I posed the question in the last update: regarding how much interest there is in this story- in response to the total lack of feedback on the chapter before it. And considering the fact that I received no feedback for that chapter either... Well, I'm not sure how to take that. On one hand, I don't want to come across like I'm begging for reviews, but the complete silence (except for a nice pm from one individual) makes me wonder just how much interest there is in this.
I'm bringing this up because I've been busting my hump working on this story- to the point that I'm getting close to being far enough along that I might be able to start updating this on a weekly basis in the near future. As it stands, I'm a little more than two-thirds finished. But that's still a lot of work, and- like I said last time- I'd like to think that people other than myself (and RG-Guest) are enjoying this. Again, I can't help but restate one point I made last time- the fact that Kain101, Taity, wendou, and Ayase Reincarnated have pretty much gone silent. The only regular, aside from RG-Guest, that I've received feedback during the last 10 updates is darkmachines.
I'd like to think that writing a fan-story that includes things like philosophy, metaphysics, speculative science, political intrigue, explicit sex, and (just last chapter) Ichigo caving a guy's skull in with a bat!, would warrant more interest. Come on guys, show me some love, let me know that I'm giving you something good.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter LIII:
"Revelations, Part 1"
The Living Realm, Karakura City...
It had only been a matter of moments since the first report of the "Dark Energy" had reached Szayel, only to be followed by countless other accounts of the manifestations to flood in in short order...
The pink-haired Arrancar gave an uneasy look, rubbing his chin. "This... This isn't good." He mused out loud. "It's starting to look we've got an epidemic on our hands."
"Quickly, get Soul Society on the line- on the double!" Szayel barked to one of his technicians, who smartly nodded and departed to fire up the com-link to the Soul Realm.
The bespectacled Espada cleared his throat. "This is Captain Szayel Grantz, of the Twelfth Division, reporting from the Living Realm." He started. "We're detecting dozens of temporal-spacial distortions, all of them of the nature as the event that occurred six weeks ago."
The nearby Shinigami, who composed his team, listened as he spoke. "We could very well be dealing with a Level: Red situation." Szayel went on. "We need to mobilize Tactical Containment Teams, along with reinforcements- in case we need to do any damage control."
"Understood." Came the response over the line. "Response Teams should begin arriving shortly."
"Good." Szayel replied coolly, before turning to one of his men. "I want this JOC fully prepped and ready to coordinate with those teams, as soon as they arrive." He instructed. "Our people out there are going to need actionable intelligence if they're going to see this through- so see to it."
With that, the Arrancar folded his arms. It was all just a matter of time now...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Soul Society...
"We only just got word a few minutes ago," Captain Hitsugaya began as he made he turned into a corridor. "Captain Grantz reported an alarming number of anomalous readings throughout Karakura- the same as the readings that were recorded the day his division member was killed and Lieutenant Abarai was left maimed." He coolly explained to her.
"So that's why we're being sent to the Living Realm." Rangiku replied as they made their ways down the hall. "How could I forget that day..." She added with a sigh. "I was the one sent to the Living Realm to bring Orihime in back here, so she could restore his lost arm." The Lieutenant recounted.
"Precisely." The young Captain remarked. "That's why we're taking this situation so seriously, we can't allow that same calamity to occur on a larger scale." Toshiro went on. "We're going to be leading Alpha Team, while Captain Soifon and Lieutenant Shenkai are leading Bravo Team."
"Captain Soifon is leading the second team..." The busty woman mused. "Then someone be expecting trouble to be waiting for us when we arrive in the Living Realm."
"Not for me to say." The snowy-haired youth answered. "However, more containment teams will be deployed soon, along with 'special' Reinforcements from the Eleventh Division."
"Goodness." The buxom Soul Reaper commented. "Sounds like things are about to get... interesting." Rangiku remarked, brushing a hand through her hair as they rounded a corner.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Shop Unagiya...
Ichigo felt a sudden chill run through him, his whole body stiffening up. The sensation was unsettling, yet also felt somehow familiar at the same time. The teen looked down at his forearm, his skin prickled into goose-flesh and the tiny hairs- especially on the back of his neck- were all standing up.
The orange-haired youth looked to the shop window. He wasn't even sure was he was looking for, just that something was amiss- he could practically smell it in the air. The teenager could feel something, it was all around him. Something was very wrong, and he knew- somehow- instinctively, that whatever was transpiring, 'it' was building. In fact, it was rapidly engulfing the entire city...
He could also tell that his pulse was up slightly, leaving him feeling restless. He rubbed the back of his neck, taking a step away from the large window. Ichigo stopped, turning to face Ikumi.
"The city... something is wrong." He commented cryptically.
"What do you mean?" The dark-haired woman inquired, visibly concerned.
He shook his head. "I- It's hard to explain..." The strawberry-blonde replied. "But I think something... dangerous is about to happen." Ichigo went on, his tone cautious. "I have to go."
With that, he started for the door, only to be stopped by the woman's hand on his arm. Halting him dead in his tracks. "Ichigo, just wait!" Ikumi spoke up. "Talk to me, dammit!"
A moment passed, then Ichigo took a deep breath. "There are forces at work, all around us, things you wouldn't believe- dangerous things." The young man explained. "If I had the time, I'd tell you stories, some real mind-blowing shit... Like the fact that I used to be part of that insanity."
"Forces at work...?" Ikumi repeated. "Wait!" She added, her eyes wide. "Y- you're talking about those people in the black robes, aren't you?" The curvy lady went on.
This time, it was Ichigo's turn to go wide-eyed. "You can see them, Ikumi?!" The orange-haired teen asked emphatically, his hands on her arms. "Since when?!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Senkaimon portal, the spiritual 'door' to the gateway between the realms of the living and the dead, appeared in Karakura. From it, emerged Captain Soifon and Lieutenant Zhao Shengcai (aka "Shenkai") of the Second Division- at the head of a detachment of elite Black-Ops.
"This is Captain Soifon," the female Shinigami spoke into her earpiece. "I'm confirming the arrival of Bravo Team in the Living Realm- do you read me?"
"Affirmative, I read you." Came Szayel's replied over the com-link. "Alpha Team is already here and inbound towards their designated destination." The pink-haired Arrancar went on. "We're sending you your coordinates right now- please confirm their transmission."
Both the petite female Captain and her second-in-command held up special GPS trackers, just in time as the handheld devices emitted an electronic chime. The two shared a nod between them.
"This is Captain Soifon, coordinates received." The slender woman replied.
Elsewhere in the city...
"This is Ikaku Madarame, Third Seat Officer of the Eleventh Division," the bald Shinigami started, speaking into the specialized earpiece he was wearing. "I'm confirming the arrival of the Support Team within the boundaries of Karakura City." He went on to add.
Yumichika Ayasegawa, Fourth Seat Officer of the Armed Combat Division, stood nearby. The purple-haired man was busy checking over his own earpiece. In addition to the two of them, a small force of hand-picked troops from the Eleventh Division stood at the ready.
"Affirmative." Szayel replied over the com-link. "Tell me, Madarame-san, do you have any intel about the status of the additional Teams being deployed?" The pink-haired Espada asked.
"Nothing specific." Ikaku answered. "Just that Delta Team is to be lead by Captain Komamura of the Seventh Division, and Echo Team will be lead by Lieutenant Abarai of the Sixth."
With that, he exchanged a brief look with Yumichika. The perfumed, well-groomed Officer nodded, then motioned to some of the men, before departing along with them.
While the remaining men then had moved into formation around the fearsome-looking Shinigami, the purple-haired man lead his own detachment. However, the purple-haired Officer and his team came too a sudden halt when they were intercepted by an unusual-looking man.
"You," he started, gesturing towards Yumichika. "Keep your people out of this." The stranger calmly instructed the group, before pointing his thumb to himself. "This is between you and me."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"You can see them- since when?"
The older woman looked to the young man, brown eyes wide and an intent look on his face as he stood there before her, leaving her held in place by his powerful hands upon her upper arms.
"I'm not sure how long I've been able to see those people." Ikumi answered after a moment, looking into his eyes. "Because I've only started noticing them recently... For the most part, only brief glimpses here and there- sometimes only just flickers in the corner of my eye."
At hearing this, Ichigo stepped back from her, an uneasy look gracing his features. "Then..." He started, rubbing his chin. "They are here." The tall, well-built young man mused aloud.
"Talk to me Ichigo." The dark-haired woman implored. "Who are 'They'?"
"They're from... the other side." The orange-haired teen replied after a moment. "And, if they're here in the city, then it only mean that something dangerous is going down."
"The 'other side'?" Ikumi asked incredulously. "What we talking about, ghosts?"
"Sort of." He answered vaguely. "The real truth is a lot more complicated... But for right now, you and Kaoru can't leave this shop- it's too dangerous out on the streets."
"But it's not too dangerous for you?" She countered, becoming indignant.
"You're right, Ikumi, it's not safe for anyone." Ichigo replied, taking a step forward and gazing into her dark gray-brown eyes. "But I have to go out there... There's someone I need to talk to, perhaps the only person in Karakura who might be able to sort out whatever's happening."
"But Ichigo, you can't j-" The curvy woman started to protest once more, only to be quickly silenced when his hands moved to cup her cheeks as he leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips.
"Promise me, Ikumi." Ichigo spoke softly, resting his brow against hers. "Please, promise me you'll remain here with Kaoru for the time being." He went on. "Don't worry about me, I promise you thing's will work out in the end... please trust me." The youth spoke, giving a gentle smile.
"After all, it's not like I can possibly just leave you alone." Ichigo went on. "Especially not now, how could I after everything that's happened between us?" He offered, still smiling.
A moment passed between them, then at last she nodded. "Alright." Ikumi conceded. "I'll stay here." She replied, looking into his brown eyes. "But, in return, Ichigo... you better not break that promise- I swear I'll never forgive you if you do."
He nodded. "I promise." Ichigo replied. "One way or another, we will meet again."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto lead their forces (Alpha Team) along one of the many side streets that formed the grid-work of the downtown area...
It was as the young snowy-haired Captain was looking down at the small screen of his GPS tracker in his hand, that he and his second-in-command suddenly heard a series of commotions. Toshiro gave the order to halt their team's advance, as he and Rangiku listened in.
Rangiku looked off to the side. "Captain," she started. "...I think I just heard an explosion."
Following the busty woman's line of sight, he turned just in time to see as a long plum of smoke was now rising upwards into the sky. "I'm afraid you might be right, Lieutenant."
The two Shinigami Officers, along with the members of their team, stood in disbelieving silence for a moment, until the sound of another other ruckus going off in the distance snapped Hitsugaya out of the momentary stupor that he'd fallen into. "The other teams, they're coming under attack! We need to start coordinating with the JOC before the situation gets any worse!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"I have a bad feeling about this whole situation... You can sense it too, right?"
Uryu Ishida listened intently to his friend, nodding. "How could I miss it?" The young Quincy replied over the line, through his cellphone. "All of Karakura feels... electric, somehow."
"Listen, Chad, just watch your back and try and stay in touch while you're out there." The bespectacled youth continued over the phone line. "And keep trying to get in touch with Inoue-san." The dark-haired teenager added. "In the mean time, hold on, I'll call you back soon."
"I understand." Came the deep voice.
With that, the young man tucked his phone into the pocket of his coat. "Tatsuki," he started, looking to the young woman nearby. "Go straight to Urahara-san's shop." Uryu continued, placing his hands upon her shoulders. "You'll be safe there- hell, it might even be the safest place in the city pretty soon."
She gave him an annoyed look. "Right, so I just go play the 'helpless damsel' in safety, while you're out there risking your life?" The sporty girl asked him pointedly.
Uryu took a deep breath, before adjusting his glasses. "Tatsuki... This isn't about me trying to protect you, this is about being smart." He replied, looking into her eyes. "Whatever the hell's going on might be too dangerous for me, but we both know that I have a chance out there."
A moment passed between the two, before she nodded. "Fine, you're right." The dark-haired tomboy replied, before planting a quick kiss on his lips. "But," Tatsuki resumed, stepping back to look into her partner in the eyes. "I swear, you better not get your ass killed while you're out there."
The Quincy gave a small smile and nodded. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of dying- especially not now, knowing how much you'd miss me." Uryu offered, smiling warmly.
She returned the smile after a moment. "I'll hold you to that."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Back in the JOC that Szayel had set up, multiple reports were flooding in: this time, reports of attacks on the field teams that had been dispatched into the city.
This fact in particular gnawed at the bespectacled Arrancar. After all, he had been the one who had requested their deployment to the Living Realm. As such, the Octavio realized- at least to some degree- that any injuries, worse yet casualties, suffered in the ensuing chaos would in-part be on his shoulders.
Sighing to himself, the Arrancar Captain handed the report back to Kira Izuru.
"I can just imagine how this is going look on my record." He lamented with a sigh. "God-only-knows how many lives are in danger now..." Szayel thought to himself. "Still, I made the call, so I have to do my best to try and ensure that this mission isn't a complete and total wash."
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he turned his sharp golden eyes to the cellphone he'd produced from out of the pocket of the white lab-coat, which he brought to his face.
"Hello, Urahara-san," the Arrancar began. "It seems that we have a situation on our hands..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Captain Soifon and Lieutenant Shenkai came skidding to an abrupt halt, stopped dead in their tracks as the street just ahead of them exploded in a flurry black asphalt!
"What in heaven's name?!" Shenkai exclaimed, holding his hand up to shield his dark eyes and face as bits of rubble quickly came raining down around them.
"Look!" Soifon yelled, just as three figures landed in the street ahead of them. The man standing in the center was dressed in a long hooded coat, his face covered with bandages and eyes hidden behind a pair of thick visor-like glasses. The other two, flanking him, were dressed in comparatively normal looking clothing- one of them wearing a baseball cap and the other a bandanna.
"You seem to be in something of a hurry, Captain." The masked man spoke in a raspy tone, while the men standing on either side of him smirked, looking on at the unfolding scene.
With that, the man beneath the hood and bandages took a step forward, holding a lone bandaged hand, before snapping his fingers. The Shinigami were left to look on, in confusion, as numerous shadow-like forms appeared on the scene in a flash of movement around them.
The forms of the 'Shadows' were generally human-shaped, all of them brandishing various "weapons" in their hands- seemingly formed from the same darkness as themselves.
Soifon and Shenkai exchanged looks between them, watching as the once blurry shadows that arrived now rapidly morphed in far more human-like figures.
"Why not stay a while, enjoy yourself?" One of the men flanking him inquired.
"Yeah, we have all the time in the world." The other man remarked.
"It really is in your best interests not to venture further." The masked, hooded figure intoned in a low ominous voice. "So, I advise you to avail yourself of the company of our friends."
However, before anything more could be said, the masked hooded figure and the two men flanking him vanished in a flash, leaving only the 'shadows' behind...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Chad Yasutora looked on, in a stupor, as a familiar figure appeared before him.
"Hello handsome," the woman casualty began. "Fancy meeting you here." The inked, leather-clad woman commented, her hips swaying with each step she took.
"Jinx..." The tall muscular teen spoke aloud, as he regarded the woman.
She smiled at this. "How sweet of you to remember me, after all this time."
How could he ever forget?
Was it even possible for the swarthy youth to forget someone like her. Looking at her: reddish-purple hair (shaved on the sides) pulled into a ponytail in back; dressed up in a pair of tight black leather pants and a cinched up matching black vest that exposed a bit of her cleavage; her arms and shoulders, neck, and even the fringes of her face on either side adorned with elaborately crafted ink-work...
No, she wasn't the sort of woman you forgot.
"Of all the streets in all the cities in the world..." The dark-skinned teen remarked, his imposing frame tensing slightly as he spoke. "It was here that I would meet you- you, of all people."
Unsurprisingly, she didn't seem put off in the slightest. "Don't worry, stud, I can assure you, this wasn't some random act of chance- that you and me should run into each other." Jinx continued. "No, the truth is that I specifically came looking for you." The woman added seductively.
Suddenly, the air around them started to become tense. Chad looked to Jinx, in time see as something dangerous flickered in her pale blue eyes as she flashed him a toothy grin. At the same time, the tattoos decorating her sinuous body started to glow faintly with a strange energy...
The next thing he knew, the green Chinese Dragon uncoiled itself from her around left arm- becoming massive in the process- and lunged directly for him, forcing the teen to frantically dive to the side as its claws shredded the ground in a flurry of movement.
He leapt from the ground, evading another attack by the Dragon. However, by the time he landed, his right arm had transformed into the completed 'Brazo de Gìgante' form. Ducking down, Chad moved in to go on the offensive, thrusting the black and magenta-lined limb at her. However, before he was able to make contact, the attack was deflected by the glowing blade of a sword.
The young man instantly realized the source of the blade: an imposing Samurai, kitted out head-to-toe in a full suit of battle armor, including a horned helmet and a full mempo over the face. The entire time, Jinx bore a wild- almost predatorial smile- watching as the warrior (from her right arm) moved in to make its counterattack, forcing him to dodge in order avoid the swing of the glowing sword-blade.
Jinx stepped back, her expression bordering on ecstatic. "Yes!" She exclaimed. "I'd heard about your arms, but seeing it for myself," she paused, her breath becoming rapid. "It's so much better than I ever could have possibly imagined!" The tattooed woman declared euphorically.
"So tell me," the woman continued excitedly. "How do you like my arms?!"
"Damn woman," Chad commented. "You really are crazy!"
"You have no idea!" She replied, licking her lips. "But you'll see, after all, we're just getting started."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Kisuke Urahara stepped out of his workshop, wielding the 'fruit' born of all the time he'd spent locked away in that stuffy room in the back of the labs, beneath the shop...
"You know, considering just how much time you spent working on that thing," Yoruichi started idly, as she regarded the scruffy-looking man. "I gotta say, it still looks like a piece of crap."
The man sighed at her rebuke, taking a moment to adjust the monochromatic striped hat atop his mop of dull blonde hair. True, looking at it, he had to admit it wasn't much to look at...
As a whole, the general overall form of the thing vaguely resembled that of a WW2 bazooka- except bulkier, what with all the exposed miss-mash of technology. Worse yet, the yellow-eyed woman could see that it was a veritable Frankenstein's Monster, being held together by little more than bailing wire, and some hastily-done soddering. On top of that, she could see exposed wiring and circuitry.
"Wait, what the hell's that?" The dark-skinned woman inquired, gesturing towards a squat tube-shaped metal object- about ten inches in diameter and fourteen inches in height. A heavy-duty insulated cable, about an inch thick, connected the object to the unwieldy instrument he was now shouldering.
"Oh this?" The man asked, as if the question wasn't obvious. "It's the main power-supply... The, eh, the 6-volt batteries you see mounted up here, are just for storing power." Urahara explained.
With that, he grabbed hold of the strap fixed to the pouch that the 'power-supply' was tucked into, and slung it over his right shoulder, leaving it resting against his left hip.
This time, the raven-haired woman gave an annoyed look. "And just what exactly are you planning to do with that- that monstrosity out there- as this whole damned city is going crazy?"
"I'd... rather not say." Urahara started, cautiously. "After all, I don't want to big this thing up too much, lest it all start sounding like bragging... Especially if it ends up not working."
"You don't even know if it works?!" Yoruichi countered, incredulous.
"No, but I've got a hunch." Urahara answered simply. "In the mean time, I need you stay here- along with Tessai- to help hold down the shop and keep an eye on the kids."
"Fine, but it's your funeral." The dusky-skinned woman answered with a smirk.
"More like re-funeral, you mean." Urahara replied with a smile of his own.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Yumichika held up his arms, keeping back the men under his command.
A man stood before them, with spiky dark brown hair, full long sideburns framing his sharp features, and a pair of dark eyebrows set above his almost canid-like brown eyes, and a triangular 'soul-patch' on his chin. He was dressed in a brown rawhide jacket- complete with tassels and a fur-line collar- as well as dark denim jeans tucked into a pair of cowboy boots.
"Who are you?" Yumichika asked cautiously, observing his every move.
"The name's, heh, Wolfe," he started confidently, gesturing to himself. "And you... Well, from the look of you, I take it that you must Yumichika Ayasegawa, correct?"
Yumichika narrowed his gray-violet eyes. "You're remarkably well informed..." The Shinigami replied, his gaze never leaving the man as he animatedly moved about.
The man gave a pleased look in response to this. "Getting to the point... I respect the fact that you're standing your ground like this, I really do." Wolfe went on, with a swagger in his step. "After all, it's pretty gutsy for a pheasant like yourself to try and go up against a wolf."
"I've had the privilege to serve alongside a real wolf," the Soul Reaper replied. "And you sir," he continued, looking him in the eye. "You are no wolf."
The man in questioned smiled dangerously. Meanwhile, Yumichika continued to motion for his troops to stand back, in the safety behind him... As soon as the strange man who'd called himself "Wolfe" had finished speaking, his inhuman eyes began to glow faintly.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Uryu Ishida was on the move, making his way through downtown Karakura City, when he suddenly collided with an invisible barrier. The white-clad youth stumbled back in confusion, attempting to clear his head, only see as an all-to-familiar figure appeared before him.
"Crowley!" Uryu exclaimed in surprise, taking up a defensive stance.
"I find it heartening that you know my name." Crowley remarked, his muffled voice coming through the layer of bandages covering his face. "But to the point... I have come with a warning." The hooded man spoke, hands tucked into the pockets of his long coat.
"We have no quarrel with you or Miss Inoue, nor with your friends." Crowley continued. "If possible, we would prefer to keep bloodshed to a minimum." The masked man explained. "However, we will act to defend ourselves should anyone persist in interfering with our plans."
"Plans?" The Quincy recounted. "Just what are you trying to do?"
"You'll understand, soon enough..." He answered in a rasping voice.
Just then, an electronic chime sounded off, prompting Crowley to remove a cellphone from his pocket and bring it up to his concealed face. "So, Darkwood's young protege is on the move?" The man spoke, nodding silently, before putting the phone away. "Remember what I said... you won't be warned again."
With that, the bespectacled teenager was left to look on- in a state of speechless confusion- as the figure of Crowley abruptly vanished in a momentary flash of light.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime turned a corner, her soft brown eyes lighting up. She could see Ichigo, on the move off in the distance, the orange-haired young man was just a few blocks away...
The sunset-haired young woman diverted to order to intercept him, only to have her path blocked as several people appeared before her. One of the men- with long dark red hair and a pair of circular dark glasses, and dressed in a full-length black trench-coat stepped forward.
"What's a nice girl like you doing running around on a day like this?" He spoke with a leering smile on his face, flashing a disarming look as he approached her.
"Ozzy, we don't have time for this." Another one of them started. This one had a messy mop of dirty blonde hair and a pair of octagonal glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He was wearing a pair of urban-style camo pants (tucked into boots) and a solid black t-shirt.
"Now now, Legion, there's no need for you to be like that," Ozzy countered, still smiling, with a casual wave of his hand. "After all, we don't want to scare the young lady."
"Yeah man, just relax." Yet another one of them spoke up. He had long dark brown hair, pulled into a ponytail in the back, with a blue bandanna across his forehead, and was wearing a denim jacket- over a tie-dye shirt, and a pair of brown work pants. "I mean, we don't want to scare her."
Ozzy took a few steps towards Orihime. "Now, how about you be a good girl and come with us?" The man in black asked the girl. "You see, we have instructions to bring you back with us- alive and intact- and I'd prefer if we could do this all with your cooperation." He continued.
"Otherwise," a disheveled man wielding a guitar started. "We'll have no choice but to use force." He added, before he began strumming Jethro Tull's Aqualung.
"And I get the feeling that a pretty little thing like you wouldn't like that all." Added a willowy-looking woman with blonde hair, as she hung off of his shoulder.
Orihime felt as her pulse began to race, her heart rate increasing...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ulquiorra had known Orihime for some time now, certainly long enough for him to understand that she wouldn't have just left their apartment without some cause.
Honestly, that's what had him most concerned!
Especially since he had become aware that something was happening within the city- like a great fire- was building up, threatening to turn into an inferno. Surely the woman would have sensed it herself and so would have felt compelled to go out there and do something about it?
The Cuatro Espada had silently cursed the since of duty that seemed to drive the woman. Even though he knew full well that it was part of her human nature- to care about the well-being of others- there was a part of him (as a Hollow) that was left confused and infuriated in the process. The idea that his mate was out there, amidst the growing chaos, ate away at him...
And so, after shedding himself of his human Gigai, the dark-haired Arrancar had departed, in search of the one person that both drove him mad and wild at the same time!
It wasn't long before he began to zero in the woman's reishi, by now so familiar to him...
But then, as he navigated the city, a glint in the periphery of his light of sight caught his eye, causing him to stop mid-air just as a glowing beam came down- moving at an angle- scattering the pavement below as it made contact with the surface beneath his hovering ghostly form.
His sharp green eyes quickly registered the appearance of a man, visible through a sizable blast-hole in the wall of the second floor of some nameless office building. The stranger smiled at him.
His assailant had a fair complexion and angular features, with a main of long flowing curly black hair that fluttered around his face in the breeze, and dark eyes set below black eyebrows. He was dressed in a black ruffled 'Byronic' shirt, tucked into a pair of tight black pants, with the billowing sleeves cuffed off with leather bracers. He had on a pair of metal-tipped boots, and a 'belt' comprised of metal hoops adorned his waist. The man took a step towards the edge of the opening...
"My name's Ronnie." He announced, seemingly totally unfazed at the fact that he was standing in the presence of such a powerful being as Ulquiorra. "And you're not going anywhere."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Surrounded by strangers, Orihime felt like a cornered animal. Thinking about it, charging out into the fray seemed foolish now, but she hadn't expected to run into so many enemies at once.
The buxom young woman could feel the adrenaline coursing through her. And then, when it seemed as if they were about to converge upon her, Orihime's body began to glow, until she engulfed entirely by a shining white-golden aura, that almost hurt the eyes of the Brethren when they tried to look at her.
"What the fuck's going on?!" Psyche exclaimed, as the glare reflected off of the lenses of his glasses.
"This is some serious 'Poltergeist' bullshit!" Nancy yelled, frantically shaking Sid.
All of the Brethren had squint, shielding their eyes. "Look!" Sid called out.
The motley crew could only look on in stunned amazement as the glowing aura around the woman slowly began to take shape around her. "No one touch her!" Ozzy ordered, exchanging confused looks with the others in the group as he stepped back. "The bosses didn't say shit about this!"
Orihime's eyes began to open, revealing a pair of golden orbs within!
(- End of Chapter LIII... -)
I feel I should point out that this chapter had sixteen scenes! Depending on if you count flashbacks or not, that's as much/more than some two-parters combined!
As for the content of this chapter, I'm really please with how much is going on- and all at once, no less! This is it, readers, things are fast coming to a head, and by the time the dust settles, some things won't be the same. So far, we've started Chad vs Jinx, and teased Yumichika vs Wolfe, & Ulquiorra vs Ronnie. The next chapter will continue all of these, as well as featuring epic one-on-one involving Ikaku, Capt. Komamura, and Capt. Soifon. It's also going to feature the return of Tia Halibell, and some shocking revelations regarding multiple characters!