SailorStar9: This is Chapter 7 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.
Karin: Baka Tōshirō.
Tōshirō: What is it, Karin?
Karin: Nothing.
Tōshirō: That so?
Karin: Hey. Stupid Tōshirō.
Tōshirō: What?
Karin: Still nothing.
Tōshirō: Really?
Karin: (Suddenly summons her Zanpakutō and knocks Tōshirō on the head with the hilt) Stupid Tōshirō!
Tōshirō: (Twitching) What is is, already? Why are you tormenting me?
Karin: (Unbashfully) Because I like you! Just kidding! Stupid Tōshirō!
Tōshirō: (Twitch increases)
Chapter 7: Orihime Targeted
Meanwhile, Ganju was doing his best to survive Yumichika's furious attacks, using his tricks and bombs to try and distract Yumichika, only to have it backfire. Having been scratched, the enraged Yumichika inflicted a bad wound on Ganju.
"Is that voice screaming over there your friend?" Yumichika inquired, about to finish Ganju off. "He keeps calling your name. Your friend behaves in just as ugly as manner as you. If he keeps that up, he'll just call more and more Shinigamis to himself. My goodness, what an incomprehensible lack of common sense."
"I think you're the one lacking common sense." Ganju corrected. "The fact that Ichigo's there means your chrome-dome buddy got his ass whipped."
"That's impossible!" Yumichika exclaimed. "Our 11th Squad is the strongest battle squad of the 13 Gotei. Ikkaku is No. 3 in our squad. One such as your friend couldn't..." only to be met by Ganju's combination of his most potent version of his Seppa, and a special firework he had, defeating Yumichika.
Elsewhere...
"He's gone." Orihime peered out from the roof, Zaraki having went into the direction of the explosion. "He seemed incredibly strong, but at least he didn't notice us."
"Yeah, I bet he's the same type as Kurosaki." Ishida agreed. "Ridiculously strong, but no detection skills. Well, we've started moving, but which way should we go now"
"How about that way?" Orihime suggested. "I can see a tower-like thing in the distance."
"A tower?" Ishida echoed. "Where?"
"Over there, see?" Orihime pointed.
Just then, Ikkanzaka Jirōbō the 4th Seat of 7th Division loomed over her, slamming a fist at her direction.
"You have quite some skill to escape from that range." Ikkanzaka remarked, Uryū having pulled Orihime to safety. "Well done. If the opponent you encountered had not been me, you might survive a little longer. Regret your situation. I will grant the two of you time to regret until the count of ten. One." he started. "Two. Three."
"Thank you, Ishida." Orihime blinked. "I'm fine."
"Now then, the time for regret is over." Ikkanzaka declared, having finished the countdown. "Did you regret to your heart's content?"
"He's coming." Ishida warned.
"Now, begins a further time of regret." Ikkanzaka added and slammed his Zanpakutō at the pair, forcing them to split.
"Come, Shinigami!" Ishida called. "I will fight you."
Blinding the Quincy with the scattered dust, Ikkanzaka focused on Orihime.
"Now, I will end your regret." Ikkanzaka declared. "With death, that is."
"Inoue, run away!" Ishida cautioned, seeing the fight had begun as Orihime jumped to dodge Ikkanzaka's attacks.
"Tsubaki!" Orihime summoned her assault fairy.
"My turn at last." Tsubaki manifested. "Aim good."
"Sacred Solitary Cutting Shield!" Orihime called. "I reject! Tsubaki!" she gasped, Ikkanzaka having slicing the fairy with his Zanpakutō.
"Stupid girl!" Tsubaki scolded. "You fired me half-assedly."
"That was the first time I've seen that technique." Ikkanzaka remarked, Tsubaki having returned to hair-clip form. "But there wasn't a shred of intent to kill in your attack. With that attack, you may be able to kill a Hollow, but it couldn't possibly work against a Shinigami. This is a battlefield. There is no one thing here that can be stopped by an attack devoid of intent to kill."
Uryū's arrow intervened just before Ikkanzaka could finish Orihime off.
"You want an attack with intent to kill?" Ishida echoed. "In that case, you should fight me. There's plenty in my bow of that intent to kill you like so much."
"Oh, this is unusual." Ikkanzaka was intrigued. "Might you be a Quincy?"
"That's right." Ishida confirmed.
"This is intriguing." Ikkanzaka chuckled. "One uses an unknown technique, and the other is a Quincy. Both use projectiles. And both appear as my enemies. What coincidence. What a trick of fate. Then allow me to show you the true form of my Zanpakutō. Flap away, Tsunzakigarasu! What do you think? Now, regret. I am the 4th ranked of 7th Squad, Ikkanzaka Jirōbō. Also known as Kamitachi Jirōbō. The title of Kamitachi is the mark of t he ultimate projectile master. Not a single person has ever seen Tsunzakigarasu, these countless blades dancing in the air, and survive. How about it? You can't follow them with your eyes, can you? It is a splendiferous prelude to death. Such bows and arrows are as powerless as a baby before the Tsunzakigarasu. As another projectile user, regret to the fullest having encountered me and..."
"That's pretty interesting." Ishida remarked, cutting the taunting Shinigami off with a flurry of his arrows. "Not like the Living World. Apparently, on this side, 'ultimate master' means a windbag with diarrhea of the mouth."
"Impossible." Ikkanzaka was stunned. "That was just luck. If you get too arrogant..."
"You still don't understand?" Ishida asked, firing another arrow and shattering Ikkanzaka's Zanpakutō and injuring the Shinigami. "Sorry, but if you're the ultimate, you'll have to return that title as of today. As far as projectiles, it looks like I'm better. Although, I don't like the name Kamitachi Uryū."
Meanwhile...
"You men look over there." Mayuri ordered. "If you find them, don't kill them. Take them alive. They could become interesting research material. A Hell Butterfly, eh?" he noticed the insect on Nemu's hand. "What did it report?"
"Ikkaku Madarame of 11th Squad encountered a Ryoka and engaged it in battle." Nemu reported. "It is said that Ikkaku was defeated by the Ryoka and transported to the 4th Squad General Relief Station. The Ryoka seems to have escaped and it's whereabouts are currently unknown."
"Defeated by the Ryoka?" Mayuri echoed. "It looks like there is some interesting material among the Ryoka. Where is Zaraki?"
"Currently searching for the Ryoka." Nemu replied. "Mayuri-sama, where are you going?"
"To see Ikkaku." Mayuri replied.
SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Ichigo and Ganju attempt to escape the Shinigamis following them by using Yamada Hanatarō, a 4th division officer, as a distraction. They fail, but the Shinigamis are distracted by Sado's energy blasts elsewhere, enabling them to escape. Hanatarō promises to take Ichigo and Ganju to Rukia. Kenpachi is still attempting to find Ichigo, but Yachiru's directions are leading him in the opposite direction. He then heads to Ikkaku, and stops Mayuri from attacking Ikkaku when the latter refuses to answer any questions. Now that's done, read and review.
