Welcome back everybody to another chapter of BotS! Happy to see you all again, today we break 40k words and I am so happy you all are here. There are those of you who have been here from the beginning and you know who you are. The supporters and amazing people who help keep this fanfic going. You are all appreciated and all a reason as to why this is still going and uploading a chapter a day hasn't killed me yet. I live and thrive off your comments! Speaking of which
ssj3gohan007: Yes, i want Orihime to play a larger role that the damsel in distress that she usually is for the beginning of the story. I'm going to give her more attacking powers and a more evolved defense and healing but when that happens will depend on how long things take. As I said this arc is going to be about 25 chapters long from beginning to end. So about a month real time.
Guest Chapter 8: Thank you for your criticism and for reading the entire published fanfic before passing judgment. I'll keep your words in mind as I continue this story.
Moscow2009: I am glad to have readers from any walk of life and any country. I am grateful for the effort you put in to writing your comment and I look forward to future comments from you. Thank you for the pairing comment and I'll keep that in mind for when I get around to that part of the story.
Make sure to vote in the poll on my profile page for the future of this fanfic. Now with comments out of the way, I give you, our feature presentation.
Tatsuki and Chad slammed into the ground forming a massive crater. Chad had managed to slow them down by sending blast after blast into the ground. Taking in their surroundings they noticed the distinct lack of shinigami investigating their locations, Chad had made it apparent where they would land with his blasts so why weren't there any shinigami to stop their mini invasion?
Chad stood and shared a look with Tatsuki. Their welcoming party was coming, if a little late. What was this response time? Tatsuki shook her head as two shadows fell over the invading Ryoka.
"Lucky us, nobody found them before we arrived." A bald man with red highlights at the corners of his eyes grinned down at the two Ryoka.
"Quite, it wouldn't be as aesthetic if we had to watch someone else kill these invaders." Chad stood without saying a word while Tatsuki sighed at the two shinigami. This is what she was up against, this would be fun. Chad activated his arm and Tatsuki drew her wabisachi. Both of the shinigami dropped down and posed before drawing their own blades.
"I call the tall one!" The bald shinigami pointed the tip of his blade at Chad. "He looks really strong." Tatsuki grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the hilt of her blade. So that's how it was? She moved as fast as she could in an attempt to strike the bald headed guy. She frowned when she was blocked by the sheath of his blade. Something rose within her, giving her strength as she pushed him back and a grin crossed his face.
"I take it back, I want her, she's got a will to fight in her." Tatsuki glanced at Chad and his nod was all she needed as he and the flamboyant shinigami ran off to another area to fight. The bald shinigami and Tatsuki circled each other as they assessed each other. The bald shinigami would strike with his blade and Tatsuki would block only for the bald man to attack with his sheath and then alternate. Testing each other. The bald shinigami jumped back after Tatsuki overextended herself.
"Before we fight I have one questions for you!" He pointed his sheath at Tatsuki. "What is your name Ryoka?" Tatsuki grinned as she bowed her head slightly after sheathing her blade. A gleam in her eyes that promised pain, the look only served to widen the bald shinigami's grin.
"Arisawa Tatsuki, what is your shinigami?"
"Madarame Ikkaku. Third seat of 11th Division, now draw your blade and fight me!" Tatsuki drew her blade and a small grin grew on her.
"You better be a better fighter than the gate guardian." Her grin turned almost feral as her reiatsu spiked. Ikkaku jumped at her with his blade ready to bifurcate her be she blocked only to be thrown off balance when Ikkaku thrust his sheath into her stomach and she got the breath knocked out of her. She slid back several feet as she held her stomach in pain. Looking up at the shinigami her eyes burned with a fire.
"That was a mistake you made just now." Ikkaku tilted his head in confusion.
"And why would that be Arisawa-san?" Tatsuki grabbed her blade and stabbed it into the ground as he spiritual pressure spiked again. His grin grew as he realized what was happening. She twisted the blade while it was in the ground.
"Let the ground swallow you whole, Chikyū no haha." The blade sank into the ground as dust exploded into the air and covered her hands in the thin layer of the dirt under the tiles her shikai had upturned. Standing tall and dispelling the remaining dust in the air, Tatsuki now sported twin brown gloves with the kanji for earth engraved on the backs.
"Ji no ken." She lifted her hand and a blade made of soil and granite formed in her hand. "Doheki." The other hand shoved forward in the direction of the smirking Ikkaku before a wall of the tiles formed and shot towards the bald shinigami before being smashed into pieces.
"I have another question for you Arisawa-san." He loosened his grip on his blades and appeared to relax. "Your reactions, they are good and there is power behind your strikes but I can't seem to lose the thought that you're a rookie. A novice that was trained with haste. I can't simply say you rely on your instincts as I'm able to surprise you enough that when you do use them it isn't on purpose. You like to fight but you're still a child. Who trained you?" Tatuski was taken aback by the comment and had to consider the question.
"I can't say they were my teachers for sure because it was only for a handful of days but I had two. Shihouin Yoruichi and Urahara Kisuke." Ikkaku's features hardened at the knowledge as he sighed.
"With them as your teachers I have to start showing you more respect. I'll give you the death deserving of your training." He held the ends of his blade and his sheath back to back and ran his hand along the sheath. "Grow, Hōzukimaru. Now prepare for your death at my hands. Feel lucky you even lasted this long." The blade and sheath bonded to form a spear with a red tassel hanging off the end of the spear.
Tatsuki took in the appearance of Ikkaku's shikai and then looked at her gloves. She figured she could ask Yoruichi about the nature of shikai after she beat Ikkaku up and found Chad. She knew about where the cat would be. Speaking of Chad she felt his reiatsu skyrocket as well as several of her other friends around the Seireitei. Bringing her mind back to the fight she grinned as she rushed Ikkaku with the intent to return what he had done to her. Aiming a fist to force Ikkaku to block his face, she followed up with a jab intended to knock the air out of his lungs. Once she was within his guard and she smirked. So was he though.
"Today just isn't your lucky day. Split apart." He grinned ferally at her as the spear broke into three segments. She narrowly twisted but had to block with her blade which shattered it into dust as she jumped back. She escaped with a large gash in her face but Ikkaku had several cuts from where the blade shattered and cut him. The shinigami grinned madly.
"Got a few tricks up yer sleeves don't you?" Tatsuki merely nodded in response before frowning as Chad flared his reiatsu again. He was starting to struggle but she trusted him to win. She lay her hand on the ground and looked up at Ikkaku.
"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do but I can't afford to lose to you." Ikkaku was surprised by the directness of the statement before Tatsuki uttered something under her breath before all the dust on the ground covered the entire area with a cloud, obscuring everyone's vision.
Ikkaku tried to sense the Ryoka but she seemed to be everywhere, whatever this dust was it was mixed with her spiritual pressure and he cursed his already bad sensing ability. He felt the air displaced behind him and he twisted but was too late as blood exploded from his back and the then front. He saw the glimmer of Tatsuki was she sheathed her blade as he shikai dissipated and the dust settled.
Ikkaku looked down at himself and saw the torn fabric where she had lightly cut him, it was all coated in dust before the dust flew through his body like tiny razor blades that caused major damage internally and externally as the bald 3rd seats body erupted in blood and he collapsed, his shikai already having returned to its sealed state.
Tatsuki kneeled before the downed shinigami and bowed her head. "I am sorry for having to use such a cheap trick but I couldn't allow myself to lose. I ask that you forgive me." She was jolted out of her thoughts as Ikkaku grabbed her arm and grinned a bloody grin up at her.
"I understand, whatever you're here for, it must mean a lot. Just be careful, you're strong and my Captain will come looking for you. Don't hold back against him, he will kill you if you do." Tatsuki was shaken by the warning as Ikkaku let go, falling into unconsciousness.
She stood up and felt for Chad, he was finishing his fight but she should head for him before she is found by more shinigami. Deciding on her course of action she sped towards Chad and his fight. A shiver went down her spine at the thought of the monster that Ikkaku had warned her about. She would have to avoid him at all costs.