Chapter 44

The Hunt

"P-Please, Captain Suì-Fēng! We only want to…!"

The Fourth Division Shinigami was tossed across the room, sharing the same fate as many of his comrades. The remainder, sweating bullets, surrounded her.

"A-All we ask is that you remain in bed, ma'am. Your injuries haven't healed yet," one of them managed to stammer.

"Stand aside!" A heavily bandaged Suì-Fēng shoved away even this attendant, intent on limping her way toward the exit. "I don't have time for this! Even if it kills me, I'm going to haul that no-good, rotten thief in!"

The stigma of defeat hung over her like storm clouds. She couldn't stand it. She would rather be dead than lie uselessly in some hospital. Even as she dragged a whole platoon of Fourth Division members with her, she pressed forward.

"My. You certainly haven't changed, Suì-Fēng. You still get worked up over every little thing."

Suì-Fēng, as well as the people attached to her, stood in shock. Standing in the doorway with a sly grin was none other than Yoruichi Shihouin.

"There's nothing wrong with taking a break every once and awhile," she remarked, walking toward a suddenly speechless Suì-Fēng. "You're going to grow nothing but gray hairs at this rate."

"L-Lady Yoruichi?"

Although baffled at how their new guest had gotten past security, those in the Fourth Division were thankful for her arrival. Suì-Fēng was at last sitting still. She was so shell shocked that they were even able to slip her back into bed.

"Sorry for crashing the party," Yoruichi chimed. "Looks like you ran into some trouble, Suì-Fēng."

Growing as red as the sun, Suì-Fēng threw her covers over her face. "M-My deepest apologies, Lady Yoruichi! I am...beyond ashamed to admit that I was caught off guard. I underestimated the enemy's abilities."

Yoruichi scratched her head. "Well, it's not like you have to apologize to me. I'm just glad you're alright."

"Erm...e-excuse me?" The same meek Fourth Division Shinigami from earlier stepped forward. "I don't mean to interrupt, but...you cannot be here, ma'am, without the proper clearance from…"

"Go away. Can't you see I'm discussing something important with Lady Yoruichi?"

Pure, unadulterated hatred radiated from Suì-Fēng. It drove the Shinigami and anyone else with thoughts of tending to her far, far away. Whereas they were scared half to death, Yoruichi busied splitting her sides with laughter.

"You're still cute when you throw a temper tantrum, Suì-Fēng."

The person in question blushed even more. "Please, Lady Yoruichi!"

"Right. Guess I'd better get down to business." Growing serious, Yoruichi took a seat beside Suì-Fēng's bed. "Kisuke pretty much filled me in on what happened. So, it's true. The Hougyoku really was stolen."

Suì-Fēng grit her teeth. "...You should advise that man not to discuss things that don't concern him."

"What's this? You don't have to sound so meek when talking about Kisuke." Yoruichi smirked, adding, "I never would have thought you still had that little crush on him."

"T-That's not it at all!" Suì-Fēng retreated back under her bedsheets in a hurry. "Can we please talk about something other than that wretched man?!"

"Fine, fine. I was only kidding." Yoruichi took a hard, long look at her former pupil's injuries. "To think someone could get the jump on you. But, we have a much bigger problem on our hands with the Hougyoku in some unknown maniac's hands. Did you find out anything about them?"

Bitterly, Suì-Fēng shook her head. "Forgive me, Lady Yoruichi. While I have no real idea who the person that attacked me was, isn't it possible they're aligned with the traitor Aizen? The Hougyoku was his objective, after all. Even being captured, I'm hard pressed to believe he would just leave it be."

"Kisuke thought so as well. Aizen is still locked in Muken though. Even if someone did steal the Hougyoku on his behalf, it's of no use to him while he's trapped there. I doubt he has anything to do with it."

"...Is that another of Urahara's theories? That man thinks he knows everything."

"If it comes to the Hougyoku, then he knows better than any of us."

Though annoyed by the fact, Suì-Fēng conceded the point. "So, what now? We don't even have a damn idea where the Hougyoku is right now! Every second I waste sitting in this place is another second…!"

"Calm down, Suì-Fēng. Killing yourself won't help anyone. Kisuke already has an idea what our thief plans to do with their new toy. What we really need to know is who the culprit is in the first place."

Suì-Fēng grew quiet. She squeezed her bedsheets, struggling to swallow what little remained of her pride.

"...I haven't told anyone this because it seemed illogical, but…" She spoke quietly, enough so that only Yoruichi could hear her. "...that spiritual pressure. I don't know how or why, but it without a doubt belonged to Arashi Mitarashi. It was the very same as our thief's."

#

White rice. It wasn't the most exotic meal. That didn't stop Aaron from devouring handfuls of it. He moved onto his soup, nearly slurping down his bowl along with it.

Izumi watched him from across the table. It wasn't by choice but out of curious disgust.

"Can you pass the grilled fish?" her brother requested with a mouthful of food. Wordlessly, she complied. "Thanks."

They too disappeared down the black hole he called a mouth.

"Look, I know Ma isn't coming home tonight," Izumi began, "but that doesn't mean you getto guzzle down all of her portions."

Aaron wiped his mouth. "Sorry. I'm really hungry for some reason."

"...No kidding."

"What's wrong?" Aaron noted Izumi had hardly touched her own meal. "I cooked it the best I could. If something tastes funny, I can…"

"That's not it." Dejected, Izumi pushed her plate away. Even if she had been famished, Aaron stuffing his face in such a crude manner would have ruined her appetite. "It's just...nothing. Nevermind."

"You're bummed about Ma not coming home?"

"And you aren't? This was the one day where she promised to be home, and she went and signed up for another damn double shift."

"That's how she is." Aaron shrugged and helped himself to seconds. "No point losing sleep over it."

"...It's bullshit is what it is."

"You're acting like a little kid."

"So what if I am?!" Izumi slammed her hands on the table. "Just...shut up already!"

"Don't you get the reason our mother works so hard is because of us?!"

"She doesn't have to! Nobody told her to! I have a job! It's not like I can't help pay the bills! And there's nothing stopping you from helping out around here either!"

Aaron faltered, seeing she had a point. "I-I mean…"

"She's a work junkie! That's all she is! She'd rather be at some damn hospital than spend time with her kids! What kind of screwed up mother is that?!"

"Just what are you saying? That Ma doesn't actually care about us? That's…"

"AND WHAT IF I AM?!"

The heated discussion died there. Izumi, having stood in the midst of her rant, sat back down. Aaron, meanwhile, struggled to go back to his meal. The seconds hand on the clock on the kitchen wall ticked too loudly for his liking.

Despite his rabid defense, he too wished his mother was there.

"...Sorry," Izumi mumbled after what felt like ages. She sampled Aaron's cooking after all, saying, "It's...good."

"...Thanks." Aaron sighed. "Look, I miss her too. Instead of arguing, why we don't we just go see her at work? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Didn't she get transferred? Are you suggesting we go all the way to Karakura Town?"

"It was only a suggestion. You're the one whining."

"I-I am not…!"

Aaron raised an eyebrow at her shutting her mouth. She usually relished any chance to scream his head off. Her attention had shifted to the front door.

"...Looks like we have a guest," she announced.

A bewildered Aaron was about to ask what she meant.

...When the doorbell suddenly rang.

Izumi gestured for him to answer, almost as if suggesting whoever was at the door was there for him. Now thoroughly weirded out, he moved cautiously. His hand gradually turned the knob. The door opened with a loud creak. His heart pounded in his chest.

He could feel it. Something about the situation wasn't right.

"What the…?"

No one was there. A strange sense of relief swept over him.

"Someone pulling pranks this late? That's..."

"I'm down here, baldy!"

A sandal whacked Aaron across the skull. Besides nearly scrambling his brain, it sent his ire bubbling to the surface.

"W-Who hits someone with a freakin' sandal?!"

That 'someone' would be Hiyori Sarugaki. He would have been hit again if his quick reflexes hadn't kicked in.

"Stop it already!" he hollered. "And what are you doing here?! How did you find me?!"

No, he didn't care. He went to slam the door on her, having no reason to hold a conversation with a psychopath. Hiyori had other ideas, planting her foot in the doorway.

"You've got a lot of nerve running from me earlier, baldy!" she screeched.

"Says the stalker that followed me all the way here!"

Hiyori's face twisted in anger. "I did not follow your ugly ass! The huge ass spiritual pressure coming from this town is why I'm here."

"Yeah, right. My spiritual pressure isn't big enough to sense from so far away."

"Heh. No kidding."

Aaron regretted crafting his own insult. "What are you going on about then?!"

"Dumbass, I was talking about her!"

Hiyori pointed a finger squarely at Izumi. Unlike her brother, she didn't seem all that surprised by the news.

"Make sense already!" Aaron demanded. "Why would Izumi…?"

"You mean you really can't feel that? Man, you really are dumb!" said Hiyori. "It's amazing nothing bad has happened to that girl yet."

Aaron, no longer struggling with the door, instead froze in place. "...And what the hell does that mean?"

Hiyori smirked. "Do I gotta spell everything out for you, baldy? Someone like her is a magnet for all sorts of bad stuff."

On cue, Aaron picked up on something that made his blood run cold.

"W-What the hell is with this spiritual pressure…?!"

It was suffocating. He grabbed at his throat.

"See?" Hiyori added. "Looks like you guys are about to have more company."

#

"Ah! The perfect night."

With his hands behind his head, Sasune whistled a pleasant tune He couldn't have dreamed of a better evening. His only issue was it eventually coming to an end and having to return to school the following morning.

Unfortunately, the person walking behind him didn't have the same rosy outlook.

"It was a perfect night," Uryuu corrected, "until you got us chased out of that restaurant! I didn't even get a chance to finish my food."

"Hey, it's not my fault they brought out my food with extra mustard. I specifically asked for no mustard! Hacks! I swear, that chain should be wiped off the face of Japan! I had the right to get upset, don't you think?"

"You don't go punching out every waiter just because they give you extra mustard!'

His logic confounded Sasune. "It's the principal of the matter, dammit! We should've just eaten at your place like I suggested."

"In light of how badly you tore apart that restaurant...I have to disagree."

"Can I crash at your house tonight? I think I left the keys to my place on the kitchen counter. As long as there's no mustard, you should be safe with me around."

After much deliberation, Uryuu grunted, "...Fine."

"Hell yeah!" Sasune held his hand up for a high five. Uryuu pretended not to see it. "Oh! We can stay up late playing video games! Or, we could play Truth or Dare. I am the undisputed master, of course, so you'll have a hard time…"

"Save it, Sasune. I'm exhausted."

"Why? We've barely even done anything. The night is still young!"

Uryuu thought otherwise. He was really tired from having thrown so many hostile waiters off of his brother. Sasune seemed to be going out of his way to omit that part of the tale.

"I'm going straight to bed," Uryuu reaffirmed. "And you are too!"

Sasune smacked his lips. "You know, you're in the prime of your youth. You should use it for something other than sewing dresses and tutus."

"Oh, just shut up already! You're giving me an even bigger headache!" A red-faced Uryuu howled. He was about to do what Sasune had done to all those restaurant employees. "If you want to go and act a fool, do it on your own! I have to get up early for school tomorrow, and…!"

In the middle of his rant, Uryuu realized Sasune wasn't behind him anymore. His brother was busy gazing off into the distance. Uryuu did the same, seeing nothing of interest.

"What is it?" he asked testily. "Haven't you already wasted enough of our time?"

Without warning, Sasune shouted, "GET DOWN!"

He shoved Uryuu to the ground, just as something pierced his right shoulder.

"SASUNE!"

Blood seeped out Sasune's wound, though Uryuu wasn't given the chance to decide how best to tend to it.

A pair of white hands ripped a literal tear in the night sky.

"A Hollow?!" cried Uryuu as a tall, floating, and grey creature came into view. "If it can tear an opening between dimensions, then it has to be a Menos Grande!"

Although, the Hollow looked nothing like the Menos he had encountered in the past. Its head was pointed, it shoulders covered by some kind of mantle, and its arms were incredibly large. A long tongue hung out of its mouth, seeming more like a whip in Uryuu's estimation. Now he understood what had gotten Sasune.

Speaking of his sibling, Sasune's groaning dragged him out of his contemplating.

"S-Sorry," his older brother muttered. The pool of blood under him was getting larger with each passing second. "I...didn't mean to ruin your night even more, Uryuu."

"Be quiet." Uryuu faced the Menos, balling his fists. "I'll take care of this."

"Forget it! What can you do without your Quincy powers?!" Attempting to stand, Sasune wasn't intent on sitting by and allowing himself to be rescued. "I'll hold that thing off! You use that opportunity to…!"

Uryuu drove his foot into Sasune's mouth, shutting it.

"W-What was that for?! I'm already a dying man!"

"Then die already!"

Uryuu sprinted away, with the Menos in hot pursuit.

"That punk. He's...trying to lead it away from me." Sasune chuckled. "He's a...good kid...after all."

As much as he craved to see what would happen next, his eyes were as heavy as lead.

"Good. It's not going after that idiot," said Uryuu, glancing over his shoulder. The Menos' speed was incredible. Trying to outrun it would get him nowhere. He unbuttoned his shirt and decided on a different tactic. "This spiritual pressure…! That thing really is a Menos Grande!"

In spite of what Sasune thought, he wasn't as helpless as he appeared. With a bevy of Silver Tubes in hand, Uryuu chucked them at the unsuspecting Hollow.

"Feel the wrath of battle and accept this sacred chalice! Heizen!"

A transparent beam of energy severed the Menos' left arm. Uryuu smirked, finding his attack more effective than he estimated.

That was...until the Hollow's arm began to grow back.

"N-No way! Instant regeneration?!"

He had second thoughts it was actually a Menos Grande he was up against. Its spiritual pressure was on an entirely different level.

"Damn! Are the Silver Tubes no good after all?"

#

Aaron scrambled out of his apartment, almost stumbling down the staircase. He heard the familiar, albeit unwelcome, cry of a Hollow the second he reached the sidewalk.

"You're kidding. Is that seriously a Menos Grande?"

As much as he craved to deny it, there was no mistaking the spiritual pressure bearing down on him. He had his fill of Gillians after the group that showed up in Soul Society.

"So, what are you going to do?" asked Hiyori, standing beside him.

"What do you mean?"

"Dumbass!" Hiyori whacked him upside the head with her sandal again. "Didn't you hear a word I said before?! That Hollow is coming here!"

"Stop doing that! And what do you mean here?! Why would it…?"

"Ugh! I have to act like a damn parrot while I'm around you!" Hiyori pointed back toward Izumi. "That Hollow is attracted by her spiritual pressure. Between her and everyone in Karakura Town, they're about to have a regular buffet. You don't count, of course."

"Of course," Aaron repeated bitterly. "So, you're saying there's more than that Menos stalking around? ...Great. Just great."

"So, what are you going to do about it? Keep crying like a little girl?"

While preferable, Aaron drew his Zanpakutou and figured fighting was a better plan.

"Heads up! It's coming!"

Per Izumi's claim, the Hollow made a crash landing in front of Aaron and Hiyori, splitting apart the ground. The two didn't flinch as a wave of dust and debris swept past them. They instead looked up.

"...Is that even a Menos?"

Aaron's disbelief stemmed from its bizarre appearance. It didn't come close to resembling any of the Gillians he had seen before. It was much smaller for starters. Its skin was bright red, and instead of arms, it had a plethora of flailing tentacles jutting out of its shoulders. It didn't even have any legs.

Still, the energy it gave off was familiar enough that Aaron figured it couldn't be anything but a Menos.

"What factory did this one pop out of?" he questioned. "Ready when you are, Sarugaki."

"What the hell are you talking about, baldy?"

Rather than about to fight by his side, Hiyori busied munching on a bag of chips on the sidelines.

"W-What are you doing?!" Aaron demanded to know.

"What, you thought I was gonna help?" Hiyori got a good laugh out of that one. "I only came to you to warn about that Hollow since you apparently can't do anything on your own. It's not my problem what happens after that."

Incensed, Aaron faced the Menos again. If worse came to worse, he felt he could take it on by himself. Having someone watch his back wouldn't have been so bad though.

As if reading his mind, Hiyori chimed, "If you join up with us, I'll save your scrawny ass. Fair deal, right?"

"T-That's blackmail!"

Hiyori smashed a chip between her teeth. "...So?"
"Unbelievable!"

If the Visoreds were the sort to resort to such dirty tactics, he had no interest in joining them.

"Be careful!" Izumi told him. "Something is different about this guy!"

"I figured that much on my own," mumbled Aaron as he leaped in the air to avoid being smashed by the Menos' tentacles. "Something tells me I don't want those things touching me."

"Behind you!"

Aaron wasn't sure how, but one of the tentacles had managed to sneak behind him.

Damn! Just how far can it stretch these things?!

He deflected it with his wakizashi, only to see another group coming from the right. Cutting them down proved to be difficult. They wiggled around every time he swung his blade. Landing on the ground, he came to a quick decision.

"No point holding back then," he said, releasing his Zanpakutou. With Seigetsu in hand, he brought it downward. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

The sole thing he managed to destroy was a good portion of his surroundings. The Menos flew to safety.

"Watch it!" said Izumi. "How the hell are we gonna explain it to the neighbors if you end up blowing up their backyard?!"

"...Everyone's a critic," Aaron grumbled. "I thought it having no legs meant it would be easy to hit..."

"My offer is still on the table," Hiyori informed him. "I mean, it's clear you're getting your ass kicked."

Ignoring her, Aaron stabbed Seigetsu into the ground. If the Hollow was intent on remaining in the air, he would just have to 'persuade' it to come down.

"Getsuga Jigokushou!"

A blue pillar of energy raced at his target. Yet again, the Menos darted out of the way. Aaron chased after it with Flash Step, pleased to see it had run right into his path.

However, rather than facing him head on, it soared out of the reach of his sword.

"Crap!" He soon discovered Izumi was its actual target. "Get back here, you bastard!"

His sister ducked for cover when the Menos brought down one of its tentacles.

Aaron got there first. Using his blue tachi as a shield, he managed to save her from harm. He couldn't say the same for himself. Another tentacle had managed to slip through his defense and left a nasty gash on his chest. He paid it no mind, taking a swipe at the Hollow. It managed to fly back in time, much to his frustration.

"Sorry about that," he told his sister. His chest heaved up and down. "You alright?"

"Me? What about you?!"

Aaron flashed her a smile. "Trust me—I've gotten my ass kicked harder than this."

Nonetheless, he had no interest in dragging the battle out. If he used Bankai, he was confident he could take care of their Hollow problem in a flash.

Unfortunately, he soon realized he couldn't move his right arm. It hung uselessly at his side. Nothing felt broken though, leaving him bewildered.

"Oh, you are kidding me!" he snarled. It was only then that he noticed electricity surging around the Menos' tentacles. "It can paralyze you too?"

Bankai was no longer an option. Given his injuries, he could barely get out of the way when another hail of tentacles came gunning for him. They tore apart the ground though couldn't do the same to his flesh.

"Looks like he's not as dumb as he looks." Hiyori devoured another handful of chips. "He's trying to draw it away from you. Good thing it's even dumber than him."

Izumi couldn't say she was happy hearing this. She observed Aaron stabbing his sword at the Hollow's mask and missing. The Hollow responding by smacking him across the mouth. He skidded a good distance back but remained on his feet.

"You know, it'd be really helpful if you just died already," he said to it, wiping a trail of blood from his lips. When it soared at him yet again, he added, "You should really watch your step. The ground tends to get hot around here."

He used another Getsuga Jigokushou, this one connecting. The Hollow roared in anguish, hitting the ground a smoking mess. Still struggling to catch his breath, Aaron smiled nonetheless.

"Finally...got that bastard."

"Hey, talk to me!" Izumi rushed to his side. She threw his arm over her shoulder and helped him to his feet. "You're tougher than I gave you credit for. Years ago, you would have been crying by now."

"You'd be able to sense it better than me, but...that thing isn't dead yet. Stay back, Izumi. It's really got a bone to pick with you in particular."

"How many times do I have to say it, baldy?!" Hiyori shouted. "It's going after the highest spiritual pressure in the area!"

"...Which isn't me. I know that, Miss Parrot," Aaron replied preemptively.

"There has to be some kind of mistake," said Izumi. "I can't even fight. Are you actually suggesting I'm stronger than my brother?"

Before they could finish the conversation, they all stumbled upon a horrifying sight—the Hollow's wounds were rapidly healing. Soon enough, it was like Aaron hadn't done anything to it to begin with.

"High speed regeneration…? Of course. Why wouldn't it have that?" said Aaron in utter disbelief.

It could also perform Cero. Bathing the whole block in red light, the Menos launched one toward Aaron, who was too stunned to move.

Another Cero destroyed it. Hiyori, lifting her mask off of her face, proclaimed, "What was that?! If you wanna die so badly, just let me kill your scrawny ass!"

Aaron smiled weakly. "I thought you said you weren't going to help?"

"You looked so weak and helpless that I could stop myself. That's the only favor I'm doing you, got it?! Get your ass in gear already!"

"...Yes, ma'am."

There was nothing else to do but charge forward with his sword in hand.

"W-Wait a sec!"

Izumi's warning came too late. A number of the Menos' tentacles sprouted up from the ground. Avoiding all but one, Aaron found the culprit having pierced through his left shoulder.

"AARON!"

Aaron couldn't feel the blood gushing out of the wound nor any of the pain that should have went along with it. Seigetsu clanked to the ground, and both of his arms now hung at his sides.

"Not...good…"

#

Uryuu jumped out of the way of the Menos Grande's whip-like tongue, allowing the street to be reduces to bits in his stead. It pained him to admit it, but he smacked his lips and determined the most he could do was run. At the very least, it would give him the time to come up with a plan of attack.

"No choice!"

He pulled a long strand of silver wire out of a bangle on his arm. Tying it to a number of trees, he used it to climb them to safety. However, as he landed, he realized the top part of the Hollow was gone.

"What…?!"

It hadn't been destroyed; it had literally vanished into thin air. Panicked, he searched all around.

He quickly saw his assessment had been a mistake. The upper part of the Menos was right behind him. By the time he realized, it was too late. His pupils shrank. Death was mere moments away.

It didn't split into two! They were seperate to begin with!

An arrow destroyed its tongue before it could skewer him. He at first assumed Sasune must have gotten back up somehow.

Then, he spotted an individual that gave him pause, someone that soured his mood even further that evening.

"How unsightly, Uryuu."

Ryuuken Ishida smacked his lips, walking underneath a street lamp and out into the open. The sight of him alone was confusing enough to Uryuu without the man holding a smoldering bow.

"R-Ryuuken!"

"There you go calling your own father by his name again. You haven't changed, Uryuu." Ryuuken moved his head over to Sasune's unmoving form. "He was sloopy too by the looks of it. You two give your precious Quincy a bad name."

The Menos howled in pain. This prompted Ryuuken to shoot it again.

"You're rather noisy," he remarked, firing a third arrow that obliterated the Menos' head. "Do you understand now? You don't have to worry about stopping its regeneration if you simply kill it before it can recover in the first place."

"...How is this possible?" Uryuu, awed, muttered. "You shouldn't have Quincy powers! Didn't you...always look down on the Quincies? Why haven't you thrown away your powers?!"

"Don't be so foolish, Uryuu. I believe my exact words were 'I have no interest' and 'You have no talent.' I can assure you I still have my powers, and they are far beyond the ones you threw away so casually."

The sound of groaning prompted the two to turn their heads.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the World's Greatest Father," said a limping Sasune. "Just...stop it already. You were about to do that stupid 'Last Quincy' speech, weren't you?"

Ryuuken scowled and replied, "...I suggest you stop moving around so much unless you'd like to lose even more blood."

"You always wanna act like a dad when it's convenient to you! Just how long were you watching us get our asses kicked before you decided to 'save the day?!'"

"I don't want to hear it from the babbling fool who allowed himself to be ambushed by a Menos Grande of all things. You can't even used the excuse of having no Quincy powers like your brother here."

"Oh, just shut up already before…!"

An arrow whizzed past his and Uryuu's heads. It destroyed the bottom part of the Menos, right as it would have torn them apart.

"That's exactly what I mean." Ryuuken lowered his bow and watched the remains of the Menos rain down around them. "If you aren't going to bother using your powers, Sasune, you really are just as hopeless as Uryuu."

That was the final straw. Balling his fist, Sasune readied to punch his father's block off. Uryuu stopped him, holding his arm in front of him. While he desired to do much of the same, he needed Ryuuken to talk for awhile longer.

"Even though you were foolish enough to go to Soul Society and lose your powers before their maturity," Ryuuken continued, "I'm willing to help you get them back, Uryuu."

"Bullshit," Sasune was quick to say. His father ignoring him only got his blood boiling more.

Uryuu, though equally unconvinced, still found himself asking, "...Is that true? You can really get my powers back."

"Is it that hard to believe?" replied Ryuuken. "I said I am willing...but only under one condition."

"...What?"

Neither Uryuu nor Sasune liked the sound of that.

"We'll take your useless older brother to my hospital first," said Ryuuken. "I'll give you the details of my deal there, Uryuu."

"Forget it! I'd rather die!" Sasune snarled.

Ryuuken took little stock in his words considering how much he needed to lean on Uryuu to even stand. "If you want to die that badly, you're free to do so. As a doctor, I am only obligated to help those that want to be treated. Still, Meiko would give me hell if I let you die."

"...That's low. My mother has nothing to do with this. Just what the hell did she ever see in creep like you?"

#

There wasn't much Aaron could do without his arms. Flash Stepping here and there to avoid the Menos' long reaching tentacles would have to do until he could come up with something.

"Damn! How is it fair it's not only fast but can disable you?!"

Jumping to avoid yet another strike, he gulped at a car being reduced to bits. That could have easily been him if he had been only a moment slower.

"T-There's no end to these things!"

Another one creeped up from behind. He turned his body just enough to sidestep it. Landing on it, he ran across it, deciding it was time to go on the offensive. He threw his whole body into the Menos, sending the two of them crashing to the ground. The way his head rung led him to believe he had taken the brunt of the blow.

"...Not my greatest idea."

"Are you stupid or something?" Hiyori wondered.

"Quit making fun of him already and help!" Izumi pleaded. "He can't even pick up his sword anymore! Why are you just sitting on the sidelines and watching?!"

Hiyori shrugged. "It's not my problem if he dies. It just means he wasn't strong enough."

"That's cruel!"

"No. She's right." Aaron managed to make it to his feet. The Menos Grande, towering above him, roared. "I got this, Izumi. Just sit back and take it easy. We still haven't finished our dinner, after all."

A strange idea came to him. In light of his helplessness, he thought it was worth trying.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!"

"Kidou?" Hiyori's eyebrow shot up. "What the hell is he playing at? He can't even use his hands."

"Way of Destruction Number Thirty One! Red Fire Cannon!'

She was left astonished when he didn't fire the Kidou from his hands but his feet. It nailed the Hollow right between the eyes, leaving a sizable crack in its mask.

"Hell yeah!" Aaron said in celebration. His vigor vanished when he saw his feet were smoking. "Hot, hot, hot!"

Him hopping around all over the place made Izumi groan. "And he actually looked like he knew what he was doing there for a minute."

Embarrassed, he made a mental note not to try that again. More alarming was the Menos regenerating all the damage he had inflicted on it.

"Wish I could do that too," he joked. "Okay, so Kidou is a bust. What now?"

There would be no end to the fight at this rate. He spotted Seigetsu in the distance. He was sure he could reach it in time, but there remained the problem of how to even wield it without his arms.

"Kidou is one thing. There's no way I could swing a sword around with my feet."

The Menos wasn't intent on letting him think things out. He Flash Stepped to the right the moment it made a move, keeping himself between it and Izumi.

No, it doesn't matter! Even if I'm standing here, there's no way I can stop that thing from getting her in my condition!

Things became quiet, deathly quiet. He closed his eyes, lost in thought again.

I know you can see what's going on in there! If you're going to come out, do it already!

Perhaps to spite him, his Inner Hollow did nothing of the sort. It usually couldn't wait to rear its ugly head during life or death situations. Both annoyed and out of breath, he seriously had no clue what to do.

This...might be it. I can't use any Kidou strong enough to destroy it, and without Seigetsu…!

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Though he wasn't sure when she had gotten there, Izumi stood in front of him. Her arms outstretched, she glared at the Hollow and silently dared it to make another attempt on her brother's life.

"It's me you want, right?! Come on then, big boy! I'm right here!"

"Knock it off, Izumi!" Aaron shouted. "Are you trying to die?! Let me…!"

"I'm the one giving the orders now! Shut up!"

Aaron did just that, thrown off by the fury burning in her brown eyes.

"I'm supposed to be the older one here," she stated. "That means it's my job to keep my snot-nosed brother out of harm's way!"
"I-Izumi…"

She gave him a smirk oozing with confidence, adding, "You're not really the guy I ever pictured dying for, but...I guess you'll have to do. You drive me crazy at times, and you're really too much of a smartass for your own good, Aaron. Ever since all this craziness started, you're always getting yourself into trouble. You know, I really worry to death about you nowadays."

Aaron lowered his head. He rarely considered the effect his actions had on his loved ones. He preferred to rush straight into the heart of danger.

"Izumi, I…"

"Even so...I'm proud to be your sister. You're not the sniveling kid who'd cry on my shoulder every ten seconds anymore. You've grown strong, Aaron. That's why...you don't need me watching your back anymore."

She was serious. Aaron, aghast, understood she was planning on throwing away her life for him.

"H-Hiyori!" He couldn't let this happen. Desperate, he was willing to rely on the very last person he would have under normal circumstances. "Please! I'll do anything you want! Anything! Just save my sister!"

Hiyori stood and licked her lips. "Anything, you say? I like the sound of that!"

"You stay back!" Izumi proclaimed, much to everyone else's confusion. "...I can feel it."

"What are you talking about?" Aaron inquired. "Look, Izumi! This isn't the time for…!"

"The Hollow's energy...I can feel it…" Izumi spoke as if in a trance. It was as clear as day. She could see all the energy swirling around herself. It had shape, color. Instinctively, she reached out toward a red-colored one enveloping the Menos. "I can do it. I can take it. It's mine!"

Already confused, Aaron was absolutely floored after Izumi let loose a Cero. It pierced right through the Hollow, prompting it to holler in anguish.

"W-What the hell?! A normal human shouldn't be able to use Cero!" Hiyori uttered.

Izumi didn't get it either. She stared at her hands and couldn't begin to explain what she had done.

#

"You are special, Miss Higuchi!"

Izumi recalled those words being spoken to her by Kisuke Urahara as they ventured through the Dangai and toward Soul Society.

"If you're trying to butter me up in order to get me more candy, you can save it."

"It is nothing like that. I assure you."

His claim didn't mean much to her considering how many hoops he had made them jump through. She frowned. "Then what are you going on about?"

"Your ability to sense spiritual pressure is on an entirely different level from others. Even I cannot compare. Let me ask you a question—can you sense anything from where we are?"

Izumi didn't know 'where they were' to begin with. The walls, if she could even call them that, seemed like they would swallow them up at a moment's notice. She wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"There's...a lot of strong people on the other side of this tunnel. Like a lot of them. There's one in particular though that's giving me the creeps. One of those Captain guys you were talking about probably. Are you sure it's a good idea to go to this Soul Society place?"

Urahara hadn't heard most of her complaints. He was far too astonished concerning her initial remark.

"Miss Higuchi, this place is known as the Dangai. Its purpose is to keep intruders such as ourselves out of Soul Society. All Shinigami that do no travel with the aid of a Hell Butterfly are forced to cross it. More importantly, It is a seperate world from both your own and Soul Society. Even time and space work differently here. You being able to sense anything whatsoever is a testament to your abilities."

Izumi didn't reply. She couldn't. Praise aside, Urahara's explanation rattled her to the core.

"Haven't you ever considered your powers strange, Miss Higuchi? You are neither a Shinigami nor a Hollow, and yet..."

He stopped. Izumi's pale face was the cause.

"But then again, I don't know much about your power, so I suppose calling it 'strange' is a bit much…." he added alongside some nervous laughter.

Izumi went from white to burning red. "...Don't make me hit you."

"Might I ask what it's like to have such abilities? I'd imagine they must come in handy."

A cat got Izumi's tongue again. She debated on if she even wanted to elaborate.

"...It's more than just 'sensing' others. It's like I can actually feel everyone's energy, like it's apart of me. I...want a straight answer, Urahara. Is there something wrong with me? Just from hearing you talk, I already know I'm anything but 'normal.'"

Lowering his hat a little, Urahara admitted, "...I don't know, Miss Higuchi. I really don't. However, no matter how strange one's abilities are, I fully believe they can be used for good. ...Assuming the wielder has the right state of mind, of course."

#

The Menos Grande unleashed an ear splitting howl, standing toe-to-toe with Izumi. The gaping hole she had left in it was closing gradually.

Balling her fists, she wasn't about to give it the chance to regenerate anymore.

"Mind if I borrow a couple of your moves, Bro? Thanks!"

She disappeared into thin air before Aaron could respond. Now high above the Hollow, she held out her palm, praying with all her might what she felt was real.

"Way of Destruction Number Thirty One! Red Fire Cannon!"

She aimed for the the injury she gave the Hollow earlier. The crimson orb split an even bigger crack in the Menos' mask. Roaring again, it aimed a storm of tentacles her way. She again vanished.

"T-That's Flash Step!" said Aaron. "And she just used Kidou! What in the hell is going on?!"

Landing, Izumi stumbled. "That's...a lot harder than he makes it look."

The Hollow, now thoroughly incensed, flew her way. Unbeknownst to it, she already had her next attack prepped and ready to go.

"Sit still for awhile! Way of Binding Number Sixty Three! Locking Bondage Strips!"

Golden chains stopped the Menos in its tracks. Izumi wasn't done there.

"Way of Destruction Number Sixty Three! Thunder Roar Sear!"

Unable to move a muscle, the Hollow was sliced down the middle by the huge ball of electricity.

"I don't think so!" said Izumi when the Hollow began to heal itself frantically. "It's over! Way of Destruction Number Seventy Three! Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down!"

A wave of pale energy large enough to envelop the entire area reduced the Menos Grande to nothing. On that note, Izumi dropped down to her knees. Sweat poured off her face, and she couldn't quite catch her breath. Nonetheless, she gave her bewildered audience a thumbs up.

"G-Got it… Your big sis is pretty tough, huh?"

She had done it alright. Aaron was speechless. He almost desired to laugh. He wouldn't have believed anything that happened tonight if he hadn't been there in the flesh.

"Okay. I've got a million questions for…" Without warning, Izumi toppled over. Aaron, able to use his arms again thanks to the Menos' destruction, managed to catch her. "Hey! Speak to me! Izumi!"

His instincts kicked in too late. The Menos Grande wasn't dead after all. A small part of it was about to bite his head off. He didn't even have enough time to reach for his sword.

Someone else's blade came down on the Hollow and finished it for good.

Aaron blinked. "Eh…?"

"Guess that sures up my end of the bargain." Hiyori's mask vanished behind the wave of her hand. She crouched down to Aaron and tapped him on the head with the end of her Zanpakutou. "Got it? You said you'd do anything I had to say if I saved you and your sister."

"R-Right…"

While the deal seemed fair at the time, Aaron wished he hadn't opened his big, fat mouth.

"So, you can start by referring to me as Miss Hiyori from now on. Got it, baldy?"

"I mean, can't you at least call me by my name if I have to do that?"

"What did you just say?! How dare you talk back to me!" Hiyori hit him with her sword again though with the intent to kill. "How about I call you an ugly bug even lower than the worms in the dirt?!"

"N-No thank you. 'Baldy' is perfectly fine...erm...Miss Hiyori."

Hiyori grew a bit too thrilled on account of his defeated tone. "That's more like it. Now then, I wanna know what the hell is up with that sister of yours? She's not a Shinigami, right?"

"No. Not a Hollow either. I don't know how she did all that either."

He might not have had a clue, but he was thankful for it. At the end of the day, he was alive only thanks to her.

"N-No more...jawbreakers...Mister Hat and Clogs. My...teeth hurt…" she muttered in her sleep.

END