A mighty swing of a black sword released a wave of energy at him. The color of it was as black as the sword sending it and it ruptured to the cry of an attack "Getsuga Tensho!"
Gaara raised his hands as a wall of sand came at the very last moment to block the oncoming wave. Gaara braced himself as the oncoming black swarm clashed with his sand. The explosion that was followed overtook the sky over the sand village. Watching beneath it all, even the ground quaked as Temari, Kankuro and Baki braced themselves, covering their faces or trying to stay on their feet in the aftermath of the clash from above.
In the aftermath of the explosion, the sky cleared and they saw two figures floating above them in the sky. Gaara on his pedestal of sand and across from him was his opponent. Not Gohan for he was whisked away, but Ichigo. But he was different than before. His Sword had changed, becoming smaller and sleeker and was entirely black.
"Incredible!" a shaken Baki said "Where was this power hiding before?" he asked aloud.
"But what about Gaara?" Temari asked as she peered up towards her brother and the remnants of the sand with him.
The sand all around him began to dissipate. Crumbling from the top of his head to his toes, breaking off and falling to join all of it down below. It went grain by grain and lightly at first, but as the pieces began to get larger it became more perilous for those down below. Eventually, Gaara The Kazekage of the Sand village fell down to the ground below.
Floating above him at his full strength with his Bankai Ichigo watched him plummet, but he wasn't going to let him fall. Pivoting downward he swooped down heading towards Gaara. Catching up to him he wrapped his free arm around Gaara and once he steadied himself in the air slowly lowered himself to the ground.
He planted his feet on the ground as he was immediately swarmed by the other Sand siblings and their teacher. The three of them eyed him aggressively and curiously as he had both Gaara and a sword in his hand.
"Take him." he said, and they cautiously moved to take their leader from his arm, but Ichigo didn't try anything when they did. They backed away from him to look over their Kazekage. Kankuro and Temari looked at him concerned, but Baki looked at Ichigo angrily. Ichigo starred back with his own hard, but blank stare. Knowing they would not challenge him now and with his task unfulfilled he turned around from them. Baki's grinded his teeth when he was Ichigo's back. He opened his mouth to say something, but another voice spoke past him.
"Where will you go now?" Gaara's voice called past him. Ichigo stopped his walk and looked back over his shoulder to see that Gaara after being held up by Temari and Kankuro pushed himself forward to walk past Baki and toward Ichigo. He turned around to face him now. He was hoping this wouldn't continue.
"To find my friend." Ichigo answered.
"Gohan." Gaara said. Ichigo nodded. "I don't know what happened to him." Gaara said his voice as plain as his words "But if he's looking to find the Tailed Beasts, it's the Leaf and Cloud Villages he'll go to."
"He told me about that." Ichigo said "But it's his father and friends he wants to find more than anything." Ichigo refuted.
"How can you be so sure!" Baki said
"We didn't come all this way for nothing." Ichigo replied and then looked around. Like Gohan, there was a different time of energy here that he even Ichigo had a hard time adjusting to. But he knew somewhere out there in this world was Kenpachi, Yachiru, Toshiro and Rangiku. If he could find them, they could help. "The Leaf and Cloud Village huh?" he said aloud "Guess I better head for there." Kankuro, Temari and Baki tensed up when he said that and seemed on the verge of an attack. Ichigo and Gaara however remained as they were, regarding each other. Ichigo felt some remorse now looking him over. It was a good fight for what it was, but not one he or Gohan wanted. Gaara opened his mouth to say something to him, but suddenly and much to his surprise a door opened in the air between them.
And out stepped a young white haired boy.
"To-toshiro?" Ichigo let out confused.
A scowl deeper than the one he already bore appeared over his face "That's Captain Hitsugaya." he corrected him sharply.
"W-what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked shocked, still not over that he was here before him.
"Getting you, of course." he responded, the bitterness in his voice still apparent "Now come with me." he ordered as he turned back into the door, but stopped upon seeing the puzzled looks on the sand ninja gazing at the two of them. "Well, at least you've been productive." he said sarcastically before marching through the door.
"Hey-Wait! Toshiro!" Ichigo exclaimed as he followed right after him. The door that appeared to sporadically to bring them here, shut upon them leaving. Leaving only the sand ninja to ponder all that took place.
"What in the world?" Temari let out confused.
"No." Gaara said, his voice hushed and low "Not our world."
Toshiro paced calmly through the Soul Society, though with his arms crossed and tempered demeanor he hid his annoyance well. Ichigo raced to catch up to him. They now walked through the Soul Society once the gateway closed behind them "What's going on?" Ichigo asked as he caught up to Toshiro "Why are you here? I thought you were-"
"I came back of my own accord. Once my task was done, that is. " he responded coldly as they walked, with Ichigo trailing behind him "And you shouldn't even had been in that place. You were assigned to be with Captain Kuchiki." He didn't known so much had changed. Not just with Ichigo, but Rukia and Renji as well.
"Yeah-well you see-"
"Spare me." he cut him off as they walked and Ichigo trailed behind him "I've been given most of the details." Now that statement puzzled Ichigo.
"Wait? How?" Ichigo couldn't make sense of all of this.
"Lieutenant Kuchiki and Abarai followed behind you shortly after you left." Toshiro stated calmly, but that was news to Ichigo.
"What? How?! Why?!" he let out "Where are they now?"
"Duck." Toshiro said.
"What?-EH!" he suddenly felt an immense amount of pain centered at his stomach. Looking down he could see something- rather someone was lodged down there. Grunting the face rolled up to look at Ichigo.
"What the-" a small boy's face suddenly looked up to him. "Oh sorry." he apologized innocently as if oblivious to what he just did "I wasn't looking where I was going. But you know you should look both ways before crossing the street." he pointed towards Ichigo who put a hand to his stomach to replace the boy who just hit him.
"What the?" Ichigo grunted "Who are-"
"Goten!" Ichigo heard Shunsui's voice called, and they all looked over to see Captain Kyoraku and Ukitake heading towards them. They accompanied by another young boy with pink hair who floated in the air beside them. "Oh there you are" Shunsui said once he reached them. He then looked over to see the three of them together "My, my!" he let out "And you've got company. Well done Toshiro." he complimented, and the young captain's scowl deepened. He then turned to look away.
"If that's all I'm needed for I'll be on my way." he pouted.
"Oh come on. Stay a while, enjoy the fun." Shunsui said before looking back to the substitute soul reaper "I'm glad to see you here Ichigo because these kids have been waiting for the longest time to meet you."
"What do these kids have to do with me?" Ichigo asked "I'm no babysitter." he grumbled.
"They've come all this way on a grand adventure." Jushiro said "And you'll be taking them on their next quest." Ichigo didn't seem to understand "That little one there is named Goten." he pointed to the young boy who had collided with Ichigo earlier "Does his name sound familiar to you?" he asked turning back to him.
A blank stare on Ichigo's face didn't fade. Nothing that had happened since they had called him out here had registered to him. "No." he answered bluntly.
Goten stirred now then shot up into Ichigo's face "Hey!" he shouted at him "They said you know where my brother is. They said that you were going to help us find him!"
"Your brother?!" Ichigo asked. This still wasn't making sense to him.
"Hmmh" Goten nodded "His name is Gohan."
"Gohan!" Ichigo shouted causing the little saiyan in front of him to cover his years. But as he crouched in the air before him, he saw something tucked away inside of Ichigo's coat.
"Yeah that's him." Shunsui nodded.
"Where is he?' Jushiro asked looking around, but found no sign of him "I was certain he was with you."
Ichigo lowered his head hiding the guilt in his eyes "He was." he admitted shamefully "But-"
"Was?!" Goten lunged forward at Ichigo again who flinched back from him "You lost him?!"
"I didn't loose him! He was taken!"
"Taken? By who?"
Ichigo hardened a bit "I'm not sure." he admitted "But I know where he'd be heading." he said turning back past Goten to look at the two elder captains. Toshiro the whole time merely strummed the fingers on his crossed arms. "If you guys could take me there like you did before, I know I'll be able to find him."
"Sounds easy enough." Shunsui rolled his shoulders.
"Where to?" Jushiro asked.
"The Hidden Leaf Village-"
"Hey!" Goten let out looking at Ichigo. He looked down to see him shuffling his cold hands through his robe.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Ichigo exclaimed as Goten ran his hands through his robe through the opening on his chest "Why are your hands so cold?!" he winched "Have you even washed them?!" Goten then jumped back with something in his hands; a round ball. Ichigo felt his robe, but found what he was holding had been stolen away. In Goten's hand was a dragon ball.
"Where did you get this?" Goten asked "This doesn't belong to you. Are you some kind of thief?" he scolded.
"It doesn't belong to anyone! I found it lying on the grou-"
"What's all this racket!" a menacing voice screeched across the air. They all turned to see who it was who was both complaining about and approaching them. The three captains were soon joined by a fourth "I am very busy with my-" Mayuri stormed over to them, but no sooner had gotten there had his face froze when he noticed every one stopped to look at him. But it wasn't his fellow captains or even the substitute soul reaper that caught him off guard. Specifically the small black haired boy in front of the substitute. A thin, curious and malicious smile came across his face as his composure became calm and calculating "You." he pointed to him, his voice softer now "What's your name?" he asked in an oily voice.
Goten looked form side to side before pointing to himself. Mayuri nodded. Knowing his manners, he responded appropriately "I'm Goten."
Mayuri's smile grew wider revealing more teeth. "And you have a brother, Gohan correct?" he sounded like he was asking, but he knew all the answers already.
"You know him?!" Goten exclaimed now putting all his attention on the new Captain "Do you know where he is?! Can you take us to him?!"
"Why of course I could." Mayuri said calmly and politely as he tried to coerce the boy. Something none of the other captain's had ever heard from him. "If you and your" he turned over to look down at Trunks who starred blankly back up at him "charming travelling companion would just follow me to my barracks." he waved his hand and his coat swayed as his long boney fingers pointed onward to the Squad 12 barracks "I could show you the way." he pointed with threatening boney fingers. Goten cheered with delight at the sound of that.
But Ichigo's memory had just been jogged. He knew what Mayuri was like and he knew that he had a run in with Gohan. There's no telling what some one like him was going to do these two-children or not.
"Hey hold on." he declared putting himself between them "What are you-"
"Get out of my way boy." Mayuri hissed quietly "so you don't get hurt!" he snapped before Jushiro and Shunsui surrounded the scientist.
"Now captain." Shunsui put a hand on his shoulder " Why don't we settle this like civilized gentlemen?"
"You?" Mayuri looked over his shoulder "Civilized?" he chuckled maliciously. The two continued to verbally spar with each other as their hands reached towards their swords. Jushiro looked to Ichigo and nodded off towards the Senkaimon. Ichigo looked over to it and saw Toshiro standing beside it. The wide doors began to crack open. Ichigo looked back to Jushiro, giving him a knowing nod as he did.
Quickly Ichigo snatched Goten and Trunks in his arms and flash stepped away towards the door. Something Mayuri who was preoccupied with Jushiro and Shunsui noticed only at the last second.
"No!" he reached out for him, but Ichigo and the two young half saiyans were already gone, having past through the door. He made a move to follow him, but Shunsui and Juhsiro sidestepped in front of him and Toshiro came forward beside them; the three other captains put themselves in his way. Grimacing Mayuri starred each of them down "So.. it's come to this?"
"The results are whatever you want." Shunsui said sounding calm, but not backing down from him.
Mayuri grinned and straightened his jacket out "As I recall it was I who was put in charge of the Senkaimon before I relieved it to the two of you. Therefore I will be assuming my duty."
"Well, that won't be happening either." Jushiro said "because little Shiro here is in charge of the Senkaimon now." he began rubbing the little captain's head much to his continued annoyance.
Mayuri let a breath out through his clenched teeth. He gazed past them to see the Senkaimon and the green forest that awaited him on the other side. He could not let one, let alone two half saiyans get away like this. No, he needed to take action.
He took a step forward and the three captains standing off with him braced themselves as he reached for his sword.
"Captain." a bland voice called to him. Mayuri stopped mid step and his arm stopped from grabbing at his sword. He turned his head around and the other three looked past him to see Nemu standing there. "The test subject is awake master." she told. A change came over Mayuri as confusion was shared between the captains of squads eight, ten and thirteen. They shared that look before they went back to Mayuri.
"Did he now?" he asked. He then turned back to look at his fellow captains. He gaze one more fleeting look past them before grinning once more "Another time perhaps." was all he said before he turned back and headed towards his own division, very excitedly, leaving the three captains in his wake to wonder what was up.
"What do you think that was about?" Shunsui asked nervously.
"Test subject?" Toshiro pondered. Who could it be?
Ichigo bounded threw the Senkaimon with the two boys tucked under his arms to return to the world of the ninjas. Not only was Gohan and his family here somewhere, but Renji and Rukia had followed him too. He would have to find them, but now he had to return these two to their families. He looked around at his surroundings. It was certainly different from the last spot he was dropped off at with Gohan. No sand around them this time, but a full blown forest.
"Well whadda know." he said aloud as he took it all in. "If there's a Leaf Village somewhere I bet it's around here." he commented. Tucked in each arm were Goten and Trunks who wiggled furiously to be free. "Alright." he let the two boys loose from his arms. He then turned over, putting his back to them to view the sweeping landscape and far off horizon "When I was with your brother we just went in any direction. So I say why break with a winning formula." he said confidently ignoring the fact it got them into a fight "What's say we got that way." he pointed off with his sword "What do you two think?" he heard no answer. "Boys?" he asked. Again no answer. "Boys?" He turned over expecting to see both of them floating behind him, but instead he saw neither one of them.
The two of them had flown off leaving him behind, taking the dragon ball with them. The only thing Ichigo saw was the wind from where they flew rustling the treetops.
He had lost them now too.
"Oh great." he grumbled.
The bursts of wind that broke off from the two's path through the air traveled violently through the trees beneath them. The leaves shook and trees rattled against the gusts they let off. But the farther you were from it the calmer and gentler it was. To one stray soul reaper trying to recover, the wind was a nice wake up call.
Rukia weakly opened her eyes. "uuhhh" she droned through murky vision. What a headache. The force of that blow- it was painful just to think about it. She put a hand to her head to try and ease it. It didn't do much good, but neither would laying here any longer. She slowly picked herself up, but when that proved too difficult she instead leaned against a tree.
"Easy there." a man's voice called out, startling her. She had thought she was alone, but perhaps the man who attacked her had come back. Rukia picked her head up to look around to see who it was, but saw no one "You've had a rough time." he said again. Following the trail of the voice Rukia saw, looking over a near by rock where she saw a black cat perched atop a rock.
"Yoruichi?!" she exclaimed, both shocked and relieved "Your he-
"Yes." the cat let out interrupting her "I am here." there was a brief pause as those golden eyes locked onto her "And you are lucky to be here too, after all the absurd things you've done since you've left home." She was being spoken down to. By a cat. Of course this was no normal cat.
"Where am I?" Rukia looked around confused. The woods looked no different than anything she's seen before, and that wasn't very comforting.
"Somewhere safe, for now at least." Yoruichi assured her.
"And Renji? Did you see him? He was behind me and when I looked back I didn't see him." Those bright gold eyes flashed and a solemn silence overcame the two. "Does that mean- he's-"
"It means I'm not sure." Yoruichi replied sternly. Four black legs then appeared beneath the cat, before they picked Yoruichi up and off of the rock. "But you just let me worry about that. You should get back to the Soul Society at once. It's not safe for you out here."
"I can't." Rukia coughed "I have to get out there. Renji, Ichigo, Gohan, I have to find them." she picked herself up off of the tree only to fall back down onto the ground face first.
Yoruichi let out a laugh at her efforts "You're in no position to help anyone at the moment. Not even yourself." Rukia still struggled to pick herself up.
"It doesn't matter." Rukia said determined "I'm not leaving without them."
Yoruichi took in a deep breath "You three, none of you listen very well." the black cat chided with closed eyes and sighed. Rukia picked herself up and leaned against a rock, keeping herself low to the ground for now. "I will continue my search for the helpless little lad. But for now," Yoruichi began walking off before turning back to Rukia "you stay here and don't do anything heroic." Yoruichi walked off into the forest, but Rukia wasn't just content to sit here wait or watch anyone else leave.
"And then?" Rukia asked weakly from beside the rock.
Yoruichi stopped and looked back to her "We'll see what we'll do from there once I've found out." Yoruichi told before turning back into the woods "But one way or another you'll be going back to the Soul Society." Though Rukia did not hear that part, lest she put up another fight about it.
Flying over head, and leaving Ichigo far behind were the newly freed Goten and Trunks. Above the forest that encased the Leaf Village Goten and Trunks flew through the air, but they were just as weary to head back there. Maybe the stone village was the more friendly of the two after all?
"Hey Trunks!" Goten called as they flew even father away. In his outstretched hand as he flew was the one star Dragon Ball Ichigo had.
"Yeah, what is it?" he said not turning back.
"I don't think it was such a good idea to leave him behind back there." Goten said unsure of if it was right. Especially with no sign of the others "I mean he said he knew where my brother was."
"Yeah so? You remember that kid also locked us up right?" Trunks reminded him "The sooner we got out of there the better." It was his idea to ditch Ichigo the second he let them go. Goten still didn't seem convinced, but when he saw Trunks fly away from him at the first chance he got, he followed him.
"Yeah, but..." Goten paused as he thought it over more and more. He brought his hands closer now to hold onto the Dragon Ball together "those two nice old guys let us out and said they'd help us." Goten explained, his voice getting sadder the more he thought about it.
Trunks looking back and taking notice of his friends indecisiveness realized he to assure him this was the better way "Yeah, but all they did was sit and talk. How would they help at all with finding-"
"AHA!" a voice exclaimed as Trunks suddenly was yanked by his feet from the air and plummeted down below into the forest.
"Trunks!" Goten shouted as he disappeared into the trees. Abandoning his doubts, he went down after him. Landing on the ground he saw Trunks had already picked himself up and was ready to square off against some green clad, bushy browed freak. He was older than the two of them, but younger than Gohan "Alright you!" Goten put his hands together to shoot a blast at him "Prepare for-"
"Wait!" the young man suddenly let out, but Goten still let out a blast accidentally. The green guy dived out of the way right as it collided with a tree obliterating it completely as several other ones fell over. Goten let out a nervous chuckle as he eyed what he had done. The two half saiyans watched curiously as their green clothed assailant sprouted from the bushes. He picked himself up and looked straight to them "THAT'S IT!" he exclaimed shocking both of them.
"What's with this freak?" Trunks asked to Goten who had no answers "Hey what's the big idea!" he shouted over to him. The green man bounded forward out of te bushes at them. The two anticipated a fight, but instead he then went down to his knees before them, and lowered his head into the dirt. "Hm?" the two let out confused.
"Forgive me!" he shouted passionately "I had not meant to attack you! For I thought you were someone else!"
"Some one else?" Trunks repeated "Who else would we be?"
"I've been tracking some one." he raised his head; the round black hair sitting on top of it looked like a bowl. His round dark eyes locked onto them "And he is capable of not only flight, but Ki blast like yourself." he explained "In my overzealousness of spotting you I must have instantly mistaken you for him." Tears began to form into his big wide eyes "I humbly ask you forgive my wrong doings!" he said as the tears were released to roll down his cheeks like waterfalls as he fell submissively to his knees as he starred up at them with puppy eyes.
The two boys turned uncomfortably before looking down at the strange sight.
"uh... don't worry about it." Trunks said uncomfortably as he continued to babble on beneath them "Just-stop crying."
In a snap he jumped into the air and swung his legs around before landing back on his feet. At his full height he was indeed taller than both of them. They could see bandages wrapped around his arms "I am forever grateful for your exoneration!" he shouted into the air and giving them a thumbs up before bending down to get a better look at them "Now let me kindly ask for one more thing." the two were skeptical, but listened none the less "Have you seen a man flying around here? He's not very tall, and he's got spiky black hair. His name is Vegeta."
"THATSMYDAD!" Trunks exclaimed.
That exclamation while exciting to him did seem to unnerve him "To think he could rear children." he shuddered, but once again had another surge of emotions "Excellent!" he smashed one fist into the other "So you know him? Do you know where he is now?" he peered closer at the boys specifically Trunks after he gave him that information.
"No, do you?!"
"I was trailing him on this very road." he told them pointing to the ground.
"Well is there anything else you know?" Trunks asked
"No." said flatly.
An awkward silent overtook them in the form of a gust of wind.
"Well why not?!" Trunks shouted. The taller man shifted before them.
"He is a crafty one." he told devilishly, but could just as easily have been an excuse.
"That's him alright." Goten said as Trunks crossed his arms mimicking his father. "Do you know where some one named Gohan is?" Goten asked up optimistically, but he only received a head shake as an answer. "Oh" Goten dropped his head. It seems things will work out well for Trunks, but not for him.
"But I would gladly help you find him." the young man pounded his fists together "Just as I will help you find your father." he pointed to Trunks "That's my vow as a ninja!" he smiled and pounded his fist high into the air.
"And.." Trunks let out as the two starred at the flamboyant pose "who are you exactly?"
"He reminds me of the Great Saiyaman with all his talking." Goten commented innocently, cheering up a little at his antics.
He smiled even wider as he looked down to them. "Who am I?" he repeated "Why I am none other than the Legendary Handsome Devil of the Hidden Leaf! Rock Lee!" he exclaimed poetically, but the blank stares continued on.
"Who?" the two said in unison.
The Leaf Village Detention Unit
The room was dimly lit and gave off an over all foreboding impression, which given it's nature must have been a good thing. Of course not for who ever was brought down here.
Kakashi leaned against the wall as Piccolo stood stiffly next to him. His arms were crossed, and a deep scowl was engraved on his face. Kakashi noticed it since the two first met, even when they decided to unite, he always remained stern. But he did notice Piccolo had become distinctly more unpleasant since they got down here, whether he voiced it or not. However, he would deal with that later. Instead, he would have a one on one with the only other person on Guy's mission who had a similar experience.
"Is that all?" Kakashi asked looking at the young chunin across the room. He had told Kakashi all he could of his encounter, and it was unlikely he had left out any details he didn't find important.
"Hm" Shino let out, his voice muffled a bit as he breathed into his collar "And here I thought I wasn't under interrogation." he joked dryly. Weird. Kurenai didn't say he was capable of that. Another new and interesting development among so many others. "It was a forgone conclusion." Shino spoke up soon after back to his usual gloomy self, matching the walls of the detention unit "He refused to cooperate and I took appropriate action." he reaffirmed his position firmly.
Kakashi's eye rolled over to the door on the other side of the room, and the wondered about the two people behind that who were having a conversation no different than his own. Though he doubted it was as comfortable for the other party. He then looked to the other one which would allow him to leave the room by way of the stairs.
"Alright." Kakashi let out looking towards that second door "You're free to go." Shino said nothing, but did nod his head in acknowledgement before turning to walk off towards the door "Just stay out of any more trouble." Kakashi said to him as he made his way to leave. With hands in his pockets and his face hidden under his hood Shino looked like a shadow come to life as he passed through the room. He came to the door, but stopped short to turn his head to eye Piccolo who sternly stood next to Kakashi, immersing himself in the darkness.
"You're quite the specimen friend." Shino spoke up in an eerie voice attempting to be amicable "I must say you'd fit right in with my jutsu's." he admitted a compliment, impressed with the Namekian's anatomy though there was more to it than that.
"Flattering." Piccolo said sternly to match his posture.
"Glad to see you on our side none the less." Shino said.
"Let's keep it that way." Piccolo responded with nothing else. Strange to find one less talkative than himself Shino moved to leave, though Kakashi was aware of Piccolo's distasteful demeanor since they entered this place and knew it would not be leaving any time soon. Perhaps not in regards to Shino in this instant, but of this process. Shino he shut the door behind him leaving the two alone.
"Nice kid." Kakashi commented casually once he was gone "Has a lot of potential.". He received not even an acknowledgement from Piccolo beside him. He looked over to Piccolo who was silent the entire time. Realizing Kakashi was looking at him for some answer Piccolo spoke, but still did not face him.
"Get everything you needed?" he asked gruffly facing forward.
"Not yet." he answered "But we will soon enough." he said focusing now on the door on the other side of the room.
No sooner had he said that had very door to the other room, and out of it walked Tenten followed by Ibiki. She seemed overwhelmed about the entire ordeal as shown in her shaky stance. She nearly missed a step on her way out.
"Now we will." Kakashi said. Tenten eyed the two of them as she walked across the room with Ibiki right behind her as if he was guarding her. She made a move to say something to Kakashi, but Ibiki put his arm up effectively silencing her. Shrinking away from him she went to make her way towards the door, but as she walked to it, she passed by Piccolo. She seemed even more unnerved by him. In response Piccolo offered a faint smile of reassurance. It had worked with Naruto and here had caught Tenten off guard. She slowed to a stop and did completely when she heard her name "Tenten." Kakashi called and startled her a bit. She turned around to him as Piccolo's face hardened again "Go check on Guy and Sakura. Tell me how they are." She formed a smile and nodded opening the door. But as soon as she did she was almost trampled as Anko barged her way nosily through, getting everyone's attention but she slipped by her to leave just as Shino had before. She got one last curious look at Piccolo before she left who nodded to her.
"Alright!" Anko clamored "So what are we gonna do about this?" she asked clapping her hands together and then putting them on her hips.
"What about the Hokage?" Ibiki asked.
"She made a stop at the hospital, but she'll be over soon enough." she waved her hand through the air "What'd she say?" she nodded back to Tenten who was already gone. All eyes were on Ibiki and ready for his answer, but it was Piccolo who spoke.
"She said he tried to help her. That he was lost." he answered. Every one, but Kakashi was surprised by his answer especially Ibiki who had been told the exact same thing on the other room.
"How do you-"
"My ears do more than frame my face." he answered him before anyone could even ask. "It seems to me like there's no reason to detain him. Not in this manner at least."
"He was trying to help her?" Ibiki repeated "She did say that." he agreed "But his actions say something else. When he refuses to comply and goes on to get into a fight with a chunin level ninja. Hardly seems like someone we should just let loose once he's been captured." he said, and Piccolo said nothing to that. Ibiki waited for what he would say next, but it wasn't directed at him.
"Kakashi." Piccolo spoke up gaining his attention "How's your friend?" Everyone else was taken aback by abrupt display of care for some one who was enemy. All save Kakashi.
"Yamato?" he asked and Piccolo nodded "Fine, he will make a full recovery."
"Good to know." he looked back to the others "So tell me" he began "Anko's question wasn't answered. What do you intend to do with him?" he asked pointedly. They all knew who he meant; the fate of the soul reaper who Shino faced. They very one they had detained in a holding cell right now. This shocked everyone even more.
"Everything necessary." Ibiki answered instead, stepping forward. That did not sit well with Piccolo. "I hope there's not a problem with that." Out of the corner of his eye Piccolo looked to Kakashi who seemed almost disinterested in the conversation, but he knew by now that he was more than attentive even if he was quiet. He then looked back to Ibiki.
"I think there is." he answered "This is wrong."
"Wrong?" Ibiki repeated with his own objections "This is the interrogation unit. It's what we do. If you don't like it feel free to follow the two children on the way out." Piccolo grimaced, but not at the comment.
"Questioning him, I understand. There are answers we all want from this, but what good will you get from torturing him?" he asked.
"To find those answers we all desperately want" Ibiki paused "And to assure where the others are."
"He said he was lost. He may not even know. He's in no different a situation than I am."
"And Yamato could very well have been taken captive if Kakashi hadn't appeared" Ibiki said. The two involved in that very fight went cold at the mention of it "What would your so called friends have done if they ran into him instead, huh?"
"Not this." Piccolo refuted "It's not our way."
"But it's ours" Ibiki rebuked him "If you don't like it you can leave!" Ibiki took another step forward up to him and the two were now face to face, the lines of his scars and the shadows highlighted the cruelty of his statement "If it were up to me I'd have you in there with him." Ibiki pointed a finger right a the Namekian warrior. Piccolo uncrossed his arms and stared the chief interrogator down menacingly. Anko watched on in some twisted delight wondering whose glare against the other would break first, and if that didn't then whose fist would fly first. One did move, but it was to reach out between the two.
"Hey now" Kakashi's voice spoke up and he reached an arm out to put it around Ibiki's hand and lowered it "Easy. Where all on the same team here." he spoke coolly. Strange glances were shot from every one else in the room.
"And you?" Piccolo spoke up looking at him "What do you make of all this?" Kakashi settled in beside Ibiki and looked up to Piccolo.
"I told you at the door didn't I?" Piccolo raised an eyebrow to him. Piccolo remembered it clearly.
'Somewhere in all this, there's got to be foul play of some kind' is what Kakashi had said But he was about to elaborate further.
"Based on what you told me and what I already know, I could account for both of our sides to this story.." Kakashi started before a short pause "but these swordsman I can't." his voice changed now. More serious and to the point. Piccolo felt he knew what was coming next "Based on what we've been told of their encounters so far, it sounds like they haven't been brought here for the same reason you or I have" he said rationalizing that if both Piccolo and Kakashi heard of a great prophecy or warning of many battles to come, why hadn't this third distinct group? "I'm just as concerned and curious about what they're up to."
Piccolo grunted "I thought that we were going to find that out?"
"We are." Kakashi lowered his hand down replying just as sternly to the Namekian warrior
"Through torture."
"By any means." Kakashi said agreeing with Ibiki without saying it. Something Piccolo certainly didn't appreciate it.
"And why didn't you bring me here?" Piccolo asked. Kakashi went deathly quiet in the aftermath of that question. It was the very thing he was going to do had Piccolo not had a Senzu bean.
Ibiki and Anko looked to Kakashi to see what he would say. A mix of dread and anticipation hung in the air between the two warriors. Piccolo's stare hardened on him as Kakashi's softened.
"You healed me along with yourself with your Senzu bean." Kakashi reminded Piccolo. "Even after we fought you helped me get Yamato back for his own aid. You told me of the battles being had here. And agreed to turn back with me to help them. They were your comrades too now." Kakashi stated. Guy, Sakura, Naruto they were as much on their side as Gohan and the others. "That's why you're not here." he paused letting his words sink in "When we turned back here we found these Soul Reapers." he paused "Someone has to be accountable for all this." he surmised "I know it's not us." he spoke of the leaf village "And after all this I don't think it's you either.." he said vouchering for not only Piccolo, but all the Z warriors where ever they are "but there's got to be something here working against us. Both of us even. Pulling the strings."
After seeing what they've done to Sakura and Guy it's not hard to come to that conclusion. Piccolo was not convinced, however. Not yet.
There was a brief stunning silence that overcame them. Piccolo knew what Kakashi was thinking and why. Kakashi thought of Naruto, Sakura, Guy and what they've been through because of this. Piccolo thought of Gohan and Goku. The only difference was he didn't know where they were.
"That's what you think huh?" he said unconvinced.
"I thought I said it plainly before" Kakashi said, recalling when they stood before the door of this very place " ... dont you?" he asked. All eyes went from Kakashi to Piccolo as he grimaced in the shadows.
Piccolo opened his mouth to retort, but something else happened instead.
On the other side of the room, the doorknob jiggled. Everyone went silent and all eyes turned to see Tsunade walk in.
Next Time: A Deal is made!
Together Again! The Z Warriors reunite and Vegeta goes home!