I hope everyone enjoyed the big 50th Chapter Special! Saying that, I want to take a moment to thank "Guest" and "Sustrai" for reviewing the chapter.
Briefly, I'd like to address some of the points brought up by Sustrai... First off, I am making an effort to not keep on repeating *all* of the personal details of all the characters so much. Second, the verbose and slightly theatrical nature of the dialogue was intentional. Even when I'm writing straight-forward drama, my natural style tends to veer into heightened reality- or even melodrama- at times (partly because I like that style). Still, I can see how it would throw some people off. Also, I did try to show some resentment towards the Hollows by the lower ranks, but I really could have done more to expand on that point. And lastly, I will admit that I made a lot of missteps when it came to handling Ichigo's arc. I guess I was so caught up in everything else that I didn't realize how disconnected he was from everything else.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter LI:
"Convergence"
Soul Society, Two Years Ago...
Inside the Central Chamber, at the head of a large table, sat the Shinigami leaders: Captain Unohana of the Fourth, Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth, Captain Komamura of the Seventh, Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth, Captain Kenpachi of the Eleventh, and Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth. Lieutenant Sasakibe represented the First, while the newly appointed Szayel Grantz represented the Twelfth.
Captain Ukitake stood up. "I've been asked to give a brief address, which- it is my hope- will go some way to summarizing the key points of these hearings, which are only now concluded."
Of the other five Divisions of the Elite Court Guard, the Captains of the Second and Eighth were still too injured to attend. Additionally, the Lieutenant of the former had perished, while the Lieutenant of the latter was presently indisposed. Further, the Vizards who had previously lead the Third, Fifth, and Ninth Division were present, dressed in the black robes and the white Captain's haoris- representative of them once more being in command of their respective units.
"Rather than give some dry summation of the findings," Ukitake continued. "I believe the point of this should be to speak to the larger underlying intent behind everything we've touched upon." He paused, clearing his throat before going on. "And so, I hope that all of you presently gathered here- including many of my fellow Captains- will indulge me a bit longer."
The former Captain of the Twelfth, Kisuke Urahara was among the assembled audience, which was a mixture of Shinigami, Arrancar (of various types), Vizards, and Humans. Lieutenants Renji Abarai and Rangiku Matsumoto were present, along with Kira Izuru and (a bored-looking) Hiyori- still dressed in her magenta track suit and sandals, arms folded as she fought the urge to tap her foot.
The two halves of the Primera Espada, Coyote Stark and Lillynette Gingerback, were present- with the latter looking restless. The Tercera Espada, Tia Halibell (along with by her three Fraccions) stood in the room, as well as the Fraccion Ggio Vega (formerly of the Segunda Espada).
"Perhaps greater than the War itself, are the truths we have had to face in the aftermath of this conflict, a conflict that very nearly could have destroyed everything." The Captain went on. "Now, as you know, I have some understanding of the concept of survival, speaking not just as a warrior, but as one who has lived with the shadow of sickness hanging over me."
"There's going to be a great deal of reflection, of soul searching in the days to come, and we Shinigami are no exception to this." The white-haired man spoke. "Be it individuals or nations, there comes a time when a decision must be made- when the 'enemy', whatever form it takes, is at our throats... And it is in that moment, that it becomes easy to believe that the only way to survive is to resort to the very means of that enemy, to look the other way and simply do what is most expedient."
Orihime was also present in the hall, standing next to Ulquiorra Schiffer- who was clad in his recently acquired Gigai (complements of Kisuke Urahara). He noted idly, when he felt her hand on his, twining her fingers together with his own. Without comment, he reciprocated the gesture.
"But the question then is 'survival as what?'" Ukitake offered. "When have we sacrificed too much? When have we failed to live up to our own expectations?" He continued. "After all, when we believe in something, we have be prepared to take a stand for it- even more so when it's challenged. That is, what we stand for when standing for something is most difficult..."
Ukitake took a breath, before going on. "After today, it's my firm hope that everyone of us here, in this hall, given everything we've experienced and learned," he continued. "That what we all stand for, from this moment on, is justice, truth, and the inalienable value of a single living being."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Present...
Karakura City, Mashiba...
Residential District...
Darkwood was working alone in his garden behind his home. Ichigo had called a few days earlier, in order to let him know that he would be busy with his part-time job. As such, the older man was in-turn keeping himself busy tending to his flowers, expecting the teen to arrive later on in the day.
So, when the bearded man heard footsteps behind him, he couldn't help but feel a little uncertain about what exactly was going on. Steeling himself, Darkwood set his gardening tools aside and slowly rose to his feat- sleeves rolled up and gloves on- and quickly turned around. "Y-you?!" He exclaimed, his dark brown eyes going wide, backing away from his 'visitor' in surprise.
"I've come to talk." Spoke a man, with red stubble on his face and wearing a black hoodie.
"W-what are you doing here?!" Darkwood replied, alarmed.
"Now, now," the stranger countered, almost coyly. "Is that any way to welcome a guest?" The hooded man asked of the other man with a smile, before taking a step forward. "After all, you've become a very important man in light of recent events... He went on.
Darkwood took a step back, only for a leather gloved hand to land on his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder, to the man presently obstructing his path- he was tall and well built, with broad shoulder, and dressed in leather and metal studs, making him resemble a biker.
"Please, don't mind my friend." The man offered him in an oddly amiable tone. "Now, that I have your undivided attention," he resumed calmly, producing a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and removing one of them. "Oh, and I hope you'll excuse me if I smoke... And so, as I previously stated, " he went on, before moving to light the end. "I've come here to talk."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ichigo had just finished working his shift at Shop Unagiya. After changing clothes- which was really little more than swapping out his white work t-shirt with one of his own- he started to head for the door, only to stop when he heard the sound of soft footsteps behind him.
He turned, revealing his boss, standing at the foot of the stairs, an unreadable look on her face.
"Ichigo..." The woman began, taking a step towards. "I never really properly thanked you... for... for what happened last week." Ikumi continued after a brief hesitation, her gaze shifting about.
"It was nothing." Ichigo replied dismissively with a smile, trying to defuse the tension that had fallen over them in that moment. "I just did what anyone else would've-"
"No." The dark-haired woman cut in sharply. "You risked your life, to save my child." She resumed, looking him in the eyes she spoke. "And it's imperative that you understand just how much what you did means to me..." Ikumi stopped, standing before him. "You see, Ichigo, the truth is..."
He kept silent as the woman continued. "The truth is that I've never really had anyone in my life that I could truly rely on- and certainly not men." Ikumi admitted. "Kaoru's father, he left- no, he abandoned us- before I'd even given birth, and I've never him seen since then." The businesswoman paused, taking a moment to collect herself. "You see, I wasn't that much older than you at the time... And my parents thought I should give him up, that I couldn't handle the responsibility."
"Oh, Ikumi..." Ichigo lamented, almost under his breath.
She smiled faintly at him. "That was ten years ago." Ikumi went on. "And here I am, now, raising my boy and running a business." The woman continued, resting her hands on her hips. "And I did both of those things on my own. Not because I chose to, but because- for the most part- I didn't have anyone I could turn to, that I could rely on, when things were tough."
"That's what's so amazing about you." Ichigo remarked bashfully. "Everything you've accomplished," the orange-haired teen added. "You've done it all on your own."
"Well, I've had a little help as of late." Ikumi replied, smiling.
"What, me?" Ichigo replied. "No, no, really, I'm nothing special."
"But you are, Ichigo." She countered, placing a hand on his arm. "I knew there was something about you, something that set you aside from other people- something special. After all, I wouldn't tie up just any one and throw them in the back of my van if I didn't think they were special."
The young man and the woman chuckled. "Well, when you put it like that," Ichigo remarked with a bashful smile. "...It is nice to feel appreciated, I guess."
"And I do appreciate you, Ichigo." Ikumi replied warmly, her gloved hand sliding down the side of his arm and gently gripping his hand. "You're a good man, Ichigo, someone to be admired."
A moment passed, then he nodded. "Thank you, Ikumi." Ichigo replied with a smile.
As he returned back to his work, Ikumi saw a dark blur pass by the window. It happened so fast, that there was no way to be sure it wasn't just a stray shadow... And yet, she could have sworn that it looked downright human- almost like a person dressed in black.
However, the woman brushed it off, figuring it was likely nothing more than a trick of the light.
"Alright, Ichigo, let's get going."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Soul Society...
Division Four HQ...
"Now, Captain, if you'd just hold still for a moment..."
With those words spoken, Shinzo Abe meticulously drew back the plunger on the syringe, filling the small glass cylindrical with blood. With this done, he placed a swab on the pale flesh of his subject and seamlessly withdrew the thin needle from their arm upper, then wrapped a bandage around it.
He then handed the needle to the nearby assistant. The young Officer promptly nodded, then moved to deposit the dark crimson fluid into a labeled glass phial.
"Thank you, Captain Soifon." The tall, brown-haired man spoke, as he stored the glass vessel inside a nearby medical refrigeration locker, which he then locked. "As a Captain, we realize that you're time is precious, so we'll prioritize getting your results." Abe explained, removing his glasses.
Soifon nodded, watching as he tucked the black-framed spectacles into the breast pocket of his white lab coat. "I'm just glad be done with all this." The slender woman idly remarked, flexing her arm a few times, before retrieving her black sleeve and sliding it back up her left arm. "Such a nuisance."
Abe smiled, rubbing his chin- covered by the whiskers of his goatee. "Well, it's only once a year."
The Captain sighed, slipping her white haori back on, her black hair falling partly over the "2" symbol adorning the back of it. "Yes, well it still doesn't make it any less of a pain."
The medic nodded. "None the less, if you have a chance, I'd appreciate it if you would give my regards to Lieutenant Shenkai." Abe spoke, still smiling. "And my thanks for the book he recommended."
"Huh, book?" Soifon replied, a quizzical look on her face. "Oh, wait... He's in that book club, with you and Lieutenant Ise from the Eighth, isn't he?" The woman inquired.
The Fourth Division Officer nodded. "He's particularly fond of fables and epic prose from the pre-Han, as well as the Han and later eras of classical Chinese history." Abe remarked.
Soifon gave a look of surprise. "Really?" She started "I... had no idea." The woman admitted. As the two of them stood in the small room, the lithe female Shinigami was suddenly struck by an odd feeling at the sudden realization that- in truth- she still knew so relatively little about her second-in-command, even in the fact of the fact that so much time had passed.
"Oh yes, Captain Soifon." Abe replied enthusiastically. "You should hear his recitations of verses from Sun Tzu's The Art of War." He continued enthusiastically as he cleaned up.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Huecco Mundo...
Grimmjow gave a typically cocky confident smile, folding his arms across his broad chest.
Two years later, and the large ghastly wound that had once marked his torso- compliments of the late Cinco Espada- was now a diagonal line of faded scar tissue.
He was dressed in the light gray trench-coat that he'd adopted after the Winter War, worn over a white shirt, which he purposefully left half unbuttoned. His sword Pantera rested at his side, under the black sash around his waist, and the legs of his white hakama were tucked into a pair of boots.
"I was told you needed to talk to me about something." The blue-haired Arrancar spoke, his ponytail shifting as he gave a flick of his head. "Well, I'm here, so what's up?"
"Something major is soon to unfold." Ellsingar began. "This much I have divined in the Skjein." The painted female Arrancar went on. "Though, so far, I cannot say in which realm."
"Why am I not surprised..." Grimmjow replied sarcastically. "Well, what did it tell you, then?"
"That blood will be spilled in the process." She answered in a grave tone. "And, that- before all is said and done- a price will be paid." Ellsingar finished, looking directly at him.
Grimmjow gave a 'hmph' in response. "Tell me something, Ellsingar, what the hell's the use in peering into the Skjein, if everything you see in it is so damned vague?"
"The Skjein is not a window the future," the female replied calmly. "It is all of time, and the tapestry formed by the threads of fate." Ellsingar replied, the bracelets on her wrists jangling as she crossed her wrapped arms. "We cannot know the future that is to be, we can only accept and prepare for it."
Grimmjow smiled wickedly. "Well, call me an asshole," he began with a shrug. "But I've never really liked the idea that I don't have control over my own life."
Ellsingar shook her head. "You misunderstand, you control your destiny." She countered. "If one knew the future, then that foreknowledge would prevent it from happening. This life of ours isn't determined by probability, but by what we do in the moment. That is where we have power."
The imposing Espada chuckled at this. "Well, when you put it that way," Grimmjow started, tucking his hands into the pockets of his coat. "It doesn't sound like such a pisser after all."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Meanwhile, in the Living Realm...
In one of the workshops within the depths beneath Shop Urahara, the man from who its namesake was derived from was hard at work. The scruffy-faced ex-Shinigami was seated on the floor, surrounded by a seemingly random assortment of electronics- with a fair amount of 'junk' mixed in.
Multiple 6-volt batteries lay on their side, lined up and wired together. A long narrow metal beam, with a rail-like mount fixed atop of it. There were also multiple partly-dismantled light fixtures and bulbs of varying types and intensity. Coils of wires, connectors, switches, circuits and other mechanisms dotted the floor. Nearby, multiple tools- including pliers and a soddering iron- lay next to roles of tape.
He was in the process of wiring several coils of magnetized metal together, when the door the room suddenly opened. Urahara looked up from his work, seeing none other than Yoruichi Shihoin standing in the doorway. The mocha-skinned woman was dressed in a pare of cut-off shorts that showed off her long tones legs, and a flattering tank-top that exposed her midriff.
Her keen golden eyes were visible, framed by the dark locks of her shiny black main, which was tied into a ponytail in the back (with a yellow scrunchy). The dark-skinned woman shook her head, sighing as she took in the sight before her- of her partner, sitting amidst the rubbish on the floor.
"I've been looking for you." She remarked in an exasperated tone, placing her hands on her hips as she stepped into the cluttered room. "Just what the hell are you doing in here, anyway?"
"Something important." Urahara replied (his reply intentionally vague) as he looked back to his work, even as the woman knelt down beside him on the floor of the workshop.
"Really? It looks like junk to me." Yoruichi countered, picking up what appeared to be an ergonomic handle with a trigger and exposed wires coming from the top of it.
"Careful with that!" Urahara exclaimed, snatching the object from her hand. "This thing here is an important part of the, er, instrument that I'm working on."
"Instrument?" She repeated back, now grinning. "Oh, but doesn't that sound mysterious!" The female Shinigami exclaimed mockingly. "Always the inventor, you."
"I know it looks like a pile of random junk right now," Urahara countered, as he affixed the handle to the middle of the underside of the long piece of metal. "But if I'm right about something..." The blonde-haired man continued. "Well, then this 'piece of junk'- as you call it- will be invaluable."
"Sure, sure, sweetie." Yoruichi replied dismissively. "Hey, wait," she spoke up when something on the floor happened to catch her eye. "Are those... microwave parts?"
The former Shinigami turned shopkeeper and scientist groaned, resigned to his current predicament, as he used steel duct clamps to fix the batteries in place onto the end of the long piece of metal.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Division Twelve HQ...
Szayel Grantz was in his office, when his intercom beeped. "Yes?"
"Szayel-sama," Nemu's voice began, through the com-system. "One of out field teams in the Living Realm has just reported in, the Leader is requesting to report directly to you."
"Very well then, patch them directly to me, on the secure line." The Octavio Espada instructed, as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll speak with them personally."
"Understood." Nemu replied. "You'll be receiving them momentarily."
The pink-haired Arrancar rose up from his desk and entered into his private quarters- which he shared with Nemu- through the adjoining doorway. Once inside, the smoothed metal door slid shut behind him with a faint hiss. Szayel then took his seat at his personal computer.
"This is Captain Grantz, I am now receiving you." Szayel stated, clicking a notification on the screen, causing a window to open up. "You requested to speak directly with me?"
The Shinigami on the screen nodded. "Yes, Captain." He spoke. "While taking reading, we detected... unusual readings, sir." The man continued, in an even tone. "You see, sir, the specifics of the readings, they match the parameters you provided to us, Captain..."
"The same readings as the 'energy' that caused the disruption." Szayel finished.
"Yes sir." The Field Agent replied, somberly. "An exact match, to be precise... Sir, if these readings are related, then we may be dealing with a Code Black."
The Octavio nodded. "Understood, maintain your current position." Szayel replied. "I'll be joining you shortly, on-site in the Living Realm, to directly supervise the operation."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ichigo was making his way home from work, when he heard a voice behind him.
"It's been a while, Ichigo."
The teenager turned around, seeing a strange man. He was dressed in a black hoodie, denim jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. "Not that you'd have any reason to know me from Adam." The stranger spoke, taking a step forward. "Still, I'd like to think I know a decent bit about you."
"Who are you?" The orange-haired youth asked cautiously.
"A fair enough question." The hooded figure replied with a smile. "And answered easily enough. My name is Dario." The man explained, introducing himself. "And while you don't know me, we do have a few mutual acquaintances- one of which, I payed a visit to earlier today."
"Though, I must say," Dario continued evenly. "That the good Mr. Darkwood wasn't very forthcoming when we spoke, in fact, I go so far as to say that he was hardly any help at all." He added, still smiling at the youth before. "So, I think you'll understand when I say I hope you'll be different."
"What the hell did you do?!" Ichigo replied furiously, his mind racing.
"At the moment, you really should be more concerned about yourself." Dario countered calmly, his expression never wavering. "As I said, I've come to pay you a visit." He went on. "And it's my sincere hope that you'll be a bit more forthcoming than your friend was."
Ichigo glared at him as he spoke. "Oh, and in case you needed further persuasion," the man went on, pausing only momentarily to take a drag from his cigarette. "A few of my friend's have come along as well- some of whom, I expect, that you'll likely already be familiar with."
Ichigo felt a sudden chill run through him, as he glanced around nervously, only to discover that he was suddenly surrounded by a number of men- dressed in a variety of unusual clothing/outfits. The teenager instantly recognized them as the same ones who'd brutally attacked him earlier that year...
"Oh shit..." Ichigo thought silently to himself.
He was surrounded!
The youth registered the presence of the big sonovabitch in the leather getup; then to the gothy-looking guy in the black coat and the dark glasses; as well as the two assholes wearing the baseball cap and the bandanna, and a few new ones- people that he didn't recognize from previous run-ins...
They included a fair-skinned man with a worn face, dressed all in black, with stringy dark hair; and a guy decked out in a fur-lined tanned leather jacket with long sideburns and a soul-patch adorning his chin. There was another asshole amidst them, this one with blow-dried hair and a black jacket with the collar popped up, among their ranks. And then, there was a decidedly bad-ass looking woman- dressed in tight leather (including pants and a cinched up vest) and her body covered in intricate tattoos.
The man decked out in the leather held out his fist menacingly- clenching the end of a length of chain that was rapped around his hand and forearm like a gauntlet- and glared at him. Ichigo swallowed hard and took a fumbling step back from the man, before turning to the 'ring leader'.
"So, what now?" The man with the long stringy black hair asked.
"Easy now, Ronnie." Dario replied with a smile. "Let's not be hasty."
As the teen looked back to the man in the hoodie, Dario smiled ominously at him. "And now, Ichigo," he started. "What do you say to the idea of you having a little heart-to-heart with us, hmm?"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Lieutenant Kira Izuru looked up as a Senkaimon doorway suddenly appeared before him, the sandy-haired Shinigami watching as Szayel stepped though the inter-dimensional portal.
"Ah, Captain Grantz," the dour-looking Soul Reaper began, brushing hand through the long blonde bangs covering the side of his face. "I- I was told to expect you."
The bespectacled Espada nodded. "Thank you, Lieutenant." He replied calmly, as he reaching up to adjust his glasses. "Where is the man who contacted me?" Szayel asked him. "From what he told me, I'm eager to look over the findings." He went on, addressing the other man.
The Shinigami nodded, and appeared to be about to answer, when he suddenly stopped, the Shinigami seemingly frozen in-place as an unearthly chill fell over the area. Confused, Szayel looked around, only to find everything else around him similarly suspended state.
Just then, he heard footsteps coming from nearby. Halting mid-sentence, the Octavio Espada turned toward the source of the sudden and unexpected noise.
He was greeted by the figure of a man: He was clean-shaven, with a fair complexion, keen blue eyes and light blonde hair. The man was dressed in a matching pristine white jacket (with a decorative gold handkerchief in the breast-pocket) and slacks, over a white waistcoat and dress-shirt. His shirt collar looked freshly starched, and his necktie was the same shade of gold as his handkerchief.
"Nice little party trick." Szayel commented
"Captain." The man spoke with a smile.
He regarded the man for a moment, before nodding politely. "Well now, I wondering when you'd show up again." The golden-eyed Arrancar started. "I like the cuff-links, they're a nice addition."
The Man in White smiled and nodded. "Oh, these?" He started, glancing down at his hands. "I'm glad that you approve. After all this whole little ensemble of mine is a something of an ongoing project, so feedback is always welcome."
"However, the truth is, that I really don't have much time." The stranger went on. "There are.. a great deal of factors currently in play at the moment, and as ever, I'm bound by... certain rules in what I say and do."
Szayel chuckled at this. "I was wondering when you'd return for one of these little sessions, to offer me some vague warning."
He nodded at this. "I'm afraid so." The Man in White replied, shaking his head. "The truth is, all I can tell you right now... Is, to prepare for the darkness."
(- End of Chapter LI... -)
As you can probably guess, things are starting to come to a head... So I hope you guys will stick around to see how things play out. Also, I'm looking forward to seeing what some of my regulars (like Taity, darkmachines, and RG-Guest) think of these last few chapters.