These long chapters always catch me by surprise somehow. I never put aside enough time to edit them, but I gave this one my best shot.
Part I
Renji knew he was cutting it close. He even knew that glancing at his barely functioning alarm clock wasn't helping any, other than letting him know that it was 11:12 PM. He especially knew that his mom still being in the dark, despite him having to leave in less than twenty minutes was a big fat mistake.
Allow him to explain.
He was expected to show at the Shiba shop at midnight today for what was either going to be the bravest or stupidest thing he'd ever done. The judges were still out on that one. He tried not to worry about it, really.
He tried not to worry about a lot of things, actually, mostly because he'd been told to. For example, he was told not to worry about letting his teachers know that he'd be missing out on who knew how long of school because they'd just conveniently forget about him while he was gone, the exact same way they'd forgotten… about Rukia.
Silently he shook himself out of this funk, focusing back on the task at hand, packing. He had a backpack on his bed, random things scattered about that he thought would be necessary, a few changes of clothes already haphazardly stuffed inside. His eyes scanned over the whole lot, wondering if he should go downstairs and grab more things.
His bedroom door opened.
"Hey," his mom yawned, "I know it's the weekend and all, but isn't it a bit late to…" She trailed off, eyes landing on his bag, and then dropping entirely. "…You're leaving."
It wasn't a question. He shifted around.
"…You're leaving now," she corrected.
He nodded.
"I… well…" she struggled for a moment, finishing strong, "as your mother I insist you tell me where you're going and when you'll be back."
"It's complicated," he mumbled.
"Make it less complicated," she stressed. "Look, I know that something 'weird' happened to Rukia, but…" she let out a sigh that just screamed stress, "Byakuya hasn't answered any of my calls in days. When I tried to contact your school, they didn't even know who I was talking about–!"
"Mom!" She stopped with a choked noise, eyes wide and misty. "I…" he had started so confident, but now it was like all the words were gone. "I don't really know all the details, either, but…" He let out an angry growl. "They were Hollows, but they were different, more human. They took her somehow to wherever the hell they're from. All I'm sure about is that we've got to get her back.
"I don't know when I'm coming home again, or even if–"
"Don't you dare!" she snapped. "You made a promise!"
"You think I don't know that? This is serious, ma!"
She stalked up to him, eyes dark, and without warning plucked the bag out of his hands. She tore out the clothes he had stuffed in…
And then refolded them harshly, sticking them right back.
"Your packing's awful," she said with a frown. "Go get the metal water bottle downstairs and some non-perishables while you're at it."
Renji blinked, his brain taking a second to catch up. Still, he hurried down to the kitchen.
"Uh… I think Kukkaku said she had some special Soul Society rations for us, or something," he called up. He opened the cupboard that he thought the water bottle might have been in, rummaging through. Non-perishables, huh? They had some chips, canned meat. Did he need to bring a spoon?
"Does Uryuu's father know about this?" he heard her ask.
"I don't know. It's not like he talks about the guy."
He could hear a second stress-filled sigh. "Guess I'm calling him tonight." Then he heard a zip, and with a scramble he grabbed everything, nearly smashing his head into the door frame on his way out. His mom marched downstairs, then, backpack stuffed full. She hooked the water bottle on the strap for good measure. "Ready to go."
"You're taking this a lot better than I thought you would," he said warily. He tried to ignore her red rimmed eyes.
She scoffed. "I figured this was coming a while ago. She's the girl you love. It's not like you could just ignore it when something happened to her."
For a moment he sputtered, face as bright red as his hair, only to be stopped when she dragged him into a tight hug. It lasted for a second, and then two, and then she pulled away, sniffling.
"I'll see you when you get back," she said firmly.
"It's nothing I haven't done before," he assured. "Enemy territory isn't as scary as it sounds, really. Just keep your head low, take fights as they come, and…" he trailed off, noticing the strain around her eyes. "Uh, I mean, Kukaku will be keeping an eye on us the whole time?"
"I'm definitely calling Dr. Ishida," she said with just a tinge of panic. Still, she patted him pleasantly on the cheek. "Make sure you do your face routine when you can. You know you break out easy."
"Thanks mom," he grumbled, slinging the bag over his shoulder.
"And don't be afraid to ask for double rations! I know your appetite, and magic or not rations aren't the most filling."
"It's not… well, I guess it's magic…"
"I also packed some extra underwear, and–"
"Mom!"
Her mouth audibly closed.
"I promised I'd be back, right?"
She nodded.
"Well, I will, but first I have to… you know, leave?"
"Oh!" she gasped, hurrying to the door. "I'm holding you up…"
"Yeah, kinda."
For a long while her hand lingered on the doorknob, and Renji just waited, not having the heart to say anything more.
She took a deep breath and opened it. He smiled. She smiled back, and after taking his own deep breath he steeped through, also not having the heart to say goodbye. He didn't hear the door close behind him.
…
Renji ended up at the Shiba Shop at 12:05, arriving to a dark store front, and an open basement hatch. His party was a good distance inside the training grounds, sitting near the mouth of a canyon with two metal pylons stuck halfway through the top.
Kukaku greeted him with a grin, tossing a small sack his way. With a raised eyebrow he caught it. Ishida just rolled his eyes.
"Couple of basics," she said. "You'll need 'em."
"You know, the Mod Soul was earlier than you," the Quincy complained. "She's not even coming with us."
Paku let out a noise of agreement from her position in a glowing box that Tessai was currently sitting on. Ganju was leaning against it, eyes shifting around uncomfortably. "Yeah," the Mod Soul said, "I'm still like ninety percent sure I'll be able to sneak in at the last moment."
"Don't bet on it," Kukaku said with a grin. "You two, you ready to get this show on the road or what?"
"Or what," Ishida said sarcastically.
"Just give the speech," Renji agreed.
"You have gotten very sassy on me since last time," she snarked. "That's good. This mission ain't like last time, but I'm guessing you know that already."
Renji nodded. Ishida scoffed.
"You're on your own this time, boys. No maps, no guides. Heck, I'm not even sure where this thing will land you exactly. Regardless of any of that, you still have a job to do."
"Is that supposed to be intimidating?" Ishida asked.
Kukaku just barked out a laugh. "I guess not. Tessai, fire it up."
The large man let out a grunt, standing on his perch. He brought a hand out in front of him, and with a breath it glowed softly. Renji went still.
The words were spoken in a low voice, but each one seemed to linger in the air.
"In my right hand I hold the stone that connects the borders of worlds. In my left hand I hold the blade that binds existence. The black-haired sheperd…"
They hummed in the air, resonating between the pylons, crackles of something visible.
"The seat of the noose. A bank of clouds come, striking us and the crested ibis."
With the final word they materialized, a void opening up in the air. The two boys craned their necks to look up at it.
"The Arrancar use these bad boys to go just about everywhere," Kukaku explained. "The Garganta. It's a nasty sucker, a hell of a lot harder to get through than a run of the mill Senkaimon. There's nothing in there, not even a ground. If you're not careful you could get swept up in it, never to be seen again."
"W-wait, really?" Paku asked shakily.
Kukaku shrugged. "I mean, probably. No one's been stupid enough to let that happen."
"That's not as comforting as you think it is," her brother said flatly.
The woman grinned at them, shark-like. "Make your own way, watch out for each other, and it shouldn't be a problem. Head straight through and you'll land right in Hueco Mundo."
"I think we understand," Ishida said.
"Not like we can turn back now," Renji added.
The two boys looked at each other, and then looked up at the portal. They could do this.
"Come back or I'm searching through the entire Soul Society just to kick your asses," Ganju warned.
"Oh! Can I help?" Paku asked.
"I don't see why not."
Kukaku cleared her throat, the two stopping sheepishly. She turned back to the two boys. "Get in. Get Rukia. Get out. That's all you're there for. Don't get killed trying to mess with an Espada, and don't stick around if things go really south.
"And, also… when you see her, tell her I'm sorry, okay?" The last part was said quietly, almost pleading.
"Tell her yourself," Renji responded.
She smiled. "Get in position."
The two boys moved to the front of the portal standing side by side. Renji could feel his fingers twitching in anticipation. Ishida looked calm as ever.
"On your marks…"
They could do it.
"Get set."
Renji wouldn't accept anything else.
"Go!"
They jumped.
Renji stumbled right out of the gate, foot going through sheer air. He fell nearly a meter before he finally jarred to a stop.
"Did you learn anything in Soul Society?" Ishida grumbled. His hand glowed as twin platforms supported them both.
"Yeah, yeah, gimme a second. You can keep your skateboard to yourself." Renji cracked his knuckles, jumping off. He let out an internal sigh of relief when he managed the first few steps of a path, shaky as it was.
They could do this.
Through a murky realm Renji ran and Ishida glided. They advanced in unison towards an exit they couldn't see, staying in silence for about a minute.
"It just hit me," Ishida commented, "how little we know about the situation. We're practically running in blind. We hardly even have a plan, outside of sneak in and don't die."
Renji opened his mouth to retort.
"You tell me that's enough of a plan and I will push you off that bridge," Ishida said with narrowed eyes.
Okay, Renji didn't say that. "I think any plan we make is gonna be thrown out the window the second we land."
"The problem with knowing literally nothing," Ishida groaned.
"Besides," Renji continued, "Ichigo and the others will probably have their own ideas. We're better off just going along with them. They've got the experience, and all."
"And you're so sure they're coming," Ishida deadpanned.
"Of course, they are! They're our friends."
Ishida frowned and looked forward. "I hope you're right… for our sake."
Eventually they reached the exit, or rather, it snuck up on them.
One moment the two were dashing ahead, and the next a seam appeared right in front of their eyes, tearing just as quickly. The next thing they knew, they were falling. Ishida managed to make his landing smooth, elegant, even. Renji struggled to not fall flat on his face, colliding with a smooth marble wall.
"…Wait, marble?" He patted what he was leaning on again. "Are we in Aizen's palace, already?"
He peeled himself from the wall, looking around. There was little to take in, just smooth white walls, white floors, and white pillars. There were no windows and no doors. It was a hallway so nondescript; it was notable.
"I thought this place would be… I dunno, not this?"
"We can discuss Aizen's interior decorating skills later," Ishida said. "We need to move before someone realizes we're here."
"Good point…" Renji trailed off, eyes going to the wall behind his classmate, or rather the giant hand curled around it.
It looked human or at least humanoid. It was wide enough to span floor to ceiling, and it was coming towards them, a white sleeved arm following. Renji found himself frozen.
"W-what the… Who are you?" a gravelly voice asked.
Three things happened, then. Ishida stiffened, turned his head, and bolted, grabbing Renji by the collar of his flimsy t-shirt.
"Motherfuck– Already?!" Renji yelled, scrambling
Ishida was cursing up his own storm, hand tearing away from Renji's collar. His eyes darted around the hallway, searching. Then, they turned a corner, a stairwell coming into view. The Quincy ran faster.
"I'm going to try and blind it!" He activated his bow. "Don't slow down, understand?"
Renji yelled back, "I'm not leaving you behind!"
"You leave me behind and I'll kill you myself!"
Renji opened his mouth, closed it, and kept on running. That was settled, then. He sped up the stair, going two or three steps at a time as Ishida stuck close to his back. He saw the edges of a glow, felt a rush of heat, and heard the Hollow let out a distorted groan.
At the top of the stairs was something a little different, at least. They suddenly found themselves in a huge circular room, pillars lining the walls. Clear at the other end was another set of stairs. Renji kept running.
A figure landed in front of him in a flash, blocking his path. It was another Hollow, though this one wasn't much bigger than Renji. It raised from its crouch, beak like mask tilting up as it looked at him with one very human eye.
An Arrancar. Great.
"And where do you think you're going… intruder?"
"And we're surrounded," Ishida muttered.
"Think we can take 'em?" Renji asked with a grin.
"They may be Arrancar, but they hardly look human at all. I doubt they're very powerful."
"I get it," Renji said. "It's like the ones back home. The stupider they are the weaker they are."
The big guy didn't appreciate that comment, judging by how loudly he roared. His giant fists came down, forcing Ishida to dodge, and breaking stone in its wake.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," he heard the smaller one say, and with a start Renji turned only to not see him. He had barely a second to block the Arrancar's creepy clawed fingers.
He lashed out with a kick, swiping at the Hollow, and tumbling away when he swiped back. Those limbs of his were so thin they looked like they'd snap off with a stiff breeze, but damn did they have a lot of reach. He dodged again, biting back a curse.
Right off the bat, Renji didn't like where this fight was going. He couldn't get in any good hits, not at this distance. Some of his training was immediately put to the test as he was forced into maneuvers that he was barely familiar with.
Reiryoku at his feet, he stayed out of the Hollow's ridiculous reach. The Arrancar was light on his feet. Renji had to be lighter. He wondered if this was the time to try…
He nearly groaned at himself in frustration. One battle in and he was already considering pulling his trump card.
Ishida didn't seem to be doing much better, dodging debris, rocks, and blows alike, not a bow in hand. For a moment he caught the Quincy's eyes.
Renji cocked an eyebrow. Ishida nodded. The large Hollow let out an ear-piercing roar. Back heaving, Ishida touched down, hand on the ground as the large Hollow barreled forward.
"Wait! Demora!" the small Arrancar cried, but it was far too late.
Renji's leg was already embedded into the big guy's face. With a leap back his spike tore from the Arrancar's cheek, leaving broken bits of mask in a gory mess. The big guy fell back hard into the wall, breaking a hole right through the already weakened marble. If he were a normal Hollow that would have been the end of it.
"Much better," Ishida said, satisfied. With a harsh glow a bow was in his hands, and it was bigger and brighter than any bow Renji had ever seen him with. It looked like whatever training he'd put himself through had been worth it. He was barely able to spare his friend a grin before he darted towards his new opponent who looked concerned.
"…A runt like you…" the big guy murmured. Dark blood dripped down to the stone floor by the bucket full. "There ain't no way I can be beaten by a runt like you!" His last words came out thickly as his oversized tongue launched out of his mouth like a frog's coming right for Renji.
After blocking Ichigo's big ass Shikai fifty or so times, Renji was hardly intimidated. Arms crossed, he braced against the impact, spikes embedding into the hardened flesh. The boy was pushed back against the wall, but he stayed standing and unscathed.
"That's it?" Renji asked. "I was expecting a little more."
The creature's tongue snapped back into his mouth. The Arrancar looked shellshocked.
"Yeah, you definitely weren't worth my special attack." Arms still crossed he flexed once, spikes shooting out and into the Arrancar's body. He fell, and this time he didn't get back up.
Renji turned just in time to see Ishida finish off his own fight. The smaller Arrancar was on the ground, struggling to get up, body smoking. It looked pissed. One arm was snaking forward, shakily.
"Damn you… you… filthy human…!" Its heated declaration turned cry of pain as that claw was shot off by an arrow.
"I've told you already," Ishida said sounding bored, the mad man. "I'm a Quincy. Now crawl back to your master and tell him this: 'It's not humans, and it's not Shinigami he should be fearing. It's me.'"
Renji was more impressed than he'd ever admit. He may have at least made a joke about it if the ceiling didn't suddenly let out a low groan. He looked up to see a huge crack forming from one end to the other, moving to a pillar that then snapped in half under the pressure.
"Uh… Ishida, you think we went a little wild here?"
His friend took a step back, alarmed. "We'd better move."
"Th-there's no point," the remaining Arrancar groaned. "There wasn't even a point to letting me live. The room was doomed the fall the second we lost, and as soon as it does everyone will know what took place, and the entire weight of Lord Aizen's forces will descend upon you. There is no victory ahead of you, and let me tell you something, Quincy…
"Lord Aizen fears no one, and us, those born from fear, would follow him to the ends of the earth."
The words were intimidating, almost.
"Yeah, shut up," Renji rushed out, already at the bottom step. "You're just saying that 'cause you lost."
Ishida didn't seem so sure. He paused, staring at his dying opponent, and then he tore himself away, right behind his classmate. The entire place collapsed.
A few seconds later and the two boys were clawing their way out of a sand-clogged stairwell, a sink hole having opened in place of the room. They were outside, finally. The cool night air was a godsend.
If Renji weren't coughing up a lung (holy hell choking on sand was an experience) he may have been able to appreciate it. Ishida was hacking out his own coughs, uselessly shaking out his cape.
"You always gotta come to missions dressed like that?" Renji wheezed. Those layers didn't look pleasant. Ishida glared at him, but otherwise ignored the comment.
The Fullbringer collapsed back onto his butt, a steady eye trained on that sink hole. It would probably be bad if one of them slipped and fell into that, right? With a huff he turned his eyes upwards.
"Now, this… this is what I thought Hueco Mundo would look like," he said tiredly.
They were in a desert, a starless night sky above them. The only thing illuminating the wasteland was a crescent moon that somehow didn't look quite right. There were no signs of life, or signs of anything, really. There were just a bunch of dead white trees.
Then he craned his neck back further and noticed it.
Las Noches, Renji doubted anything could have prepared him for seeing that. It was a fortress like no other, huge pillars surrounding it on all sides. It was so big he didn't even have anything to compare it to.
"Did my glasses get bent or is the perspective on that thing weird? I can't even tell how far away it is," Ishida muttered.
"No, it's definitely far," Renji said, sticking out his thumb. "I can barely even see those trees in the distance."
Ishida frowned, settling his cape back on his shoulders. He stood up, snapping a branch off one of the trees, the cross-section gleaming oddly. He dropped it with a frown. Not normal trees, then. Got it.
"We better start walking," Ishida said grimly.
"Yeah, I doubt the armies of Arrancar that guy was spouting about are just going to come to us on their own," Renji smirked.
Ishida turned eyebrow raised.
"Kidding! Kidding!"
They ran.
Part II
And ran. And ran. And ran…
The castle wasn't getting any closer.
"This castle ain't getting any closer," Abarai groaned.
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Uryuu panted. Taking his glasses off he did his best to wipe the sweat off his brow, grimacing as his bangs stuck to his face. Gross.
He put his glasses back on just in time to witness Abarai down half a water bottle in one go before tossing it to him. He tossed it right back, digging his own out pointedly.
"I think I'll be fine," he said blandly, gulping down a good portion. He'd let the night air do the rest of the work.
A sandy thud sounded beside him, dust getting kicked up accordingly. The Fullbringer stretched out fully, grin already back.
"Okay, I think I can go again," he said, confidently.
"It hasn't even been one minute," Uryuu scoffed. "You're still human. You do want to be ready for any fights that occur, right?"
"No, I'm good, I promise." He even sounded like he meant it. "It's something about this place. I feel stronger, somehow… Don't you feel it, too?"
"Well, yes, but…" he frowned at Abarai's insistent smile. Still, it had him curious. He knelt in the sand, drawing three circles, labelling each.
"The World of the Living, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo. There are more realms than these, but these are the ones we need to worry about."
Abarai let out a groan. "What are we, back in school? Yoruichi already ran through everything with me."
"Just pay attention!" Uryuu snapped. "The realm you're in can affect how your powers work. This is important!"
"What, you mean like how the Shinigami need those seals when they go to the World of the Living?"
"Preci– Wait, they do that?"
"Yeah, they made a big deal out of it when the Arrancar first invaded. I guess you weren't there."
"Either way," Uryuu said sharply, "it helps illustrate my point. The World of the Living is made of matter. We're made of matter, but the other two realms, are not. That being said, we don't exactly draw our power from our bodies. We draw it from our Soul, so being in places like this can give us a 'boost', so to speak."
"I dunno about that," Abarai frowned. "I did feel more powerful in Soul Society, but this is different, somehow… I'm just not sure why." He looked at Uryuu, as if asking him to continue.
"It's not like I know," Uryuu said defensively. "It's your power. I didn't even know Fullbringers existed until I met you."
"Well, aren't you helpful." Abarai glared at the ground, catching movement. A small lizard-like Hollow burrowed out of its hole, darting away in an instant. Above them a buzzard crowed. "Huh… It's not just nothing out here. Maybe…" He trailed off, eyes snapping back to his classmate. "Hey, my powers came from a Hollow. Maybe there's something about this place …"
"…You're thinking this place increases the power of Hollows in particular."
"Exactly!" he cheered. Then his face fell. "And that's not a good thing."
No, it was not.
With that grim thought a massive serpent sprung from the ground.
"What the shit?!" Abarai yelled. Ishida felt they were on the same page.
Three Hollows consisting of said giant snake, a lanky humanoid in a fundoshi, and one that looked like a clown sprung right from Uryuu's childhood nightmares ran in the distance. It looked like they were chasing–
"Is that a human?!" Abarai exclaimed.
"No, no way," Uryuu stuttered. "The only other humans here should be–"
He was cut off by what sounded like a little girl screaming her head off. That was all it took for the two to spring into action. They came in on opposite sides, launching an attack, and stopping very quickly because as it turned out they were pushovers.
One went down with a single kick to its giant face, no spikes needed. The humanoid panicked the moment Uryuu aimed an arrow at him. The snake cowered by proxy.
"Wh-what are you two mean humans doing?!" a small voice cried. "Quit bullying us!"
"Huh?" Abarai sounded. Uryuu groaned immediately.
"The mask, Abarai," he said gesturing to her. "Of course, she's a Hollow."
It was quite obvious now, between the sack clothes, the bright blue hair, and face markings, what she was. That was putting aside the cracked mask that sat on her head like a cap. Otherwise she looked like a normal child of about five or so. Not a typical appearance for a Hollow.
"A-A Hollow?!" Abarai yelled. He put more pressure on the clown. "Explain! What are you doing attacking one of your buddies?"
Those were his priorities, of course.
"We were just playing a game!" he cowered. "Really, we didn't mean anything by it!"
"Yeah, we never thought a game of endless tag could go so badly…" the other one added. Uryuu pressed forward, arrow burning. It let out a yelp.
"Tag?" Abarai scoffed. "That… your friend was crying, and you're saying you were playing tag?"
"That's all it was, I promise!" she insisted. "Nel's an extreme masochist, so it's not fun unless they chase until I cry a little!"
The clown got another kick from Abarai at that. "Just what are you teaching this kid?!"
Uryuu's ears caught something else, however. "Nel?" he asked. "Is that your name?"
She brightened up at that, and for a moment Uryuu found himself torn. She really looked like a child. "Yep! I'm Nel Tu, the Arrancar."
He heard Abarai inhale sharply at that. Uryuu had already figured as much, but still, this changed some things.
"A-And I'm Pesche Guatiche, Nel's big brother!" the one under him declared proudly.
"And I'm his big brother Donodchakka Birstanne!"
In unison they all exclaimed, "And the big on is our pet, Bawabawa!"
"Pets… siblings?" Abarai squinted.
"That's really not what we should be worrying about, here," Uryuu deadpanned. "One of them is an Arrancar. We're within spitting distance of the palace… sort of. How do we know this isn't just a setup?"
"Well," Abarai said, finally letting his captive go. He ignored the Hollow's groveling. "If they were supposed to stop us, they did a pretty piss poor job."
"That's not really what I meant." Still, he deactivated his bow, and took a step back, similarly ignoring Pesche's kowtowing. "Ugh, we're wasting too much time, here. We don't even know how much further Las Noches is."
"Las Noches!" Pesche exclaimed. "We can take you there!"
"See!" Uryuu stressed. "Like that isn't something a… Wait, really?"
"Yeah, why not," Dondochakka said cheerily. "It's the least we can do after you spared our pathetic lives."
"I…" Uryuu looked back at Abarai. The Fullbringer shrugged his shoulders. He supposed that settled it.
A minute later and they were on the back of a giant worm barreling at top speed towards Aizen's palace. No, Uryuu didn't believe it either.
The three Hollows were… entertaining themselves, it seemed. Dondochakka and Pesche were singing folk songs straight from Uryuu's Japanese History class, and at some point Nel had broken into Abarai's pack and become enamored with a bag of potato chips. His classmate didn't stop her.
"Are these guys really Hollows?" he asked cautiously. "They are nothing like the guys we fought back home."
"We're not really the fightin' type," Nel said, but her mouth was full, so it was more like, "We'rf ot eally da fight hype." She swallowed heavily. Uryuu was shocked she didn't choke. "Now those guys they send to the human world. They're tough, nothing like us garbage worms."
That didn't add up, Uryuu thought. Two Hollows with human level intelligence and one that was convincing enough he still had a hard time telling the difference, and they were supposed to be weak? It went against everything Uryuu knew about the species.
That wasn't even mentioning how she was an Arrancar.
Uryuu kept a steady eye as the girl babbled on, naming Hollows and recounting events he had no context for. He remained vigilant, even as the palace grew bigger and bigger. In fact, it seemed they were quite close, now.
Where were the forces that the guard had spoken of, he wondered? Was it really just a bluff?
He was almost relieved when a rumble sounded form the earth, and the suspension snapped. Unnaturally the sand began to rise. With a gulp he craned his neck. It was still going. Eventually it eclipsed their view of the castle entirely.
"Intruders…" a low voice groaned, "this is as far as you go!"
The sand took form, a masked face defining itself, two arms tearing free, one coming right for them. Their three Hollow companions screamed their heads off.
Uryuu's bow was in his hand in an instant, a barrage of arrows slicing through the appendage. The Hollow drew back, making no sound. Sand bubbled from the wound, and quickly another arm was formed.
"I have received a message from Las Noches that intruders have come. To think you worms have helped them… You won't be forgiven!"
It struck Uryuu that the giant was not talking to he or Abarai.
"No, no!" Nel yelled. "It's just a misunderstanding. Please don't crush us Runuganga, sir!"
Uryuu couldn't dwell on it, though. He shot another arrow right over the girl's head, piercing through the giant's mask. Sand or not, that should do it.
The hole closed immediately. Uryuu's stomach dropped.
"What the hell is he?!" Abarai panicked.
"He's sand!" Nel yelled back. "Duh."
"Less talking, more helping!" Uryuu snapped. He readied another arrow, unsure. That last one didn't even slow it down.
"What the hell could I do against that?!" Abarai shouted back.
Uryuu wasn't sure. He just fired his arrow. This one didn't even leave a hole. The Hollow opened his mouth and ate it. Then its mouth opened further gaping as it exposed rows and rows of teeth sharp as glass.
"You're… not… getting… away!"
And suddenly they were falling, Bawabawa struggling against the swirling sink hole that had just opened up below them. They all held on for dear life.
"Weaknesses!" Abarai shouted. "That thing has to have one, right?!"
"I don't know!" Nel cried. "They never tell us these things! And now we're gonna die!"
Just as Uryuu was starting to think the same thing a blast of heat went by him, the giant letting out a cry of shock that quickly turned to screams as it was surrounded by an inferno. The blast was quick and merciless, and when the fire sputtered out all that was left was a pile of broken glass.
Abarai's eyes lit up.
"Hey!" a voice echoed down to them. "Got it in one!"
They slid down another meter or so before the sand and dust finally settled. At the lip of the crater Uryuu could see the Shinigami standing proudly.
Arisawa sheathed her Zanpakuto, looking pleased. Inoue gave him a gentle smile, Sado a gentle nod, and at the head of the all was Ichigo, grinning ear to ear.
"I'd say sorry we took so long, but it looks like we came just in time," the Shinigami said.
The three Hollows screamed again.
Part III
The second the glass shattered Ichigo was skidding down the side of the crater, his friends close behind him. His other friends were scrambling up to meet them looking as excited as he felt. There was something about being here on a mission with these people that felt right to him.
The screams, however, were a bit jarring.
"Woah, woah, woah," Tatsuki scowled. "What are these guys doing here?"
Her sword was trained on four Hollows, four Hollows crying like children as they all clung to each other.
"Shinigami!"
"We're gonna die!" The little girl cried. Then Ichigo's brain caught up to him. Little girl…?
"Calm down," Renji grumbled. "The 'Shinigami' just saved our as… I mean, lives."
"Yes," Uryuu said warily, "the same Shinigami that had been ordered not to come here."
Orihime brushed past them all, going right for the sniffling child, her eyes glistening. Ichigo took one step back, hand over his ear in preparation.
"So… CUTE!" she squealed. Already she was on the girl, swooping her into a hug.
"Ahhh! It's gonna eat Nel!" the little girl yelped.
"Play dead!" the skinny one called out.
With a smile Orihime ignored her, patting "Nel" on the head, and the Hollow practically melted into it. The scene was so disgustingly cute Ichigo actually couldn't stand it.
"Orders ain't everything," Tatsuki answered. She smiled at Orihime's back. "Captains Ukitake and Shiba thinking those orders are bullshit certainly helps, though. Now please, before I roast these guys, tell me what a whole posse of Hollows is doing with you."
"They were supposed to be helping us get to Las Noches," Renji explained with a scowl. "They didn't mention the giant sand golem, but hey…"
"Well, we didn't die, did we?" clown-face said cheerfully. "And besides, we're here, now!"
Ichigo looked up, and yeah, they were basically at Aizen's doorstep, or at least his eastern wall. This was gonna be fun.
The group walked the rest of the way, the little Hollow girl, Nel, as she proudly proclaimed, perched on Orihime's shoulders. The wall wasn't far, though only once they were right beside it did Ichigo truly appreciate just how tall it was. He couldn't even see the domed roof anymore.
Orihime approached, a hand going to the stone.
"No hidden entrances," she said, "and its not made of Sekkiseki."
"Just wandering around looking for a door is just asking for trouble," Tatsuki said, though she didn't look very upset by it. She unsheathed her Zanpakuto.
"My thoughts exactly." Ichigo did the same.
"Wha… but the gate is only a three days walk away," Nel said quietly. Orihime shushed her, getting them both out of the way quickly as the others scrambled for cover.
Carving through took time. The wall was much thicker than Ichigo had anticipated, but eventually they did carve through, Orihime using a spell to stabilize it before giving everyone the all clear. The Gotei Thirteen members walked through quickly, but the two humans, they lingered.
"Thanks for getting us this far, but… you should probably go," Renji said.
"But… why?" Nel's voice cracked. "I'm sorry about dumb ol' Runuganga, but…"
"'Dumb ol' Runuganga' was ready to kill you just for being seen with us, dummy."
"It's best if you don't involve yourself further," Uryuu agreed.
Nel pouted at the ground and continued to pout as Renji patted her on the head in goodbye. That look… Ichigo recognized that look. He knew what was coming. He hurried through the path, eyes squinting against the shadows.
"WAIT!" he heard Nel's voice echo down the passage at the last minute.
There it is. Footsteps followed.
"Nel and her brothers are already traitors and Aizen doesn't forgive stuff like that and if you don't take us with you we're just gonna die and I-I'll CRY!"
The crying was piercing and effective. Ichigo could see Renji's clenched fists and conflicted expression. Yeah, Ichigo's dad always cracked when the twins got like this.
"Renji's a dumbass! Ink face! Shithead!"
That was new. Ichigo jerked back. Who taught her that language?!
"Hey, what's the hold up?" Tatsuki whispered. She took one look at the scene and rolled her eyes. "I knew they'd be trouble."
"I get it!" Renji yelled. "Stop crying already!"
"We have to go," Tatsuki hissed. "We wait any longer and this place is gonna be crawling with Hollows." She then sent a glare at the crying girl. She never had much patience for the twins' tantrums. "More than it already is, anyway."
"I–!" Renji looked at her and then back at the little girl. With a groan he soldiered on. Uryuu followed with a put-upon sigh.
It took them a while, but eventually they caught up to the others. The torches casted an unnatural light on the smooth marble. The Hollows were not far behind, but they lingered in the doorway. It only confirmed Ichigos suspicions. There were on the right track, then.
"A crossroads," Uryuu groaned. "Just what we needed."
Tatsuki circled the room, eyes searching. "Six," she counted. "A nice even number for our group… Honestly, they all feel the same to me. I say we each take one at random."
"What?" Ichigo blurted out. "We just got here. Why the heck would we split up so soon? We should pick one and move together."
"Normally I'd agree," Orihime said hesitantly, "but we need to cover ground and a lot of it."
Annoyingly Renji patted him on the shoulder. "We're big boys," he said flatly. "We can take care of ourselves."
"Say that again when you actually manage to beat me," Ichigo snarked back. Renji smirked.
Ichigo looked at the people around him. Orihime was determined, it seemed. Tatsuki looked steadfast. Uryuu was looking at him like he'd just insulted his cape, and Chad… he was looking like he'd support Ichigo either way.
Ichigo let out a sigh.
"Okay, I know when I'm beat. Hands in, everyone. We're doing this the old-fashioned way."
Orihime beamed at him, and for some reason Tatsuki looked relieved. They all gathered in a circle, hands in.
"A prayer!" Ichigo declared. "To prevent anyone from getting their asses handed to them!"
"You're literally the only one I know that still does this," Tatsuki scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah, shut up." He cleared his throat.
"At this very moment we head into decisive battle. Have faith that our blades will not shatter! Have faith that our hearts will not waver, and should our paths diverge we will share one heart! Even if the ground beneath us is torn asunder, we will live and return to this place!"
Their hands broke, and with that they separated.
Part IV
The Hollow was strapped to a table. Not that table mind you, though she was sure she was headed to Szayel's as soon as the medic was done with her. Of course, she had no intention of making it easy for the creepy bastard. Her secrets were her's thank you very much.
The medic had just finished their job, looking absolutely terrified the whole way through. The Hollow had no idea why. All she'd done was make a bit of small talk.
"I meant it you know."
"Every single Hollow here."
"The labs are going first… then you… then him."
The second they were done they rushed out the door at record speed, leaving her and the lapdog all alone. How rude.
She opened her mouth.
"Don't want to hear from you, ya creepy bitch," Grimmjow muttered.
"Really? I was going to say something super interesting."
"Yeah, I doubt that. I could probably be implicated for treason just for listening to you."
She decided to just come out with it. "The human wanted to manipulate you into helping her."
"…What?" he growled.
She repeated carefully. "The human, you know, Rukia, was trying to manipulate you into aiding her escape, not that she was very good at it. She sure was trying, though."
"…Go on."
The Hollow barked out a laugh. "Miss goodie two-shoes thought that if she asked nice enough, you'd get all gooshie about how daddy didn't hug you enough, and you'd switch over to her side. I, of course, know better. Creatures like you are pack animals. Doesn't matter how bad the alpha is to you, you'll still roll over."
He stood up, eyes dark, claws out. "Hollow, chose your next words very carefully."
"What?" she scoffed. "I'm right. Of course, you could always prove me wrong, especially now that the opportunity has been handed to you on a silver fucking platter, not that you've noticed."
His hackles lower. His eyes shift to the door and then back to her.
"Did I tell you to stop?" he asked in a low voice. She simply smirked, not that he could see it. Got him.
"Listen," she explained, "the humans are here. The cavalry can't be far behind, and when they arrive, they're gonna clean house. I'll be surprised if a single wall in this place is left standing. As I see it you have two choices. You can stick with the people that would rather I murder you around this time tomorrow…
"Or you throw your lot in with the only people who actually have a shot at killing the one person you hate most. Hell, their godsdamned poster child is practically ready to write a letter of recommendation."
He stiffened at the words "hate." It was hardly something he'd admitted out loud, but she could see it in his eyes. She could put together the pieces. The fact that he knew exactly who she was referring to only proved her suspicions.
He let out a long sigh, shoulders slumping. "You're still annoying as hell… but I'll think about it. Now, shut your trap before you get us both killed."
New footsteps approached the door, and Grimmjow continued to scowl at the ground. The Hollow sat back and waited.
Plot heavy, I know, but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I consider the last few chapters (and the last arc, really) to all be build up to the pay off that will be the next ten or so. It's a lot of action, a lot of banter, and a lot of fun.
(Injects 50CCs of liquid review.) "tHa'ts the gOOD stuff."
