They sat in an abandoned building.
Ganju and Orihime kept a lookout while Uryu bandaged Toshiro's head. The wound Ikkaku had inflicted had not stopped bleeding, forcing them to hide and treat it. Uryu was given that task, as while he could not make the wound disappear completely as Orihime could, he worked much faster than her powers.
"You're lucky you didn't lose your head," he admonished Toshiro after he had applied the bandages.
"I know."
"I've done what I can, but you need stitches, and I didn't bring that."
"That's ok," Toshiro said as he rose. "When we're done I'll go back to my real body, which doesn't have any wounds."
Uryu pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "You may have that luxury. But the rest of us don't. These are our real bodies. Every injury we receive is for real."
"What do you want me to do?" Toshiro asked.
"I want you to stop pretending this is some game and we're superheroes!" Uryu yelled. "That Soul Reaper who took Rukia was right. You don't have what it takes to kill your opponents."
"And if you can't give it your all," he added, "none of us are going to survive."
Toshiro looked out towards the door where Ganju was standing guard. "And if I do, none of you may survive," he said softly.
"What was that?"
Ganju looked back inside. "Um, guys, we've got a problem."
They went to the door and looked out. Orihime was beging chased by a large mob of Shinigami.
"Run!" Orimihe yelled.
They all began to run away.
"What happened?" Uryu yelled as they ran.
"I'm sorry!" Orimihe said. "I went to look around and some of them spotted me!"
The mass of Shinigami behind them seemed endless. They could not make out what their pursuers were shouting, but the commotion drew others. Another crowd of Shinigami appeared in front of them.
They stopped, trapped between the two forces.
"They've got us pinned," Ganju said. "We're going to have to fight through."
Orihime turned to face the group behind them. She held her hands at the side of her forehead and called out: "Hinagiku! Baigon! Lily! Sotten Keshu I reject!"
A triangular shield formed between them and their pursuers. Several Shinigami slashed at the barrier with their swords, only to be repulsed.
While Orihime kept the group behind them at bay, the boys began to fight with the group in front of them. They did not draw their weapons, but instead fought with their fists, knocking out six Shinigami.
The rest of the group in front of them stopped and backed up.
"They didn't think we'd be this strong," Ganju observed. "But sooner or later they're gonna attack again."
"Whatever we do," Uryu said, "we have to do it fast. The longer we stay, the more Shinigami will show up."
"I'm open to suggestions," Toshiro said.
Uryu stared at the group in front of them. He wondered if he could open a hole in their ranks with one of his arrows, but quickly dismissed the idea. Even if it worked, the Shnigami would quickly surround them again.
He saw a commotion in the back of the Shinigami's lines. As the commotion, moved closer to them, Toshiro and Ganju noticed it as well.
A small Shinigami stumbled forward, accidentally knocking other Shinigami over as he fell out of the crowd before the rescue party.
"Oww," the fallen Shinigami said. "That didn't go as planned."
"Heyyy," Ganju said as he rubbed his chin. "I've got an idea how we can get out of this."
Uryu pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "I don't much like this idea, but it seems we have no choice."
The Shinigami looked up at them. "Wait. If you're looking for a way out, then that must make you the … the … "
Ganju grabbed the Shinigami and pulled him close.
"Now back off and let us go!" Ganju yelled, holding the Shinigami around the neck.
He looked at Toshiro and Uryu. "Uh, someone back me up here?"
Toshiro pointed at Uryu. "I thought you were going to threaten him."
"Me?" Uryu protested. "You're the one with the big sword."
"And I'm also a kid. Not exactly intimidating."
One of the larger Shinigami asked "What do you guys think you're doing?"
"Uh, taking a hostage?" Ganju replied with a hint of doubt in his voice. He quickly attempted to sound more intimidating. "Do what we say or you'll get your friend back in pieces!"
"Ahhh!" the hostage Shinigami screamed. "But I faint at the sight of my own blood!"
The crowd of Shinigami just stared at them.
"They don't seem concerned about their comrade," Uryu observed.
"Comrade?" one of the Shnigami asked. "Do we look the same to you?"
"What does he mean?" Toshiro asked their hostage.
"Oh, I'm Squad Four, and they're all from Squad Eleven."
"So what?"
One of the Shinigami spit in disgust. "I shouldn't have to explain it to you, but it's just so insulting to have you lump us together with that loser, so listen up!"
"There are thirteen guard squads assigned to protect the Seireitei," he explained. "We of Squad Eleven are led by the strongest captain. As such, we are the strongest unit, and always the first into battle."
Toshiro's hand shook in trepidation.
"What is it?" Uryu asked him.
"That man, Ikkaku. He was from Squad Eleven," Toshiro said. "And he said his captain would be coming after us."
"Squad Four is the most useless squad there is!" the Squad Eleven Shinigami continued. "All they're good for is treating minor wounds. That's where all the loser wimps who can't even wield a sword get assigned."
"So don't go around confusing them with us, because when it comes to Squad Four – "
"WE HATE THEM!" all of the Shinigami yelled at once.
"Uryu, Ganju," Toshiro said. "I think I'm starting to share your hatred for Shinigami."
"If you want to go ahead and kill him go ahead!" another Shinigami yelled out. "We don't care!"
They charged. This time, Toshiro drew his sword and Uryu his bow.
But just before the Shinigami reached them, the wall to their side exploded in a burst of rock and smoke. The shockwave knocked out dozens of Shinigami.
The rescue party covered their faces.
"What was that?" Ganju asked.
Toshiro lowered his arm and smiled.
"The cavalry."
Chad stepped through the broken wall.
"Hey, there," he said.
"All right," Toshiro said. "The gang's all back together."
Orihime dropped her barrier and ran over to give Chad a hug. "Chad! You're alive!"
"And so are you," Chad responded.
The group which had been held back by Orihime's barrier rushed forward, screaming battle cries.
"Excuse me," Chad said, walking in front of them. He raised his right arm and fired a blast from his fist. The blast proceeded to knock over the Shinigami like bowling pins.
The rest of the rescue party stared at Chad in shock.
"He just knocked them all out with one punch," Uryu said meekly.
Mayuri Kurosutchi, the Captain of Squad Twelve, examined the scene of the battle with Ikkaku and Yumichika together with his Lieutenant, Nemu Kurosutchi.
"Interesting, interesting…" he said as he examined the sand pit.
"Have you discovered something, master?" Nemu asked.
"One of the ryoka can turn solid surfaces into sand. However, he doesn't appear to have used it in battle."
Kurosutchi turned to the wall where Yumichika had been pinned. The holes from Uryu's arrows remained in the perforated wall.
"What do we have here?" he asked, sticking a finger into one of the arrow holes.
His eyes widened as he felt something. "This reishi is – "
He pulled his finger out and examined it. A spark of blue and white energy danced around the tip of his finger.
"Well, well," Kurotsuchi said with a smile.
"It appears we are dealing with a Quincy."
Ikkaku lay on a cot in Squad Four's medical center. His torso was covered in bandages.
He was not surprised when a shadow appeared over him.
"Captain," he said simply.
"Ikkaku," replied Kenpachi Zaraki. "I hear you fought the ryoka."
Ikkaku nodded. "I am sorry sir. I was defeated and allowed to live, to my shame."
Zaraki glared at his third seat. "Is he strong."
"Yes," Ikkaku answered. "And I do not believe that I even witnessed his full strength."
Zaraki smiled at that. "Now this is getting interesting. Tell me his name."
The rescue party had found another empty room to hide in.
"I am Hanataro Yamada. It's nice to meet you," their hostage told them.
Everyone stared at him.
"Um, what is he doing here?" Toshiro asked.
Ganju grinned sheepishly. "I kind of forgot I was holding him."
"We've solved one of our major problems now that we're all back together," Uryu said. "But we're still no closer to our objective."
Toshiro agreed. "We know we have to go south, but this place is made out like a maze, and the streets are crawling with Shinigami."
"We can try to get ahold of Shinigami outfits," Uryu suggested. Disguise ourselves as the enemy."
"That's a great idea!" Orihime said. "We'll be like secret agents, undercover."
"They know what we look like," Toshiro observed, "so it probably won't fool everyone. But with so many Shinigami we shouldn't draw too much attention to ourselves."
'Once we have the outfits, we'll keep going south until we see the tower where Rukia's being held,"
Hanataro looked up at them. "Excuse me?"
"Will they have Shinigami outfits in my size?" Chad asked.
"Of course," Orihime answered. "You saw Jidanbou. If they have outfits in his size, finding one that'll fit you will be no problem!"
"You're talking about Rukia Kuchiki, aren't you?" Hanataro asked.
They all stopped and looked at him.
"I thought so," Hanataro said. "It all makes sense now. You're looking for the younger sister of the Squad Six Captain, who is currently being held as a capital offender in the Repentance Cell."
"Why do you care?" Toshiro asked skeptically.
"If you trust me," Hanataro declared, I can help you. I know a hidden way into that tower."
The five of them looked at each other.
"Gotta admit," Ganju said. "I never would have thought to use the sewers."
"Perhaps if we had known about their existence we might have thought of it," Uryu said. "Even if it does stink."
"And you're sure no one else knows about these sewers?" Ganju asked.
"Oh, everyone knows about them," Hanataro answered. "But no one ever goes down here but Squad Four, and even then, it's just to clean the sewers. They'd never think to look for us here."
"Hanataro," Toshiro asked seriously. "Why are you doing this? Why help us?"
"Toshiro…" Orihime said.
"Do you think he's leading us into a trap?" Chad asked.
"We're all thinking it," Toshiro admitted. "But unless he's a really good actor I don't think so. I just want to know why a Shinigami is helping a bunch of strangers who took him hostage."
"I know more about you than you think," Hanataro said.
He pointed at each of them. "Chad: big strong, and always looking out for the little guy. Orihime: funny and friendly. Uryu: brilliant but prideful."
"How do you know all this?" Uryu asked.
"Rukia told me. And of course, she told me all about little Toshiro."
Toshiro's ears went red. "That's what she chose to emphasize?"
Orihime giggled. "Well, you are very small."
"A runt," Ganju agreed. "You make Hanataro look big in comparison."
"Would everyone just shut up about my height!" Toshiro yelled.
Hanataro smiled. "Rukia told me stories about you, about how you helped her learn to use a straw, how you put a mod soul in a doll, how you showed her that movie – "
"You watched movies with Rukia?" Orihime asked. "I thought you two just fought hollows together."
"What was the name of that movie?" Hanataro asked. "The Fantastics?"
"The Incredibles," Toshiro muttered.
"That's it! Rukia was telling me how funny it was. 'No capes!'"
Toshiro thought he would die of embarrassment. Orihime was cracking up while Chad and Uryu were struggling to hold back their laughter.
"Why Toshiro," Uryu said. "This is a side of you we've never seen. I didn't know you were into superhero movies."
"I like good movies, all right! Whether they have superheroes doesn't matter!"
"When Rukia was brought in, I was assigned to clean her cell and bring her food," Hanataro explained. "I was scared at first, because she was nobility, but she treated me like I was her equal. We talked, and I started asking her about the world of the living. Before long, coming to her cell to hear her stories was what was looking forward to the most."
"She told me a lot about the world of the living, and about the friends she had made. But her stories always seemed to come back to one person."
"Rukia," Hanataro asked. "Is the person in your stories the same human you gave your powers to?"
"Yes," she answered. "He was ... gifted. I felt like I good trust him with my life."
Hanataro watched as her face turned sad. "But he was just a child, and I got him involved in things no child should ever be involved in. Because of me, he was hurt terribly, multiple times. There is no forgiveness for what I've done."
"Rukia..." Hanataro said in awe.
He turned to Toshiro. "Please save her! You have to rescue miss Rukia!"
Toshiro looked back at him with a firm stare. "I will."
"We all will," Uryu said as Chad and Ganju nodded.
"You can count on us," Orihime said while flexing her bicep.