This is a Bleach and Danny Phantom crossover fan fiction story that I am teaming up with scrletfyre to write. We do not own anything associated with the Bleach or Danny Phantom series and/or its characters. Please leave your comments and reviews telling us what you think. Thank you!
Key guide: "regular speech", 'thinking', *mental speech*, italics- ghosts/zanpakuto/spirits speaking, bold- hollows speaking, CAPS- attacks, (author notes/translations)
Chapter Nine: needle in the haystack
Green swirls of ectoplasm energy surrounded the Specter Speeder as doors floated about. Danny stopped flying once he felt they were far enough away from the portal to the real world.
"Gods look at this place. Looking for that lever is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack." Ichigo stated cutting the silence.
"Well Jack Fenton has a device in the speeder that should help us find what we are looking for." Danny stated as he turned to the vehicle. He lied about the part where it could fit two occupants but he felt safer with Ichigo than any of the other shinigami. 'Maybe it is because we are close to the same age. Or have been through some of the same things.' Danny thought to himself as he flew besides the Specter Speeder. The shinigami teen radiated the word protection and power from almost every pore of his body. Byakuya has said very little since being assigned the task to help Ichigo and Danny. "Ichigo can you activate a button that reads real world objects?" Danny asked over the Fenton Phones.
"Sure." Ichigo replied as he did as Danny asked. As soon as the device was activated it went up into smoke. Danny tried to resist the urge to run his hand down his face.
'Great just great!' he thought to himself.
*I take it that wasn't supposed to happen? Let me guess your dad was possibly fiddling around with the vehicle.* Ichigo asked mentally knowing only Danny could hear him.
'Ichigo?' Danny questioned back.
*Who else would it be? Can we kill your father for creating the portal in the first place? Or is he truly an idiot?* Shiro asked almost causing Danny to break out in laughter. Even though the hollow may have not known it but he had hit the nail on the head.
"Well I guess that's shot! Any other ideas?" asked Ichigo out loud.
"Tell me are there other ghosts much like yourself here?" questioned Byakuya.
"There are a number of ghosts more bad than good. I know of a few good ghosts but most if the ghosts that exist here can't seem to freely travel past their realms." Danny replied as he phased his way into the Specter Speeder. Once inside Danny became solid as he took out a map that showed the different parts of the Ghost Zone. Both Ichigo and Byakuya joined him after Ichigo activated the autopilot hopping that it wasn't also on the fritz.
"I got this map from a trusted friend. It shows every inch of the Ghost Zone. Since Skulker is the one who broke the handle. I think we should check his realm first." Danny stated as he felt a bit light headed. This was possibly the longest time he has remained in his ghost form. Ichigo noticed as he wanted Danny to regain his much needed energy.
"I think you should revert to your true form Phantom. You look like you are about to pass out." Ichigo stated as this caused Byakuya to raise his brow in question.
"But what about...?" Danny began to ask.
"Your no good to us in a weakened state." Byakuya stated. Danny let out a soft sign as he transformed back to his human form. He nearly collapsed only to have Ichigo catch him. "Now how do we get to this Skulker's realm as you call it?" Byakuya asked. Danny took a seat behind the drivers side switching off the auto pilot.
"The only plus side to being a human while in the Ghost Zone, we are like the ghosts." Danny stated as he drove the speeder to Skulker's lair.
The trip was relatively quiet as Byakuya didn't talk much. Danny was grateful that the shinigami didn't poke his nose into how Danny was a ghost but also human.
*Its because that your a bit like me in someways that he isn't questioning you. Plus Byakuya isn't much of a talker anyway.* Ichigo stated mentally.
'Why is it I feel that you two butted heads on more than one occasion?' Danny asked back.
*Cause we did. Trust us when we say that Byakuya is possibly the tamest out of all the shinigami in the Seiteitei. He is more honor and duty compared to anything else.* replied Shiro. Danny soon stopped the Specter Speeder as the trio found themselves looking at Skulker's domain. Danny tried to resist the urge to shiver as he had far too many bad memories about this place.
"Well here we are. I should warn you though that Skulker has many traps on his island. We should split up to look for the lever. It will have the words Fenton etched on it. If you find it or run into any trouble the Fenton Phones as you discovered act as a two way communicator." Danny stated as he landed the vehicle.
"We should meet back here within an hour regardless of what we find." stated Byakuya. Both Ichigo and Danny nodded their heads in agreement as Danny transformed back into his ghost form. The three split up hoping to at least find some sort of clue to where the lever could be.
The hour was almost went by as the trio found nothing. They managed to avoid the traps that Skulker had set up. All the while Danny couldn't help but to feel they weren't alone. Hell even Byakuya and Ichigo could sense it. As the trio made their way back to the Specter Speeder a loud piercing scream echoed out. One that the three of them clearly recognized. Hollows. Soon the three found themselves surrounded by hollows of every shape and size.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it seems that the hollows have found their way into the Ghost Zone." Ichigo hissed over the Fenton Phones.
'Great just great. What else can go wrong?' Danny thought to himself. Soon the trio could hear someone clapping as a low deep snarl arose from both Danny and Ichigo. Floating in the middle of the army of hollows was their arch rivals. Vlad Masters also known as Vlad Plasmius and the sixth Arrancar, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.
*You just had to ask. Remind me later to kill your father for building that stupid portal.* Shiro snarled mentally as all three prepared for the battle.