Chapter 49
Death and Strawberry Reborn
Kana couldn't help but squeal. After all, it wasn't often she and Rangiku Matsumoto got the chance to hang out in such turbulent times. They squeezed one another hard enough to break something.
"It's only been a few weeks, but it feels like I haven't seen you in ages!" a delighted Kana expressed. She soon found her head buried between Rangiku's expansive cleavage, leading her to flail her arms.
"Aw! You're still as cute as button!" an equally thrilled Rangiku informed her. "Those nasty Arrancar didn't give you any trouble, did they?"
Even with her voice muffled, Kana could be heard replying, "Nope! I totally kicked their butts! And by the way, you're much prettier."
Rangiku waved her hand and laughed. "You're going to make me blush!"
Struggling to breathe, Kana gave her a thumbs up.
"Excuse me, ladies, but…"
He couldn't do it. One couldn't pay him too. Toushirou Hitsugaya stood, even slamming his hands on the table. The act got the response he craved. All heads in the room turned to his burning visage. Kana managed to free herself from Rangiku's chest just in time to find her Captain glaring a hole into her.
"S-Sir…?"
"If it's alright with you two," Hitsugaya began with a fragile air of calmness. He retook his seat at the table, struggling to regain what little composure he had to begin with, "I'd like to get down to business."
"Yeah," added the soft voice of Orihime Inoue. She wasn't sure how her bedroom had become a meeting place for Soul Society's finest, though arguing about it at this point would be a waste of breath. "That...would be nice."
Though frowning, Rangiku replied, "Of course, Captain. Sorry about this, Orihime. I'm afraid it's going to be noisy around here for a little while."
Orihime, smiling warmly, waved her hand. "It's no problem. You and Hitsugaya were already staying here, so one more person shouldn't hurt. After all, I was kinda lonely living on my own."
"You are just too cute!" Like with Kana, Rangiku squeezed Orihime with all her might. The latter's muffled cries for help got lost between Rangiku's cleavage.
"Matsumoto…"
"Yes, of course, Captain." Rangiku released her captive, growing serious. "I believe Kana missed most of the briefing, so we should go over a few things again. It would also be for Orihime's benefit."
"Who said some big boobed human needs to know about Soul Society matters?"
The venom in Kana's tone surprised the others as much as her random remark. Orihime, feeling the heat of her gaze, began sweating bullets.
"E-Excuse me?"
"Those sweater puppies!"
Yelping, Orihime wrapped her arms over her bust.
"How in the world did you get them so big? And at your age! Aren't you like fifteen or something? Those things are bigger than your head! What's the secret? Tell me! Tell me!"
"Um…!"
Kana squeezed on Orihime's shoulders, making her victim sweat even more.
"Mitarashi."
"Come on, Captain! It doesn't make any sense! She's...like some kind of sex goddess!"
"I'm warning you, Mitarashi."
"Don't you think some total pervert drew her or something?!"
"Mitarashi!"
"Fine, fine! I get it! Jeez!" Kana bit her thumb, quietly adding, "And I was so close to figuring out her secret too!"
Hitsugaya shut his eyes tightly and resisted the urge to cut down his subordinate.
"Pay this idiot no mind, Inoue," he mumbled.
"It's...um...okay…"
Judging from Orihime's vexed expression, Hitsugaya had a feeling it wasn't. "We need to talk about the Arrancar you defeated, Mitarashi."
"Oh? You want to hear about my heroics, my legendary feats?" Kana flashed a V-sign. "It was awesome. That dude never stood a chance against me and my Zanpakutou!"
"Get serious." Hitsugaya shook his head. "And don't start celebrating yet. I've already discussed this with Matsumoto, but the Arrancar you fought was likely only a Gillian, not a Vasto Lorde. That mean we haven't begun to see the true strength of our enemies."
"...Party pooper." Kana pouted. "Hey! Wait, that Luis guy or whatever mentioned something about 'Espada.' Those are the guys you're scared of, Captain?"
"Watch it." Hitsugaya sighed and figured a different subject would keep her attention. "How is Aaron Higuchi?"
Kana giggled. "As helpless as usual, sir."
"I...have a strange urge to apologize to that guy for some reason," said Rangiku, putting her finger on her chin.
"Look after him, Mitarashi. We'll need him for the upcoming battles against the Arrancar," Hitsugaya stated. "He might not be an official member of the Gotei Thirteen, but that doesn't mean our enemies won't target him again."
"Aye, aye, sir!" Kana gave him a hearty salute, one that didn't impress him as much as she hoped. "I already told CT about the Arrancar, so he's up to speed. He might get his butt kicked again though..."
She turned her head to mask her snorting.
"Good," said Hitsugaya. "Where is he right now? I can't pick up on his spiritual pressure."
"Tell me he didn't get ambushed while we weren't looking," said a worried Rangiku.
Kana shook her head. "I haven't broken out in goosebumps!"
Silence followed her energetic reply.
"Um...what does goosebumps mean?" asked Orihime hesitantly.
"Duh! Bad stuff! Since I haven't broken out in goosebumps, everything is fine."
"Are you sure you just don't get cold when…?"
Orihime nearly swallowed her tongue when a scowling Kana moved her face dangerously close.
"No. Those are my super senses! Super senses!"
Orihime nodded feverishly, fearing for her life.
"Knock if off before I ship you back to Soul Society," said Hitsugaya, exasperated.
"No, you can't do that! That's not fair!"
Everyone ducked as Kana flailed her arms in protest.
"You brought me along for my beauty and expertise!" she proclaimed. "How could you even consider losing such an advantage?! This team would have a gaping hole without me!"
"No one brought you anywhere. You wouldn't stop begging and crying for us to take you along. Even the Captain-Commander got tired of hearing that mouth of yours."
"...Oh, yeah. That's right." Kana, embarrassed, rubbed the back of her head. "Well, it's the same thing, right?"
"Wrong."
"...Party pooper."
Hitsugaya palmed his hand over his face and felt they were going in circles. No one could be this aggravating. He knew Hollows that had less of an effect on his blood pressure.
"What's our next move, Captain?" asked Rangiku in a bid to defuse the situation. "It's not if the enemy is coming back, it's when. Now that they've lost six Arrancar, they'll come at us even harder."
"We wait. The Captain-Commander said he'd have more information to give us in a few days. Until then, we stay on guard. Even if the Arrancar do come again, we'll be ready."
"Boring!" Kana kicked her feet on the table, making Orihime grimace. "Say, since we're just sitting around, let's have a big, old slumber party!"
"Oh! I like the sound of that!" exclaimed Rangiku. She threw an arm around both Kana and Orihime. "We could even take a bath together!"
"Um...m-my bath tub can't fit you all though," said Orihime meekly.
Ignoring this, Kana shouted, "Woo! Par-tay! You should join us, Captain! You're totally a boy, but we'll make an exception! We can paint each others fingernails, do each others hair, tell embarrassing stories about…!"
Hitsugaya moved as fast as his feet would carry him. "I'll pass."
He slammed the door on his way out.
"I bet he's going to sulk on the roof again," said Rangiku as she blew a raspberry.
"He's no fun!" Kana waved him off. "No fun! No fun!"
She and Rangiku sang "No fun." over and over.
"You too! Say it!"
Kana rammed her elbow into Orihime's shoulder. Reluctantly, Orihime did as requested. Much to Hitsugaya's immense displeasure, their voices reached up to the rooftop with ease.
"...Idiots. Just shut up already," he grumbled. He shielded his ears, thinking a few more Arrancar showing up wouldn't be so bad in comparison.
#
"I'm back…"
Aaron, forced into a frilly apron, frowned as he returned to the training grounds. He held a tray of fresh rice balls.
"Sorry it's not some fancy, five-star meal, but I did the best I could."
The other Visored paid his depressed words no mind. They swarmed him the moment he finished speaking and nearly knocked him over in their haste to eat.
"S-Slow down! You'll choke to death!"
"Good work." Shinji, munching away, nodded. "These ain't half bad."
A much less grateful Hiyori merely stared at her rice ball.
"Is...something wrong?" Aaron felt compelled to inquire.
"...What the hell is this, dog?"
He sighed. He expected such a reaction. "Like I said, that was the best I could do in what little time you gave me. You wanted to eat, right? Then eat."
"If you're just being lazy…!"
"Put a sock in it." Shinji smacked Hiyori atop the head. "You're just mad you couldn't come up with something this good."
"W-Why you…!"
Hiyori soon saw she didn't a leg to stand on. Besides Kensei, who busied entertaining the Hollowfied Ichigo, the other Visored dug into their meals with content smiles.
"Thanks, Chocolate-tan~! You're the best~!" chimed Mashiro. Aaron blushed.
"You'll make a good wife one day, kid," joked Love.
"It really isn't the most exotic meal, but the simplicity is touching in a way," said Rose, admiring his rice ball like a fine work of art.
"Uh...thanks?" said Aaron, raising an eyebrow. "I make those for my sister all the time, so I've had plenty of practice."
"You have my thanks," said Hachigen, who really did look happy to eat.
Lisa nodded as she ate. Aaron guessed that was as good a reply as he would get.
Frowning, Hiyori gave her own rice ball another look over. "...Screw it."
She devoured the whole thing in one go. Her face changed from disgust to displeasure to confusion and finally surprise.
"This...really is good!"
All eyes fell upon her. The heat rose to her face, leading her to spit her meal out.
"A-As if! What is this, dog food?! Who the hell would want to eat this slop?!"
Though she made an effort to sound as repulsed as possible, those peering at her weren't remotely convinced.
"Here." Aaron gave her the last rice ball. "This one should taste better."
Hiyori's lips trembled. Her pride and her rumbling stomach went head-to-head. The latter won in the end, and she snatched her gift.
"Y-You're just lucky I'm hungry, baldy!"
That, at least, wasn't a lie given her tearing into the rice ball like a hungry lion. Aaron made sure to turn away before smirking.
She's cute when she wants to be.
So much so that he nearly forgot a life or death struggle was happening.
Inside the Hachigen's barrier, Kensei unleashed a blast of energy that severed one of Ichigo's arm. The victim hit the floor, allowing Kensei to approach his smoldering form.
"W-What the…!"
Aaron dropped his empty tray in shock.
"Relax," Shinji told him. "Ichigo's a Hollow now. He'll just regenerate."
"B-But still…!"
Ichigo regenerated alright. However, the 'thing' the sprouted out from where his arm used to be wasn't another limb.
"...You're kidding."
Kensei held Tachikaze in front of him, blocking a white monster with menacing rows of teeth. He took advantage of it striving to chew his arm off by letting it sink its teeth into him. Blasting it from the inside, its pieces rained around him. Kensei, catching his breath, spotted Ichigo alive and well. Over half of his body had Hollowfied, and he sported a new and clawed arm.
"Not bad," Kensei said with a sheepish grin. "You're Hollowfing quicker than I expected."
"Did this...happen with me?" Aaron's head spun. "This is nuts! And that guy looks like he's enjoying this!"
"Kensei happiest when he's punching something to a bloody pulp!" Mashiro explained.
"Sounds about right…"
As horrifying as all the fighting had been, Aaron realized he was the sole one freaked out. The other Visored were evidently desensitized to these Hollow subjugations.
This isn't really something I'd want to get used to…
"You okay?"
He spotted Lisa staring intently at the fight. She seemed lost in her own world.
"I'm fine," she stiffly answered. Her neutral expression made it hard to tell, though Aaron had a hunch she was in a bad mood. "You still wanna face that monster? He's far stronger than you when you Hollowfied."
"How much time does Kensei have left?"
Lisa checked her stopwatch. "...Four minutes."
"Four minutes," Aaron repeated. With a firm nod, he stepped forward. "Got it. Thanks. I'll go next then if you don't mind."
The sight of Lisa's eyes widening threw him for a loop.
So she can make a different face!
"There's no set order," said Shinji. Crouching, he too couldn't keep his eyes of Ichigo coming close to carving Kensei in two. "So if you wanna go, go. Any objections?"
"Yeah, me, dumbass!" said Hiyori immediately. "Forget it, you stupid mutt! You'll get slaughtered if you go in there, not to mention your Hollow might bust out in the middle of the fight!"
"I'll take that risk." Aaron thought it dangerous to question Hiyori. Even so… "I wanna do my part in all this. I'll make sure Kurosaki pulls through. Besides, I'm the new guy. It wouldn't be right to sit on my ass and let you guys do all the work."
No one said a word. It left Aaron feeling like an idiot for gathering the courage to speak.
"I commend your resolve." Rose, clapping, broke the silence. "Very well. I don't have any arguments. What about you all?"
"Hell, I don't mind going last," said Love. "Go get 'em, kid."
"Dumbass…" was all Hiyori had to say on the matter, crossing her arms.
"You talkin' about yourself?" Shinji got a good laugh out of that one. "If you're that worried about him getting hurt, you should take his place."
Hiyori choked on her meal. "W-What was that, you…!"
"Thanks for the concern," said Aaron. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
This only made her blush harder. "I-I'm not worried about you, stupid!"
"You helped train me, after all. I've got faith I'll be alright."
The others had never seen Hiyori stunned into silence. Smacking her lips was the most she could muster at such high praise.
"This kid is magic," Love whispered to a nodding Rose. "He's the only one that can get her to shut up."
"Looks you're up, kid," said Lisa. She spoke just as Kensei slugged Ichigo across the mouth. "Good luck. We're reaching the halfway point, so let's hope Ichigo gets his shit together already."
"Right." Aaron swallowed the fear holding him back and stepped inside the barrier. "Good work."
Kensei eyed him warily. "You sure about this?"
"Leave it to me."
Aaron drew his blade, releasing his Zanpakutou. The sight of him prompted the Hollowfied Ichigo to emit a bone chilling roar.
"And now my legs are shaking," Aaron muttered. "Not looking good so far..."
He regretted not going first. Lisa and Kensei had no doubt riled Ichigo up.
"The kid's got more balls than I gave him credit for," said Kensei, patching up his wounds.
"He's gonna get his balls crushed if he isn't careful," Lisa replied. She got the stopwatching ticking, feeling this would be the longest ten minutes of the day.
The person trapped inside the barrier with Ichigo had a similar mindset.
"Ready when you are," Aaron told his foe. "Not that you can probably hear me…"
Words wouldn't be needed. He grit his teeth, barely blocking Ichigo's sword. The force alone made his arms twitch in pain. Still, he held his ground, pushing his opponent back enough to attack himself. Ichigo parried, and the two sent sparks flying with a number of clashes.
Lisa eyed Hiyori twiddling her thumbs as the battle raged on.
"Don't," the latter snarled when Lisa opened her mouth. Hiyori's gaze returned to Aaron, and she twiddled her fingers even faster. "Just don't shit the bed...stupid dog."
Aaron unleashing a Getsuga Tenshou prompted Ichigo to do the same.
"Shit!" Aaron shouted as his attack got swept aside. Forced on the defensive, he slammed Seigetsu into the ground. "Getsuga Jigokushou!"
The pillar of energy managed to neutralize the Getsuga Tenshou. Aaron let out a corny laugh.
"Well, I really wasn't holding back given the situation, but it's clear you're gonna murder me if I don't step it up. To think we'd face off for the first time like this, Kurosaki."
There was little time to rest. A squinting Aaron might not have been able to see Ichigo, but he did get a full glimpse of the Cero about to punch a hole through him. He narrowly turned his body enough to dodge. Still, he could feel the Cero burning at his chest while it passed.
"Not so fast!"
He wouldn't let his foe get the jump on him again. The moment he laid eyes on Ichigo's racing form, he launched Seigetsu at him like a flail. Hollow Ichigo knocked the Zanpakutou away and fired off another Getsuga Tenshou. As it ripped apart the ground, Aaron stood his. Reeling his sword in, he Flash Stepped to the left, only to sense a sinister force above him.
"W-When did he…!"
Another Getsuga Tenshou was about to rain down on him. He had nowhere to run. The two blasts struck him head on. An explosion great enough to shake the warehouse nearly knocked the observing Visored off their feet.
"Steady there, Hacchi!" barked Shinji. Hachigen, sweating profusely, nodded and managed to keep the barrier up. "Dammit! Don't tell me…!"
"That dog is dead already?! What the hell is he doing?!" cried Hiyori. Biting her fingernails barely helped to sate her nerves, but she chewed them like they were dinner.
"Man, I wish someone would have a little faith in me…"
The dust settled. Though badly burned, Aaron remained in the world of the living. His Bankai saved him at the last possible moment. He hovered above the battlefield via a pair of spirit wings. From there, Hollow Ichigo could only howl in protest.
"Yeah, I should've used Bankai from the start," murmured Aaron, surveying the damage done to the area. It was like someone had set off a nuke.
Hiyori growled, though Mashiro thought it sounded more like a sigh of relief.
"So you really are worried about Chocolate-tan?"
"Don't make me hit you!"
Armed with a pair of long, white blades, Aaron twirled them and steadied his sights back on his prey.
I can't keep up with his speed. He's going to kill me if I keep trying to fight him straight up.
Aaron landed with an air of caution. Ichigo didn't move. Smoke vented out of his mouth as he patiently surveyed the Shinigami opposite him.
"How much time does he have left, Lisa?" asked Shinji.
"Seven minutes."
"You hear that, Aaron? Looks like you gotta hang in there a bit longer."
Shinji sounded more bored than concerned, a fact that made Aaron roll his eyes. Perhaps the other Visored really were counting on him biting the dust. Soaring toward Ichigo, he readied to prove them wrong.
He brought his twin swords down. However, he sliced a mere afterimage. Ichigo had already gotten behind him and was about to cut him in half. Whirling around, Aaron tossed one of his blades near Ichigo's feet.
"Getsuga Jigokushou!"
Aaron moved a moment too slow. Ichigo jumped back to safety. Still, he didn't eye Aaron having earlier tossed his other sword near the spot he landed.
"This time…! Getsuga Jigokushou!"
The second pillar of blue light engulfed Hollow Ichigo, and his anguished howling flooded the warehouse. The aftermath resulted in him hunching over and healing his grevious wounds. The remainder of his body had Hollowfied. The gaping hole in his chest gave Aaron pause.
"...Y-You're telling me even that didn't get him." Aaron's chest heaved up and down. "I used a lot of energy just now. I'll have to quit it with the heavy fireworks."
"He's got more power than he lets on," observed Shinji. "He acts like a pushover most of the time, but…"
"He's alright, I guess," grumbled Hiyori.
"You're rather persistent with this whole tsundere act, huh?" said Lisa.
Fuming, Hiyori snapped, "I-It's not an act! Shut up!"
"Oh, so you're admitting your a tsundere then? Understood."
"Shut up!"
"What the heck are they talking about out there?"
Aaron, shrugging, called his twin Zanpakutou into his grasp. Any damage he inflicted was already being shrugged off by Ichigo. As he caught his breath, it was obvious he was the only one winded.
"What's taking him so long? His Hollow hasn't…?"
Blood erupted from his chest. His growing eyes reacted well after the fact. He stumbled forward, his back being slashed this time. A black sword readied to pierce his throat and make it three for three. An alert Aaron moved his head, avoiding certain death, and Flash Stepped far, far away from the bloodthirsty Hollow.
"Is he...getting faster? Even with my Bankai, I can't keep up."
Hiyori, cupping her hands around her mouth, hollered, "Just let someone else do it already, idiot! You really are gonna die at this rate!"
Aaron paid her no mind as he held his hand up to his face and took a deep breath.
"She's gonna kick my ass for this…"
'Ripping' his fingers downward, his Hollow mask appeared. He felt its weight immediately, even finding it somewhat difficult to breathe. Despite this, power coursed through his veins. The pain from his wounds vanished. Though small and easy to miss, he could hear an eager voice whispering in the back of his head. It wanted him to hunt.
It wanted him to kill.
"Quiet down in there. I'm trying to think."
His distorted voice always threw him for a loop. He sounded so...inhuman. It gave him the chills.
And yet, he had no fear of his Inner Hollow taking over. It could tempt him all it liked. He was the one in control. This power was his to wield.
He would use it to help Ichigo achieve the same.
"This might hurt a bit…"
He stopped Ichigo's would-be attack, grabbing his sword with his bare hand. He used the other to catch Ichigo's face. With the flick of his wrist, he pushed his foe across the battlefield and through a number of rock formations. He didn't leave it at that. Streaking ahead, he crept up behind the sailing Ichigo and readied his blades.
"Getsuga Juujishou…"
The blast went off at point blank range. The barrier teemed with light. Hachigen managed to keep it afloat though stood in shock at cracks forming on each side. Even a Hollowfied Shinigami shouldn't have been able to damage it to such an extent.
"This boy…" he muttered, "...isn't to be underestimated."
"That's what I'm talking about! That kid ain't half bad!" said Love, whistling. "Though all of this is pointless if he went ahead and killed that Ichigo kid."
Aaron hit the ground with a thud. He couldn't feel any part of his body. His mask shattered like glass, revealing his grimacing visage. Given the smoldering surroundings and the gaping hole he punched into the ground, he understood why he felt completely drained.
"I...went overboard...didn't I?"
Not that it mattered. While Ichigo had been rendered a bloody, unrecognizable mess, that lasted all of a few seconds. Smoke billowed from his healing wounds. Though he hardly had the strength to do so, Aaron laughed.
"No way I can Hollowfy again. Shit, I can't even move."
"Get him out of there," Shinji informed Lisa. "I don't care how much time he has left."
"You hear that, newbie?! It's time to switch!" shouted Kensei.
"Looks like I'm up." Love jumped to his feet, patting his stomach. "He fed me, so it's only right I give him a hand!"
"No! My time isn't up yet, right?! I got this!"
Aaron might've been tired, yet, his declaration brimmed with passion. He employed his twin swords as makeshift crutches and managed to stand.
"W-What the hell is he doing?!" Besides herself with rage, Hiyori was about to jump both into the fray and down Aaron's throat. "Hey, dumbass dog!"
"Why do the names keep getting worse?" questioned Aaron.
"...How much time does he have left?" said Shinji.
"I thought you didn't care how much," Lisa replied.
"Smartass. Just tell me already."
"...Three minutes."
"That long, eh?" Shinji's eyelids narrowed. He could barely feel Aaron's spiritual pressure. Even so, the person in question smiled like a kid in a candy store. "...Love, you're up next. As soon as those three minutes pass, jump in."
"You're leaving him in there then?" asked a skeptical Kensei. "Come on, Shinji! The kid…!"
"He hasn't asked much of us since he got here. Let's just give him this."
The other Visored looked upon their leader. He didn't budge. Hiyori, shaking in anger, debated on beating him black and blue. The rest wondered if both he and Aaron had lost their minds.
"Got it, Boss," said Love. "The kid's got heart."
"Yes, I suppose he does," said a humored Rose. "Or, perhaps Hiyori's recklessness is rubbing off on him."
"Any reason you all are trying to pick a fight with me today?!" Hiyori snapped.
"He's done alright so far. Might as well let him finish," remarked Lisa.
"Go, Chocolate-tan! Go! Go! Go!" cheered Mashiro.
"You're giving me a headache," Kensei stated. "If we get him killed, don't say I didn't warn you."
"Whatever." Shinji cleaned out his ear. "Strengthen the barrier again, Hacchi. And I don't wanna hear anymore complaining unless you're okay with those two blowing us up."
Hacchi sighed. "Very well."
"Thanks, everyone." Given the green light, Aaron faced his foe once more. "Guess I can't let them down."
It was happening again. For a guy who only fought out of necessity, Aaron sensed his blood boiling in anticipation.
Even stranger...he was okay with it.
#
"Maybe I'm mistaken, but I get the feeling you're really trying to hurt me!"
Jackie Tristan aiming another kick at Sasune's head made that clear. A burst of Hirenkyaku not only saved him but placed him in an advantageous position directly above her. The pounding rain didn't ruin his aim. Pulling back on his crimson bow, he loosed a volley of arrows.
"I don't really like getting rough with women outside of the bedroom. You're kinda pushing it though."
"That's too bad. And here I was hoping we could be friends."
None of Sasune's arrows hit their mark, instead scattering around Jackie as if they had been knocked aside. Of course, that should've been impossible. No one could be that fast, Sasune thought.
But then again, hasn't she been getting faster ever since this fight started?
"What's the matter? I didn't think you could be this quiet," Jackie taunted. "Are you going to run after all then, kid?"
"Were you holding back before?"
"What was that?"
"You're not using Bringer Light, but I can't keep up with you. What sort of trick are you using?"
"What type of idiot do you take me for? If you really think I'm using some kind of trick, figure it out on your own."
A crack of thunder sounded. The rain fell even harder. Sasune pulled on his Quincy robes, frowning at them being soaked. Jackie was more or less in the same position, with her once white boots now littered with mud.
Smirking, Jackie seemed intent on letting him make the next move. He was in no hurry to do so, taking time to deliberate things.
I'm pretty sure she's using Fullbring right now. That would explain her being faster than a four year old jacked up on sugar. But, she isn't using a weapon like Ginjou or Tsukishima. I thought all Fulbringers used one.
He closed his eyes and thought even harder.
"Hey," he eventually proclaimed, "Are there Fullbring you can wear like clothing?"
One of Jackie's eyebrows heightened. "...And what if that's the case?"
She needn't confirm his theory. Sasune felt confident in it now.
So which part of her clothing is her Fullbring? Her whole outfit is funky.
"If you're not gonna come at me, little boy, why don't I come to you?!"
Sasune scrambled for his life, dodging Jackie's leg. He was glad he had in light of her splitting apart the concrete street. He countered by firing an arrow straight at her.
"Too slow!" Jackie declared, kicking it aside. "Is that the best you can do?!"
She closed in on him in the blink of an eye. A roundhouse kick sailed toward his head, one he ducked before replying with a kick of his own. Jackie blocked it, though her eyes widened at her skidding back a fair distance.
"...Are you telling me those skinny legs have that much power behind them?"
"I could say the same about you," replied Sasune. "Something tells me you can't use Blut like me."
"Blut, huh? Yeah, I think Tsukishima mentioned a trick like that."
"That's not fair. You know my secrets, but I don't know yours. Be a pal."
"Heh. Sorry, kid. It doesn't work like that."
"It was worth a try..."
Sasune took a defensive stance. He would prefer fighting at the distance rather than relying on Blut. Even with it, he was certain Jackie would out muscle him in a drawn out, hand-to-hand fight.
But it's strange. Even if she works out, her size doesn't translate to hitting like a semi-truck.
His eyes settled on her boots. It might have been his imagination, but they were far muddier than the rest of her outfit.
"...No. That doesn't make any sense."
"You've been going quiet for awhile now. Just what are you thinking about?"
Sasune lifted his bow, finding Jackie running literal circles around him. No matter where he aimed, he couldn't keep up.
"Get it already? You're too slow!"
She closed in and landed a knee to his gut. Besides taking the wind out of him, Sasune heard something crack. A stiff kick to the neck send him rolling against the street. For awhile, he questioned if standing was wise.
"...Next time, just talk things out, Sasune."
He coughed violently, willing himself to his feet. His blurring vision made him fear something worse than a rib or two was broken.
"Don't be an idiot," said Jackie with a sigh. "I don't really want to do this anymore. There's no point in fighting a guy who can only shoot arrows and talk."
"You're wrong." The blood trailing down his mouth didn't stop Sasune from grinning from ear to ear. "We Quincy might look fragile, but you're in for a world of hurt if you think we're just glorified archers. We are a dangerous quarry to hunt."
"But quarry nonetheless, right?"
Sasune wasn't smiling anymore. "...I'll prove you wrong."
"Like I said, you're all talk."
Sasune blinked. Jackie was right beside him. Another use of Hirenkyaku moved him to the top of a building. However, Jackie was there waiting for him. He turned around, firing an arrow at her head, or at least where her head used to be. She had gotten behind him again. With another sigh, she tripped him up. His arms flailed as he fell from the rooftop and flat on his behind.
"Jeez…" he muttered. He was glad the house hadn't been tall. The only thing seriously hurt was his pride. "She's just messing with me now."
He sprung to his feet just in time to see Jackie walking toward him.
Faster again. No doubt that's how her Fullbring works, but...
"Last chance," Jackie said impatiently, placing her hands on her hips. "If you don't wanna die, get lost. You're wasting my time."
"Sucks for you. I'm hardheaded. Even my own brother thinks I'm a pain in the ass."
"It's not hard to see why."
Sasune ignored the icy sweat pouring down his head, striving to convince himself it was only rain.
Wait, rain? Does that have anything to do with her Fullbring? The storm has only gotten worse while she's gotten stronger. Maybe...
"Just how long do you think I'm going to stand here letting you think? It doesn't matter what you come up with. You're outclassed. It's that simple."
"Outclassed, sure, but not outgunned."
He gestured for her to 'bring it.' Jackie rolled her eyes, realizing the only thing an idiot like Sasune Ishida understood was brute force.
"You're really aggravating, kid. You know that, right?"
"Some say that's my most charming quality."
"...See what I mean?"
#
"Whoa there!"
Already slashed on the chest, Love backflipped to dodge Ichigo's second swing. A gash nonetheless opened up on his shoulder.
"Yep. You've just about finished Hollowfying. This one is gonna be tough…"
One would have been hardpressed to recognize Ichigo Kurosaki as human in his present form. Red markings littered his white skin. His tail swung about savagely, and he emitted a roar that would have made a Menos Grande tremble.
"Why the hell did I end up going after all?" Love questioned, stretching his neck.
"We've passed the sixty minute mark, right?" said Aaron. Assuming his watch wasn't lying to him, that should've been the case. "You guys said if we went on that long, we've failed?"
For Ichigo's sake, he certainly hoped not. Otherwise, they would have no choice but to put him down like some diseased animal
"...Let's give it a while longer."
Shinji's answer was encouraging. His grim tone wasn't. Aaron gulped and hoped 'awhile longer' was more like 'a few days longer.'
"He already looks like he's done Hollowfying..."
"What's the longest any of us have taken to subjugate our Hollow?" asked Lisa.
Kensei answered, "That would be Hiyori with sixty nine minutes and two seconds."
Hiyori pouted at her less than stellar time being brought up.
"So, how long has it been since Ichigo started Hollowfying?"
Kensei closed his eyes, not so quick to answer Lisa this time. "...Sixty eight minutes and forty four seconds."
"Pretty much at the limit then." Aaron sighed. "I'm...sure it'll be alright. If it's Kurosaki, he'll find a way to pull through. He always does."
"I sure hope you're right, kid," Shinji muttered.
Back inside the barrier, a tricky problem presented itself to Love. Ichigo pointed a pair of fingers at him, charging what everyone quickly realized was another Cero.
"You're getting a bit too trigger happy with those things," joked Love.
"This one's stronger than the others!" Lisa shouted. "Be careful!"
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
Love held his hand over his face.
"He's going to Hollowfy?" inquired Mashiro.
"What other choice does he have?" said Rose. "That's the only way he could defend against an attack like that."
"J-Jeez! This energy!" Even outside the barrier, the heat of Ichigo's skyrocketing spiritual pressure got to Aaron. Rose words aside, he didn't think anyone stood a shot at withstanding such a blast, Hollowfied or not. "Hey, shouldn't we get him outta there instead?! Right now, Kurosaki is…!"
This wasn't the power of a Shinigami. Aaron grit his teeth, fearing they really were too late.
But, right as Ichigo would have obliterated Love, his white skin began to splinter. He froze, giving an ear splitting cry nearly as unbearable as his spiritual pressure.
A brilliant light arose from within the barrier. Everyone shielded their vision, having no idea what awaited within the billowing smoke.
"S-Shit…" Embarrassed, Aaron picked himself up off the ground. "It's just one thing after another in this mad…"
A lone figure stood in the middle of the training grounds. Aaron made haste to grab his Zanpakutou. The silhouette was too Hollow-shaped for his liking.
"Huh?"
Far from monstrous, the Shinigami known as Ichigo Kurosaki came into view. The white skin adoring his flesh peeled away, leaving him with a mask. The rows of teeth reminded Aaron of his own mask. He gulped.
"Kurosaki…?"
Ichigo said nothing. He didn't budge an inch.
"Hacchi…"
Hachigen nodded at Shinji and then dispelled the barrier at long last. They wouldn't need it any longer. Aaron understood why when everyone relaxed.
"Good." He sighed long and hard. "Great work, Kurosaki. For a minute, I was scared you…"
Ichigo collapsed. Aaron was the sole one alarmed by this. As casually as taking a morning walk, Shinji made his way over to Ichigo. Aaron joined him, eager to check on his friend.
"Are you...alright?"
Moving his head up, a smirk was plastered over Ichigo's face. "Never better."
"Unbelievable…"
Of course Ichigo Kurosaki would be smiling after going through literal hell. It was too funny. Aaron couldn't hold them in anymore. It hurt to do so, but he split his sides with laughter. Ichigo did the same, and for short time, Aaron figured they must have looked incredibly foolish.
"It's foggy," began Ichigo, "but I got the feeling you kicked my ass, Higuchi."
"Funny—I remember it being the other way around."
Ichigo held out his fist. Aaron bumped it with his own. Neither could think of a better ending to such a hectic day.
"Get a room already," Hiyori muttered to herself.
"If you're jealous…"
Hiyori cut Lisa off by shouting, "I'm not jealous! Who the hell would be jealous of those baldies?!"
"You've been reading my magazines again, haven't you?"
"Would you shut up already?!"
#
Jackie stood over Sasune's broken form. She couldn't exactly take pride in a victory determined from the start. Her head moved up to the pitch black sky. The rain really wasn't letting up, almost as if weeping for such a wasteful loss of life.
"Stupid kid…"
She started walking away, though a ringing coming from her pocket stopped her.
"What is it, Ginjou?" she said, answering a cell phone. She didn't need to glance at the caller ID to know who was on the other end. "Yeah, I've already taken our little problem. Get someone like like Tsukishima or Giriko next time if you want dirty work like this done. I'm not an assassin. This kid might not have been any friend of mine, but...this isn't right. It's dirty."
"Dirty, huh? Now I get it. Thanks for the hint."
Jackie froze. It couldn't be. Ending the call, she gradually faced the other way.
"No wonder you were so insistent on fighting in this storm." An unsteady Sasune climbed to his feet. A trail of blood leaked out of his forehead, though he was in far too good a mood to give a damn. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost. A sexy ghost, but…"
"How in the hell are you still alive?!"
Jackie knew she landed a kick that should've broken his neck. She had put everything she had into the blow.
"You scrambled my brains really good. Too bad you forgot about my Blut Vene."
Black veins enveloped his neck. Jackie snarled.
"Your boots," Sasune continued. "You get stronger and faster the dirtier they get, right?"
Jackie stood stunned, inadvertently confirming his theory.
"...Right. My Fullbring is called Dirty Boots. I'm not sure how you figured it out, but I've clearly underestimated that head of yours."
She didn't get it. The only clue she had given him was the rain.
Has he...only been acting like a fool so he could stall and figure me out?
Sasune grinned in an effort to hide the fact his skull ached. His Blut might have saved him from death, but he wasn't sure it had spared him a concussion. His legs felt like jelly. Even thinking straight proved a challenge.
Alright, World's Greatest Quincy. You...need a plan…
Understanding how Jackie's Fullbring worked wouldn't stop it from tearing him limb from limb.
I can't use Blut Vene again. I really will die. Arrows seem to be a no go too. Should I break my Sanrei Glove?
He wasn't sure it would hold up being broken a second time. If he burned out his Quincy powers and still didn't defeat his foe, he would be even more helpless.
Unable to stand under his own weight, he leaned against a car. Jackie marched toward him, and she wasn't amused.
"You look ready to kill me for real this time," he said with the faintest of chuckles. "Just end it then. Why are you playing with your food?"
"...Because I have no interest in crushing men weaker than me. Unfortunately, you've messed with our group's plans one too many times."
"What plans? What could you maniacs possibly have in mind? And what do you need Miss Mitsumi for?"
"If you're trying to stall by distracting me, I'm afraid I'm on to you."
"...You're as perceptive as you are strong and beautiful."
"Flattery won't help either. It's over, kid. You should've stayed at home tonight like a good little boy."
Suddenly, Sasune didn't think her so 'strong and beautiful.'
"What are you doing?"
He pointed his index finger at her. "...Trying something stupid."
He would only get one shot at this. Considering he would probably die regardless, he saw no harm in giving in to desperation.
"Carriage of...thunder..."
"Just what are you muttering about over there?"
"...bridge of a spinning wheel..."
"...What?"
"With light, divide this into six! Way of Binding Number Sixty One! Six Rods Prison of Light!"
One by one, the Kidou slammed into a clueless Jackie. Her limbs felt like they had been glued together.
"D-Dammit!" she cried. "Kidou?! I thought only Shinigami could…?!"
"You thought wrong. I hate doing such uncool stuff, but I...forgot my Silver Tubes at home as dumb as that sounds." Sasune chuckled at his mistake. "Normal Quincy don't use cheap Shinigami tricks. Unfortunately for you, I ain't normal. My mother was a Shinigami. Naturally, she taught me a spell or two."
He held out his arm and formed his bow. Horror flooded into Jackie's bloodshot eyes.
"Who in the hell are you?!" she said through clenched teeth.
"...Sasune Ishida. Son of Meiko Sawada and the best damn Quincy on the planet. I can't have you going around and telling people you saw me using Shinigami crap. I'm just going to have to make it so you can't open that mouth of yours...ever again."
A bolt of lightning struck, illuminating his dark and somber features.
"Sorry…"
Sasune let his final arrow fly.
END
