Well hey everyone, I actually managed to post a chapter within a month of the last. Hurrah for progress! Let's see for those who didn't pick up on it last chapter, this chapter and the next will follow the third movie "Fade to Black." This chapter is part one and the next will wrap up the movie. For obvious reasons certain scenes never made it into my story because Shirou is limited to first person and thus is with Ichigo most of the time. Hopefully that's alright with everyone. Ichigo plays a pretty heavy roll in this chapter, and certain scenes Shirou doesn't even get a word in, but we still have his thoughts.
Nothing else major to address until the end of the chapter, so hopefully you enjoy this one. Let's go!
"Ah, thanks Ururu," Kurosaki thanks a young girl in pigtails as she handed him a small cup of tea. She approached me with a shy manner, and I gave a friendly smile. She placed the tea cup in front of me, bowed out of the room and quickly slid the dividing door shut. All the while a red-headed boy was analyzing Kurosaki and me with an intense gaze, who gave me pause. After the door had shut, though, I put it out of my mind.
"So," Urahara started out. I couldn't get a beat on this man at all. Apparently Kurosaki viewed this man as an ally and friend, and Urahara possessed knowledge of both Shinigami and the operations of Soul Society. But how much did he know? "You want to know about this person who's named…what?" The sudden amnesia of Rukia seemed to have been affecting people everywhere, not just the Soul Society. That also raised a few questions in its own right, such as why only Kurosaki and I remembered Rukia.
Kurosaki had noted that someone named Kon, whoever that was, had snapped him out of his amnesia of Rukia earlier on, and while I had detected something while I was communicating with Nanika, when I exited my mediation, I still had full memories of the woman responsible for setting me on my current path. People also seemed to forget who I was as well, except for Kurosaki again. They must have some kind of connection that allowed him to remember me or something similar to that.
"Her name is Rukia Kuchiki!" The orange-haired teen shouted at the shopkeeper. The man put his hand to his jaw and rubbed it, deep in thought. I eyed Kurosaki, and he returned my gaze before rolling his eyes.
"Oh yeah…Rukia. Who is she?" Urahara asked plainly. I could see the rage on my companion's face beginning to show. I put my hand on his shoulder and spoke for the first time since entering the shop.
"She is a friend of Kurosaki's and from what he's told me, she frequents both this town and your shop whenever she is allocated time in the World of the Living." I turned to face Kurosaki. "Honestly, why are we wasting our time with this man if he can't remember her either?" Suddenly Urahara raised his hand as he held a small notepad in the other.
"Now hold on there," the man began. "The name does appear on my frequent customer list, but I'm sorry I don't really recall such a person." Kurosaki leaned back from his current position. As he moved I saw a small stuffed lion propped up on the floor next to him. What was that thing doing there?
"What the hell is going on here?" Kurosaki asked himself. That's what I would like to know as well. Before Urahara or I could give the teen a reply, the stuffed toy began moving.
"Beats me, Ichigo, but remember for a while you forgot who Rukia was too! I had to snap you out of that…" The small lion trailed off as it realized I was hovering behind it. Both of the other men looked at me, not realizing I had even moved.
"What in the name of the Akasha is that?" I asked no one in particular. There was an actual personality to this stuffed children's toy. No way could it be a simple animated item, its personality was too…human. I started to visibly shake at the sight of this thing before me. Not out of fear it, but the fear of what it meant…
"Oh, that's Kon," Kurosaki replied, "I guess you haven't seen him before, he's a soul that resides in that stuffed lion's body when he's not using mine." Did I hear that correctly?
"You mean…there's a soul…in that children's toy?" Urahara was picking up on my anxiety and he could tell something was amiss.
"Emiya, is everything alright?" The shop owner asked me earnestly. I looked between him and the possessed stuffed lion multiple times.
"I-I'm not sure," I stuttered out. Here before me, stood the apparent work of something akin to the Third Magic, Heaven's Feel. I don't know how the people of this world managed to achieve such a thing, but when Kurosaki spoke of it, he sounded as it was not uncommon. "It is surprising to see something as rare as a soul transplanted into in inanimate object. Where I am from, being able to perform such a feat is regarded as something that would be akin to a miracle."
"Really?" Urahara's interest sounded piqued. "Why Kon is nothing more than a modified soul, designed initially to combat Hollows by assuming control of human bodies, but the project was scrapped long ago."
"A modified soul? As in a human soul that has been tampered with somehow?"
"No, these are similar to your average artificial soul, except they were designed to give their host augmented abilities and they have their own distinct personalities." Urahara explained. This was nuts. These people had actually created souls?
"Wait; hold on, you said artificial souls? You mean someone or something possesses the methods to not only alter and implant, but also to create souls?" Urahara simply nodded.
"I'm surprised this all sounds so new to you, Emiya. Any Shinigami knows of the artificial souls by the time they come to the World of the Living. Where exactly did you say you were from?" The tone in his voice did not sound reassuring.
"I'm from out of town…" I began.
"Very far, out of town," Kurosaki backed me up. Urahara looked between us, and simply shrugged. "And while, this science lesson is all well and good, something has happened to Rukia, and we need to find out what it is."
"Listen, I don't know if this has anything to do with the disappearance of this Rukia person or not, but last night something amazing happened in the Seireitei," Urahara stated. I looked over to him.
"Emiya mentioned something had happened, but didn't fill me in, what is it?" Kurosaki asked the older man.
"Well the Captain of the Twelfth Squad, Mayuri Kurotsuchi went insane and I guess he destroyed his whole lab." I hadn't heard about that, but perhaps it had something to do with the giant snake beast that had attacked the Seireitei. "As a result, huge amounts of reishi were released and a third of the Seireitei is in ruin."
"Actually," I began, causing the two to look at me. "If I can amend that slightly, while I cannot confirm if the first portion of what you're saying is true, the latter is off base. The Seireitei was attacked by a large spiritual beast. It was centered on one of the research towers, and could split off into many sections, much like a hydra from Grecian myth."
"Really? Interesting," Urahara mused quietly. "Regardless, I'm wondering if these two situations are somehow connected. It could potentially explain how our memories are being affected. We could be under attack." The orange-haired teen let out a grunt of surprise while I simply arched a brow. I was curious though.
"Who would be bold enough to attack the heart of the Soul Society?" I ventured, seeing if either of the other men had an answer for me.
"Hard to say, the Shinigami have many enemies, but you are correct. Few would attempt to attack so near the center of the Soul Society. Also, pardon me for asking; what are your relationships with this Rukia person?" Fair enough question, I suppose.
"Is that important?" Kurosaki asked defensively; something had him riled up. Urahara simply smiled underneath his hat. "She's a very close friend of mine." Urahara cast his gaze my way, expecting an answer.
"She is an ally," I replied plainly. There wasn't much to our relationship. Rukia and I had butted heads often enough, and I could confidently call her my ally, should I ever need her aid in a battle. Friend was a little far off yet, though. Suddenly I found the possessed stuffed lion upon my shoulder.
"Yea, we need to get to the Soul Society! So get off your lazy butt and help us—argh!" I grabbed the thing by its face and tossed it onto the ground. Kurosaki looked at his fallen toy and then toward the shop owner.
"Please Kisuke; we need to get to the Soul Society. Will you open the Senkaimon?" Urahara smirked as he lowered his head.
"If you insist." Finally we were getting somewhere.
Seireitei, Soul Society
After entering the altered Senkaimon that Urahara had in his possession, we were deposited within the Seireitei. Let me rephrase that, we were positioned roughly fifty meters above the Seireitei. I saw Kurosaki and Kon falling and cursing Urahara's name for some reason. I doubted a fall from this height would do much damage to any of us, so I just let gravity take its course. After a few more seconds, our trio impacted with the ground.
Well to be more accurate, Kurosaki and I impacted with the ground, while Kon…well he just bounced off it like the fluff he was. I coughed to clear my throat of the debris from our impact, and looked around. The same white substance covered the entire area. I heard Kon starting to freak about something.
"A-ah Ichigo! What kind of joke is this?" He indicated toward what seemed to be people flash frozen in the substance, reaching out crying for help. "You think everyone's been wiped out?"
"Well, it sure doesn't look good. I don't feel anyone's reiryoku, at least anyone familiar. How about you, Emiya?" I extended my senses to encompass the surrounding area, and as Kurosaki surmised, there was nothing. I shook my head.
"Whatever did this has moved on or is gone from this place entirely. Our best option would be to look for a Captain or Lieutenant and try and get some answers," I replied. Kon jumped up onto Kurosaki's shoulder.
"Wait a second, what about Rukia. She's alright isn't she? Shouldn't we go after her instead?"
"I don't know," Kurosaki replied, "but keep it down, let's go see if we can find her. Is there anything you can tell me about the thing that did this?"
"Not much," I told him. "I just know that it put out an awful lot of spiritual energy, and seemed to be able to regenerate lost parts. Whatever it was, it manifested itself as a serpent-like creature, and it's only offensive capabilities seemed to be its heads."
"Alright, well if we come upon, it, I'll follow your lead." Kurosaki looked over into the distance and spotted a large column of the substance, and what appeared to be a light source. "Our best bet is that way, so come on and let's get moving." I nodded and followed the orange-haired Shinigami.
As we walked throughout whatever district we were in, we finally neared the light Kurosaki had spotted a few kilometers back. As we approached a small gateway, Kurosaki stopped and his eyes lit up.
"What is it?" I asked him. I followed the other Shinigami's gaze toward the object of interest. Well I'll be damned. Standing a ways a way was Shūhei Hisagi, the co-lieutenant of the Ninth if my memory served me correctly. He had been the one that took me to see his Captain after that bumbling idiot, Umeda, had charged me with multiple accounts of treason. Happier times. "What's Hisagi doing here?"
"You know, Shūhei?" Kurosaki asked me. I nodded.
"Only in passing, but I guess he must be out here for cleanup. Being a part of the Ninth demands defense of the Seireitei." Kurosaki nodded.
"Well, at least it's good to see a familiar face, and maybe we can get some answers." Kurosaki started to walk into the courtyard and I followed behind him, the blueprints of a few choice weapons imprinted into my Circuits, ready to be traced on a whim. "Yo, Shūhei, what's going on here?" I followed behind and stood silently.
"How do you know my name-" Hisagi began asking my companion, but the ground started to shake violently. A large mound of the white substance began to bubble until a large column rocketed out of the side of the mound. It launched into the air and formed into a sphere before it cackled with energy. The energy zipped along the ball of the substance, and it instantly formed into a huge serpent, nearly nine meters long.
"What is that thing?" one Shinigami asked. The others in the plaza drew their Zanpakutō. Kurosaki brandished Zangetsu in his hands, and in my hands I traced Durendal, the peerless sword that would keep its edge against this foe. Hisagi jumped into the air to meet the oncoming serpent and unleashed a Kidō attack.
"Hyapporankan!" The Lieutenant of the Ninth shouted out. A blue-white bar of reiryoku formed into his hand. He then threw it like a spear and the bar multiple into hundreds of copies and assaulted the serpent. The large creature barreled through the attack like nothing and mowed down the remaining Shinigami standing between the serpent, Kurosaki and me. The orange-haired Shinigami extended Zangetsu outward and a torrent of demonic feeling reiryoku poured out from him.
The energy formed into a curved blade and sliced the oncoming beast down the middle, but it simply reformed itself around the attack, and now bore two heads instead of just one. My turn. I chased after the beast as it leaped over a nearby wall and headed for one of the doors to the inner city. I poured on my speed and dashed in front of the large mass of reishi.
"Durendal, silence this monstrosity!" I slashed at the oncoming beast, and what happened next made me curse the Akasha a thousand times over. Indeed Durendal had done its job, yet it seemed to take my command too literally. The monstrosity flew past me, but as it attempted to roar, not a sound came out. It didn't seem to notice at all, and it rushed up the corridor and smashed into the gate. The mass of reishi turned into a tidal wave that swept through the gate and into the inner portion of the Seireitei. I dismissed Durendal as there was nothing more for me to do.
As I turned to walk away I swore I saw two souls standing near the downed gates, but when I blinked they were gone. It was probably nothing I should concern myself with. I sprinted down the pathway until I returned to the plaza where the other Shinigami were assembled. I approached Kurosaki, and saw him wearing a skull masked with a black line design on the left portion.
"What was that just now?" Kon asked as I made my return to the duo. I shook my head.
"I don't know, but it seems to have subsided for now," I replied. As I was about to continue explaining what had happened to Kurosaki, a dozen Shinigami suddenly surrounded us, and drew their Zanpakutō. This couldn't be good.
"What's with all these people, all of a sudden?" Kon asked, until he noticed them drawing their weapons. "Hey, uh, what's going on?" I warmed my Circuits and put my hand on Nanika's blade. "Ichigo?"
"Quiet, Kon," Ichigo muttered harshly. Whatever was going on here, Kurosaki was as ready as I was it seemed. Hisagi made his way through the guard surrounding us, and addressed Kurosaki.
"You, in the mask, identify yourself now," the Lieutenant commanded. I looked between Hisagi and Kurosaki.
"I thought these men were your friends," I whispered quietly to my partner. The teen nodded slightly, but then put his hand to his face and the mask disappeared in a flare of the same demonic reiryoku.
"Hisagi, what's wrong? It's me, Ichigo Kurosaki." The orange-haired teen shouted at his supposed friend. I looked over to Kurosaki, who must have entered into Bankai since I noticed Zangetsu was now much slimmer, and sported a chain at its end.
"Apprehend them both!" Hisagi ordered his men.
"Yes sir!" They shouted in reply, before one finally had the gusto to charge us. Nanika appeared in my hands and I parried the initial strike, before kicking the man in his gut and sending him sprawling. Kurosaki had already downed four of them, damn Bankai. I ducked underneath a strike from a Shinigami while sheathing Nanika, and struck him with the Kanshou, as Bakuya formed into my other hand. The black sword knocked the man away, and the white nearly cleaved his arm off.
Kurosaki was exchanging blows with Hisagi. "You damn intruder!" I heard Hisagi yell, before he charged Kurosaki. My partner parried the attack.
"I don't want to fight you Shūhei!" Kurosaki bucked the other man off of him, and leaped backward. "Come on, Emiya!" I nodded as I slammed another guard with my elbow, and ran after Kurosaki. I could hear the guards calling after us as we sprinted through another arch way into a new portion of the district.
"I think we're clear," I reported. I suddenly felt the presence of one very familiar Shinigami. "Damn, spoke to soon." As I said that Zabimaru's snake-like blade was about to slam into me, but Kurosaki blocked it with his Zanpakutō. "Thanks." He nodded in reply. I saw Renji land a few meters away from us.
"Got you now, you damn intruders!" He caught a glimpse of me and his eyes narrowed. "You again?" I smirked slightly, but that didn't seem to help. Kurosaki briefly looked between Renji and me, but didn't act upon it. Hisagi and his troops arrived promptly beside Renji.
"Abarai, don't let them get away!" Hisagi ordered his fellow Lieutenant. Renji pointed Zabimaru at us accusingly.
"So, you're responsible for all of this?" He asked angrily.
"What? Renji it's me Ichigo!" Kurosaki shouted toward our friend. "Don't you recognize me?" I pulled out Nanika as I saw Renji's arm begin to move.
"It's no use, Kurosaki. He obviously doesn't remember us. It has to be something involving Rukia!" There was no other explanation to this. People were forgetting who we were because of our ties with Rukia.
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Renji shouted as he rushed toward us. I pushed Kurosaki aside, and held Nanika in front of myself.
"Never Waver, Nanika! Zabimaru!" Nanika instantly shifted into the Shikai state of Renji's Zanpakutō, and all gathered looked on in shock. "Renji, snap out of this amnesia!" I parried Zabimaru with Nanika, and sparks flew. "We don't have to fight, we're your friends!"
"Really now? Then how is it you know my first name?" He thrust outward with Zabimaru and then raised it into the air and slammed it downward. I maneuvered out of the way and his blade sunk into the ground. I sent Nanika flying out to wrap the blade around him.
"Listen to him, Renji!" Kurosaki shouted out, "Rukia's in big trouble!" The red-haired Lieutenant struggled against my hold.
"Rukia? I don't know what you're going on about!"
"What…you've forgotten about her as well?" Kurosaki shouted. "This is Rukia we're talking about, Renji! You've got to remember." Renji suddenly took on a far off look, like he was remembering something. "Come on, Renji!" That seemed to snap him out of it. He exploded in spiritual pressure and forced Nanika away.
"You shut up and stop all this babbling!" Renji sent the extended Zabimaru flying towards Kurosaki. It crashed into the side of a wall as the orange-haired teen dodged out of the way. I sent Nanika flying towards Renji, but he managed to buck the attack with Zabimaru's extended blade. Kurosaki landed atop one of the rooftops, but Renji was hot on his tail. I was still standing around with the company led by Hisagi.
"Come on men, follow Abarai!" The troops grunted, and began to follow their leader's orders, until they saw Kanshou and Bakuya slash at the ground in front of them. I still held Nanika in her Zabimaru form in my hand.
"How rude, going to forget about me so soon?" I asked, feigning being offended. The troops looked at me, and charged. I lashed out with Nanika in a sweeping slash, knocking a handful of them off their feet. I reeled in Nanika, and shifted her form. "Scatter, Senbonzakura!" Her hilt transformed, and her blade began to wither away into hundreds of sakura looking blades. I waved the hilt, and the miniature cloud of blades swept through the ranks of the men. Hisagi jumped over the mass of Shinigami, and slammed his sword down toward me. I traced Kanshou into my hand to block, and directed the blades of Nanika. The blades went flying towards Hisagi and he had to drop to the floor to dodge them.
"Bastard, I don't know who you are, or how you're doing this, but I will finish this! Reap, Kazeshini!" His sword split in half and formed two Kurisigama-like weapons, each with two scythe blades, with one inverted, giving it the resemblance of a pinwheel. The blades were connected to a spiked rod tethered together by a long chain. I would pass on adding this to my collection. I sealed Nanika and sheathed her to my side. His style was based about range, if those chains were any indication. I called to mind a few weapons and imprinted them upon my Circuits for instant access. I chose my weapon.
I traced into my hands a large scepter. It had a silver pole, with golden patterns at the bottom end of it. Atop the scepter was a golden piece with a sapphire in the middle. Two metal pieces protruded off the golden piece, and at the top of the golden piece as a small metal blade. I poured prana into the scepter and it began to glow. Lightning flashed around me and struck my weapon, and in a flash of light, it transformed in a large broadsword. The metal components had moved to form the giant blade, while the golden piece had moved down to the hilt, and served as a guard of sorts. This was Exaccus, the divine scepter of lighting,
"Neat trick, intruder, but you're no match for Kazeshini, no matter how much I dislike this weapon." Before I could question what he had meant, he sent one of the pinwheel blades flying. The wind rushing about it caused the blade to spin at a deadly speed. One of the tricks Exaccus provided its wielder were traits of its element, lightning. I moved at astounding speeds and easily dodged the attack, my Circuits pumping od into my construct. I slashed at Hisagi, but he pulled on the chain and one of the pinwheels caught my blade and snaked around it. His other blade whirled around and slashed across my side and I let out a shout of pain. It had sunk deep.
"Bastard," I muttered. I dismissed Exaccus, and called forth Enkidu. Chains against chains seemed fair. I swung the dagger end of the quickly and threw it, holding onto the chain as it flew, pumping in prana. The chain veered left and struck Hisagi in the back. I rushed and caught the dagger and threw it again, striking the man in the chest. He lashed out with Kazeshini, and the pinwheel blade struck Enkidu as I whipped up a portion of the chain. Now full of my od, Enkidu could be controlled by just the flow of my prana. Round and around the dagger went, stabbing into multiple places in both Hisagi and the foundation of the walls. The dagger returned to my hand, and I had him completely bound. "Now then, give up!" I traced Kanshou into my hand, and slammed it against his head, knocking the man out.
As I released Enkidu, I traced Bakuya into my other hand, and felt an enormous amount of spiritual pressure suddenly release. I looked toward the east and saw Kurosaki's dark reiryoku flaring up as he ascended into the sky, and then I just had had it with these Shinigami. A giant, grey suit of armor, seemingly empty, rose up from the streets below. The thing stood nearly a hundred meters tall, and I could only imagine it was a Captain's Bankai that had been unleashed. I saw it raise its massive sword to strike down Kurosaki, but he managed to parry the giant weapon with Zangetsu. How that was possible I didn't know. I blamed it on Bankai. Still, he needed help.
I would need something to topple titans if I was going to have a shot of helping Kurosaki. My mind jumped to Excalibur…but it wasn't the time or the place to use such a weapon. I've perfected the tracing of it to the best of my abilities, but there are some things humanity cannot comprehend. The Sword of Promised Victory was one of, if not the most powerful in my armory, and to use it so callously would be a dishonor to the King who bore it before me. I instead chose a close twin to it, one that had already seen this world. Excalibur Galatine.
The large, blue blade appeared in my hands and I could feel its power. This would do. I saw Kurosaki weaving in between the large giant's slashes, but if I attacked now it would injure him gravely. When I had used this against Senna, I was barely putting anything behind the sword, but now this titan would face the sun itself.
"Kurosaki!" I shouted as I ran along the rooftops toward the large Bankai construct. "I need you to keep distracting that thing while I ready my attack!" Kurosaki nodded, I saw through my reinforced vision, and I inhaled. I am the bone of my sword. "The blade of this sword is a copy of the sun itself…" I began the aria. The blade hummed with power as my Circuits heated to power it. "Holy sword of the stars, swing once again!" More od flowed into the sword, more than I'd used on it previously. Kurosaki sliced the air and more blades of energy went flying into the construct. I threw the sword into the air and it spun on an axis, glowing brightly and giving off great amounts of heat. "Kurosaki get out of the way!" The teen Shunpo'd away as the sword fell into my hands. I felt my Circuits blazing with the fire that matched the sun. "The Reborn Sword of Victory, Excalibur Galatine!" I shouted as I slashed the air.
A beam of pure, nova hot energy erupted from the spot I slashed and accelerated toward the giant. Kurosaki appeared beside me, and we watched as the enormous battle suit was taken down. I dismissed Galatine, and put my hands on my knees, breathing heavily. My internal reservoirs were nearly depleted after using Galatine to its full force. I could feel my Circuits humming, trying to refill the lost od, but it would take time, a few hours until I could use something heavy.
"What the hell was that?" was all the teen asked me. I just shook my head.
"Now's not the time, we need to make ourselves scarce. Got any ideas?" Kurosaki nodded, and started heading off. I simply followed.
After we had been running for a good long while, eventually we descended into the underground water ways of the Seireitei. Kurosaki had suggested we travel this way to avoid any more confrontations. I agreed, my side was still in pain and my od levels were still barely out of the red zone. While we continued on walking, we eventually came out into an opening and I spotted a young man napping along the wall.
"What the hell is Yamada doing down here?"
"Who is this young man?" I asked Kurosaki, and he smiled.
"Ah, Yamada is a healer from the Fourth Division. If we can wake him up, I can probably get him to patch us up." Kurosaki wandered over toward the sleeping Shinigami, and kicked him in the side. Instantly the Shinigami jumped up from his slumber, and looked around wildly.
"Ah, huh? Can I help you…?" The young healer rubbed his eyes as his pulse dropped from the initial scare. There wasn't much to this Shinigami; he didn't even carry his Zanpakutō on his person. At least not that I saw anyway.
"Yes," I replied, "we have need of your healing skills." I lifted up my uniform and showed him the large gash in my side from Hisagi's weapon. The young man nodded at once, and placed his hands over my injury. His hands began glowing a faint pale green and I noticed the injury was closing up. After he finished, he quickly healed faint flesh wounds on Kurosaki.
"Well, pardon me for asking, but I think I've healed you before," the healer said to Kurosaki. The teen arched his brow, and then Yamada thumped his head. "Ah I'm sorry, I must have been imagining things." Kurosaki's shoulders slumped and he let out an exasperated sigh.
"Don't get our hopes up kid," Kon chided the young healer, who paid the stuffed lion no mind. Yamada looked between Kurosaki and me for a long while.
"There's something bothering you," he told Kurosaki. He looked to me next. "And you…something is troubling you as well."
"I'm surprised you can tell that," I replied to the healer. Usually I could mask my emotions fairly well in the pretense of strangers.
"Well, when I heal people, I not only can feel the pain of their injuries, but also what plagues their hearts." Kurosaki grunted, and then got to his feet.
"Nothing is going to get done just standing around here," Kurosaki commanded. I nodded, climbing to my feet as well.
"Well, then I guess we should keep moving on." I said. I nodded toward the young healer. "Thanks for the help." I began walking down the tunnel, while Kurosaki said his goodbyes to his friend. After a few moments, the orange-haired teen Shunpo'd next to me, Kon still riding on his shoulder. "What's our next move, Kurosaki?"
"Attempting to talk to Byakuya, would be our best bet. There should be an opening in the tunnels in a few kilometers, and it should let out near the Kuchiki Estates." I nodded. Hopefully we could get in and out of there without causing too much of a commotion. I knew Byakuya hadn't liked me from the start, and he already knew what Nanika could do.
"Fine, you should do most of the talk though. We had an unpleasant turn of events during the moment the amnesia first hit everyone." Both Suì-Fēng and Byakuya had heard what Nanika could do, and if Renji had drummed up the Captain of the Second enough, Byakuya was probably, at the least, out for my blood.
"Fair enough, but let me ask you something, Emiya." I looked at Kurosaki with a sidelong glance and waited. "Why are you helping me try to find Rukia? From the way I saw it, you and she never saw eye-to-eye." That was very true, but the small Shinigami was also the entire reason I'd wound up as a Shinigami, for better or for worse.
"I suppose there are a few driving reasons behind why I would help you. My ideals are atop that list. I strive to save all that I can. Over the years I've realized that I should try and save as many as I can, but not to hope for it. Hoping to be a hero first requires wishing danger and potential death upon the innocent." Kurosaki rubbed his chin.
"I never thought of it like that before. What other reasons as from your own moral stand point?"
"Well, I guess because she's the whole reason that I'm even here in the first place. No matter how much we got at each other, she's still the reason I wound up here. I wouldn't say I owe her a debt, but honestly I hope one day we can count ourselves as friends as well as allies." My face remained stoic as we walked. "What about you, why do you wish to save her?" I knew they were very close, but I wanted to hear it from him.
"Well…a few years ago a crisis came up and I didn't have my powers at this time. Rukia transferred part of her power into mine as well, neither of us knowing, my dad was actually a Shinigami all along. Anyway, she gave me the ability to protect my family and friends. She's one of my closest friends in the entire world, and I would do anything to protect her!" I was somewhat startled at how passionate his voice had begun. I saw him breathing a bit harder than he had been.
"I see," I replied. "Well with luck on our side, we will rescue Rukia, and restore everyone's memories of us. I however, need to make a slight detour. I'll be in the area, and will be able to sense your reiatsu if you flare it up. Signal me when you need me." Kurosaki nodded, but put a hand on my shoulder.
"Yo, Shirou. Thanks." His use of my first name surprised me a bit, but all things considered I suppose our friendship was beginning. I nodded.
"Think nothing of it, Ichigo." His name rolled off my tongue oddly. "Strawberry?" His face became flustered, and I heard him mutter something about stupid fathers. I chuckled a bit before I sprinted away into an off shoot of the tunnel activated Kefitzat Haderech, and I winked away.
Thirteenth Division Barracks
As I exited the fold in space, I was deposited within my own room. The entire barracks seemed to be deserted. I traced Kanshou and Bakuya into my hands and slowly walked down the hallways, keeping my Circuits silent and lowering my reiatsu as much as I could. Apparently it wasn't enough. I felt an insurmountable amount of spiritual pressure weigh down on me. I trudged through the halls and ended up outside to see Jūshirō standing above me in the air. As he looked down at me, his reiatsu was so great I was forced to one knee.
"Jūshirō! I'm not here to fight you! Please we need to talk." The white-haired Captain descended toward me, but his pressure did not let up. I dismissed Kanshou and Bakuya as a show of good faith, and I felt the pressure ease enough for me to stand. "Captain, I know this may be hard to believe, but my name is Shirou Emiya, you have been my mentor for the last few months. Something has altered the memories of everyone in Soul Society, save Ichigo and me. You have to try and remember. You welcomed me with open arms, and yet now you attack me? You saw me help defeat the serpent creature when it surfaced the first time."
"Yes, I know of you. Your name though, it doesn't spark anything within my mind. Captain Komamura spoke of two intruders wearing squad uniforms. He said one had the powers of a Hollow and a very powerful Bankai. The other he said created a weapon from apparently nothing that devastated his Bankai. Now you don't seem to have Hollow-powers, so that only leaves the latter option. As we speak my squad is out looking for you and your friend, and the Captain-Commander has ordered that all squads are to bring you in on sight." My eyes narrowed.
"I'm sorry, Captain. I consider you a friend and ally, but I cannot diverge from my mission now. If you don't allow me to pass, this will not end well for either of us. Look within yourself and ask 'is this all you know' or is something missing?" I upped my own reiatsu and breathed easier now that I could stand against his pressure a bit better. The Captain placed his hand on his own Zanpakutō.
"Shirou, was it? I will not raise my sword to you. You are correct in your assumptions as well. Something feels very wrong about this entire situation. I, however, cannot simply let you roam about freely while this crisis ensues. I request your surrender, and in return I will guarantee you amnesty from any charges held against you."
"I wish I could comply, Captain, but there is too much riding on this mission for me to turn myself in. Ichigo may have a chance to wrap this up by himself, but I promised him and myself that I would have his back, and I intend to fulfill that promise. Now I will ask you again to let me pass or this will not end well for either of us." It wouldn't at all. Jūshirō and I could most likely go toe-to-toe for a few minutes, before he either got tired of playing around or I was forced to up the ante. I suppose when it came down to it I could match his speed for a while with prana bursting, but my od was still in the red and if I over exerted I could end up comatose.
"Very well then, Shirou Emiya. Do not say I did not try to offer you a chance out." The Captain of the Thirteenth began drawing his Zanpakutō. I drew Nanika from my side. "Do not think I will give you the chance to mimic my Shikai as well. I saw what you did during the encounter with the reishi beast. Not many can force me to enter my Shikai as it is." I sprinted toward the Captain and jumped into the air and slashed. He blocked my strike, but I caught him off guard when I traced a bola into my hand and stuck him with it. He pushed me away and came rushing toward me with amazing speeds.
I threw Nanika up in front of me for defense, and his sword clashed against mine. I jumped away from the Captain and he closed the gap quickly. Where in the hell was Kurosaki's signal? I had come to try and plead with Jūshirō, but this fight was not on my to-do list. There were a few weapons that I could call forth that wouldn't draw too heavily upon my prana, and I chastised myself for summoning two copies, but the powers of the swords would let me win this fight without injury on either side. I slammed Jūshirō with my sword against his and he backed up a bit. I stabbed Nanika into the ground next to me and traced twin copies of Durendal into my hands. The six miracles of these two blades would allow me to stop Ukitake without injuring him too much.
"Durendal, overcome the insurmountable! Durendal, overpower the unstoppable!" The blades in my hands answered with the activation of each miracle. Jūshirō struck at me, but I swung the peerless sword in my left hand, and his Zanpakutō was knocked away in an instant. I slammed him with the broadside of the one in my right, and he was sent flying, but righted himself before he struck the ground. "Durendal, bind this soul!" Both swords activated the same miracle and I threw them into the ground next to Jūshirō. He attempted to move, but was bound in place. Before I could implement the last part, I felt a huge amount of Ichigo's spiritual pressure. Must've entered Bankai. "Sorry, but that's my cue." Before Jūshirō could get a word in I left the Durendal twins there, they would run out of od to sustain themselves eventually and Ukitake would be free. I stepped into the air and Shunpo'd to the Kuchiki Manners, it was time to have a word with Byakuya it seemed.
As I rushed toward the scene, I instantly saw Renji hurling Zabimaru toward Ichigo, who has entered his Bankai. Why hadn't Renji entered his Bankai as well? It didn't matter; Ichigo may still be caught in a bind. I quickly traced my bow and traced Hrunting into my hand. I reinforced and altered the sword into the arrows that Archer had almost killed me with during the Grail War. These didn't take as much prana to turn into Broken Phantasms, yet it was capable of moving at speeds near ten times the speed of sound.
I knocked the magical bolt and drew back my bow. Reinforcing my vision, I saw an opening where Renji had fallen back to recover Zabimaru and I took my shot. The moment I released the bolt an explosion of prana occurred where I had been aiming. Damn. I Shunpo'd down toward the scene with Nanika in my hands.
"Ichigo, what's going on?" I asked him as I held my sword in my hands, ready to fight.
"I'm trying to make Renji remember!" Ichigo shouted, before pushing past me and lifting his sword above his head. Renji looked wide eyed at both of us.
"What are you trying to make me remember, you bastard!"
"Your life!" Ichigo shouted back. He slammed Zangetsu down and the pure force of the strike caused Renji to go flying backward, and I was pushed back as well, saved only by stabbing Nanika into the ground. As the smoke cleared I saw Byakuya eyeing both of us warily. He frowned at me, but paused when he saw Ichigo's look. I looked toward Kurosaki as well, and saw his eyes. The look upon his face may have been defiance, but his eyes were pleading. I looked back toward Byakuya.
"Hisana was born in South Rukon District Seventy-eight. It's also called Hanging Dog." Ichigo nodded, and I looked at my partner. Ichigo Shunpo'd away, and I was quick to follow him.
Rukon District #78
As we walked through the rundown alley of this shanty town, Kon ran ahead of us before stopping and turning to face Ichigo.
"Are you sure this is where she lived?" I also found it highly doubtful that someone with Rukia's background lived in a place such as this. The buildings that ran along either side of us were dilapidated and the residents looked as if they hadn't bathed in weeks.
"Yeah, this is what I was told." Ichigo muttered, but I could see the doubt on his features too. We continued walking down the alley way, and some souls playing a card game, looked over toward us and cast us hateful looks. Ichigo nudged me. "Shinigami aren't really popular around here, so let's keep moving."
"Yeah," I replied. Suddenly a familiar power grazed my senses ever so slightly. It appeared Kon and Ichigo had felt it too, although they were reacting too it much more intensely. "Did you guys feel that too?"
"Yeah, it's Rukia," Ichigo nodded in confirmation. Kon hopped up on his shoulder and pointed north. "Let's go." I nodded and we began to run toward a curving mountain path that led out of the seventy-eighth district.
After we had been running for a few minutes, the sensation that I felt earlier indeed was Rukia's reiatsu. I wasn't able to tell earlier due to my unfamiliarity with her, but Ichigo was extremely fine-tuned on her, I wouldn't be surprised if he could find her on the other side of the Soul Society by just a thought. We began to climb up a steep incline as the mountain path began to wind around another turn. Kon began to shake.
"I can feel Rukia, she's close! Rukia, where are you?" he shouted out into the sky. Ichigo picked up speed and I matched his pace as we raced around the bend. I reinforced my eyes and could clearly see the small, raven-haired Shinigami, dressed in a kimono for some reason. I put it out of my mind as we began to near her.
"Rukia!" Ichigo shouted as we approached her, and he stopped a few meters away from her. I came to a standstill a few feet left of Ichigo, and saw the curious look Rukia was giving our trio. There was a long pause that seemed to last a lifetime, as Ichigo took in the full sight of his friend. I stood patiently and let them have their moment. A small breeze whipped up out of nowhere as well, adding to the serenity of the scene. "I'm glad you're alright."
"We were so worried!" Kon cried dramatically from Ichigo's shoulder. I snorted at the display, but walked forward to the side of Ichigo, and smiled at Rukia.
"It's good to still see you in one piece, Kuchiki," I waved kindly. The small woman stared at the three of us, her violet eyes appearing cold and calculating. It was as I feared, but Ichigo and Kon couldn't see it yet.
"Am I supposed to know you people?" She asked emotionlessly. Ichigo's face widened in shock, and Kon visually recoiled at how cold her voice was.
"What are you serious?" Kon asked from Ichigo's shoulder. I could see the pained look on his face, as well as the confusion.
"You mean, you don't recognize us?" Ichigo asked her. She narrowed her eyes at him, thinking. "Rukia, it's me. Ichigo!" She looked at him a long while, until I spoke up.
"It's really not that surprising that she doesn't, Kurosaki. Despite the bond that you and she share, whatever is doing this obviously has her at its center, so it is that shocking she doesn't remember us?" Ichigo looked over to me.
"I guess not…" he replied slowly. He was going to say more, but a small burst of dark energy, not unlike the reiatsu Ichigo was putting out earlier, made itself know. Two beings emerged from the energy and landed in between Rukia and our small party. One was a girl, appearing to be a teenager. She had chalk white skin and was garbed in a tattered looking garment, which only went down to her upper thigh. A slightly older looking man was standing next to her, and he was who I was worried about. He had the same chalk white skin, and dark purple hair. His garment resembled hers, but it went all the way down to the ground. Most worrisome of all was the giant scythe he held in his hands. It was as tall as he was, with an all-white handle and where it connected with the curved red blade, it appeared to be branches of a tree.
"Damn Shinigami," the unknown girl cursed us. The older being with the scythe brandished it dangerously while giving us a heated look.
"What did you come here for?" He asked dangerously. I flashed my teeth at the man in an evil look and Kanshou and Bakuya found their way into my hands. Ichigo looked between me and the other man and stepped forward.
"Now hold on just a minute, who are you guys?" He asked. Rukia looked at the ground contemplatively, and then made a small grunt. She walked between the two new people and strolled forward.
"Rukia…?" The girl asked her. Rukia glanced her way.
"Stand back," she commanded. She walked forward and cast a harsh look at Ichigo and me. "Who are you guys? How do you know my name, and why are you looking for me?" Ichigo recoiled at the rapid fire of questions, asked angrily by the small woman. Kon jumped up from his spot on Ichigo's shoulder.
"Hey what about me? You wouldn't forget me would you?" He asked hopefully. Rukia leveled him with an annoyed glare.
"Quiet, you funny-looking thing," she commanded Kon. Kon shivered in confusion.
"F-funny-looking…thing?" He stammered out, before the rush got to him and he fainted from Ichigo's shoulder.
"This is getting us nowhere," I muttered, and Ichigo glared at me.
"You have a better idea of what to do, Shirou?" He shouted before turning back towards Rukia. "Come on, Rukia, think! It's me Ichigo!" The small woman stared hard, before her eyed widened in what appeared to be realization.
"That name…" she began before she put her hand to her head, clenching her teeth in pain. She began to fall to over, but the other girl with blonde hair rushed to her side.
"Rukia," both of them cried out as the other man ran to her side as well. "It's that guys fault!" the girl shouted, pointing toward Ichigo.
"Damn Shinigami," the man said before brandishing his scythe and disappearing in the same dark energy. He burst out of thin air again, ready to strike with his scythe. I Shunpo'd between Ichigo and him, and blocked his double-edged scythe with Kanshou and Bakuya.
"Look alive, Ichigo!" I commanded, while bucking the man off of me. He hacked again, and I parried with Kanshou and swiped with Bakuya. He disappeared again and reformed behind me. No way that was Shunpo, maybe teleportation? "Dammit who are you people?" I asked no one. The man's scythe began glowing.
"We are your enemies!" The scythe began sinking through Kanshou like it wasn't even there. I quickly Shunpo'd away from the man. Ichigo moved to strike with Zangetsu, but the man teleported out of the way, and back towards the side of Rukia and his accomplice.
"Stand and fight you cowards!" Ichigo roared at them. He rushed the man, but they winked away in the same energy field, gone to who knows where. "Rukia!" I dismissed my blades, and I saw Ichigo's knuckles turning white from the pressure he was placing on his Zanpakutō.
"Ichigo, calm down," I said sternly, "a hothead never wins any battles. We need to just keep moving and perhaps we can find them again. You felt her reiatsu just now as did I. Now that we have a fresh scent to go off of, it's just a matter of time before we feel her again. Let's keep moving." The young man calmed down and nodded. He picked up Kon and placed the lion toy on his shoulder before sheathing Zangetsu. We Shunpo'd away from the scene.
Outer limits of Rukon District #79
We had no such luck finding any trace of Rukia's reiatsu. Ichigo had taken toward heading west and I the east, after a few hours of searching and dodging the Gotei, our plan bore no fruits. Currently we were sitting in a destroyed plaza of the seventy-ninth district, contemplating our next move. I was leaning up against a pillar, trying to extend my senses, while Ichigo sat on a step looking downward with hopelessness on his face. Kon however, was doing the most talking.
"No matter how I look at it," Kon said pacing in circles around Ichigo, "I keep coming toward the same conclusion. All the stuff going on is like Shirou said; it has to be connected toward those same guys that attacked us earlier." Nodding, I moved from my position and squatted on my haunches.
"He has a point. They're the only variables in this entire scenario, and most likely are responsible for Rukia's amnesia as well," I supplied. Kon nodded in agreement before he hopped onto my shoulder to look at me.
"Can you believe she didn't even remember us, Shirou? It breaks my heart," he replied sorrowfully. He cast an annoyed glance at Ichigo. "And you, quit sitting there, say something already man!" I looked toward Ichigo, and eyed him as well. He had been unusually quiet since we had regrouped here. Finally he shifted slightly.
"I don't know what to do anymore." I quirked an eyebrow at him. "They're both the same, Rukia and Renji. In their minds I simply don't exist." The teen leaned back onto the deck and propped his head up with his hands behind his head. "I held onto the hope that Rukia might be different and remember." Kon leaped off my shoulder and smacked Ichigo in the head. "What the hell was that for?"
"What's the matter with you Ichigo? Why are you acting all depressed?" Kon shouted at the larger Shinigami. "Did you go and whack your head on something? You knew she was in danger even while you were in the World of the Living, and Shirou here came anyway to help too! Now if you recall, we're the only ones who seem to remember her even if everyone else forgot. I don't know what your connection is to her," the little doll pointed at me, "but Ichigo and she share a bond that runs deep!" Ichigo's eyes narrowed in thought. That was what I needed, and I got up from my spot.
"Come on, Kon, let him sulk. We can save Rukia by ourselves if we have to. Just let him sit there forever and mull this over like an idiot." I saw his fist clench slightly as we backed away from the orange-haired teen. I smirked and before Kon could say anything else, I Shunpo'd away with the little lion, leaving Ichigo with his thoughts.
As I slowed down and we descended back into Hanging Dog, Kon suddenly pulled my hair. I smacked him from my shoulder.
"Ah! What the hell was that for you little stupid toy?" Kon huffed at me, before he saw a Black Key snake its way into my hand.
"S-sorry! The letter that Rukia left Ichigo and me is gone!" I dismissed the Key, and looked at him.
"Letter?" I asked the stuffed lion. He nodded vigorously.
"Before she left for the Soul Society, Rukia left us behind a note. I bet anything that that thieving Ichigo still has it, we need to go get it Shirou!" I contemplated this, wondering if I had given the teen enough time to think stuff over. I nodded and Kon hopped back onto my shoulder. I Shunpo'd back to where we had left Ichigo with his thought.
When we returned to the small villa, Kon hopped off my shoulder and ran towards Ichigo. I saw him reading whatever letter that Rukia had given them. I walked after Kon at a slower pace. The lion slid to a halt in front of Ichigo and yanked the letter from his grasp.
"Aha, I was looking all over for this! You dirty thief, how did you manage to steal her gorgeous letter from me?" Kon turned back around. "Why don't you just admit the truth, she's just too good for a loser like you."
"A loser like me..." Ichigo muttered. Kon bounded down the stairs, but Ichigo stood up. "Kon, sorry about that." I raised my eyebrow in curiosity at the scene that was unfolding before me. The little lion let out a 'huh' before Ichigo walked toward us. "Man, if anything I never thought you could teach me something, I have a lot to learn I guess." My respect for the Shinigami went up slightly. Kon however appeared rather indignant.
"Hey, you don't get off that easily, buster!" Ichigo continued to walk toward me. "Get back here, I'm not done yelling at you yet!"
"Kon," was all Ichigo said. The little lion stopped his tirade and became pale as a ghost.
"Uh y-yes?"
"I just wanted to say thank you," he replied, before he walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I wanted to thank you too, Shirou. If you hadn't left, I probably would still be sulking and nothing would have gotten accomplished from that." I smiled.
"Think nothing of it, Ichigo. As long as we focus on the mission and don't waver we'll be fine. Just keep your head clear from now on, Ichigo, got it?" The teen smiled as well and nodded, before the look vanished from his face, and widened in panic. I felt it too as he removed his hand form my person. We both turned around, and looked upward.
Standing upon three rock formations were three different Shinigami. On the right was Ikkaku Madarame, the crazed Shinigami that served under Captain Kenpachi. He held his Zanpakutō over his shoulder and was grinning wildly. On the left pillar was a Shinigami I had never seen before. He had neck length hair and wore an odd variant of the Shinigami uniform, with an orange piece of cloth sitting around his neck tasseled to an orange band on his right arm. It was the Shinigami in the middle that troubled me the most.
It was the Captain I had assisted early during the first attack. He was shorter than the two men on either side of him, and had flaring white hair. His Zanpakutō was strapped to his back. I looked up at him and checked my Circuit levels, they had been underused for the last few hours, and they were nearly back to a capacity where I could fight comfortably. Still, pulled Nanika from my side, and Ichigo grabbed Zangetsu from his back. The Captain looked down at us.
"You can't escape anymore, so just give yourselves up quietly, intruders!" As he said this, seven Shinigami darted from around the site and surrounded us, drawing their Zanpakutō. Ichigo smiled and lowered Zangetsu and I followed his lead, but only slightly, as I barely lowered Nanika.
"That's quite the show of strength, Tōshirō." The white-haired Captain narrowed his green eyes at Ichigo's use of his first name. Madarame put a hand on his hip.
"What? How exactly is it that you know the Captain's first name?" Ichigo stepped forward, still grinning like an idiot. What was he up to now?
"Because he's a friend, just like you are Ikkaku," the teen replied, and he looked over to the other Shinigami. "And you, Yumichika." Both Shinigami raised their brows in surprise. "I wouldn't forget any of you, even though it appears you've all forgotten me."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Madarame asked annoyed. The Captain silenced the Shinigami, before he looked at me.
"You I know of you. You were the Shinigami who assisted my Lieutenant and me in fighting that serpent during the attack on Tower Seven. Why is that you're helping this intruder?"
"He is my ally, and while you all clearly cannot see it, we are fighting for the good of the Seireitei, just as you are. You may have forgotten our faces, but we are Shinigami. This is Ichigo Kurosaki, the Substitute Shinigami, and I am Shirou Emiya."
"Substitute you say?" Madarame asked. "Then show me the proof!" He rocketed from his pillar and dove for Ichigo, who raised Zangetsu in preparation for the attack. Madarame attacked with his sheath first which Ichigo easily blocked, and then followed up with Hōzukimaru, but again Ichigo countered easily. I saw the confusion spread on the shaved man's face as Ichigo must have prior knowledge of his fighting style. Madarame forced Ichigo to Shunpo away onto the small wooden deck and then he launched himself. Ichigo threw up Zangetsu, and Madarame slammed into him, causing a cloud of debris to rise. He back flipped away from the wreckage and landed neatly by a tree.
When the dust settled Ichigo was still standing there looking at the shaven man defiantly. Madarame growled and rushed toward him.
"Enough, Madarame, I will handle this," Captain Hitsugaya commanded. He unsheathed his sword, which was nearly a meter-and-a-half long and lunged for Ichigo, but his sword collided with something else. Mine. I had Shunpo'd from my spot between the seven Shinigami, tired of standing around, and parried the short Captain's sword with my own. "You?"
"Me," I replied. I bucked the short man off, and unsealed Nanika. "Never Waver!" The golden energy ran along her blade and exploded outward, nothing changing on her blade, but the three marks appeared on her hilt. "Come, now Captain, surely you will honor me with your Shikai as well." Possessing another Captain's Shikai would certainly come in handy, even though I had no knowledge of what his could do."
"You'd like that wouldn't you! I've read the reports on what you can do, Shirou, was it? Do expect me to so easily fall for your little trick?" I pondered that.
"Not without proper motivation. Scatter, Senbonzakura!" Nanika's blade instantly fell away into the hundreds of miniature blades that resembled the sakura leaves. I gestured with her hilt and the mass of blades swung toward the Captain. His eye widened and he stabbed his Zanpakutō into the ground, causing an ice pillar to form. So that's what it could do. My flitting blades swarmed around me in a tight cloak of protection as he tried to strike me on a rebound.
"Roar, Zabimaru!" The flitting blades reformed onto my hilt before it exented into the teethed-blade of Renji's Zanpakutō. I extended the blade and it slashed against the Captain's Zanpakutō. He slashed at it and slid under the arc it created and rushed for me.
"You want my Shikai, you shall have it!" I smirked; he thought Nanika was still out of reach. "Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens! Hyōrinmaru!" The blade glowed with reiryoku as it extended slightly and a crescent blade connected to a chain appeared to grow from it. Interesting. He slashed at me with Hyōrinmaru, but I blocked it in time by tracing Bakuya into my hand. He easily overpowered my block and went in for a second strike, but Nanika had returned by then and I parried with it.
"Thank you very much for cooperating," I replied, before I sealed Nanika and placed her at my belt. I traced Kanshou into my other hand and blocked his second strike. I wouldn't necessarily need to use his Shikai against him, and it wouldn't be a good plan since I'd never used it before anyway. Hitsugaya held his blade into the air and streams of water flowed around the blade and what happened next well…damn. A huge dragon, seemingly made out of ice, flowed from the tip of his katana, and circled around him.
"You may have my powers, but you do not have my skills!" The ice-dragon roared in agreement as it soared overhead and started into a dive. It was accelerating at insane speeds. I looked over and saw Ichigo still fighting Madarame and the other Shinigami, Yumichika. I glared back up at the ice-dragon and held my ground.
"Rho Aias!" I shouted as I traced my shield in front of me. The defensive Noble Phantasm exploded radiantly above me, and stood ready. The dragon construct produced from the ice Zanpakutō roared mightily one last time before it crashed into my shield. I dismissed Kanshou and Bakuya and in my hands flash Surtr's Sword. I had not used this since the night I first faced down Rukia. I pumped prana into it and the flames on the sword flared up remarkably. I was about to strike, when I heard something that surprised me.
"Roar, Zabimaru!" I saw Renji's Shikai slam into Madarame, and Ichigo bucked Yumichika off. I took the moment to send a wave of fire at the Captain, who had also been distracted, and he raised an ice wall in between us and Shunpo'd away.
"What is the meaning of this, well Abarai?" Hitsugaya demanded of the red-haired Shinigami. I Shunpo'd next to Shirou and Renji and held the flaming sword in front of me. Renji grabbed Ichigo by the collar and held him firmly.
"I don't know what's going on here with you two intruders, but you appeared out of nowhere and disrupted the Seireitei. And somehow, you've managed to make a damn copy of my Zanpakutō." He looked at me with anger. "You're both supposed to be the enemy! But…somehow I can't think of you as enemies." I slowly lowered my sword, was he finally remembering? "My head tells me you cannot be trusted…but my soul is telling me otherwise!" He looked between the two of us and let Ichigo go. "I may regret this, but I've decided to follow my soul!"
"No Abarai…" Captain Hitsugaya muttered. All three of us turned to face him. Renji bowed to his superior.
"I'm sorry Captain Hitsugaya, please let us pass." I watched the Captain for a long while, and he looked like he was about to respond, but then he froze. We all did, as that inexplicably large wave of reiatsu bathed the area in its pressure. Coming up the entrance of the villa was an old man followed by the other twelve Captains of the Gotei 13. I dismissed the demonic blade in my hand, but kept the imprint of both Enkidu and Galatine in my Circuits. This spiritual pressure I felt dwarfed anything I'd felt since arriving in the Seireitei. The Captain-Commander had arrived.
Well there it is folks! Hopefully the wait wasn't as bad as it has in the past. That also adds the third and 'final' Shikai that Shirou can use readily now for Nanika. I don't want to spoil too much of her upcoming powers, but final isn't as permanent a word as you may think it is, so please don't blow up the reviews with things along the lines of only three Shikai?. I know what I'm doing here, so just roll with it.
Hopefully I got the release of Hitsugaya's Zanpakuto down correctly. I know it'll be fun to write in the future since holy crap its crazy strong. But just as with Senbonzakura and Zabimaru, Shirou will need to train.
Speaking of Byakuya's Shikai, hopefully I wrote it a bit closer to its Shikai-state this time. The last time I used it, I gave it qualities more along its Bankai state without really realizing it, in the future though, I think I got it down.
Alright well that's all from me, except I got two new stories up that I'm kind of excited about. First is Branded which crosses Shirou into the world of Marvel, specifically Earth 8096, one of the animated universes, where he is endowed with the power of the Starbrand and sets out to be one of Earth's Mightiest. The other is called The Return of the Spring, which is an action/slice-of-life piece that brings Shirou into the world of Shugo Chara. He is forced into hiding and winds up on another world where he is quickly 'adopted' into the Hinamori family. It allows me to show the more normal side of Shirou, or a normalized version as it follows three years after UBW.
Alright well my readers stay fresh and thanks for reading! Peace!