The rescue party turned around at the sound of a commotion behind them. People were streaming out of the buildings around and gathering in front of them. The sheer amount of murmuring among them caused the air to fill with a buzzing noise.
"If they were here and hiding," Uryu asked, "why come out now?"
"They were afraid of us." Yoruichi said.
"Afraid?"
"Wouldn't you be scared if a bunch of odd-looking people fell out of the sky?" Toshiro asked. "But that still doesn't answer the question of why they're coming out now. Do they think we're enemies for trying to get through the gate?"
The rescue party moved into positions that would allow them to quickly grab their weapons or use their powers.
"Wait."
The murmuring stopped as an old, balding man with a long white beard stepped forward.
He bowed slightly. "I am the chief of West Rukon. I was watching the entire incident. As Jidanbou's saviors, I welcome you all."
"How are we that giant's saviors?" Uryu asked again.
"I told him to drop the gate." Toshiro said. "He probably would have been killed otherwise."
The residents began to gather around the unconscious Jidanbou to inspect the wound on his arm.
"There are many arrogant, cruel Shinigami." one resident explained. "But Jidanbou is different. He was from Rukon originally and always treated us kindly."
"That's a serious wound." another one said. "I doubt he'll ever be able to use that arm again."
"Not to worry!" Orihime exclaimed. "I can fix him right up!"
The murmuring broke out again, even louder than before.
"You can heal wounds like that?"
Orihime beamed. "Leave it to me." She walked up to Jidanbou's arm and stretched her own out.
"Shun'ou…Ayame. Saten Keshou! I reject!"
An orange energy field formed around the gash on Jidanbou's arm, to the astonishment of much of the crowd.
It was nighttime when Jidanbou's arm was completely healed. Unfortunately he was still unconscious. However, the residents said it was normal for someone of his size to sleep off injuries for several days in the Soul Society. They moved him into a shelter.
The rescue party was invited to the elder's house, where they discussed what their next move should be.
"We cannot go through the gate again." Yoruichi said. "They will have increased the security there."
"What about the other gates?" Toshiro asked.
Yoruichi shook his head. "It will be the same at all of them."
"So what are we supposed to do?"
"We find a way to get in that doesn't involve gates."
He turned to the elder. "Do you know Kukakku Shiba?"
The elder started. "Wh-what?"
"Apparently Kukakku likes to change residencies at the drop of a hat." Yoruichi explained. "I can't figure out where the fool is now."
"Kukakku Shiba…" the elder said in horror. "Don't tell me you mean to use that to get through the wall."
"That?" Orihime asked tentatively.
Toshiro looked at the door. "What's that noise?"
A low, loud sound was reverberating, growing louder each second.
"Something's getting closer." Uryu said. "Something big."
"No." the elder moaned. "Not this. Not now."
The door burst open, and a man flew through it. He landed on his head in the middle of the rescue party and rose painfully.
"Owww."
"Who is this?" the entire rescue party asked at once. The man was tall and broad, though not a giant like Jidanbou, and wore sunglasses and a pink and white bandana.
There was a snorting sound behind the man. The rescue party stared in shock as a large boar wearing a pink bow walked through the now open door.
"Man o man." the man said, dusting himself off. "Bonnie threw me off again."
"You actually rode that thing?" Uryu asked.
The man ignored him, instead saluting the elder. "Long time no see, old dude!"
"Ganju!" the elder exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"Come on." Ganju complained. "I visit you for the first time in ages, and this is how you greet me?" He looked around. "Your guests are shocked….eh?"
He lifted his sunglasses to look up and down at Toshiro.
"What's this? Old dude, why do you have a stinking Shinigami here?"
The drop in the temperature of the room had nothing to do with Toshiro's powers.
Ganju moved close to Toshiro, towering over him.
"I asked what a stinking Shinagami is doing here, pipsqueak." Toshiro's face reddened as Ganju seized some of his hair. "What's the matter? Can't you talk, you little-"
Feeling like he was about to pop a vein, Toshiro raised his finger and said "Bakudo number one. Sai." Ganju's yelped as his arms locked behind him and he fell to a kneeling position before Toshiro.
"Why you-" he groweled. "When I get my hands on you-"
"Shut up." Toshiro spat, turning back to the elder. "We were talking about seeing this Kukakku Shiba."
"Yes, well," the elder said, bemused, "it might help if you didn't bind Shiba's younger brother."
"What?"
All eyes turned to Ganju, who looked uncomfortable.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Perfect." Yoruichi said happily. "He can lead us right to Kukakku."
"Like hell I will!" Ganju yelled.
Yoruchi walked in front of Ganju and bared his claws in front of his face.
"You will. And you'll do it right now, since we're in a bit of a hurry."
Rukia sat facing the back wall of her cell. The sun shone brightly, allowing her to clearly see the shadow of the man who approached the cell bars.
"What is it, Renji?" she asked. "Have they moved up the date of my execution?"
"Yes," Renji answered. "It's less than 14 days from now. The use of the sokyoku has been aproved. As a result of that, we're here to transfer you to the repentance cell."
"Well, what do you think?" Ganju exclaimed when he had led them to their destination, a house with giant hands sticking out of the ground holding a large banner between them. There was a large, cylindrical tower behind it.
"This can't be right." Chad.
"I knew we couldn't trust this Ganju." Uryu said.
"Hey!" Ganju yelled. "A Shiba's word is his bond!"
"What's the problem?" Yoruichi asked. "The design is quite clever."
Toshiro rolled his eyes. "This is going to be Urahara all over again, isn't it?"
"Come on, let's go," Yoruichi instructed.
They entered the building to find a staircase descending under the ground When they reached the bottom, Ganju told them to wait at the first door they found..
"You can't just walk in," Ganju said, "I'll have to announce you first.
Ganju actually seemed nervous as he opened the door and shut it behind them.
Shortly afterwards, Ganju opened the door again.
"You may enter," he said.
Yoruichi entered first. He approached a woman who was sitting on a pile of pilows in the back of the room. The woman had long, unkempt black hair, a somewhat revealing red and white outfit, and an artificial right arm
"That's Kukakku? Uryu asked.
"Of course," Yoruichi answered. "What were you expecting?
Toshiro scrateched the back of his head in exasperation. "Honestly, at this point I'd be more surprised if it was someone normal."
"I heard that, you little punk," Kukkaku said.
Toshiro took a step back in fear and embarassment. "Um, er, sorry,?"
Kukkaku ignored him and turned her attention to the cat in front of her. "Well, well, Yoruichi. It's been a long time. And I see you've brought a bunch of brats along with you."
"I shall explain that," Yourichi replied. "First though, I have a failure to ask of you, Kukkaku."
"You always do," Kukkau said. "Is it dangerous?"
"Probably."
Kukkaku looked Yoruichi in the eye. Toshiro, Uryu, Chad, and Orihime could practically taste the tension.
Then Kukkaku laughed. "Lucky for you I enjoy danger."
The kids all sweat-dropped. "Did she wait to respond just to psyche us out?."
Renji and the prison guards led Rukia over a narrow bridge overlooking most of the sereitei. Their destination was a large tower.
They brought Rukia to her new cell and stood her before the one window in the room. The window overlooked the Sokyoku Hill, where a twenty meter tall stand and twenty-five meter tall halberd stood.
"Do you see, prisoner?" the head guard asked Rukia. "Those are to be the instruments of your execution."
"A prisoner who is brought here can gaze out of the tower's window at the Sokyoku, and perhaps, repent his sins. That is why this place is called the repentence cell."
The guard released the bonds on her hands and turned to leave with his brethren.
The guard addressed Renji. "Thank you for escorting us, sir. We must go now."
The guards continued to walk out of the cell, but Renji just stared at Rukia, who was still looking solemly out the window.
"Sir, we must lock the tower."
"Huh?" Renji said, as if he had been awaoken from a daydream.
"Sir?"
Renji growled in frustration and walked up to Rukia.
He put his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"I want to give you some unconfirmed information," he told Rukia. "They say that a group of five intruders attempted to enter the Soul Society yesterday."
"My sources tell me one of those intruders was a child with who carried a sword longer than his body, a shinigami with white hair.."
Rukia's eyes widened and she looked up at Renji.
Kukkaku smoked a pipe as she listened to Yoruichi's story.
"I think I get the picture," she said as Yoruichi finished. "Sounds like fun."
"Excellent!" Yoruichi exclaimed.
"However," Kukkaku continued, "while I trust you completely, I do not trust these kids you're traveling with, so I'm going to send my brother as an overseer, just in case."
"Um, me?" Ganju asked nervously, pointing at his face.
"Yes, you."
The Shibas led them further into the underground facility they called a house.
Kukkaku had Ganju open a door leading into a dark room.
"Here it is," she said proudly. This is how I'm going to get you into the Seireitei.
They stared in confusion and apprehension at the large device, the bottom of the cylindrical tower they had seen outside.
"With this launcher, I'll get you into the seireitei bygoing through the air over the wall,"
Toshiro leaned close to Uryu. "Did she just say she was going to fire us out of a rocket?"
"I think so.," Uryu answered with a gulp.
Kukkaku gavc an order, and the floor began to rise. In a minuted they and the cannon were above ground.
"This is my one and only enhanced fireworks launch pad!" Kukkaku delcared.
She tossed a clear ball with a red symbol at Toshiro.
"What's this?" he asked.
"That's a reishukaku, or spirit orb. Place your palms on it and concentrate your spirit energy," Kukkaku instructed.
Toshiro held the orb in front of him. He took a deep breath and concentrated The orb began to glow.
"That's it," Kukkaku told him. "You're doing it.".
Suddenly, a large ubble surrounded him.
"Huh? What's this? What's going on?" Toshiro asked.
"That is the cannonball," Kukkaku explained.
"You may think that the wall is the only thing protecting the Seireitei, but that wall is made of a substance that emits a field which rejects and breaks down spirit energy on all sides, meaning that the area is protected both above and below ground.
"If all of you combine your spirit energy, your reiatsu, you should be able to create a temporary cannonball that can break that barrier, however. Then I will use the flower crane cannon to shoot that cannonball straight through the sky., launching you into the seireitei."
They spent the rest of the day training to create the cannonball with their spirit energy.
When Kukkau and her servants were satsfied with their progress, they ate dinner and went to bed.
Orihime was given her own room while the boys were put together..
Ganju opened the door slightly to check on them. Uryu and Chad were sleeping, but Toshiro was sitting with his legs crossed. He was staring intently at the zanpakuto laid out in front of him.
"You should get some sleep," Ganju said, entering the room
He sat down next to Toshiro. "If I had a sword like that I'd probably admire it too."
"I'm not admiring it," Toshiro said.
"Then what are you doing?"
Toshiro sighed. "When I first became a shinigami, I thought the zanpakuto was just a weapon for killing hollows. I didn't know just how much destruction it could cause."
"That bothers you?"
Toshiro nodded.
"Everyone's counting on me, and I might be a bigger danger to them than the Shinigami we'll be facing."
Ganju had to stifle a laugh to keep from waking the others.
"It's hard to see a pipsqueak like you being a danger to anyone."
Toshiro glared at him.
"Look," Ganju said. "Why is a little kid like you so determined to save that other Shinigami? I can see how scared you all are. Is she that important to you?"
Toshiro looked up. "I don't know. In a way she was my first real friend, but I really barely know her."
"Then why risk your life for her?"
"I'm not sure of that myself. I guess ... it's because it's the right thing to do."
"The right thing to do?"
Toshiro smiled. "I can't really explain it better. . It just ... feels right."
Ganju got up. "You are one weird kid."
"So I've been told."
"Get some sleep," Ganju instructed as he left the room. "You won't be any good to anyone tomorrow if you're all tired out."
Kukkaku woke them at dawn.
"Everyone up! It's time to go!"
They were still groggy as she led them to the cannon.
"The sun will be rising soon. That's when we'll begin the launching ceremony.
The rescue party, now joined by Ganju, gathered inside the cannon. They sat around the reishukaku.
"Listen," Yoruichi instructed them. "Once we are in the Seireitei, it is imperative that we stick togther. And if you encounter any captains, do not fight them. Just run away. Our only objective is to rescue Rukia. Do not take any unnecassry risks."
At Kukkau's signal, the held the reishukaku and began to pour their energy into it.
The cannon launched, sending them high into the air. Once they began to change coarse towards the Sereitei, Ganju took over, reciting a spell to keep their cannonball's energy levels stable
Uryu, Orihime, and Chad all stared at the sight. "Whoa... Toshiro said as he saw the Seireitei come into view
"Don't get distracted!" Yoruichi yelled at them. "You must concentrate!"
There was a sudden kolt as they were stopped high above the seireitei.
"What's going on?" Toshiro yelled. Why have we stopped?
"We've hit the membrane!" Yoruichi said.
The cannonball pushed against the barrier for twenty seconds before both burst open, leaving them floating in midair.
"The cannpnball was destroyed, but we're not falling," Uryu observed.
"It's the residual spiritual energy," Yoruichi said. "It will crete a whirlpool, and then it will explode."
"Explode?" They all asked.
"Yes. We must stick together, or the explosion will blow us all in different directions."
The wind started. Toshiro, as the lightest, was nearly blown away, but Ganju caught him.
"Everyone grab the person closest to you!" Yoruichi yelled
Chad grabbed Orihime, but Uryu was being blown out of the whirlpool.
Chad leapt after Uryu. He grabbed the Quincy and threw him back into the Whirlpool. However, his act caused him to fall away from the others.
"Chad!"
"Don't worry about him!" Yoruichi told them. "He'll survive. We have to worry about ourselves."
They were now in two groups, Toshiro and Ganju, and Orihime and Uryu.
Toshiro reached back to grab his zanpakuto.
"Hey, what do you think you're doin?" Ganju yelled. "This is no place for a zanpakuto!"
"Orihime! Uryu! Grab on!" Toshiro yelled.
He made a thrusting motion with his sword, and a large chain with a sickle at the end extended from the hilt of the blade.
Orihime grabbed the chain just as the whirlpool exploded.