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Chapter ten.
Rukia felt the heat against her skin as the giant fiery bird made it room to strike.
"I am not afraid. I have lived well," Rukia thought thinking back, "I met Renji and his friends, was picked up by Nii-sama, and was led by Kaien-dono. And I was saved by Ichigo and provided Kumiko with some sort of a motherly experience to her. I am not sad. I have no regrets. I am… not leaving my heart behind."
"Arigato." She thought of her squad.
"Arigato." She thought of Orihime, Chad, and Ishida.
"Arigato." She thought of Nii-sama who stood bellow.
"Arigato." She thought of Ichigo and Kumiko, smiling at her.
"Sayonara," she said, tears running down her cheeks. She closed her eyes in acceptance, waiting for the blow. The fiery bird charged at her finally ready. Everyone watched from bellow, expecting for it to end.
But it wasn't.
The giant fiery bird reared back, screeching. Rukia opened her eyes and they widened in shock as she saw someone standing there, with a mantle on drifting in the breeze.
"Ichigo!!" Rukia shouted, shocked.
"And Kumiko!!" Kumiko said her head popping out of the mantle looking back at Rukia.
"Yo," Ichigo said facing her, making Kumiko have to turn around to see Rukia. Suddenly Rukia's face became angry and she shouted, "You baka!!"
Ichigo looked surprised and so did Kumiko.
"I told you I don't need to be rescued!! I am ready now GO HOME!!! You can not beat Nii-sama!!!"
"Impossible! He made Sōkyoku, a zanpakutou with the power of a million zanpakutou's, retreat with just one Zanpakutou!" Soifon said horrified. Everyone on the ground was shocked.
"Shut up!! Every one came to rescue you. Including Chad, Ishida, and Inoue," Ichigo said, crossly. Rukia was shocked.
"Me too!! I was mad at first but I still wouldn't allow you to be killed. Besides," Kumiko said, looking rather sheepish, "okaasan wouldn't forgive me if anything happened to you."
"Okaasan?" Rukia questioned only to have the bird screech again.
"Ready to go again?" Ichigo said confidently.
"Ichigo you can't possibly rebound the Sōkyoku again!!! Please forget about me and go home!!"
"Shut up!!"
Suddenly, a cord went up into the air wrapping itself around the bird's neck and the stick on the end of the cord sunk into the ground. Ukitake appeared with his two subordinates and a shield looking object. Soifon eyes went wide as Shunsui and his lieutenant joined them.
"Hey pretty boy, you made us wait," Shunsui said, holding the brim of his hat with one hand.
"Sorry, it took some time to release. But I can do with this."
"Stop them!! They're going to destroy the Sōkyoku!!" shouted Soifon. But it was too late to do anything about it. Both Shunsui and Ukitake stabbed the object with their zanpakutou's and it glowed destroying the giant bird. It screeched and disappeared. Ichigo jumped on to the Sōkyoku stand and began to swing his sword around by the cloth.
"Ichigo, what are you doing?!"
"I'm going to destroy the execution ground!!"
"Ichigo!! The Sōkyoku stand is been standing since-!"
"Don't worry. Just be quiet and watch!" Ichigo then sliced with a huge amount of force the standing causing a huge explosive sound and smoke was every where. The smoke began to clear and the stand was in two pieces, making everyone gasp. Ichigo was holding Rukia with one arm. Kumiko looked unfazed by what he just did. She simply looked down at Rukia.
"What do you plan to do? Everyone can see you," whispered Rukia.
"Run for it," Ichigo stated simply.
"Ichigo!! Your opponents are captain level!!"
"Then I'll just cut through them and run," Ichigo said, firmly, "It's not just you. Inoue, Ishida, and Chad came. Ganju and Hanatarou. I'm going to save everyone that's helped!"
Rukia admired how strong he had become just by judging the way he talked. Kumiko clapped three times and said, "Oh, what a noble statement."
"Oh shut up." They both laughed, leaving Rukia bewildered.
Suddenly there was a noise bellow. They stopped their laughter unsure of what was going on. Ichigo looked down to find the source of the noise.
"So you've come, Renji?" Ichigo said. Rukia's eyes went wide and looked down to see Renji holding his stomach, surrounded by unconscious men.
"Renji!" Renji looked up to see Ichigo holding her with one hand.
"Rukia!!"
"Thank goodness you're still alive, Renji!!" Rukia exclaimed, obviously relieved.
"I thought that you'd come." Ichigo said.
"Of course, who else would save Rukia?" Renji said, smirking. Ichigo then smirked then lifting Rukia up above his head with one hand.
"Hey, what are you doing!?" Rukia said, as he drew his arm back.
"Wait, hey! You aren't planning to…" Renji said nervously.
"Take her!" Ichigo threw her like a bird diving down. She screamed a high pitched scream with her eyes watering.
"You baka!!" Renji said horrified. She hit Renji straight in the stomach and sent him flying back, leaving a long crater in the ground.
"Ichigo you moron!!" Rukia shouted furious.
"What would you do if I had dropped her you jerk!!!" Renji shouted just as furious.
"GOAL!!!" Kumiko shouted waving her arms in the air. Everyone sweat dropped.
"Take her!" shouted Ichigo, baffling Renji. "Take her away from here. That's your job. Don't let go of her even if you die."
Renji's face became serious and he ran off away from the execution sight.
"A-Abarai," Omaeda said, shocked.
"What are you standing around for!?" Soifon yelled, "After them. All Vice-captains after them!!"
Yamamoto nodded at Sasakibe, who ran off after Renji. Omaeda did the same and Isane looked back at Unohana. Unohana closed her eyes and said, "Please go." Isane gave a brief nod and followed the other vice captains. Ichigo then disappeared from the broken stand. He reappeared in front of the Vice captains, blocking the path. He jammed his Zanpakutou, Zangetsu, into the ground. The Vice captains released there Zanpakutou's preparing themselves to attack. Omaeda was holding his spiked ball, furious that Ichigo got in the way. Ichigo however punched right through the heavy spiked ball and knocked Omaeda out. "One!!" Kumiko said, holding up one finger. Ichigo turned and punched Sasakibe right in the chin, knocking him out cold. "Two!!" Kumiko said holding up another finger. Isane was in shock. "No way. He didn't even use a Zanpakutou!!" Ichigo then turned towards Isane snapping her out of her shocked daze. He hit her in the stomach, knock her out as well. "Three!!!" Kumiko said holding up yet another finger. Ichigo then heard someone running towards him from behind. He grabbed Zangetsu and spun around stopping the blade by holding up Zangetsu.
"I told you I can see through it," Ichigo said grinning victoriously. "Kuchiki Byakuya."
Byakuya looked impassive.
"Awww. You broke your knock out streak," Kumiko pouted. Byakuya scoffed at her foolishness. Even though she was the one that actually had good manners, she acted silly at the most inconvenient times. He remembered that Yamamoto wanted this girl alive and unhurt, but could not figure out a way to get the little girl away from this ever so frustrating boy.
"Hey Kumiko," Ichigo said, "Didn't Yoruichi ask you to do something for her?"
"Oh yeah, that's right!" Kumiko said as if she was just realizing it. She disappeared into the mantle and showed up right by Ichigo's feet. She got up and looked at them both.
"Bye Ichi-ni-san! Bye Kuchiki Taichou-san!!" she said, flash stepping away before Byakuya could do anything.
"Don't even think about going after her," Ichigo said, "I won't let you." There was a silence.
"Why?"
"Eh?" Ichigo said, grin vanishing and raising an eyebrow.
"Why do you continually try to save Rukia?" Byakuya asked.
"I have a question I want to ask you," Ichigo said, seriously, "You're Rukia's big brother. Why don't you save Rukia?"
"A pointless question. Even if you knew the answer, it would be quite impossible for you to understand." Ichigo pushed his sword up but both blades still touching.
"I see our discussion is useless. Here I go." The blade cast of a strong white reiatsu make Ichigo's knees shake from the pressure.
-------
"Nee-san," whispered Kyone looking at Isane's unconscious body. "Nee-san!!"
"Kyone wait!!" her friend said, about to run after her. He was suddenly hit to the ground unconscious. Kyone spun around gasping. Soifon stood behind her face impassive.
"Wait Soifon!!" Ukitake said, running to stop Soifon. But a certain walking stick stopped him.
"Do not move," Yamamoto said, "The one who ran away was a vice captain. He can easily be replaced. However you are the ones I can not forgive. You have done this you should not have done as captains. You are not ignorant to what that means."
Kyone's eyes widened and she ran forward saying, "Ukitake Taichou! It's dangerous-!"
"Stay back, Kyone!!" Ukitake shouted his face serious. He wavered a bit then stopped.
"Alright then there is no choice!!" Shunsui said, grabbing Ukitake's shoulder, "Shall we run away for the mean time, Ukitake?!" Shunsui then flash stepped away with Ukitake.
"Shunsui…" Yamamoto said.
"Please wait Kyouraku!! My subordinates are still there!" Ukitake said as Shunsui fled still holding on to his shoulder.
"Calm down. You just try fighting Yama-jii in a place like that. Then everyone would get involved and die," Shunsui said, calmly, "Besides, can't you feel it. Another one of our heroes is on the way." Ukitake's eyes widened.
"Just hang in there," Shunsui said, "This is already a scandal."
"Taichou…" Kyone said, softly.
"I wonder how long you can stay an observer."
Kyone turned around only to be kicked in the face and pinned to the ground by Soifon's foot pressing on her chest.
"Trash," Soifon said disgusted, "In doing this you have forgot the pride of being part of the thirteen squads. It is disgraceful. But fear not, I shall bury you to save the embarrassment." She dug her foot into Kyone's chest, making her scream.
Suddenly, a small blur past by Soifon, grabbing her pony tails (or what ever they are). The person took Soifon over the edge, heading towards the ground. The person let go of her hair and flipped herself so Soifon could see her face.
"Gomen nasai, but someone wishes to see you." Soifon looked to see a child staring at her. The child pushed her hand on Soifon stomach and blasted her down to the hard ground.
"Arg!!!" Soifon said, pulling her self up to see the child standing on a tree branch unharmed.
"You little brat-!" growled Soifon.
"Come and get me!!" the child said, cheerfully taunting. The child and Soifon disappeared. They kept reappearing and disappearing for like five minutes.
"Damn, no matter how fast I go, I can't catch her! This must be that Ryoka child they were referring to," Soifon said, following the child's flash steps. Suddenly, the child disappeared all together, making Soifon stop.
"Shoot, where the he-!?" Soifon said, frustrated.
"Over here!!"
Soifon followed the voice into a small clearing. She saw the child alright. But she wasn't alone. She was in the arms of a black woman, being held against the woman's hip.
"Thank you, Kumiko," Yoruichi said, tapping the childs nose. "Hey Soifon."
Soifon looked at Yoruichi with a dark gaze.
"Yoruichi." Soifon clenched her fist her eyes narrowed.
That's the end of the chapter. Read and review, please. Hope you enjoyed!
