Ultrabross's Vision

CHP43: Next Phase into Play

Ichigo didn't know how things would go, especially with the addition of so many from the Yokai realm showing up. Most the group he was familiar with except the one that addressed Moka as nee-chan and was sure she wasn't a student to Yokai Academy. If she somehow was it was his first setting eyes on her but really had doubt that was the case. Aside from their arrival the only thing on mind was getting to whoever it was pulling the strings distributing the newly advanced hollows. Still, there was a lot more to it than maybe the Gotei Thirteen even knew from the start.

Whatever the case his mind was fixated on finishing up soon as possible so that he could return home to his normal life. Well battling against hollows wasn't exactly normal, but was his way of living and grew accustomed to. Moka and most the group were gathered around the sofa area except for Akua, standing off to the side at least five ft. Ichigo stood on the opposite side with just about as much space between him and the group. He was still uncertain what was the best course of action for tracking Tsukune and Gin but one thing he knew for sure was they couldn't hang around in Kuaiz's home for much longer.

"Nee-chan there is no longer a reason for us to stay here, let us leave now," Akua approached the group, "If the rest of you want to stay here and continue the search for your friends then go right ahead but I'm taking Moka back with me."

"Really…I don't ever recall any of us electing you in charge. We aren't going anywhere, not until after we find Tsukune and Gin. If you haven't forgotten the headmaster provided us with only a single device and if you and Moka were to leave now the rest of us would be stranded here." Haiji voiced.

Kurumu instantly looked to Ichigo, "That wouldn't entirely be true, see it was Ichigo that got us here in the first place sort of. We first ended up in another world when we followed him through but then…"

"Details are unimportant. According to you he's capable of jumping dimensions and can return to our home world at any time," Akua pointed to Ichigo, "If so than there's no reason for either I or nee-chan to waste even another minute in this place."

Silence fell over them all, most their gazes falling over Ichigo. Moka sighed taking a couple steps toward Akua, "I want to leave just as much as anyone else but refuse to do so until after we find Tsukune and Gin-senpai. I wouldn't be able to go on or forgive myself if we were to leave now and later find out something bad happened to them and I wasn't here to help. I won't be going anywhere until after we find them and nothing will change that, sorry nee-san." The vampire lowered her head.

"I'm with you Moka and I'm sure everyone else is as well. Hear that Akua, if you want to turn around and go home than you'll be going alone." Kurumu said with a smug look.

Akua couldn't believe things were going the way they were figuring it would be an in and out type mission. The way things were going she was unclear how long it would take, contemplating if leaving was even an option. She quickly put the thought to rest; her only reason for making the trip was to recover Moka and return with her sister safely. Leaving without her would go against why she made the trip in the first place.

"Ok if that's the way it's going to be than what the hell are we doing standing around, let's go and find them." Akua said.

"If only it were that simple, we really have no way of truly pin pointing their exact positions. All we know is they were forced into a dimension hole led by Feyaglia, who is an acquaintance to Morrigan. I don't know why she took Tsukune, guess we'll just have to ask after we beat her to a pulp." Kurumu added.

"Great so we're basically going on a treasure hunt without a map or any hints." Yukari crossed her arms.

"Somewhat sort of, I can say that I memorized Morrigan's spirit presence to a degree and if we were to get close enough to her I'd surely be able to track them if Gin and Tsukune are anywhere near her. Every single living being has his or her own distinguishable Reiryoku. Hers is especially peculiar and is hard to go unnoticed." Ichigo added.

"Reiryoku?" Mizore questioned.

"It's pretty much like spirit power or energy whichever way you choose to look at it, am I right." Haiji looked to Ichigo.

The death god simply nodded. Not a second later footsteps approached from the floor above; someone appearing at the top of the stairwell, "I had no idea you were traveling with friends." Kuaiz appeared assuming the additional people were associates to Ichigo, Moka and Kurumu.

"It's ok old man we were just on our way out, we've got things to take care of," Ichigo walked toward him, "Thanks a lot for letting us stay the night and all, take care especially with that civil war or whatever it is that you said is taking place."

"Hold on a moment, you kids don't just have to leave so suddenly it is dangerous out there. You could at least hang around another couple hours."

"Who's he?" Akua asked.

"The owner of this place, he happened to spot Ichigo, Moka-san and I last night," Kurumu's eyes fell upon Kuaiz, "Thanks for the offer but Ichigo's right. We've got things to do and they won't get done with us staying here."

Kurumu was the first to the exit closely followed by everyone else, Ichigo being the last to exit. Kuaiz stood with clinched fists; his promise to keep them from leaving gone out the door. He also understood going after and trying to stop them wasn't an option, Ultrabross clearly stating it was essential none of them should become suspicious at any time.

"The least I can do is inform his majesty they're on the move." Kuaiz said turning and walking down the hall.

XXX

Pacing back and forth with two fingers over his chin the dark king was in deep thought having received the news of Ichigo and his friends' departure. Kuaiz was one of his many under cover cronies he had stationed all across the entire kingdom. One of his greatest abilities among many others was his gift of sensing spirit energy from very far distances, much like a shinigami or succubi. He couldn't help but smile feeling out Ichigo's energy signature realizing the differences it had underwent since his first slaying of Ultrabross's special hollows.

A buzzing sound brought him out of deep thought seeing that it came from the dark energy itself that he had so long been trying to complete. The time for that day was upon them and could barely wait. The dark cube shaped energy was sealed inside a special case so not to make direct contact with anyone until the process was complete, "It looks as though the next phase is ready sooner rather than later. Soon we will be face to face Kurosaki Ichigo." Ultrabross laughed.

He leaned forward taking an even closer look at the energy to confirm what he already knew. It was clear what needed to happen next and wanted to proceed with things quickly as possible.

"Sixty, no more like eighty hollows…yes I can feel it now, you're just out of the range of my fingertips Kurosaki but not for much longer. With that in mind now would be an appropriate time to bring the vampire in as well."

Rising from his slouched position he straightened his posture making his way to the nearest control panel which happened to be on the other side of the room. In a couple clicks his voice was activated over the numerous intercoms throughout the entire castle summoning four of his most trusted pupils. Each arrived standing within the quarters in minutes.

"Qisk, Morrigan, Feyaglia and Ulquiorra thank you all for showing up in prompt fashion. I have a mission for you all and well it will require that you separate in groups of two. The importance of each task is the only reason I've elected it be done this way; frankly it is likely any of you could complete it alone. But as I said I want things to go smoothly without surprises or any delay."

"Sure go ahead but please do tell me whatever it is will get me out of this hell hole of boredom that is your fortress. Seriously don't know why I didn't run off on another walk or something." Morrigan said.

Ultrabross scratched at the side of his hair taking a deep breath. Of all his recruits she was the most difficult to handle no matter which way he looked at it.

"Morrigan you claim the Batman is still alive…I originally planned to send someone after he and the werewolf but have since changed my mind. In fact you two will now be responsible for bringing them here," Ultrabross pointed to Qisk and Feyaglia, "I have questions for the bat. The werewolf will work as added motivation for a certain someone if she's defiant as I expect she will be."

"Say either is accidently killed during the encounter?" Qisk asked.

"Try and avoid that if you can, but some things can't be helped." The dark king replied.

"What about me?" Morrigan inquired somewhat rolling her eyes.

Ultrabross went silent for a moment re adjusting his collar.

"You and Ulquiorra will be responsible for holding off Kurosaki Ichigo and slipping Akashiya Moka from under his feet," There was a clear change of expression from Ulquiorra hearing the particular name. He had hunches but was confirmation the death god he'd battled against during his tender under Aizen was the same substitute shinigami so many around the fortress had been talking about, "But before that there is something else that must be done first."

"Which is?" Morrigan asked.

"Hollows, Ichigo must first battle against another round of them. That might sound strange but there is a reason for it which you will all soon learn. After his defeat of them which I'm fully confident he will accomplish that's when you two will make your appearance. Though he is only a substitute Kurosaki has proven to be quite the one man army pest, so while one of you occupies him the other can work fast and bring Moka back here. As for the report I received from one of my people it would appear more of those Yokai students have made their way onto the scene. That still shouldn't change things; you two far outweigh anything they could possibly bring to the table." Ultrabross said.

"Sounds good but don't understand the point to hollows, what are they supposed to do tire Ichigo out before we jump in?" Morrigan emphasized with clear sarcasm.

She'd thrown hands with the shinigami in question a couple times now and was positive a hollow would do nothing to faze him, not even a scratch.

"Feyaglia, Qisk, you're free to set out on your mission. Do whatever you can to bring them back alive, I'm counting on you."

The two bowed, Ultrabross shifting his focus to Ulquiorra and Morrigan, "As for you two I want you to stay here until after I've given the order. Pin pointing and giving you their exact location won't be hard especially with Ichigo there. The reiatsu he gives off makes for easy tracking among other things. Neither of you will have to wait long, but for the time being you will remain here until I say otherwise."

He especially looked the succubi's way, Morrigan displaying an expression of annoyance. Ulquiorra on the other hand showed no emotion, since his resurrection felt it was destined he and Ichigo might clash again. The outcome of that encounter was yet to be seen and couldn't be helped; the death god in question happening to be of interest to his new master. Whatever was asked of him intended to follow it through completely.

"There's really no need to delay this any longer," Ultrabross again stepped in front of the control panel commuting with a specific unit. He instructed the corps in question disperse a cluster of ninety hollows to a designated coordinates.

Miles from the castle walked Moka and the rest of the group, with no idea if they were headed in the right direction or not. The circumstance was certainly unfavorable, unknown if Gin and Tsukune were captured. If it did so happen they escaped then even if they did somehow come face to face with Morrigan and company again questioning them of their friends' whereabouts would be useless. Ichigo had a pretty good feeling Feyaglia and Morrigan would again show up to do battle with him, why they wanted him dead he was still unsure.

With the particular thought on mind would probably have been a good idea had he brought up the names during the short conversation with Kisuke through the substitute badge. The thought played in his head over and over that his first time setting eyes on Morrigan was during his enrollment into Yokai academy. That in mind she'd have no legitimate reason for targeting and attacking him for no reason. If she and Feyaglia weren't somehow past enemies to the Gotei Thirteen than he truly didn't know what to think. They journeyed nearly three miles from the small town and were out in the open.

"Hey guys do you see that?" Ruby pointed to the sky.

"See what…what are you talking about." Yukari replied.

"That there, it looks like something might be forming?" The older witch replied biting at her tongue.

To Be Continued