and Ichigo both snorted, having been witnesses to the rather strange phenomenon that was those two. It was hard to understand how they had survived living together, even if not exactly alone, for a century, when they could irritate each other so much.
"Anyway, who are you kid?" Shinji asked, looking carefully at Hisagi.
"Hisagi Shuuhei, 9th Division fukutaichou and current acting-captain." Shuuhei introduced himself, still a bit hesitant.
"9th division, huh?" Shinji smirked. "Guess that's why you're asking about Kensei. Though I can honestly say I don't remember you."
"I wasn't part of the Gotei at the time your…situation took place Hirako…-san." Shuuhei found no other way to address him. "Muguruma-t…-san saved me one night when I was a child, right before…all that happened I suspect."
"Ah…probably the very night it all began in fact." Shinji nodded thoughtfully. "The 9th Division was the first sent to investigate the unexplained disappearances of: first, Rukongai citizens, and later on shinigami. First it was ten lower seated members of the division, and later on Kensei, Mashiro and a handful of other high-ranked ones. When they didn't come back either, the rest of us got involved…"
"We knew something was wrong, but never imagined it could be that wrong." Juushirou stated in a sad, remorseful, tone.
"We overestimated ourselves." Shunsui added. "Our pride, our arrogance, almost destroyed us; it still killed and permanently changed many lives…"
"Don't you dare take that attitude on us Shunsui!" Shinji practically snarled. "Don't you dare pity us! We're no victims! Granted, we've had some shitty things happen to us. But we survived, we got back up, we moved on! In the end, we overcame all those difficulties, we won! So don't you, or anyone else, dare pity us!"
"Don't see it as pity Shinji, rather as pride." Unohana said softly. "Not many could have gone through what you, and the others, did and come out alright…You had to have been very strong, and there's nothing to pity about that."
Shinji nodded, satisfied with that. In silence he kept looking around, until his eyes laid on one of the younger-looking figures on the Gotei's side; his eyes widened almost imperceptibly, not quite believing what he was seeing, it was just too much.
"Will that be all then?" Yamamoto asked stoically in that very moment.
Ichigo turned to look at Shinji in silence who, after a couple of seconds, noticed the look and nodded in acceptance, they were done.
"It is all, Yamamoto-san." Ichigo nodded.
"Then this meeting is declared adjourned, we will consider having another one if another fight like the one from last Friday takes place, or if anything else equally important develops." Yamamoto ordered authoritatively.
All of those present nodded stoically.
Then the screen went blank.
"Well, that was an interesting meeting." Shinji commented with a smirk.
Ichigo shook his head with a sigh, trust Shinji to act as if nothing serious had really happened.
"We need to get ready, plan how we're going to be using our time." Uryuu declared. "We need to train, and we also need to study."
"Yes." Ichigo admitted. "I have a feeling our Winter Break just got a lot more complicated."
They all knew it was true, but to keep those they cared for, and their town, safe, they were willing to do pretty much anything.
xXx
A figure was shunpoing so fast, it seemed almost as if he'd appeared from thin air when he finally stopped several dozen feet over a huge lake in the form of a distorted oval that seemed to surround about a third of the city right beside it. On ground level, standing right at the edge of said lake, was the very reason why that figure had shunpoed so fast, such a long distance. The new arrival was, in fact, Shinji, and he knew who exactly the one waiting by the lake was.
"Hey Shin…" The figure by the lake received him.
"Long time no seen." He answered almost automatically. "Though I do not understand why I had to come this far just to meet you…"
"Karakura is Nakama territory, no shinigami except those authorized by Kurosaki Ichigo and his group can so much as enter." The second figure informed him. "And Naruki City is a bit too close to Karakura to be safe."
"I see." Shinji nodded. "Do you have any idea how absolutely shocked I was when I saw you today, standing there? I nearly fell in shock! I'm sure Hachi will be the same…not sure why Tessai hasn't noticed yet…"
"I talked to him before, made him promise not to say a thing." His interlocutor said. "He agreed with me, even if he doesn't understand why I am doing things this way."
"I don't understand either." Shinji stated. "I mean, from what I remember, that night you stated you would be leaving for the Rukongai and never returning to Seireitei…"
"Yeah well, it's a long story…" The other one stated evasively.
"Yeah well, I have time." Shinji insisted.
"But I don't. They'll notice my absence if I don't go back soon. In any case, I called you here to ask you to keep your silence when you see me, pretend you've never seen me before. And ask Hachi and Hiyori to do the same."
"Why is it so important for you to hide who you really are?"
"For the very same reason I never allowed anyone but the four of you to know me all those years ago. In any case, I need you to promise me your silence Shin, and others' as well."
"Will you explain to me, to us, what's really going on?"
"I will, later."
"Very well. Then I promise we won't say anything." He smirked slightly. "Now, my dear first love, come into my arms and…!"
"Stop your idiocies Shin!" His interlocutor, a girl, said with a laugh. "Besides, we both know you prefer blondes…"
"The spirits save me!" Shinji cried out dramatically.
The two laughed, for a while just basking in the memories of easy, peaceful times long past. Maybe they would return some day, maybe…but for the time being, they had to be ready to fight, because it was the only way to ever get that peace back.
"I have to go now." She told him softly, with a smile.
"Maybe I'll see you later." Shinji declared. "I'm sure Hiyori would love to say hello."
"I'm sure." She nodded with a small knowing smile. "See you later Shin, good luck."
"See you later, and good luck to you too, Ave Blanca…" Shinji whispered.
She actually looked over her shoulder, winking at him and waving one more time before she unsheathed her zanpakutou and used it to open a Senkaimon.
Shinji for his part, just remained standing where he was, wondering about the times he lived, about what could be so bad that the Ave Blanca had actually returned…it made him shiver, because for her to break the promise of never coming back, it had to be bad indeed.