SailorStar9: This is Chapter 4 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.
Uryū: (In the hot springs and turns to audience before looking around and spots Ichigo) Why are you here?
Ichigo: Isn't it fanservice?
Uryū: What do you mean?
Ichigo: (Shrugs) Dunno.
Renji: (Pops out of water) If you want fanservice, isn't this better?
(Thought bubble appears revealing Hasu, Orihime and Rukia in the hot springs.)
Ichigo: (Blushes as thought bubble disappears, Hasu, Orihime and Rukia send a wave of water at the boys)
Chapter 4: Penetrate the Center with an Enormous Bombshell?
"Yoruichi?" Hasu looked at the feline.
"So, Ichigo's finally created a cannonball too." Yoruichi noted. "Don't worry, he's just sleeping." she assured the group. "More importantly, you kids have a seat there. Ichigo may be sleeping, but we have no time. I will tell you the plan for when we break into the Court of Pure Souls. Mind it well and..." before she yelped when Ichigo grabbed her tail.
"I really need to tell him to stop moving about in his sleep." Hasu sighed.
"Capnip?" Ichigo awoke after some time.
"Oh, you're finally awake." Ishida remarked. "It's time to leave."
"Alright, you're all here." Yoruichi noted after the group assembled.
"Wait one minute!" Ganju shouted. Storming before Ichigo, he snapped, "My big brother was killed by Shinigamis. My brother was a genius. He was accepted to the Shinigami institute on the first try. At that point, his Spirit Power was already Level 6. That was the junior adjutant class of the 13 Gotei. Then he graduated from the 6 year curriculum in one year and joined and actual squad. In only 5 years, he climbed his way up to Lieutenant. But he was killed. He was betrayed by the Shinigamis who were his comrades. I was still a kid back then, so I don't remember the details. But there are at least two things I'll never forget. Faces! Two faces. The demon-like face of the Shinigami who dragged my beaten and dying brother home and the face of my brother happily thanking that Shinigami. Why he did that... why he seemed happy... I still don't know. But there's one thing I can say, my brother didn't despise the Shinigamis. He didn't hate them. Why? Why didn't he hate the Shinigamis? Why did he keep on believing them? You're different from other Shinigamis." he grabbed Ichigo's shirt. "That's the feeling I get. I feel like if I go with you, I might find something out. So I'm going to help you. I'm going right to the edge to see what a real Shinigami is." he released Ichigo.
"Thanks for the help." Ichigo grabbed Ganju's shirt.
"You ready?" Kūkaku declared. "No stopping from here on out, you brats. Come on," she opened a hole in the cannon. "Get inside. Dawn will break soon. That'll be the signal to start the launch procedure."
"Listen." Yoruichi voiced on the inside of the cannon, just as Kūkaku finished drawing the outline on the platform. "Once we get into the Court, don't separate, no matter what. If you encounter a Captain, run away without a moment's hesitation. Our objective is Rukia's retrieval, that is all. You must, under no circumstances, take unnecessary risks. It's begun!" she barked, hearing Kūkaku started her chant. "Pour in your Spirit Power." at that, everyone contributed their energy into the orb, causing a sphere shield to encase them, right before Kūkaku fired the cannon.
In the air...
"There wasn't as much impact as I thought there's be." Ichigo noted.
"Fool, just you wait." Ganju grinned, just as the orb shot off in an incredible speed towards Soul Society. Pulling out the continuation spell scroll, he started the chant.
"Guys..." Hasu turned back. "Look outside."
"It's the Court of Pure Souls." Ganju supplied as Soul Society came into view.
In Soul Society...
"Ken-chan!" Yachiru sang, jumping onto her Captain's back, Zaraki having taken off from the meeting. "Hey, hey. Are there enemies? You gonna kill them?"
"Yeah. Some Ryoka." Zaraki replied. "I don't know the details, but they fought Ichimaru and survived. Those are Ryoka worth killing."
"This is unavoidable." Yamamoto remarked. "The Squad Leader meeting is temporarily dismissed. I will notify you later of Ichimaru's status. All Squads, proceed to internal defense positions immediately."
"It seems the alarm sounds quite conveniently these days." Aizen remarked, walking past Ichimaru.
"I ain't sure I understand." Ichimaru feigned ignorance. "What you're trying to say."
"Do you think that excuse will work?" Aizen warned. "You had best not underestimate me." with that, he walked off, the camera revealing that Tōshirō had overheard the conversation.
"What's that?" Renji gaped as the cannonball closed in.
"I can't imagine that it will pass the anti-soul shield." Aizen assured.
"Just in case, I'll have everyone move back." Hinamori reasoned.
In the air...
"We're going to hit it." Ishida warned.
"No choice now." Yoruichi declared. "Everyone, pour in all your Spirit Power."
The sphere impacted on the barrier.
"Go through!" Ichigo shouted, the orb penetrating the shield, before breaking apart.
"Stay together!" Yoruichi told the group. "Right now, the cannonball has hit the shield and is dissolving, and they're momentarily intertwined. Soon, it will begin to whirl, burst and be destroyed. If we're separated at that moment, the shockwave will send us flying in all directions. It's begun!" she barked as the whirlpool set in.
"Dammit!" Ganju held onto Ichigo to anchor himself.
"Everyone, grab the person closest to you!" Yoruichi instructed. "Don't let go, no matter what. I'm borrowing your shoulder." she leapt into Ichigo's shoulder, just Sado grabbed Orihime.
"Ishida!" Sado reached out for the Quincy.
"Sado!" Orihime called as Sado shot out of the energy sphere and tossed Ishida back in.
"Chad!" Ichigo shouted, the giant having went after Hasu.
"Don't worry." Yoruichi assured. "They will survive. More importantly, if you want to find them down there, first think about your own safety."
"Kurosaki!" Orihime reached out to Ichigo, just as the cannonball exploded, sending everyone inside it to the ground in four different directions.
On the ground...
"Damn!" Zaraki cursed. "It split into four and blew up. Which one... is the strongest? Which is it?"
SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Ichigo lands with Ganju, Ishida with Orihime, Chad with Hasu and Yoruichi is alone. Ichigo and Ganju encounter and fight two 11th division members, Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika respectively. Ikkaku gains an advantage by using the Shikai of his Zanpakutō. Ganju attempts to escape from Yumichika using a series of tricks. Now that's done, read and review.
