Lifted Up

by Tomas the Betrayer

Sequel to 'Hammered Down'. Under the shadow of a heaven ruled by monsters, Rukia Kuchiki continues to fulfill her duties with new lives and hearts added to the mix. And above all, there is a mother's love.

3. Winter's End: Monkey Hunt

Kon looked down at himself in disbelief. He patted his chest a few times as if to make certain this was real and not a sick prank. At last he lifted his chin to declare with as much pride as someone in his position could muster, "I feel wrong, Nee-san."

In contrast to his reaction Rukia appeared to be enjoying herself, judging by the tiny smirk she wasn't bothering to hide. "Actually I think it's rather cute!"

Standing on the worktable before her, the now corporeally reinstated mod soul had to wonder if his beautiful Nee-san honestly did have a few screws loose. Only a minute past upon learning where exactly they intended to reinstate him, she summarily overrode his frantic objections. Even if only temporary, this experience would certainly lend itself towards nightmares. But true to form nobody listened to Kon.

Which was why he now found himself inside a ten-inch-high chibi doll version of what could only be his creator, Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

The little neondoroid fumed at this treatment. Was everybody in existence out to humiliate him? He could see his reflection in the shiny gold surface of the table. The image did nothing to improve his disposition. This little figurine was even dressed according to what he remembered his creator's prerogatives being, right down to the captain's cloak and asymmetrical hat. Face paint, bronze ears and comically bulging eyes were bad enough. But to top it all off there was even a little zanpakutō sheathed between his legs, making it exceedingly uncomfortable to even walk. When he withdrew it Kon found the implement to be not a sword, but a multi-purpose cleaning tool that switched between dust rag, mop and vacuum at the press of a button. His degradation was now complete.

"Degenerate."

Kon glanced over to where several of the other so-called Mini-Mus busied themselves cleaning around the laboratory. He could hear their faint squeaky voices as they worked. "Halfwit," one of them piped. "Halfwit-halfwit." The rest had their own verbal tics which they sang tunelessly. "Lummox." "Simpleton." "Cretin." Apparently some of the scientists idolized their boss enough that they created these tiny toys in order to fill the void when he wasn't around. Complete with Super-Insult features. Everyone in this place must be gluttons for punishment.

"Dolt-dolt."

He could have sworn that one looked his way when it spoke. This place was turning him into a nervous wreck.

Rukia touched her chin and examined him with a critical eye while he was so preoccupied. "Now that you mention it, you are missing something."

"A little jingly hat with bells on it?" he muttered sullenly.

"Fool."

Kon narrowed his eyes at one in particular. That last comment hit just a bit too close to home. They weren't doing it when anyone else spoke either. Coincidence?

"No, not quite. Maybe a bit of a personal touch, to distinguish you from all the rest."

Akon looked up from where he was inputting data into a computer. "There are other versions with different uniforms, Ojousama. Did you have something specific in mind?"

She pondered this. Then her face brightened. "Bunny ears, perhaps?"

"I AM NOBODY'S DRESS-UP DOLL!" Kon shrieked at the top of his lungs, flailing wildly.

"Ignoramus."

He whirled on the offending doll. "SHUT UP!"

"Quiet."

He did, sitting down quickly and without complaint. Kon accomplished this so fast it would have been obvious to anyone watching that something was off about his reaction. Because it was her that had spoken. She stood a few paces behind Rukia with hands clasped and face expressionless; the killer of mods, whom he had only recently begun thinking of as Nemu Kurotsuchi. Kon could hardly bring himself to move when she so much as looked his way. Maybe it was his imagination, but it seemed like all the other Mini-Mus had shut up at her command as well. Smarter than they look. He felt like a worm caught aboveground with a blackbird standing right over him. It was simply vile.

On the wide screen dominating this secluded chamber the outline of a generic male figure appeared. It began to revolve slowly, allowing every angle to be visible. A basic gigai from the look of it. Numerical specs and other information scrolled by on all sides.

"The program is up-and-running now, Ojousama," Akon swiveled in his chair to inform them. He was the only other facility stooge still in attendance. The rest, including Bullfrog and Hemorrhoid Guy, had been given some instructions before they were politely dismissed a while back. "Should we begin with easy cosmetic alterations?"

"What's that mean?" Kon's anxious eyes swiveled from one face to another in search of an explanation to what sounded rather nasty.

Akon gave him a measuring glance. "What do you expect in your physical appearance?"

This question brought his objections up short. "Wait, you mean… I get to decide how I look?"

"To a very wide extent."

The possessed doll found his previous trepidation replaced with calculated interest. His golden tongue leapt to new life as he licked his lips. "For starters... I want to be tall. Seven… no, make that eight feet! At the shoulder."

The horned technician casually tapped in a few commands. Onscreen the generic body increased to a superior height. Kon's eyes gleamed at the potential he beheld. "And muscles too! Like a bodybuilder. No, a Greek god! I want the ladies to go all soft and mushy just at the sight of my biceps!"

A few keystrokes and the virtual gigai bulged with sculpted precisions.

"PECS!" Kon declared, growing more heated. "Give me PECS, man, wide as window panes!"

This too was implemented. After that he was off.

"Bronzed skin! Long curly reddish-gold locks that I can toss back and forth! A rugged manly jaw! Perfect teeth! Aquiline nose!" Not sure what 'aquiline' really meant but it sure sounded good. He was frothing at the mouth uncontrollably and found himself quite unable to stop now. "Almond-shaped eyes! Blue ones, with… flecks of gold in them! Opposable thumbs! Strong sensual mouth! And hung! Hung like a HORSE, like a freakin' MUSTANG, LIKE A-!"

A small fist rapped him on the skull. Kon gave a yowl and looked behind him, rubbing his sore spot with an aggrieved expression. "Nee-san! What gives?"

Rukia leveled a scornful glower his way. "You were getting carried away. For your information, this is not a vanity project. You should treat it with more…"

Right then her eyes drifted over to the screen. They widened slightly, and she seemed to lose track of what she had been saying before.

Score, Kon thought! She likes it!

"Everything all right, Ojousama?"

At Akon's voice Rukia jumped a little. She brought a hand up to her cheek, ducking her head embarrassedly. "Ahem," she coughed. "Yes. Perhaps, upon further consideration, we should decide upon the brand of gigai before determining the… unessential elements."

"Unessential!" Kon wailed indignantly. "Did you see what I did? That thing would have put an elephant to shame, it was-!"

"KON!" Her voice cracked through the room, causing him to cringe. "Why don't you take a tour of the facility? We'll call you when it's time to discuss your appearance."

A new shade of dread stole over him. "You want me to walk around this place? By myself? Unprotected?"

Akon draped an arm over the back of his seat and gestured at him. "Actually, while inside that Mini-Mu, you should be able to go wherever you please. They're cleaning units and have built-in security clearance. Don't worry," the steely-eyed scientist sought to reassure him. "The Mus are made to disable any extermination protocols should they try to enter somewhere restricted. You'll come back safe and sound when need be. Now, as to the baseline gigai, Mayuri-sama did indeed develop ones specifically to house the mod souls after…"

What exactly did he mean by 'disable'? Nobody was looking at him anymore. Kon got the impression that was a dismissal. With a huff he took a step off the edge of the table. Rather than falling, instead his tiny form hovered upwards, bobbing along in a slightly drunken manner.

Now, how do I get out of here?

As soon as this thought passed his mind a hole opened in the ceiling overhead. Red light shone down, and before Kon could so much as say…

"Huh?"

He was whisked upward out of the room. The discussion continued without interruption.

---

A horde of savage animals was on the move, tearing through fields and streams in search of its prey. And this world shuddered at their presence.

From her vantage high above the jungle canopy, Soifon considered her opponent, evident below as a swath of disturbance in the normal rhythm of nature. Flocks of birds took to the air in alarm as they sensed the oncoming madness. Jaguar packs tore through the undergrowth with an uncharacteristic lack of grace. Monkeys fled, screeching calls to one another, while alligators trundled quickly into the water, abandoning the banks for the relative safety of the river.

All this was nothing by way of comparison to what precipitated their exodus. The Wild Hunt. Absolute frenzy in living form. Hundreds of different beasts raced through the jungle en masse, heedless of anything that might stand in their way. She saw a dog that had clearly been a house-pet minutes past tear to the top of a ridge and proceed to fling itself off, plummeting thirty feet to the ground below. The impact broke both its back legs to pieces, leaving them twisted at grotesque angles with jagged bloody bone sticking out. Yet still the creature clawed its way forward, slavering and panting without any regard for the no-doubt fatal wounds it had sustained.

Soifon sympathized. No mere physical injury could surpass what was being done to that poor brute. It was possessed by the Hunt, sharing space in its body with part of the ghostly pack. Each member of that impious lot had claimed a host in order to manifest during daylight hours. Otherwise they would not be able to move about. The Wild Hunt was free to act openly in their true form only at night. That was when they were at their most dangerous. During the day their powers were severely weakened, and they required avatars to remain on the loose.

This in and of itself posed a problem for anyone facing them. An animal possessed by a Hollow was able to inflict harm on spiritual beings such as shinigami, something that would otherwise be impossible for them. In addition, the living shell offered the demons protection. They could not be reached by a zanpakutō. Indeed, mortals of any stripe were generally invulnerable to spiritual attacks. Only those with spirit power themselves were susceptible, as their own energy reacted to the assault. It was true bakudō could dissuade or influence living things to an extent regardless of whether they had spirit power or not. But damaging them was another story. People might feel a slight breeze when touched by a spirit or their clothes could rustle, but that was pretty much it. Interaction with the mortal world was limited to very small acts like moving light objects. And garbed in their purloined pelts these monsters could not be reached in the usual manner. Just as a shinigami was unable to inflict harm upon the living or even so much as touch them, those possessed beasts too were beyond her reach. The undeveloped soul of an animal was highly vulnerable to possession by spirits in a way humans were not. Since this limited the range of choices offered hardly any Hollows were wont to do it. Only the Hunt considered such a tactic viable.

None of which helped to resolve her primary concern. Masahiko remained in danger. So long as he was on this plane they would pursue him. Until the Hunt was vanquished, one way or another. It was beneath her station to simply try and wait until the morning. The boy must be recovered and transported to Soul Society. Nothing else mattered.

First thing's first. She must locate Masahiko. His spirit signature had faded, but that was of no consequence. The Hunt had his scent. To find her mark, she need only follow them. The boy most likely had not a clue what was after him. No matter how fast he was, the moment he stopped moving, for rest or just from thinking himself safe, that's when they would overtake him. The Hunt never relented. She had that much in common with them.

But Soifon was no pack of mad beasts. She was a hunter and duty-bound to see this particular assignment through.

Chōjirō stood at her side observing the lush jungle landscape. Like her, he had donned the attire of an Onmitsukidō member. "We are at a disadvantage,'" the elder death god stated.

Soifon nodded without taking her eyes off that swarm of wildlife. She knew what he meant. The two of them were here in an unofficial capacity, meaning they were not authorized to call for aid. More importantly, Lady Yoruichi had given this mission solely to herself and Sasakibe, which implicitly prohibited notifying the other Stealth Forces as they had not been briefed. The three of them were on their own. Speaking of which…

Where exactly was Ururu?

She looked down to where their familiars were located. Her own gigai perched in a tree looking up at its mistress for instructions. Chōjirō's was on a branch busily scanning the pack's progress. But Urahara's golem was nowhere to be seen. When did the little robot slip away?

As if on cue, the earpiece Soifon wore buzzed, and Ururu's voice came through.

"Horsefly reporting in. I am tailing Masahiko. Tracking features engaged. Enemy presence closing in. Over and out."

Soifon processed this information, working it into the strategy she had already developed. Both ninja looked at one another, exchanging much without a word being spoken between them. After this she adjusted her earpiece and took off in the direction from which Ururu's signal was being transmitted.

---

Dawn in Soul Society. A time for reflection, introspection, and peace for those so inclined. The lovely pastel colors that came with the fading sun were just as much a balm to the spirit as their occurrence in the living world.

Saijin Komamura dreaded this time of day.

To prevent himself from thinking too much about it, the former shinigami captain busied himself in his garden. Herbs and spicy peppers grew alongside each other in a profusion of succulent shoots. Lemongrass and coriander, oregano and habañero. Flavorful aromas as significant as their tastes. He enjoyed gardening. It relaxed him in a way few things had ever been able. And it served to keep him occupied. He would not allow himself to sink into self-pity. Such maudlin thoughts were best kept at bay by honest work. This much, at least, he was still capable of performing. Tomorrow he would go to pay his weekly visit to the wellness center. In truth Saijin might have gone every day, however he felt that might prove bothersome to the attendants working there. And he disliked the idea of frustrating people who still had something to contribute. Unlike himself.

Not for the first time, he caught himself expecting to hear a stern voice upbraiding him from within his soul. No such thing happened. A grief unlike that from before settled in as a result.

I miss you, old friend. You who were my closest companion since my arrival in this place. May your next wielder prove more worthy than I.

As this self-deprecating reprimand passed through his mind, a chill stole over him.

At first Saijin resolved not to think upon this sensation, preferring to busy himself with weeding and the disposal of other pests. The sensation persisted, however. Like an itch that refused to go away. It made his fur stand on end all up and down his massive body. This was unpleasant, and he wished dearly for some idea of what might be wrong.

As if in response, something growled.

Instantly Komamura froze. He kept very still, ears pricked up to twitch in anticipation of further warnings. The gardening tools slowly dropped from his nerveless fingers. Eyes wide, he stared straight ahead, dreading to know if his senses had deceived him or if he had heard correctly.

After a few minutes, just when he almost convinced himself it had been nothing, a scent caught his nostrils. One he knew very well.

Fear.

The prey had been sighted. Now the pack would surge forth and tear it limb from limb, devouring everything in a chaotic orgy of wild hunger and base cravings.

It had returned.

His fangs ground together, and a snarl louder than the one from before emerged from his throat. After this he remained still for a time. Thinking.

Eventually Komamura clambered upright. His large, useless hands clenched into fists at his sides. And though he knew himself to be helpless now, all the same, he could not help but yearn to go tearing forwards in pursuit of his quarry. All he knew was the heart-pounding instinctual need to surge forth towards battle, thereby to redress any crimes they might have ever committed. Vile, loathsome, unforgiveable Hollows!

There would be no battles, however. Not for him. No, instead his only recourse lay in offering wisdom, such as it were. The knowledge of a broken, helpless man willing to share his sins in the hope that others of greater capability might find some small measure of use from them.

The gardening tools were left where they lay. Instead Saijin went inside to put on his traveling clothes. It was a long walk to his destination, and he did not wish to trouble any of his former comrades. Not yet, at any rate. First he needed to discuss the matter with people he knew could be relied upon.

Sliding open the door to his closet, he slipped off the plain shirt he wore and selected attire of modest design. Penitent's garb. Suitable for such a conference. He then made his way to the front hallway where he took down his hat. With a care that still carried over from the days when his unchecked strength could lead to accidents, he slipped a coat over his brawny shoulders, then reached down to tie on a pair of sturdy shoes. After this he rose up and reached for the door.

"Where ya goin', Komamura-san?"

The former shinigami went still. His ears twitched slightly, picking out the rustle of cloth and a slight grunt that indicated someone just sat down behind him. He had not heard anyone enter his domain. This told him everything he needed to know. While no longer able to detect spirit signatures, his ears had never failed him before. Except in the case of one untrustworthy man who seemed to go wherever he pleased without fear of detection.

And it was this person he found sitting on his stoop when he turned around.

A growl threatened to steal from his throat once more. This time Saijin bit it back. There was nothing he could do in his current condition. And if it was his time to die, then he would at least strive to face it with whatever shred of dignity remained to his name.

"Seems things are gettin' a little wild an' wooly again. Just like old times, neh? Betcha that means folks are gonna come knocking on your door to find some answers."

Komamura watched him with obvious mistrust. His golden eyes drifted down to the soul cutter sheathed at the man's hip. For some reason he could not help but miss the feel of his own. Whether alive or not, it would have been nice to know a friend was close at hand right now.

"I knew you would come eventually," the old wolf murmured.

Before him, the silver fox grinned. "Indeedy-do."

---

Mini-Mus. On parade.

Everywhere Kon looked the tiny puppets traveled along glowing tubes that cut through a strange semi-darkness of mauve and lavender that left him feeling as though he were traversing the veins of some gargantuan beast. Who could say? Maybe at the push of a button this entire sinister fortress would rise up from the ground and reveal itself to be a giant robot, or a slumbering behemoth that had been put to use as a domicile. No informed person would make the mistake of assuming such a thing was beyond the crazies working here. He had seen something along those lines in an anime once. And even ghost dweebs watched TV. That would make the Mini-Mus (or M&Ms as he now thought of them) some kind of immune system agents. Or maybe an infectious disease would be a better comparison. The guy they were modeled after certainly fit the bill.

Funny how I can make a connection along those lines. All that time in high school doing Ichigo's homework actually paid off.

While still musing on this, his tiny body traversed intersecting branches of the transportation network aimlessly. It didn't seem as though he had an intended destination. Maybe I have to think about where to go? After all, that's what got me out of that last spot. Hmmm…

All right then, how about, 'Ladies Shower Room'? Yeah, that oughta be good!

It worked. The next thing he knew, Kon's course had altered, sending him down a different glowing organic lane. Other M&Ms whisked along ahead and behind him without paying each other any attention. No gossipy maids in this place. Their multi-purpose tools were already being deployed in preparation of cleaning.

A light appeared at the end of the tunnel, and all thoughts beyond debauchery fled. His limbs were shaking in delight at the prospect. Dweebs or not, naked was naked! And that one Anbu girl at least was worth a peak. Wait, I see something… hold on, what's…?

"GYAAAAAHH!"

Several people in various parts of the facility looked up, wondering where that particular scream was coming from if not their own current research. Even more confusing was when they heard…

"HEMORRHOID GUY'S A GIRL! HEMORRHOID GUY'S A GIRL!"

---

Noboru Kouki didn't stop to rest or check behind him. His every thought was bent on speed, to put as much distance between himself and whatever that had been as he could. After a bit though some measure of conscious reaction reasserted itself. His course changed as a result.

Reach the mountains. That's what he had to do. Once inside the catacombs there would be no chance of capture. Belonging to a vanished civilization, the ancient ruins were haunted by ghosts and magic of the dead that existed nowhere else. Hollows lurked in those depths, foul monstrosities awash in their misery and fat from luckless scavenged souls. It was their presence as much as anything that made the catacombs such a perfect hiding place. Anyone following him would serve as a meal to those demons. As for Noboru, he had long since familiarized himself with the city's layout and need not fear falling prey to any of its inhabitants, Hollow or otherwise.

At that moment a cry ripped through him.

The racing soul snapped to a halt as only one without a body can. For several seconds he made no voluntary move. In this time he felt keenly the telltale signs of overexertion, registering as sweat on his ghostly brow and the labored beating of his heart. Far worse, though, was what he felt around him.

In every direction, the jungle was screaming. Noboru had been on his own so long that his environment had become as much his companion as anything could be, alive or not. He could sense the breath of the planet, foresee when a storm might be building or even the chilling stillness that presaged an earthquake.

There was nothing subtle about this, however. More like a violent intrusion upon the world, an attack that struck at the very essence of life as he knew it. And it was coming from everywhere.

"It's the Hunt."

He whipped around. Not ten feet away, Fabiola stood atop a fallen tree trunk watching him. She still had on the maid costume, and her face had lost none of its morose demeanor. Exactly the same as when her foot had been aiming to take his head off. He nearly bolted right then and there. But his curiosity had been stoked by what she said, and more importantly how she found him.

"You can't get away from it."

The wispy brunette spoke before he could even open his mouth to question her presence, causing Noboru to hesitate. Her flat eyes tracked slowly around the eerie locale, on alert for anything that might be approaching them. "What came through back in the town was the main force. The rest emerged in a circle one mile wide surrounding your previous location. That ring is now closing in around us. Once it reaches you, the Hunt will strip your soul, leaving nothing behind. That's what will happen if you try and run."

She had delivered his death notice without any sign of caring one way or another. Not wanting to seem fazed by her recital, Noboru leaned on his staff in a posture of loose-limbed disinterest and smiled. "Let me guess. That means my only chance of survival is to come with you, right?"

He winked at her then. To his surprise, the girl blushed just like before. Maybe not all of that performance back in town had been feigned. "The Hunt won't lose your scent for twenty-four hours. If you come to soul Society, they won't be able to reach you." She dug her toe into the bark self-consciously and took a deep breath. "So… that's all."

Noboru stared at her for a while. His nerves were all jangled from the disruption surrounding them. Could he truly believe anything she had told him?

I think she's weird. But not bad. Maybe a test?

Good idea.

He brought up Hanuman and brandished its tip at her despondent face. "The old guy said Yoruichi sent you. Do you have any proof?"

Fabiola simply shook her head. "No proof. Never trust a person's words."

Behind the curtain of his hair Noboru narrowed his eyes at this response. That was one of Yoruichi's sayings, all right. She always liked to dole out advice, like she had a bent for teaching people. But what was the point of taking that for confirmation if the saying itself contradicted it?

While busy weighing his options, there came a rustling in the undergrowth. A small black capuchin monkey burst into view soon after. It took one look at Noboru, and gave a terrific scream. The next thing he knew it was launching itself at him. He watched it come, perplexed. Could the little guy be hurt and looking for help? On instinct he moved towards the distraught primate, only to find Fabiola had interposed herself between them.

About to demand an explanation, Noboru was shocked when the girl lifted her skirt and lashed out, kicking the white-faced primate into the bole of a tree with a sickening smack.

"HEY!"

He was around her and kneeling by the capuchin's side. "Are you CRAZY?" Noboru demanded of the little maid, who just gave him a dispirited glance before turning to look around them. "The poor thing was sick, he needed…!"

Noboru, don't touch it!

His hand was already outstretched with a healing incantation on his lips when the monkey reared up and snatched hold of him. Before he could even wonder as to how this might be, its teeth were sunk deep into his arm.

"AAHH!"

The cry was from shock as much as pain. Noboru scrambled back waving his limb in a wild attempt to dislodge the thing assaulting him. That was impossible! How could a living being even…?

Suddenly Fabiola was there, grasping the crazed simian by its neck. Her other hand took a firm hold on its torso. She gave a sharp twist, and one could clearly hear the sound of a spinal column snapping. For just a second those tiny jaws spasmed even deeper into his ethereal flesh. After this the fake maid calmly pried the broken corpse loose and dropped it unceremoniously at their feet.

Noboru sat sprawled in front of his savior. Wide eyes darted back and forth from the dead body to his arm, which was streaming blood from a ragged bleeding wound. His breath came in heavy gasps. It occurred to him he was close to panicking. It required all his strength to keep from trembling. Meanwhile the girl before him remained cool and calm as if nothing unusual had taken place.

"What the hell is going on?" he panted.

"It was possessed. That's why it could hurt you," Fabiola squatted down before him. "The Hollow inside allowed it to touch spirits. And there's a lot more on their way. You won't be able to outrun them. Won't you come with us?"

It felt like his brain was in a daze. Killer maids, shinigami, death clouds, now ensorcelled monkeys? All in one day? It was like somebody was purposefully trying to throw him off balance.

Glancing up at the adolescent assassin, a sharp spike of suspicion shot through him. That might be exactly what's happening here. This could all be a setup, a way to get him to walk right into the hands of the shinigami. They were relying on him to be scared and confused enough to forego all his instincts and training in favor of self-preservation. Who was this girl, anyway? He didn't even know her name. And she expected him to trust her implicitly?

"What's your…?"

Fabiola backhanded him across the face.

The unexpectedness and force of the blow sent him spinning away. It also served to resolve his previous indecision. Righting himself in midair, Noboru whipped up his zanpakutō with an angry shout.

It was only then that he saw the banana spider.

Bigger than a man's hand, the ugly gray arachnid scuttled furiously towards the space he had just occupied. Then like a magnet it switched directions to follow him. Fabiola dove straight for the venomous spider, and Noboru felt his blood go cold. "STOP!"

She didn't hesitate, hand slapping down on the eight-legged monstrosity to smash it into the dirt. But this time her target moved with a natural dexterity that surpassed her efforts. The arachnid slapped to a dead halt with the aid of its multiple appendages and scooted to one side. Fabiola's strike hit right in front of its position, and then it sprang forward. Noboru practically heard its fangs pierce her skin. A scream he didn't even recognize as his own rang through the forest, and then he was driving Hanuman towards the banana spider. If they could touch him surely the reverse held true as well!

There was no chance to test his theory, though, as the maid's free hand smashed the grotesquerie biting her into a sticky mess.

His fury died out instantly, and Noboru dropped to her side. With his help Fabiola stood up. She winced slightly, the first actual expression he had seen from her. Not at all how he had hoped things to go. Noboru took her hand and inspected the wound. She allowed him to do so. Blood leaked from two holes between her thumb and forefinger. He was just about to try and heal it when the far-off scream of an animal reminded him of their situation.

We should get to safety, and fast!

No arguments here. And she's coming too!

Without hesitation he then reached down and scooped the girl up in his arms. As expected her physical form proved readily susceptible to this despite his being a ghost. Now carrying her, Noboru shot off in the direction of the mountains.

The girl shifted around and whispered very softly. "You're going the wrong way. My comrades are behind us."

"Don't worry," he responded. "I'm taking you someplace safe. Nothing can find us there and I'll be free to treat that bite." It could be done. Thankfully he knew how to heal the living. It was just a matter of tending to the wound in time. Forced to dodge trees now that he was carrying a body, the going was slower. No help for it. She takes priority right now.

Something occurred to him, and he looked at the girl closely. "So what's your name, anyway? I'm guessing it's not Fabiola."

She hesitated before finally shaking her head. "No. I am… Ururu Tsumugiya."

Noboru grinned. He made his own voice soft in an attempt to be reassuring. "Noboru Kouki. Nice to meet you, Ururu."

His little lady responded to that by looking down, as if abashed at meeting his gaze. However to his surprise she did reach up to drape her arms around his neck in a secure embrace. Trying not to think too hard about how it felt to hold and be held by a girl like this, the prince of the forest continued to make good their escape.

---

"MY EYES! MY EEEEEYES!"

While Mini-Mus busily trundled around him with their cleaning, Kon convulsed on the ground. His head slammed against the tiles in a desperate attempt to dislodge the sight he had just witnessed. How could he have forgotten the pervert's first rule? Be ready to look away! Because some things you don't want to see! One would think hours of trolling the internet for porn would have cemented the need for this safety mechanism in him, but oh no, that wasn't the case!

Through sheer mental discipline he finally managed to lock away that horrific memory. No telling when it might resurface, but that's the cross he would have to bear. In the meantime Kon fiercely occupied his brain by trying to name all the anime he could possibly think of. Have to keep the demon down, along with my lunch!

After a few minutes the traumatized toy picked himself up and surveyed his new surroundings. Having fled back into the M&M delivery system, his course had taken him on a roundabout route without direction. At some point it simply spat him out here, in a deserted assembly hall. There was nothing to see besides some closed doors leading who knew where. To get out he need only concentrate on leaving and the delivery system would do the rest. But curiosity got the better of him at this point, and Kon soon found himself standing before one of those soaring portals.

Who could say what might be behind this door? Of course he knew it would be suicide to go gallivanting around this butcher's shop without a clue. Still, what's the worst that could happen? Wrinkles liver spots drooping boo-DON'T REMEMBER!

Self-preservation compelled him to float up to the door, which slid open in response. Whatever was behind it couldn't possibly be any worse than his own treacherous mind.

Inside was only darkness. "Hello?" Kon called as he floated through. "Anybody here?" He peered about for a switch of some kind. Just then the door closed with a fast whoosh, and as if on cue, yellow lights came on overhead. The inquisitive explorer found himself inside what looked to be a storage facility. There were rows of transparent jelly blobs as tall as a man lined up end to end. Each had within its depths at least half a dozen different objects whose provenance was difficult to determine at first glance.

Intrigued, Kon drifted down a lane at random. Upon approaching any of the stored treasures in their gelatinous confines, lettering would print out upon the surface that identified what each item might be. He saw a collection of dolls, each of which had been chopped or torn apart for some reason, all disturbingly lifelike in terms of their anatomy and listed under the name, 'The 46'. Another shelf held an odd little idol that looked like a winged entity with an octopus head crouched atop a column. Its title was 'C-Totem, Louisiana bayou raid, 1908 Anno Domini'. Wherever he looked something new and ghastly appeared floating in its own preservative housing. The mummified fingers of someone named 'Ozzie Ris'. Three golden heads whose eyes watched him pass by and whose mouths moved without producing words. A severed hand with a quill pen writing over the surface of a globe. Even a copy of the anime 'Harmagedon'. Horror upon horror.

Then at last he came to the final row that held anything. This contained the most outrageous assortment of all, every one suspiciously numbered in sequence from 1 through 10. Only half the receptacles held anything of note. The first and second were empty, but in the position of #3 he saw what resembled a bunch of gray eyeless fish corpses with enormous fanged mouths. The fourth held an urn, the type usually employed in carrying someone's ashes. Slot number 5 he passed by quickly, as it sported a smashed head with a hole where one eye should be and no tongue. Six and seven were vacant. The one labeled as 8 was simply entitled 'Imperfect Lifeform' and its contents had been compressed to the size and dimensions of a Twinkie while still giving the vague impression of a pink-haired man. Kon sincerely hoped that he had been dead before that was done to him. Probably best not to know.

The ninth just held a sign that read, 'Disposed of by request of Patroness', while the last entry in this procession of freaks turned out to be a one-armed giant missing its head. By then he was at the end of the show. All remaining jelly containers were empty after this point. Now thoroughly perplexed, Kon peered back behind him. It was almost like this had been a trophy room built by a psychotic person. If so, it was a world-class nut-job responsible. Which considering where he was could indicate it had belonged to…

A tremor born from his innermost soul shook the little cleaning droid. It seemed wherever he looked there were remorseless golden eyes watching him. I could have been in here, he realized; a dead thing set aside as testament to that maniac's obsessions. Maybe one of my brother's remains are in here somewhere, tucked away where nobody else can see. The thought made Kon's synthetic skin crawl from fear and discomfort, and more than anything he wanted out of that room without delay.

Much to his relief he felt himself being whisked away into the ceiling in response to that wish. Now once again riding through the building's circulatory system he tried to calm down. Without success. A lingering sense of unease persisted. Kon couldn't rid himself of the impression that clownish face was forever watching him wherever he went. He recalled the sensation of being rolled around the madman's palm right before being inserted into a fresh cadaver. Next came the testing to gauge how well he performed. And all the while that freak continued to observe, smiling in that crazy way he had, chalky skin making his rotten yellow teeth stand out even further, eyes rolling madly in his sockets whenever he became upset. Don't let him get mad at me, please, I don't want to be destroyed! Keep her away from me!

Hold on. Am I… going somewhere?

Before he knew it the errant mod soul was deposited in a new location. Nervously he glanced around in expectation of fresh atrocities on display. There was no such thing, however. It was just a high-ceilinged room perhaps the length of a swimming pool. Pale green lines glowed dully in walls and ceiling, threading all throughout in straight geometric patterns that never intersected. They pulsed rhythmically in a way that seemed to accentuate the shadows rather than dispelling them. High archways were set into the walls but had no visible doors inside them. Terrific. Where did that stupid rollercoaster send me now, and why?

When Kon turned around, he saw what he first took to be some variety of cactus. It was green at least, and growing up out of the floor to over ten feet in height. Only after studying this solitary spire did it dawn upon him there was nothing organic about it. More like a stalactite… or was it a stalagmite? He always got those two confused. Whatever it might be, the crystal pillar seemed to be the only thing inside the chamber. The green bands in the floor all emerged from that point. Were they feeding into it, or draining something out? He couldn't really tell.

Bored, Kon inspected the pinnacle from top to bottom, but could determine nothing about its provenance or purpose. Touching it was out of the question. Thing might be explosive for all he knew. Its surface was smooth and shiny, though. He floated listlessly round and around the obelisk in search of anything that would indicate what this might be. His reflection could be seen quite clearly. Maybe there was something sealed inside there, way down deep where I can't see it?

As he bobbed a little higher, the wandering mod noticed his reflection had become warped slightly. He drew back a little to get a better look at what caused this. And in doing so, finally noticed the face staring out at him.

"EYYAAAAAAH!"

A panicked shriek, a dive to safety, and Kon was huddled trembling behind the only available protection, a console rising out of the floor. The sight from before was emblazoned onto his eyeballs: wide open mouth locked in a silent scream, panicked eyes staring into his own as if to beseech his help. It was this last that served to loosen the fearful paralysis from his limbs, allowing him to come out from cover and once more inspect that dire monument. Clearly it held something more unsettling than first appearance would indicate. But it didn't seem to offer any harm, at least not to him.

After marshaling his courage, the plucky little mascot finally streaked up to once more hang before that pleading visage. Once he felt certain nothing ominous was in the works, he managed to come close enough to make out the details. It wasn't really a living face; more like it had been carved into the monument's side. But the attention to detail, combined with the unspeakable agony etched into every visible inch, convinced him this was no mere art project. That was a real person who had been somehow trapped inside this crystal prison. Should I let him out? There's probably a good reason they put him in there, right? Or not, who knows? All the same, there's something really familiar about that guy, if I can just put my finger on it maybe…

In scrutinizing that reflective physiognomy closer, Kon caught a glimpse of his own image thrown back at him. The Mini-Mu's face peeked out, slightly warped from the green glass. Two faces inside one another…

The answer came clear, dropping like a heavy yoke around his neck so he almost fell from the sheer intensity of his realization.

That's me. No, I mean, not me, but the face they let me borrow, the one I'm wearing that actually belongs to…

Him.

Dazed. Confused. Dumbfounded. All these served to describe his emotional state at that moment. It was over a minute before Kon felt confident of anything, even his whereabouts. To say nothing of himself.

Who am I? I'm Kaizō Konpakku. Kon, for short. I borrow bodies. Waiting on a new one now, courtesy of my Nee-san. We came back to the place where I was born to get it. And the person responsible for my birth is three feet in front of me.

"It's you," he whispered.

Without a doubt, Kon knew he had found his creator. Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

The name was one he could never forget. Having conjured up the mod souls, their master insisted they be aware to whom they owed their existence. Afterwards, when Rukia took him in, Kon had never dared ask whether she knew the man or his vicious daughter. It might have been nice to learn that both had been destroyed some point prior to all that or even during the little war Ichigo and his friends started to get Rukia back. Truth be told, he was too scared to ask about either of them, lest it inadvertently wind up drawing their attention to him. Out of sight, out of mind.

It had worked. Until now. With sudden clarity it dawned upon him that his previous line of thought while traveling through the transportation canals had caused it to bring him here, where his demonic progenitor resided in a state that defied anything Kon could work out on his own. Had this been done to him? Could it be another experiment the sadomasochistic genius was conducting? Was he even alive in there? Oddly enough he got the feeling that whatever this glass house might be, Mayuri hadn't entered it willingly. And if any part of him still existed he definitely wasn't enjoying himself. Not if that deranged expression was any indication. Most likely he doesn't even know I'm here.

Kon stared at his captive creator. The lights pulsed around them slowly, and neither said a word or made a move towards each other.

I never really thought about it before, but if given the opportunity, what I really wanted to say to you was…

"You bastard."

The mod soul braced himself for punishment as a result of such blatant rebellion. Something awful, no doubt. Instead there came only echoes back to him in this deserted sanctum. Bastard, they whispered back, bastard. He could almost convince himself it was the ghosts of his destroyed kin urging him on, and so Kon took a deep breath and delivered it again, more forcefully, "You BASTARD!"

BASTARD, the echoes exhorted in appreciation, BASTARD!

Kon was breathing heavily now. He gazed into that hated face with the utmost loathing. Some demented part of his brain insisted he heard other voices now. Say it, they seemed to insist. Say what we never dared, for fear of losing even those few precious seconds of life it would cost us. Speak in our defense, brother. Now that he knows how it feels to be trapped and helpless, let him understand all the torment we were put through on account of his depravity!

All right. I will.

"Tell me why," Kon demanded of that frozen specter. Even if a response was forthcoming, he had already bulled on ahead by that point, driven by the need to release whatever pent-up aggression and hostility had been reawakened by his homecoming. The ghosts of his past required he do nothing less. "Why did you do it? Why go to the trouble of building yourself an army and then erase it without any warning? Why create us if you were just going to destroy us all? It doesn't make any sense! Dammit, why didn't you …?"

Words failed him at that point. For a while he could only splutter helplessly. What exactly was he trying to articulate here? How can I get across what he took from us when I'm not even sure myself where he failed my kind? Kon's life had been hell right from first inception. Fear and uncertainty were all he ever knew. Never a kind word, never a sign of parental affection. Except for that one solitary moment, when his mother reached out to pick him up and awaken his heart to something more wonderful than he had never known could exist.

That's it.

"Why didn't you CARE?"

His rage was building to a frenzied pitch. Nothing could stop him now. "Why didn't you care about us, huh? Bastard, you smug stupid BASTARD! We were supposed to fight for you, but you just threw us away! When we needed to be protected, and from the same assholes that tried to execute Rukia! How come you never once tried to save us? We would have… we would have FOUGHT for you, don't you understand? That's what you made us for, it was the whole reason behind our being! And before we could even get a chance to prove ourselves, you…!"

Still nothing happened. This only served to stoke the fires of his vehemence.

"Think it was impossible to give a crap about a bunch of lab samples? Well, shows how much you really know! I mean, Rukia cared about me, enough to step up and face down Sandal Hat, anyway! And she didn't know anything about me! I mean, besides the basics, I guess, but… how come you couldn't do even that much for just one of us, huh? That would have really proven you were better than Urahara, you know? More than anything else you ever made or thought of or dared to attempt, that's… THAT'S ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN! You could have shown him up and made a name for yourself, but you didn't! The chance was there, and you let it slip away, along with our LIVES!"

Kon vaguely realized he was crying. Not that it mattered now when there were more important things that needed to be said. Things like…

"I hate you."

Yes, the others sighed. More.

"I hate you, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, you warped piece of shit!" he spat with relish, and laughed. It felt like he was going crazy, all furious and exuberant at the same time. But if so he didn't care! This needed to be said, and Kon was the perfect person to say it. "I'm so glad I came back here, because it means I got to see you like this! Better than any present I could ever have asked for on Christmas or my birthday. Whatever stupid crazy thing you did to wind up this way, it is the best gift you could ever have given me. So THANK YOU! THANK YOU for creating me, and THANK YOU for not keeping me, and THANK YOU for going and getting yourself royally screwed! Couldn't have happened to a more deserving fellow, that's for sure! STAY in there, and don't you EVER come out because it's a better fate than you deserve!"

Mayuri's screaming face remained carved from stone without change. Just when it felt like he might be coming down from his anger high, this fact drove Kon completely wild. Without regard for setting off any alarms or how much good it might do, he threw himself forward. "BASTARD!" he roared, and slammed his rage-driven feet right square into that loathsome figure's temple.

His legs exploded.

That was how it felt. Even as the thwarted avenger fell back, wracked with pain so intense he couldn't produce any sound beyond strangled gasps, through tear-filled eyes it became clear his legs remained intact. The hurt was already diminishing, but the aftershocks proved almost as intense as the experience in and of itself. So he simply lay where he had fallen until even those had faded.

Damn you, he thought. Tricky to the end and beyond. You just couldn't let me have my say, could you? Well, I'm still here, after everything you did to me, and you're not. Burn in hell, Kurotsuchi! All of them.

Kon couldn't tell if he was disappointed or relieved Mayuri couldn't hear him. One the one hand, there was no way he could be taken to task for it. While on the other, that had been a pretty sweet rant. A shame the amoral prick wasn't able to respond. Although this was probably the only way he could have pulled off such a stunt and come out alive. All in all, not a bad deal, come to think of it.

Best not to press his luck. So resolved, Kon went about determining how to exit this room. That telepathic subway had proven kind of iffy. One wrong thought and he might wind up swimming in a percolating vat of sewer runoff. Three bad experiences was more than enough. He could walk the rest of the way back from here.

So where to find a door? After briefly inspecting the layout he decided to approach one of the archways set into the wall. Perhaps there was an exit there that responded to proximity? Heck, they had those in mortal world convenience stores, why not here? To his surprise a door really did slide open at his approach. Once more only darkness greeted his eyes, but perhaps the lights would kick on as soon as he was inside.

About to take his first step in, a voice whispered from the shadows. "Hello?"

He froze. It suddenly dawned upon him that he was about to walk into a pitch-black room in the Shinigami R&D Bureau. That ranked right up there with the Top Ten most assured ways to meet an excruciatingly messy end. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

While he pondered, the disembodied voice emerged weakly once more. "Is someone there?"

For some crazy reason Kon could almost convince himself this person sounded familiar. Probably just because everybody sounds the same when they're being tortured. The voice was faint, and his imagination pictured a stringy malnourished wimp chained to a wall. It could be someone really in need of assistance. Another of Mayuri's victims, who had been abandoned after their tormentor's departure and left for dead. Probably without anyone even being aware of his existence. I should try and find out if they need help at least.

Kon edged cautiously a few steps further in. Even like this he was fast enough to outrun anything dangerous. Or at least that was what he hoped. He could still perceive nothing through this impenetrable darkness, and finally decided to locate a light-switch. Spying a panel by the door, the valiant Mini-Mu flew up and flicked it on.

Light came from behind him. Upon turning around, Kon's mouth fell open. A lone spotlight fell to reveal a sight that he would take to his grave.

Inside an odd contraption made of steel pipes and black satin, there hung a man. He was naked save for a pair of skintight shorts and a spiked collar around his neck. Black leather straps together bound his arms behind him. His ankles were connected to his wrists by handcuffs, leaving him bent backwards in what must be an incredibly painful position, especially given that he was dangling from a chain that hooked into those cuffs. Just like a worm on a fishing line. A black mask covered his eyes. Scars decorated his body in the oddest places, and he shivered in the cold.

"Nemu-san?" the captive hazarded anxiously, head jerking blindly from side to side as if trying to focus his hearing. Considering he was missing an ear, that probably didn't help much. "Is that you? Would you let me down now? I don't know how long I've been here, but it's been at least a few hours, and I need to get back before my shift begins. So could we please…?"

Kon couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him. But the voice, along with that soupy frame, told him he was not mistaken.

"HANATARŌ?"

The prisoner shut his mouth with a gasp. After a few seconds in which neither of them dared to speak or move, he finally managed to whisper, "Wh… who's there?"

Kon just stared, unable to compute what he was witnessing. Right then the lank-haired medic started twisting around frantically in an effort to escape his bonds. While he did a torrent of words fell from his lips. "Whoever you are… this isn't what it looks like, I swear! This is a joint-loosening exercise, it's for patients that are recovering from convalescence! I mean, it's not an S&M device or anything like that, or… oh mercy. Please don't tell anyone you saw me here! I mean… that is to say, you don't know me, we've never met before, I'm not Hanatarō Yamada!"

A feeling of déjà vu hit. "Then why do you know his name?"

"ACK!"

A noise like he was choking indicated Hanatarō might have swallowed his own tongue by that point. But Kon could not even think of how to respond to this. Because right then, a shadow fell over him.

He knew he shouldn't look, only what other option could there be? And when he came about, it therefore came as no surprise to find Nemu Kurotsuchi towering over him. Her soulless stare riveted Kon to the floor so that he couldn't even think of running. Now both he and the bondage nut were reduced to identical quivering puddles of dread.

We're going to die.

Her mouth opened. "You are wanted," was all Nemu said, before bending down to pick Kon up. Tucking him under one arm, she stepped back outside. The door closed behind her.

Hanatarō was left alone swinging slowly back and forth on his tether. After a bit of thought, he resolved not to make any further sound for the foreseeable future. Don't draw attention to yourself. That's how you stay alive in this business.

You're going to catch a cold.

Thank you, Hisagomaru. Kindly go to sleep now.

---

They stopped to rest halfway up the peak in a spot normally reserved for mountain-climbing expeditions. Here where the air was not quite so thin, intrepid daredevils could catch their breath in preparation for the second arduous leg of their journey. Scaling the Andes, even the easy patches, should not be attempted in a foolhardy manner. There was nobody here at this time, and Noboru felt it was the perfect place to perform a little first aid. Of course, Ururu disagreed.

"You should keep moving," she insisted as he settled her gently atop a flattened rock. A strong gust of wind made the girl shiver, it being obvious that her getup was not made for such climes. "The Hunt doesn't need to rest. Whenever you're not running, they're catching up to you."

Noboru simply stuck out his tongue and made a face at her before busily examining the wound. He held her arm at an elevated level to slow the poison's spread. Whatever she might really be, her body was still reacting to the venom, though nowhere near as bad as a normal human. She could still breathe, for starters. And talk. It would be nice to take care of this problem before it got any worse, preferably without the added peril of worrying about being attacked in the midst of healing. However…

"Um, you really should listen to people when they're warning you about terrible danger."

"We've been over this before, I couldn't care less about the danger," he responded flippantly.

He continued his ministrations, hoping that would keep her quiet for a little bit. And that she wouldn't notice his confidence was mostly feigned. He didn't need constant reminders of just how bad the situation might be. Burdened down with her, he had not been able to employ his maximum speed to escape their pursuers. Considering most of them were of the landlocked variety of animal, Noboru had a greater range of movement and could evade them with little effort. It was still unnerving how many had homed in on him in the short time it took to reach this point. Being caught, by anyone, was an unfamiliar sensation in his life. And the way these things persisted in their vendetta was simply unnatural.

He studied Ururu from beneath the veil of his hair. Her face certainly didn't betray any telltale hint of fear at her situation. No way to tell if she was truly scared at being poisoned like this. But in case she really is, guess it couldn't hurt to try and take her mind off it.

"So tell me something," Noboru spoke as casually as he could while caring for her. "Who do I have to thank for the Rabid Hunt being set on me? I don't recall doing anything particularly noteworthy in the last few weeks. Plus that Deepwater Horizon incident was over a year ago, so I'm sure most everybody has forgotten about it by now. Care to let me in?"

"We don't know who sent them, or why they're focusing on you." Ururu winced a little as he pricked her fingertip lightly with Hanuman's point. Good, still registering pain. His soul cutter had now taken the form of a toothpick, the better to hide his spirit signature. Not that it seemed to do much good in terms of the beasts. But at least those creepy shinigami hadn't pounced on him yet. Since she didn't appear to be in danger of dying, he decided to forego any further medical treatment until they reached the catacombs. So now they could have a chat.

Squatting back on his heels, he regarded the strange girl, who didn't bother to meet his gaze. She was too busy flicking her eyes around in search of attackers. More and more he felt convinced of her sincerity. She meant him no harm. But a few things still troubled him.

"So was it a coincidence you showed up right when this Hunt comes sniffing around for me?"

"I can't say. Most likely Yoruichi-sama sensed something was wrong and wanted to see you protected. Are you a friend of hers?"

"Keep your arm up." She complied, and he ignored the question. "So how do I get them off my tail? I mean besides the way you've already suggested," he interrupted as she seemed about to launch into another plea that he turn himself in. "There must be some way to stop these Hollows from finding me."

"Well, there is, but…" Here Ururu's voice got very quiet. Sensing an opening, Noboru leaned in and angled his head until their gazes met. He then adopted his most winning smile.

"Hey, you can tell me, right? Not like we have to do it, I just want to be informed about my options. But if you're worried, I do hereby promise not to go rushing off into anything stupid. Deal?"

With that he clasped her elevated palm. Holding her arm up like this, anybody who could see them might assume he was interrogating her. Far from it. Well, not that he really intended to do anything bad. But taking advantage of people for his own ends was kind of his calling card. And old habits die hard.

I don't see a problem with it. You're definitely in the right, right?

Right.

At last Ururu's resistance crumbled in the face of his gentle coaxing. "You have to kill the Hunt Master."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's it? I was expecting there would be more to it. So who is this Master? I thought you said you didn't know who was behind this."

"The Master is a member of the Hunt," she explained. It didn't escape his notice how she kept glancing up at where their hands were touching, nor that the flush in her cheeks seemed to have settled in permanently. "It leads them on their course. Should any of the others die, they just relocate to new bodies. But when the Master falls that ends the Hunt. If you can locate and kill it, the rest will be banished from this plane."

Noboru frowned. "Wait. You mean this Master is inside one of the animals just like all the others?"

"That's right."

This was becoming more and more complicated. "Okay. So… how do you tell which one it is?"

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug, and Noboru gave an exasperated snort. "What, you choose now to stop being Señorita Enciclopedia?"

"What I told you is only a theory. Not much is known about the Wild Hunt."

"But somebody must have met this Hunt Master before, otherwise why even give it a name?"

Ururu managed to look even more dejected than usual. "Not that I know of. The Hunt Master's existence has never been proven. But it's an explanation that makes sense considering what's been observed."

"Like a black hole," Noboru opined brightly. "Nobody's seen one, but what other reason could there be for galaxies disappearing, right?"

She shrugged again.

"Kill the Master. Okay, let's get right on that." He stood up and unleashed Hanuman. The thrum of his spiritual power made the air crackle.

That cute little face took on a shade of alarm. "Wait, you said…!"

"Yeah, I know what I said." He turned to look back at her. "I said it, after all. But I was lying. Hope you're not too mad."

Ururu looked at him for a while, then dropped her eyes. "I'm not. It's just… you can't hurt them, can you? You're a spirit."

"Pft!" he blew out his bangs with a snort. "There's lots of ways to kill things if you think about it." The grinning outdoorsman then gestured over the wide expanse of steep mountains and plummeting drops. "Not that it matters. Once we're in the catacombs there's no way they'll ever find us. That'll give me time to…"

No scream. No sense of peril. A rush of air was all the warning he got. But it was enough to send Noboru vaulting nimbly off to the side as something went streaking by. Finding purchase on thin air, he located this new enemy as it banked around for another attack.

The sight was so shocking he nearly dropped his pole.

"Pluma!"

The gyrfalcon flapped its powerful wings to ride high on a gust of biting wind, then folded them in and dove towards him. Noboru started forward only to brake suddenly, uncertain what to do. That was his friend attacking him!

Forget it, just kill the beast! Or run! Leave the girl and save yourself!

No! I'm not going to do that, so just shut up, you stupid monkey!

He came back to himself in time to see curved talons snapping out. Instinctively he interposed Hanuman, only for Pluma to pass through the weapon like it wasn't there. Then it was just feathers slapping his face madly, claws and beak striking with deadly precision while Noboru screamed in terror as the beautiful bird sought to rip out his eyes.

The vicious assault stopped without warning. Peering out from behind his upraised arms, he saw Ururu floating a few paces off holding the struggling gyrfalcon by its neck. As it emitted high-pitched shrieks and struggled madly for freedom, the girl casually reached up to grasp hold of its lower body. Just like she had with the monkey.

"NO!"

Without thinking he swung Hanuman. The staff sprung to several yards in length and took Ururu in the side. He saw her wince in pain as she was flung away to go tumbling down a ravine. Pluma plummeted to earth, sliding and flopping awkwardly as she hit ground.

Noboru shook with the realization of what he had just done. "Oh hell," he breathed. An instant later the boy shot down until he had caught up with Ururu, catching her by one hand and bringing her descent to a halt. Soon they were back atop the bluff. The boy realized he was shaking. Ashamed, he fiercely ground his teeth in an effort to master himself and glanced about for Pluma. The avian hunter lay unmoving a ways off, dead or unconscious.

As the tiny waif stirred in his grasp, he glanced over at her anxiously, blurting out, "I'm sorry, so sorry, but you can't do that! Don't… don't kill her, all right? You can't do that again! Ever!" He was gabbling. And crying. Neither of which could help in this situation. That much became obvious fast, so he resolutely stopped doing both. Self-control seemed in short supply at this time, though. When she finally looked at him, the most he could manage was to almost sob, "Are you all right?"

As he spoke, the world went dark.

It felt as if a cloud passed over face of the sun, in more ways than one. A cold that defied any simple temperature drop made his very spirit shudder. When Noboru Kouki looked up, however, there was no such thing. Instead blotting out the sky for a league in every direction hovered a flock of birds like a great dark mass of smog. He saw vultures, condors, parrots, Manakins, and Cocks-of-the-Rock, in such numbers that their combined presence blotted out the sun. It was as though an eclipse had settled on the land.

The forest spirit swallowed against a fear threatening to claw its way up his throat. That wasn't the only thing. When he looked down the situation was even worse than he had thought. Swarming up the slopes of the mountain came an army of mad creatures. He saw giant armadillos and ocelots, night monkeys and wild boars, even capybara and chinchilla of all things. Apparently the Hunt was not very discriminate in what forms they chose.

A burning pain and the feel of blood running down his cheeks reminded him not to underestimate this enemy. Noboru glanced around. They were surrounded. To reach the catacombs they would have to break through the perimeter. While he could probably still outrun any of them on his own, he had already determined not to leave Ururu behind. That precluded any use of flash step.

She'll be just as dead if you try to fight your way through all that. And you will be too. What's the point of sacrificing yourself?

I won't live at someone else's expense.

This is suicide.

We can agree on that much.

How fair is it to take me down with you, huh? Got a smart-ass answer for that?

I'm sorry. But you can't say this comes as a surprise.

No. I guess not. Okay, that's enough talk. Let's rumble!

As usual, his zanpakutō's mercurial nature adapted to any given situation. Seeing as how the enemy already knew where he was, there was no sense in holding back anymore. Let's see if a little defensive kidō can't even the odds! Bringing a hand up before his face, he intoned the prayer. "Bakudō #73: Tozanshō!"

The blue pyramid had just shimmered into existence around them when a pressure built up in his ears like they were going to pop. The next thing Noboru knew, a tornado came roaring up out of the ravine right in front of him, tearing into the flock of Wild birds and scattering them across the heavens. He could only stare in disbelief.

Wow. Never saw Descending Mountain Crystal do that before.

I don't think that was me.

Another colossal presence unloaded onto his senses. This time he was pretty sure what was going on. So when he came around and found one very angry ninja woman glaring at him outside his spell, he knew his luck had turned. Though whether for the better or not remained to be seen, considering the way that Roberta chick was looking at him.

---

Any outsiders would only see a human-sized missile of yellow energy streaking past the tree-line and up the mountain slopes. If that. This living bullet weaved around any obstacles, including the possessed Hunt, finally taking to the air to zip over their backs when the press became too thick.

Soifon blazed past the stampeding horde so fast they might as well have been plow horses lumbering in their traces. This gave her no pride, however. Even if she reached Masahiko and Ururu, there was precious little she could do to help them like this. Have to try and spirit the boy out quickly. If the golem proved a burden, she would be left behind.

Priorities.

At last she homed in on Ururu's locator beacon. Coming out beyond the vanguard of the approaching swell, Soifon stopped on a dime to leave streamers of spiritual power dissipating in her wake. There she found Masahiko and the girl hunched over what looked to be a wounded falcon. He was bleeding from cuts on his face and arms, and had gathered a protective barrier around them. His self-confidence held as much recklessness as it did ignorance. Bakudō could dissuade the living from entering an area but not truly repel unless they happened to be spiritually sensitive. Then their own strength would work against them so that they felt the full force of the warding. Such a person could actually be healed of a physical wound should a shinigami apply a restorative charm. Kidō's effectiveness depended on the power of the person behind the conjuring along with the one it was used upon.

But the Hunt was not a natural expression of spiritual energy. They did not enhance the animals' aura by any degree, and could breach any seals thanks to their suits of flesh. They were anathema to the living, their malignant essence killing their hosts as surely as anything. Eventually every animal here would be dead. Even a captain held hardly any advantage in a predicament such as this. Her power could not breach mortal skin to exorcise the demon within.

Fortunately Lady Yoruichi had foreseen such a problem and made sure a remedy would exist.

"BAN-KAI: TENRYŌMARU!"

From within the precipice erupted an explosion of force both otherworldly and not. There then emerged a tremendous column of whirling air. It tore across the landscape like a giant drill, cracking apart the very stone at its base along with anything unfortunate enough to cross its path in the heavens. A condensed tornado, this outpouring of primordial power came in response to the summons of a wind sorcerer so mighty he had refused entry into both the Council of 46 and Squad Zero. A longstanding relationship and the trust of Commander-General Yamamoto earned consideration of his wishes in that respect.

Now the Gale Lord, Chōjirō Sasakibe, floated at the eye of this storm, barely visible and registering mainly as an unleashed power loci.

At a gesture from him, the vortex roared off to the left, bearing its creator with it. Like a contained natural disaster, this powerful man decimated the avian congregation, scattering its component parts to the winds. In spite of herself Soifon could not help but be impressed by the display. Even a soul as powerful as her own had limits, especially in terms of the material realm. While her zanpakutō could kill a score of Hollows or other unearthly entities with no effort, its effect upon flesh and blood hardly registered. Were she to use Suzumebachi on a mortal, even with two consecutive hits, they would not register any injury. Only those spirits who held ghastly strength that defied anything normally associated even with squad leaders, like the former Fourth Squad captain, could affect the living with impunity.

That was where elemental zanpakutō held a distinct advantage. Their expression in spiritual form also included a corresponding impact in this world. Fire zanpakutō whose flames were invisible to mortal eyes could still burn them as effectively as any natural heat source. An ice zanpakutō could freeze a river or even a sea depending upon its wielder's strength. The power of Hyōrinmaru, wielded by Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya, potentially heralded a new Ice Age for any region in which he exercised its full strength. And that was when he had yet to attain full maturity. Had Yamamoto Genryusai-Shigekuni been less chary of his own strength, he might have incinerated a continent at any given time. Which was why the Commander-General hardly ever ventured forth into battle upon mortal soil for concern of the havoc that might result.

Sasakibe's virulent whirlwind retreated further from their location. All the same, Soifon sought shelter behind the boy's kidō spell to escape the violent gusts of wind emitted by her elder's bankai. While a terrific weapon, Tenryōmaru also represented a threat to the very people Chōjirō sought to protect. It was necessary to keep his distance from them lest they be blown away, and this allowed the Hunt an opportunity to close on their position. Also he could not move the twister with much speed or it might go out of control, meaning the Hollow scum could employ their relatively greater speed to try and maneuver around the perimeter of his defense.

Chōjirō knew his limitations, and so did she. He had acted only to break any concerted assault the Hunt attempted. Now that their lines were scattered, it fell to Soifon and the gigai to attend to their charge. This distraction would prove sufficient.

Vanish.

Drawing her soul cutter from its sheathe, Soifon slid it smoothly straight out before her. In response a shoji door automatically materialized and opened wide allowing the light of the afterlife to gleam through. Additionally three hell butterflies emerged to flap around her head just as had been arranged.

The feral-eyed assassin cast a baleful look at her uncooperative target. Masahiko remained on alert at her presence. An admirable survival trait, but not in this situation. His rebellious behavior ended now.

"No more running, boy," Soifon stated in a voice cold as winter. "Come with us if you value your soul."

He did not take her well-intentioned assurance very kindly. In fact, the lad actually regarded his rescuer with the same wariness he had the approaching swarm. Clearly his upbringing must have been lacking if he could not recognize an honest offer of aid when it was presented. It might be necessary to employ force after all if his brain could not be relied upon to act in a reasonable manner.

Soifon kept her gaze trained on the boy, who stared fiercely right back. Her hand, however, moved ever so slightly, fingertips touching in a brief sequence that Ururu would recognize. 'Neutralize the target while his back is turned', she was telling her. The rescue operation would commence as soon as he had been incapacitated. Then they would all depart this sphere without having to confront the Wild Hunt. That was the most satisfactory conclusion.

Masahiko planted the tip of his pole into the ground with a determined air. "Do it and I'll smack your butt, Ururu!" he huffed bluntly, not even sparing a glance behind him.

Her accomplice looked to Soifon in search of further orders. For her part the captain was considering just smashing through the barrier and dragging him into the gate, niceties be damned, when the kid spoke up again. "You, Hatchet Face. Answer me one thing: what's going to happen with this Hunt thing if I go with you?"

He didn't appear bothered at how pockets of that very same threat were drawing closer to them over rock and on the wing. It was only due to their impending peril that Soifon deigned to respond. "They will remain behind. The Hunt cannot follow us into Soul Society, so you will be safe there."

"And what about them?" The brat hiked a thumb over his shoulder at the approaching demons.

Annoyance flashed and was quickly suppressed. "Without a target they will rampage until nightfall, after which their hosts will be destroyed and the Hunt either returns to Hueco Mundo or remains at large until dawn. None of which should concern you. A brigade of shinigami will be notified to deal with them after we leave. That is all we can do."

In seconds there would be no choice but to fight. Fortunately Soifon noticed their gigai had appeared further down the path and would soon be available to attend their masters. She could inhabit her own again while Chōjirō's would provide support, considering he was more dangerous in spirit form. Still, that was not a desirable solution. Best to leave before the fighting started. This flippant urchin must be put to rights regarding…

"NO! It's NOT right!"

To her amazement the boy went striding outside of his spell, causing it to dissipate immediately. So taken aback was she at this move that Soifon almost let him go. Fortunately instinct sent her snapping forth to catch hold of him by the wrist before he could elude her. Masahiko whirled around to send a furious glare at Soifon which the shinigami gladly returned.

"They hurt my friend!" he spit. "And no way am I letting something like this run loose in my home. There are lots of people living nearby who might get hurt. The animals too! They don't deserve what's been done to them!"

She yanked him towards her with a hiss, outraged at this presumption. "We are leaving. End of discussion!"

"Killing their leader ends this whole mess!" the black-haired youth insisted stubbornly, leveling a finger at where Ururu continued to watch them with a neutral expression. "She said so, and that's what we should do!"

Soifon had heard enough. Without further ado she spun and stalked on towards the open gate. Masahiko dug his heels in to slow her advance as he was dragged unceremoniously behind. Insufferable child. The captain reflected on how very satisfying it would be to simply knock him unconscious with one precise blow to the head.

Careful.

Agreed. The way he was struggling she might damage his brain by accident. No need for that. Her hold on him was secure. If he tried to bite her, she would pinch his nostrils so he couldn't breathe. Should he use his zanpakutō, she would break his arm. And no one can perform kidō after you punch them in the solar plexus. She needed only another moment to get him to safety, after which there would be no more talk of right or wrong. Just done! He could not escape her now.

Masahiko didn't attempt to escape by fighting. Or biting. Or even casting a spell.

Instead he simply grabbed Soifon's ass and squeezed.

A jolt shocked through her soul. The sound she made was somewhere between outraged war whoop and startled yelp. Her assailant made full use of this outrageous predicament. He twisted and yanked back, slender wrist slipping out of her grasp with the ease of a greased pig. Masahiko danced away even as she spun to apprehend him, face burning and shamed in a way the phantom ninja had never believed possible. The smile he wore had her aching to pull his teeth out one by one.

"I'll draw out the Master so you can kill it," the little tripe shouted in challenge. "And you better do it quick, Sweet Buns! Otherwise I swear you'll never get me to Soul Society alive." He turned away and winked at her over one shoulder. "Catch me if you can!"

So saying Masahiko took a running leap off the ledge.

As she leapt to give chase, the Wild Hunt rose around them.

They came in their thousands, some by way of the trails, others simply dragging themselves tortuously up steep cliffs of ice and stone. The sheer amount and diversity of the approaching army was enough to give anyone pause. It looked as though the Amazonian jungle had disgorged every possible variety of beast whether it crawl, leap or burrow. The noise they made could actually be heard over Sasakibe's windstorm it was so all-encompassing. Bloodthirsty madness ascended the peak in search of their souls.

Her gigai sprang over the lip of the precipice bare seconds ahead of the Hunt, followed closely by its partner. Not a moment too soon. Soifon altered her course to snap across the space between them and dove into it, reclaiming a material form. In the brief moment it took to readjust herself she noticed her limbs were trembling from a hellish rage unlike any she had known before. The Hunt itself could not match the fury that burned inside her heart. Whatever Lady Yoruichi wanted with that boy she hoped it would prove painful and gut-wrenching.

Before her a giant anteater had heaved its unwieldy frame onto the ledge first. Upon sighting the three warriors arrayed for battle, the hairy brute quivered but did not attack. Instead it cast its beady black eyes in the direction Masahiko had gone. Its attention was off her for less than a second. A fatal error, as proven when Soifon's foot came down hard on its back to the accompaniment of every bone in its frame snapping at once. She then used it as a footstool to propel herself over the drop, crying out as she did, "Bakudō #7: Stair of Starlight!"

Several transparent planes formed in midair, visible only to her. Landing lightly she leapt from one to another. Physical form included limits for her as well as the Hunt. She could not fly like this, but there were other means at her disposal. The captain shot a look towards the military-grade gigai where it stood atop the bluff. "Kill all that you can!" she snarled.

The faux soul saluted and proceeded to produce various weapons from their concealment on his person. While only a gikongan, any support it could provide was helpful. Each enemy dispatched might prove to be the elusive Hunt Master. Ururu had already taken her cue and was gliding swiftly down to meet the mad menagerie. Apparently Urahara had designed her body so that it could float even in the material world, much in the manner of a Quincy. That feature would prove quite useful in fending off the Hunt.

Of course, Soifon had no intention of following that brat's commands. It became apparent the other animals were no longer scaling the bluff. Instead they all turned as one to focus on the boy, and she must do the same. Locating him proved easy. There he was far below in the thick of things. Her teeth clenched. He was right in the press. If she immobilized him with kidō now the pack would strip him to the bone. And he knew it, the dirty little cockroach! That was why he risked death by heading straight into their lines.

Not that he appeared to be in any danger from them. Animals and insects tore over each other in their desperation to reach him, but none could lay a claw on Masahiko. He leapt through those throngs with devilish grace and hoots of mocking encouragement. "Try again, almost got me!" the urchin sang as a crazed cockatiel snapped its beak futilely. By his behavior one would never know he was the target of an ancient horror even captain-level shinigami did not challenge lightly.

It looked as though the tips of his pole were encased in small blue glowing pyramids. A pointy-eared cat scrambled over the stone, claws sliding out in preparation to tear him apart. Masahiko twisted to one side and his zanpakutō smacked the feline as it hurtled by. To her surprise, the blow sent it off course to go tumbling against several of its cohorts so that all went down the mountainside in a tangle of screaming fur. How did he do that?

"Is that all you got?" Masahiko sang while floating over the heads of his pursuers. "I've seen worse behavior at petting zoos!"

When a wild dog propelled itself off a deer's back to snap savagely at his bare feet, it only elicited a disdainful laugh. He watched as it fell short to land in a graceless heap. "You'll never take me down like this! Come on, Hunt Master!" and the exuberant ghost went whirling off, dragging the host along like a magnet. "Show yourself!"

His blue-tipped spear snaked out to poke a red-furred monkey in its snarling face. That hairy head shook as though dazed before launching in pursuit. Bakudo #68, Soifon realized. And #73. Ascending and Descending Mountain Crystal. The one imprisoned a target while the other kept enemies from breaking in. Linking them together like that was similar to bringing magnets of the same polarity in close proximity. The two repelled and amplified one another at the same time. In this case that opposition translated to a force that could actually be felt even by non-spirit entities. The experience for any living form struck by his weapon now would be similar to getting hit with a very light pillow. More confusing than painful. Still, that was better than nothing. It was a highly advanced technique, and not something one could devise on their own unless they were a genius.

Who was this boy?

An assortment of scavenger birds and their smaller tropical cousins flew in his direction. Before they got halfway there, a spiral of wind blasted them away like dead leaves. Chōjirō still employed his ban-kai to keep the Hunt from fully focusing its superior numbers on them. Smaller cyclones emerged from the great churning vortex like branches off a tree to go waving wildly about. None of them could approach the Shihoin elder inside his tower of rampant gales. But this would not last. Even a shinigami captain could not keep ban-kai going indefinitely. And they had not truly decreased the Hunt's numbers. Each one slain simply laid claim to a new body elsewhere. The only advantage being that any available animals had already fled in panic and it would take time for them to make their way back here. But night must eventually fall, in which case the situation grew even more perilous.

Not that Masahiko seemed concerned. "Come on, show yourself, coward!" the boy continued to shout his challenges while evading attacks from above and below with ease. "Does the Master lead or does he follow? Maybe you're busy sweeping up all the dung dropped by this parade, eh? Or could it b-AHH!"

This cry of pain alerted Soifon to another threat. Even as she dashed from one transparent support to another the boy clutched at his side frantically, losing his previous agility in the process. A six-foot bear took this opportunity to rise up on its hind legs and sink its fangs into his bare arm with a glad roar. Masahiko let out a scream and jabbed it in the eye with his soul cutter, but the beast only grunted before dropping down on all fours, bringing him with it.

The Wild Hunt pounced.

---

Nanao Ise reflected on her next item of business as she crossed the courtyard between the gates and the main house. It was a modest home really, located in a glade at the center of a thriving forest on the outskirts of what had once been the 80th ring. Small for a family, but large enough for one man. From the outside one might even get the impression that a person of prominence did reside here. The building quality was visible even by the outer wall that ringed it. Very good upkeep; no doubt his former comrades wanted to make certain the man who lived here be afforded his due. He had always been a courteous figure, even to those far beneath his station. Perhaps this owed to a determination to never forget his humble beginnings. Or perhaps he simply did not wish to create further ill will on top of any undue misgivings concerning his appearance.

Learning the location of this deserted locale had proven less difficult than arranging a return to Soul Society in the first place. The small estate was a gift given to the former Seventh Squad captain following his loss of power during the Autumn War. He initially refused the much more grandiose offering courtesy of Lord-Captain Kuchiki. A sense of self-disparagement might have actually seen that once mighty figure living as an outcast in the woods, but Kyoraku Shunsui took the fallen warrior aside and encouraged him to accept a modest retirement villa courtesy of his own noble family.

Owing to a sense of obligation more than anything else, Saijin Komamura relented.

Upon reaching the manor's entrance she knocked before settling in to wait politely. Her former comrade lived alone, without even the presence of any servants to attend him. Isshin had assured her there was no need to call beforehand as Komamura would undoubtedly appreciate the company anyway. This assurance did nothing to lessen the discomfort engendered in Nanao at intruding upon a highly sensitive and perhaps even somewhat deranged individual.

A minute passed and still no one came in response. She knocked once more for the sake of decorum before resolving to wait again.

Before you leave, try and steal a hank of his fur! You're fast enough now, and you know we always wanted to do that!

I will not be drawn into a discussion on the subject one way or another.

Ureshii Onnanoko pouted while her mistress resumed a respectful vigil. She could wait all day if need be. Whatever her own feelings on the subject, Saijin Komamura deserved to be accorded respect.

Nanao.

I already told you-

Something's wrong. You need to go in now.

About to reproach the blade for this lapse of manners, Ise hesitated. Her guardian spirit was not teasing this time. She felt that much. With it came a sense of unease, as if the situation might be off. Their long relationship had taught her not to disregard Ureshii's warnings as they never came lightly.

Nanao breathed out slowly before reaching forward to press upon the door. It opened at a touch, which came as no surprise. In her current frame of mind everything held cause for concern. Once inside she closed it softly behind her before stealing down the corridor. It was not a large dwelling, but considering the lack of anything resembling spirit power held by the owner, she could no longer sense his location as readily as before.

Where to now?

The central garden. Hurry, I think they know we're here.

She wasted no time. The layout of the grounds was known to her, and in no time at all the sorceress had flash-stepped along several paper-walled lanes to at last come out on a set of paper doors that led outside. A brief whispered kidō created an invisible shield on her arm. Now reasonably secure, she resolutely slid aside the screen.

A tranquil little yard greeted her eyes. In one corridor there stood a lone sakura tree whose branches were reflected in the surface of a small pond. Several well-maintained bushes dotted the perimeter, while at the center of this idyllic refuge there was a small area that had been converted into the purposes of a vegetable garden.

Crouched on his knees with his back to her was Saijin Komamura.

"Captain?"

Nanao rebuked herself even as the word left her lips. An old habit was hard to break. Her faux pas went unnoticed, however. The giant did not stir. He remained immobile as a tree stump. For some reason this fact made her skin grow cold. He should have heard her. If nothing else, Komamura's phenomenal ears had not diminished as a result of losing shinigami powers. Something must be wrong then.

I don't feel anyone else. Whoever was with him is gone.

No sense asking how she knew someone was here to begin with. Concern for Komamura took over then. Nanao rushed to his side, hesitating upon once more gaining no reaction. By no breath or other sign did he appear to be alive. Have I arrived too late?

"Saijin-san?"

Her hand reached out to touch his shoulder.

Golden eyes came up to regard her. "Yes?"

Nanao nearly jumped. For a while the two of them just stared at one another; her in disbelief, him without any sign of disturbance. He did not even appear surprised to find her in his home uninvited. Really, this was all too much.

"Sir," the Mistress of Paperwork began warily, still alert for anything out of sorts in the environment, "Are you all right?"

Saijin blinked slowly.

"I fell asleep."

He gave a great yawn, muzzle opening to reveal glistening fangs even while his eyes shut tight. Pointed ears twitched when the wolf-headed warrior shook himself as if to dispel any remnants of sleep. Then he clambered upright and looked down at her. "How may I be of help to you, Ise-san?"

This was utterly bizarre. Once more she scoured the garden in search of anything to explain the situation. "Was there someone else just here? I thought… I heard you conversing."

Komamura tilted his head, gaze growing distant for a time. "I was talking in my sleep. Nothing more."

He seems pretty certain of that.

Too certain.

"Sir, I would like…"

"The Wild Hunt."

Nanao stopped talking. She studied him speculatively before hazarding the obvious question. "How did you know?"

The beast-man looked down at her from his great height in silence. At last his head turned to regard the sky. "I had a bad dream," he stated finally. With that Komamura shuffled about and moved towards the entrance. "Won't you please come inside? We can talk in the kitchen. I set a pot of tea to brew. It should be done by now."

Uncertain how to respond, the sharp-eyed lieutenant studied his retreating back.

He seems out of it. Maybe we should go?

Nanao did not even bother to think her refusal. Something was clearly amiss, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Nanao, look at his feet.

She obeyed. Almost immediately it became obvious what was wrong.

Those aren't house shoes he's wearing. They're meant for a journey. He was going somewhere. Or he just came back.

She considered this clue. You might not think it to look at him now, but Saijin Komamura was once an elite fighter and wizard in the afterlife, as well as being a man the former Commander-General endowed with the leadership of a division in the Gotei 13. If ever there had been a person to trust among their ranks it had been him.

But more importantly, he was also one of two captains that had been tasked with obliterating the Wild Hunt on its last recorded appearance thirty years ago.

There were things only he could be relied upon to tell her for sure. And so Nanao followed her host indoors to learn everything there might be to know about that long-ago battle.

---

When the spectacled bear grabbed hold of him, Noboru was still too astonished to really notice it. He couldn't tell where the agony in his side had come from. Hadn't noticed anything coming. How did it get this high?

It was then he felt the fangs piercing his flesh. Never before had the young spirit felt such pain as when the bear bit into him. His dual spells had dissipated when his concentration was broken. Screaming in panic he attempted to blind his attacker, only to have it barely register this assault. It bore him to the ground in a rush that almost had him passing out from shock alone. What followed was the sickest, most frightening experience of his whole existence as dozens of insane beasts ringed his helpless form. He wanted to shout at them to stop, they didn't know what they were doing. He wanted to help them.

No sound left his throat. And it wouldn't have mattered anyway. With mindless roars the whole savage lot fell upon him.

There came a faint whisper of noise, like a person trying to whistle who didn't know how. Then Noboru found himself rolling free. At first he thought the great canine had released him, only when he looked down its jaws were still clamped tight around his bloodied ankle.

His freedom came owing to the fact that the bear's head was no longer attached to its body.

The decapitated torso flopped over onto one side. As he stared into the animal's glassy dead eyes, a hand grabbed hold of its snout and wrenched upwards. His astonished gaze then traveled up to find the shinigami woman standing protectively athwart him with weapon drawn.

Her sword arm licked out again and again. Wherever that bright blade flashed another forsaken husk fell, its blood steaming in the cold air. She twisted and spun in one spot with grim precision. The solidified soul cutter moved without any consideration for mortal limits. Death rode along every swipe of its edge, while her free hand sent sharpened missiles flying in all directions. Her feet moved to kick any vanquished opponents away before their bodies even touched the ground so that they bowled into those pressing behind them. In just a few seconds a space had been cleared around them where moments past there had seemed no alternative but that they be completely overwhelmed.

Noboru stared at his rescuer. She was not even breathing hard. Narrowed black eyes zipped from side to side in search of prey. For the time being nothing approached them, held back by a wall of corpses she had fashioned. He could not take his own eyes off her. Nothing else existed in the world save for the sight of that killer robed in black.

At last he noticed all the blood and organs, and it made his face twist in fury.

"HEY!" the outraged loner scrambled to his feet. "Who said you could kill them, huh? Just the Hunt Master! Don't hurt the rest, comprende?!"

She grabbed him roughly by the back of the neck and flung him down with the same violence as the Hunt. Noboru managed to spin onto his back right as her foot planted in his sternum and her sword drove straight for his face.

She's attacking!

This time there was no disbelief or confusion left. He saw the soul cutter swing down and reacted on instinct. Hanuman swept up, a shout of, "EXTEND!" barely off Noboru's lips before the magic staff shot out with the force of a cannon at this range. Remarkably she managed to move aside to keep her head from being torn off like the bear. Instead it just clocked her in the shoulder. A wet crunching sang clearly to his ears.

Before he could finish the job, something fell towards his face to pass right through it. This startled him enough to turn his head for confirmation. There on the rock lay a tarantula hawk; the large wasp, its sting infamous for killing spiders as hosts for larvae, had been cut in half. It was only then he noticed several others just like it alongside their colleague, all bisected with surgical precision.

That's what stung you before. So small neither of us noticed. She must have seen them coming. Sorry.

The woman's accusing stare hurt more than a slap in the face. She dropped down beside him so fast he flinched. "I cannot save you if you insist on being stupid," her voice rasped coldly.

Masahiko gawked in a way that made him feel just as pathetic as her expression clearly spelled him out to be. Self-reproach rose inside and he tore away from her. His face red with shame, he could feel his spiritual power rising as a result.

"I DON'T NEED YOU! GET OUT OF MY WAY AND I'LL FINISH THIS MYSELF!"

Idiot.

SHUT UP!

Everything in his whole world had gone to hell. He had to set it right with his own hands or nothing would ever be the same again. Self-sufficient. That was the most important aspect of his personality. You solve your own problems in your own way. Run. Fight. Steal. Whatever got you what you wanted. However any plan of action was put on hold as more enemies came hurtling down from the peaks above them. Goats and alpaca; harmless under normal circumstances, but now their mad animal strength was sufficient to crush a person.

Noboru wasted no time in leaping to meet the thundering herd. "COME GET ME!" he bellowed in challenge. "I'M THE ONE YOU WANT!"

The woman appeared beside him and grabbed hold of his collar. She then jumped straight ahead to pass above the herd, taking Noboru with her. At the same time one hand slipped into her tunic and produced several steel-tipped darts which she flung with unerring accuracy into that oncoming mass. Where they landed explosions rocked the mountain, sending small avalanches of broken rock cascading down along with the bloodied remains of several hooved beasts. The debris also served to injure or incapacitate a good many others as well. Meanwhile Roberta was carrying him towards the dimensional passage she had first opened.

Maybe it's time to take them up on their offer? We don't seem to be doing much good, after all. And even if it is a trap I think we can get away from them once we're clear of this mess. What do you say?

That won't save any lives except my own.

That's one more than you'll save by sticking around here.

I'll show you. And her too!

Hanuman's tip drove into her injured shoulder, causing the woman to release him with a hiss of pain. Instantly she turned to grab him again. Noboru leveled a finger at her. "Byakurai!" he cried, and a bolt of white lightning sizzled forth.

Roberta sprang aside, but instead of flying as she had been doing up 'til now, to his surprise she went plummeting earthwards where the Hunt waited to feast. Noboru froze. No, that's not what I wanted! I was just trying to ward her off!

"Extend!"

Before he could wonder why he had sent his pole winging down so that it stretched between her and the ground. "Grab hold!" he shouted.

The woman behaved as though this was all choreographed, one hand wrapping around the smooth red shaft and flipping round its length with increasing speed before letting go to fly back into the air. She proceeded to land atop an empty patch of air that indescribably held her weight. Noboru squinted bewilderedly as Hanuman retracted. Did nothing make sense in the world anymore?

As if to confirm this, the black-eyed huntress he had just saved whipped out a long chain from her sleeve to go winding towards him. But the youth proved too quick, leaping high with an angry shout to avoid the snare.

"You ungrateful b-!"

Unfortunately he had forgotten she was not alone. Noboru was reminded of that fact when a pair of small hands seized the arm that held his zanpakutō and wrenched it sharply behind him, leaving the boy dangling helplessly above a sea of grinding teeth and slavering jaws.

Floating at his back, Ururu looked up at her mistress before turning morose eyes in Noboru's direction. "Baka," she murmured in a distinctly accusing tone.

A vulture striving to head their way was cut in half as Roberta dropped down to join them. One arm hung limp from where Hanuman had struck it, but if the loss troubled her it did not show. "Come," she ordered peremptorily and proceeded once again towards the gate with Ururu and Noboru now following behind. There seemed no way out. Elsewhere that unnatural windstorm still served to prevent any large force from approaching them up here. Bits and pieces of critters torn apart by opposing hurricane-force winds rained all against the ground. The girl kept a firm hold on his arm. It was clear she had training in submission techniques; there would be no simply wiggling away from her. Counters to this hold did exist, but they all involved injury to your opponent.

Which left only one recourse. How ironic.

Noboru abruptly cut off his natural levitation, causing him to plunge down in a sharp drop. Taken by surprise, Ururu's grip still did not lessen. Not that it mattered. In fact he had counted on it. Of course, even foreknowledge was not enough to prepare him as the tendons and ligaments in his shoulder ground unnaturally in their rest. This was followed by the sudden violent dislocation of his arm in a way that would permanently cripple a mortal.

Even as he cried out at the pain, Noboru had already turned that self-inflicted injury to his advantage. He employed his hard-won increase in maneuverability to twist around until he faced his captor. After this the determined youth performed a flip in midair. The move caused him even more serious damage and he felt close to blacking out, but it was worth it. Because as a result Ururu lost her grip on him, and he was free.

She reached out to capture him once again. All too slow. Neither she nor the woman were fast enough while encumbered by the demands of the flesh. An instant later Noboru was a hundred meters overhead, watching with glee as their heads turned to follow his successful escape.

This high up he could actually see the Wild Hunt start to shift in response to his movements. Birds on the wing accompanied by insects both venomous and not tore upwards at his position. It would take them a while to reach this altitude, by which point he would have already moved on. Still just a bunch of dumb animals in the end. The pair of human hunters were standing side by side staring up at him. Avian predators streamed past without seeming to notice their existence now that neither of them was putting up any resistance. Even from this far away the woman's face held a promise of fearful vengeance. In spite of the excruciating pain still burning in his arm, the Monkey Prince couldn't help but laugh at her helplessness.

"You'll never catch me!" he crowed triumphantly. "Better get to work finding that Hunt Master, abuelita! Otherwise I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Her fierce black eyes narrowed in on him as if tasting his blood. She reached up and laid what looked to be a restraining hand on Ururu's shoulder.

A second later she had whipped out her katana and placed the edge against the little girl's throat.

The hell?

Noboru flinched, unwilling to believe what he was seeing. He just hung there gaping speechless. The approach of several Hunt members galvanized him to action and he sped with godlike swiftness to a different location. While they were checking their course to pursue him, he heard the ninja's voice over the howling gale.

"I am through being reasonable with you, boy," her shout carried a chill deep into his soul. "If you are so concerned about letting other people die, then surrender yourself at once. Otherwise I take her head."

Ururu did not so much as blink at this statement. She hadn't reacted at all to being held hostage like this. What the hell was wrong with her? No way she would actually let that lunatic cut her head off, right?

I think they both mean it.

"Y…" His throat felt dry with horror. The angry ghost swallowed down any horror and zipped closer to them, never letting his gaze leave that of the lady in black. "You're bluffing, shinigami! If you think I'll fall for…!"

As he spoke, the ninja reached down and grasped Ururu by an elbow, raising her arm overhead. Her katana flashed, and a moment later a tiny black-clad arm fell towards the ground far below, whipping around the windswept aerie and trailing bright red drops of blood.

In the time it took his eyes to travel back up from that ghastly sight her bloodied sword had returned to its position next to the maiden's pale neck. The scarlet substance dripped down Ururu's skin, as if she already had her throat slit. Each of them regarded him with stares as cold as death itself.

Waste that bitch.

I can't. She'll kill the girl.

So? She's into it. Probably just a gikongan anyway, losing a body won't hurt her. Don't fall for it, this is just another trick.

You know something, amigo? Even if you're right, I'd rather be tricked than risk that.

Peh. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So resolved, Noboru sullenly sealed his soul cutter, reverting Hanuman to the form of a short sword before renewing the enchantment that turned it into a more innocuous shape. Now disguised as a worn-down pencil, he slipped it into his ear. Noboru took a deep breath and flash-stepped forth until he stood before the murderess and her captive.

"All right, witch," he ground out from behind clenched teeth. "You win."

The wretch didn't appear pleased at his submission. She did withdraw her weapon from Ururu's neck, however, then proceeded to shove the dismembered maiden forward. Noboru caught her, feeling a subtle trembling in her frame that was not visible to the naked eye. He glared over her shoulder at the dispassionate woman, who simply hiked a thumb behind her.

"Get back to the gate. The hell butterflies are ready to guide you on your way. Sasakibe-sama and I will cover your retreat. And Ururu…?"

The waif's head shifted slightly so she could glance back at her mistress. "Yes?"

Those steely shark eyes narrowed in on Noboru. Her voice held a casual note of accusation. "Should he attempt to escape, here or in Soul Society, I want you to kill yourself. Understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," she whispered faintly.

MOTHER-! Noboru bit down on his lip 'til he tasted blood. Dammit, she read my mind. He had never hated anyone so much as he did right then.

The ninja flicked a hand out. "Get going. Yoruichi-sama awaits."

He didn't waste time arguing. Instead the dark-haired thief just cradled his burden closer and took off back towards the mountain. There was blood dripping through his spectral body from where the stump of her arm pressed against him. This combined with the wound from earlier seemed to have taken all the strength from that deceptively tiny frame. Ururu slumped against him as though on the verge of passing out. A similar lethargy was working its way through his being. It was as if some terrible weariness had settled deep inside him.

So this is what it feels like… to be utterly defeated.

The woman was following in their wake, picking off any approaching flyers that her old friend hadn't obliterated. The young pair landed back on the wind-worn crest a few seconds later. Several of what must be hell butterflies fluttered about that shining doorframe. At his approach two of them bobbed on over to circle their heads.

Noboru cast a glance around, still feeling shaken and sweating. The magic maelstrom had yet to abate. Beasts of all shapes and sizes were once more converging upon his position, bellowing and screeching insanely.

He had lost.

This realization left him crestfallen and unable to resist anymore. Noboru was just about to take a step forward when something caught his eye. A bundle of brown and white feathers. The gyrfalcon Pluma lay where he had placed her a few yards off. While unmoving, there still remained life within that small shell. And suddenly he knew there was no way he could just leave her here, to be torn apart or possessed again after their withdrawal. If he must be a coward for running like this, then at least let it not be as a total failure.

Ururu stirred against him. "We have to leave."

Noboru hesitated, uncertain if she would take this as resistance on his part and possibly injure herself further as a result. But his loyalty to a friend in need trumped any such concerns. "Just one second," he insisted. "I want to take Pluma as well."

With that he hustled her increasingly deadweight body over and knelt gently beside the unconscious bird. Shifting the bleeding maid into a better position, the forest-dweller cast an anxious pleading look at Ururu. "I can't pick her up, but you can. Please?"

Her drooping head lifted a little, enough for their eyes to meet. That cute little mouth seemed on the verge of speaking. Like she wanted to warn him not to try anything funny. Then she apparently thought better of it. Ever so carefully Ururu reached down and scooped the gyrfalcon up in her remaining arm to cradle it against her chest. The bird nestled between them, its wings rustling slightly in the breeze.

"Thank you," Noboru smiled. There were tears in his eyes as he turned and began to retrace his way back towards the portal. White light emanating from it held a touch of something strong yet oddly welcoming. It made him feel warm, a welcome shift from the debilitating sadness that left his limbs feeling so much colder and heavier than usual. Could that be the feel of Soul Society? I wonder what I'm about to find there?

They were only a few steps away when there came a harsh clattering of hooves, and a great white-tailed stag burst through the gleaming circle.

So sudden and swift was its appearance there was no chance to react. All he knew was there existed no way to evade without dropping Ururu and Pluma. Wild eyes locked on Noboru as he froze, bloody froth dripping from its mouth. Without hesitation the stag lowered its antlered head and charged.

---

A flock of bats came shrieking out of the sky towards her. Their cries were cut off as a hail of shuriken scythed them limb from limb. As their severed remains tumbled earthwards Soifon cast about for further enemies before returning her attention to Masahiko.

He and Ururu had reached the gate and were preparing to step through it. Now was the most dangerous moment in a mission, when success seemed certain. The wise knew any number of things could still go wrong. As if to emphasize this, she did not fail to notice down on the ground where Sasakibe's gigai had proved a hair's-breadth too slow in dodging, and a small long-tailed cat took advantage to leap onto his back. The artificial soul stumbled from its clawed weight, foot skidding on a loose patch of rock. A throwing knife severed the thrashing feline's jugular, but still he went down shortly afterward, crushed beneath a stampede of vermin intent on reaching Masahiko. To his dying breath he never stopped fighting them. She would be sure to retrieve the soul pill. That one was worth keeping.

Focus.

I must not be distracted. How is…?

Soifon turned and took off a split-second later. She sprinted from one sorcerous platform to another, intent only on speed. Her eyes had perceived what they could not. Masahiko's back was turned, but even if this were not the case he still could not have noticed the huge stag that had come dashing down the mountainside to reach the outcropping on which they stood. They could not see it coming since the otherworldly portal stood between them, blocking off their view of anything that lay behind it. But the beast had no such trouble homing in on its quarry as it bore down upon him.

Throwing knives were not enough. Even an exploding missile might prove insufficient to check its momentum and keep the boy from being impaled. I must make it in time. But this form was nowhere near as quick as she was capable in her natural element. Curse the demands of a body! Only a few meters remained, and Soifon drove herself on with every bit of strength she could lay claim to at this moment. It suddenly became clear that at this speed and trajectory there was no chance she would reach them to push Masahiko out of harm's way. It would only be a few milliseconds late, but that was all it took for a life to fade.

Readjust.

The slender spirit altered her course accordingly. Forget protecting the target. Instead slay the enemy. That was her bailiwick, after all. The best defense was a fatal offense. No matter the cost, failure could not be accepted again. Now Soifon's focus shifted so that all she could see was the slavering brute rushing headlong to destroy her mission. She saw the flecks of stone kicked up by its hooves, red-rimmed eyes rolling madly in their sockets, and a profusion of lethal bone spears lowering in preparation of murder.

Masahiko made no attempt to evade. Perhaps he panicked. Or maybe it had something to do with the living beings he was holding so tightly too. Like he could not let them go. What was so important about a doll and a bird? Mayhaps he wished to die.

I will never allow it.

It felt like both of them were moving in slow motion as they rushed towards their respective foes. When she was just a foot away her reflection could be seen clearly in its bulging black pupil. As she drove the point of her zanpakutō in with the injured arm her free hand then reached to grasp hold of its antlers. Soifon felt smooth bone sliding over her skin and took a firm hold. The heavy animal aroma of its hide was mixed in with a sharp tang of blood. Rabid froth spattered against her face. This close she could hear its protracted wheezing breath alongside the dull, ponderous thud of its heartbeat.

Everything stopped completely. No movement. No sound. Just the two killers facing each other with murderous intent fair crackling between their locked gazes.

Time restarted. Two bodies smashed into one another painfully. Everything turned upside down, crashing and rolling together, the weight of flesh and bone doing just as much damage as the subsequent impact with stone.

Just enough. Just enough to turn the beast's charge and send the both of them skidding past the paralyzed children.

Soifon had already sprung up before either her or the stag came to a halt. Her gigai was effectively ruined; skull staved in, jagged bone bursting through the skin around calve and forearm. One ear was torn off and now dangled by a strip. She could not see out of her left eye, which meant it was probably gone. Breathing proved difficult with the number of shattered ribs. In spite of this she surged forward with a knife in her working hand even as the deer scrambled upright.

Their collision had altered her aim so that the handle of Suzumebachi now protruded from the stag's bleeding shoulder. As a result its heart had been spared from impalement. The snuffling snout turned, antlers now pointed straight at her as the monster threw itself forward to meet her attack. Soifon felt those dull prongs punch straight through her chest to come dripping out the other side. A jerk of the neck and now the animal had her hoisted up to dangle off the ground, bleating out a triumphant bellow that sounded more as if the stag itself had just received a mortal wound.

A second later its legs gave out and the mighty quadruped collapsed onto one side, Soifon's stiletto lodged deep in its throat. A death rattle signified its end moments later.

The wounded captain slumped against what felt like a forest's-worth of branches sprouting through her insides. Breathing was impossible without lungs. Yet miraculously her heart had been spared. What an excruciating way to die. At least it worked. By now Masahiko must have gotten through. The mission was a success.

"ROBERTA!"

Damn it to hell.

A pair of hands gripped her shoulders. Soifon's agony reached new heights as she was pulled gracelessly off the antlers. Blood filled her mouth and she found herself being laid down with a gentleness she hardly felt. Intense pain kept Soifon from experiencing pretty much anything else. The sight in her one good eye remained undiminished, however, which allowed her to see Masahiko's anxious face peering down. She tried to force words out, command him to leave her and go. To no avail. Only blood bubbled forth.

No sounds reached her ears. She could almost convince herself the conflict had ended. Is it possible? Could that stag have been the Master? Has the Hunt ended?

No.

From the corner of one eye Soifon caught sight of a banded snake slithering towards Masahiko, who took no notice of its approach. She couldn't speak to warn him, much less move to reach her gikongan pill. Once free of the gigai she need suffer none of its wounds. Until then her spirit remained trapped.

Look! You little fool, look behind you!

Much to her surprise, the viper simply exploded a few feet away.

Chōjirō Sasakibe landed close by. His zanpakutō Gonryōmaru was drawn and now in its shikai form. As a warthog charged along the path towards them he simply thrust the dueling rapier at it. Immediately a long shaft of swirling air shot like an arrow from its tip. This gusty spear flew straight and true to punch through the pig's face and come bursting out the other end. It even proceeded onward to gouge out a furrow in the stone after the beast fell, in the manner of a drill coring anything in its path. As other types of animals slithered or flapped down upon their last refuge the wind sorcerer employed his otherworldly weapon to influence that aspect of nature into striking them down.

It would not be enough, Soifon realized. He was the only one still capable of fighting. Without a gigai she could not help him. And this close to them Sasakibe could not use his ban-kai. Gonryōmaru's first release could never prevail alone against the power of the Wild Hunt. It was only a matter of time before they were completely overwhelmed.

The fallen commander attempted to rise without success. This form could no longer operate. It would be dead in seconds and Soifon herself consigned back to spiritual essence. A body was what she needed. Anything at all would do, just enough to allow her to fight! Briefly she considered entering Ururu's vessel but rejected it as impractical. Who knew what might happen if she tried to get in there? The experience could prove deadly for both of them. So then what else can I do? She was desperate enough to even seek a living form, but all those nearby were already inhabited by Hollows.

Have I failed? Must I watch this child die?

Soifon looked at Masahiko's desperate face. She felt rage. Rage and…

Desperation. Shame. Grief.

Grief? This last confused her. Why? Is it because I have once again failed Lady Yoruichi?

Not ours.

Then whose, Suzumebachi?

Hers.

The gigai died. Instantly Soifon rose up out of it with all her shinigami power at hand. But even as more fell horrors drove upon them her attention turned elsewhere. Masahiko and Ururu huddled near her spent shell. The way he held the golem close told her much. This boy truly could not bear to abandon anyone. That was why he had not saved himself. He looked at the shinigami in surprise as she emerged, but Soifon could not be bothered to consider this any further. It was not his spirit nor Ururu's that had called to her. The golem's eyes were almost closed, indicating she had nearly succumbed to unconsciousness.

In one arm she held a falcon.

Go.

I have no choice.

Masahiko gave a shout of alarm as she dove into the bird's unmoving body. Soon enough her suspicions were confirmed; it had been possessed by the Hunt earlier. After being knocked unconscious the Hollow abandoned its host in search of another. More than this, some bare vestige of a soul was taking form here. It was that which had called out to her in a moment of shared pain. Somewhat rare for an animal to form a true spirit. What brought this about?

But with a soul came memory, and so the shinigami now called upon the sleeping bird's past. She saw brief glimpses of endless blue sky, mountains, and plains. These fleeting things were transitory, experienced by most wildlife. They explained nothing. Soifon reached deeper. Now she was met by something much more powerful. A confusing blur of perceptions worked to resolve itself at the death god's prodding until at last it formed a clear image.

Masahiko.

The ghost, as he was perceived through the bird's eyes. More energy than any stable form, it was rather an outline of a man. Yet this brought no fear as one might expect in a wild beast. Instead what emerged was a strange sort of… affection. The beginnings of a soul in response to the way he treated her. This was compounded when they flew together. And more so after the birth of the bird's chicks. The sight of eggs in a nest transformed to bundles of wispy fluff that called and cried for their mother blindly.

Shock. Outrage. Terror.

This is it. When the bird (Pluma?) had first been possessed by the Hollow. Soifon felt as it shrieked and flapped its wings in a desperate effort to rid itself of this invader. The baby gyrfalcons wailed along with it. Animal savagery clashed against a nightmare that might once have been human and now barely qualified as a beast. Their struggle violently rocked the branch on which the falcon had made her home.

The Hollow won. The last thing Pluma saw before she fell into that other predator's madness was the sight of her nest being overturned in the struggle, dumping her helpless children out to plummet into the chasm below, still crying out for their loving protector as she took off in pursuit of blood.

A mother's rage. Sorrow. Loss. All these existed only for those with a soul. That and one other thing, an aspect of the spirit Soifon appreciated full well.

Vengeance.

The thought evoked a response in that sleeping brain. She actively stoked the wrath behind it, adding her own in turn.

VENGEANCE!

Pluma awoke then, eyes opening with a scream that held more than any mere call of the wild.

Yes, soul-sister. That much we share.

Together the two of them took off, tearing free of the girl's feeble hold. Masahiko grabbed for her and missed. The conjoined spirit of shinigami and gyrfalcon drove their shared body upwards with strong beats of their wings. They caught a gust of wind as both now knew how to do and circled, matchless eyes already searching.

For there was one thing which had stood out in the senseless cacophony after the Hollow took control. The call that spurred the monster controlling her. When flying overhead, she remembered spotting the source of that cry down amongst various creatures far below. The gyrfalcon's keen sight picked it out as she was being violated by the Hollow inside. It wore a crown of antlers, which felt wrong. Those animals bore no horns.

It was Cernunnos, my sister.

'Vengeance!'

Now the whole world was laid out below her. A tiny ghost fought desperately on the side of a mountain to protect two smaller ones from the swarm of crazed chaos that was building to a deadly crescendo around them. A father defending his young? Yes. That made sense. We must help. I must help. Save their children from falling like mine did.

Look elsewhere. Remember what we saw. My gaze is keen, enough to spot a mouse's breathing from high in the sky. The source of this terror; which one was it?

There!

Soifon-Pluma folded her wings and dropped. The wind rushed past her as she streaked down in a power dive towards her target. Submerged in a crowd of lesser beasts, this one would have stood out even were it not Cernunnos, its powerful body bulling past the others as it rushed up the slope. At the last moment she spread her pinions wide and extended her claws, screaming in triumph as they slashed into its flesh. The malefactor howled and lashed out at her even as she beat free into open air.

The airborne duo banked around slowly and got her first close look at their true enemy. Below a spotted carnivore snarled while watching them intently. So that is the form Cernunnos took upon entering this world. How appropriate. All who lived in the jungle knew to fear it. Dappled shadow among trees that approaches silently before pouncing to taste the blood of other beasts on its tongue. Even man was not safe from this legendary hunter.

A jaguar, Soifon-Pluma realized. That's the Hunt Master. Kill it and all this will end.

She flew just out of its reach, taunting with slashing beak and uncatchable wings. The great cat yowled furiously. It bounded after them swiping with its lethal paws as they banked and bobbed ahead of it. Blazing yellow eyes fixed on her with a chilling intensity. None of the other animals came to its aid. They were too intent on hunting their own prey. This dance was meant for the two of them.

Soifon-Pluma continued to lead the cat towards their destination: a camouflaged crevasse in the slope. She had spotted it earlier while flying overhead. You couldn't even distinguish the pit from any other angle but directly above, so well was it concealed. It certainly looked deep enough to suit her purpose. Whatever fell in there would die. Just have to string the Master along. Keep it always on the move, and herself just out of reach. Those claws could rend her apart with one blow. Make it follow. Make it angry, so it won't see where it's going.

The Hunt Master leapt with liquid feline grace down the slope in pursuit of its avian nemesis. Landing on her level it stalked forward with blood streaming from its mangled face. The falcon watched as her target drew closer, heartbeat racing but unnaturally calm. It still didn't see what was right behind her just over the lip of the rise.

Almost there. Come on, come to me. Bastard, I'll be glad to watch you die, you took my children from me!

"PLUMA!"

Masahiko!

Cernunnos tensed upon sensing his approach and gave a growl. The youth flew through the air straight towards them swinging his staff with an anguished cry. Sasakibe came hot on his tail, while the amassed Wild Hunt followed in pursuit. At the same time their half-mad leader spun to face him. Bunching its muscled body, the Hunt Master sprang toward its oncoming prey with claws extended and fanged jaws ready to tear the boy's throat out.

Save!

Though uncertain which of them had this thought, agreement was unanimous. Without a second lost Soifon-Pluma flapped her wings and shot down to strike Cernunnos in the head. It twisted around and caught her, velvet pads crushing the body so that blood and feathers sprayed out even as wicked talons raked across the brute's face. Both animals screamed, right before the cat's jaws closed over her with a crunch of bone.

Masahiko was being restrained by Chōjirō. The jaguar sailed by them with the conjoined avengers still tearing at its eyes. She would not let go, willingly accepting death just for the chance to take this creature with her. Frantically twisting and rolling downhill, the two rivals sought desperately to slay one another.

The deathmatch continued even as they were carried over the cliff to plummet into the gaping crevasse below.

Both combatants fell into darkness. Something in the jaguar emitted a primal howl that echoed and reechoed out of that chasm like a curse born from hell itself. In response Soifon-Pluma screamed her own dying hatred for all the world to hear.

Seconds later both cries were cut off as each struck stone, and the darkness became total.

---

They stopped.

It was hard to believe. Where moments before there had been an army of disparate species out to eat his soul, now everywhere Noboru looked harmless animals lay panting in the thin mountain air. Some lifted their heads to look around uncertainly, not sure where they found themselves. After a while a few rose, shook their hides or feathers and began to depart. Condors took to the wing followed by herons and egrets. A teary-eyed grumbling crocodile went waddling by him, obviously uncomfortable in this high climate. Elsewhere a brace of howler monkeys huddled together hooting noisily in an effort to puzzle out their circumstances.

A short ways off sat a small jaguarondi. It regarded him as if expecting an explanation for all this. When none was forthcoming the fluffy cat licked its chops and with a swish of its long tail sprang off to go streaking in the direction of the far-off forest.

Dazed, Noboru looked around. Apparently he was no longer in any danger. One thing was certain, though. It would seem the Wild Hunt had met its end. He could no longer sense the slightest disruption in the planet's ether. Apparently the whole thing vanished en masse without any fanfare to mark its passing.

What, just like that? How bizarre. After that entrance of theirs I was expecting an exit just as grand. Kind of a letdown, really.

Noboru couldn't bring himself to respond, too stunned by everything that had just happened. Not to mention the enormity of questions as yet unexplained. It was a miracle he hadn't been killed.

This thought reminded him of something. He didn't want to see, yet somehow the stalwart soul still found himself rising to drift over to the edge of the chasm. Slowly, as if dreading what he might find, the boy resolutely gazed down at the sight that awaited him.

Far below, red blood left a trail on several outcroppings of stone that finally ended with two smashed bodies locked together in death.

As he watched the female shinigami rose up before him.

Despite the curious deadness that persisted inside him he had been prepared to shout at her. Fling accusations, demand to know what right she had to sacrifice his friend's life like that. Her appearance preempted any such tirade. To his disbelief the woman was slathered in blood. At first he thought it was the animals', but upon catching sight of her face it became evident this was all hers. Rents were torn in her chest and stomach through which he could see bleeding insides. One arm was smashed to an extent there was not a single inch of skin visible through the blood. Her legs twisted at such an odd angle it looked like her pelvis had cracked in half, and were she not floating on air there was no way they could possibly bear her weight.

She watched him through the solitary black eye that was not surrounded by a mass of torn red flesh. Her throat worked as if she were about to say something. Noboru actually flinched in anticipation of whatever it might be.

Instead the lady fell forward. He was about to catch her when the older man zipped in and did it for him. That gray-haired warrior held his fallen comrade tenderly as he turned to regard the trembling youth.

"What's wrong with her?" Noboru finally asked.

"It was a living vessel she inhabited," the golden-eyed ghost spoke quietly. "The peril in doing so was great, for unlike our gigai which are designed to offer protection for any soul housed within, a mortal body can transmit wounds over to a shinigami. Just as injuries to the spirit are evinced by the flesh."

Noboru settled down to earth feeling immensely tired. Little Ururu came stumbling over to the old man and stood at his side. The two of them regarded him from their superior heights while he sat there sullenly. The elder spoke in a gentle tone now. "She did it to save you, Masahiko. If you can appreciate that act, I suggest we all remove to Soul Society where it will be easier to heal these wounds."

How could he possibly refuse, after everything these people just did for him? They had been willing to die to see him brought out safe. Still, there was one thing he must know. "Who are you guys?" the weary soul asked tiredly.

The silver-haired gentleman drew himself up. "I am Chōjirō Sasakibe. We three are emissaries of the Shihoin clan, sent to conduct you into the presence of Lady Shihoin Yoruichi as per her orders."

He shivered in silence. Eventually Noboru drew himself up with a groan. He looked between the three of them, then lifted his arms in a wondering manner. "Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Lead the way."

---

"GOOOOAL!"

Even as the field erupted into cheers Karin Kurosaki threw a glower over at the sidelines. There was one in every crowd. This particular example happened to be her brother's friend Keigo Asano. Every time she scored a point he would make that thunderous proclamation like a commentator at a Brazilian soccer match. Apparently he was trying to score points of his own, with some older girls. It seemed to be having the opposite effect judging by the looks they were giving him. Yet still he soldiered on. One could admire such tenacity. And pity such stupidity.

The referee blew his whistle, signifying the end of the match. The weather remained particularly balmy for this time of year, meaning soccer matches were not out of reason. Other residents of the park who had stopped to watch the friendly exhibition began to disperse in pursuit of their own activities. Her teammates came trotting over to congratulate Karin on another exemplary performance. She bid them thanks and went to collect her gear. Soon after this the sweat-soaked girl was seated on the grass sipping a juice pack while paying half an ear to Ichigo and his friends interacting.

"Oh, yeah, I taught Karin everything she knows about soccer! And hey, if you like, I'd be glad to teach you a few things too. Er, wait, hold on, that didn't come out right, what I meant was…!"

One resounding slap later, and Keigo retook his seat by the rest of them with the imprint of a hand flaring on his cheek.

"Give it up, Asano," her brother muttered distractedly while resting his chin in his palm. "They're not interested. Why are you chasing after seniors from another school anyway? That's more Mizuiro's game."

"Excuse me if I have a more normal interest in the opposite sex than you, buddy!" his comrade snapped back. He accepted the cold juice box Ichigo passed him and used it to nurse his stinging cheek. "Don't expect me to believe you didn't see the way those fine ladies were looking at you. I just thought I could make a play of my own by offering to introduce you!"

"He's spoken for, remember? Ichigo wouldn't even think of looking at another girl." Tatsuki Arisawa offered this assessment from her place reclining on the green sward. Dressed in a tank-top and cut-off blue jeans, the high school junior didn't seem to notice how she was receiving several appreciative looks from some of the local boys herself.

Ichigo squirmed restlessly, a dark expression settling on his face. "I said that I was going to make an effort at being nicer from now on, okay? That doesn't mean I want to talk about… stuff."

"Aww, look at you trying to exercise restraint for once," Asano teased and clapped a friendly hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "I'm proud of you, man! Now what do you say we use that sparkling new personality of yours to help your ol' pal Keigo score himself a nice academy babe!"

Without bothering to look at him Ichigo flipped a cell phone out of his pocket and held it up warningly. "Keigo, one more word and I'm calling your sister."

Immediately the other teen's face fell, his skin turning a distressing shade of white. "Please… don't tell Mizuho. I'll be good, I swear, just… don't tell Mizuho!"

With a casual air Ichigo pressed a few numbers and held the phone to his ear. "Hello, Mizuho-senpai?"

Asano bolted upright. He blurted out a strangled bleat before turning and racing from the park, nearly bowling over several people in the process, all the while screaming, "SHE'S GONNA KILL ME! SHE'S GONNA KIIIILL ME!"

Karin watched this spectacle while sipping cool guava juice. Her brother heaved an irritated sigh before leveling himself upright. "I better collect him. You'll be all right here, Karin?"

"We're good, Ichigo," Tatsuki mumbled in support. "I'll watch out for her. Take care of Keigo 'fore the cops arrest him for disorderly conduct again." Despite sounding half-asleep she still managed to project a sense of security around them both.

"Thanks. Be right back!"

Karin sat watching Ichigo run off. Having Tatsuki as company ensured they would be safe from any hooligans trolling around the park. A champion black belt in karate combined with advanced spiritual perceptions meant even your run-of-the-mill Hollow would be leery about picking a fight with her. In spite of this Karin couldn't help but feel a little down. The thought of needing protection reminded her that Kon had gone missing three days ago. She hadn't seen her cotton-stuffed cohort since he fled their home after quarreling with Ichigo. Whether he was doing all right depended largely on his own sense of wounded pride. She wished there had been a chance to tell him that he needn't listen to her brother's words; Kon had defended her to the best of his ability. Since then there had been no trouble on the level of what they had faced that day. Yet still he hadn't returned, and she was starting to get a little worried.

Taking a sip on her drink the girl noticed something odd then. A fairly tall guy was walking towards her brother as he chased after Asano. He wore slacks and a short-sleeved button-up white shirt in the heat. It might have been a uniform. He looked young enough to be in high school, yet he sported no jacket. Funny. Why did she bother noticing him at all?

When Ichigo was a few feet off the guy stopped and opened his mouth as if about to speak to him. Then he hesitated. Her brother noticed this and gave him a questioning look as he passed by, but the other fellow only swallowed and glanced away, stuffing his hands into his pockets as though nervous. Was it somebody Ichi-nii knew, Karin wondered? His ability to forget people's faces moments after meeting them was legendary in their family. It would be no surprise that this fellow was somebody from Ichigo's class, or more likely a person he had beat up on at some point in the past. That would certainly explain the nervousness. Oddly enough she could swear there was something familiar about that guy. Maybe it was just her previous line of thinking but it was almost as if…

The girl stood up slowly. "Tatsuki-san, I'll be right back, okay?"

Her guardian cracked an eye open and nodded as well as she could. "Okay."

Satisfied, Karin then jogged over to where that person still stood. He saw her coming, and for a second it looked like the teen was going to bolt. Instead he shifted awkwardly from one foot to another giving the impression of looking everywhere but at her. The twelve-year-old drew to a halt and glared intently up at him. He was at least her brother's height if not a few inches higher by her estimate. His legs were long and from what she could see he had a pretty good build; probably a basketball player, or perhaps a swimmer by the look of him. Light sandy hair was cut very close to his head in that buzz-cut style some teenagers favored. It made his ears stick out slightly and gave him a somewhat goofy appearance. In spite of this he had a nice face with a small pointed chin, aquiline nose and pronounced cheekbones which overall reminded her of a cat's face. This impression was further enhanced by a pair of startlingly blue eyes, very large and possessing a shifty quality, no doubt owing to the way he kept trying to pretend he didn't see her there.

After a few seconds it seemed the newcomer couldn't keep up this pretense and his glance flicked down to meet hers. Then it was as if he couldn't look away, although he clearly wanted to if the way his throat kept working soundlessly was any indication. His mouth opened once more, but nothing came out except a weak little gasp that died away. He looked really, really uncomfortable.

Karin stared. Her accusing gaze faltered somewhat, to be replaced by a slow-dawning look of wonder. It was crazy to think it. And yet there didn't seem to be any other explanation save for one.

"Kon?" she whispered.

In response, he grinned and held a finger before his lips.

"Shh! Don't tell anybody, okay, Karin? I want it to be a surprise!"

She gaped in disbelief. Then, noticing the way Tatsuki was looking at them, the girl gave a big smile and nodded. It was such a relief she almost felt like crying. Instead Karin just turned and ran back to where her guardian stood attentively. Tatsuki took her by the shoulder and guided her away, all the while giving him a very menacing glare.

Kon watched them go. Maybe it was his imagination, but he could have sworn he saw something flying away from Tatsuki back there. It could have been a bird, or maybe a butterfly. But then why…?

Ah, forget it. Probably nothing to worry about. He rubbed the back of his neck, then turned his face up towards the sun, enjoying the way it felt against his skin. After this the rangy teenager ambled away across the park towards home.

---

On a boulder just outside the entrance to the Maggot's Nest a black cat sat busily licking one paw. Several paces off a red-haired kid stood at attention with arms crossed beneath a large golden bundle of cloth. He had a worried expression on his bug-eyed face. Neither of them spoke to one another as they waited with varying degrees of patience.

A breeze rustled the leaves slightly. Chōjirō and Soifon appeared from out of nowhere, both down on one knee with heads bowed and fists pressed to the soil.

The cat's head came up before dipping slightly to acknowledge them. A hazy mist then rose that obscured it from view. When this parted Yoruichi Shihoin stood before them in all her womanly glory. Her hair was unbound and flowed freely down her back. She allowed Jinta to come up behind and slip the cloak over her shoulders before knotting it securely in front. Then she stepped forward.

Both her attendants rose and bowed before parting to either side, revealing Noboru Kouki standing behind them. He had his face turned down, bare toes digging through the grass and bangs falling to cover his face. The Goddess of Flash smiled at this before moving past her attendants.

Yoruichi drew to a halt in front of the boy. She reached out and ruffled his hair playfully, laughing when he squirmed and tried to brush her hand away.

The cheerful noblewoman placed both hands on her hips and gave a fond smile. "Hey, kiddo," she spoke softly.

Noboru flinched. Then he blew out his breath and finally lifted gray eyes to meet her own.

"Hi, Mom."

To be continued...