Welcome back everyone to another installment of Ballad of the Strawberry and there are some comments to respond to.
ssj3gohan007: The answer to your question is yes but can you guess how that might play into the plot later?
DemDazer: The Gamer ability has moved from the forefront of the plot and moved to the background. It was an ability to instigate change and bad writing on my part. I admit the mistake and now that the story is moving along I am going to attempt to keep it relevant but if it hinders the plot more than maintains it then I'll write it out. That's all there is too that, I am sorry for those who only stick around for the Gamer ability but it has served it's purpose and is now on the back burner.
Thank you for reading up to this point, we broke 30k two chapters ago and it is the longest work of writing I have done so I hope it continues to please those whoa re reading this. We got an extra long chapter for all of you and please review and comment all errors, plot holes and other things you either liked or disliked. Remember I don't own Bleach or any of it's properties.
Now on to our feature presentation.
Tatsuki ran towards the Urahara Shoten at a brisk pace. She was going to kill that damned shopkeeper when she got her hands on him. Her parents had just repainted the wall and then he goes and sends a message that appears to be written in blood.
"Hey, Tatsuki!" She almost had a heart attack when Orihime ran up beside her. They had a lot to think and talk about after Ichigo had gone Hollow. Orihime was scared. Tatsuki would have died to one if she hadn't been saved by Ichigo and turned her into a shinigami. It was a difficult topic for the normally uppity girl.
Arriving at the Shoten they spotted Chad waiting for them. His silent demeanour acting as a disguise for the emotion just beneath the surface. He was one of the most affected by Ichigo's transformation, he wanted to help Ichigo but had no way to support his friend. It's not surprising the gentle giant was here to help with the rescue.
"Really! We're the last ones!?" Tatsuki turned and couldn't help a grin forming across her face at the sight of Keigo and Mizuiro. The calm raven haired teen simply shrugging in response to Keigo's outburst.
"I told you that we shouldn't have cleaned up the mess Urahara had left before coming."
"But Mizuiro! That was my favourite poster! It was mint condition and signed!" Their antics lightened the tense mood for a moment.
"Quiet down, you're attracting unwanted attention to us." Uryu walked out of the shadows in his white robes and short cape. Pushing his glasses up with a gleam he analyzed the group that had arrived.
"You're the last person I thought would come. You have no reason to be here." Uryu simply shook his head.
"You mistake my intentions. I am not here to save Rukia but to pay off my debt. I'm going to kill the man who cost Ichigo his soul." The air was silent as they took in the conviction behind his words. They all shared similar sentiments and to be fair most of them had thought about it. Even the pacifist, Orihime, had thoughts of what she would do if she came across the Shinigami that had taken away her Ichigo. They would all never admit it but Rukia was a mere background thought in their minds.
"I think you all should come inside before you catch a cold." They all turned to spot the shopkeeper, all with varying reactions. Some hate, some sadness, some contempt. All of them knew they needed him though and he needed them. They would compromise for now and they figure out the rest later.
Tatsuki stood in the Urahara training grounds with all of her friends and a few additions. Ichigo's dad and sisters had joined them as a sendoff. Isshin had wanted to come but someone had to man the Clinic, plus the family needed to recover. She had paid a visit after the incident.
The state she had seen Isshin in was if she had to describe it, jittery. He was all over the place and papers littered the floor. It was a sad sight to see and she had gone to apologize but they refused to tell her that she did nothing wrong. They were glad she stopped Tatsuki because the only thing worse than Ichigo going hollow was the chance that when he did get purified he wouldn't have any memories of them. They would much rather hold onto the hope that he could be found and saved. She wanted to believe he could be turned back to their side but she also didn't want to hold onto false hope. She steeled her resolve as she looked between her company.
Orihime, she apparently had a shield and sword type deal. She could also heal so, begrudgingly she was made support. She would stay with at least two of them at all times and would heal any of them that got into serious fights.
Chad, the wall. He had an arm with a powerful spiritual attack. It could do an amazing amount of damage and he could take a massive amount of damage and be okay. She had sparred with him and used her Shikai, the first release of a zanpakuto, to attack him. He had taken it for the most part before being thrown away. He was their tank.
Keigo. How he had spiritual powers she didn't know but apparently he had come into close proximity with Ichigo when he had gone shinigami. He was their blitzer. He could move at close to mach 4. ~1090 m/s or ~1280 m/s. He was slightly faster than her Shunpo. It amazed her that he had that level of power.
Mizuiro, he had some kind of a cybernetic suit. It glowed a soft blue. He could make disks that matched her zanpakuto in cutting power and were fast too. Anyone caught off guard would have to watch out. The suit also silenced his footfalls so he was their stealth guy.
Last but not least there was the Quincy himself. Uryu. He had done his training on his own so Yoruichi couldn't say what his power was but equated it to a fukutaichou at best. Herself and him were the only individuals that could fight on that level but everyone else was at least third seat or low fukutaichou.
Yoruichi would be their guide and leader of the mission. Strange that she was still in her cat form but Tatsuki guessed it was a stealth thing and making others drop their guard. It had worked on her, she had learned that appearances can be deceiving the hard way. The madwoman had drilled Hakuda and Shunpo into her and claimed her as a student. Even said that there might be a technique she could use.
Urahara stood on a large rock and observed everyone with his piercing stare. He nodded to Tessai and they performed a small incantation that summoned 4 large pillars that slammed into each other to form a gateway.
"Once inside the senkaimon you will have 4 minutes to get to the other side before it closes." The group kept their concerns to themselves. This was more than just saving Rukia now. It was personal, they would save Rukia in the name of Ichigo as it was his last desire before he turned but also to avenge Ichigo. If it were not for those shinigami that took Ichigo's power from him, he wouldn't have had to use the shattered shaft and would never have gone hollow. She swore she would kill the man that took Ichigo away from his friends, away from his family, and away from her.
She clenched her fist as her knuckles lost their colouration. She would set things right. Even if she had to beat a way to follow Ichigo out of Urahara. She released her fist and stepped forward and turned to the entourage.
"Friends of Ichigo, family." She glanced at the Kurosaki's, arguably the most affected by the absence of the orange-haired teen. "We have gathered here to save a shinigami from her own people. Her name is Kuchiki Rukia. The one who gave Ichigo his powers and the one he wished to save before he failed to gather his shinigami power in time. We are going to complete his mission and save Rukia!" The aura of determination was palpable. Fire burning in everyone's eyes.
"Let's go!" A united cry as they all ran into the senkaimon. Urahara watched as the last of them went through.
"Good luck Tatsuki, you're all going to need it." Succeed where Ichigo failed. She was his last hope unless Aizen waited till the Kurosaki twins could be trained.
"Run! Run from the giant hell vacuum!" Yoruichi was having to slow herself down for most everyone except Keigo. He was keeping pace with ease while Chad and Orihime were having their own issues.
They were close to the exit but if someone didn't do something to slow the train from hell down, it would be bad news bears. Orihime then got a bright idea.
"Santen Kesshun! I reject!" A three-pointed shield forms in front of the cleaner and a massive explosion of power shoots the group of the senkaimon with a bright flash.
Tatsuki hit the ground, hard. Keigo and Chad landed not far away as Orihime and Mizuiro landed on top of Keigo and Uryu hit the ground already in a roll and caught himself a distance away.
"We did it!" Orihime, always the bubbly one was excited for about 5 seconds before Yoruichi slashed her face with her sharp claws.
"You fool! If one of your fairies had been caught by the Kototsu you would have been stuck and been lost to the current or your soul destroyed! Never do anything that risky again!" The cat was bristled and seething as Orihime nursed her injury.
Finally taking a good look around them, Tatsuki took a good look at where they had landed. It was straight out of a history textbook. Old Edo-era buildings surrounded them. They had landed in the middle of one of the many streets but the town seemed devoid of life.
"Hey, Yoruichi-sensei? Where are we going exactly?" The cat pointed behind them and when Tatsuki turned her eyes widened. Not too far behind them were streets made of a marble-esc material that was in stark contrast to the feudal appearance of the area where they had landed.
"Is that the Soul Society?" Yoruichi shook her head before resting on her haunches and staring at the group expectantly. Keigo snapped out of his shock as he was dragged to the sit with the others in a semi-circle around the cat.
"The Soul Society as you are aware is actually this whole dimension." She let that hang as she smirked inwardly at the questioning glares she was receiving. "What you see behind me is called the Seireitei. It is the home of the Shinigami and the higher class denizens of the Soul Society."
"What about the area we're in?" Keigo gestured at the surrounding feudal houses on their side of the Soul Society.
"This is the Rukongai or Rukon for short. 80 districts in the cardinal directions. This is where all the powerless spirits that inhabit the Soul Society reside." Tatsuki jumped up and stared at the marble streets ahead.
"If they make the distinction, why do they leave it so open and undefended?" She bolted towards the Seireitei but stopped dead in her tracks as a massive wall descended from the sky, crashing into the ground with a resounding thud.
"That's because it is defended you fool, back away now before-" A shadow encompassed the area as a giant of a soul reaper descended from the sky. His hulking form was about half the height of the Menos. His hair was tied into a pony-tail, which extended down to his waist. He had long sideburns, which continued down onto his neck which were tied up in small pony-tail like tufts. The giant had armour on his left shoulder and upper arm, plus a red hat with tassels. The left side of his chest is left exposed by his uniform.
"It's been a while since I've had a challenger. Who dares to try to enter the Seireitei while Jidanbo's on my watch?"