Hey, everyone! I hope you're all doing well. Really sorry I couldn't get this chapter out in September, I've had a ton of schoolwork so finding time to finish the chapter has been hard. This is one of the longer chapters of the story so far so I hope you all enjoy it!
Chapter 6: Old Wounds
"Somebody stop him!"
"What is that thing?"
"It- it's a monster! No! Get away!"
"Help me!"
"I'm stuck! Please, please hel-"
"It's Ichigo! He's- he's killing all of us!"
"Captain Otoribashi! Oh my God… he incinerated his head…"
"You failed the mission! You're a failure, Ichigo!"
"What would be the point of telling you the mission now? You failed."
"Failure."
"You failed."
"Failure, Ichigo."
"Ichigo."
"Ichigo."
"Ichigo!"
Ichigo opened his eyes. He was in the guest house in the city of Zaofu. His hand was being held tightly by Asami beside him, her gorgeous, concerned face hovered close to his as she gripped his shoulder, clearly trying to wake him. He blinked several times and then slowly came to his senses.
"Did I scream?" he asked quietly.
Asami shook her head. "No. But you were hyperventilating."
"Did I wake you?"
"Kind of."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Was it another nightmare? You haven't had one like that in a while."
"Yeah."
"What did you see?"
He hesitated. "I saw… I saw the Soul Society. I saw all the people dying around me looking at me in confusion and anger. I heard their voices, their screams. And then I saw the disappointed face of my father, reminding me of the mission I failed to complete."
"Mission? What mission?"
Ichigo looked her in the eye. "I didn't come to this world by accident, Asami. I was sent here for a purpose, a mission. But I can't remember what that purpose was."
"You father sent you?"
"Yeah. Him and another guy. They make quite a pairing. Creepy, old, mysterious men."
"You've spent your time here trying to find your purpose, Ichigo. But you're telling me there was one right in front of you all along?"
"I didn't find out about it until I went back to my world a few weeks ago. And I was too angry at my father and Urahara to consider their mission for me to be a good one. I just thought it was something horrible."
"He's still your father," Asami said gently. "Maybe your mission was something good for you. Maybe if you find out what it is and fulfill it, you'll finally find your purpose."
Ichigo smiled and caressed her face softly. "I wish it were that simple."
"Why can't it be?"
He smiled again. "You're so beautiful. I don't tell you that enough, you know."
"No, you don't, but don't change the subject! This is important!"
He laughed. "Let's just go back to sleep, Prissy. I'm tired."
She pouted with resignation. "Alright. But we're not done this conversation."
"Mmhmm."
Ichigo sank back into the pillow and shut his eyes, allowing his thoughts to take over.
She could be right on one thing. Maybe figuring this mission out will help me find my purpose. But I don't believe any mission they give me could be a good one. Oh well, I'll talk to Uryu about it tomorrow. Maybe he can give me some clues.
Early in the morning, as the sun rose over the mountains that surrounded the lush valley, the metal coverings of Zaofu opened up, signalling the start of a new day. Korra, Uryu, Mako and Bolin had joined Suyin and Opal in the dining hall for some breakfast.
"Hey, has anyone seen Chief Beifong?" Mako asked.
"She's probably off sulking in her room," Korra muttered.
"I know she has a problem with me but she had no right to yell at Opal last night," Suyin said firmly. She looked up as her twin sons, Wing and Wei, ran into the room. "All set for your Power Disc game today, guys?"
"Yeah, all set to kick Wei's ass," Wing said confidently.
Wei elbowed him in the gut. "Just try it, bro. You should come play with us," he said to Korra.
She shook her head. "Oh, I don't think I'd be much competition since I can't metalbend."
"Really?" said Suyin. "Lin never offered to train you?"
"Nope. And I guess I never thought to bring it up because I was learning to airbend, then there was the pro-bending, then I got tied up fighting the Equalists… It was a busy few months."
"Well, it's probably for the best. I'm sure Lin would be a horrible teacher," Suyin chuckled. "As the Avatar, you should have mastery over all the elements. I'd be happy to show you the basics."
"Really? That would be great!"
"You should try it too," Opal said to Bolin.
He choked on his food. "Uh… nah. I'm more of an earth guy. The dirt, rock, you know, maybe some light gravel, that's kind of where my heart is."
"Okay, 'earth guy'," Suyin teased. "Well, let me know if you change your mind. What about you, Uryu? Are you a bender as well?"
He shook his head. "I am not."
"Yeah, I've been wondering," Korra interjected, "how do your powers work? Because before Ichigo got his sword and everything back, he would focus his reiatsu on his fists to fight and they would glow blue. Are your powers similar?"
"Sort of. There is a spiritual energy that exists all around us known as reishi. I use this reishi to form weapons, usually a bow and arrow."
"Wow," said Opal. "Can you show us?"
"It's not really a thing for showing off," he blanched.
"Oh. Sorry."
"You and Ichigo should come train with us," Suyin said.
"I don't think so."
"Oh, come on. It'll be fun and educational."
"We'll see."
All of a sudden, all the metal in the room, from the jewellery they were wearing, to the plates and utensils on the tables all were sucked away from them and flew across the room to stick on a large, metal suit standing in the doorframe. The person inside pulled up the visor of the helmet they were wearing, revealing the thrilled face of Varrick.
"It worked!" he declared. "Zhu Li, mark it down. Magnet-suit test successful. Power down."
Behind him, Zhu Li tugged on a long, heavy cord and all the metal fell off the suit and to the floor.
Varrick grinned. "On to Phase 2: Zhu Li cleans up this mess!" He marched off, humming to himself while his assistant hung her head in exhaustion.
Outside the mansion, two Metal Clan soldiers were on guard duty. But instead of keeping watch, they were leaned against a nearby wall and chatting to each other. Lin, who was trying to ignore her raging headache, noticed them as she went by. She scowled and went down to them.
"What do you two think you're doing?" she demanded furiously. "Get back to work!" She felt a pang in her head and winced painfully.
"Is everything alright here?" Aiwei, the truth seer had come up to them.
"The Avatar is in danger. And these two knuckle-heads are standing around chitchatting."
"Don't worry," Aiwei reassured. "Zaofu is the most secure city in the world."
Lin brushed him off. "I'll be the judge of that. I'm going to check every inch of this place."
"Lin, you do not have to work while you are here. You need to relax."
"I'm fine!" She groaned again with pain.
"It doesn't take a truth seer to see that you are under a dangerous amount of stress. If you don't deal with your repressed feelings, there will be severe consequences to your health. And your job."
"I'm not interested in talking about my feelings."
"You won't have to. I know a great acupuncturist in town who will be able to help you." He passed her a business card.
Lin took it reluctantly. "Hmm."
After being discovered the night before, Zaheer, Ghazan, P'Li and Ming-Hua had decided to retreat deep into the labyrinth of Republic City's new spirit wilds. They had chosen a random apartment building with a tree growing right through the middle of it as their hiding place. All around the city, police sirens blared.
"Seems like you made quite a stir on Air Temple Island," P'Li said dryly. "The cops are swarming the city looking for us."
"You still want to try and take out the President?" Ghazan asked.
"No," Zaheer replied. "He'll have to wait. We leave today."
They headed out of the wilds and onto a rooftop overlooking a small intersection. A green, delivery truck was parked on the street in front of them. The driver was the only one around.
"There's our ticket out of here."
As the driver loaded his last box into the back, a claw of water gripped him from behind and flung him up against the side of the truck. Ming-Hua formed a shard of ice with her other water limb and held it to his throat.
"There's no money," he trembled. "I just made my last delivery!"
"We don't want money," she replied.
Ichigo's fist connected powerfully with Uryu's defending arm but the Quincy quickly grabbed his wrist and flung him over his shoulder onto the grass. Rolling away, Ichigo leapt to his feet and parried an axe-kick from Uryu before slinging his right fist into his friend's gut, keeling him over.
Uryu used this to his advantage and swept Ichigo's legs out from under him before planting his knee onto his chest, holding him firmly on the ground.
"Yield," he said.
"Yeah, right," came the reply.
Ichigo bucked him off and landed a devastating kick to Uryu's chest which sent him rolling down a small hill and onto a stone pathway below them. Uryu groaned and got back to his feet, brushing the dirt off his pure white outfit.
"You're scrappy to a fault," he said.
Ichigo shrugged. "It's how I learned to fight. It's how I got my rep."
"Your rep as a delinquent, you mean?"
"…Yeah."
"That style won't stand a chance against Soi Fon's martial arts. She'll pick you apart easily."
"Well, that's why I don't fight people like her with my hands. I have a sword, remember?"
"I remember," Uryu chided as he joined Ichigo back on the grassy hill. "So you mentioned you had a dream?" he asked.
"Yeah. A bad one. I saw the Soul Society and all the people I killed and I saw my father scolding me about failing the mission."
"Right. And you don't even remember what that mission was, do you?"
"Nope. I was wondering if you had any clues."
Uryu pushed up his glasses. "Hmm. It could be anything, really. But the way he acted towards you makes it seem like the mission is very important."
"Yeah, he got so pissed at me when I said I didn't remember it."
"I'll have to think about it for a while because I honestly have no idea what it could be. It's very convenient that the one memory you still haven't recovered is that one."
"Yeah, I know right? It's a pain in the ass."
"What do you think remembering and maybe fulfilling this mission will do for you?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure. But maybe it'll give me that purpose I've been looking for. Maybe that's what I've been missing."
"Maybe. Or maybe it will only make things worse."
"Let's hope that's not the case."
"This is your father and Urahara Kisuke we're talking about. You can never be sure."
"We're lucky we got out when we did," Yumi said. "Our train was one of the last ones before Republic City went into lockdown."
"Why did they go into lockdown?" Omaeda asked. "Was it because of us?"
"I'm not sure. I just overheard the train conductors talking about it as we were leaving."
"Well, it doesn't matter now," Soi Fon said. "We're out of the city. You said this train stops at a town nearby to Zaofu?"
Yumi nodded. "There are trains that go straight into the city; but, we'd be met by dozens of guards who would put us all through a multitude of security checks before we got anywhere near our target. However, this town works out for us because it is the nearest place where Zaofu exports to. There is constant interaction between it and Zaofu."
"So if we were to come from that town," Izuru reasoned, "we would find it easier to make our way in, then? Because the two places have a working relationship."
"Yes. The town also imports various goods to the smaller businesses within Zaofu. We'll be dealing solely with the common citizens of the city, and not the leaders or more influential people."
"Which makes infiltration easier," finished Iba.
Yumi smiled. "Exactly."
Hanataro stayed silent, looking on concernedly at his comrades. Soi Fon got up from her seat.
"The train will reach the town in a few hours. In the meantime, get some rest. No matter what happens, I want to you all at optimal strength."
Everyone nodded but Soi Fon gripped Yumi's arm. "Not you. Come with me." The two of them left the small cabin where everyone else was sitting and moved through the train cars to the very back of the train. The back door opened onto a tiny space where a metal fence was the only thing between them and the train tracks behind them.
The wind whistled around them powerfully and Yumi involuntarily winced as Soi Fon gripped her shoulder tightly. "I need to know that I can trust you," she said eventually.
Yumi blinked. "What?"
"I said, I need to know that I can trust you."
"As long as we have a deal, I'll keep my end of it. You can trust me. I give you my word."
"I don't want your word. I want results. And I want you to know that if you betray us, or if you don't deliver on your promises, you're finished."
Yumi swallowed and raised her eyebrows. "Noted."
Soi Fon flashed a smile. "Glad we're on the same page. Now, you've been so resourceful so far; so why don't you tell me about the Reaper's girlfriend that you mentioned."
Yumi hesitated defensively. "What about her?"
"What does he feel towards her? How much does he care?"
"I-I don't know. I worked as Asami's assistant for a while, I wasn't her therapist. I didn't even speak to the Reaper."
Soi Fon pursed her lips. "I think you can give me a better answer than that."
"I guess whenever I spoke with her, Asami tended to mention him a lot. She seemed… concerned. But in a loving way. And whenever I saw them together, it was usually from afar but they seemed close. They're a cute couple, if I'm being honest with you."
"Hmm. Okay. That'll be all."
"Yes, Captain," Yumi drawled sarcastically.
Soi Fon ignored her as she left and instead sat down to meditate. Soon enough, the landscape changed and the town drew closer. Soi Fon went back to the cabin to join her comrades as they prepared to disembark.
The town was quiet and quaint, sheltered against the base of a mountain on the edge of the lush valley where Zaofu was. Leaving the train station behind, they headed straight to one of the warehouses where Yumi led them around the back. Several trucks were lined up against the warehouse where presumably their goods were being loaded on.
A lone truck stood ready to go but it's driver was nowhere to be seen. Just then, a slightly overweight man came bustling out of the warehouse, clearly in a hurry. He dropped a few papers as he ran but he ignored them. Right before he reached the truck, he slipped and fell flat on his face.
Hanataro went to him instantly. "Are you alright, sir?"
The man groaned and rolled over onto his back. "Yeah, thanks, son. Give me a hand and help me get up. I'm running late on my delivery. The last time I was late, the Metal Clan's chef almost beat the snot out of me! He's very particular about his ingredients, you know. I've got to get these goods up to that mansion as fast as possible."
Soi Fon gave him a smile. "If you'd like, sir, we could perform the delivery for you."
"What? Oh, no, I could never do that. This is my job, I do it every day. I appreciate the offer, young lady, but I can't just allow a stranger to drive away with my truck and goods."
Soi Fon's smile widened. "What a shame. I wasn't asking."
Omaeda put the poor man in a sleeper hold until he was unconscious.
"Did you hear what he said?" Yumi demanded. "The Metal Clan's chef? The mansion? These ingredients are for the matriarch's personal chef! We can't take these. We were planning to go low level."
"Would the Avatar and her entourage be staying with the matriarch?" Soi Fon questioned rhetorically.
"Well, yes."
"Well, then the mansion is where we want to be. Let's go, everyone. The city awaits."
Renji's heart pounded painfully in his chest. He and the other rebels were meeting again in their usual spot in the Rukongai district. Their numbers had increased since the last time they'd gotten together but today was different. Today, a truly big player had come to town.
Shunsui Kyoraku, Captain of Squad 8 sat nonchalantly in his chair, leaning back with a smile at his fellow Soul Reapers and brushing some of the dust off his favourite hat. Most everyone around him, even Kenpachi to an extent, was quiet and almost solemn. They knew how big this was.
At last, he opened his mouth. "If you wanted to convince me to join you with silence, you're doing a phenomenal job," he said dryly.
"I think we're all just surprised to see you here," replied Toshiro, "We know how close you are with the Captain Commander."
"Yeah, I'm tight with the old man. But don't forget, I stood against him when Ichigo and his friends first came to Soul Society. I've lived a long life, but even that feels like ages ago."
"And you believe the Captain Commander is in the wrong?" Byakuya asked.
Kyoraku spread his hands. "I'm all for fairness. And whatever happens with Ichigo, whether it's a trial or something else, won't be fair. When the Avatar was here, she insisted that she wasn't our enemy. And if I know Ichigo, then I know he's not a genocidal murderer. There is something else going on here. And as much as all those people who died deserve to be honoured, the truth deserves it as well."
"Well said," Shinji nodded. "I think a lot of us are in the same boat. And hey, you know what? Maybe Ichigo really did murder all those people on purpose. Maybe he really does need to be executed. And we have to be ready for that. But the only way we can come to that conclusion is by examining all the evidence, gathering all witnesses, cross-referencing reports and of course hearing from Ichigo himself. And that simply will not happen under the Captain Commander's leadership."
"How do we know that?" Rangiku said. "The Captain Commander is a good man, we all agree on that right?"
"Good men are just as capable of doing bad things as anyone else," Renji replied. "They can be cruel, vindictive and spiteful depending on the circumstances."
Kyoraku sighed deeply. "I've seen the way the Captain Commander has been acting. He's driven by rage and hatred. In all my years of knowing him, I've never seen him this way. It does not bode well for any of us."
"So what's the plan then?" Kenpachi grunted. "Are we rebelling or not?"
"I thought we decided to wait until we had further information," said Toshiro.
"By the time we get that information, it may already be too late," Lisa muttered quietly.
Everyone looked to Byakuya. He took a long, deep breath and licked his lips
"I think," he said carefully, "that if Soi Fon does capture Ichigo and bring him back here, then she should return to a Soul Society that is under our control. That way we can resolve the conflict on our terms, get Rukia out of prison and give Ichigo the fair trial he deserves."
His words hung over everyone in the room like a heavy cloud. No one spoke until Kenpachi got to his feet.
"Great. Glad that shit's all settled now. Call Squad 11 when you're going to attack. We'll be ready."
"How many of those things are you gonna put in me?" Lin asked gruffly.
Begrudgingly, she'd taken up Aiwei's offer to visit the acupuncturist. He was a stocky, solemn man with dark skin and a soothing voice. With his metalbending, he was in the process of positioning over a dozen needles onto specific points along her body.
"I'll be placing several needles on each of your accu points," he explained. "There's nothing to be scared about."
"I'm not afraid of needles!" she snapped.
"Please. Close your eyes and take a deep breath."
Lin complied and relaxed as the needles sank into her skin.
"This process will correct the imbalances in your chi. Please tell me if you feel any pain or pressure."
"I can't feel a thing."
"That's unusual. Your chi must be powerfully blocked. We're going to need more needles!" He continued speaking as he added more. "Acupuncture often taps into people's buried memories. These memories can sometimes be difficult to process."
"Heh," she scoffed. "Buried memories. Uh huh."
The final needle connected with her forehead.
Lin opened the door and entered the room. Her younger sister and two of her scruffy-looking friends were sitting on a couch. On the coffee table in the front of them was a green bag, almost overflowing with jewelry.
"Su, what are you doing home?" Lin said.
Suyin giggled. "Wow. You almost look like a real cop."
Lin ignored her comment. The neatly-pressed police uniform she was wearing was a symbol of pride for her. No snide comments from her sister would take away from that
She crossed her arms. "You're supposed to be in school."
"Oh no, are you gonna tell Mom? It's not like she's going to care."
"Where'd you get all that stuff?" Lin asked as one of the friends started cramming the jewelry back inside the bag.
"Fell off the back of a truck," he answered slyly.
"What are you doing hanging out with these losers?"
"They're my friends and you have no right to call them that!" Suyin grabbed the bag. "Come on, guys, let's get out of here."
Lin grabbed her shoulder. "Su, stop."
"Get your hands off of me!"
"You have so much potential. You're ruining your life!"
"At least I have a life!" Suyin left, slamming the door behind her.
Suyin led Korra outside the mansion to a training spot overlooking the beautiful vistas of the valley and mountains surrounding them. There were several pedestals at the edges of the dirt path and each of them held a glossy grey and black stone.
"These meteorites are perfect for beginning metalbenders," Suyin was explaining. "The metals have a unique property making them easier to bend."
She broke off a small chunk from the stone and played with it in her hands, shaping it into a spiky ball, then a diamond. The plasticity of the metal was remarkable and it moved smoothly with her every motion.
"That's amazing," Korra said.
Suyin tossed her the stone. "Here, try it."
"Okay." Korra held it tightly in one hand and wiggled the fingers of her other hand above it, trying to manipulate it in any way possible. Her concentration was then broken by the snap of a twig. The two women looked to the side where Bolin darted behind a large decorative rock. "Bolin? Is that you?"
"No!" he replied.
"What are you doing?"
He popped out from behind the rock. "Oh, hey, ladies. I was just uh, I was just looking for Pabu. Pabu!"
"He's on your shoulder."
Bolin's eye dragged over to the chittering ferret on his shoulder. "Oh, look, there you are. You know, I thought something was chewing on my ear. Probably gonna need to get a shot. Pabu has a sort of venom, a venom- anyway! So what are you guys doing? Metalbending over here or something?"
"Wanna give it a shot?" Suyin asked.
"Nah, it's okay. I mean only one earthbender in a hundred can metalbend."
"Well, don't believe everything you hear. The only thing limiting you is your attitude."
"Yeah, but, well… maybe I'll just, just watch." He brought up a seat of earth to sit on.
Korra returned her attention to the stone in her hand and continued waving her hand around it.
"Try to focus on the fine pieces of earth within the metal," Suyin coached.
Korra narrowed her eyes and then slowly, the metal began to move. "I can't believe it!" she grinned. "I'm metalbending!"
"Wow!" said Bolin quietly. "You picked that up really, really quick. Guess you're that one in a hundred."
"Great job, Korra," Suyin smiled.
Ichigo sat at the highest point of the platform, well behind the mansion. From here he could see the entire valley and the city as well. Off to the side, he glimpsed Korra, Bolin and Suyin and below the mansion he saw the twins playing their power disc game. Beyond them, Uryu and Huan were sitting together, probably nerding out over some art.
He spread out his senses. Mako and Asami were inside the mansion itself with Opal. Beifong was nowhere to be found. Needing a place to think and wanting to meditate, he'd slipped out from the mansion and headed up here alone. With so many people around, it was difficult to maintain a steady stream of consciousness and he was often interrupted.
"When you're travelling with friends, you value your time alone," he muttered to himself. Gazing out at the scenery, he whistled. "Does this place ever get bad weather?"
Beautiful as it is, it's probably making us relax too much and forget about what's coming after us. If I can handle Soi Fon, then my next goal should be to remember what my mission was. I almost don't even care what it is, I just want to know. I've been searching for a true purpose for so long. This could be it. This could actually, genuinely be it.
"Hey, loser."
The sudden voice interrupted his thoughts. Ichigo looked up. It was Kuvira. Her superior, haughty face blocked out the sun in front of him as she stood proudly with her hands on her hips.
"I didn't think anyone came up here," he said.
"They don't. But I had to make my rounds of the place. Part of my job."
"I thought this was the safest city in the world? Surely you don't need to make the rounds," he said sarcastically.
She smirked. "I'm the reason it's the safest city in the world."
"Hah, I believe it."
Kuvira sat down next to him and pulled her leather gloves off her hands. "So what are you up to, sitting up here all alone?"
"I don't know, just sitting and thinking, I guess. Meditating too."
"Meditating? Is that part of your whole Soul Reaper package too?"
"Something like that. You ever tried it?"
She nodded passively. "A few times. It's calming. You feel lighter, like a weight's been taken off your shoulders." She clenched and unclenched her fist. "As a soldier, times of levity are important. Too much stress and tightness make you rash and undisciplined."
"Yeah, I guess so. I'm not a soldier but-"
"But you're a warrior," she interrupted. "You're a lone wolf but you're driven by a goal or a cause to fight for."
"Y-yeah. You're very intuitive."
"I get that a lot," she replied. "I've always been good at reading people. It makes me good at my job."
"It also makes you dangerous to your enemies."
She smirked. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Not unless I'm your enemy. Which I don't think I am. Why are you so interested in me? You've gone out of your way several times just to talk to me."
"If you met someone from another world, you'd be interested too."
"Fair point." He got to his feet. "You still need to finish your patrol?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I'll go with you. I've given up on meditating."
Back in the acupuncturist's office, Lin descended into another hidden memory.
"Calling all units. Robbery reported on the corner of 5th and Harbour. Suspect's vehicle headed south on Hal Boulevard. Unit's responding, identify."
Lin picked up her communicator. "Unit 3, responding."
Doing her rounds on the dirt streets of Republic City, she was eager to get some action and put her argument with her sister in the back of her mind. Suddenly, a car stormed past, heading the opposite way. Lin quickly spun the wheel and gave chase. This must be the suspect's vehicle.
Ripping round a corner, the two cars smashed through a market before Lin saw her opening. Like lightning, she fired a metal cable that took off the back wheel of the vehicle in front of her sending it spinning into a stall. Jumping out, Lin sprinted after the suspects who had exited the car and were running away. Shooting her cables again, she caught them round the ankles and reeled them back in.
"Leave them alone!"
A teenage girl was just now getting out of the crashed car. Her young eyes met Lin's.
"Su?!"
Lin gasped for breath as she sat up, shooting all the needles out of her and into the far wall. She took several deep breaths and then got off the bed.
"Wait!" The acupuncturist cried. "Leaving in the middle of a session could make you sick!"
"I'm done here," Lin groaned and staggered out of his office and back to her guest house. Sitting alone with her head in her hands, she turned as the front door opened.
"Are you gonna stay in your room feeling sorry for yourself all day?"
Lin blinked. It was Su, but her younger self from her memories. Shaking her head, her vision cleared and she could see it was really Korra who was at her door.
"You owe Opal an apology for the way you treated her last night," she was saying. "Are you okay? You don't look good."
Lin got up. "I'm fine," she snapped weakly before stumbling back to the acupuncture clinic. She slammed open the door. "What the hell did you do to me?"
"I tried to warn you," he replied. "Come with me. Let's go finish the session. Just relax and breathe."
Lin bashed her hand on the hood of her car. "So you're robbing stores with the Terror Triad now?"
"I didn't steal anything," Suyin said obstinately. "I just drove the car. I owed my friends a favour; it's not a big deal."
"I'm not letting you get away with this."
Suyin laughed. "What are you going to do, officer? Arrest me?" She turned with a scoff.
"Don't even think about taking one more step!"
Suyin stopped with a sneer then continued walking. Lin fired another cable, this one wrapping round her sister's wrist. Suyin scowled and then drew out a knife, slashing through the cable. It recoiled powerfully and struck Lin across the face. She screamed loudly as Suyin looked on in horror.
At the entrance to one of the bridges stretching out away from Republic City, the police had set up a roadblock and were checking every vehicle as it passed by. The news of Zaheer's presence had spread to every corner of the city. The truck they'd taken over was still being driven by the man they'd threatened with the four of them sitting in the back.
He rolled up to the bar and an officer approached his window.
"Good afternoon," the officer said, "where are you off to today?"
"I, uh, got a delivery to make in Bao Yu," the driver replied, handing the officer his papers. "I should be back later today." Sweat dripped down his forehead and he stumbled over his words. Behind him, Ming-Hua was holding a shard of ice against him.
"You alright?"
"Yeah. Just a little tired. One more pickup then I'm clocking out."
"I thought you said you had a delivery…"
The driver gulped. "Did I?"
"I'm gonna need you to step out of the vehicle and open the back of the truck."
The driver obeyed, walking slowly towards the back of the vehicle before suddenly bolting back into the city.
"Hey! Get back here!"
The officers stepped warily towards the back door and twisted the handlebar. From inside, Zaheer burst the doors open with a gust of air and sent the officers flying.
"Let's get out of here!" he yelled.
Ming-Hua jumped behind the wheel and floored it, breaking through the barrier and getting out on the bride. The police quickly jumped into their cars and took off after them, sirens blaring. P'Li stepped forward and fired several concussive blasts from her forehead that took out several of the chasing cars. Ghazan took care of the rest of them, forming a puddle of lava on the bridge and securing their escape.
Yumi kept one hand on the steering wheel as she thumbed through the logbook she'd found in the glovebox of the truck with her other hand. Soi Fon was seated in the passenger seat, arms crossed. Hanataro and Izuru had managed to fit into the miniscule back seat while Omaeda and Iba had crammed into the back with the goods.
"Hmm," Yumi mused, flipping over a page. "It says here that most delivery trucks go to the city first but that special deliveries like the one we're hauling goes straight to the mansion through a back route."
"Nice of them to leave us an instruction manual," Soi Fon jested.
"Most of this stuff in the logbook is for policy's sake. I bet the drivers looked at this once when they were hired and never again. Works out for us, though."
Pulling away from the main highway, Yumi took them on a smaller road around the main city towards the residential platforms. The Soul Reapers all craned their necks to stare up at the magnificent city. From below, the platforms looked like the bottom of a sphere. They stretched up high above them incredibly.
"I don't think I'll ever get bored looking at the scenery of this world," Izuru said.
"It's wonderful," Hanataro agreed.
The dirt road began to travel upwards to the platform where the mansion was and they could see a large gate serving as the entrance. Several soldiers stood guard and Yumi swore.
"See? This is why we should've delivered something to the city. Now all the guards will be on us."
"Calm down," Soi Fon instructed.
They neared the gate and two guards stepped out to greet them. As Yumi pulled up next to them, a disturbance could be seen from within the gate. A rough looking man in a chef's uniform trundled out towards them with a massive grin on his face. Yumi rolled down the window.
"Afternoon, officer," she said nonchalantly.
"Afternoon, miss. Papers, please."
"Right." She grabbed the logbook and showed him the delivery notice.
The officer eyed it intently. "A little late today, aren't we, miss?"
"I'm very sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
He laughed. "Oh, don't take it so seriously. The only person stressed about the delivery is the chef. Oh, speak of the devil. There he is."
The chef bustled up to them. "At last!" he cried. "My ingredients." He waved them through with his greasy hands. "Come along, now. You're late enough as it is."
"Sir, we still have to run our routine check," the officer reminded him.
"Damn your checks, Jin! Do you know how many times I've gotten this delivery? The ingredients will be spoiled if I don't see to them quickly. Open the gate!"
"Alright, alright. Have it your way." The officer signalled and the gate opened in front of them. They were in. The chef led them through the back area and had them park up against a loading dock.
"Here, I'll call for my helpers," he said.
"Don't worry about it!" Yumi said quickly. "My partner and I brought help for you. It's a big load after all."
He beamed. "Now why don't they send you lot more often, huh? Excellent! Let's get going."
They opened the back door of the truck as Omaeda and Iba filed out. Everyone, including Soi Fon grabbed a box and followed the chef into the storage area of his kitchen where he indicated where to distribute the delivery. The entire time, he muttered to himself in between speaking with them. It was as if he was already planning out how to use the ingredients and which recipes he could create.
They said their farewells and left him to his work, planning to sneak back down to the truck and hide out until nightfall. As they headed down the hall, there was a clatter of footsteps in front of them and they quickly ducked into an archway. Yumi peeked round the corner and her strong eyes softened.
The footsteps belonged to Mako. His golden eyes glimmered in the dim light of the hallway and his footsteps stopped with a sigh. Yumi was hidden from his eyes so she could look on without fear. He pursed his lips.
"I got lost again, didn't I?" he muttered to himself. Turning round, he began to head back but before he left he turned again, giving Yumi one last look at his face. For a split second, she wanted to jump out and stop him from leaving. She hadn't known him well and their pasts were intertwined negatively but he'd shown her more kindness and respect in the short time she'd known him than most people she'd ever met. And even though she'd framed him for Varrick, she couldn't deny that part of her wanted to forget all of that and just talk to him again.
Her face drooped as he left but Soi Fon quickly brought her back to reality, pulling her shoulder as they continued on their back down. Sitting down in the back of the truck, Soi Fon laid out her plan.
"Yumi's mentioned that the gates of this place close up overtop and cover it completely so no one gets in or out. When we have Ichigo, there's no way we're getting away by truck. Their entire army will be on us before we even get out of the valley. We need an airship. Yumi's job will be to find the controls of the roof, reconfigure it to open at a certain time and then jam it. She'll also need to find and pilot an airship overhead when the roof is open. She'll leave after nightfall."
"What about us, Captain?" Omaeda asked.
"I'm getting to that. Hanataro, you've been wondering this entire time what your role is, listen up. After Yumi's gone for a while, I want you to find Kurosaki and get him out into the open. He trusts you enough to follow you. You'll lead him to where Omaeda is and then you'll capture him."
"So I'm just the bait?" Hanataro said darkly. "Is that really the only reason you brought me?"
"Yes."
"And what if I say no?"
Soi Fon's eyes narrowed. "Then you'll be a traitor to the Soul Society, your home. And you'll get the same treatment as your human friend."
Hanataro scowled vengefully but didn't say another word.
Soi Fon continued. "Iba and Izuru, I want you two to capture the Avatar. She's less of a priority but she's still part of our mission."
"What about you, Captain?" Iba asked.
"I'll be right behind you. Now, is that all understood? As soon as the roof closes, we move, plan out our positions, locate the targets and then strike. We need to work together and trust each other. Can we do that?"
Everyone nodded.
"Good. We've come a long way to get here, and done countless missions before. Don't underestimate Kurosaki and the Avatar. The other benders shouldn't be an issue if this operation gets ugly. Remember, the priority is Kurosaki. We do not give in, we do not bow. We succeed at any cost. And if we die, we die."
Back in the training area near Suyin's mansion, Bolin sidled up to one of the meteorites while whistling casually. Peeking both ways and seeing no one, he grabbed the black rock and started to press on it with all his might, trying desperately to bend the metal. Nothing happened.
"Hmm," he muttered.
Trying again, he set his feet and pushed even harder, focusing all his energy on moving one single molecule of metal. But still, nothing. He frowned.
"Hey, Bolin!"
He whirled around, hiding the rock behind his back.
"Opal!" he cried. "Oh, wow, you really know how to sneak up on someone."
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing, you know just thinking about my body and moustaches… that I might have in the future." He dropped the rock.
"You're acting weird again."
"Sorry… I wasn't really thinking about all my moustaches, I'm just frustrated! I've been trying to metalbend and I can't figure it out. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Why not?"
"Because it's embarrassing. This isn't the first time I've tried. I mean, I've been wanting to metalbend ever since I heard about Toph. Your grandmother is my biggest hero."
Opal stepped closer. "My mom grew up learning from Toph, just go train with her. Stop being so scared."
"You know what, maybe I am scared but what about you? I know that you want to go to the Northern Air Temple to train with Tenzin. But you haven't done it because you're afraid too."
She looked away. "You know what, you're right. I don't want to leave my family and disappoint my mom."
Bolin bumped her shoulder. "Look at us! Talking about our feelings… supporting each other."
Opal smiled and gave him a hug. "It's nice."
"Hey, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that guy's a creep," Ichigo said.
"Are you kidding?" said Kuvira. "Everyone in Zaofu knows Aiwei's a creeper. I mean, a guy who always knows when you're lying? Come on."
Ichigo laughed. "His type have always pissed me off. He'd never fight for himself. He'd get someone else to do it for him and then he'd hide behind them. I think it's cowardly."
"You're not wrong. So what was it like, living here with no memories of who you were?"
He sighed. "It was tough. Really tough. With every little bit that I remembered, I'd lose it again in an instant. It was like having an identity crisis every moment of every day. I'm really thankful that I had friends to keep me grounded. I might've gone insane otherwise."
"Yeah, I bet. So are all your memories back now?"
Ichigo shook his head. "Not all of them. There's just one that's missing."
"I get the feeling that memory's pretty important."
"It is. My father sent me here with a mission, but I can't remember what it was. This entire time I've been here, I've struggled to find my purpose beyond what was right in front of me. It's made me make a lot of mistakes that I regret. Some of my worst decisions have been made by following the wrong purpose. I'm hoping that maybe if I remember this mission, I'll be able finally find a true purpose. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be unloading all this on you. We barely know each other."
"No, it's okay," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I appreciate you telling me these things. It means I've earned a bit of your trust. And believe me when I say it, as a soldier, trust means everything to me."
He smiled. "You're alright, you know that? At first I thought you were just a haughty, arrogant bitch if I'm being totally honest."
Kuvira laughed loudly. "Don't worry, I hear that a lot."
"No, no, I'm sorry. I mistook your confidence for arrogance. My bad."
She stuck out her hand. "You don't need to apologise for anything. I can handle a lot worse insults than that. Friends?"
Ichigo shook it. "Friends."
"That reminds me, I know a guy in town. He's a professional acupuncturist. Apparently, he can unlock hidden memories." She passed him a business card. "Check him out."
"Wow. Thank you. I really appreciate that."
She flashed a smirk. "Don't worry about it."
Ichigo turned and saw Asami walking up to them. He smiled. "Hey, Prissy."
She spread her hands. "Babe, I've barely seen you all day." They kissed quickly. "Where have you been?"
"I, uh… needed some time to myself."
"I see that didn't last too long," she said sarcastically. "You're Kuvira, right? I don't think we've been introduced."
Kuvira nodded her head in greeting. "It's a pleasure, Miss."
Asami returned her attention to her boyfriend. "Hey, did you figure out that thing with your memory?"
He shook his head. "No, not yet."
"Let's go back to the guest house and talk about it. Maybe we can jog your memory."
"Uh, actually, Kuvira recommended this guy in town who could help me. I think I'm gonna go to him."
"Oh, okay. Want me to come with you?"
"Nah, it's alright. I think I need to do this on my own."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back soon."
Lin descended one last time into her forgotten memories.
A bandage covering the wound on her cheek, Lin and Suyin sat at the desk of the Chief of Police, their mother, Toph Beifong. The great earthbender paced the floor, clearly under an immense load of stress and pain.
"What were you thinking?" she demanded angrily. "And what were you thinking? You two have put me in an impossible position!"
"You're mad at me?!" Lin shouted incredulously. "She was the one running around with criminals!"
"This is all your fault!" Suyin retorted.
"I was doing my job!"
"Alright, enough!" said Toph. "Here's what we're going to do. Su, you need to leave the city as soon as possible."
"What? Where am I supposed to go?"
"You'll go stay with your grandparents. Lin, give me the arrest report." Toph held it up and then tore it in two.
Lin was shocked. "Mom, what are you doing? You can't cover this up. There were witnesses."
"I'm the Chief of Police! I can't have a daughter in jail."
"So once again, Su gets to do whatever she wants and there are no consequences!"
Toph sighed tiredly. "This is our only option."
Session over, the acupuncturist removed the needles from Lin's body.
"You're going to feel a bit fragile so it's probably best if you take it easy for a little while."
Lin swung her legs off the bed. "I don't need to rest. I need to do something I should've done a long time ago."
"What are the chances that Uryu got through to the other world?" Byakuya asked.
He, Renji, Toshiro, Rangiku and Ikkaku were sitting in the Kuchiki Manor late at night. After the meeting had ended, the six of them had headed off together to continue discussing their plans for the rebellion now that it was actually happening.
"Oh, he got there," Ikkaku said. "Me and Kisuke Urahara did a little Kido thing or something and sent him there."
"So Urahara has a way to send people to the other world," Toshiro mused. "Why is that not surprising?"
"We just don't know if Uryu actually found Ichigo or not then," said Renji. "I think he has, though. He's resourceful enough to find him."
"Still, that doesn't guarantee them defeating Soi Fon," Byakuya said. "It just takes away the element of surprise."
"Well, hopefully we'll have that when we rebel," Toshiro said with a sigh. "I can't believe this is happening. I mean, what if we lose?"
"Then we're screwed," Ikkaku answered.
"I've been thinking," said Rangiku, "we need all the help we can get, right? Why don't we involve the people in the World of the Living? They've helped us before."
"Should they really be involved in our affairs, though?" asked Toshiro.
"It's their affair, too. This all revolves around Ichigo, doesn't it? I understand this is bigger than just Ichigo but he's at the center of it all. I think they deserve to know what's going on and they can be a big help to us."
"Not really in battle," Renji argued. "Like I know Chad can fight and Orihime's healing abilities are useful but this is an all-out Soul Reaper war. I don't want them to get caught in the crossfire and die."
"Well it's not just Ichigo's friends that I'm talking about. Urahara, Ichigo's Dad, Yoruichi, all those people can help us."
"You might be right," Byakuya admitted. "We are outnumbered. And considering the situation, they do deserve to at least know what's going on."
"But who do we send to tell them?" Toshiro asked.
Rangiku raised her hand. "I'll go. It was my idea and I have a good relationship with Orihime."
"What if they go after you? I think we should sent two people."
"I mean," Renji said, "Ikkaku has a couple good relations down there as well."
Ikkaku shook his head furiously. "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no. That's not happening. That is not happening."
"Are you really going to let little old me go by myself?" Rangiku pouted.
He scowled. "Don't do this to me. I swore I'd never go back to her house."
"You could wear a wig again?" Renji suggested.
"To hell with that, man! I don't want to hide who I am!"
"But you don't want to spend time with someone who loves you for who you are."
"She doesn't love me for who I am! She loves me because I'm-"
"Bald," Rangiku finished.
"Shut up!" He groaned loudly. "I'll go with you on one condition: we don't go anywhere near her house and we don't talk to Keigo Asano."
She shrugged. "I'm fine with that. Kid's a perv."
"How are we going to get you through the Senkaimon?" Toshiro asked. "It's under constant guard."
"We'll think of something. Can't be that difficult."
Korra kept her breathing steady and her stance firm as she manipulated the rock of metal between her hands, transforming it into different shapes at her will. Suyin, who was sitting near her clapped her hands.
"Congratulations," she said proudly. "You're the first metalbending Avatar."
Korra smiled. "Thanks to your teachings."
Bolin sidled up to them unconfidently. "So, um, I've been thinking… and I'd like to try to learn metalbending. I mean, I'm sure you have a wait list of like a couple years so…"
Suyin put her hand on his shoulder with a satisfied smile. "Let's get started."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to crack and the collection of meteorites were knocked off their pedestals. Lin, heaving for breath, stood in front of them. Suyin faced her with a concerned look in her eye.
"I think Lin is mad about something," Bolin whispered to Korra.
"Su, it's time we talk," Lin declared.
"After thirty years, you're finally ready to talk?" said Suyin in reply.
"When we were in Mom's office that day, you could've taken responsibility for what you did. But instead you stayed quiet and let Mom throw her whole career away."
"Mom didn't throw her career away; she retired the next year. She was a hero."
"You think she wanted to retire? She was so guilt-ridden about what she did to protect you, she didn't feel worthy of her badge!"
"Look, I admit that I was not a perfect kid and I've made some mistakes in the past but-"
Lin scoffed. "You made some mistakes?"
"Lin! Mom and I already talked about this years ago and worked things out. If you had gotten together with us like we'd asked, you would know that I'm a different person now. I've been a different person for a long time."
"You think just because you live in a big, fancy house, and have a chef who cooks you fancy food makes you a different person? Maybe you can fool everyone else but you can't fool me. I see right through you."
Suyin's sad eyes flashed with anger. "You know what, Lin? You're the one who hasn't changed. You're still a bitter loner who only cares about herself. No wonder Tenzin ended things with you years ago."
Lin growled and flung a rock at her sister. Suyin punched right through it. "Okay! I guess this is how it's going to be!"
Suyin bent the earth beneath Lin's feet, causing her to stumble while pelting her in the gut with a rock of her own. Lin charged forward with another attack but Suyin blocked it with a thin platform of metal. Raising up small stones of earth around her, Lin peppered them at her sister but Suyin avoided every single one of them.
"Should I stop them?" Korra asked confusedly.
"You don't have any siblings," Bolin explained. "Fighting is all part of the healing process."
Uryu ran up behind them. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded.
"Family feud," Bolin said. "It happens."
"Trust me, I know. But this is the last thing we need right now."
"Lin looks exhausted," Korra observed. "This's be over soon."
"It better be."
Suyin's husband and sons arrived on the scene as well. "Go mom!" one of the twins yelled.
Lin took Huan's banana sculpture and launched at Suyin who directed it into a wall. Huan gasped.
"My sculpture!" He dashed down to it and then pondered it's mangled remains. "Actually, it looks a lot better now."
Suyin fired three spinning platforms at her sister. Lin managed to block two of them but the third knocked her over. Retaliating, she tried to bend the earth around Suyin's feet, shooting rocks up from random places but Suyin spun through them with ease. Next, Lin leapt high into the air and hurled a large boulder.
Backed against a metal wall, Suyin pulled out one side of it out to block the boulder and then swung the other side to slap Lin powerfully into a flight of stairs. Groaning, Lin struggled back to her knees.
"You got it out of your system?" Suyin yelled.
"Not quite yet!" came the angry retort.
The two sisters raced towards each other with boulders over their heads until Opal jumped in between them, shooting the boulders out of their grip with blasts of air from her hands.
"What are you two doing?!" she demanded. "You're sisters! Why would you want to hurt each other?"
Lin and Suyin panted heavily, looking down at the ground. Then Lin suddenly blacked out and fell backwards towards the ground. Korra quickly slid in and caught her before she could hit her head.
Uryu scowled and turned away. "What a disgrace."
Ichigo held up the card that Kuvira had given him in front of him and squinted. Blocking out the sun from the card with his hand, he rechecked the address and then looked at the small building in front of him.
"I guess this is the place," he muttered to himself. He knocked on the door but there was no answer. Curious, he checked the knob. It was unlocked. The scent of candles wafted past his nose as he opened the door. The lighting inside was dim due to the drawn curtains on the room's only window.
Along the walls were several bookshelves stacked with various items: cases of needles, test tubes and of course, lots and lots of books. In the middle of the room was a table, presumably where the acupuncturist did most of his work.
"Hello?" Ichigo said. "Anyone home?"
From within a small back room, the acupuncturist came bustling out. "My apologies, sir. I didn't hear you come in. I was just cleaning up after my last client. How can I help you?"
"No worries. I was told you can unlock hidden memories."
"Well, that's a very simplistic and vague way of explaining my work but yes, I can trigger you to remember things you may have forgotten, or hidden away for some reason."
"Perfect. You good to get started?"
"Certainly. Lie down on the table and relax. I'll get the needles in a moment."
"That sounds ominous," Ichigo joked.
He got onto the table and took a few deep breaths, allowing himself to release some of the tension in his shoulders. The acupuncturist came back out of his office with a fresh box of needles. Ichigo, having been raised with a doctor as a father, knew how valuable it was that he stayed calm and obeyed what he was told. He didn't want to be the cause of any mistakes.
"I will be placing these needles at certain points along your body. Please tell me if you feel any pain. The main goal of acupuncture is to correct any imbalances in your chi. Retrieving lost memories goes along with that. You will be weakened after the session is over."
"Good thing we're in the safest city in the world," Ichigo drawled. "Hopefully I won't get into any fights."
The needles began to pierce his skin. Frowning, the acupuncturist looked at him.
"Your chi is unlike any I've ever seen before. It's potent and powerful."
Ichigo didn't respond. The last needle pierced his forehead and his eyes closed tightly.
"Dad, I don't have time to go to your little tea party with Urahara, alright? I have to go to work. If I'm late or even worse miss a shift, Miss Ikumi will genuinely kill me."
"Oh come on, Ichigo," Isshin whined. "Won't you do it for your dear, old Dad?"
"You're not dear, you're just old," Ichigo retorted. "Maybe I'd be more willing to come if you stopped attacking me every morning…"
"That built up your strength, son, and you know it!"
"Whatever. I'm outta here. Have fun with Hat and Clogs, Dad." He turned to head out the door.
"Son," Isshin's voice reverberated with sudden clarity, his tone was completely serious. "This is extraordinarily important."
Ichigo sighed and turned back. "It can't be that important, Dad. When is anything important when it comes to you?"
Isshin ignored the jibe. "If you've ever trusted me on anything, trust me on this. This affects every world and every person in it. It has the potential to be the greatest danger we've ever faced."
"What is it?"
"Just come with me. Your part-time job should be the least of your worries right now."
Ichigo looked down and then slowly let his work bag drop down to the floor. "Okay."
Urahara welcomed them into the back room of his little shop. It appeared like he'd been expecting them. His countenance was grave and his gaze was subdued. He offered them tea but no one drank it. Tessai, Jinta and Ururu were nowhere to be seen. Ichigo had been hoping to see Yoruichi but she wasn't there either.
"So what is this all about?" he asked.
Isshin and Urahara looked at each other and then Isshin nodded. Urahara reached into his coat and tossed a small, leather-bound book onto the table. It looked old and worn down. It's pages were yellowed and little pockmarks could be seen on the cover.
"On my recent trip to the Soul Society, I found this," Isshin said. "It's a diary of sorts. Now this is going to sound sudden but you were going to find out anyway so here goes nothing. Our world is not the only world. And I include the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo as part of our world. There is another world, very different from ours and with it's own set of people, governments, history and dangers."
Ichigo sat back. "What? Are- are you serious? Does the Soul Society know about this?"
"Yes. But only the high- ranking members of the Gotei 13, Central 46 and the other higher ups are aware of it's existence. There are plenty of myths and legends about it but due to a lack of overall knowledge of the world, none of them could be proven."
"That's where the book comes in?" Ichigo assumed.
Urahara nodded. "Correct. This book, this simple little notebook contains extensive research on the other world, it's citizens, it's structure and also the threat it poses to our existence."
"Who wrote the book?"
"We do not know," Isshin answered. "It could've belonged to a number of people."
"Could it, could it have belonged to Aizen?"
"It's possible. But that's not the point. The point is that there are very real dangers in that world and one of them lines up directly with a Soul Reaper legend: the Fukinko."
"Imbalance?"
"Yes. The legend says that a powerful being from that world known as the Avatar will have the power over the cosmic energy of the universe itself and that they will one day come to destroy our world and all who live in it. The research done in this book not only names the Avatar several times but also states it's numerous abilities and also it's weaknesses."
"It has power over four distinct elements and can control them almost without limitation," Urahara continued. "These elements have different variations to them but each of them can be controlled by a large number of the people in this world. What sets the Avatar apart is that it can control all four and also enter a state where it can control cosmic energy itself. But it also has weaknesses. It's human. It can be killed. And according to this book, if it is killed while in this cosmic state, it's dead forever. It can't reincarnate. That's where you come in."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked. "How am I involved in this?"
"In all your time as a Substitute Soul Reaper, you've shown more abilities, determination, willpower and resourcefulness than anyone else. Your hybrid blood allows you to access multiple powers and control them at will, making you more adaptable and more powerful than almost any other Soul Reaper. The book has given us a Kido that we can use to send you to this other world. We want you to kill it, Ichigo. We want you to kill the Avatar. That is your mission, your most important mission of all."
Ichigo swallowed deeply. He turned to his father. "Dad, I threw away my powers to defeat Aizen. Just getting them back put our family through a horrible experience and now you're asking me to do it again. You're asking me to leave Yuzu and Karin, leave all my friends and go to an entirely different world to kill someone who I have never even met."
Isshin looked at him sadly. "I am, son. I am asking that."
"Why? I mean, what proof do we have? How do we even know whether this book can be trusted? You just said it's possible that it belonged to Aizen!"
"Everything in this book reinforces and lines up with what we already know," Urahara said. "We're talking about the end of the world here, Ichigo."
"Who else knows about this book?"
"Just us."
"Just us," Ichigo repeated. "What will you tell Yuzu and Karin? What will you tell everyone?"
"We'll tell them you've gone away. If all goes well, you'll be back before you know it."
"Is there even a way for me to get back?"
"We believe that sending you there will create an opening between the two worlds. All you have to do is find this opening again and you can return."
"But do you know for sure?"
"…No."
"God's sake." Ichigo stood up and ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe this."
"You are the best person for this job," Urahara said gently.
"You're asking me to kill someone who we don't even know for sure is evil."
"And how many people have you killed so you could protect your friends? How many more would you have killed? You have the resolve and the power to push through any obstacle to get the job done and save the ones you care about. Ichigo, if ever there was a time when fate and purpose went hand in hand, it's now."
Ichigo bit his lip and shut his eyes. Every part of him wanted to say no, wanted to back out and go back to his normal life that he'd worked so hard to rebuild. But if this was true, if the world and his friends were really in this much danger, then he needed to go. His loyalty, his heart and his love compelled him so.
"I'll do it," he said quietly.
The two older men breathed sighs of relief. They took him downstairs to the massive rocky chamber beneath the shop. A gate had been built into the ground and the three of them stood in front of it where Urahara explained the Kido he and Isshin would use to send him there.
"We're not fully sure where you'll end up but be sure to remember it for when you're ready to return."
"That's not very reassuring."
"We know. Sorry, but it's the best we can do."
Ichigo gave a small smile. "This is honestly a little bit exciting."
"Remember your mission, Ichigo," Isshin coached. "That is the most important thing. It will keep you grounded, it will keep you driven. Stay on target, son, and good luck." He allowed a tear to snake it's way down his cheek. "Your mother would be very proud of the man you've become. And so am I."
Ichigo smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
Urahara put his hand on Isshin's shoulder. "Are you sure? Do you really want to do this, Isshin?"
"Yes. I'm sure, Kisuke."
"All right, then. Here goes." The two men stood on either side of Ichigo and stretched their hands out towards him. He clutched his Combat Pass tightly in his hand and shut his eyes. With their voices in perfect sync, they recited the incantation. Powerful waves of reiatsu began to stream around them and through the gate. At last, they reached the end. The point of no return.
"BAKUDO NUMBER 100: SEKAI!"
Ichigo's eyes opened slowly. The acupuncturist had just finished removing the last needle.
"Feeling alright?" he asked.
Ichigo didn't respond. Trembling, he got off the bed and staggered towards the door. Forcing it open, he almost collapsed onto the ground outside. Urahara's words reverberated powerfully in his ears. "We want you to kill it. We want you to kill the Avatar. That is your mission, your most important mission of all." Groaning, he stumbled around and then fell to his knees, crawling away from the building pitifully.
"Ichigo!" A voice yelled. "Ichigo! Are you okay?!"
He heard running footsteps and then felt two strong hands grip his shoulders. He looked up. It was Korra. He nearly vomited.
"Ichigo!" she cried and lifted him up off the ground, carrying him over to a nearby bench and setting him down. His eyes bore into her intensely while she tried to figure out what was wrong. She dashed over to the building and nearly knocked the door down, demanding to know what was going on.
"He's just been through a powerful and diverting acupuncture session," the man explained. "I've never seen anything like it. Who is he?"
"Never mind that, what's wrong with him?" she yelled.
"He is experiencing visceral withdrawal symptoms, I suppose. Something triggered a lost memory, perhaps."
"A lost memory…" Korra went back and sat down next to Ichigo. "I'll let you rest for a little bit but I need to get you into some water so I can heal you."
Ichigo stared at her again and then blinked twice. Slowly, he returned to his senses. "I think I'm going to be okay," he said hoarsely. "I don't need healing."
"Are you sure? You look really sick. Just like Beifong did."
"I'm fine. Already feeling better." He sank into the bench and allowed his head to loll back so he could look at the blue sky above them.
"Are you really sure? What's going on? Why are you down here? And why did he trigger your lost memory? I thought you'd remembered everything."
"Not everything."
"Well, what was it? Do you remember now?"
He nodded tiredly. "I remember."
She took his hand. "You can tell me what it is. I'm here for you, you know that."
Ichigo turned his head to look at her. Her brilliant, blue eyes flashed with concern for him. Her face was twisted with anxiety and unease and her grip on his hand was trying to be gentle but he could feel the tension within it. She was really worried about him.
"Korra," he said eventually, "what if someone who you cared about asked you to do something bad to somebody else you cared about, would you do it?"
"What- what is this about? What do you mean?"
"Just… answer the question."
Korra shook her head. "Never. I would never do it."
Later that evening, Korra, Mako and Bolin stood at the entrance to Lin's room. Korra had dropped off Ichigo at his guest house where he had gone fast asleep. Asami was there with him so she knew she didn't have to worry. The three of them looked at each other awkwardly.
"Uh… who's gonna knock?" Korra said eventually. She shoved Bolin forward.
"Oh, no, no, no, not me!" he cried. "You're the Avatar, why can't you do it?"
"Um… I can. But I just thought that you…"
"I'll do it," Mako announced. He rapped on the door. "Uh, Chief? You've been sleeping for almost eight hours. It's evening time now. We just wanted to make sure that you're okay. Whoa!"
The door opened suddenly and he fell through the entrance to the floor. Lin stood in front of them dressed in green Metal Clan robes with decorative metal jewelry. Her skin was radiant and she yawned loudly.
"Good evening," she said. The others looked at her, totally stunned as she made her way past them and into the mansion.
Sitting in the dining room, she smiled as the chef placed a cup of green juice in front of her. "What's this?" she asked.
"I call it the Kale Nutsko," he replied proudly. "It's a mixture of kale, coconut water and walnuts. I just had the ingredients delivered earlier today by some fine young workers."
Lin drained the glass. "Not bad," she admitted. At the entrance to the dining room, she saw Opal watching her. Realizing she'd been spotted, the young airbender turned to leave. "Opal, don't go. Please, sit down. I want to talk to you."
Opal sat next to her timidly, eyes downcast.
Lin bit her lip. "Look, I'm just not comfortable talking about these kinds of things and well, I wanted to say I'm sorry about the other night."
"It's okay," Opal said.
"Your mother and I have a complicated relationship and…"
"It's probably difficult for you to be here."
Lin smiled. "You're a smart, young woman. And an excellent airbender. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to train with the other airbenders at the Northern Air Temple."
"There's a part of me that wants to go but I don't want to upset my mom."
"When I was younger, all I wanted to do was please my mother. I became a police chief because I thought it would make her happy. But it didn't. You need to make decisions based on what you want. Don't make the same mistakes I did."
Opal smiled and hugged her aunt.
Ichigo and Uryu stood side by side on a beautiful veranda that looked out over the entire valley. The sun was beginning to disappear behind the mountains and it bathed the valley in a stunning ethereal glow.
"Kill the Avatar, huh?" Uryu mused.
"Yep. That's my mission. That's the final piece of the puzzle of my memories. Hopefully."
"I'll be honest, I'm not surprised."
"What?"
"You think the Soul Reapers are the only ones who have legends about the Avatar? Us Quincy's have them too. I was taught to fear the Avatar but also to respect it because it was an enemy of the Soul Society. It was only a matter of time before they moved against it."
"But the other Soul Reapers don't know about the book, not even the old man. I guess they would've found it eventually, though. Or found their own way to this world." He groaned and hung his head over the railing surrounding the veranda. "What a mess."
"So? What are you gonna do about it?"
"It's it obvious?" Ichigo said, annoyed. "I'm not gonna kill Korra. Screw the mission."
"And what about finding your purpose?"
"Screw that as well! I am actually so sick of all this! All the lies, the suspense, everything. I think it's driving me crazy. I'm done with finding my purpose, man. I can't do this anymore."
"What are you gonna do about it?"
"You just heard my answer."
"I didn't like it."
"Piss off. What, do you want me to kill Korra?"
"What do you think, you idiot? Of course not. I want you to take some personal responsibility, lace up your boots and go to war. Stop trying to find some magical purpose that will guide your life. Seize the day, Ichigo. Seize every moment and decide what you can do better. Decide what you want to do, what you feel is right. Own your mistakes, own your failures. Then move on."
Ichigo scowled. "I'm not in the mood for a lecture. Especially not from you."
"You think I care? You need to hear it; either from me or someone else. It might as well be me."
"I am taking responsibility. I'm choosing not to kill her."
"That's not a choice, Ichigo. You were never going to choose otherwise."
"Well, yeah. But-"
"One day you'll remember what I told you and you'll realize why I said it." He started walking away. "I'm going on patrol. There's been some differences in the reiatsu I've been sensing. I'm going to go figure out what it is."
"I'll come with you."
"No. You still need to rest. I want to do it alone anyway."
"Alright then," Ichigo said as Uryu walked away. "Asshole," he muttered.
In a small corner near the mansion, a bronze statue of Toph had been built. It stood tall and proud, watching over the mansion and the family within like a guardian. Lin stared up at it solemnly. Growing up with such a famous figure as her mother hadn't been easy. Oftentimes she almost wished her mother was just a normal person but standing here now, she realized how much of an honour it was to be the daughter of one so influential and powerful.
Suyin walked up behind her. "Opal has decided to go to the Northern Air Temple," she said. "I'm guessing you had something to do with her decision."
"Well, I was just-"
"It's okay. I'm glad she was honest with me. I want her to do what makes her happy. Mom gave us too much freedom. But I feel like I've made the mistake of giving Opal too little. I think it's time I let her choose her own way. I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time when we were younger. I can't imagine what my life would've been like if Mom hadn't sent me away, if I had stayed in the city."
"You'd probably be in jail," Lin said dryly.
Suyin chuckled. "You're probably right. Mako told me that you're an excellent police chief. Republic City is lucky to have you. I know Mom is proud." They both turned to look at the statue. "Can we move on? I'd love for you to be a part of my life again. There's plenty of space for you in the house and the kids would love having their aunt around. I do need a do-director for my new dance performance."
"Whoa, slow down," Lin chuckled. "How about for now I just promise not to show up at your house and attack you again?"
"Deal."
The two women shook hands with reconciled smiles.
Uryu moved swiftly through the gates of the guard house at the edge of the platform. Beside it was the entrance where the railway allowed trains to pass between platforms during the day. The metal covering had just closed over the house and the city and the darkness was only pierced by the dim lights of the guard house.
Unnoticed by any of the soldiers, he stole through their barracks without a sound. His nose turned up in disdain at how many of them were already asleep. The others were either drinking and laughing or playing cards in the common area. It appeared that those not on patrol felt it was their prerogative to mess around on the job.
Leaving the barracks behind, he continued his patrol towards the entrance of the railway. They kept an extra airship here in reserve, mostly likely to be used by the family if there was ever an emergency. The gates were shut as he'd assumed but just to the side was a staircase that led to an office right above the gates. In this office, he knew was a control board that held the switches, levers and timers that controlled the gates, the metal roofing and even the railways.
His eyes narrowed. That strange reiatsu that he'd been sensing all day had strengthened. A miniscule light was on in the office window. Uryu quietly made his way up the stairs, taking care not to make any noise. He entered the office. The light was provided by a lamb on the desk next to the control board.
Next to the desk stood a young woman. She whirled around in surprise. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and she was dressed head to toe in a jet black, skin-tight suit. Uryu moved slowly into the room, never taking his eyes off of her. She was no Soul Reaper, he could tell. Perhaps one of the assassins after the Avatar?
"Who are you?" he said quietly.
"Who are you?" she replied. "You're no soldier."
"What are you doing here?"
She didn't reply. Uryu's senses flashed and he fixed his attention on the door. "Soul Reaper," he breathed.
It was Izuru. His face was shocked. "You're that Quincy. What the- what the hell are you doing here?"
"I'd say that's my question," Uryu replied coldly and activated his bow. He aimed it straight at Izuru's head, the girl behind him forgotten. She didn't seem to be a threat anyway. Izuru slowly raised his hands.
"We don't have to fight."
"I don't intend to. But if you make one move towards that sword on your hip, well, I can't guarantee that I won't kill you."
Suddenly, Uryu felt sharp painful hits strike against his back and collapsed to his knees, his bow totally extinguished. Falling onto the side of his face he looked up out of the corner of his eye and saw the girl with her fists raised. "What the hell…"
"What did you do to him?" Izuru breathed.
"Chi-blocking," she replied. "He won't be able to use those powers of his for a while."
"Perfect." Izuru grabbed one of the metal chairs in the room and broke off the back of it before smashing it over Uryu's head, knocking him out cold. "Did you reconfigure that roof thing?"
She nodded. "It'll open soon and I've broken the circuits controlling the levers so they won't be able to close it again. I'll run down to the airship and get it ready."
"Right. I'll meet up with Iba. We need to tell the captain that the Quincy's here. This could ruin everything."
Ichigo spat out his toothpaste loudly and then rinsed his mouth with water. Gazing at himself in the mirror, his expression was angry and resolute. The many scars on his shirtless body seemed even more pronounced to him. He touched one that ran diagonally from the upper end of his chest to his abdomen.
I didn't have a grand purpose when I got these scars. I knew what I had to do in that moment and I did it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Why should it be any different here?
In the mirror reflection, he saw Asami approaching him from behind. She wrapped her arms around him gently and laid her head on his shoulder.
"I think you're doing the right thing. And more importantly, I think your heart is in the right place."
Ichigo smiled faintly and put his hand over hers. "Thanks, Asami."
As soon as he'd come back to the guest house, Ichigo had told her about his final recovered memory and also about his final thoughts about it. The two of them headed to the bed, turning out the lights as they did so. The night was cool and they snuggled under the covers together.
"So it looks like we're going to be leaving Zaofu soon," she said. "Opal's heading to the Northern Air Temple to train with Tenzin and the others."
"Good for her," he replied. "I'm sure she'll do well. She's a smart kid."
Asami chuckled. "You say that like you're so much older than her."
"I am, though. I'm ten thousand years old."
"Oh, don't remind me. That whole part of your life is so messed up."
"What, you don't like being in a relationship with an ancient being?"
"Don't give yourself too much credit," she teased. "You were just in the right place at the right time."
"That's just not true," Ichigo laughed.
"I guess I should be thankful. The right place and right time led you to me. Maybe there is some kind of hidden purpose driving your life."
"I hope there isn't. Whatever the case, I'm just going to do what I feel is right in the moment; stop worrying about my purpose."
"Sure was nice of that guard to give you the acupuncturist's card, wasn't it? What was her name again?"
"Kuvira. You sure changed subjects fast."
"Well, it was nice of her. What's she like?"
"She's… driven. I think that's a good word to describe her. She's driven, she's confident, a little arrogant, gruff but also fun to talk to. She's cool, I like her."
"Hmm."
"If you're worried, don't be."
She smiled. "I'm not worried. I know I have no reason to be."
He kissed her on the forehead. "Do I have reason to be worried?"
She kissed him back. "Absolutely none."
Silence fell over the room. The next time Ichigo looked over, Asami was fast asleep. He rolled over and tried to sleep himself. But the more he tried, the harder it became. He rolled over multiple times but his eyes stayed open.
"Guess it's gonna be one of those nights," he muttered.
To his left, on the wall of the bedroom there was a large window that looked out onto the pathway outside. Beyond the path was the main courtyard of the mansion. It was very dark outside. Only single, little lights dotted the courtyard to provide a little illumination.
Ichigo, having almost fallen asleep suddenly felt his reiatsu jump. His eyes opened up and he spread his senses. Turning towards the window, he could see someone standing outside, watching him. The person was short, with medium length hair that was parted in the middle and fell to their jawline. Straining his eyes from the bed, Ichigo gasped audibly. It was Hanataro.
"What the f-" Ichigo whispered. Hanataro gave him a small, awkward wave as Ichigo got out of the bed, taking care not to wake Asami beside him. He went outside where his friend was waiting for him. "Hanataro."
The little Soul Reaper smiled. "Hi, Ichigo."
"What- what are you doing here? How the hell did you get here?"
"I don't have a lot of time to explain. Please, come with me."
Ichigo followed him through the courtyard and to the other side of the mansion. At the side of the platform a waterfall had been built into a stone face. It's rushing noise guaranteed that the area they stood in was virtually soundproof. Hanataro stopped beneath a gazebo that stood beside the waterfall. It was well lit as a lamp had been built into the roof.
"Alright, you mind telling me what's going on?" Ichigo said.
Hanataro was quiet. He wouldn't look Ichigo in the eyes. Slowly, he began to shudder. It took Ichigo a few seconds to notice that he was crying. Suddenly, two big, strong arms enveloped him from behind and held him fast and a greasy hand covered his mouth.
Korra stirred in her sleep. Naga was growling. She moaned softly and opened her eyes. In her blurred vision, she couldn't see anything. Her eyes shut again. Then Naga barked ferociously and then yelped. Korra heard her collapse onto the floor. Her eyes shot open again to find the tip of a sword pointed straight at her throat.
It belonged to a sleazy looking man with a black crew cut haircut and sunglasses even though it was the dead of night. He was dressed all in black and Korra could glimpse the edges of a sneer beneath his moustache. To his side was another man, this one with long, blonde hair who also held a sword.
"Good evening, Avatar." The sleazy one said.
"Evening, boys," Korra replied nonchalantly. "I'm guessing you're the assassins sent after me?"
"Something like that," the other one replied.
"You're awfully calm for someone centimeters away from death."
Korra's eyes narrowed. "It wouldn't be the first time."
She opened her mouth and a massive plume of fire spurted out, taking the two Soul Reapers by surprise. She followed it up with a gust of air that launched them through her bedroom window and outside into the courtyard. Korra quickly checked on Naga. She had a small slash on her arm but other than that she seemed fine. It just looked like she was exhausted, as if her own body was too heavy to lift.
The men outside bore their swords as Korra stepped through the broken window. "Where's your boss?" she demanded. "Where's Soi Fon?"
"She didn't think we'd need her."
Korra laughed. "She was wrong."
"Cockiness is an unattractive quality," the sleazy one said.
"So are sunglasses at nighttime," she retorted.
Ichigo struggled against the arms that held him. This was it. Soi Fon was attacking. His eyes stayed fixed on Hanataro, the look of betrayal smouldering in his pupils. He got his hand to his pocket where his Combat Pass usually was.
Shit. He'd left it in the bedroom. He gathered his strength with a yell and broke through his captor's arms, rolling away to face him. It was Omaeda. The dumb brute grinned widely.
"Was beginning to think this would be too easy!" he boomed.
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Really? They sent you after me?"
Omaeda drew out his zanpakuto. "Respect your elders, kid. I've been doing missions like this long before you were ever born! Come on, where's your sword? I've got a few new moves since the last time we fought."
"Oh, you remember that, do you? Well, just like then, I don't need my sword to kick your fat ass." He growled and the blue light of his reiatsu emanated from his hands. He turned to Hanataro who was cowering in the corner of the gazebo. "How could you betray me, huh?! What did they do to you?"
Hanataro said nothing but the tears on his face could not be stopped.
"You should be looking over here, small fry!" Omaeda yelled as he swung his sword in a long arc. Ichigo spun away and leapt forward, landing a punch on his shoulder that caused him to stumble into one of the poles holding up the gazebo. It shook but remained standing.
Korra handsprung away from one Soul Reaper and blocked the other's attack with earth. The blonde Soul Reaper's sword was shaped weirdly. At what should've been the tip, it jutted out horizontally and then pointed down towards the hilt. So far, the other Soul Reaper's sword seemed like a normal katana, although a bit on the small side.
Blasting one away with air, she turned and instinctively held up her arm to protect herself from the blonde one who left a jagged cut in her right forearm. Instantly, that arm collapsed to her side. It felt incredibly heavy, she could barely move it.
She punched a plume of fire into his face to get him away from her but the other landed a kick on her side, sending her rolling onto the ground. Korra groaned and bashed her fist down beside her, causing the earth to rumble powerfully beneath them and knock them off balance before she got back to her feet and assaulted them with firebending.
The entire mansion was now awake due to the commotion and Mako and Bolin piled out of their rooms to join the fray. The yells of soldiers and guards could be heard all over as they closed in on the courtyard, lit only by the small lamps dotted around the outskirts.
Ichigo roared and gripped Omaeda's arm, flinging him through a hedge into a metal wall. The big Soul Reaper landed hard on his front and slowly pushed himself back up to stand. Ichigo stalked over to him and smashed the wall threateningly.
"You made a big mistake coming after me. Where's Soi Fon?" he demanded.
Omaeda chuckled. "So you knew we were coming?"
"You bet I did. You actually caught me at a good time. No Combat Pass, my guard was down, if Soi Fon was here, you would've finished me. But since it's just you," Ichigo took his opponent and slammed him up against the wall, "I don't have anything to worry about."
"You're living up to your reputation, you know. Are you gonna murder me too? Just like all the other people you murdered that day?"
Ichigo's face smoldered. "You have no idea what really went on that day."
"Yeah, I don't have to. I just have to look at the bodies we buried. That gives me a pretty good idea."
"Shut up!"
Ichigo booted him in the stomach, knocking him straight through the wall. "You, and whoever you brought with you, need to leave me and my friends alone."
"You hypocrite!" Omaeda yelled. "What about your friends in the Soul Society?! What about Captain Otoribashi? He literally helped you conquer your Hollow and you butchered him like he meant nothing. If I had my way, you'd be executed on the spot! Crush them! Gegetsuburi!"
His sword changed shape into a massive spiked ball, his Shikai.
Mako peppered the blonde Soul Reaper with shots of fire but he cut through all of them with practiced ease. Bolin came in with a boulder of earth but their opponent simply slid under it and caught Bolin's ankle, nicking his skin.
"Whoa! What the-!" Bolin cried out and fell to one knee.
"Bolin! What happened?"
"I don't know, bro! My leg feels super heavy all of a sudden!"
Mako scowled. "You bastard." He gathered his energy and blasted a torrent of lightning at the blonde Reaper. It travelled so fast that he barely had time to react, parrying it with his sword. Arcs of electricity got past his blade and knocked him off his feet, launching him into his partner.
"Iba!" he yelled. "Where the hell is the captain?!"
"I don't know, Izuru!"
"We have to tell her that the Quincy's here!"
"We have to deal with this first! Ugh!"
Earth had taken hold of his ankles and a stone bulleted him in the stomach. Lin and Suyin stood side by side and advanced forward. The two Soul Reaper's were now alone in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded on all sides by soldiers.
Iba swore loudly. "Wasn't expecting it to go this way." He released his Shikai and it reformed into a thick, heavy scimitar. Smashing it on the ground, he roared in defiance. "Come on, you murdering scumbags! Bring it on!"
Korra grinned angrily. "Oh, we will."
With her right arm still difficult to move, she focused her attacks with her feet firing shot after shot of fire and earth at the Reapers. Mako attacked as well while Bolin tried to get his foot to move. The Beifong's kept up the barrage on the other side of the courtyard, not allowing Iba and Izuru to go anywhere.
"Give up!" Suyin yelled. "You're pinned down and you're outmatched."
"Gah!" Izuru's head bled profusely from a metal attack from one of the sisters. "You think you have us outmatched?" he cried. "We are lieutenants of the Gotei 13 and we do not give in so easily!"
He and Iba raised their spiritual pressure, projecting a powerful shockwave of energy that flung everyone back against the house. Korra staggered back to her feet, a fresh wound had opened on her side from a sharp point on the mansion. She told hold of the water from the waterfalls at the edge of the courtyard and formed them into massive shards of ice.
Iba charged and slashed through nearly all of them as he attacked. His power had increased dramatically and he punted his shoulder into her chest, throwing her back into the wall of the mansion.
"This is for all the people who died that day!" he screamed and drove his sword towards her heart.
Korra's eyes flashed white as she entered the Avatar State, catching his sword in her now healed right hand and stopping it cold. He stared into her bright eyes with shock as she then pushed his blade back with such force that he lost his grip and it cleaved into his chest.
Blood spurted out all over them and he fell to his knees and then toppled over, his head smacking against the stone ground.
Izuru glowered, his eyes shimmering with furious pain. "You are evil."
Korra reverted back to her normal state and gasped. Looking down at her hands, she clutched them into fists. "You don't get to make me feel guilty when you came here to kill me," she growled.
Izuru raised his sword, now totally alone. "Now would be a really good time for you to come out, Captain. Omaeda, I really hope you captured Kurosaki by now because there's no way I'm getting the Avatar."
Suddenly, a boom sounded out across the courtyard as Omaeda was tossed through an archway onto the ground beside Izuru. His Shikai had been shattered to pieces in his hands and he breathed heavily, clearly wounded.
Ichigo, pulling the weeping Hanataro behind him, entered the courtyard. His fists were bloodied and his clothes were torn but he stood tall. He looked regretfully at Hanataro and then pushed him over to stand with his allies. Korra nodded to him and helped Lin stand to her feet. Mako, Bolin and the others slowly stood as well.
"It's over," Ichigo said quietly. "You failed."
Izuru snarled. "I once saw you as an ally, Kurosaki Ichigo."
"I wish we still were," Ichigo admitted sadly. "I wish none of this conflict had happened."
"Then why did you murder thousands of people?! People you knew! People you fought beside, trained beside, ate beside. People you believed in you!"
Ichigo looked down. "I didn't-"
"He did it because it's in his nature," a voice said.
Stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the courtyard came Soi Fon, a calm and collected look in her eyes. Standing in front of her was her hostage.
"Asami!" Ichigo cried.
Asami said nothing. Soi Fon's hand was covering her mouth tightly. On her other hand was a yellow and black blade, attached to her middle finger, her Shikai. She held the point right against Asami's neck, the tall girl quivering with fear. She had bruise marks on her neck and cuts on her arms. She hadn't been captured without a fight.
"You let her go," Ichigo growled. "Right now."
Soi Fon's calm face did not break. "Please," she said, "you know that's not going to happen. Tell your new friends to lower their guard and disband. You and this pretty lady will be coming with me. One false move, and she's dead."
"Actually," said another voice, "that's my line."
Uryu strode into the courtyard behind her, an arrow pointed straight at her head. "You concealed your spiritual pressure very well, Captain. Even I almost didn't notice there was something amiss in the air. Fortunately for you, your accomplice was able to knock me out with that attack of hers. Unfortunately for you, it did not last long."
"Ishida Uryu, I was told Madarame Ikkaku dealt with you some time ago. Evidently, the treachery in the Soul Society runs deep."
"Let the girl go, Soi Fon," Uryu said. "It's over for you."
Korra entered the Avatar State again and the ground trembled around her. "Do as he says," her voice boomed. "No one else has to die tonight."
Soi Fon scowled. "If things were different, Fukinko, I would've killed you that day. Kuchiki Rukia saved your life. But she's not here to save you anymore."
"Where is she?!" Ichigo demanded loudly.
"You don't deserve that knowledge, Kurosaki Ichigo."
"You're surrounded on all sides, assassin," Lin said. "Let Asami go and surrender. You won't be harmed."
Soi Fon ignored her and locked eyes with Ichigo. "How much do you love this girl, Kurosaki? I can tell you she loves you very, very much. She told me so while I strangled her." Her finger suddenly flashed and pierced Asami's neck. A big, black butterfly appeared like a tattoo spreading away from the wound. Blood trickled down and coated Soi Fon's weapon.
"You know what my Shikai does, don't you? If I even prick her one more time, she dies. If you attack me, she dies. If the Quincy shoots me in the head, she dies. In every scenario other than you giving yourself up to me, she dies. Are you willing to take that chance? Or will you throw her away? You'd be responsible for her death. Just like all the others…"
She removed her hand from Asami's mouth. "What'll it be Kurosaki?"
"Don't do it, Ichigo. You'll find another way!" Asami cried.
Ichigo looked at his friends. He looked at Uryu. The Quincy shook his head. Korra clenched her fists in rage. She didn't know what to do. Ichigo looked down. Without his Combat Pass, he was nowhere near fast enough to save Asami. Soi Fon was right. This was the only way. His hands fell to his sides.
"Okay. You- you win. Just please, let her go."
Soi Fon allowed herself to smile. Motioning to Izuru, she moved closer to Ichigo, still keeping hold of Asami while Izuru gripped Ichigo's wrists and held them behind his back. Omaeda laboured to his feet. Hanataro looked over at Iba, still motionless on the ground.
"What about Iba?" he whimpered.
"Leave him," Soi Fon replied. "He's no use to us dead."
"But his body… he should be buried in the Seireitei, with his brothers and sisters."
Korra stepped in front of his body. She could tell the Soul Reaper was still alive. "Don't push your luck," she said.
Suyin smirked. "They'll never get out of here," she whispered to Mako. "They'll never get through the roof and the only airship is on the other side of the platform. They'll make a mistake. We can still get Ichigo and Asami back."
As if on cue, the roof above them opened and the whir of an airship engine could be heard above them. The roof didn't open all the way, just enough to allow the ship to escape. It hovered over the courtyard and Mako gasped.
"Yu-Yumi…" he breathed. She was piloting the airship. The two of them locked eyes for a moment. Then the airship doors opened and the Soul Reapers shot up into the sky towards them. Uryu swore in a yell and aimed his bow at the ship. But before he could let his arrow fly, Soi Fon dropped Asami.
She screamed and Ichigo yelled, frantically trying to break free but Izuru and Omaeda held him fast. At this height, Asami's fall would kill her. Uryu launched himself into the air and caught her in his arms while Korra gathered up a soft wave of water to carry them safely to the ground. By that point, the airship had already exited the roof. They stared up at Ichigo as he was loaded on board. The last they saw of him was Soi Fon ramming her fist powerfully into his cheek and knocking him out.
"Soldiers!" Suyin cried. "Get on the trains! Get us to the other airships! We can still catch them!"
A sudden explosion knocked everyone off their feet. Gathering themselves, they ran to the entrance of the platform to look out at the valley. Smoke swirled into the night sky from the airship port on the first platform. All of them looked at have been destroyed.
Korra stared up at the fleeing airship where Soi Fon looked to have a missile launcher in her hands. The two women locked eyes and Korra glared in uncontrollable anger at her enemy. Soi Fon simply gazed upon her with steeled eyes before turning away.
Bolin breathed deeply staring at nothing. "Did we- did we just lose?"
Asami, who was being supported by Uryu watched as Ichigo's airship faded into the distance, tears running down her bruised cheeks.
"They- they took him." She cried. She grabbed Uryu's arm. "What will they do to him?!"
Uryu's expression held zero emotion. "If we don't save him, he'll be dead within a few days."
Sullenly, everyone looked down at the ground in defeat. Korra crashed her hand against a wall in frustration and steeled her eyes. No one met her fuming gaze. She gritted her teeth.
"Then we save him. We save him at any cost."
And that's that! A whole lot happened this time around and I can't wait to continue this story as soon as I can. Tell me your thoughts on the chapter and what you think will happen next! Unfortunately, I can't promise another chapter in October but I'll do my best to get it out early to mid-November. Thanks as always for reading, see you next time!
Comment from AbyssDragonSlayer777: They don't say 'Oh God' they say 'Oh Spirits'.
Reply: Honestly, I haven't heard these characters say either in the show. Oh Spiris would make sense but Oh God sounds more natural in the dialogue so that's why i use it.
Comment from Lucifer's assassin: i like the threesome teases you gave this chapter. look ichigo you never know when you best friend steals your girlfriend...or shares you with her whatever comes first
XD
Reply: Haha crazy situation for sure, we'll have to see what happens
Comment from Raximus: 2 groups that are after our group of heroes know where they are, what are the chances they attack the impregnable city at the same time via 2 different methods and stepping on each others toes?
Reply: Isn't quite what happened but I don't think it'll be the last time Soi Fon interracts with the Red Lotus...
Comment from anoyak111: Liking soi fon in this story. Seeing the small bits of her tracking ichigo is terrifying especially the fact she will do anything to get to him. It's kind of sad seeing them so relax, but us the readers knowing soi fon will eventually find them. Then zaheer making his move does not make things any better.
Reply: Thanks! Yeah I'm really enjoying writing her I think she can be a really interesting character that can drive this story forward
Comment from ImNotAWeeb64101: Binged your fix on the last couple of days and it was a really fun read. Love to see that Bleach characters are coming and seeing them interact with the avatar cast. Can't wait for the next update!
Reply: Thank you! Really appreciate you reading the story and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you liked this chapter as well haha
