White Sun Rising: Ultimate Rewrite Edition
Chapter 7: Dance of the Swords
Hanataro Yamada was not having a good day. Despite being a relatively high-ranking member of the Gotai 13, (7th Seat of the 4th Division) he had been put on sewer cleaning duty. Still, the 4th Division was known for menial work and he had no right to complain.
He would've preferred to still be delivering Rukia Kuchiki's meals to her cell, though. She was much happier over the past two days, mostly thanks to that human boy she had given her powers to. 'What was his name? Ichigo?' Hanataro was no fool: 'Ichigo' was a word with multiple meanings, although 'strawberry' was the most common. It probably meant 'one who protects' or something like that. "Seriously, Rukia, you don't know your way around here anymore then I do!" Hanataro blinked as he heard a loud male voice from somewhere inside the sewers. "Ichigo, no one goes down here! The only ones who probably do are members of the 4th Division!"
Hanataro was VERY confused. 'Did they reverse the decision on Kuchiki-san's execution or something?'
Logic kicked in seconds later. Why send them down there if that were the case? They had to've escaped. Hanataro knew better then to try and fight Ichigo: from what Captain Unohana told them when Ichigo came there, Ichigo was a lieutenant-level shinigami. Hanataro was no match for him. He froze in fear, looking to see if he could avoid fighting him by doubling back. He wasn't so lucky as the orange-haired shinigami rounded the nearest corner, spotting him.
Ichigo reached for his sword, seemingly forgetting that his borrowed zanpakutō was on his right side. At this point, Hanataro noticed the behemoth blade on Ichigo's back, which he was now reaching for. Hanataro finally lost it and fainted, nearly falling into the sewer water.
Ichigo, thankfully, managed to make sure he didn't land in the water.
He had no idea whether or not the healer could drown or not, but he wasn't going to inadvertently cause someone's death.
Rukia rounded the corner, shaking her head. "Ichigo, he's a member of the 4th Division. That means he's perfectly harmless."
"I didn't want him to fall into the sewer water, Rukia. Besides, I doubt you'd want him to smell like shit coming out of here."
"Touche."
With the mostly human half of the Rescue Team
Unbeknownst to them, but knownst to us, the Rescue Team native to the world of the living had landed in the area of the Seireitei assigned to the bloodthirsty 11th Division, and Renji was simply the first person they ran into.
As such, they were in for the fight of their lives, although their captain was (thankfully) not in the general area thanks to his lieutenant's horrible sense of direction. "So, anyone know which group of retards we're bound to run into?"
Uryū was tempted to berate Tatsuki for her choice of language, then remembered the sharp and pointy zanpakutō she was still carrying, plus the fact that she was an expert in marshal arts and would thus beat the living shit out of him.
"AHA! Found you, ryōka!" A man jumped down from a rooftop, landing before them. He was a bald man with red markings near corners of his eyes, wearing a standard shihakushō. Then he began dancing, hopping from foot to foot while speaking. "Luck, luck, luck, luck, luck, luck, LUUUCCKKKYYY!"
Everyone on the Rescue Team, even Orihime, had to sweatdrop at the sheer stupidity of that dance.
Tatsuki and Uryū actually voiced it as one. "You look like an idiot."
The bald man jumped at the accusation. "Why you little-That's my lucky dance!"
Tatsuki narrowed her eyes, clearly not impressed. "Doesn't make you look less of an idiot, retard." The sound of someone else jumping down behind them was heard, and Orihime spotted a man who looked rather...flamboyant, wearing a partial orange turtleneck with what looked to be feathers attached to his right eyebrow.
"I've tried to tell him that for years: he never listens."
"That's enough, Yumichika! Now, time to see which of you is the strongest!"
Tatsuki sighed. "I'll take the ass with no hair. Someone take care of the other guy!"
Uryū deployed his bow, taking aim at the man identified as Yumichika while Tatsuki pulled Miyako's zanpakutō out to fight the bald one.
Meanwhile, with the OTHER half of the team
Kaien, Shinji, Ganju and Hiyori popped their heads around a corner, on the lookout for anyone from the 7th Division, as that was where they had landed. Hiyori was itching to go on the warpath (she had VERY little anger control and Aizen was only a few hundred meters away) but she was waiting until the bastard revealed himself to unleash hell.
"Ok, remind me who took over the 7th for Love after Aizen fucked us over?"
"Sajin Komamura. Big guy: taller then Zaraki. Always wears a helmet for some-"
A massive shadow descended upon the spiritual half of the Rescue Team. Shinji looked upwards, spotting the massive form of a shinigami wearing armored boots, gloves and a helmet. "Aw, fuckberries."
The massive giant jumped, forcing the four to jump for their lives in order not to get crushed. Kaien sighed, recognizing the shinigami immediately. 'Yup, it's Captain Komamura.'
"Ryōka, I must demand your surrender. I do not wish to fight you, but I cannot allow you to proceed."
Kaien knew he was no match for Komamura without Nejibana, (he STILL didn't have an asauchi to replace the one that was destroyed) but running was out of the question. He'd have to fight.
'Can't we just get along for once?'
Back with the human half of the RT and the psychopaths
Tatsuki was known for hand to hand combat. The only time she'd seen a sword was when Ichigo saved her ass from Acidwire, and she barely remembered that. Still, she was a quick learner, using her marshal arts skills in combination with her mediocre swordsmanship skills to beat the crap out of baldy.
After getting knocked to the ground for the fifth fucking time, he got right back up. "You know, I've been rude."
Tatsuki narrowed her eyes in exasperation. "And retarded."
He didn't hear her retort. "In our division, we tell those who are about to die our names." He pointed his sword at her. "I'm Ikkaku Madarame, 3rd Seat of the 11th Division!"
Tatsuki huffed, clearly not in the mood. "Tatsuki Arisawa."
Ikkaku smiled psychotically (not as much as his captain: THAT is not possible) as he pressed the pommel of his zanpakutō to its' sheath. "Grow, Hōzukimaru!" The sword and sheath disappeared, transforming into a spear with a red horsehair tassel attached to the base of the blade.
Tatsuki had no idea how to combat a spear besides staying out of its' range. 'Fuck it. Might as well use kido.'
Ikkaku charged at her, and Tatsuki pointed her left palm at him. "Hado 1: Sho!" Ikkaku's eyes widened before he was sent flying back screaming at he was forced into a wall, which crumbled upon impact.
The 3rd Seat quickly recovered, however. "That's cheating!"
"Bit of advice, retard! All's fair in love and war!"
Ikkaku screamed as he charged at her once more.
Meanwhile, Yumichika and Uryū were engaged in an adhoc version of Yoruichi's tag contests.
Adhoc because Yumichika was actually trying to kill Uryū. Thankfully, Uryū had the ranged and speed advantages, and was soundly whooping Yumichika's ass.
Uryū knew better then to assume this was the best the 5th Seat could do, however.
In between 'tag' sessions, Yoruichi briefed him on the Gotai 13 and the roles of each division. The flamboyant fool was a member of the 11th Division, and although he knew kido, he was limiting himself to attempting to get close with his zanpakutō.
If he were a member of the 10th or 5th, Uryū would be having a much harder time.
Still, that didn't mean it was a cakewalk: Yumichika was using shunpo to get close while Uryū used Hirenkyaku to keep the distance as open as possible, despite slightly screwing with his aim.
Still, Uryū had the edge at range, and the simple fact that Yumichika was wounded while Uryū was unharmed (for the most part) spoke volumes to this.
"Stop jumping around and fight like a man, you inelegant Quincy!"
Uryū sweatdropped. "I AM fighting like a man, you imbecile!"
"Real men fight at melee range!"
Uryū was REALLY getting tired of this idiot. "Do I LOOK like I have a sword?"
Yumichika was about to start ranting once more when a fist collided with his head, knocking him out. During the engagement, Chad had snuck behind the shinigami, only getting close enough to strike during the argument. "He was done."
Uryū gave Chad his silent thanks before the Quincy decided to try and help Tatsuki. Thing is, Tatsuki didn't need any help.
Ikkaku was unconscious due to a combination of multiple uses of Hado 1: Sho and an impact with something harder then steel.
The latter was Orihime's head. Orihime wasn't hurt.
Ikkaku, on the other hand, was out like a light, seeing little birdies flying over his head.
As such, when Uryū and Chad arrived, they saw Tatsuki fussing over Orihime, checking to see if she was hurt and the bald shinigami unconscious and no longer a threat.
Meanwhile, with Ichigo and Rukia
The two 'linked' shinigami had exited the sewers and were somewhere on the opposite side of the Seireitei from the Rescue Team and were currently hiding from the rest of the Gotai 13. It almost reminded Ichigo of some game that came out a few years back, but that didn't matter.
"So, Rukia, any idea where we are?" Rukia shot a glare at Ichigo for that comment.
"No, Ichigo, I don't know where we are! I normally don't leave the 13th Division barracks unless I'm delivering paperwork to another division. Usually the 8th."
Ichigo got the idea. Although Rukia knew the Seireitei better then he did, she didn't get out much, it seemed.
Fortunately for the readers, so they don't have to play 'guess where they are', the author knows exactly where they were.
While the Rescue Team were in the 7-13 area of the Seireitei, Ichigo and Rukia were in the area assigned to the 5th Division. Not even Kaien and his half of the team were close to their location.
"Well, we kinda need to find whoever Getaboshi sent here." 'Agreed, Ichigo. Something about this entire situation does not sit right with me.'
Rukia was still unnerved about having this mental link to Ichigo and about having his zanpakutō hanging on her back. She was once again reminded of the stark difference in power between the two as she looked at Ichigo's massive constant release zanpakutō.
She had a properly sized version of the sword Ichigo used, but Rukia knew she wasn't at full power yet. Once she was, that sealed sword on her back would cease to exist and a near-copy of the one on Ichigo's back would be there in its' place.
'Who cares about the situation?! Those assholes are going to try hunting us down, and I say let them come!' Ichigo's zanpakutō, which sounded like him, only like a Hollow, still scared the shit out of her.
Thoughts about Ichigo's zanpakutō were going to have to wait, however: they had been discovered, however accidentally, by a shinigami lieutenant.
This one was one of the 4 female lieutenants, and had her hair tied up in a cloth-covered bun. Her brown eyes were gazing at Ichigo and Rukia before her hand dropped to her zanpakutō.
'Isn't that the lieutenant that serves under that creepy Aizen guy?'
Rukia raised an eyebrow at Ichigo's mental comment. 'Aizen? Creepy?' 'He does have a rather unsettling aura around him, Rukia. How I failed to notice before is...odd.'
The fact Rukia paid little attention to anything other then her work would do that.
"You! But how did you-" The girl shook her head and drew her zanpakutō. "Surrender now and I won't hurt you!" Ichigo shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't exactly do that, lady."
That only angered the shinigami lieutenant. "My name isn't lady! It's Momo Hinamori!" She used shunpo to close in on Ichigo, who quickly drew Shirayuki and parried her attack. 'Why the hell aren't you using me, King?!'
'Because if he did, her sword would be hacked in twine and she would get killed, and Ichigo doesn't want to hurt her.'
Momo, meanwhile, attempted attacking again, only to have Ichigo parry again. And again. At the sixth time, Momo finally lost it, jumping back and extending her palm.
"Hado 31: Shakkahō!" A red beam of fiery energy launched from her hand, forcing both Ichigo and Rukia to jump and avoid the attack. Ichigo rolled on his side, avoiding getting hurt by his copy of Shirayuki.
'Great: she's using kido.' He got into a kneeling position when Shirayuki made herself known again. 'So can you, Ichigo.' Ichigo shook his head. 'I doubt she'll stand still long enough for me to use Sōren Sōkatsui.'
He got back onto his feet as Momo finished chanting out the incantation for Sōren Sōkatsui. 'Fuck this.'
"Hado 73: Sōren Sōkatsui!"
"Mai, Sode no Shirayuki!" Ichigo quickly released his copy of Shirayuki just as Momo fired. The twin blue beams were dispelled by Shirayuki's release, and the blade now rested in Ichigo's left hand. Momo was shocked to see the released blade in Ichigo's hands, having seen it a few times before the death of Kaien Shiba.
Still, she had little chance of fighting a lieutenant-level opponent in shikai without releasing. "Snap, Tobiume!"
She swung the blade toward Ichigo, producing a fireball that was sent flying his way. 'Shit.' Ichigo ducked under the fireball, then counterattacked with Shirayuki's help. 'You don't have time to perform the actions, but you can use my dances. They won't be as strong-' 'Just tell me what to do!'
Shirayuki hummed in thought before answering. 'Some no Mai: Tsukishiro is lethal, so that is out of the question. Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren is best. Point the blade at your target and call out its' name.'
Ichigo jumped over another fireball, and pointed Shirayuki at Momo. "Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren!" A blast of white snow was sent flying toward Momo, who, while shocked, shunpo'ed to dodge the icy attack. She then shunpo'ed directly in front of Ichigo, generating a fireball, but holding it within the prongs for extra power.
As such, this was the second time someone would snap Ichigo's copy of Sode no Shirayuki. 'Shit!' Ichigo instinctually used shunpo (it was not consciously done) to back away, much to the surprise of both female shinigami. 'I didn't teach him that!' 'You didn't need to, Queen.'
Ichigo landed a few meters back, surprised about what he did, but more worried about Shirayuki. 'Shit. I'm sorry, Shirayuki.' 'While I'm not happy about that happening twice in a row, neither time was your fault. This will force us to use my third dance.' 'Third?'
'San no Mai: Shirafune. It will regenerate the blade. It will be mildly uncomfortable for me, but it is worse to have half a blade.' Ichigo was unwilling to hurt her any further, but Shirayuki's tone of voice made it clear that she was not in the mood for hesitation.
'Do. It.' Ichigo relented before Momo shunpo'ed behind him.
'How?' 'Call the name of the dance. It will do the rest.'
Ichigo ducked under Momo's fireball-enhanced blade, calling out the name of the dance. "San no Mai: Shirafune!" The blade regenerated, and Ichigo struck, piercing Momo's hakama and grazing her leg. Momo cried out in pain, but her pain turned to anger as she swung the fireball-enhanced Tobiume at Ichigo again.
'Ichigo, draw me, damn it! You don't want to hurt Shirayuki? Use me! I'm fireproof!' Ichigo rolled to the side, avoiding her strike before drawing the massive khyber knife that was Zangetsu. Ichigo swatted Tobiume aside before stabbing Momo through the leg with Shirayuki before letting go of Zangetsu long enough to perform a haymaker to the face.
That managed to disable the lieutenant by knocking her unconscious.
Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu's hilt before placing the blade back on his back as Rukia checked on Momo. "Is she alright?"
Rukia scoffed at that as Ichigo walked over to their position. No matter what, Ichigo was more worried about others then himself. "She's fine: that stab wound won't kill her. If she can get to the 4th, she'll be just fine."
Then they felt the reiatsu of something downright evil approach. "FOUND YOU, RYOKA!"
Ichigo barely picked up Rukia and Momo in time as a massive man with long spiked hair with bells attached to their tips and an eyepatch adorning his right eye landed where they were standing. Ichigo's instinctual shunpo saved all of them, but now they had a problem.
They had been found by the most bloodthirsty captain in the Gotai 13: Kenpachi Zaraki.
Momo regained consciousness as the bloodthirsty psychopath charged at them, with Ichigo barely blocking Zaraki's strike with Zangetsu. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! She's one of your comrades!"
The crazed captain scoffed. "She ain't one of mine, boy." Ichigo managed to begin pushing Zaraki back, roaring in anger as he did so.
Momo was surprised by Ichigo's actions, but had no time to comment as Rukia half-carried her away, trying to get Momo to safety before trying to help Ichigo.
Hey, do you know what time it is?
ZARAKI TIME!
(Kenpachi Zaraki crashes through a wall)
Zaraki: The fuck? Where am I?
Author: Welcome to my stage, Zaraki. Now-
(Roar of rage is heard)
Author: Fuck this shit. I'm GONE. (Uses Portal gun and runs when Kratos jumps onto the stage)
Kratos: You will take me to Zeus or you will die!
Zaraki: (Evil smile) Ok. (Draws zanpakutō) Let's have some fun!
Wilhelm Scream count: 11 (Just one? Damn it!)
Next Time on WSR URE: Zaraki Time!
Ja Ne!