Hello, and welcome to the next chapter!
Clarent excalibur; Yeah, it's gonna be quite something. He'll do a variation of the dance. Nanao is gonna fight, she wont bring that out yet, but she will use it more than that one fight she had with it in canon, and yeah I liked her Zanpakuto as well. Yup, Takumi vs Renji's gonna be quite the fight! Haha, Giselle's on the hunt for more Zombies for her army~ Soi Fon vs Giselle would be quite an interesting fight. I could see Yachiru doing that.
Derek 23; I'll try my best!
ShadowUzumaki55; He surely can't no, he's going through quite a bit it seems. Yeah, he gets the insane Captains after him. Yachiru's along for the ride for a little while, she'll be helping in her own way. But yeah, now Takumi's gotta fight off Renji. Karin saw the chance, and she had to take it. I could see Karin doing that.
Skull Flame; It surely is yeah, quite explosive. She is yeah, Nemu's beginning to see herself as a person and not merely as Mayuri's tool. It was more like he didn't care for Mayuri trying to take a fight away from him as he wished to fight against Takumi, and Mayuri being Mayuri likes bringing people down. That's Yachiru for you, she says weird stuff. She's just making sure that Kenpachi fights him, and she's curious herself about how strong he is. We'll find out the matches in this chapter.
Silver crow; Thanks very much! Yeah, around that age, Takumi might look young for his age. He at least did missions with Kyoraku, if he was actually apart of Squad 8 will be revealed eventually. He did yeah, Renji's gonna be going through some stuff. It's always fun when Kenpachi, and Yachiru are around. Nanao and Kyoraku are on his side it seems. Nemu's recruiting! He could yeah, he's been trained by Kisuke and Yoruichi so he's able to pick up small clues like that. They have seen her in the training chapter in her normal form. Nanao's glare can even silence Squad 11's more rambunctious members. He was yeah, Mayuri just doesn't care about things like that here. He wasn't really afraid, he was more concerned about fighting two powerful Captains. Yachiru's quite the fun character huh~? Giselle just deadpans it and yet still makes it goofy. Giselle's got her army going on. We'll see how the fights get on yeah~ She did yeah, Yachiru's using her tunnels to help out Takumi, and yeah eventually he would have, he just didn't have much time to look. We'll see what happens in their fight. He might do yeah. I guess there could be. Either that or retired or something. At least we know the name of Isane's Shikai, that's more than can be said for Iba. They'll meet eventually. Kinhime will yeah. That would be some funny scenes. Yeah, they talk off screen. We could do, she might use it in this arc, who knows~? I do have plans for that, if Orihime is or isn't captured, I do have some ideas for that. He could do yeah, sounds great to me! Yeah he could have a hand in making them. That would be funny. Yeah he could do something like restore Seizo's powers with work. Yeah, I could see that happening with Takumi. Yeah, during the Quincy war Takumi's got things to do! It would be funny if they fought about who could fight Takumi first. Yeah, it would be sweet if he gave something like that to Aura. That would be a cool scene huh~?
Andrew123456; To be honest, I haven't watched it.
Unzueta; He'd be quite a good opponent for Karin to fight, and yeah I'd consider him as one of the stronger Lieutenant's.
a fan; I haven't played that game in years, so I'd have to go back and play it before I said yes or no.
Terrariuz; Thanks very much! Nemu's beginning to see that she deserves more than what she receives from Mayuri. Giselle can be freaky, but she's fun and lovable in a certain kind of way. Yup, Takumi vs Renji happens in this chapter! Oh yeah, it would be a mix between excited and scary for those two to meet. Isane would be pretty cool, thanks for the suggestion!
Absolute Mirage; Hello! Yeah, still producing stories haha. Giselle is quite the character, and she'll be doing a number of things this chapter. Thank you very much!
Well, with those lovely reviews out of the way, it's time to start the chapter!
The Shinigami's Confrontation!
When he found the time to do so, Takumi had visited Rukia, and Renji within the Rukongai.
They honestly didn't know when he found the time to do so. He always seemed to be so busy, yet he managed to come and see them often, and he'd always give them tips about becoming a Shinigami, and how to wield a sword, and how to use Kido.
Renji, eager eyed, and bright eyed, leaned forward.
"Hey Sensei! I can do it! Like this!" Renji placed his hands outwards, and began gathering red energy in his palm. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!"
He attempted to use a Shakkaho, but it exploded right in his face, covering his face in dirt, which made Rukia begin to laugh a little bit.
"Geez Renji, was that supposed to be Kido?"
"H-Hey! I tried my best alright?! It isn't my fault the damn Kido didn't work that way!"
"You should have said the entire incantation." Takumi spoke up, lifting up his finger. "You see, it allows you to channel your power, and shape it. As you grow, you'll be able to use Kido a bit better. It can be unpredictable tough." Takumi's hand went left, and summoned his power. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!"
From his hand, a red energy blast erupted forward, the sphere slamming against a nearby target, and destroyed it by hitting it head on. Rukia and Renji were both in awe at seeing Takumi do something like that.
"W-Whoa, it's amazing that you can do that."
Rukia complimented, but Takumi waved his hand side to side.
"Not really, I just trained hard to achieve it. My friend Nanao-chan is better at Kido than I am, and she's around my age." His eyes went towards Rukia, and gave her head a pet. "But you Rukia-chan, you seem to have a fine control over your spiritual powers."
"I've just been practicing."
Renji seemed to be downtrodden about what was being said, so Takumi turned towards him kindly.
"And you Renji, your skills at using a blade are quite fantastic. By the time you enter the academy, you'll be quite strong, you know? I'm sure you'll be one of the most skilled swordsman in the academy."
Renji smiled at the praise.
"Hey, Sensei."
"Yes?"
Renji gave a childlike grin.
"You'll...be there to welcome us to the Seireitei when we become Shinigami, right? Because I want to fight you to become even stronger!"
"Hmmmm, then I can hardly wait Renji, become strong so we can have an amazing fight!"
Renji gave a beaming smile, as Rukia let out small laughs.
It did seem like those times, could last forever...
Rukia's eyes shot open, placing a hand to her forehead.
"A dream..."
She recalled what had just happened, within her dream.
Remembering her time with Takumi, and the others.
"These clashes..."
She murmured to herself, going towards the window and looked out.
She hadn't been asleep long.
She couldn't sleep long.
Because she had been up all night worrying about what was happening with Takumi, she stayed awake until she had to sleep, but now that she was awake, she could feel clashes of spiritual power within the city down below.
She knew one of them was Takumi.
She just felt it.
She couldn't pinpoint which one it was, but she definitely knew that they were having a fight down there.
She also sensed Renji's spiritual energy.
The tower she was in mostly cut off spiritual pressure, so she found it rather difficult for her to feel it.
But, she knew it was happening, and wondered how it came to be that they were fighting one another.
"Takumi...the first time I met you...even back then, you were quite odd. And now...you're fighting to rescue me...you must be insane. Whatever happens...please just stay alive. Don't die Takumi...Renji...please just...don't do anything foolish, please Renji..."
Rukia couldn't do anything as she was.
However, it didn't stop her from worrying about the situations that were happening down below.
All she could do now was wait for the spiritual energies clashing to cease, and then hopefully, she'd be able to finally understand what was happening.
Karin, Yuzu, and Ganju looked on as the three Shinigami came surrounding them. With Nanao, Ikkaku, and Yumichika being there, Karin knew that they were in a bind, and the fight itself wasn't going to be easy.
Karin withdrew her sword first, aiming it at the enemies before them, while Yuzu revealed her Quincy bow. Ganju's hands shook while placing a hand on his forehead.
"H-Hey girls, I don't want to be a let down, but how are we going to fight all three of them off at once?"
"We're not."
Karin replied, to the confusion of Ganju.
"What do you mean?"
Karin let out a small breath, she didn't like how she had to explain this to Ganju.
"I mean, we're splitting them up to take them down on our own. And whoever finishes first, will go and help out the others."
"What kind of crazy plan is that?!"
Ganju snapped at Karin who held a tick mark by her forehead, while the Shinigami watched curiously, Yuzu gave an awkward laugh, she really didn't want to be involved in the arguments between Karin and Ganju.
"What did you just say?"
"Your plan! It makes no sense!"
Karin exhaled deeply.
"Yes it does, and here's way-"
"I'm not crazy strong like you guys! What do you think this 'plan' of yours is actually going to accomplish?! Your plan isn't going to work!"
"Yes it will Ganju! They know one another more than we do, they might have team work that can beat us! By splitting them up, we can make sure at least that the battle is even between us, and we only have to deal with a single enemy in front of us! It is basics in strategic planning of fights!"
Ganju looked surprised that Karin had yelled at him like that, and felt worry coming over his form.
Yuzu placed a hand on her forehead, while Nanao gave them curious looks.
"So, does this happen a lot?"
Nanao asked Yuzu who gave an uneven chuckle.
"I...I'm...I'm kind of worried for their mental health at this point. They seem to fight and make up rather quickly, it's rather unhealthy."
Nanao sweat drops while Ganju gets in Karin's face.
"I'm starting to think you don't know what you're doing!"
"Of course I know what I'm doing! I'm the leader according to Jidanbo!"
"That doesn't mean a thing! If we split up, because unlike you girls, I might die!"
"That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the greater good!"
Ganju backed away with a cry while Yuzu berated Karin.
"Karin, that's not nice."
"S-Sorry, sometimes I get too heated, I don't want you to get hurt Ganju, really."
Karin bowed her head apologetically, while Ganju nodded again and again.
"So, which one of you beautiful girls are going to be my opponent?"
Yumichika gave a flamboyant flick of his hair, while Karin let out a sigh.
"Alright, which one of you is the weakest?"
Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Nanao looked between them with confusion.
"Eh...why does that matter?"
Nanao dared to question what was happening.
Karin gave a strong look.
"Because whoever is, is Ganju's opponent."
"Hey!"
Ganju yelled, Karin cocked her head towards him.
"You said that you could die, I'm helping you out here by pitting you against the weakest. I'm not being mean, I'm being tactile right now. The strongest of our group, fight against the strongest of their group, and so on and so forth. We have to think about match ups Ganju."
Ganju huffed while Nanao exhaled deeply.
"Yumichika, you're the lowest rank here, so you shall be this man's opponent."
"But, he's so ugly! I don't want to deal with him!"
Yumichika complained while Ganju's eyes widened angrily.
"What is this?! Pick on Ganju day?!"
Karin glanced at Ganju, and by this point, she didn't know if she should feel sorry for him or not.
Nanao ignored him, and looked at Yuzu.
"I'll fight this girl, Madarame-san, you handle this girl with the big blade."
"Heeeeh, she's who I want. She seems to be the strongest here, so yippe for me!" Karin tilted her neck as the man tip toed, seemingly singing and dancing around. "Lucky for me~ Lucky for me to fight the strongest one here~ Captain Zaraki will be jealous~"
Karin felt like crying, Yumichika on the other hand couldn't take it. Because he thought that Ganju was rather, ugly, so he didn't want to have to fight him, and would prefer to fight one of the girls as he did find them pretty.
Ganju looked at Yuzu pleadingly.
"Ganju-san? Don't worry about what's happening, just do your best, okay?"
Yuzu said with a kind expression on her face, Yumichika didn't look pleased at all.
"Yuzu, do it."
Karin glanced at Yuzu, who nodded, and stuck out her bow, while Karin thrusted her sword at Yuzu, overlaying it on her bow, which grew the bow into a larger, and larger bow that dwarfed Yuzu easily.
"D-Damn, that's some power she has."
Ikkaku sweated slightly, seeing how Karin's energy was empowering Yuzu's bow. Yuzu pulled back her arrow, showcasing a very large arrow indeed. Nanao's eyes scrunched together, as Yuzu fired off the powerful arrow for the enemies before them.
They jumped away as the arrow smashed through the street wall, creating devastation in her path, as Karin yelled "Ganju, run left! Don't worry, we will come for you, just stay alive until then!" Ganju tightened his eyes, and nodded, running off, as Yumichika furrowed his eyes at the escaping Ganju, bowing his head, and took off running for the man himself.
Yuzu turned to Karin with slight worry on her face.
Knowing that this was going to be her first major battle, it was going to be tough.
Yuzu wasn't sure if she was going to let people down or not.
"Don't worry Yuzu, I know you can hold on until I come. Even if I don't, you can still win. Just think what would that idiot Takumi do. What would Giselle do. They both had trust in us to help them here, we trained so hard to become strong, so lets show them why we're not to be messed with."
"R-Right Karin, be safe!"
Karin nodded, and lunged forward. Her target was Ikkaku, who grinned wildly, pulling out his blade and swung it for Karin. However, Karin grabbed the cloth on her handle, and threw her sword right for Ikkaku, forcing Ikkaku to block with his own blade, Karin flicking up her wrist and brought her blade upwards, as her foot came for Ikkaku's body.
"Hah! So it was the bait and switch, was it!?"
Ikkaku anticipated Karin doing that, using his sheathe to block Karin's powerful kick. But Ikkaku was surprised when the foot managed to release a lot of air pressure around him, shattering the ground below him, and his hand trembled with the strength that Karin was releasing at that moment.
"How did you guess huh?"
Karin pushed harder with her foot, while Ikkaku stood his ground with the heavy kick that he was releasing.
"Sorry, but I'm the Third Seat of the infamous Squad 11! Ikkaku Madarame, that doesn't mean much though as you'll end as of today!"
"Never heard of you!"
Karin's blade came downwards, Karin pulling it by its cloth, gripping it with her hand when it fully came down, catching the blade, and swung it downwards towards Karin who grimaced, using his blade to block it, only for Karin to release her pent up power, releasing the energy wave right in his face, knocking him away a good distance, cutting into his body slightly, before Ikkaku managed to deflect the blast away from him.
Karin gave chase, while Yuzu glanced at Nanao.
The elder woman moved closer, and closer, while thinking about what her objective was.
With Ikkaku and Yumichika around, she simply couldn't do anything out of the ordinary just in case.
"So, we're going to be fighting huh?"
Yuzu looked nervous.
She didn't want to fight against her.
She couldn't tell if Nanao was going to be a difficult opponent or not.
But Nanao pushed up her glasses.
"Lieutenant of Squad 8, Nanao Ise, is your opponent."
"O-Oh...erm...yeah, my name is Yuzu Kurosaki, and...I've not really got a squad or anything so...erm, I'm apart of the Takumi-kun group, and we're here to save Rukia Kuchiki-san...yes, that's right, pleased to make your acquaintance."
Nanao's expression didn't change, but she understood about the situation at hand.
"I see. Admitting that is rather worrisome. You do realize that name is something that will cause trouble for you?"
"But, Takumi-kun is a nice person, so I don't see why it would!"
Nanao didn't reveal any emotions, but she felt like smiling.
"I see then we will have to have a duel."
Nanao got into a fighting position, while Yuzu did the same thing with a timid expression on her face.
Meanwhile, Karin and Ikkaku meet up with one another. Ikkaku looks down at his wounded shoulder, from Karin's spiritual energy attack. Her eyes met his own, while he boisterously stood up, shaking his sword side to side.
"You have more guts than I thought that you would be capable of showing."
Karin raises a brow.
"And why's that exactly?"
Ikkaku showed a grin on his face, aiming his blade at Karin.
"Because it just seemed that being in a new place, you'd run away from the first sign of danger."
"Heeeeeh, I don't think so." Karin pulled out her blade. "Say, what's your name again? Ikki something?"
Ikkaku develops a tick mark by his forehead.
"Ikkaku, that's my name! Not Ikki something!" He looks down at his wound. "Aaah! Oh my God! I'm bleeding!"
"You only just realized that?"
Ikkaku's eyes slit themselves onto Karin's body.
"S-Shut up! Hold on!" Ikkaku pauses, and opens up the butt on his sword, which reveals some septic cream for him. He runs the cream across his chest, stopping the bleeding, while Karin nodded slowly. "What are you nodding at exactly?"
"It's just handy to have that within your sword in case you get cut."
Ikkaku shows a dirty smile on his face.
"It's the last time I'm going to get cut girl!"
Ikkaku spins his blade around, and thrusts it for Karin, who raises her blade, and blocks with the sword, sparks dancing between them, while Karin growled, putting more strength into her blade, and forced it backwards, Ikkaku's eyes widening, as Karin tightens the grip on her sword, and channels her spiritual energy into the blade.
"Try this!"
Karin unleashed a spiritual wave from her sword, Ikkaku was forced to jump away as the energy destroyed half of the wall that was behind Ikkaku, Ikkaku's eyes widening slightly at the power that Karin had within her.
"You have quite a bit of power, I'm surprised by it."
"I don't know about my power, I'm just doing my best to unleash it correctly."
Ikkaku raises a brow.
"Why couldn't you do that normally?"
"My Zanpakuto doesn't exactly like giving me the answers from the get go."
Ikkaku didn't quite understand that, so he just rushed her, and came from the right hand side with his sheathe, so Karin blocked with her large blade, while Ikkaku raises up his other hand, and comes down with his sword, Karin narrows her eyes, twisting her blade so it would catch his own blade with hers, but the blades strength behind it was enough to force Karin backwards slightly with the impressive strength, sparks erupted from their blades.
"I don't quite understand that, but you've got some skills to block both my sheathe and my sword with your large one. So, is that your Shikai? I haven't seen a Shikai like that before."
"I think it's my Shikai, my Zanpakuto is kind of annoying about the details. She calls it Shikai anyway."
"Haha, you're very weird with your sword!"
"Says the guy who was dancing before."
Karin joked, Ikkaku slit his eyebrows, and leaps over Karin. Karin watches as he stabs from up above, so she blocks with her own blade. However, while she was blocking, Ikkaku sent his sheathe downwards towards her face, forcing her backwards, only for Ikkaku to land, and dash at high speeds for her body.
"My dancing is cool damn it!"
Ikkaku rushes at Karin, stabbing for her shoulder, so she quickly grabs the cloth of her Zanpakuto, and whips it around Ikkaku's arm, which Ikkaku furrowed his eyebrows at, and then flicks his wrist towards the right hand side, just enough for Karin's blade to lunge forward to pierce Ikkaku in his own shoulder.
Gritting his teeth, Ikkaku thrusts his sheathe in front of him, but Karin's blade pierces the sheathe, digging in deeply, and almost splits it in half with the power behind her strikes, he couldn't deny that Karin had some strength behind her movements.
Ikkaku, pulling his sheathe backwards, looks at the damage before looking at Karin with narrowing eyes.
"You're strong, and your spiritual pressure is fantastic, but I've got to ask, who the hell taught you how to fight? Who is your Master?"
"Master? Heh, I wouldn't call this idiot my Master. Both of them idiots actually."
Ikkaku raised a brow.
"So, who is it?"
"The ones who taught me are Takumi, and Kisuke Urahara."
Ikkaku's eyes widen at the name.
Recognizing it, and understanding what this meant, Ikkaku became more serious than before. He slams his sword, and sheathe together, holding them out in one big line. Karin became intrigued by what was happening, and rather than interfere, she watched as his eyes met with her own.
"Since your Masters are some people who I want to fight, especially Takumi Urahara-"
"Before you continue, is he like some bad ass here?"
"Haha! He's such a bad ass that my Captain wont stop until he's found him! Now, Grow! Hozukimaru!"
Karin watched as the weapon seemingly merged together, and became what seemed to be like a wooden spear, that also had some lines running across them as if they'd be able to split apart. With a blade at the end, and red tassel on the other hand, Karin knew that this was his Shikai.
"Nice Shikai."
"I'm glad that you like it. It wont save you though!"
Ikkaku spins his blade around, and rushes Karin who narrows her eyes, getting ready for the continuing battle.
As that was happening, Renji came face to face with Takumi who aimed his sword towards the red haired man.
Yachiru swayed side to side, as she had moved back on request from Takumi.
Though Takumi thought that Yachiru probably could handle herself quite well, she still looked like a little girl so he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.
His eyes met with the red haired man's.
Tension was thick within the area.
It felt like even a slightest movement was going to begin a large scale battle.
The grip on his sword was so tight, Takumi thought that Renji's knuckles would be whiter than they were at that moment.
Renji took a step forward, as Takumi grasped his blade tightly.
In that moment, Renji gave a hesitation stare.
It wasn't all that long, but it was a very real and powerful expression that was on his face.
"So, you're going to truly stay in my way are you?"
Takumi began the conversation.
By the look in Renji's eyes, he didn't seem like he could be reasoned with.
"I have to! For Rukia's sake! When you came back here, I thought that...it has to be...you have to go in to save Rukia! This is all I can do! I can't save Rukia on my own! I want to...damn it I want to save Rukia! But, I'm...I'm not strong enough for it! I have to do something, and this is it!"
Takumi truly did feel the emotional weight that was behind what was happening with Renji right now.
How he was torn between duty and his friendship with Rukia.
He also had to admit that Renji had guts to admit that he wasn't strong enough to beat the higher grouped members of the Soul Society.
"You're close to Rukia-chan, huh."
That's what Takumi took away from the conversation.
But Renji's face dipped down as if he was thinking about something deeply.
"Yeah...no...we used to be. But now...heh, I haven't spoken to her in a while. She became a noble...and I'm just a commoner."
"Rukia-chan wouldn't see you as a simple commoner."
That's what Takumi thought, but that seemed to enrage Renji.
"You don't know that! You can't even remember the past!"
Takumi knew that to be true.
He didn't remember what Renji did, but right now, Takumi didn't seem to care all that much.
"Maybe not, but I trust the memories I do have of Rukia-chan, and she might be a noble in name. In practice...yeah she's not exactly a noble, and that's great as she's a normal girl like I thought she was. Kinda hung up on Chappy though. I don't see the appeal myself, it kind of gives me the creeps when staring into its eyes, it looks like it's gonna kill you."
Renji held a bemused smirk on his face.
Meanwhile, Rukia in her cell, suddenly felt a wave of annoyance come over her.
Her eyes went out of the window, a storm within her threatening to escape from her body.
She just knew it.
Someone was talking about Chappy, in a negative way.
"Did someone just badmouth Chappy…? I bet it was that damn Takumi, he always badmouths Chappy even though Chappy is the best thing to happen since slice bread and juice cartons. Chappy is life Takumi...you better learn that."
Rukia exhaled deeply, while mumbling what she mumbled.
Back with Renji and Takumi, Takumi twitched his neck.
"I have a feeling she just said "Chappy is life." or something to that effect. She always seems to know when someone is talking about Chappy. I had to accuse her of having a sixth sense for this stuff, it's really weird."
Renji imagined Rukia doing that, and could feel his head tilting downwards.
"That sounds like Rukia...you don't know the half of it."
He sweat dropped, while Takumi glanced around.
"Why didn't you come with anyone else?"
"What do you mean?"
Renji demanded only for Takumi to point to himself.
"You want to take me in so badly, you come on your own? That just doesn't make sense to me. Why didn't you come with your Captain Kuchiki? He is a monster in a fight, and you with him together, I'd definitely not win. So why…? I don't understand, enlighten me."
Takumi had an idea, contrary to what he said.
But he didn't want Renji to know that, and wanted Renji to speak honestly before revealing his own hand.
"I don't need Captain Kuchiki to take you down! This will be different to the time in the human world! Don't look sad now Takumi, it wont hurt much!"
Takumi sensed the bravado that was rolling off of Renji right now.
It was so forced that Takumi noticed that his body was quivering.
But he didn't seem afraid.
It seemed as if something in his mind was unsure of everything happening.
"Renji, I don't want to fight you. I'm sure Rukia-chan right now would be telling me that it's dangerous or stupid or something. She always worried about things like that. But, if you don't move, I will have to fight you."
"Slice him down Taku! Don't make Ken-chan wait!"
Renji gave a scared expression to Yachiru who just watches on with a grin on her face.
"What are you saying!?"
"I want Taku to beat you!"
Renji continued looking on with fear.
Yachiru surely was a scary girl when she wanted something for Kenpachi.
He shakes his head, turning back to Takumi who gives a resolved look.
"You can say that, but it's the only thing I can do! You know, I admired you back then! Everything you did! You look at me as if we're complete strangers! Did Rukia ever mention anything about the past at all?!"
Takumi was taken back by what Renji just admitted.
"No, I didn't know that. She didn't say anything. She didn't tell me anything until the end, and I didn't exactly have time to sit down and chat with her, since I was being attacked by you and your Captain Kuchiki. By the way, he's a freaking scary guy."
"Heh...Captain Kuchiki, I honestly don't know what to think of him. I want to surpass him, but my power is...that doesn't matter. It seems that if you can't remember me, I will have a chance to fight against you, alright!?"
Takumi bowed his neck.
"If that's what you have to do, then I will have to retaliate against you. I'm sorry Renji, I truly am sorry."
Renji's grip on his sword tightened, and with a battle cry, he rushed forward, running faster than he did back in the human world.
However, Takumi was able to follow Renji with his eyes, and raised his blade, blocking Renji's sword with his own, sparks dancing between their blades, as Takumi forced the young man back with his increased strength thanks to Yoruichi's training, Renji was baffled by the strength that Takumi unleashed, Renji jumped backwards, and landed on the ground…
But Takumi was already on him, his blade swinging upwards to slice Renji down without seriously injuring him to a point he couldn't recover.
"S-Shit!"
Just in time, Renji managed to move his blade in the way, blocking Takumi's own blade, who batted Renji's sword to the side, and tightened his fist.
"Eat this!"
Takumi thrusted it for Renji's body who grimaced, lunging backwards but the pressure of the air around his fist was so hard that the air itself came at Renji in a highly dense pressure wave that forced Renji's body backwards heavily, shocking Renji quite a bit.
Renji couldn't beat the pressure, being forced to land on the ground, as Takumi dashed before him, twirling his blade, and thrusted it for Renji's body, Renji's eyes widening in shock, and pulled his head backwards as Takumi's blade came downwards, Renji narrowly dodged the sword, but the white headband on his forehead were sliced clean in half, along with a gash that dripped blood down Renji's forehead.
Renji grimaced at the feeling of the cut, but didn't have time to stop as Takumi stabbed his blade for his shoulder, forcing Renji to parry the blade with his own, only for Takumi to spin into him, his elbow being sent towards Renji's face, Renji back flipped back several times, while Takumi twirled his blade around, stabbing the ground with his blade, which forced the ground up into chunks with the spiritual pressure that Takumi released.
"Hado 57: Daichi Tenyo!"
From the rubble that Takumi had made, the objects lifted up akin to telekinesis, throwing them towards Renji with such a precise movement that it looked like a sea of dancing earth that headed for him.
"D-Damn it, his skills at Kido are still as great as ever, he's precise in his timing."
Renji took his blade, and swung it out again and again in front of him, slicing up the rubble that came for his body.
But while doing that, Takumi got before him, slipping into his hand, and raised his hand to Renji's upper body.
"W-Wait, hold on!"
Renji panicked, seeing blue energy coming from Takumi's hand, knowing what technique he was going to use next.
"Hado 33: Sokatsui!"
Renji's eyes widened as the blue energy came shooting out. Renji didn't have time to block with his blade, and took the full force of Takumi's Kido spell right in the chest area, blasting him away from Takumi, smashing him against the wall directly before them, going all the way across the large battle field, a good amount of dust began to rise up from the ground.
Takumi exhaled slowly while keeping a tight hold on his sword.
Yachiru raised her hand into the sky, and cheered.
"Yahoo Taku! You did it! Red Monkey didn't even see that coming!"
Takumi gave a sideways smile.
"I don't think it's that simple Yachiru-san."
"Hmmmm? But Red Monkey went bye bye~ Is he going to be alive?"
Takumi looked to the area that Renji was blasted into.
"I can say that we should count on it. Besides, I don't want to kill Renji. He's just doing what he believes is right."
Takumi thought that would be true.
He did believe Renji would be able to survive that.
He was a Lieutenant class member of the Gotei 13, so he shouldn't go down with that blast.
Renji, having some blood dripping out of the wound on his chest from Takumi's Kido, pulled himself out of the hole from the wall, his eyes heading towards Takumi who looked on with a relaxed expression on his face.
"So...you've improved since Karakura town, have you?"
Takumi nodded slowly.
"I've been training to save Rukia-chan. You also managed to take that blast head on. I didn't even hold back, that shows you've got some incredible durability Renji."
Renji panted, pulling his blade further and further.
"What do you think you're going to do? Even if you get past me, you've got Captains, and Lieutenant's to fight against. You can't take them all down by yourself."
Renji thought that was true.
How could Takumi take them all down?
It just didn't make sense to him.
"I'm not alone." Takumi informed Renji. "I have comrades beside me, I have people that I can rely on. And even if I didn't, I can't simply back down and do nothing. Rukia-chan is waiting for me to save her, she's in a horrible situation. I know that you blame me for what's happened to her, and I also blame myself...if she didn't meet me, if we hadn't of met back in the human world, she wouldn't be in this predicament. I have to save her, I have to keep her safe."
Renji pulled backwards in slight wonder.
"You don't remember her...you've only known her for a short time...and yet, you feel that much responsibility?"
"I don't know what it is either. Of course even if I didn't feel anything for her, I'd still try and save her if I was involved somehow. Heck, even if I wasn't involved, if I knew of a situation which I thought was morally wrong, I'd try and change that. This fight with you, is something that I cannot say I want to do. This is a situation that no one in the end is going to get what they want."
Renji exhaled more and more, but then places his hand outwards.
Red energy began to form in his palm, while Takumi lifted an eyebrow.
"Let me give you a history lesson Takumi Urahara, you were the first Sensei I ever had."
"Is that so?"
Takumi was surprised.
He didn't know that.
Renji nodded, his passion growing higher and higher.
"You taught me about Kido, and swordsmanship! I learned about it from you! And this Kido is the first one that you ever taught me! I might not be a master like Rukia, or you, but I can still show you what a hundred years does to someone who trains hard!" The red energy gained more and more power. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!"
"It's Shakkaho, huh? Alright then, Shakkaho!"
The red energy sphere came shooting towards Takumi, who raised his own hand, and shot off a matching Shakkaho, exploding upon contact, and created a decent size cloud of smoke around them, blanketing the area.
"Roar, Zabimaru!"
Takumi heard Renji call out, and a second later the whip sword came swinging towards him at high speeds. However, before the blade could reach him, Takumi slashed his blade left, forcing Renji's blade away from his body, but Renji manipulated the whip sword to change direction in mid air, and come crashing down towards Takumi.
Having no choice, Takumi flashed backwards as the blade slammed down into the ground, creating a sizable hole in the ground, while the smoke began to clear, revealing Renji who was looking on with a hard expression on his face.
"You even dodged that. You're as amazing as ever, Takumi."
"And you're stronger than in the human world, Renji. So without the limiter, this is your full power."
Renji cocked his head to the side, while bringing in his sword once more.
"You're right, since we're not in the human world, I can show you my full power. This is me at one hundred percent! If you don't go full power, then you wont be able to beat me, you know?! I'll be able to take you back in and take you away to the Central 46!"
Yachiru placed her hands on her chin, as she swayed side to side.
"Does he think that he's going to win? His hand is trembling. He doesn't even want to fight Taku right now, yet he's showing this weird energy to fight Taku. And Taku seems to be keeping his power back as well, he doesn't want to truly hurt Red Monkey. But, Taku is strong, Ken-chan is going to be so happy!"
Yachiru let out a small squeal through her mouth, catching the attention of Takumi.
"You okay Yachiru-san?"
"Yup! I'm okay! Keep going Taku! Finish him off quickly! I can feel Ken-chan is beginning to feel mad about not being able to fight you!"
"I see, then keep watching Yachiru-san."
"Yes!"
Takumi turned back towards Renji who wiped the blood from his chest.
Renji then swings his blade upwards above his head, going faster and faster, making it look like a buzz saw in the air.
Takumi furrowed his eyebrows, wondering what he was going to do next, and how he could end this without killing Renji.
Elsewhere, Momo was worried about Renji. Because he left his badge, and how he had been asking questions about Takumi, she wondered if Renji was going to try and confront him...no, she knew for almost a certainty that she was going to be fighting him.
She had to go and see someone about it, so she walked over to Izuru, who was stationed within the Lieutenant's room as well, pulling him to one side.
"Izuru-kun, Renji-sans gone."
"Gone?" He echoed. "What do you mean he's gone?"
Momo went into her outfit, pulling out his badge, and showed it to Izuru himself.
"He left this in the Squad 6's barracks. He was talking a lot about that boy, Takumi Urahara, you don't think that he's gone to go and fight Takumi Urahara-san, right?"
Izuru displays shock on his face.
"I-Is he stupid?! Why would he go out on his own?!"
"I don't know...but, I'm worried about him Izuru-kun, what are we going to do?"
"Have you told your Captain?"
Momo shook her head with a worried expression on her face.
"I thought about telling Captain Aizen, but I didn't want Renji-san to get into trouble either." Izuru raised his eyebrows, so Momo quickly added onto it. "I don't think that Captain Aizen wouldn't be unfair to Renji-san or anything like that."
Izuru slowly nodded his head.
"I know that Hinamori. Don't worry. I'll go and find him, and I wont tell my Captain."
"But Izuru-kun, if he is fighting Takumi Urahara-san...are we sure he's going to be alive?"
"I..." Izuru hesitated, he wasn't sure honestly. "I don't know Hinamori, but I do know that he's acting reckless. He can't go off on his own, especially in times like this. If he dies...then I wont ever forgive him."
"Take the Squad 4 members Izuru-kun."
"Good thinking."
Izuru quickly took off through the doors, while Momo cupped her hands together with worry.
She thought about if Renji was fighting Takumi, and if he was, would she be dead by now?
She honestly didn't know.
But when she confronted Takumi…
He was nice to her.
But with Renji, and how he was reacting to Takumi, she honestly didn't know.
Back with Karin, Ikkaku came in with a sharp jab for her upper body, so she leapt into the air, and charged up her power.
"Your Shikai might be cool, but I can't lose here!"
Allowing the energy to gather at the base of her blade, she swung it downwards, releasing the energy for Ikkaku, who grit his teeth, back flipping as the energy came crashing downwards, destroying a good portion of the street, and a large cloud of smoke rose up between them, as Karin landed on the ground.
Ikkaku used this chance to slash through the smoke for Karin's face, who pulls backwards, believing that she had avoided the slash all together, but what she saw next shocked her.
The blade seemed to come apart from the spear…
No, a section of the spear split apart, once Ikkaku announced "Split, Hozukimaru!" and reached her face, cutting her face deeply, blood splurted out of her face, running down her face, as Ikkaku whipped his blade towards her once more in an attempt to cut her upper body, however Karin swung her blade upwards, clashing with Ikkaku's spear like blade, and then charged for Ikkaku himself.
"Is that the first time you've been cut like that?!"
Ikkaku demanded, but Karin shook her head.
"No, I've been cut before, so this doesn't bother me!"
Karin came slashing down with her blade, forcing Ikkaku backwards. But Karin smirked, and saw that the end of the blade was still retracting backwards to Ikkaku's own, so she thrusted her sword towards the chain that connected the segments, catching it, and yanked it forward, bringing Ikkaku's unwilling body forward as well.
"Have this!"
Karin dislodged her blade from Ikkaku's own chains, and charged up her spiritual energy.
Ikkaku became slightly nervous as she unleashed the energy for his body in a side ways slice.
Ikkaku thrusted the lower part of his weapon downwards, using it as a stepping stone to launch himself upwards, but by the time that Ikkaku pulled his three part staff upwards, Karin's energy encompassed the end section of the blade, and cut it off from the other sections of the staff.
"S-Shit!"
Ikkaku's eyes widening in shock, as Karin thrusts her blade upwards for Ikkaku's descending body, so he's forced to use his remaining two part spear, clashing with his blade and using her incredible strength, she forced him backwards into a wall, smashing through that wall, and through the wall behind that wall, creating two holes within the walls themselves.
Karin exhaled slowly.
"Using my energy like that is reckless. I don't have a good grasp on using it in consecutive bursts yet."
"Don't worry Karin, I'll help you along if you're a good girl."
Karin's eyes widened at the voice.
It was her inner Hollow.
Even now, she couldn't escape it.
"G-Go away..."
She spoke aloud, but then felt a chill down her spine.
It felt like arms had suddenly wrapped around her upper body, a cold breath brushing against her neck.
"Shhh now Karin, don't worry about it. Just let me help you. I'll slay this bastard, then we can go and help precious Yuzu~"
Karin's body shivered at the tone, the touch, the feelings inside of her.
Her breathing became more rapid by the second.
The Hollows hold on her felt tight.
It felt constricting.
She felt as if she was going to die...
"Oi! You cut my weapon apart!"
Ikkaku's voice brought her back to reality, as he pulled closer with his damaged weapon.
She allowed her breathing to grow less rapid, and more steady.
"What's wrong with you? You're the one who is attacking me!"
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to fight you with everything I have!"
She spoke to two people then.
One was Ikkaku before her.
But the other was her inner Hollow.
She couldn't be taken over.
She looked to Ikkaku who had some wounds on his body from Karin's attack.
"I have to admit that you're quite strong. Your ability to fight is great, and your strength is top notch. However, you attack too directly."
"It seems to be working against you."
"Well, I'm also a direct type of attacker. There are more trickier people than me in the Seireitei filled with Shinigami. Your tricks are working against me, but you might have more difficulty against the stronger members. Though you don't have to worry about that."
Karin showed confusion on her face.
"What do you mean?"
Ikkaku showed a wicked grin on his face.
"Because I'm going to defeat you nooooooooooooooooooow!"
Ikkaku's movements became more aggressive, crossing the distance within a few seconds. Karin was used to seeing Takumi and Kisuke moving fast, so she could see his movements, but reacting to them was a different story.
Seeing his blade twisting towards her right hand, Karin flicked her cloth in the way from her sword, which became like a shield for Karin, as the spears head came forward, and stabbed into it, leaving a hole within the cloth, but it allowed Karin to bend her body and swing her foot outwards for Ikkaku's upper body.
Ikkaku however allowed his weapon to split apart, and caught the middle section of the staff, but while catching her foot, the wood itself was splitting apart with Karin's strength alone, Karin furrowing her eyebrows.
"So, your weapon truly is like that, is it?"
Ikkaku cocked his head, pulling backwards.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, your weapon is versatile, but it is still wood. And it can still break with enough force. I thought something similar with my energy cutting off the chain before. But my kick managed to splinter the wood with my strength alone."
Ikkaku's eyes narrowed dangerously at the young girl before.
"Heh, maybe it's because you're freakishly strong. I have to admit I didn't think I'd have this much trouble against you! But I wont stop either! I will defeat you Karin!"
Ikkaku launches himself forward at Karin, who exhales slowly.
Seeing how Ikkaku was now moving faster than her, she had to do something.
She had to break through.
She had to make sacrifices.
Wrapping the cloth around her hand from her sword, she thrusts it outwards, as Ikkaku swings for her upper body.
The blade enters Karin's hand, she winces at the feeling from her hand being sliced, but she grips the blade tightly, which surprises Ikkaku.
"W-What are you doing!?"
"Perhaps you're right about tactics. It isn't my thing right now, but I'm still learning Ikkaku! And I'll show you something about me! You don't piss me off, and also, I never give up, is that clear!?" Karin holds her Zanpakuto tightly. "Now, this is the final blooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!"
Karin swings her sword downwards. Ikkaku tried to pull his weapon back to defend himself, but he couldn't at the end, due to Karin holding onto it.
"L-Let go of me!"
"Sorry! Can't do that!"
The blade of Karin dug deeply into the upper body of Ikkaku's. Slicing across his right shoulder, and ran down to his left hip, blood shot out of his upper body. Ikkaku's eyes widened, as Karin shoulder barged Ikkaku in the upper body, forcing Ikkaku backwards, skidding across the ground.
Karin looked down at her hand, seeing that it had a nasty gash in her hand.
"It's over Ikkaku, you can't fight with a wound like that."
Ikkaku looks down at his wounds, and then to Karin's body.
Seeing how she only had a few wounds compared to him…
He couldn't help but be astonished by everything that was before him.
Meeting this kind of opponent, it was fantastic.
"Do you think that will end me Karin?! I will show you the extent of my powers! I'm no coward that surrenders to escape death! As a member of Squad 11, we always fight until our dying breath! So I wont stop now!"
With what was left of his weapon, Ikkaku moved at Karin.
However, this time his movements were slower, and therefore Karin could follow them with ease, which allowed her to get a good grasp on what she was going to do.
Karin dashes forward, getting low, and aims her sword high.
"You fool!"
Karin launches her power upwards, catching Ikkaku up in it. The explosion of energy hits Ikkaku like a wrecking ball, blood shooting out of his body, and flung him away from Karin's body, who let out small pants, as Ikkaku's body smashes against a wall that was on the right hand side, bouncing off of the broken parts, and hit the ground, unconscious from the blow.
Karin slowly exhaled.
"Sorry Ikkaku, but that's how it had to end."
Regretting what happened, Karin noticed his sword turn back to normal, so she walked forward, grabbing the end of it, and revealed the septic, applying it to Ikkaku's wounds, as well as her own, though she ended up using it all in the process.
Karin let out a small breath, and quickly writes a small note in the wall with her sword, before leaving to go and find Yuzu.
Back with the fight with Renji and Takumi, Renji whipped his sword down again and again, his sword slashing apart the ground before him, but Takumi expertly dodged the attacks again and again, showing how fast he truly was.
"He's faster than I remember. Then again, he always was fast thanks to being trained by the former Squad 2 Captain, and now seeing him, he definitely is a very speedy opponent. But, why isn't he striking me down? And why hasn't he even released his sword yet? Is he taking it easy on me?"
Renji wondered these things, and more when he thought about Takumi taking it easy on him.
As he was fighting him, Nemu arrived with Hanataro in tow.
"Oh, Boobies, you're here too~"
Yachiru greeted, Hanataro gave a freaked out expression on his face.
"Lieutenant, I wasn't aware you also would be here."
Nemu greeted in her usual way.
Yachiru thrusted her small hand to the sky.
"I want to stay with Taku before he fights Ken-chan!"
"F-Fights Captain Zaraki?!"
Hanataro let out a shrill cry, Yachiru cocked her head.
"Who are you?"
Hanataro face faulted while Nemu watched the fight at hand, seeing Takumi continued to dodge Renji's movements with his body, watching the ground being sliced apart by Renji's expert whipping techniques.
"L-Lieutenant Abarai isn't able to hit that boy!?"
"It is understandable." Nemu retorted as Takumi got close to Renji. "Takumi Urahara-sama is a strong individual, however I can see that the man he is fighting, also seems to be going through something akin to emotional distress. Takumi Urahara-sama is a kind individual, he knows of the torment that Renji Abarai is going through at this moment. Also, I believe you refer to him as Red Monkey President."
Referring to Yachiru, who nodded again and again.
"Yes, he's Red Monkey! And Taku is so fun to watch! Ken-chan is going to have so much fun!"
Nemu slowly nodded, while Takumi twirled around, batting Renji's blade away, thrusting his blade towards Renji's body.
"The time you have where you can move your sword is three times. Consecutive attacks I should say, before you have to return your blade to your person."
Takumi got close, while Renji attempted to slash him down by flicking the blade of his to whirl around but Takumi saw it coming, so he thrusted his sword backwards, diverting the path of the blade so it stabbed into the ground, slicing apart the ground itself, as Renji used that as a distraction, grabbing Takumi's upper body with his free hand, and began gathering energy in his palm.
"I fooled you! Now, I'm going to explode you!"
Takumi exhaled slowly, and went to get out of the grasp of Renji when Renji's sword came whirling around them, wrapping them both up in his whip sword, binding them together.
"Are you trying to be a suicidal technique or something?"
That's how Takumi saw it anyway.
Renji would be caught up in the blast as well.
He didn't know what Renji was thinking about right now.
Was he that determined he'd also risk injuring himself beyond normal to win the fight?
"I can see that your skills are better than mine, so this is the only move that I can take to stop you! You haven't even revealed your Shikai yet! Am I not worthy enough of your Shikai?!"
Renji felt insulted.
Something Takumi didn't want to do.
He was saving it for other reasons.
"I was saving power, it wasn't ever about being worthy or not. For the record, I do believe you are powerful Renji, but I can't simply lose because of this. If you want my Shikai, then I'll have to finish this off quickly."
Takumi held his blade tightly as Renji unleashed a Shakkaho at point blank range.
Takumi received the blast, forcing him backwards with a gash across his hand were he had diverted the blast at the last second, and his blood dripped down onto the ground, coating the ground below him in his blood.
"I'm bleeding huh. That was a strong Kido spell. You put a lot of power into that, I had used a barrier, seems like it wasn't enough to stop the attack all together."
Renji hadn't come off as well as Takumi, and his body was burned by his own Kido spell.
His blood dripped onto the ground like rain.
Nemu looked on while Hanataro tilted his head.
"S-So, I don't understand...why isn't Urahara-san being ruthless…?"
"Because you shouldn't believe everything you hear."
Nemu replied to the bewildered Hanataro, while Takumi directed his eyes to Renji.
"Renji, it isn't too late to stop the fight. As my next blow will finish you off."
"You're that confident?!"
Takumi shook his head.
"No, it's because you've done yourself in with the way you've fought until now."
Renji developed a question mark.
"What are you talking about?"
"It has to do with the fact that you're being reckless in how you fight. Your whip sword is an advantage over me, you could fight from a distance, which you've been doing, but you're also allowing your anger for Rukia-chan to cloud your better judgement. In all honesty, you're skilled, you're more skilled than I had thought, and it can be dangerous with a weapon like yours. Running Kido through your blade, would be great for you."
"D-Don't stand there and lecture me! You gave up that right when you disappeared over a 100 years ago!"
Renji yelled, as his eyes began to shed a few tears.
Takumi saw him breaking down, and that felt heart breaking for the young boy.
"Renji-"
"No! I'm going to take you back to Central 46! I'm going to save Rukia! Even if I have to take back your broken body!"
Renji thrust his sword towards Takumi at the highest speed that he could.
But Takumi exhaled slowly.
"Sorry Renji. I truly am sorry." Takumi raised his sword into the sky. "Ravage, Kinhime!"
A bolt of lightning rips down from the air, and surrounds Takumi's blade, turning it into the zigzagged bolt blade, which catches Renji's own sword, blocking it with sparks going off around Takumi's body.
"You blocked it...I moved so fast but still..."
Takumi bows his head to Renji as his energy increases larger and larger.
Renji was baffled by the energy output that Takumi was giving.
It was incredible.
"Sorry about this." Takumi's Zanpakuto begins to blow brightly with electricity, Renji's eyes widening. "Lightning Rupture!"
Takumi swings his sword right for Renji and travels at the speeds of lightning. Renji attempts to use his sword to block Takumi's electrical shock, but the electricity rips right through the sections of the blade that hadn't come together yet, due to the speed Takumi was using his powers, and pierced Renji's body, sending a mass of electricity through his system, burns erupting over Renji's body, while the others watched with different expressions.
"The fight has been decided."
"L-Lieutenant Abarai! I-Is he going to die?!"
"Yay! Taku won the fight! Now he can fight against Ken-chan!"
Nemu held her normal expressions, but she was glad that Takumi managed to win the fight.
Hanataro was panicking about if Renji was dead or not.
Yachiru on the other hand was very excited for when he would fight Kenpachi, and how much fun they were going to have.
Renji's body is blown backwards, falling in slow motion in his perspective.
"In the end...I couldn't beat him. I was kidding myself...I couldn't beat Captain Kuchiki...I couldn't even keep up with him...while Takumi was able to do that for a little while...I never could...Takumi, what are you really thinking right now…? When you look at me...do you hate the person I've become…? I promised I'd always be there for Rukia...and I failed...I'm sorry..."
Renji's body hit the ground, with sparks of electricity surrounding his burned flesh.
Takumi exhaled slowly, showing that he had to put in a good deal of power to land that attack on Renji.
Takumi bowed his head to the young man, as he turned back to the others.
Mildly surprised to see Nemu there, he saw Hanataro beside her with a medical kit.
"Hey...erm, excuse me." Hanataro pointed to himself, seeing Takumi's eyes on him. "Yes, you. Do you have medical knowledge by chance?"
"A-Ah yes, that's right."
"Then could you give Renji here some first aid quickly?"
Hanataro was surprised that Takumi didn't even order him to take care of his hand.
But seeing that Renji indeed did need help, Hanataro rushed to Renji's side, while Nemu and Yachiru jumped down to meet Takumi.
"Reunion Nemu-san!"
"Yes, it seems we have been reunited, and it feels so good."
"Ooh Nemu-san, are you referencing songs now?"
Takumi teased while Yachiru hopped onto his shoulder.
"I have been broadening my interests and have come across a few songs that I deem worthy enough for me to consider liking." Takumi chuckled happily that Nemu was still growing. "Also, I have come to provide assistance Takumi Urahara-sama."
"But, if you do Nemu-san, you could be placed into a dangerous situation. You could be prosecuted for being involved with me."
Nemu pulled forward, showcasing an expression that Takumi was surprised to see.
It was something akin to happiness, but not true happiness, not yet.
"I understand this. However, Takumi-sama, you taught me many things within the human world. I have begun developing more interests, I am exploring more of who I am as an individual, and because of that, I have realized something Takumi-sama."
"And what's that Nemu-san?"
Nemu pulled forward, showcasing a hint of...self worth.
"I, do not like how Mayuri-sama treats me."
Takumi allowed a smile on his face.
"I see, then you can come with me if you want Nemu-san. I just want you to be sure that you're doing this for your own sake, you know all of the risks."
"I understand. I also enlisted this boy to be of assistance. He also knows Rukia Kuchiki-san and wishes to help save her, though he himself is rather weak and useless in combating enemies, in healing his skills are noteworthy."
Hanataro let out a small cry.
"I-I'm right here…"
Takumi chuckled lightly, bending down to Hanataro, and gently petted his head.
"Glad to have you on the team."
Hanataro's cheeks turned red with shyness, Takumi wasn't how he was expecting at all.
Yachiru thrusted her hand to the sky.
"I'm on team Taku!"
"Haha, you surely are Yachiru-san."
Takumi smiled out to the smaller girl, looking towards Renji.
He exhaled slowly, and bent down towards him.
"Renji, I'm sorry I had to injure you like this. I hope you understand why I had to do that..."
Renji's face turns noticeably more down than before.
However, it wasn't because he lost the fight.
It was because, he felt as if he had let down Rukia.
"I'm...I'm just a ruffian from the Rukongai, barking at the stars...but I've never been able to jump and grab them...but, you're different. Takumi...you looking at me...as if you don't know me...hurts me so much." Renji began to shed more tears, as his hand reached up for Takumi's outfit. "...I respected you so much...you were so kind to us...you came with food often...you trained us...you befriended us nobodies without a second thought..."
Takumi could feel the heart felt words Renji used.
The way that he was crying, it was real.
He truly did feel like this, and for Takumi at least, he thought Renji was showing his true colours now.
It was never about hating Takumi.
It wasn't about killing Takumi.
It was about feeling lonely without them.
"Renji..."
"...Hahaha, back then,...I always called you Sensei...because that's who you were to me...I'd come to you when I needed advice...you'd always smile at me...but then you went away...you disappeared...and we didn't know what happened...why did you go…?"
Takumi's eyes lowered, controlling his own emotions.
"I don't remember the exact reasons behind it, but when I get my memories back...I'll tell you. Until then...just know that whatever happened, I didn't leave you intentionally. Me with, or without memories wouldn't abandon someone I care for. I'm sorry I caused you heart ache Renji, I know that wasn't ever an intention I'd have."
Renji broke down in tears while Hanataro looked towards Takumi with renewed understanding.
It wasn't a false pretense as far as he could tell, it was being kind to Renji.
Renji's hand reached upwards, so Takumi grasped his hand, and held onto it tightly.
"Takum...please...I can't save her...but you can...right?"
Takumi exhaled slowly.
"I'm going to do my best Renji. You just be careful, there's some members of the Soul Society that are up to no good."
Renji thrusts his head backwards, whispering "Thank you..." and began falling unconscious. Takumi watched as Hanataro wrapped some of Renji's wounds, and used some healing Kido.
Takumi sensed for Orihime…
But she was way gone by that time.
It was understandable, he knew that it would be rather dangerous for her to stick around.
Takumi looked at his hand, and began using rudimentary healing Kido that he learned from Tessai, but it wasn't on near the same level as Hanataro, and Orihime's own special healing abilities. Nemu looked on at the hand, and then at Takumi himself.
"Takumi-sama, what are you planning to do now?"
"I need to gain some allies, but also meet up with some other's that came to the Seiretei as well. Orihime-chan is with Yoruichi-san so I'm not so worried. Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan are on their own, and as for Giselle-san...I'm sure that she'll be able to use her abilities to keep herself safe. I was on my way to Captain Kyoraku since he seems to be on my side. I also need to go and visit Captain Unohana at the earliest time."
"C-Captain Unohana? Why her?"
Hanataro pipped up.
"She can help me with something, if she isn't going to kill me."
"B-But, what about Rukia-san? Aren't we trying to save her?"
That's what Hanataro thought, and Takumi agreed.
"You're right, and this is to help Rukia-chan out as well. Because I'm trying to save not only Rukia-chan, but the entire Soul Society as a whole." Takumi's eyes went left and right. "But, there's many enemies coming to this location. We need to get off the street first of all."
"O-Oh, if it is moving around inconspicuously, then maybe I-I can help with that."
Hanataro volunteered, Takumi raised his brows.
"Is Renji going to live?"
"I-I've treated his major injuries, the medical squad should be able to take care of the rest, he'll survive until they get here."
"Great, then lets go."
"But, Taku! Ken-chan!"
Takumi turned his eyes to Yachiru kindly.
"I'll fight him, don't worry. Can you continue assisting me until then Yachiru-san?"
"Okay! Then lets go!"
Takumi, Nemu, Yachiru and Hanataro moved out from the area, leaving Renji mostly patched up, so they could get away before the enemies came, so they could fight another day, that's what they had to achieve now.
Ikkaku's eyes shoot open, blinking rapidly.
Remembering the fight with Karin, he thought that he was dead.
That she had killed him.
But no.
That didn't seem to happen at all.
He looked down at his wounds, and saw that his septic had been applied.
He rolled his head around, and saw the message Karin had left him.
[Sorry, used your septic on my wounds as well, and it ran out. Got to find my sister, that was a good fight, you're a strong opponent. To me, you're like a miniboss, and I managed to beat you so I'm progressing further.]
That made Ikkaku laugh.
"What a weird girl she is!"
Ikkaku continued to laugh.
He was sure that someone was going to find him soon so he took this chance to relax…
But then someone did come.
Standing over him, was Giselle.
"W-Who are you?"
"My name is Giselle."
Ikkaku gave a fearful look when Giselle gained a happy grin on her face.
"W-Why are you here exactly Giselle?"
"Hehe, because I want you in my army."
Ikkaku became confused as Giselle bent down towards him, revealing a number of Shinigami behind her, all having whitened out eyes, under her thrall, as the Zombie Master.
"W-Wait! What does that mean?! Why are their eyes white like that?! What happened to their pupils exactly?!"
Giselle twirled her hair with a girly expression on her face.
"Hehe, don't worry about that, they're just my cute Zombie's~ Though I don't go for your type, you'll do. You're about to join my lovely family~ What's your name?"
Ikkaku felt more fear burning into his system.
He was deeply afraid of this girl.
The way she looked at him.
The way her eyes would dance on his form.
It terrified him more than anything else in this world.
"L-Leave me alone! I'm not telling you anything! Go away right now you freaky girl!"
"That's not nice, I'm only trying to be a polite girl~ Masaki-chan would be so angry if I wasn't a good girl before doing this~ But don't worry, you'll only be here temporary, not permanently, promise~" Giselle bent closer and closer, her hair brushing against Ikkaku's terrified face. "I'm going to take care of you now, my Zombie-kun~"
Giselle's face turned more and more scary as she began making him her Zombie.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
That was the last thing Ikkaku did before he was fully converted into one of her Zombies.
Giselle, now had Ikkaku in her Zombie army.
End chapter!
So we got the fight between Takumi and Renji, revealing a little more of their past together, the conflict Renji felt about attacking someone he saw as a Sensei, and a friend, while trying to help Rukia, at the same time Karin, Yuzu, and Ganju had their own enemies to deal with, with Yuzu's and Ganju's being explored more next chapter. Karin fought the best that she could, and edged out a victory, while her inner Hollow reminded her that she was still there, giving her some worry. Takumi managed to beat Renji after releasing his Shikai, while Nemu and Hanataro joined up with them, and watched the fight. Nemu seems to come more out of her shell with Takumi, and has decided to stay with him, despite knowing it could lead to trouble for herself. Then finally, Giselle appears at the end, and has added Ikkaku to her army. Though she wont keep him forever as a Zombie, Takumi will help her with that.
Well, until next time, thanks for reading!
Takumi; Orihime, Rukia, Yuzu, Karin, Nemu, Giselle, Liltotto, Momo, Soi Fon, Yoruichi, Hiyori, Nelliel, Tier, Rangiku, Toshiro (fem), Nanao.