I'm back! It's been a while huh? Well, not gonna dilly dally on this, here's chapter five!
Chapter 5:
I do not own bleach, this is a nonprofit fan fiction
"What the hell happened?!" Ichigo shouts as he sprints toward the Infirmary, Rukia in tow.
"We don't know the details yet, but it seems they were ambushed!"
"FUCK!" Ichigo growls in frustration, before leaping forward with all his might. He flash steps the rest of the way in a desperate attempt to make up for lost time. The two arrive minutes later, bursting through the doors without hesitation. Ichigo's heart sinks as he gazes at the carnage. Renji lies on an exam table, his body torn to shreds. His wounds have a primal look to them, as if they were the work of some wild beast. A stream of blood steadily pours from the table as the doctors work feverishly to seal his wounds. Upon further inspection, Ichigo comes to the terrifying realization that Renji is in the best condition of the survivors. Five surgeons attend to Ikkaku in a desperate attempt to close the massive gash across his abdomen. The heartbeat monitor spikes and falls rapidly as Ikkaku's condition worsens.
On another table, doctors do their best to close Hisagi's slit throat. A rush of nausea flows through Ichigo as he notices another horrid detail. At the base of Hisagi's shoulder is a chunk of mangled meat, and nothing else. His left arm had been torn from his body in an obviously gruesome fashion. He watches in a daze as Rukia rushes from table to table, giving orders and performing healing spells on the three injured Shinigami. Shock has completely gripped the Head Captain, as he suddenly loses all feeling in his legs. Ichigo stumbles back, allowing his back to crash harshly against the wall. He drops to the floor, as a culmination of emotions rushes over him. Suddenly, Rukia's face is inches from his. Ichigo watches Rukia's mouth, bewildered and confused. Her lips and jaw are moving, yet he hears no words. A sharp sting erupts from his cheek as he finds himself staring at the wall to his right. This feeling sparks his brain back into action, as his thoughts suddenly become more clear. Rukia had slapped him to shake him from his trance like state, and thankfully it had worked. Ichigo finally hears her words, and listens intently to her instructions.
"Ichigo! Unclench your jaw, you're going to shatter your teeth!"
He didn't even realize he was doing it, and quickly releases his jaw. A flood of pain rushes through his jawline for a moment, before relief sets in. He then looks into Rukia's violet gaze, and watches as her eyes dance with panic and uncertainty.
In an exacerbated tone, Ichigo weakly asks, "Rukia, where is Sui Feng?..."
` Rukia looks away, before taking a deep breath and solemnly stating, "Renji only carried back those two…" A sudden spike in Reiatsu stops Rukia cold. She looks at Ichigo to find a darkness in his eyes, one that she hadn't seen for many years. Even his Reiatsu has a sinister feeling, one that shakes Rukia to her core. After all this time, she had forgotten not only how powerful Ichigo is, but the darkness that lurks within him as well. Ichigo rises to his feet, and begins to slowly exit the room. Rukia stares dumbstruck, confused by Ichigo's odd actions.
A growl erupts from Ichigo's vocal chords as he bellows, "When you get them in a stable condition, come to the Assembly Hall." He pauses at the door, before turning and setting his cold gaze upon Rukia. "We have a score to settle."
The venom in his words stirs a fire within her, as she turns her attention to Renji. Though his wounds have been stitched, they are still quite fresh. She softly runs her fingers over them, while tenderly rubbing her hand against the side of Renji's head in a soothing motion. Though unconscious, Renji leans into Rukia's touch. Tears begin to fill her eyes as she surveys the damage done to her husband. She bites her lip, and clenches her fists as she allows the overwhelming rage building within her to fester.
- Two hours later -
Ichigo waits impatiently in the Assembly Hall for the rest of the Captains to arrive. He had immediately sent his aids to relay the message to the Captains after he had left the infirmary. Most have arrived, baring Renji, Rukia, and Byakuya. Their faces are solemn, the news of Sui Feng's uncertain fate undoubtedly filling them with grief. The silence in the room is deafening, as each Captain feels the weight of the current situation. After a short time, the giant doors of the Assembly Hall swing open allowing Rukia to enter. She carries herself with Kuchiki grace, each step silent and precise. Her face remains stoic as she shows no sign of emotion. Her mouth remains flat, neither anger nor sadness warping its shape. The porcelain skin below her eyes remains unblemished, carrying no darkness beneath her lids. At face value, she seems well rested, and completely composed. This couldn't be farther from the truth, a fact that Ichigo immediately picks up on. He knows how to read a Kuchiki better than everyone, and in order to understand their thoughts or feelings, one cannot focus on their features. Ichigo instead looks into the raging storm taking place within the raven-haired Shinigami's eyes. He also feels a savage aura pouring from Rukia as she takes her place in the line of Captains.
Ichigo allows her to settle in for a moment, before asking, "Will Byakuya be joining us?"
Rukia does not turn to address the Head Captain, instead staring blankly forward as she responds, "Nii-sama will be late, he is handling some things. He will not mind if we start without him."
Ichigo, accepting this answer, turns to address the rest of the Captain's. "Thank you all for coming, especially under these circumstances. Today, we lost four of our own in the field of battle. Three confirmed dead, the other missing in action. Little is known about the details of the situation, but it is presumed that the reconnaissance team was ambushed by the Akropoli. We don't know how many there were, or what abilities they may have, but I think its painfully obvious that they are not to be trifled with. From here on out, we treat them as we did the Quincy. The time for reconnaissance is over, today, we begin preparations for war."
Kenpachi smiles a wild, toothy grin as he fantasizes about the strength of his future opponents. Rukia's expression remains unchanged, as she continues to stare blankly into the distance.
"Is there anything anyone wishes to add? Or shall we begin our preparations?" Ichigo awaits a response, but receives none. "Well then, this meeting is adjour…"
Just as Ichigo is ending the meeting, Byakuya pushes the doors open and enters the Assembly Hall. Every Captain turns and watches as Byakuya walks directly toward Ichigo, his hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. Within moments, he is standing before Ichigo, drawing his blade and turning the flat edge toward Ichigo. His voice is low and thick as he begins to speak. "I will not tell you how to fight this war Kurosaki. In fact, I believe you are capable of guiding us to victory. I did not come to provide criticism, but to make a simple request. Actually…no…" Byakuya's features darken as his Reiatsu begins take on a sinister nature. "This is not a request; it is a demand Kurosaki. You will allow Rukia and I to kill the man who put Renji Abarai into such a state. He married into our clan, which makes him one of us. And our creed states that those who raise their hand against the clan, will pay for their transgression. Whoever that man is, he will die by a Kuchiki blade, do I make myself clear Ichigo?" Byakuya sheaths his blade before extending his hand to Ichigo.
Knowing he has little choice in the matter, Ichigo seizes Byakuya's hand and shakes it firmly, accepting Byakuya's demands. With that, the meeting ends. The Captains pour out of the Assembly hall, leaving a disgruntled Head Captain alone with his thoughts.
'So the stage is set. We stand against a phantom, a powerful enemy that we know nothing about. I am about to send my friends, those I am closest with, into the jaws of war.' This thought shakes Ichigo to his core. He stands to leave, his mind heavy with worry. His steps echo as he abandons the Assembly Hall. He dares not look back, as he instead focuses on the daunting task before him.
To all of you who have been waiting for this chapter, I am truly sorry. Family issues, as well as school has made keeping up on this story nearly impossible. I am doing my best to get back into it now that things are calming down. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Expect more to come.