New chapter, I feel like the last chapter was a bit...for the lack of a better word...shit, so I'll try and work with that a bit
Also I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone following this story, again I'm so happy that all of you seem to like this story so far. I'd love feedback on my work, so if you feel like you could add to the story or motivate me further drop a little review or a PM I promise I don't bite.
Chapter 7
"Right so how's the Goat plan going?" Head captain Kyoraku asked the captains present in the room.
There was a combined glance to the forms of Kisuke Urahara and captain Kurotsuchi as they themselves had claimed to have the abilities to create such a thing that would allow them to go through with the ingenious plan they had settled with in order to save their own skins and not bother with saving the soul king as it seemed a waste for them to die as well.
At least that's what they thought at the time.
"Ah." Spoke Kisuke, drawing his fan to cover his face. "You see that's the thing. We could do that or, and hear me out on this one guys, we could do what we're supposed to do and defeat the people threatening what it is we are meant to protect."
He glanced around the captains with his eyes peering over the top of his fan and as their heads fell, except for Zaraki who's face had become a picture of pure elation following the idea of Urahara meant that they too understood that they had to fight...even if turning into goats seemed like a pretty safe bet for them.
"Mr Urahara is right, we need to fight, at least 'till Ichigo gets back from wherever he is, he'd know what to do." Orihime chipped in, her face became downtrodden at the mention of the substitute however. Her feelings towards Ichigo were always there, it's just someone else also seemed to have touched her heart and remembering Ichigo also made her remember him. But he was gone and no person, not human, not shinigami and not Quincy could bring him back to her.
Chad noticed this and put his large hand on her shoulder making the girl look up at him, eyes slightly watering as she looked at the giant, who's response was a small smile and a trademark thumbs up, enticing a small giggle from the girl as she wiped the slowly forming tears from her eyes before turning back to the captains and lieutenants.
"As Miss Inoue say's we just have to hold our position until Kurosaki returns from his mission to retrieve the lost captains of Squad X." Unohana broke the silence that had settled on the group in the wake of Orihime's near breakdown. "After all, if there is anything that we have learned over these past few years it's that you never right off the Kurosaki boy from pulling off the impossible."
There were a series of nods and grunts of approval followed Unohana's statement, except from the captain of the second division. Soifon had always disliked the substitute, his lack of manners and respect, his inability to follow the Soul Society's rules and most of all his close relationship with her master.
In reality that was the only reason she didn't like the boy, his far too personal relationship with Yoruichi made her blood boil. Inside she could see the signs of attraction but she mainly attributed it to the fact there relationship was similar to the one that she had also shared with yoruichi many years previously, yes that my have been nothing but a one-sided love but that allowed for her to try and make it work both ways. Maybe someday.
Her confidence was heightened, however, by the fact that the boy did not seem to make any advance or consciously let on that his natural teenage desires were emerging during his sparring sessions with her former master. 'Maybe, after all this carnage and chaos, myself and Lady Yoruichi could make a go of it.'
"-then it's settled, you okay with doing that Soifon?" Asked the head captain.
Shit she hadn't been paying attention well better find out what the hell they want me to do before I agree to a suicide mission.
"Run that by me again please Soutaicho I didn't quite catch all of that." Smoooooooth Soi
"We want you to go the spot where Yourichi disappeared from our reading's, that was also the spot where Ichigo and the human girl Tatsuki Arisawa disappeared with an unknown energy source." Urahara spoke from behind his fan.
'Well shit, should have paid attention to that whole conversation.
"Better hurry Captain SoiFon we don't have much time to waste." Byakuya prodded, hoping to get the stealth captain moving on fast.
"Yes Taicho's" and with that she was gone, flying off to the senkaimon at her fastest possible speed.
As De Sciglio was trying to grind out the next portion of Ichigo's plotline, Soifon was arriving at the riverbank where Yoruichi had last been sensed by Kurotsuchi several days ago.
'Hmm I can feel flickers of her reiatsu as well as that of the boy and of someone with a very similar reiatsu signature to the boy.' As she looked around the area to see where they could have disappeared to two men, one wearing leather attire with a western hat whilst the other, much smaller was wearing a purple over coat whilst rubbing his arms appeared by the bank.
"Deary me, big guy it's a bit chilly out here hmm?" The larger man looked down at his smaller and much younger looking accomplice and let out a gruff before pulling out a cigarette and promptly lighting it.
The man removed the cigarette from his mouth, blowing out smoke as he did so letting his arm fall to his side. "Yeah it's cold, but it shouldn't be too long before that soul reaper comes back and then we'll take her to the big guy." As he finished in his gruff, alcohol abused voice he replaced the cigarette in his mouth and proceeded to move to the river edge, picking up stones and skimming them across the water, whilst the smaller man sat down and tried to keep warm.
A few minutes passed and there was still no sign of the soul reaper they had been sent to meet, by this stage the taller man had run out of stones to throw but was quite content with his 8 skim best. The other member of the party was not fairing so well, his shivering had increased and as such he had started walking around in hopes of keeping warm before eventually loosing his cool.
"I can't stand it any longer! Hado #33 Sokatsui!" But as the purple robed soul reaper discharged his spell it didn't storm away, instead it maintained a ball in-front of the reaper, allowing for it to generate heat from his own spiritual energy.
"Should have done that sooner pretty boy, she'll turn up now for sure." The gruff voiced man spoke taking a sip from his flask, hanging from a chain on his waist. And as if almost on cue suzemebachi was at the larger mans throat poised to strike him, with soifon ready to kill.
"Who are you and what have you done with the other soul Reapers who were here?" The ice-coldness of the second division captain's voice was enough to chill the blood of any weak willed man, however these two men were not as she had first expected.
"Captain Soifon, you do not possess the power to even piece my skin with your shikai, your bankai may do damage to my associate over there but where you want to go there ain't nobody you could even dream of landing a hit on." The large man spoke, certainty and clarity filling his voice, giving Soifon little room for an argument, this man was dangerous and he knew it.
"Fine then, take me to where you're keeping her." Coldness still held in the captain's voice, even if the doubt in her voice over the wellbeing of her mentor and crush was plaguing her mind.
"Now now Captain no need for such hostility, we were sent here to take you to her, you see our boss kind of knows everything and as such we knew you'd be here so why don't we take a little trip to go see her hmm?" The smaller man, who to soifon was almost eye level with him still being slightly taller, decided to put his two pence in and inform the serving Taicho of there intentions, however this was not seen in the same light as the Captain.
"You two serve yhwach?! How could you, reapers serving Quincies it's disgusting, I should kill you both right here right now!" Her fury filled her voice, not betraying her feelings for her mentor, as she feared that should they have already captured Yoruichi then they would have indoctrinated her much like the arrancar that had been spotted in Hueco Mundo.
"Listen shortstuff, we don't serve the soul society, but we most certainly would not side with their enemies! Our mission was to get your ass to the castle by hell or high water and that's what we're gonna do! ". The taller man spoke with such aggression it instantly caused Soi-Fon to back down from her stance, even frightening the small man to the side of the giant.
"My my Ladies you're both pretty but for now can we just take her back to the castle because I haven't been there for a long time and I fancy having a nice relax with what is to come." The smaller, and apparently less hostile of the two interrupted, hoping to draw a conclusion to the current debacle that plagued the small assembly.
Begrudgingly the taller of the pair snorted turning away to light another cigarette, much to the annoyance of the smaller of the two soul reapers.
"Lemmy must you insist on smoking?" he asked scoffing as he finished his sentence arms crossed.
"I'm not smoking, I'm merely partaking in a recreational activity like you often ask me to do"
"...you have no idea what you actually said then do you?"
"Not a fucking clue." This earned sweatdrops from the two smaller reapers present.
"Look, are you going to take me to see lady Yoruichi and the rest of my associates or are you going to keep arguing like a pair of old women?" Soifon spoke, infuriated by the lack of urgency seen in the two sent to meet her. However of all the people she had expected to react, the sensible and calm seeming soul reaper at her side was the last she had expected to react in the way that he did.
"Excuse me Miss Fon, but I don't mind being called shortstuff, nor a woman as I can see why you'd be confused. BUT DON'T CALL ME OLD!" His voice booming across the town being heard by all who were spiritually aware.
"okay, jeez but can we please go?"
"Fine, Lemmy open the portal"
"Hold on just gotta finish this first"
"What is it your actually doing old friend?"
"Trying to remember why I decided to return to his lordship when life on earth was so good?"
"You were needed old friend, as we're we all such of why we had to leave for the betterment of all of us, to be able to live in peace because we sacrificed what we had to keep the balance. It is for that reason that his majesty requested the return of two of the strongest soldiers he had." the smaller and finished placing his hand on the shoulder of his larger friend, before summoning a garganta to the soul kings palace.
With Ichigo
As Masaki and Nel got to know one another, Ichigo was sat amongst the soul king and his generals whilst being flanked by yoruichi and tatsuki in the first meeting hall that had been taken to.
"So your highness" Ichigo started "What are we going to do now?"
The gathered audience looked at the boy confused as if wondering what he was asking.
"Going to do about what young one?" Captain Aragorn asked the substitute "We're all more than aware that an intervention is needed yet we can't just show up out of nowhere, besides we're still wanted criminals back home."
Tatsuki sat upright and answered the captain with a scowl "Yes but you did nothing wrong, surely you can just bring back the soul king and clear your names" the young girl lamented to the group, however instead of the thought provoking looks she expected she instead received only solemn eyes from the captains.
"Unfortunately my child" Captain Nightingale responded "Only David's son can be soul king and as such we would still be outcasts."
Ichigo looked ready to retort to the captain yet yoruichi decided to interrupt him.
"Yes but if the soul king were to die, wouldn't David have to take his place to stop the world from falling into disrepair?" she spoke, grin clear on her face. She had them on that and she knew it.
Of all of the little group yoruichi knew the most on soul society law, being both a high ranking noble and captain of squad 2 meant she was well educated in all things soul society. Without a linchpin like the soul king the world's would fall apart, and even the all-seeing god before her knew it. Bit if he did then his never faltering smile didn't show it.
"Yes lady yoruichi that is the case, however imagine the chaos that one would have to inflict in order to remove a god from the throne. In fact one would have to be a god to do it." his case seemingly proven, the god king sat back in his chair, before Tatsuki spoke up again. "Ichigo's defeated a god before he can do it again." she looked at her older twin "If anyone can do it it's my brother"
The former head captain of the sixth stood up at this suggestion, irritation clear on his face.
"As the man who wrote the very law of the soul society I know that that is without a shadow of a doubt. treason offence. Killing soul king is the highest offence your brother could commit." Newton finished before retaking his seat.
The silence that followed was one of defeat for the two girls knowing that they could not gather the allegiance of the strongest beings in existence. Yet Ichigo simply smiled at this, before letting out a soft chuckle.
"what is so funny boy?" The captain of the twelfth quizzed.
"Well." Ichigo began "currently the soul society's law makers are dead, them being the 46. When this happens a time of crises occurs and the head of soul society's forces is in charge that being the captain commander, yet at the moment Yamamoto is dead so Shunsui is currently in temporary charge."
"You're suggesting that kyoraku is gonna allow it aren't you?" yoruichi smirked already knowing the boys intentions.
Ichigo's grin was all the confirmation she needed on the subject, before looking up and seeing smirks on every Head Captain's face.
"Yeah" Logan "spoke we're doing this"
Oh dear god I'm so sorry this took so long I've got no excuses for this taking as long as it did, thank you for waiting so patiently for this. I'm not going to promise I'll have another chapter in a week like other writers but I'll try to get a new one out soon.