Chapter 28 – A familiar face (now we follow ketu's first eye)
Note: I'll use Iba because Tetsuzaemon is way too much to type just for a name.
'Ah Venice, what a nostalgic sight,' expressed Ketu as his group looked down at Venice from the sky where they just came out of a gate from soul society.
'Have you been here before captain,' asked Iba.
'I have indeed, it was when me and Terri were together. During that time we were both training for our bankai, but she wanted to take a break, so we got some gigais and spent some relaxing time here. Aw, I remember it like it was yesterday. I can still recall sitting on one of those boats with her leaning on my shoulders, it was fantastic,' Ketu just seemed to have spaced out.
'Hey ladies, we didn't come here to chat, we have work to be done,' said Raven bluntly to Ketu and Iba as he descended with Izuru behind.
'Let's go,' agreed Byakuya, as Renji followed him, descending.
'He didn't have to be so mean,' grinned Ketu, the insult didn't do anything to topple his spirit.
It was mid-afternoon and they landed in a crowed area. The area was oddly square shaped surrounded by tall buildings and a clock tower on one side.
'This is St Mark's Square, me and Terri walked through here quite a few times. It was always sunny when we did, sunny and beautiful,' exclaimed Ketu
'Ok, we've heard enough. We're here to help you get that eye thing, do you know where it is?' asked Raven with a straight forward tone.
'Hmm…. Actually I do have a hunch. My senses have been bothering me ever since I heard that the eye was in Venice, I had an immediate vision of where it is and it was a vision of a clock tower, so it can be either in this square or in another place. I can't feel anything here, so we should head off to the other place,' stated Ketu.
'Well then let's not waste any time, lead the way,' said Byakuya walking towards him and stopped before him.
'Alright follow me,' ordered Ketu.
They exited St Mark's Square by jumping onto the buildings and jumping away. Ketu jumped onto the first canal he saw and ran on it. The series of canals was like a maze, with other canals leading to it left and right. But Ketu looked as if he knew where he was going. They ran across many channels of canals and didn't look like they were going to stop anytime soon. Many boats were present on the canals, they jumped over them so they didn't crash.
'Sorry to interrupt captain, but just where exactly are we going?' asked Iba whilst they were still running.
'It's called The Doge's Palace, it's a museum. Me and Terri used to go to it everyday because it was rather empty on the days we were here,' said Ketu still looking forwards and keeping his eyes on the 'road'. 'Don't worry, we'll be there soon.' Iba nodded and carried on running.
About ten minutes later they stepped into a vast area of water with no barriers surrounding it. A huge building was on one side of it. It was two storeys high, the first floor's exterior was covered with stone arches. The second floor's exterior had six arch shaped windows.
The six of them approached the building's entrance but before they got there, they were interrupted by an evil voice from behind them.
'Hello soul reapers,' said a female voice with an evil undertone.
The six of them turned around and saw a female arrancar, she had long blond hair and her hollow mask is shaped like a tiara on top of her head. She has blue eyes and is of medium height. (I'm sure all of you remember who this is)
'An arrancar, here?' said Byakuya in a surprisingly calm tone.
'You not happy to see me?' asked the arrancar politely as she drew her sword.
'If you impede on our mission I'll have no choice but to cut you down,' said Raven stepping in her way.
The arrancar gave an evil grin. She vanished and a second alter Izuru's chest was slashed across, blood squirted out and he passed out. The arrancar was standing by him. Raven looked at Izuru on the floor with the least bit of care.
'Wasn't he an underling of yours?' she asked sadistically.
'I couldn't care less,' said Raven coolly. Ketu glared at him. 'Move it, I'll take care of her,' Raven said waving the others to move on without him.
'Tetsuzaemon, get Izuru back to sou society,' commanded Ketu.
'But captain,' Iba started, but Ketu put a hand out and hushed him.
'That is an order,' Ketu said forcefully.
'Yes captain.' Iba hoisted Izuru on to his shoulders, opened a gate to soul society and ran off. The arrancar tried to go after them but Raven moved to block her way.
'Alright, we're leaving her to you then,' said Ketu then he signaled to the others, 'let's go.'
'Consider my debt repaid, Ketu' said Raven under his breath. He turned to face the arrancar. The streets around them were quiet, it was mid-day and no one was out.
'Why don't we go somewhere a little more spacious?' asked the arrancar still smiling evilly.
'After you,' said Raven. The arrancar flew across the huge open waters to the centre and waited. Raven did the same and they met eye to eye in the middle.
'So, gonna introduce yourself? I don't think I've seen you around before,' said the arrancar speaking in a very carefree way.
'Wouldn't it be polite to introduce yourself first?' asked Raven.
'Oh? Alright, I don't see why not. I am Circe Marreina, fourth of the Wu Jian,' she announced proudly.
'I see, is that a new version of the previous espada or something?'
'Your quite clever, it is indeed, though in the Wu Jian, there are only five arrancars. Usaitar formed us and he picked the best five arrancars to lead his hollows. I am the fourth strongest out of the five.'
'So not very strong then.'
'Just because I'm fourth doesn't mean I'm not strong. I'm only weaker than three arrancars in the entire Hueco Mundo, none other. So tell me then, what's your name?'
'I am Raven Ruhodesu, captain of squad three of the thirteen divisions.'
'I knew you were a captain with that haori you're wearing. But are you a strong captain?' Circe drew her sword and readied for battle.
'We will find out won't we?' said Raven calmly as he drew his sword.
A gentle breeze blew across them and the waters below rippled with excitement. The two stared at each other waiting until someone makes a move. A second later both had vanished and reappeared in the middle in a deadlock of swords. Circe incredibly had more strength and pushed Raven away, she chased after him and slashed again. Raven moved to his left, parried the attack, twisted in mid-air and launch a more powerful strike. Circe jumped upwards and avoided the attack, she launched herself downwards and forced Raven to block an attack from above. The force was strong enough to push Raven down a few inches. He flash steps away from the situation to next to Circe and slashes down at her. Her reflexes were surprisngly quick and she blocked instantly.
'Well, well. I haven't had this much fun in a while,' said Raven grinning.
'Having fun? That's nice and all, but can you at least put a little more effort in, I'm getting bored.' Circe quickly pushed Raven back again, pointed her hand at Raven and shot a cero shot before he recovered his balance.
Raven spun around and was able to avoid most of the blast but was badly hit on his left shoulder. Blood flowed out of a wide gash in this shoulder as he grabbed it in pain.
'You can't fight me with an unreleased zanpakuto, either release it or DIE,' she shouted as she shot another cero at him. The attack hit with an explosion raising water droplets into the air forming a large cloud around Raven. She couldn't make out where or how he was, so she assumed that he got hit and was pretty injured.
She turned and was about to leave when a black curved kido attack came out of the fog, flying at high speed towards her. She did a back flip and avoided the kido blade which flew past below her whipping up a small wave on the waters.
'So, released your sword after all then?' said Circe in a you-should-have-done-ages-ago sort of tone.
Raven jumped out of the fog and slashed at Circe with his scythe. She smirked and blocked the attack.
'Well, it's not like I have much time to waste here, so I thought I'd speed this fight up a bit,' said Raven coolly.
'Whatever you say kiddo.'
Both jumped back and charged forwards again clashing with a slash, the impact exploded and the water beneath them shot up around them. They flew up and back off each other before slashing again.
'This is getting boring,' said Circe as she blocked another attack.
'Fine, then let's make this a bit more interesting,' said Raven. He immediately parried a stab from Circe and flipped backwards to gain some distance from her.
'Oh? What's this?' she asked still smirking. She didn't waste time to find out thought, she was on the offense already and charged at Raven.
Raven stayed calm and chanted as he held out his hand in front of him, 'Clinging to your every breath. Demons rise from below. Black smoke and toxic fumes. The sun is covered by a black cloud. Night falls, as will all who rest below the purity. Hado number 78, Creeping Plague.'
A black cloud surrounded Circe as she stopped the charge. The cloud grew bigger and Circe could feel the poison from it. She quickly escaped by flying upwards. Unluckily for her Raven was waiting. She couldn't see it coming and was slashed across the waist with tremendous force from Raven's scythe. She was shot down head first into the water. The water splashed upwards when she crashed into it. Raven dived down after her, but stopped suddenly when he realized it was a trap. But it was too late, Circe had appeared behind him and rammed a cero blast into his back. Blood scattered from his mouth into the water mixing in with the blueness turning it a light red colour. Raven stood there panting expecting for Circe to deliver the final blow, but it never came. He slowly turned his head around and saw that Circe too, was on one knee panting heavily.
'Well, well, who'd knew you had something like that up your sleeves,' said Circe standing up gently.
'Hmph, who'd knew you could stand a hit from my scythe and still attack after it,' smiled Raven.
'Guess we're both full of surprises. But I know we both have at least one more surprise to show, isn't that right?' She had stopped panting and was holding her sword pointed at Raven.
'Indeed, you're right,' he said still smiling. A dark purple coloured spiritual energy surrounded Raven.
Circe held her sword above her head, 'Let's see how you handle this.'
But before she was able to so anything a hand appeared from no where and grabbed her head, stopping her.
'Enough Circe, we need to be going,' said a male arrancar who just appeared. 'Our Lord Usaitar has discovered the temple and he needs all of his Wu Jian to be there.'
'But Plata, I was just about to have some fun,' moaned Circe. 'Me and Raven here was just about to go all out.'
The arrancar whose name was Plata twitched when he heard the name raven. The turned and his eyes met Raven's glare. Raven suddenly felt scared for some reason, a specific scared feeling that he hasn't felt for a long time.
Plata gave a curt laugh, 'you're Raven?' he laughed again. For some reason this laughter was so familiar and unnerving that Raven was rooted to the spot unable to move.
'Sorry Circe, but orders are orders, we need to go.' He turned away and opened up a gate to Hueco Mundo. Circe looked very unhappy but she obediently went in. Plata turned back one last time, 'we'll definitely be seeing each other very soon,' he reassured smiling evilly.
They left, the gate closed and Raven was standing there drenched in blood. He tried to walk, but stumbled a bit. Raven was only still standing because of the tension that fight gave, but now that they've left and all the tension disappeared he couldn't keep his leg straight any longer and he wasn't able to stay conscious for much longer. He fell, slowly and heavily into the water and sank sluggishly, and there was Byakuya's voice inside his head from when they first faced each other in a proper contest of strength, 'you're slow, even when you're falling.' Those we're Byakuya's final words when he lost that match.
Raven was barely able to keep his eyes open as he slowly slipped away from consciousness. But before he completely lost consciousness he heard his sister's voice calling, 'Raven, Raven, stay with us, don't leave me...' He blacked out.
Looks like I made it back in time. London was fantastic, had a great time, if you're ever there do try out the london eye, I loved the view. Anyway, this was a short chapter because I wrote it on my 4 hour journey home, and trust me in side a car on the motorway isn't the best place to be writing, but it's all good and I'm back, so enjoy and expect the next chp for next wednesday