Chapter 10:
It's awakening... a figure hidden within the shadows of a ruined hall whispers into the mind. But the whispers seem to echo down into the cavern it stands over.
Yes…but it's slow to revive. There is interference. Another shadowed being replies as it too peers down into the sanctuary.
Too slow. At this rate the time will come and pass. This was the only opportunity that had presented itself in thousands of years. They could not afford to let it pass them by.
Capture it. Bring it to us. It will only be safe here.
The figures hesitated. But the Awakening…it must come on it's own.
Below the hidden figures, the ground rumbles with displeasure. We have waited long enough! Now is the time! Remove the interference then if you must. If you cannot, we shall do so ourselves.
The beings knew better than to argue. They bowed and disappeared in a cast of golden flames.
The earth shook again, this time pleased. It had waited 200 years. Now the time was close and all the key figures in motion. Perfect. Soon there would be a revival unlike anything this world had ever seen.
"Mayuri-sama," Nemu appeared in the doorway of her father and creator's headquarters. The 12th Division captain was hunched over the table screen of the enormous database mumbling to himself. She doubted he had moved from that spot for hours.
"I have brought the prisoner as you requested," she said and tossed a gagged and hog-tied Don Kanonji into the room at her master's feet.
Mayuri swiveled around in his chair and looked at Kanonji as if he were nothing more than an insect.
"Nemu you stupid girl. Did I tell you to tie him up? Don't treat my subjects so roughly. You may knock any good information out of them," he grumbled but he didn't seem interested in untying Don either.
He turned his full attention to the man fussing and wiggling on the floor.
"What is it man? I'm sure you know why you're here. Speak up!"
Kanonji struggled some more.
"Oh very well, have it your way. Nemu, un-gag him foolish girl."
Nemu tossed a throwing knife down at the gag, missing Kanonji's neck by a hair. She thought she heard him squeal. In truth she preferred the man silent, but orders were given to be obeyed.
Kanonji immediately began protesting.
"What is this? How dare you tie up a hero of the people? And who is this weird looking guy" he would have pointed at Mayuri's face for emphasis, but he settled for jutting his chin at the captain whilst lying on his belly.
"Hero?" Mayuri's golden teeth stretched across his face. He glanced at Nemu.
"Never mind your babbling. You sent defective hollow souls to my department. We don't take kindly to people that tamper with our goods. Now tell me everything you know before I rip it from your skull myself."
Kanonji recant the tale of his glorious victory over the giant hyena with the aid of his sidekick. It didn't take long for Mayuri to grow irritated.
"Shut up you moron! I already know what happened there!" Of course he did, he could see everything Nemu saw if he so chose. It was a simple matter of switching to the right channel thanks to her upgraded eyes.
"I want to know about the creature when you first captured it. Any differences between it and the others?"
Kanonji stopped and thought seriously for a moment. None that he could tell. All the bad spirits had turned into tiny crystal spheres when he defeated them. All of them seemed mindless as well. They were just like the hollow that appeared on earth.
"Wait a minute…I don't remember the hollow on earth turning into crystals at all. They just disappeared. Does it got something to do with Soul Society?"
Mayuri ignored the question. He already knew the answer. The real question was what or who was bringing altered hollow into Rukongai? Or…perhaps the hollow were altered after they came to Soul Society.
"He's useless Nemu. Take him to a holding cell for now. But first, give me that crystal. I'll be heading this research myself."
Something about this entire situation stank with familiarity. But he couldn't quite put his long black fingernail on just what.
After Nemu left, the painted captain immediately set to work.
He gingerly placed the soul crystal into an analysis tube without touching it. The last thing he needed was a hollow rampaging around destroying his lab.
The system was designed to pick up the different components of spirit particles. Their was a distinct compound for each type of spirit be they human, shinigami, or hollow. After a moment, the screen read in bright red letters: ERROR.
"What? Stupid machine!" Mayuri reloaded the program. Again the same result.
He ground his teeth and glared at the crystal. Whatever this creature was, it wasn't a hollow. Just as he suspected, and dare he say feared? It seems the past is doomed to repeat itself.
"Damn him…this is all that man's fault," Mayuri grumbled as he pulled up some old files.
He'd have to do this the laborious way and draw out the components of the soul piece by painstaking piece. It was going to take longer than he wanted. And if that creature in the crystal, as well has the hundreds like it, where the result of some mixed form of hollowfication…
Mayuri grumbled once again. If he ever got his hands on Urahara Kisuke, he'd enjoy taking his time while he dissected the fool.
Just then, a hell butterfly slipped through the barred windows. It fluttered near Mayuri and announced an emergency captain's meeting.
"Dammit! Not now!"
He flicked his hand at the butterfly, but it persisted. "Fine! But this better be important or that idiot commander is going to get a surprise poison candy in his sake."
He set his work aside and stormed out of the room.
"Escaped? How the hell did he escape?" Renji stared at Kyoraku with a mixture of amazement and confusion.
Kyoraku sat at the head of the room, his favorite pink kimono draped over his shoulders. Beneath his straw hat, an eye fell on Renji and watched the red-head.
"We have reason to believe someone with first class access to the Maggot's Nest infiltrated the place and whisked him away."
This time Soi Fon burst out, "Impossible! I don't care what that fool 3rd seat says, I was no where near the place at the time!"
Kyoraku's brown eye turned to the 2nd division captain. "No…I wasn't suggesting it was you Soi Fon. But I can guess it is someone you know quite well."
Soi Fon glared. "Who? Name them and I will deal with them myself!"
The captain commander shrugged and sighed before he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "Who knows? That person isn't important anyway. Central 46 wants the boy. So they've ordered us to send a team out to find him."
"I'm sure you mean catch him," Hitsugaya stood with his eyes closed and his arms crossed. He disliked Central 46 as much as anyone could, but the Gotei 13 must answer to them.
"Let me go by myself," Renji said. "He's still a member of my squad. He's my responsibility."
"Watch your words Captain Abarai," Byakuya warned. "Else you might soon regret them."
Ikkaku let out an exasperated sigh. "Man this is lame. Why do those old guys really want a 10th seat locked up bad anyway? Just because he had a little too much fun with Yachiru?"
The bald 7th division captain stared at Kyoraku out of the corner of his eyes. He, as well as everyone in the room, were wary of following any orders given by Central 46, especially if those orders directly involved a member of the Gotei.
Kyoraku shrugged and sighed again. "That's not for us to know. But breaking out of the Maggot's Nest is definitely a crime. So we have to track him down."
"There is one more piece of information. Some of the prisoners in the Maggots Nest have been admitted to the 4th Division's intensive care. They're being tested for signs of hollow infection," Kyoraku turned his head toward Unohana.
Some captains glanced nervously at each other. The more stoic ones furrowed their brows at Kyoraku in disbelief.
"What? Hollowfication? Hold on a moment why was I not informed immediately?" Mayuri protested.
She stood serenely with her hands crossed in front of her. "That is correct. All patients have been found clean however."
Renji hesitated to ask his next question. "Are you saying that it's likely Keichi has something to do with this?"
Kyoraku bowed his head, "Due to the risks, I will advise that you send someone with a good understanding of the danger involved to lead the search parties. We don't need anybody that will take unnecessary risks."
"Then I volunteer myself," Rukia spoke up.
"Me too," Renji stepped forward.
Ikkaku rubbed the back of his head. "I'll ask Yumichika. He's been needing a break lately anyway."
Unohana volunteered Hanataro. "He should be of some use."
"I'll go too. Someone impersonated me and I want to find out who," Soi Fon continued to glare at Kyoraku.
"I think we have enough captains as it is. Your Onmitsukido are probably the best equipped anyway. They will be enough," he returned her glare with an calm even gaze.
The mission required a coordinated team, and Soi Fon's style was to fight alone. Besides, she was out for revenge. That was never a good motivator. It caused a person to get sloppy.
Soi Fon grunted and returned to her place. "As you say…Commander."
"Then, if there's no one else, I think everyone should alert their divisions and double guard shifts. We don't know where the prisoner escaped to, or what his intentions may be, but he might still be in the Seireitei. Dismissed."
The captains filed out of the room.
Mayuri followed Unohana. He wanted to see these patients for himself. Perhaps there were similarities between the hollows that appeared in the Maggots Nest and the ones he had been studying. In fact, he was certain of it. For once, Unohana was inclined to agree with him.
"But on one condition. You do not lay a finger on the patients. Only three prisoners had been infected and they were vanquished before Kurosaki escaped," she said.
Mayuri replied, "Kuh, very well. But it will be less effective this way. Don't blame me if there's an outbreak and my research was too slow to stop it."
Ikkaku left wondering if he should tell the absent Yachiru what had transpired. He knew she would be curious. But if it was about Keichi, she'd chase after him in a second. That would make things…complicated. Besides, with her sense of direction, she'd get lost anyway.
Rangiku followed Toushiro out. She had to discuss something privately with him. "I'm worried," she admitted.
"About what? Kurosaki?" the white haired captain walked with his eyes closed.
"Not just him. Though partially. You know very well the kind of people that run Central 46. What if they're hiding something more?"
Hitsugaya sighed and looked at his former lieutenant. "The only way we'll figure that out is to do as they say. Besides, first we have this kid appear with the name Kurosaki? Then there's suddenly a break out of hollowfication where he so happens to be? It is all too much to be a coincidence."
"Not to mention the disappearances in Rukongai…" Rangiku agreed.
"Disappearances?" now Toushiro turned his full attention on her. "Are you saying it hasn't been bandits Matsumoto?"
Matsumoto clasped her hand to her mouth. "Oops…perhaps I wasn't suppose to say that?"
"Rangiku…spit it out," the 10th division captain glared.
"Only if you promise not to get mad at me. I had promised Orihime and Sora after all," she said.
Toushiro calmed himself. "Fine. I promise I won't get mad."
Rangiku put a thoughtful finger to her lips. "Well, Chad has been on the outskirts of Rukongai investigating the disappearances and he found signs of hollowfication there as well. But then the people disappeared. It's similar but different. It likely ties into the increase of hollow invasions."
"Why didn't you say this at the meeting!"
Rangiku frowned. "You promised you wouldn't get angry."
Toushiro grunted. "I'm not angry. But this is really important. We should send out a team to that location as well."
The blond shook her head. "No. Orihime and Chad said they'll take care of things on that end. Besides, we'll be stretched thin already searching for Keichi-kun."
Toushiro begrudgingly agreed and said his goodbyes with a curt nod.
"My my, he's more testy than ever," Rangiku sighed. It couldn't be helped. She had given Orihime and then Sora her word that she wouldn't bring the Gotei into this matter yet.
Shortly after Soi Fon had left, Marechiyo Omaeda was at her side eating fried chips.
"What are you doing here you worthless slug? Were you eavesdropping on a Captain meeting? How'd a pathetic blob like you ever survived this long as a Shinigami is beyond me."
Uh oh…she's in a worst mood than ever. He couldn't blame her. Right now the credibility of the second division was compromised. No one had ever escaped the Maggot's Nest. Ever. And now, not only did that happen, but someone was running around with the ability to impersonate his captain, perhaps any captain, and hollows had appeared in their headquarters.
Still…she doesn't have to take it out on me.
"C-captain, there's something you should see back at headquarters. We might have a lead on the imposter," he whispered in her ear.
"Ew. Don't get so close you disgusting maggot. And quit standing around like an idiot. Take me to this thing immediately!"
Omaeda straightened and saluted, "Yes Captain! Right away!"
She was already far ahead of him.
Well I guess she's feeling better already, he mused and raced to catch up to her.
Meanwhile, as Rukia and Renji were leaving, Hisagi called out, "Oi, Renji!"
Hisagi hurried to the captain's side and leaned in closely. Kira followed at a slower pace.
"I'm sorry things turned out like this," Hisagi said sincerely. Both he and Kira could understand what it was like for a member of one's squad to be considered a traitor. But at least Keichi wasn't one in actuality.
"If it you like, I could send Yuichi to head a team in search for Keichi," he offered.
Yuichi Horiuchi was the 9th Division's lieutenant and a good kid. Although he hadn't been involved in the past, he was not one to jump into a situation carelessly.
Kira chimed in, "Yes and I can have my own lieutenant search. Shiko's abilities are very useful in situations like this."
Kira was trying to be as reassuring, but his personality wasn't one that offered much warmth and encouragement. Neither Renji or Rukia was familiar with Shiko Kenjyo. In fact, most people had never seen the 3rd Division's lieutenant due to her dormant nature. Perhaps Hisagi was the only other person familiar with her because of her regular poetry submissions to the Seireitei Communications.
Renji and turned to bow to the two men. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
When they were quite alone, Rukia finally spoke. Something had been bothering her for quite some time. So long in fact, that she had nearly forgotten about it until during the meeting.
"Renji. Do you think he's involved with this somehow?"
Renji looked confused. "He? Who?"
If she heard him, she didn't respond. "After all…it's been so long. But this seems kind of like his style doesn't it?"
She glanced up to a confused looking Renji. "Ah…never mind. Forget I said anything."
Rukia tried to smile nonchalantly.
Renji sighed heavily and put two firm hands on her shoulders and looked her square in the eye. "Rukia. If you have an idea spit it out already. We can't let anything bad happen to Keichi. He may be a shinigami now, but…he's still just a punk kid."
Rukia gazed at her feet for a moment. Renji was feeling guilty. She could sense it rolling off him in waves. "I understand. But let's go somewhere a little more private," she glanced around. You never know who was listening. And what she had to say, if she was right, could condemn Keichi for ever.
Keichi's groaned. Had he been asleep? He didn't remember it. All he remembered was feeling very queasy. Then his head started splitting like someone was screaming inside of him.
Even now he could hear a faint buzzing in his ear.
The sun pressed against his eyelids earnestly.
Sun? Wait…where am I?
He opened his eyes slowly. A blue sky with white fluffy clouds floating so lazily? Not a dark cave that smelled of death and other things? Keichi sat forward gingerly to get a better look at his surroundings. It looked like he was by a rocky mountain face and stretched before him was an endless brown, craggy land dotted with dead trees…
His innards felt like they were three times the normal size and Keichi groaned and lay on his back once more.
"Ah you're conscious again? Man you do recover quickly," Kisuke Urahara approached with a fan covering half his face, and his hat the rest.
Keichi wanted to rise again but couldn't.
His voice was dry and his lips cracked, but he managed to ask, "W-who are you?"
"Now now, there will be enough time for introductions later. You're lucky to be alive right now you know that? Though, I suppose it isn't luck you should thank but this guy," Kisuke tossed Keichi's zanpakuto down by his body.
"You're connected to it in a very strange way Kurosaki-kun. Without it, you'll slowly lose yourself. But now that you and he are back together again, your recovery was much faster than I expected."
Keichi's head was spinning. He wasn't sure he caught everything the strange man in sandals and a hat was saying. From this angle, he looked and sounded like a sleazy salesman. Did they have those in Soul Society? Was he even in Soul Society?
"Oh I almost forgot. You must be starving huh? Here, drink this. It will pick you up in no time," Urahara leaned over Keichi and stuffed a bottle filled with eerie black liquid in his mouth before Keichi could protest.
It tasted sour. Keichi coughed and gagged. He pushed Urahara away and tried to spit out what he could.
"See? You're sitting up right already," Urahara grinned and sloshed the liquid around in the bottle. "Imagine how you'll feel after finishing it all."
Keichi grimaced and eyed the bottle and the man suspiciously. But the stranger was right. Keichi was starting to feel stronger. What was that stuff?
He accepted the bottle and tried to finish the rest in one gulp. After choking some more, he was finally done and standing.
"Alright," he said. His tongue was numb and so his words came out funny.
"Where am I and who are you?"
Urahara took of his hat and bowed. "Urahara Kisuke. You're in my secret training room. Pretty impressive huh? I painted that sky myself and getting these rocks here wasn't easy. Some of them are from mountains in the far reaches of Rukongai."
"It took me quite awhile to build this one. I think it's my best yet. It's dug all under the Seireitei exits to Rukongai districts."
Keichi stared blankly at the man for a moment who was still crouching, his chin resting on a cane Keichi just noticed.
"You're telling me you dug all this underground by yourself?"
"Ah that's a good reaction. Are you impressed? I'm pretty amazing huh? You're already fascinated by my skills," Urahara chuckled.
Keichi continued to stare blankly. "You must not have a life. That explains the hermit get-up."
"Her-hermit? I happen to be an aesthetic and women find my hobbies very interesting," Kisuke tried to argue back.
Keichi poked in his ear looking unimpressed. "Look thanks for the drink but I need to get out of here. I don't know what's happened but I'm sure they're looking for me."
Kisuke's demeanor sobered drastically. "You don't want to be found as you are now. If you do, there's no question about it. Central 46 will put you somewhere even I won't be able to rescue you. And then, there's no telling what they'll use you for…"
Keichi eyed Urahara cautiously.
"Perhaps. But this is my problem. I have to take responsibility for it."
Faster than his eyes could follow, Kisuke was behind him. He placed a hand on Keichi's head and leaned.
Keichi spun around and swung a fist at the man. Urahara jumped back easily, holding onto his hat so it wouldn't fly of.
"My my. You Kurosaki's are all so stubborn…"
"How the hell do you know who I am anyway?" Keichi glared. He suddenly remembered the man had addressed him familiarly earlier.
"Good question. The answer is a long story. If you promise to stick around and train here, I'll tell it to you," Kiskue offered.
"Train?" Keichi relaxed.
"Why else would I take you to a training room idiot?" Urahara shrugged and stuck out his tongue.
Keichi suddenly felt that this man's company was unbearably irritating. Training or no, who was this guy to act so familiar with him?
"Why would I want to receive training from some hermit? Are you like a mountain monk or something?"
Urahara sighed. "Such little faith. Maybe it would have been better to have left you in the Maggot's Nest? Getting out wasn't easy and I even messed up my favorite hat in the process. You were more trouble than I had anticipated."
"What are you talking about?"
Kisuke pointed to a rip in his hat.
"Not the hat idiot!" Keichi growled. "I meant everything else."
"No you wouldn't remember would you? After all…you weren't all there at the time of the rescue. In fact, right now…you're barely here at all. If I hadn't given you that pill and then that drink, your mind would have been overtaken by what's inside you."
Keichi had a feeling the man was being vague on purpose. Dramatic suspense, or something they called it. "Alright I get it. You're not going to tell me unless I agree to train here right?"
Urahara smiled, "You catch on quicker than the others."
"Fine. I'll train here. But in return I want information."
Keichi was surprised at himself for so easily accepting help from this stranger, but here was someone who finally seemed capable of answering some of his deeper questions. Besides, getting out of here on his own didn't look like the faster route. If these training grounds were as big as Kisuke said, he could be trapped for days without directions.
"Good. Let's get started," Urahara announced.
"What? So soon?"
"Yes. I thought you were in a hurry as well?"
Keichi nodded slightly. "Well…yeah but…"
"Don't worry. No one will be able to sense your reiatsu," Urahara assured.
"No...It's not that. Why are you helping me? Why do you want to train me?" Keichi's eyes were set firmly on Kisuke.
Urahara returned the firm gaze with a somewhat apologetic look, "You have the eyes of someone determined to get stronger. And I know that if you don't, things are going to get bad for all of us. So trust me, for now anyway."
"Where's Kurotsuchi-sama?" Rin rushed into the bureau with the package Yoruichi had told him to deliver.
It had taken him awhile to return to Soul Society, mainly because of the gigai he used. Without he ability to use his reiatsu on earth, he had difficulty contacting someone for an emergency pick up. Instead, there was usually someone to come to him at a designated time and place for retrieval. So he had to wait an entire day before he could deliver the package.
"The captain is out for the moment. He'll be back shortly. Why? What are you holding?" Akon chewed on a small sliver of wood. He was half hidden by documents and equipment on his desk.
Rin hesitated. "I um…someone said that Kurotsuchi-sama would find this information useful for his present research."
Akon eyed the package suspiciously. "And who is that someone?"
Rin paused even longer. "Well…I kinda told her I'd keep that a secret."
Akon rounded the desk and snatched it out of Rin's hands easily. "Her?"
He examined the small package, tested it's weight, smelled it. "It can't be…" he muttered.
Akon glanced at Rin. "You should toss it. Mayuri doesn't like outside help for his work."
"B-but—"
"Especially if that help is from someone affiliated with that guy," he warned.
"Y-you know? But how?"
Akon pointed to a paw print and some black cat fur on the packaging. "She must have not cared if she was found out anyway. Otherwise she wouldn't have been so careless."
Rin still looked sad. How come he hadn't caught that?
Akon returned the package to him. "Like I said. Toss it. If you give that to him he'll probably throw you in one of the cages for a week just for suggesting he open it."
Rin frowned. "No. A promise is a promise. I'm going to deliver it and accept my punishment like a man."
Akon studied Rin out of the corner of his eye for a moment, then he returned to his work. "Fine do what you want. Don't cry to me when the Nagi Naga try to eat you."
Soifon arrived at her headquarters. There, outside her office, a top member of the Onmitsukido was crouched to one knee waiting. He had a bag tied to his waist. When she arrived, he didn't stand but addressed her formally.
Omaeda appeared behind her shortly after, sweating and out of breath.
"What is this 'thing' I was brought to see in such a hurry?" Soifon snapped.
The ninja withdrew from his bag a sliver of white and green material. It was dirtied and tattered, but Soifon recognized the owner immediately.
"Impossible!"
Her normally cold grey eyes heated with scorching fury. She snatched the item from his hand and looked at it closely.
It was definitely a piece of that man's hat. "Urahara Kisuke," she growled the name as she seethed. "Damn you! Damn you!"
She didn't know whether to feel triumphant that her old enemy was still alive so that she could end his life personally, or violated that he had impersonated her. How did he do it anyway? The thought of him using her body for his disgusting habits…
Soifon clenched the material in her hand and threw it in Omaeda's face. "I want everyone looking for the owner of this hat. And when he's found, do what you want with the escapee, but no one is allowed to attack Urahara Kisuke. Leave him for me."
Both Omaeda and the ninja knew better than to dally. They saluted with a "yes captain" and disappeared their own separate ways, leaving Soifon alone to boil in her rage.
It had been a few days since Kami had met with the strange Yoruichi Shihoin and the shinigami known only as Rin. She had found it difficult to concentrate on anything else in the past few days, including her research into the Kurosaki family.
Everywhere she turned, there was a dead end. It seemed that she really would need to access her family archives.
Takashi watched his sister carefully. She was abnormally absent minded.
Today he sat her down when they had a moment alone.
"Kami," he said at length. "Can you be honest with me?"
Kami almost lost her composure. Had he discovered her? Would he tell father? But he didn't say what he meant and until he did, Kami must feign ignorance, though it hurt her to do so.
"Yes? What's wrong?" she asked innocently.
Takashi sighed and looked at the cup of coffee growing cold in his hands. "Are you having…guy troubles or something?"
Kami's eyes almost fell out of their sockets. She was sure they would have if she hadn't pushed her glasses up her nose.
"W-what? A guy? Where did you get that idea?"
Takashi set his cup down on the low white table between them. "Look I know you're a young woman now. But I just want you to know that you'll always have me to take care of any problems for you. So if some guy is trying to…um…mess with you, just tell me ok?"
Kami tried not to laugh nervously. She found her face growing hot from embarrassment. Hopefully he mistook it for shame. She was a bit ashamed of herself for letting him think such things.
"Yes…thank you Takashi," she said with a glance and half-hearted smile.
Takashi sighed with relief and kissed his little sister on the top of her head. "Good girl."
As he began to leave, Kami turned to ask him, "What are you doing today? Does father have you working in the main office again?"
Takashi's smile was genial. "No not to day Kam-kam. I'm taking a personal day. Don't worry though. I'm just going to look into something. I'll be back in time for dinner."
He left.
An idea suddenly came to her mind. It was so very much unlike her that she wondered if someone else had placed it in her mind. Perhaps she had spent too much time thinking about that meeting. She waited a few minutes before following Takashi.
Kami didn't know how much value she should place on the words of a shinigami, but there was one thing Kami couldn't shake from her mind. Yoruichi had said "the fact that you remember him at all." Kami had noticed it months ago.
No one seemed to notice Keichi's disappearance. As the days rolled by, it was as if he never existed. When she had tried to return to Keichi's house, it looked like no one lived there. And the nosey neighbor didn't seem to know a thing about the people who lived there. But Takashi had remembered as well. He had never met Keichi, perhaps it wasn't so unusual that he and her father had remembered what Kami had said in her report. They weren't normal humans after all. They were Quincy. Kami had dismissed the feeling based on that understanding.
But if that was the case, then why would Yoruichi think it was unusual for Kami, a Quincy, to remember Kurosaki? The nagging feeling was back, tugging at the base of her brain. They were hiding something. She felt more certain of it with each passing day.
Rukia had watched Renji's reaction carefully across the room.
"Like I said. I could be wrong. It's just that—"
Renji stood. "I think you may be right. Damn…if Urahara-san is involved," he rubbed his hands through his hair. It can't be a good thing.
The man was a living, breathing bad omen. Renji never quite forgave him for his part in Rukia's near execution, among other things. And when Ichigo disappeared, so had all traces of Urahara.
"There's only one way to find out," Renji said finally. "Follow me. I think I know where he and Keichi may be hiding."
Rukia's eyes widened, but she followed him without question.
That was a several days ago. Renji led her to the foot of Sougyoku Hill. So many memories dwelled at its peak, but they had rounded the side to a cavern deep within. This was where Renji had trained his Bankai, Ichigo as well. It was created by Kisuke. It would make sense if he hid out here.
As the two walked deeper in the tunnel, Renji searched for the secret passage that led to the underground training room. They needed to hurry. Word was the second division was already on the hunt. They had found a lead and the Onmitsukido could tirelessly track a scent like bloodhounds.
It wasn't easy retracing his steps, but eventually, Renji thought he came upon a familiar upward passage. If he was right, it would actually lead down to a hidden door. How he had located the secret passage before was not by accident. Renji had followed traces of Ichigo's leaking reiatsu. But without that to guide him, it was difficult to go by memory alone.
Finally, Renji found it. On the ground beneath a false rock was a sealed round metal door. He grabbed its cold iron hand and pushed in until he heard a click, then he pulled. It slid back to reveal an old half rusted ladder. It looked like it hadn't been used in centuries.
Renji peered down, but he could see nothing.
"If Urahara is involved, this is where we'll find him."
Rukia looked down as well. "A secret training ground?"
Renji nodded. "Just like the one under his shop on earth. I was here once before."
He didn't need to elaborate.
Renji began to descend, but Rukia jumped in front of him.
"I'll make sure it's safe," she called up to him.
Around her it was dark. But below, she could see a light. When she and Renji emerged, all they saw was more cave. Just like what they had left. Someone left a sign posted at the bottom of the ladder.
"Closed for renovations."
-U. K.
Renji felt a vein pop on his head. "What the hell? Closed? Are you kidding me? He knew we were coming didn't he?"
Rukia felt a little disheartened. "Well, I suppose this confirms our suspicions."
Renji calmed. "Yeah. So now what do we do? Looks like we reached a dead end."
"Not quite. The goal is still the same after all. We need to find Keichi before the others."
Keichi felt his back smack into the stone cliff before he realized his defenses had been broken.
Kisuke laughed. "It's a good thing you're already a Shinigami, otherwise you'd be dead by now. Aren't you tired yet?"
Keichi grit his teeth against the sudden pain running down his spine. "Yeah? Keep talking old man. I've enough energy to take your little beatings and give 'em back twice as hard."
"Oh ho? Very well then," Kisuke launched another attack.
Keichi forced as much power behind his guard as he could. He had seen Urahara do the same when Keichi was attacking and decided to give it a try. Urahara didn't really teach Keichi anything. Instead, he had Keichi spar in sealed form. There was no point in wielding a zanpakuto unless you could handle it's sealed form as easily as it's released form.
"You have to walk before you can run," Kisuke had told him. Since then, they had been fighting without a single break.
Keichi didn't know how long they had been fighting. Hours? Days? Despite his tough talk, he was feeling exhausted. His sword wavered in his hands.
"Don't lose focus," Kisuke warned as he broke through Keichi's defenses once again.
Keichi flew into another rock face. This time, he recovered. He pressed his feet against the stone and switched to the offensive while Urahara's guard was still down. Kisuke only had a second to dodge. Keichi's blade pierced part of Urahara's green robe and left a long tear.
"Very good recovery. You're catching on fast," Urahara complemented as he adjusted his hat. "And you're not nearly as stubborn as your predecessor."
Keichi stood, his guard still up. "When are you going to tell me just what the hell is going on? Or are you waiting for me to beat it out of you?"
Urahara frowned. "Not as stubborn but just as cocky."
Keichi poised to attack.
"Fine. It's been a few days. I guess we can take a break," Urahara rested his back against a dead tree and fanned himself.
After a long moment of silence, Keichi couldn't wait any longer. "Well?"
Kisuke simply smiled. "Do you miss your parents Kurosaki-kun?" he asked conversationally.
Keichi blanked. "No not really. There isn't much of them to miss. I mean…I've already come to terms with that so…what are you getting at?"
Kisuke frowned. "Hmmm…I figured as much. After all, it's not like they were your real parents."
Keichi narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? Are you saying I'm adopted?"
Urahara shook his head. "No. Nothing so simple. In a way, you and them are related, just not by blood."
"I don't understand."
Urahara didn't like to explain things simply, especially when there was no easy way to explain.
"Your parents, and you, are made up of essentially the same things. The only difference is the content of the soul."
He drew three circles in the sand with the tip of his cane. Two of them were empty while the third had a couple of rings inside.
"These are your 'parents'," he pointed to the two empty circles. "And this is you." He pointed to the circle filled with rings.
"Your parents were…created to be just that, your parents. You on the other hand, were created for entirely different purposes."
Urahara watched the boy closely under the shadow of his hat. "You were never a normal kid. Nothing just suddenly happened to you Keichi. It was all…pre-planned."
Keichi sat silently for a few moments. "Just who the hell are you?" his words almost came out like a hiss. "What the fuck do you know about me?"
Urahara sighed. Nope, no easy way to say it. "You're just a vessel Keichi, for a greater power."
He pointed at Keichi's zanpakuto. "That is where your true power lies. Like I said before, without it…you'll become undone."
"Shut the fuck up!" Keichi's blade was out and pressed against Urahara's neck in a flash.
Kisuke didn't blink. He stared up into the boy's light brown eyes.
"You're not familiar with one of my greatest inventions are you? The gigai?" he commented.
"I used one to rescue you actually. A doppelganger type I created for sneaking around easily. And you were raised by another type I invented, filled with empty lost souls ordered with one task: Let you mature on your own without interference."
"Your parents were never real people. And your birth…well, it was more of a creation than a birth."
Keichi pressed the blade so tightly against the older man's neck, blood began to collect at its edge. "Answer me dammit! Who the fuck are you?"
Urahara sighed. "I'm the reason all this is happening. It was my fault…200 years ago. I made a mistake when trying to protect Karakura Town. Then, to fix that mistake, I made another one…No…perhaps this is all because of what I did over 300 years ago…" he was half talking to himself.
It was his own invention, his thirst for the new, his desire to break the boundaries of discovery. His lust for science…
He had blamed himself for many years. Were it not for him, Aizen would have never obtained the power he did. Then, there would have been no need to transport Karakura Town into Soul Society with the Tenkai Kecchu. That was what ripped the veil. Since, then, it has been him making one mistake after another to cover the previous ones. But perhaps now he was close to the end.
"Keichi," he said finally focusing on the boy once more. "I'm sorry. That power within you is not your own. It is a dormant spirit sealed as a zanpakuto. It was the only way I could think of to keep him safe. It was the only way I could guarantee that he would be able to stop the Rise."
"Ichigo…" Keichi said suddenly. His blade relaxed against Urahara's neck. He had known it all along hadn't he?
Kisuke nodded. "I suppose you've already heard much of the story then. But what few know is that, because of what happened 200 years ago, the world was placed in far greater danger. So I, and a few others, decided to preserve the power of the one person we knew could stop it."
He looked at Keichi's zanpakuto again. "There is one thing I didn't consider…that Ichigo's power would awaken before his consciousness. He's always been such a lazy guy. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised."
"So you're saying…Akumegetsu…is the sealed power of your 200 year old hero?" Keichi's voice was quiet.
Kisuke's eyes snapped to Keichi. He was staring at the painted ceiling.
"And that I'm just a vessel to awaken that power?" he continued.
Urahara nodded slightly.
Keichi's hand griped the hilt.
"Fuck that!" he hit the hilt on Urahara's crown.
"Sorry old man. But I've already decided, this is my power and I'm going to use it to get stronger. Nothing you can say will change that."
Urahara was taken by surprise. "W-wait you can't— !"
Keichi crossed his arms and glared down at Urahara. "Can't what? Decide my own path? Well you're wrong. So I need some training, that's why I'm still here. But I'm not going to just lay down and die because some freak in a hat comes up and says I'm some artificial crap."
Urahara stared in disbelief.
Keichi turned away. "Besides," he said over his shoulder. "The life I've lived was my own. You said it yourself. I was to grow without interference. And so what if Ichigo is a part of me? Isn't that the nature of a zanpakuto's power."
Urahara burst out in laughter. "You're just like him…No matter what you say. You two are just alike."
He stood and dusted off his abused hat. "Fine. If you want to get stronger, I won't stop you. But until you get strong enough to subdue the greatest power Soul Society has ever seen, you better stay on your toes. Ichigo…or Akumegetsu, is not going to be easy for you."
Keichi nodded. "You think I don't realize that? As much as that bastard trash talks me in my inner world…He and I have a score to settle."
Urahara rubbed some salve on his bleeding neck. "Then if you're determined, there are two more things you should know."
Keichi turned completely and listened.
"First, you need to understand the risk of you using shikai while Ichigo remains asleep and Akumegetsu remains unrestrained. From studying its nature, it seems that Ichigo's hollow subconscious has taken control as Akumegetsu. Therefore, you lose control of your actions. Also, because of him, you are susceptible to hollowfication when in danger. It's inside of you, rather than your sword, and so it will manifest inside you with or without you zanapakuto. It seems that's what occurred in the Maggot's Nest. You were too weak to stave off the hollow spirit, and so it manifested in order to save itself."
Keichi nodded. "Like a parasite."
Urahara agreed. "If you want to put it that simply."
"So how do I avoid this whole hollow thing?"
Urahara looked ominous. "You don't avoid it. You encounter it and defeat it. There is no 'cure' for having such a power. Only by defeating it, I think, will Ichigo be able to awaken. Then, you can begin to uncover the depths of your power."
Keichi wondered. "How do I encounter and defeat it?"
Kisuke shrugged. "Beats me, I never underwent hollowfication."
Keichi stared, "… . Fine what's the second thing I need to know then?"
"There are others seeking to use your power, and not just the ones I had sealed Ichigo for the purpose of defeating. It seems your little explosion of reiatsu back on earth and again against Kusajishi-chan has alerted some groups intent on your extinction."
"I can't say what each individual intends to use your power for, but I'm certain it won't be good for anyone."
Keichi pondered this for a moment. He wondered if this was the reason behind Central 46's decision to imprison him. It's clear they weren't fully aware of his capabilities.
"I can say one thing of the enemies you'll encounter, Keichi-kun. They have the power to split and reform souls. If you don't get stronger during this training session, you're going to die and all will be lost."
Keichi's eyes flew to Urahara's. "Don't make it sound so dramatic. It's like you think I won't get stronger."
Kisuke nodded. "Then let's continue."
Without warning, Kisuke unleashed Benihime.
Shinigami Golden: Part 2
Rin delivered the package to Mayuri just as he promised. And, just as Akon had assured, Mayuri threw him in the Nagi Naga pen.
Rin quivered in the corner. He could hear something rustling in the broadleaf trees. But it was much too dense to see. Suddenly, a shadow blot out the artificial light.
The snake, woman, bird creature slithered up to him. Her fangs dripped with poison. She hissed.
Rin let out a whimper of fear. He wouldn't cry for help. He wouldn't cry for help. Rin tried to steel himself, but all he could manage was a few helpless tears.
The Nagi Naga coiled her tail around him, pulling him closer into a choking embrace. Where her poison dripped, the ground withered.
"P-please…I-I didn't mean to d-disturb you," Rin stuttered as he cried.
The Nagi Naga flapped her immense brown and gold wings and raised herself to the treetops with Rin still surrounded by her coil.
She lay him gently in her nest surrounded by large green speckled eggs.
Rin looked around in fear. Oh no. Was he going to be saved for baby food?
The Nagi Naga cooed and stroked him with hand as a bird would its young with its beak.
"Wha-? Y-you want to be friends?" Rin looked at the large round eyes of the Nagi Naga.
The creature cooed once more.
Rin giggled. "Hey! That tickles!"
Akon sipped his coffee while he examined the monitors.
One of his aids turned to him and asked, "Um, sir? Should we warn win that it's mating season for the Nagi Naga?"
Akon grunted. "Nah. He'll figure that out soon enough."