Welcome back everybody to another chapter of Ballad of the Strawberry, things have been shaken up and we're getting into the Rescue arc but how will that go without Ichigo? Will the Soul Society become allies like before or enemies? Find out in the future chapters of Ballad of the Strawberry.
Side note, this arc will be about 20+ chapters long and there will be no shortage of fights for all of you that enjoy those. Hopefully I'll get better by the time the Winter War arc comes around because I know I'm lacking there.
Another note is that we won't see Ichigo at all this arc so i have a side story set up called Ballad of the Strawberry: The Lost Nachos. You should go check that out if you want to keep track of Ichigo and what he's doing during all of this.
Hope you enjoy the read and please review and comment what you liked and disliked.
Now on to our feature presentation.
"Who would challenge the mighty Jidanbo?" The giant leaned over to pass a questioning gaze over Tatsuki.
"I need to get into the Seireitei to rescue a friend." Yoruichi glared daggers at her student. Tatsuki simply shrugged, it was worth a shot. Jidanbo considered the words and the shihakusho that Tatsuki sported. He let out a massive sigh and shook his head down at Tatsuki.
"I'm afraid I can't let you in without a pass, if you wish to enter the gate without a pass then you must beat me in a duel." He hefted his large ax over his shoulder. Tatsuki drew her blade and got ready to fight. "You may have size but I have numbers! Hey guys!" Keigo was at her side before Jidanbos swing hit the ground but once it did the ground exploded and a bowl was created around the three combatants preventing the interruption of any of the other members of the party.
"You disrespectful child, leave the arena so I can fight the spiky-haired girl." Keigo was going to respond in descent but Tatsuki rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Go back outside with the others, I'll be fine Asano-san."
"Call me Keigo! Not Asano-san, it makes me feel so old!" Keigo was on his knees with waterfalls rolling down his face. "Stop working with that womanizer, Tatsuki!" She sighed but the message went across.
"I'll be fine, in Ichigo's name I trained with Urahara for 10 days. Go back to the others and calm their nerves." Tatsuki closed her eyes before turning to face her opponent. When she opened her eyes, Keigo was gone and she could hear arguing on the other side of the rock wall. She turned back to her opponent and bowed slightly.
"Thank you for allowing my friend to leave unharmed and for waiting for my business to get resolved." Jidanbo smiled slightly at the gratitude.
"Hear this, even if you lose, I will not kill you and maybe in a few decades, you can try again kid. At least one of your lot is respectful." Tatsuki readied her blade and the battle began.
"What do you mean she told you to stay outside?! You could have helped her!" Keigo shook his head as he stared wistfully at the wall separating them from their friend.
"I don't think I would be much help to her right now, there is only one opponent and we have two different fighting styles. Also, can you feel her power?" Chad and Orihime looked at the rock wall, where they could feel the weight coming from the arena. It wasn't oppressive, just heavy.
"So she revealed her Shikai to Jidanbo, not surprising but now we have lost the advantage. It would seem our lives have gotten more difficult." Yoruichi finished her observation and turned to the group.
"What do you mean Yoruichi? What's a Shikai?" The cat chuckled at Orihime's curious nature for a moment.
"Shikai is when you call upon the name of your zanpakuto and it changes the blade, usually comes with a 3-5 times power boost. That heaviness to the air, that's the power of a Shikai." The group stared in renewed awe as the rock was blasted away to reveal Tatsuki with armour made of dirt that slowly fell off her body. Her blade formed from some of the rocks and sealed. Turning to face them she had blood dripping from her left eyebrow.
"Well done Tatsuki." Chad stared at her and watched all of the other friends rush up to her. His mind back with Ichigo as his fists clenched. He would fight for Ichigo, even if Ichigo wasn't there, what he would do after they save Rukia is up in the air. For now, though he would use his strength to save Rukia.
The raven-haired shinigami tried to comfort her defeated opponent at the loss of his axes. The man was bawling for crying out loud, just like I..chi...go. She thought back to the kid she used to beat up at the dojo forever ago. His mom always made him smile like he just got a prize. A pained smile crept across her face as her eyes lost focus. Unconsciously she reached out and lay a comforting hand on the giant.
He looked up at the offending hand and practically hugged Tatsuki.
"Oh! You're such a kind person! Even after you bested me and I lay here crying, you still show me compassion! I'll help you out, I have lost as both a warrior and a man." Quite a few eyebrows hit the hairline.
"You serious?" Mizuiro was confused, why let them in if they beat the guard, didn't mean they had to open the door. He guessed it was a kind gesture, maybe these Shinigami have an honor code that we can take advantage of. He wouldn't share his hypothesis without proper evidence though. He would wait until he could prove the theory correct.
"Of course, you beat me and now I can no longer stand in your way." Tatsuki and Orihime lit up.
"Yay!" The orange-haired girl jumped for joy at how easy it was to get it. Jidanbo grabbed the bottom of the gate and slowly lifted up the massive west gate. The blinding white of the Seireitei made the group flinch but Yoruichi already knew what would await them on the other side. Standing before them was a rather tall, silver-haired man. Eyes closed to slits and a grin a mile wide.
"Funny seeing you on the other side of the wall." Tatsuki face faulted as the man drew his blade, white haori billowing in the breeze caused by the release of his reiatsu. "Shoot to kill! Shinso!" The smaller blade extended as Tatsuki rushed to block the attack. She was thrown back and slammed into Jidanbo as they both were blown back. Without the giant to hold the gate open it fell and sealed their chance to get inside the shinigami's base of operations.
"That ended better than I thought." The cat turned to the city.
"What do you mean! We have to get back in there!" Chad set a calming hand on the annoyed Quincy.
"There is another way." Uryu turned a skeptical eye to Chad before noticing that he wasn't looking back. He was staring at the cat.
"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"
"I told you to regroup and come up with a plan, now I do have another way in but it'll take some time to get there and I'm not sure where it is but there is help with the Shiba clan. We need to find Kukaku Shiba." Orihime, who was healing Tatsuki and Jidanbo's injuries, perked up at the news.
"How are we going to find him?" Yoruichi sauntered into the town.
"We ask the village elder. They will know where Kukaku is. Follow me." As they walked, several people started to come out of the shacks and shops that dotted the street, many of whom started to flock to Jidanbo and help Orihime heal the giant gatekeeper. Comforting him about his axes and Orihime repaired the damage that Tatsuki dealt to the weapons.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The giant hugged Orihime before smiling down at her. "If you or your friends need any help at all, feel free to call on me. You're too kind for enemies of the Seireitei."
"Thank you for your offer Jidanbo. We'll keep that in mind." Tatsuki caught herself smiling again, this time out of joy or contentedness? All she knew was that she was getting closer to her goal. Saving Rukia. Should be smooth sailing from here. Probably.