Hayato Ryoushi - The one who came after
Renji Abarai was dreaming when Jinta kicked him awake. The red-haired Shinigami jerked awake and was reaching for his zanpakuto when his eyes focused and he saw Jinta standing in front of him, a big Cheshire Cat grin on his face.
"There's a man here to see you, Freeloader."
Renji nodded and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Yawning, he jumped his feet and stretched before sticking his zanpakuto in his belt and was about to take a step when Jinta grabbed his arm. Renji could have sworn there was something like concern in the boy's eye, but a second later it was replaced by one of disdain.
"Dumbass. You may have been asleep, but don't tell me that you didn't feel anything from that man's reiatsu."
Renji gave Jinta a hefty push, knocking him out of the way, and continued to the door, sliding it open and stepping out into the hall, Jinta hard on his heels. Both jumped slightly as a door slide open. But all that came out of it was a small, black haired figure. Jinta wasted no time and launched into his trademark "holier than thou" attitude, his voice somewhat gentler then the one he used when abusing Renji.
"Ururu, I told you to get some sleep. You were almost killed. Now go to bed."
Ururu stayed where she was, her blue eyes focusing on Renji instead.
"And Freeloader-san?" She asked, her extended finger pointed at Renji, who slapped himself in the face. Ururu giggled as he glared at her through his fingers. Jinta opened his mouth to answer when Renji grabbed his shoulder and almost literally threw him down the hall. Walking past her, he gently pushed Ururu towards her room.
"Get some rest, Ururu. You've had a rough day."
Ururu opened her mouth to protest, but Renji just smiled and turned towards the end of the hall and a very annoyed Jinta. Ururu shrugged her shoulders and slid her door closed.
-----
Even though they had vanished at the same time, Ichigo arrived several seconds ahead of Rangiku. He didn't ask, but he assumed that she was still fatigued from her fight. When she did appear next to him, her breathing was slightly elevated, and she put her hands on her knees and bent over to take a few deep breaths. She recovered quickly though, bending back up and flashing Ichigo a "Don't Worry About Me" grin. Ichigo, silently relieved, grinned back at her before he turned to take in their destination, after which he scratched his head.
"The Urahara Shop? Why are we here?" He glanced over at Rangiku, who shrugged.
"I was just following the reiatsu, I wasn't focusing on- look there!"
Ichigo followed her pointing finger and gave a small intake of breath, indicating surprise. The front of the shop was wide open, a few chunks of wood still hanging around the edges. A metal gate was hanging off one side, bent and destroyed. But the most shocking thing happened to be the two figures who quite certainly where not there before. Ichigo's first reaction, of course, was to reach past his shoulder and grip the hilt of Zangetsu. The two men noticed this and dropped their hands to their hilts as well. Rangiku reached up and grabbed Ichigo's arm.
"Easy, Kurosaki; they aren't moving to attack us. Calm down."
Ichigo release his grip on his zanpakuto and lowered his hand to his side, though he did not let his gaze demit from the two men in front of him as he spoke out of the corner of his mouth.
"Who do you think they are, Rangiku-san?"
Rangiku's mouth was open to answer when the taller of the two men raised his finger and pointed at them, his hand still on the hilt of his zanpakuto. Ichigo could make out a tattoo that the man bore on the back of the hand resting on his hilt: a cross with two lines below it, the first line being shorter than the second line. He nudged Rangiku, who had time to nod before the man spoke, his voice deep and commanding and a tad too quiet to be heard completely.
"Who are you? I have business here."
Ichigo and Rangiku exchanged looks before turned to the figure and identifying themselves.
"Matsumoto Rangiku, Lieutenant of the 10th Division."
"Kurosaki Ichigo, Shinigami Substitute."
Since Ichigo was rather proud of his title, he was shocked and more than a little angry when the man threw back his head and laughed. Fortunately for him, the laugh was little more than a good natured chuckle, and did not last long. The man regained himself quickly and was all business again.
"Substitute? Didn't know we had such a thing. And you're with Kisuke? You were waiting for us?"
It was more of a statement than an actual question. Ichigo and Rangiku exchanged another look before Rangiku answered for them.
"We felt a strong reiatsu and traced it here."
To Ichigo's surprise, the man grinned, showing amazingly straight and white teeth. He also noticed that the man's hand had left the hilt of his zanpakuto. The man breathed a sigh of relief.
"So you just happened to be passing by, huh? Well, whatever; as long as you aren't here to try to arrest or kill us."
Rangiku raised her eyebrows. "Arrest you?
The man nodded. "I felt the reiatsu of two Shinigami and assumed that Kisuke had set a trap for me and my sanseki." He gestured to the young man behind him, who stepped forward and bowed. The first man also bowed, and then waved his hand.
"Alright. Now, off with you."
When Ichigo and Rangiku just stared at him, he raised his voice, pointing off in a random direction. "Are you deaf? I said freaking disappear!"
That was too much for Ichigo. Replacing his hand on Zangetsu's hilt, he shouted back. "And we're supposed to leave? Just like that?"
The man's gawking look answered his question before the man spoke, his voice ringing with authority. "Yes, I expect you to leave, just like that. I have business here, but not with you."
Ichigo's response was to wrap his hand around and draw Zangetsu off his back in one fluid motion. He grinned at the two men. "Listen, I don't care if you're from Soul Society,but I don't know you well enough to take your orders."
The man chuckled, more to himself then to Ichigo. "I'm not from Soul Society, boy. Not anymore, anyway. I'll give you one chance to sheath your zanpakuto. Please do so and back away."
Ichigo lowered his zanpakuto as if he was really contemplating following the man's orders. "Well, when you put it like that…" he raised Zangetsu back up in an instant, pointing it towards the man, a smile on his face. "All that polite shit won't get you anywhere, buddy. Maybe if I was in a better mood…I'd go easy on you!" Ichigo flash stepped towards the man, intending to skewer the man before the latter could make a move. Ichigo reappeared almost immediately after he vanished, the man still standing a good ten feet away. Ichigo looked around for the cause of the problem, and was astonished to see the other man standing behind him, his gloved hand gripping Ichigo's shoulder. The man raised his head and gave Ichigo a long, calculating look. His orange eyes blazed as he spoke.
"Ryoushi-sama asked you to leave. He made no move to attack you."
Ichigo starred for a few seconds and then swung Zangetsu across his chest and towards the man behind him, who skillfully flash stepped away and reappeared by the other man's side.
-----
Hayato Ryoushi did not like the young orange haired Shinigami who stood before him. 'Just a Substitute', he told himself, 'Although I've never heard of such a thing.' Not one to openly comment on the success or failures of his subordinates, he did nonetheless make sure to voice his approval of his third seat's excellent use of shunpo. Akio nodded his thanks and shifted his gaze to the orange haired Shinigami….Substitute who appeared to still be in slight shock at the speed of the previous events. He dropped his sword to his side and pointed his finger at the two. He opened his mouth to speak when the woman next to him grabbed his hand and forcibly lowered it. The two then proceeded to converse; although loud, Hayato could only make out snippets until the woman waved her hand to indicate Akio and himself.
"Kurosaki, we've had enough enemies for one night. We don't know who they are or why they're here. All we do know is that they have not tried to harm us in any way, despite your repeated foolishness."
Hayato say the Substitute's head fall, and barely heard him mumble something about a Rukia and someone named Grimmjow. The woman, Matsumoto Rangiku, he remembered, said something which he assumed was comforting, for the boy's head perked up. And then he very clearly heard the boy ask…
"What about Renji? Didn't he have a tough fight as well?"
Hayato's ears perked up and he grinned across at Akio, he wore his usual expression of casual boredom, but his eyes told Hayato that he had also heard. Hayato stepped forward and waved at Ichigo to get his attention. The orange haired Death God treated him to a look of disdain but kept his gaze focused on Hayato, who cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, Daisou-san. Did you say Renji? As in Abarai Renji?"
Ichigo scratched his head with the tip of Zangetsu. "Yeah. What's it to you?"
Hayato shrugged and gave Ichigo his best crazy smile. "Oh, not much…just humiliation followed by agonizing death."
Ichigo gasped and Rangiku half drew her zanpakuto, her teeth bared.
"Nani?"
Hayato burst forth with a ground shaking laugh, which only served to make him sound crazier. It was a full minute before he could restore order He spoke, his words barely understandable above the continues laughter.
"Maybe...if you're a good boy…I'll let you keep….his head."
With that, he threw back his head and let out a fresh chorus of cackles. Even Akio let out a rare smile. Ichigo, already close to losing it, decided then and there to stop them cold. He leveled his sword a the pair…
"Ban Kai!"
…and looked up to see his zanpakuto in the hand of the now serious Hayato, who stood glaring at him with annoyance dancing in his eyes.
"Yare Yare. I can't have you doing Bankai at a time like this."
Ichigo stood, flabbergasted. He hadn't even seen the man move; and, if Rangiku's face was any indication, neither had she. Hayato grinned triumphantly at Ichigo.
"Tell you what, boy. I'm in a sporting mood. Show me some good kido, and you get this back."
Ichigo could hardly believe this man. His moods changed faster than the tides, and his speed was frightening. Even the man's…sanseki, did he say…subordinate was far faster than Ichigo would have guessed. Ichigo wondered, out loud for the benefit of the two, just who they were. Hayato shrugged and remained silent. However, someone else answered.
"He is Hayato Ryoushi. He was the fourth seated officer of the Eleventh Division when I was mad a captain. Ten years later, I was banished for…certain reasons." Urahara paused for, Ichigo figured, dramatic effect, and then continued. "He was my replacement."
Ichigo did a quick double take, and then contained himself. Urahara cleared his throat rather noisily and then spoke up again.
"But never mind him, Kurosaki-san. You should be far more interested in his subordinate-"
"KISUKE! That's enough!"
Urahara looked back over his shoulder at Hayato, who was red in the face and had what appeared to be a vein throbbing in his temple. Hayato put his hand over his face and spoke through it.
"Don't dwell in the past, Kisuke."
Urahara disregarded his comment with a wave of his hand.
"I'm just adding some filler, Hayato-kun. OH! How nice of you to join us, Abarai-kun.
Sure enough, Renji had appeared next to Ichigo. He glanced to his right and almost had his head turned to face the pair in front of him when he noticed something odd about Ichigo's sword, or lack thereof. He shot Ichigo a grin large enough to get lost in.
"Hey, idiot, where's your zanpakuto?"
When Ichigo didn't respond with anything except a sodden glance, Renji began to scan the immediate vicinity. After a full ten seconds of searching, he succeeded in spotting it. He turned to Ichigo…
"Dumbass. How did your sword end up in that guy's hand?"
Ichigo got right up in Renji's face.
"Obviously he must have grabbed it from me, you jerk!"
Renji was just as fast with his insults, however.
"Why in all of perfect Hell did you decide to-"
Renji stopped mid sentence as blood spurted from his shoulder. He collapsed down to one knee even as Ichigo caught him. He raised his head and glanced at the spot where the two had, until very recently, been standing, and found them gone. He was sure that they had left when Hayato's voice drifted down from the surrounding buildings.
"Abarai Renji, I'll be back for you. Tell your captain hello from me."
With that, two powerful reiatsu disappeared into the night, leaving behind four people: One bleeding, one still mesmerized at the sights she had just witnessed, one yelling for Tessai, and the last running over to his zanpakuto, where Hayato had dropped it.