Welcome back everybody to another chapter of Ballad of the Strawberry! The divergence is coming in a few chapters! No comments to respond to today so enjoy the chapter and comment. If you find any mistakes or simply wish to ask about the story. Obviously I'm not answering major plot questions or anything that will count as a spoiler but I can discuss possible future pairings, as I have none planned, as well as OC's. I might even star some of your OC's in this fic if it fits within the story. Sorry but these chapters are going to be shorter but that means we will get to the meat of this story sooner. If you guys want I have the next chapter done as well and I can post that here too. How I write these chapters is based on a segment of the story I want told. Once it is done then the chapter is done. This allows for super long chapters or super short chapters but all will at least be over a thousand words. Love you all and now presenting our feature presentation.
Ichigo was pissed. He stood atop a mountain of defeated Hollows as his eyes narrowed. He had spent the last half hour running around, trying to find Uryu and now Ichigo had him in his sights. One of the Hollows that managed to survive in Ichigo's pile tried to get up but Ichigo only stomped on its head.
"I'm sick and tired of fighting all of these Hollows because of some stupid reason you seem to think justifies this level of destruction! What is your deal anyway?!" Light reflected off of his lenses as Uryu pushed up his glasses.
"I wouldn't expect you to understand Shinigami." Ichigo was in his face, holding the student by the collar of his shirt.
"Then make me understand you asshole!" Uryu frowned. This Shinigami had no tact whatsoever. How brutish.
"Fine but you have to set me down, I can't kill all of these Hollows with you holding me up. Or would you rather we die because you can't live with your own failures?" Ichigo threw Uryu down with a thud.
What was this guy's problem, first he spouts some nonsense about not needing a Shinigami to protect this town and then proceeds to throw insults like Ichigo would know what he means? Maybe the Shinigami did something to piss him off but he wasn't one of them. He would have to beat some sense into him but that would have to wait until after what was probably some long speech.
"I need to prove the value of Quincy to the Shinigami, for my Grandfather. He was an advocate for the eradication of the Quincy race because they were so lost in their way they failed to see that change was needed. My Grandfather wanted to work with the Shinigami but they turned him down, time and time again. We were to act as an early response team since the Shinigami are usually late to kill the Hollows, the Quincy would hold them off till the Shinigami could come by and purify the beasts. In the end, he was killed, a group of large Hollows had cornered him and he fought them off the best he could. The Shinigami sent to protect him arrived 2 hours after the first contact, an hour after he had already died."
Ichigo relaxed. He saw something he could relate to in the Quincy, the loss of a loved one. To a Hollow no less. This was where he could turn this around. Ichigo soberly nodded at the story, even as he twisted around and sliced another Hollows skull in half.
"Uryu, do you not see what your Grandfather meant? He wanted Shinigami and Quincy to fight back to back. To work together. Fighting like this will get us nowhere. There are too many Hollows for either of us to fight alone, look at your hand!" It was true, Uryu's hand was blistered and had been bleeding for a good while now. It felt numb but he would persist. In the name of his Grandfather. He would show the Shinigami that Quincy had a use.
"If you're afraid of getting overwhelmed, sit back and watch-" Uryu swung around and unleashed a volley of arrows at the surrounding Hollows and mowed them down. "As I take care of the rest of the Hollows." He then ran off into the park as Ichigo reluctantly followed. He grunted in anger. Uryu was going to kill them both at this rate.
Ichigo found Uryu starting to get surrounded again as his arrows were fired off slower and slower as the time went by. The damned Quincy couldn't do this on his own and his pride prevented him from admitting it to his perceived enemy. Ichigo had to help him, otherwise, they would both die.
Uryu felt Ichigo arrive at his side. What was the Shinigami trying to do? He could take care of them. Maybe.
"What are you trying to do Kurosaki?" He shot another arrow as Ichigo sliced another 2 Hollows to pieces.
"What's it look like? I'm working with you to kill these Hollows. It's clear we need to work together to win, even if your pride won't let you say it, you know it in your soul that you need me just as much as I need you right now." Uryu grimaced. He loathed the thought but Ichigo was correct. He did need the Shinigami. Ichigo stepped in front of the Quincy and held out his hand.
"Let's work together and finish these Hollows off together." Uryu scoffed as Ichigo scowled at the bow wielder.
"Just try not to get in my way Kurosaki." A grin flitted across the carrot tops face.
"I was just about to say the same thing, Ishida." They passed each other with renewed vigour as they mowed down Hollows left and right fighting back to back. Turning in rhythm and working in almost perfect harmony. Opposites of the same coin as it were. Suddenly the Hollows all stopped doing what they were doing and stared up at the sky. Ichigo and Uryu followed suit.
"What do you suppose that is?" Ichigo couldn't take his eyes from the large tear in the sky.
"I'm glad you asked, I have no idea." Ichigo blanched as Uryu adjusted his glasses again. He grit his teeth, if the Quincy had no idea then he wouldn't get an answer. The tear opened and out came the face of the single largest Hollow either of the boys had ever seen. Its body was almost pure black like some kind of demonic priest. It had a choker around its neck and a mask larger than any Hollow Ichigo or uryu had ever seen.
"We need to kill that thing."
"Agreed. What about the rest of the Hollows Kurosaki?" Ichigo spared a glance at the rest of the Hollows and was about to address the issue when several of the Hollows exploded and out of the smoke came a little girl.
"Huh?" Only the most profound commentary from the Substitute Shinigami. Following the short girl came a short, red-headed kid, a tall, burly man rocking a majestic moustache and your friendly neighbourhood shopkeeper.
"Well take care of the rest of the Hollows Ichigo, you and the Quincy need to focus on that one." Urahara pointed at the large Hollow that was slowly opening the tear in the sky as it exited the opening. The teens merely nodded at the shopkeeper as he quite clearly had it handled.
Ichigo and Uryu were running side by side towards the open park where the Menos was arriving and Ichigo let a grim slip across his face as he realized the situation. Together they would take on the monstrosity and together they would realize Uryu's grandfather's dream. Quincy and Shinigami, working side by side. To fight the Hollows.