To begin with, I want to thank RG-Guest, OnceUponABlueMoonDream, Qwerty, and "Guest" for their feedback.
Now, to address some of the points brought up by RG-Guest: First off... It had never really occurred to me that Ichigo was such a draw for so many people, as I found him a bit on the dull side (though nice and well-intentioned). My opinion was that Ichigo was at his best when he had some kind of external motivation- like his loyalty to his friends. That's why his friendship with Nell was a key thread in my other story- that he'd be willing to go defy all of SS for her. Also... I'm glad you're so paying so much attention to the OCs. Regarding them, my take was that the Brethren (as a whole) were aware of Orihime's Negation powers, but not of the new powers that she's been manifesting. Now, to address 'BlueMoon': I'm happy to say that there's going to be a lot more UlquiHime content in the coming chapters.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter LIV:
"Revelations, Part 2"
The Living Realm, Karakura City...
The Brethren looked on as Orihime's body began to glow with an unearthly radiance, the luminescence increasing until she was engulfed entirely by a shining white-golden aura.
"What the shit's happening here, Ozzy...?" Legion exclaimed, squinting his eyes, as the growing glare coming from her already made it difficult to look directly at the young woman.
The man in question didn't respond, instead grimacing and backing away. "Seriously man," Legion spoke up. "What the fuck is going on?!" He exclaimed, the glare reflecting off of his glasses.
"This is some serious 'Poltergeist' bullshit!" Nancy yelled, frantically shaking Sid.
"Look!" Sid called out, still clenching the neck of his weathered acoustic guitar.
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 barked, before exchanging confused looks with the others as he stepped back. "The bosses didn't say shit about this!"
Orihime's eyes began to open, to reveal a pair of now golden eyes!
As she stood before them, shrouded within the glow of the aura surrounding her, the young woman's long sunset main now looked almost as if it had taken on a more golden hue.
"Girl... What are you?" Ozzy asked, just as Orihime fixed him with an impassive expression.
However, what happened next would prove even more significant... As the various Brethren looked on in stupefied amazement, the aura began to transform, resembling a flowing semi-transparent gown that flowed diaphanously around her. The white-gold "fabric" shimmered, almost like light reflecting off of the surface of water. Still not saying a word, Orihime slowly raised her arms, palms upturned, as a pair of "wings"- composed of golden light- took shape behind her!
Then, Orihime smiled. It was strange, but she felt so comfortable in that moment, almost euphoric. She couldn't help but take note of how 'natural' all of this felt to her, as if she somehow instinctively already knew how to wear and effortlessly move while she was adorned in this strange attire.
"Hail Mary, full of grace..." Ozzy started in disbelief, removing his glasses. "The Lord is with Thee, blessed art thou amongst women..." He Continued in a detached tone, as Orihime looked directly at him.
The young redhead then took a moment to look herself over. "This... this light, this power," Orihime mused aloud to herself in a serene tone as she continued to take everything in. "Has... Has it always been within me?"
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners..." Ozzy continued as the others were silent. "Now and at the hour of our death... Amen."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Yumichika dodged as Wolfe took a swipe at him with one of his hands. Both of the man's hands were glowing with a strange reddish energy, the effect of which seemed to function like razor sharp claws- as evident by the gouge left in the pavement when he'd swung at him.
Further, his eyes were most definitely glowing as well. The violet-haired Soul Reaper could see this whenever his attacker looked his way. Beyond that, Yumichika couldn't help but notice that his spiky brown hair looked like it was longer now. In addition to this, other changes were obvious- like the fact that his canines appeared more pronounced. But most of all, curved markings were starting to appear across his cheeks, stopping below his now glowing eyes.
The man hunkered down a bit, never breaking eye-contact with him as he flashed Yumichika a wild grin. "So, how are you liking this so far?" Wolfe asked. "I mean, my little trick, that is." He added, still grinning like a madman. "And this is just 'Stage 1'... Wait till you see 'Stage 2'!"
Wolfe then made his move, lunging directly at Yumichika again. The flashy Soul Reaper was forced to evade his opponent once again. However, by this point, his patience with the man was quickly wearing thin, and so he made the choice to draw his Zanpakuto- the "Azure Peacock"- for battle.
Maintaining a firm grip on the plum-colored handle of the Khopesh-like weapon, Yumichika advanced towards Wolfe and swung his sword at him- the curved blade narrowly missing his attacker as the man gracefully evaded the cutting edge of the Shinigami's weapon.
"Sloppy!" Wolfe quipped, catching the sword-blade in his hand. Using his free hand, the Brethren took a swipe at Yumichika, cutting into the black fabric of his robes. "But I'm not finished yet!"
Yumichika was knocked back by a seeming invisible force. "Can you see now," Wolfe asked with a crazed smile. "Just how far my claws really can reach?"
In the blink of an eye, the purple-haired Officer put further space between the two of them. Steadying himself, he began to focus his spirit energy, moments before the blade of his Zanpakuto separated from each other- revealing multiple curved blades. "Azure Peacock... Bloom!" He cried.
With its multiple curving blades, the weapon now resembled the claw of some monstrous beast, so it came as little surprise when the Fourth-Seat managed to hit Wolfe- sending him crashing to the ground, rollings head over foot repeatedly in a flurry of dust and motion!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Looking down at the tracker in his hand, Ikaku noted an unusual reading, registering inside of a nearby office building. After mulling it over, the bald-headed Shinigami decided investigate it.
He lead his troops into the first floor lobby, only to find it completely empty- the chairs and couches unoccupied, magazines left laying haphazardly on end-tables. Venturing further inside, Ikaku spotted a recessed area across the large room. There were two sets of elevator doors visible on either side, and the double doors of a single larger elevator at far wall.
Before he realized it, a barrier- a "wall" of pure energy- appeared between the Third-Seat Officer and the rest of the Shinigami under his command. While they were preoccupied with the barrier, the doors of the larger elevator slid open with an audible 'ping'.
Ikaku whirled back around, as the highly-polished doors parted to reveal the fairly ornately furnished interior of the elevator. "Interesting..." He murmured, arching a brow.
He took a few cautious steps towards it, only to be stopped when he heard his men call to.
"Sir, what are you doing?" One of them inquired, wearing the same concerned look as the rest.
"Don't you see, it's an invitation." Ikaku replied in an unusually calm tone, before turning his gaze back to the elevator. "And, well, it would be rude of me not to accept." He added with a slight smile.
"The rest of you, wait here..." The sharp-eyed man instructed coolly, over the protests of his men, as he made his way towards the open doors. "I have an appointment to keep." Ikaku finished, stepping inside as the sleek metallic doors smoothly slid shut behind him.
Standing on the tiled floor, he calmly turned to face the doors, his form reflected to the mirror adorning the other three sides of the enclosed chamber. Ikaku assumed a relaxed posture, as the elevator started moving, casually watching as the numbers on display above the doors went on.
It wasn't long before an electronic chime sounded and the doors parted...
Ikaku stepped into a large room. It resembled a parlor or waiting room one might find in the interior of a traditional Japanese-style home- complete with rice paper and wood walls and sliding doors. Though, he noted, there were also more western touches as well, like the potted plants in the corners and a clock on the wall, as well as a square pillar in the center of the room- with mirrors covering all four sides.
He turned when he heard footsteps, watching as a man entered the room. He was tall, with a slender face and a wispy black goatee and mustache adorning his chin and mouth. His collar-length black hair was bound up into thick dreadlocks, in such a way that they hung about his face without obstructing his vision. He was dressed in a long tan duster-style overcoat, buttoned in the front, and he appeared to be wearing a pair of faded jeans and boots. His hands were covered by tight dark brown leather gloves.
The Shinigami paused, watching as the stranger stopped, gloved hands coming to open up the front of the coat and draw back the left side- revealing a brown vest, over an old white button-up shirt. At his hip, hung a sheathed katana, from a second belt around his waist. His left hand came down to grip the sheath, just beneath the ornate hilt. The man looked at him, regarding him for a moment, before his thumb pressed against the hilt, loosing the katana from the finished wood of the sheath.
Not breaking eye-contact, Ikaku slipped his right arm inside his sleeve, his black kimono slipping off of his right side as his arm re-emerged. This way, his sword arm would be less restricted. And with his left hand, he gripped the sheath of his own sword- just below the hilt- and angled it. The Shinigami pressed his thumb against the hilt, his opponent doing the same. He watched as the stranger's right hand moved towards the handle of his katana, Ikaku doing the same, neither man willing to break eye-contact.
Gripping the wrapped handle of his katana, the bald swordsman watched as the other man calmly drew his sword in a flash, light flickering off the smooth surface of the blade, as he wordlessly drew his own weapon. Once the Shinigami had freed his Zanpakuto, Hozukimaru, he then discarded the sheath as he gripped the handle with both hands.
Ikaku watched as his opponent did the same, taking the cloth-bound handle of the sword in both hands. His left leg moved forward as he assumed a combat stance, while he held his sword aloft- the blade of the weapon angled toward the Soul Reaper. Ikaku's left hand joined the other, gripping the handle of his sword, holding the weapon- the hilt level with his shoulders, the blade facing upward- as he spread his feat apart and assumed his own battle stance.
Secants passed, silence falling over them, then they advanced towards each other!
They met in the middle of the room, an almost bell-like 'chime' sounding as their blades collided for the first time. Both men quickly turned to face the other once again. Ikaku extended the blade of his sword, and the other man advanced, the blade of his own sword swiping experimentally against the bald man's sword. Ikaku's eyes narrowed, and he advanced- striking out at the man, only to be met by the sound of metal against metal once against as he blocked the swing.
The mystery man's own eyes narrowed, his posture shifting, then he moved in to engage him, the two beginning a lethal 'dance'- circling one another- as both men alternated between narrowly avoiding each others swings and crossing swords with each other whenever one of them blocked the other- filling the room with the echoing of metallic clatter and the hiss of blades cutting through the air.
Finally, they both locked blades with one another once more, the two men glaring impassively at one another- each vying for control, as they remained locked together- via their swords- in this momentary stand-off, before both of them quickly backed off from each other.
"Not bad." Ikaku remarked. "So, you have a name?" He asked, readying his sword.
The man arched a brow at this, then nodded. "...Just call me Slash." He replied. "And you?"
"The name's Ikaku, Ikaku Madarame." He replied with a characteristic wild grin. "Third-Seat Officer of the special Armed Combat Division of the Elite Court Guard."
"Good," Slash replied. "No weight in killing a man if you don't at least know his name." He explained as he moved to attack, his outstretched sword meeting Ikaku's. "Nothing personal, you understand?"
Ikaku's smile brightened. "So, you do plan on killing me..." He remarked excitedly. "Well, no point in half-assing things. When it comes to battle, a man's either all-in or he's out." He explained, as they both stepped back from one another, holding their swords in front- the blades at a 45° angle.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Lieutenant 'Shenkai', of the Second Division, looked to his commander. "Captain Soifon!" He called out, as he cut down one of the Shadows with his Zanpakuto The Blue Dragon: a curved Chinese Dao, except with a longer handle and a special hand-guard. The handle-wrapping was a vibrant blue color, and the image of a golden dragon was inlaid in the blade, near the base.
"Captain, we can't allow ourselves get bogged down fighting here- we have to keep moving." Shenkai insisted to the female Shinigami, while dodging the attack of another Shadow.
The Captain in question frowned, fast considering resorting to drawing Suzumebachi from the yellow sheath housing it, behind her back. "And what exactly would suggest we do?" The lithe woman replied, somewhat tersely, taking down a shadow with a kunai. "Lieutenant Shenkai, I hope you grasp the fact it's these very things that are stopping us from continuing..."
Around them, the other members of their Team were busy fighting the Shadows.
The Lieutenant leapt back, in order to evade the spiked blade on the end of the "chain" of a weapon wielded by another Shadow. "This isn't the real fight, these creatures are nothing more than fodder to keep us here, wasting our time while the real fighting is going on!"
"That's why," he paused to cleave through a Shadow with his sword. "You need to keep going!" He continued. "I'll stay here and handle this, while you keep going!"
"What, have you lost your mind?!" She replied. "You can't expect me to abandon-"
He glared at her. "Zhāng nǚshì!" Shenkai spoke, to her shock, in Chinese. "Méiyǒu shíjiān biànlùn," Shenkai went on, blocking an attack with his Zanpakuto. "Xiànzài jiù zǒu!"
Soifon was thrown for a loop at first, but eventually nodded. "Shēngcái, Zhōngwèi..." She answered, as if struck by a moment of realization. "Hǎo de." She added, nodding. "Ah... Zhù hǎo yùn."
The male Officer nodded. "Yě gěi nǐ. Duìzhǎng." Shenkai replied, before taking down a Shadow that had attempted to intercept her, leaving him watching as she vanished in a flash of Shunpo!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Elsewhere, a Senkaimon opened up within Karakura City. Sajin Komamura, the imposing half-animal Commanding Officer of the Seventh Division, was visible. Carefully, the fur-covered Captain emerged from the inter-dimensional gateway, into the Realm of the Living.
The wolf-like Shinigami paused, taking a moment to process his surroundings.
The towering figure of Captain Sajin Komamura- in command of Delta Team and accompanied by his fellow members of the Seventh Division- arrived in the Living Realm. Soon, if not already, Echo Team would arrive, lead by Lieutenant Abarai of the Sixth Division.
His physiology making it impossible for him to wear an earpiece like the others, the anthropomorphic Komamura produced a 'walkie-talkie' from out of his robe. "This is Captain Komamura reporting in, I am confirming the arrival of Delta Team in the Living Re-"
Before he could finish speaking the word, a nearby concrete wall exploded as a strange man violently burst through it, shouldering tackling the Captain and knocking him to the ground!
Komamura shook his head, righting himself. The man who'd struck him was clean-shaven, with short slicked back hair, and was dressed almost entirely in black leather- including a pair of chaps, worn over black denim jeans, and steel-toed boots, and a metal-studded black leather jacket and leather gloves.
"Captain?!" One of the men exclaimed, but Komamura held up a hand, silencing him.
The new arrival smiled crazily, watching silently as Komamura struggled to compose himself and get back onto his feet. "Yo, the name's Lenny." The leather-clad man declared in a gravely voice, gesturing to himself with his thumb. "I've heard about you- you're the Reaper Wolf, Komamura."
"I hear a lot of stories, all talking about how fucking strong you're supposed to be!" Lenny continued, pointing to the Shinigami Captain. "From the sound of it, you're apparently to a certified bad-ass!" The man went on to say. "And now that I'm here, well, I just gotta see for myself!"
"Come on, big dog!" Lenny exclaimed excitedly. "Show me what you're capable of!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Commander of the elite Black-Ops Division, moved down the streets of the already disrupted city streets, until her advance was interrupted as something whizzed past her.
Soifon came to a full stop, as a man stepped out from around the corner of a building. He was relatively tall, clean-shaven, with dark eyebrows and a head of quaffed dark-black hair. "Well, hey there, honey." He spoke in a smooth baritone. "What's a girl like you doing out here by yourself?"
He was dressed in a black hip-length leather jacket- tied at the waist- with a wide upper collar, over a black muscle-shirt with a low neckline, and a pair of dark gray pants and black boots. Soifon glared at him, which only prompted him to smile in response.
"The name's Lou." The man continued, holding out his hand- the thumb upright and the pointer finger extended outward- toward Soifon. "And this is the end the line." Lou announced with a smile, bringing his thumb down- like the hammer of a gun- something unseen displacing the air...
Whatever it was that he just 'fired', moved so fast that there was no time for Soifon to process what was happening, let alone react, before being knocked to the ground. The Captain sat bolt-upright, a look of disbelief on her face as she reached up to touch the her forehead- her fingertips coming back red.
"I'm impressed you got this far, through our Shadows, no less." Lou remarked. "But this is where your rode ends, little Missy." He continued, as Soifon wiped the blood that trickled down her face and stood back up once again. "That first shot was only half-strength... The next one wont be."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"...Just call me Slash." The man replied. "And you?"
"Ikaku, Ikaku Madarame." He answered.
"Good, No weight in killing a man if you don't at least know his name." Slash explained as he moved to attack, his outstretched sword meeting Ikaku's. "Nothing personal, you understand?"
"So, you do plan on killing me..." He remarked excitedly. "Well, no point in half-assing things. When it comes to battle, a man's either all-in or he's out."
Ikaku and Slash's next moves were to converge upon each other. Slash angled his sword and blocked Ikaku's downward swing, then performed a sideways swing at him from the left. The Soul Reaper held his sword up straight, deflecting the other man's blade with the flat of his own. He then made a leftward sideways swipe at him, but Slash blocked him and withdrew from his immediate reach.
Behind Slash, Ikaku could see himself in the mirror set on the wall behind the room's bar.
The two of them met each others gaze again, their swords held out and aloft as they both side-stepped in a slow circle. Moments later, the dance of blades had begun once again. Again, they locked up with one another. However, this time, Ikaku leaned into him with his right shoulder, knocking Slash against the nearby wall- wood splintering when his back made contact with it.
He then rotated himself out of the way, just in time to avoid what would have been a fatal downward slash from the Shinigami. Ikaku turned to the side, as Slash composed himself. "You're good, Reaper." The man offered. "I've waited a long time for a chance to fight someone like you."
Ikaku grinned at the compliment. "Considering how long I've been a Shinigami, coming from anyone else, that might have come across as insulting." The swordsman countered. "And... for what its worth, given the situation, I have to say you're pretty good yourself."
Slash nodded politely, before side-stepping into the middle of the room, his pointed gaze never leaving Ikaku as the other man followed him. "Any true practitioner of the sword knows that they are forever a student of the art..." He replied as their blades met. "One must learn as if they live forever..."
"And live as if they were to die tomorrow." Ikaku finished, as their swords met with a 'clang'.
"Life in every moment." Slash replied, while taking an angled swing at Ikaku and only just missing the other man in the process. "It's said that that is the essence of Bushido."
Ikaku nodded, carrying out an upward swipe of his own. "Every member of the Eleventh is expected to win their battles or die fighting," he went on, narrowly missing Slash. "So... I hope that you're similarly committed to the outcome of this fight." He declared excitedly.
The other man kicked Ikaku into the squared column, shattering the surface upon impact, before the Shinigami moved away and turned toward Slash...
Slash halted his advance. "Win or loose, this has been a good day." He replied, moments before the bald-headed Shinigami went for him with renewed vigor. The dreadlocked man was quick to block and retaliate with his own attack- only failing to hit his exposed back because Ikaku was skilled enough to be able to maneuver his sword into the path of his own as he took the swing.
Ikaku turned and around and Slash ducked below the swing of his blade, then went on to exchange a few more swipes with him. After several secants of this, Slash deftly side-stepped Ikaku, grabbing hold of the Shinigami's wrist and flipping him over- sending him crashing through a paper wall!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Ozzy... what the fuck do we do here?!" Legion asked nervously.
"Fuck this, I'm getting the hell out!" Psyche yelled, turning to run away, only to be abruptly stopped- by Orihime, energy flaring up around the young woman's outstretched hand- just a pillar of light shot up from the ground, blocking his escape rout.
"No, I won't let you just get away like that." Orihime began, her tone calm yet forceful. Then, with a casual flick of her hand, Psyche dropped to the ground.
"No way, man..." Legion spoke, his town wavering. "She looks like... like some kind of angle." The man continued, falling to his knees. "She's an instrument of God- she has to be!"
Ozzy was getting nervous, feverishly 'crossing' himself as he began to realize that the entire situation was falling apart, and at the same time that he was powerless to do anything about it. He looked to the others...
Sid bore a look of horror/disbelief, nearly dropping his beloved guitar as he stood there and stared, all while Nancy turned to yell at Legion- for his 'little outburst' just moments earlier.
"Alright everyone, I'm aborting this whole mess!" Ozzy declared. "Get ready for Plan B."
With that, he pulled a device out of his coat and pressed a button on it, causing them all to vanish in a flash, leaving Orihime to look on alone. The truth was, that Orihime was as much at a loss as to explain what was happening as they were. And yet, despite the confusion, she also felt strangly empowered.
In was like nothing else, this feeling... She wasn't sure if she should excited, scared, or both.
And yet, she was also beginning to feel heavy, as if her knees were getting weak. It wasn't long before the redhead began to feel faint... However, just as Orihime was right on the verge of collapsing into an unconscious heap, there was bright flash of light- from which a figure emerged.
The Man in White moved in time to catch Orihime's falling form in his arms. Her body then went limp, quickly followed by the disappearance of her 'Aura'. Sighing, the man looked her over- even checking her eyes, which were brown once again. "You really are proving quite a handful, Miss Inoue."
He chuckled faintly as he looked down at her prone form. "But what to do with you?" He mused aloud to himself. "I certainly can't leave you here, like this- no, I expect that that paramour of yours wouldn't like that at all." He lamented with a smile. "Hmm, actually, I may know someone who can help..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Komamura was at a loss. Given his size and strength, the wolfish Captain wasn't accustomed to being overwhelmed by an enemy. And yet, this one man- not some soul-devouring apparition, or Lovecraftian horror from the beginning of time, or some mythical warrior with centuries of experience...
No, he was just a man- a being of flesh and blood. And the Shinigami hated the fact that such a being could push him so far. Komamura realized that he had to take control of the ebb and flow of the battle, or risk being swept away in the ensuing onslaught. He was well known for his ability to endure and go the distance, but he knew nothing of the man presently attacking him.
By comparison, this man seemed to be more than a little familiar with him!
Seemingly out of options, the fighter drew his Zanpakuto from its sheath: unavailing a katana with a rectangular hilt, resembling a squared-off hourglass shape. As soon as he'd drown the spirit blade, it had crackled with energy. And yet, his opponent appeared far from discouraged by this development...
"Yeah!" Lenny exclaimed. "Now we're talking!" He called out. "Show me that your teeth have bite, and I'll show you what I'm capable of!" The man exclaimed, his arms glowing with power. As soon as he said this, a heavy layer of 'armor' formed around both arms, as well as what appeared to be multiple pistons projecting outwards from the limbs on either side.
"Behold..." Lenny declared. "Look on and despair: My Killmeister Mode!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
After being sent crashing through the rice paper wall in an ungodly racket, Ikaku's momentum was enough for him to end up going through the sliding door on the other side of the hall. Finally, he came to a halt in a large rectangular room, dominated by a heavy western-style wood table.
Slash emerged through the initial breach. "Let me give you a word of advice," he started. "Don't bother trying to release the powers of that sword of yours..." The man went on coldly as he got to his feet. "I'm too fast, and you'd die before you would ever be able to finish making the necessary incantations."
Composing himself, Ikaku looked to the nearby door, through the massive hole he'd created. He then cast his gaze to the side as a secant entryway slid open, revealing Slash- sword in hand- standing in the open doorway. The Shinigami brought up his Zanpakuto to defend himself, only narrowly deflecting the attack from his opponent, before countering with his own.
"I'll try and keep that in mind..." Ikaku replied, taking a deep breath as he backed up further into the room, firmly gripping the handle of his sword in both hands.
The bald swordsman stopped when he felt his back touch against the edge of the table. This was it, there was nowhere for him to 'run' as the man with the dreadlocks closed in upon him once again. The edges of their blades collided about a half-dozen times, before he ducked back- moving out of the man's reach, in order to compose himself. "You feel it- don't you- the thrill of the fight?!"
"More than you realize!" Slash replied intently, taking a wild swing at the other man, the blade of his sword cutting into the table- the tip becoming embedded in the tatami mats below- as Ikaku stepped out of the way. The Soul Reaper was quick to capitalize on this, performing a Shunpo into him- sending the man and his sword through both the inner walls of the central room and the outer walls of the corridor!
Seizing this opening, Ikaku gauged that he now had enough time to release his sword. Ikaku lined up the handle of his sword with the sheath, in preparation of releasing his Shikai. However, the bald-headed Shinigami came to a sudden halt when he was struck dead-center in the midsection- struck directly in the solar plexus by the but-end of the of the other man's sheath!
"I warned you not to rely on your powers..." He spoke.
Ikaku let out a hiss of pain, just in time as the end of the other man's now-reclaimed sword pierced his lower midsection on the left side- driving into him, about two to three inches deep. The Shinigami felt a tremor of pain running through his body as he stood there, trapped in place.
He grunted, followed by crimson droplets falling and staining the surface of the floor, as well as the fabric around the entry-point of the wound he'd just been dealt.
Slash quickly withdrew the blade and got to his feet, composing himself- holding his sword in one hand and the sheath in the other. Meanwhile, Ikaku cringed, his left hand coming down to his wound, even as blood stained the dark material around his hip a deep red color. "You... don't think... that this is it." The wounded Soul Reaper declared defiantly, taking a step back.
Ikaku grit his teeth, his right hand gripping the handle of his own sword, looking Slash in the eyes as he prepared to square off once more against the man. At the same time, the Brethren member stepped back and met his gaze. The entire time this was happening, Slash's face remained completely neutral.
"Stand down, noble warrior..." He cautioned the other man, just for the Shinigami to make a move for him, sword in hand, only to have his attack deflected- sent staggering, and leaving his back exposed for the other man's blade- cutting into into his flesh with a quick downward swing of his blade.
Ikaku dropped to his knees, gasping in pain, while Slash regarded him. Before the dreadlocked man could speak any further, Ikaku sprung to his feet and turned to attack. But instead, his Zanpakuto was knocked from his hand, leaving him to be slashed across the front! The Shinigami fell onto his back, and yet still struggled to grab hold of his fallen weapon.
"Enough!" Slash declared, stepping between him and his sword. "Ikaku Madarame, you have satisfied honor, beyond all reasonable expectation..." The man finished, stepping back.
"The battle is mine." Slash continued. "To kill you now, in your condition..." The swordsman went on, sheathing his weapon as he spoke. "Such an act would hold no honor."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Swiping with both hands, Wolfe launched two more of his invisible 'waves'. They hit the Shinigami Officer with devastating force, knocking the wind out of him!
Yumichika stumbled back, recoiling from his enemy's attack. However, he'd had enough time this go around to prepare himself. Unleashing his Shikai, his sword was now divided into four curved blades, not unlike a monster's claw, which he swung at his oncoming foe with equal ferocity.
Wolfe was sent crash crashing to the hard stone floor, like before. However, this time, he held down by the 'vines' cast out by the Shinigami's weapon. This act, in turn, kept the Brethren pinned to the ground- long enough for the the Fourth-Seat to move in to deliver the finishing move
The Zanpakuto dropped down in a flash. However, Wolfe managed to break free of the vines and get out of the path of the killing blades. Yumichika realized that as long as he tried going after the man, he wasn't going to prevail. No, the only way this would work was if Wolfe came to him.
The man called Wolfe lunged at Yumichika with all of his strength, energy gathered around both hands as he brought them down upon him. This time, the Shinigami's troops looked on and gasped in shock as his hands tore through his shoulders- shredding fabric and flesh! And yet, it was the Brethren's advance that faltered in that moment. While the Soul Reaper's blood had been spilled, it allowed the blades of his weapon found their mark- burring themselves in the other man!
Wolfe fell against his chest, the man's chin leaning upon Yumichika's shoulder. "I've had the honor of serving alongside a genuine wolf." he commented, glancing to the man. "And I can say that a true wolf doesn't waist time bragging." The Shinigami went on. "Rather, he goes for the kill..."
"Gaghhh!"
"Like this!" Yumichika declared as he drove the blades of his Zanpakuto deeper into Wolfe, pushing the man's form off of him in the process, leaving him to fall to the ground.
Yumichika staggered back, the curving blood-stained blades of his weapon vanishing as his Zanpakuto resealed itself once again. "We can't afford to dally," he started, blood staining the dark black fabric of his Shinigami robes. "We're needed elsewhere..." The Fourth-Seat managed.
His eyes went wide as he was struck by a sudden moment of recognition. "Officer Madarame... He's in trouble, something is very wrong." Yumichika proclaimed. "Quickly, we don't have much time!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The duo of Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto made their way down one of the streets, leading their team in surveying the area.
"Looks like the whole city is in an uproar- nothing but mass confusion at every turn." The youthful Captain lamented aloud, scanning the area. "The more I think about it, I can't help but feel like we've walked into a blasted war zone- again, no less!" Hitsugaya remarked.
The strawberry-blonde sighed at hearing this, before nodding. "That's the last thing we need right now, to end up walking into another ambush." The curvaceous Lieutenant remarked, glancing to either side of her as she moved. "I wouldn't fancy being caught in someone's line of fire, again..."
Just then, the two Shinigami became aware of an approaching presence.
The young snowy-haired Captain and the curvy blonde Lieutenant, along with their troops, came to a halt just in time to watch as none other than the buxom statuesque Arrancar appeared before them in a flourish of movement, her large breasts bouncing faintly as she arrived.
"Lady Halibell." Toshiro acknowledged with a polite nod.
Her vibrant green eyes, set within voluminous golden lashes, visible amidst the lady Arrancar's sunny blonde bangs, flickered in acknowledgment. "Captain Hitsugaya." She began, nodding, before turning to acknowledge Rangiku. "Lieutenant Matsumoto." She added. "As soon as I learned of the situation, I departed- in the hopes that I might be of some assistance to your efforts."
There was part of Rangiku that couldn't help but feel pangs of jealousy upon seeing the reverence that her Captain Showed the Espada. Especially, given that the powerful Arrancar also just happened to be a tall busty blonde. However, the Shinigami woman was quick to remind herself of this was her Toshiro, after all, and that it took more than just a pretty face and a pair of big breasts to sway him...
"Lady Third, you're timing is impeccable." Rangiku interjected, as politely as possible, gaining the other woman's attention in the process. "Our forces are under siege..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Chad acted quick to defend himself, bringing his up his transformed arm- now in its shield form- to block the the attack from the tattooed leather-clad woman!
Barely able to defend himself in the face of his adversaries' strike- in time to block the blade of the sword wielded by the ethereal Samurai, born from Jinx's tattoo. The dark skinned teenager was sent skidding back upon deflecting the woman's attack!
The burly, dusky-skinned youth was going all out- simply to keep pace with Jinx. At the moment, all his energy was being directed simply to defend himself from the woman's attacks. At the same time, he had to keep at it, in the hope that he might be able to go on the offensive at some point...
Not that it seemed all that likely at the moment!
Catching his breath, he watched intently as Jinx moved into view, the woman's movement so fast and elegant that she practically glided. "Come on, Chad, show me what you can do!"
It was with that prodding that she was struck- dead-on- by a concentrated blast of spiritual energy, that sent her flying back. Jinx looked up, just in time to watch Chad emerge from the smoke, the part of his "Brazo del Gigante" over his shoulder opened up, resembling the exhausts of a car engine.
Not entirely unsurprisingly, Jinx responded to this by smiling. "Aw... now we're talking." She started, still smiling as she rose back up onto to her feet. "At last, you're getting rough..."
"Lucky for you, I like it rough!" Jinx called out, the tattoo dominating her other arm coming to life with a loud roar and unleashing a jet of flames at him.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
A moment passed, as Ulquiorra glowered at the man standing before him. Without comment, he drew Murcielago from the sheath tucked into the black sash around his waist.
The tails of the Hollow's jacket fluttered in the breeze, his sharp green eyes- edged with a bluish shade, with their inhuman slit pupils- narrowed slightly. Ronnie responded by smiling, his arms folded across his chest, the fabric of his black ruffled shirt shifting in the faint wind.
"That sure is a pretty looking blade you got there." He commented, still smiling, noting the way the Arrancar gripped the gold lace wrapped handle of his Zanpakuto. "But, to tell you the truth is," Ronnie continued as he uncrossed his arms and placing his hands on his hips. "I prefer mine."
Ronnie raised his right arm, hand open. "Sword of the Silver Mountain- reveal yourself!" The black-clad man exclaimed, followed by a bright flash of light from his palm. With that, a silver long sword manifested in his hand, which he then leveled against Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra readied his sword, watching intently as his opponent approached him. "Now," Ronnie spoke, looking on with a wide grin. "I wan to see what you can do."
The Cuatro Espada brought up Murcielago, blocking the shimmering silver blade of his sword!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ichigo felt an odd sensation as he passed by a multi-level parking garage. Coming to an abrupt halt, the orange-haired teen turned back around and started to make his way inside.
He didn't know if was intuition, or perhaps something like the spiritual awareness he once possessed. All that he did know was there was something about this place that was 'calling' out to him, some kind of irresistible pull that was drawing the teenager towards the structure.
So focused was the young man that he failed to register the fact that no one was manning the booth at the entryway, even as he hopped the black and yellow striped guard bar.
He made his way into the dimly-lit concrete facility, looking around. "Hello...?" Ichigo started, not sure who he was talking to. "Hello... is there anyone here?" The teen spoke.
"Welcome, Ichigo."
As soon as he'd heard the voice, the brown-eyed youth whirled around. "Wh- who's there?" He called out, his voice off of the concrete walls and pillars of the garage, his brow furrowing as he failed to find the source of said voice. "Come on now... Show yourself!"
Ichigo then heard footsteps. They sounded close to him- very close- close enough in fact that whoever was making them could be right behind him. At this, he frantically turned around.
A figure stepped out from behind a squared pillar. Ichigo's eyes went wide upon seeing him. "N-no... this c-can't be!" The tall, broad-shouldered teen exclaimed, stepping back. "Th-this can't be happening, this can't be real... y-you can't be real!" He cried out in a panic.
At the same time, as Ichigo was struggling to process what was happening, 'barriers'- walls of solid energy- suddenly appeared in a flash, blocking off the way he'd come in, as well as any other possible exit points. Even the window-like openings were covered, cutting off the meager sunlight that had been streaming in, leaving the interior illuminated by the sickly glow of the fluorescent lights.
"Oh, I'm real alright, as real as you." Dario replied, taking out a pack of cigarettes and a cheep plastic lighter form the pockets of his hoodie. "...As real as a bad dream." He continued with an eerie smile as he popped out a cigarette from the pack and proceeded to light it.
"I can see you're confused. It's understandable." Dario commented idly, his tone oddly sympathetic as he brought the cigarette between his lips and took a drag off of it, leaving it there as he went on, smoke escaping his lips as he spoke. "I know what it's like... feeling lost and uncertain."
"But now, now the 'games' are over, it's time to be straight with you." He went on, still smiling as he continued to address him. "You see, Ichigo, there was a larger objective behind our encounters- beyond just beating you, that is." Dario explained. "The truth is, it was all part of our plan: I was instructed to do the things I did to you, as part of a test that's been going on."
"A test?" The teen spoke, dumbfounded. "What the hell are you talking about, none of this makes any goddamned sense!" Ichigo snapped back, glaring at the man.
"How? How are you alive- how is this even possible?" When Dario didn't respond, Ichigo advanced towards him, grabbing him by the front of his hoodie and pulling him in close. "Goddamn you!" The teen exclaimed angrily, getting right up in his face. "Answer me!"
Dario's only response to this was to smile, before taking the cigarette from his lips and blowing smoke into Ichigo's face, causing the teen to stumble back, coughing.
"Cool your jets, kid." Dario remarked. "Now... let's talk."
(- End of Chapter LIV... -)
First off, I did my best to make sure the Chinese spoken by Soifon and Shenkai was as accurate as possible. Further, given my age, the action movies of the 1980s and 1990s are a huge influence on me. Case in point, the battle between Ikaku and Slash was heavily inspired by the sword fight between Rutgar Hauer and Sho Kusugi in the 1989 film "Blind Fury", with a bit of influence from the 1967 Japanese film it's based on, "Zatoich Challenged". And finally, I hope RG-Guest has fun with this.