Chapter 19: Entering the Soul Society
Hey everyone! It's me, sakuraphoenix, and I'm back with a new chapter! I know, I'm late with the updates! Well, a lot has happened. Right now, I'm in China, on vacation, but that doesn't give me the excuse to not update my stuff. Anyways, disclaimer time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I also do not own Shizuku. He belongs to my good friend Lyokowarrior1994
This will begin in Shizuku's point of view, and enjoy!
Well, other than the fact that I have to be monitored by Captain Ichimaru, it seems like a peaceful day. Nothing could go wrong, until the alarm went off. Okay, I spoke too soon. It's probably a drill though. Nothing too big to worry about.
"Attention. Red alert. Red alert. Intruders detected in West Rukon. This is not a drill. Repeat. Red alert. Breach detected in West Rukon." Said a male voice
"What the hell is going on around here?" I wondered out loud
Karen's P.O.V.
Kisuke Urahara, if we don't make it out of here alive, I swear, I'm going to kill you!
"Don't look now, but that section we just came through is collapsing on us. I'm running as fast as I can, but I still don't think we're going to make it through!" exclaimed Uryu
"Quit looking behind you and concentrate your efforts on running. If the restricted current swallows you up, then it's all over." Said Yoruichi
"Yeah, I'm agreeing with Yoruichi!" I exclaimed while running
And the next thing he knew, he was caught by the wave, by the cape. That ridiculous outfit is to blame here.
"Uryu. I knew that stupid outfit of his was going to get caught." Ichigo said while holding the hilt of his zanpaku-to
"Hold it! You mustn't do that Ichigo! The restrictive current entangles the spiritual body. If you reveal yourself, using a zanpaku-to, it'll swallow you too." Said Yoruichi
Next thing I saw, Chad tore his cape apart like it was paper!
"Thanks for that Chad." Said Uryu
"Let's go." Sado said while picking up Uryu
We all continued running like there was no tomorrow!
"What do you think you're doing? Hey! Put me down, will you?! I can run on my own!" exclaimed Uryu
Fat chance of that! We're not letting you get caught by the current again.
"I don't mean to bother you while you're running, but, something else is coming." Said Uryu
And it was some kind of giant black worm with a glowing yellow eye!
"Ah! Yoruichi, what is that?!" exclaimed Uryu
"It's the cleaner! It comes through here every seven days to clear out the passageway, and it's just our bad luck that today is the day! Don't look back at it! That'll only slow you down! Just keep running, or it'll crush you to batter! Go! Go! You're almost to the exit!" exclaimed Yoruichi
Easy for you to say! You're the one ahead of us!
"Guys, we're not going to make it!" exclaimed Uryu
He's right; I can feel it getting closer to us. Orihime then stopped for some weird reason and touched her hair clips, which immediately began shining a bright light.
"Hinagiku! Baigon! Lily! Santen Kesshun! I reject!" exclaimed Orihime
It created some kind of shield, which pushed us out of the Dangai and into what looked like old Japan, though that, was some landing! Ow, that's gonna leave a mark.
"Hey, is everyone alright? Ichigo, the way you landed showed tremendous artistic flare." Orihime said while gliding up to Ichigo
"Great, thanks a lot." Ichigo said sarcastically
"I knew it'd be rough getting through that gate, but I had no idea it would take such a toll on my equipment. I wasn't expecting to have to use my spare cape so soon." Uryu said while pulling out another cape
Uryu, you are almost as insane as Ichigo, if not, just as!
"Aw man. Don't tell me he brought a change of clothes." Said Ichigo
"You can say that again." I said
"Guys, isn't this great? We all made it, and everyone's okay!" exclaimed Orihime
"It's not great! We were lucky!" Yoruichi exclaimed while head-butting Orihime in the eye
"My eye!" Orihime exclaimed while holding her right eye
"I told you not to expose your spiritual powers in there. We're fortunate that the cleaner only made contact with the shield area. If it had even touched any part of the six flowers themselves, you'd all be dead now." Said Yoruichi
"I… I didn't know." Orihime said in a disappointed tone
"Lighten up already. How was Orihime supposed to know that? I didn't know, and I was about to cast a kido myself. In any case, if it wasn't for her quick thinking, we wouldn't have made it through that gate period." I said
"I don't think any of you appreciate how serious this situation really is." Yoruichi said while still mad
"Listen; doesn't it seem awfully quiet around here?" asked Uryu
I closed my eyes, and all I heard was the wind.
"Yeah. Is this place really the Soul Society?" asked Ichigo
"Yes. And the specific area we're in is called the Rukon District. It's here in the Rukon District that souls come to live when they first arrive in the Soul Society. As a matter of fact, it's right on the perimeter of the Sereitei, where Soul Reapers live. It's the poorest section, but also the one with the greatest freedom, and it has the largest population of souls within the Soul Society." Said Yoruichi
"If that's true, then where is everybody?" asked Uryu
"Hey, look at those buildings over there. Why do they look so different from everywhere else?" asked Ichigo
"Isn't it obvious? That's the Sereitei." I said with an annoyed look on my face
"Jackpot! Alright, you Soul Reapers, here I come!" Ichigo exclaimed while running to the Sereitei
"Strawberry Kurosaki! Get back here this instant! If it was that easy to get into the Soul Society, we wouldn't have risked our lives to get here!" I exclaimed while running after him
And some kind of wall appeared when I finally caught up to Ichigo. I'm so glad I dragged him away in the nick of time. That was close.
"Well, well, it's been a long time since anyone tried to pass through the spirit gates without a travel permit." Said a male voice
The dust finally settled, and my eyes widened in surprise.
"And I don't get many guests these days, so welcome to you, little man and woman." Said the huge guard
The guard then slammed a giant axe down on the ground which sent Ichigo flying, but almost did for myself.
"Whenever you are ready, give it all you've got, and good luck." Said the giant guard
I have to stay focused. I can't let my determination waver in this fight. The guard then raised his axe again, but he only created an arena for us to use. So it's just a fight between me and him, eh?
"You three need some work on your manners. What are you, country bumpkins or something? We're civilized in this city. Here are the rules. Rule number one, always wash your hands before you sit down to eat. Rule number two; don't eat food that's fallen on the floor. Rule three; battles in the city are always fought one on one. The kid with the matching hair and eyes and the other kid with the spiky orange hair were the first to approach and challenge me, but the girl managed to stand her ground against my first attack, so she shall be the first to challenge me, so she shall be my first opponent, then I'll come back to deal with you two. This won't take long, I promise." Said the gate guard
Well, there goes the idea of back-up
"What was that? Don't tell me you two are plotting schemes over there." Said the gate guard
Did he hear something I didn't?
"Orihime! Chad! Is Ichigo okay over there?" I asked
"Karen! Yes he's fine!" exclaimed Orihime
"No I'm not! Let me have a crack at him instead! You're going to lose to him, I'm sure!" exclaimed Ichigo
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Ichigo." I said sarcastically
"Dully noted." Said Ichigo
"Orihime, Chad, listen to me; make sure you keep him on his leash. Wait for me on the other side. I promise, I'll be okay handing this guy." I said
"I refuse to let you do that." Said Uryu
"Before you say something about teamwork, this guard has made it clear this is a one-on-one battle." I said
"Can you defeat him?" asked Sado
"I'd say… probably." I said
"Probably?! What's wrong with you?! Don't you understand this is a life and death situation we're in here?!" exclaimed Uryu
I sighed as I closed my eyes, and found Uryu's spirit energy.
"Bakudo number 1. Sai!" I exclaimed
I then heard Uryu fall to the ground, and cursing me along with it.
"I'm not just fighting with a sword here Uryu. Here's a little something interesting. When Ichigo was busy training with Hat-and-Clogs, I was training with Tessai on the art of Kido. I managed to get up to level 63 with both Bakudo and Hado. Release!" I exclaimed
And I could tell that Uryu was grateful to be back on his feet.
"It took me three days to get there, and after that, I began training with hat-and-clogs to improve my sword skills, and to unlock the secrets of my zanpaku-to. In those long hours of my training, I built up more strength and stamina, and focused on enhancing the abilities I already had as a Soul Reaper." I said as I unsheathed my zanpaku-to
"You done making speeches yet?" asked the guard
"I never liked making speeches, but then again, while I was distracted, you could've attacked me at any time." I said
He raised an eyebrow as a vein appeared on his forehead.
"So, you are a country bumpkin after all. Didn't your folks teach you any manners? If someone is polite enough to wait for you, you should always say 'thank you'!" exclaimed the guard
"Summon forth the light! Tsuki no Sakuramori!" I exclaimed
I used the first form to block the guard's attack, much to his surprise.
"Who are you matching girl?" asked the guard
"I'm no expert, but is it also bad manners to attack before your opponent is ready?" I asked
He then looked really mad, until he started laughing.
"You're gutsy, I'll give you that matching girl. I can't remember the last time someone was able to stop the thrust of my axe. This is going to be fun. For once I'll be able to give it everything I have. Of all the intruders who have tried to get past this gate, there have only been two who have come along before you who were powerful enough to stop my first thrust, but that is where the story ends because neither they, nor you could ever hope to fend off my second thrust!" exclaimed the guard
I quickly got under my fan, and held it up against his axe, but man, this was putting a strain on my arms.
"Are you still standing? I guess I get to keep trying my attacks on you then. See how you like this. Jidan Ten-Strike Festival! One! Two! Three! Four! Six! Seven! Uh, seven! Eight! Twelve! Nine! Six! Wait, I've never had to count this high before, but I must be at ten by now, so it's time to finish this!" exclaimed the guard
He sliced off the top of the rocks, and it was an epic fail on his end.
"Got her. I think." Said the guard
Much to his surprise, I was still standing, but he was more surprised with the large sword I was holding in my hand. I can only imagine the other's reactions when they saw it
"Tsugi no suteji, Kokugatsu." I announced after I revealed my black sword
"That sword… hey! You took Zangetsu!" exclaimed Ichigo
"Wrong! My zanpaku-to has multiple stages. The first stage was like a new moon with the slapping fan. This one represents a waxing moon. This is Kokugatsu." I said
"What?! That's impossible! How can you still be standing after that attack matching girl?!" exclaimed the guard
"Are you finished gatekeeper, because frankly, I'm just getting started." I said
"I'm not done. I'm not done! I just have to bring out some more weaponry." Said the guard
"He's got another axe!" exclaimed Uryu
His face then turned red before the armor on his left arm broke off.
"My ultimate attack. See if you can withstand the Jidan Bonzai Strike Festival!" exclaimed the guard
He then started his attack on me with his axes.
"Sorry bud, but you're gonna hate me for this." I said
Left with no other choice, I destroyed his axes. He flew into the gate with only the stubs of his axes left.
"Wh-what was that?" asked the guard
I bet he's worried right now, but I was more shocked when he got up.
"Whoa, you almost got me that time. I can't believe I slipped and fell on my behind. It's been a long time since that happened. Uh, what's that weird look on your face for? I bet you think you're the one who sent me flying backwards, don't you? You should really know better than that, but it's typical of a country bumpkin like you to believe that a gatekeeper like me could be blown away so easily. All I have to do is make one more swing with my mighty axe and…" started the guard
He took a look at his axes, and started shaking.
"Well? Are ya gonna say somethin' or just stand there?" I asked
"My axes… my axes ruined! Why? Why did you have to do it? Why did you have to? Why did you have to destroy my beautiful babies?! Why?" The guard asked while crying
Okay, I feel like a terrible person now.
"I'm really sorry about your axes and all, but to be honest, I couldn't just let you keep swinging them at me. Though, with all honesty, I could've just destroyed one of them so you'd still have one. My fault, entirely." I said while sweat-dropping
"No, you're not bad. Even though you're my enemy, you care. Instead of thinking of only your desire to get through the gate, you're actually concerned for your opponent and his axes. What a good person you are matching girl. What a generous heart you have." The guard said while grabbing my shoulders
"Well, it's only natural to wanna consul someone who cries so much even if they are really, uh… big." I said
"I know. I'm acting like a big baby. All that crying and moaning over a couple of old axes. I'm nothing but an embarrassment as a man. I'm a total loser." Said the guard
"Huh?" I wondered
"A total loser! You beat me not only as a warrior and gatekeeper, you have defeated me as a man as well. It had been 300 years since I became the keeper of the Hakudo gate. In all those years, never have I lost a challenge, or allowed anyone to pass this way! I thought the day would never come, but you are the first man to defeat me, therefore, I, Jidanbo, hereby grant you passage through the Hakudo gate." Said Jidanbo
"Thank you, Gatekeeper Jidanbo." I said
"And not just you, your friends may pass through as well." Said Jidanbo
"You're allowing all of us to pass?" asked Uryu
"That's right. I was decisively defeated in battle by your leader, as a result, I have no right to stop anyone in your group." Said Jidanbo
"What?! Whoever said anything about Karen being our leader?! Absolutely not!" Uryu and Ichigo exclaimed in unison
"It's not a big deal boys, so why get so upset?" I asked while sweat-dropping
"So your name is Karen, huh, matching girl?" asked Jidanbo
"That's right. I'm Karen Tsukimori." I said
"Tsukimori, eh? It's been a long time since I heard that name. Still, a cute name for a girl who seems to take herself so seriously, don't you think?" asked Jidanbo
"Hey! My name is not cute! My name means 'pure', got it?! How is 'pure' cute?!" I exclaimed
"Yeah, whatever. You take care now. I don't know why you're so determined to pass through this gate, but those you will meet on the other side are all very strong." Said Jidanbo
"Thank you for the advice." I said
"You're very welcome. As long as you think you know what you're getting into. Now stand back, and I'll open the gate for you. This is not going to be easy. It's been closed for a long time." Said Jidanbo
We were all shocked at his tremendous strength, big time.
"Amazing." Said Ichigo
"I never thought anyone could lift something so heavy." Commented Orihime
I then noticed that Jidanbo seemed frozen in shock.
"Jidanbo, what is it? Is there something wrong?" I asked
I then saw someone with a snake-like face, not literally, but his face did make me think of a snake, and with him was… Shizuku?!
"That's… Shizuku. But who's with him?" I asked
"That is Shizuku Shiba's captain. The captain of Squad 3. Gin Ichimaru." Said Jidanbo
"Shizuku… Shiba?" I wondered
This doesn't make sense. When he was in the human world, every time he saw Ichigo's last name, he looked freaked out, like there was some connection, and he seemed to recognize Ichigo's dad. What could this mean? Did the facts I put together be completely and totally wrong?
Done and done! Total surprise on Karen's end, eh? For those who are following the manga of Bleach, you might get some ideas. If not, well, you're gonna have to wait. Please review and until next time, I'm sakuraphoenix, saying I heart you, signing off for now. Kan dao ni!