Chapter 11: Well Waters
Baldo arrives to a relatively quiet camp void of people. The odor from the mountain stream flooded his sense of smell. At the well, a little boy lifted the bucket to his face.
With a flash step, Baldo's human hand stops the bucket's ascension, "No the water is contaminated."
"W- What," the boy squeaked.
"It'll make you sick," Baldo smiled, "You look familiar."
"You saved me from Captain Zaraki."
"I remember. I'm glad you're okay," Baldo said warmly, "What's your name?"
"Marcus LeOwn," the boy proclaimed proudly, "Captain Komamura."
"You may call me, Baldo. Where is everyone else," Baldo asked.
"The orange hair guy and that group haven't returned yet," Marcus answered, "And Captain Unohana's in the barn treating people."
"Thank you, Marcus," a voice called.
"Lieutenant Kira," Baldo stood pushing Marcus behind him.
"I knew if we watched the skies long enough; we'd find you," Kira pulls his zanpakuto.
Baldo responded, "We?"
The overweight and lumpy Squad 2 Lieutenant, Marechiyo Omaeda, stepped forward beside Squad 6 Lieutenant Renji Abarai with his red hair pulled back tightly. They each drew their zanpakuto.
"What are we going to do," Marcus cried.
"Stay behind me," Baldo ordered calmly, "I'll protect you. When I make a hole, I want you to run to the barn as fast as you can, okay?"
Marcus nodded.
All three Shinigami attacked. Baldo blocked them using a sleeping Draco forcing them to bounce backward.
"You've done good defending with such low spiritual pressure," Renji said.
"I've gone toe to toe with four captains at once with even less energy," Baldo replied, "You're going to have to do better than that."
"Raise your head, Wabisuke," Kira said to his zanpakuto making it turn into a blade resembling a hooked number seven with the blade running the inside frame.
Renji held his sword, "Roar, Zabimaru." His blade transformed into segmented widening sections with barbs extending further than the one before introducing each new segment.
"Crush, Gegetsuburi," Omaeda held a large spiky ball linked to the lieutenant's hand by a long chain.
Kira rushed first lifting his bent blade while Renji extended Zabimaru providing Kira with cover.
"Roar, Draco," Baldo blocks Zabimaru then slashes his elongated rounded sword with a solitary row of razor blades against Wabisuke. Draco dips.
"Is your zanpakuto getting heavy," Kira said, "My Wabisuke's special ability doubles the weight of its opponent every time it touches it. Your sword's four times heavier then when we started."
"Do you really think I could be called the Dragon of the Seireitei if I didn't learn to carry his weight," Baldo pointed Draco as Kira rushed him. Marcus motioned. "Not yet," Baldo blocked his path.
Slashing Kira struck Draco twenty more times. Baldo just barely held Draco above the ground. On Kira's twenty fifth strike, Baldo thrusts Draco upward.
"Even a dragon cannot lift its weight more than so many times," Kira said.
"You're right," Baldo replied as Draco fell toward the ground, "Breathe Draco, Earth!"
Draco changed into a hollow pipe and landed so heavily that an earthquake rippled along the ground knocking Kira, Renji, and Omaeda off their feet while Baldo kept Marcus from falling.
'Sorry Draco,' Baldo thought as the pipe remained embedded in the ground.
"What are you going to do now Baldo," Kira said as the lieutenants stood, "Now that you can't lift your zanpakuto!"
"Your biggest mistake is thinking I rely solely on my zanpakuto for combat. Marcus, go now," Baldo commanded.
The boy ran toward the barn while Baldo flashed stepped behind Kira grabbing the lieutenant's arms.
Omaeda and Renji used their long range attacks. Unable to break free from Baldo's grip, Baldo forced Kira's Wabisuke to slash and defend Omaeda's and Renji's weapons.
Both Zabimaru and Gegetsuburi fell to the ground after three hits. Baldo chops Kira in the back of the head knocking him out, "And that's Captain Komamura to you."
Something caught Baldo's eye. It was a twirling helicopter blade but it wasn't directed at the Squad 14 captain. It followed Marcus's path. Baldo broke in that direction.
'No,' Baldo thought as the events moved in slow motion, 'I'm not going to get there! Curse this gigai move! MOVE! I can't make it with flash step. I don't have enough strength for Transference. Damn this gigai!'
The weapon inched closer and closer. 'DRACO! I need your speed to get there.' Something cracked. 'I need your hide to shield.' More cracking noises occurred. 'I need your breath to stand.' The cracking sounds continued.
'DAMN IT, DRACO! I NEED YOU TO,' Baldo closed his eyes shouting out loud, "PROTECT THE INNOCENT!"
The sound of shattering resonated and dust swirled around Baldo. On the opposite end of the dust cloud, Lieutenant Hisagi stood at the end of the blade holding a long chain.
"You did well stopping my Kazehini but after Wabisuke's strikes, you won't be able to move that quickly again," Hisagi paused, "So it looks like your hide can be cut."
When the dust clears a full Draco Dragoon hunched over. Kazehini's blade sitting lodged in its back. Standing upright, Baldo uncovered Marcus.
"Ba- Baldo," Marcus said as blood fell to the ground.
"Are you okay, Marcus," Baldo asked eyes and voice full of concern.
"Me," Marcus answered adding when Baldo fell to a knee, "You're bleeding."
"Ah. This is nothing," Baldo smiled as best as a dragon can.
"Nothing," Hisagi pulls the blade from Baldo's back, "How can you stand with the weight of your zanpakuto on your back?"
The lieutenant threw the whirling blades again. Marcus's eyes widen with terror as the blades closed in.
"It's okay Marcus," Baldo rose facing the blades, "I can bear any burden to protect the innocent!" Baldo grabbed the blades with his claws then stepped on the chain when Hisagi tried calling them back.
Moving his hand to the chain, Baldo tugs the chain drawing the lieutenant to him. He struck Hisagi with his tail knocking the lieutenant out.
"Damn," Baldo fell to a knee. He heard shouts of "Baldo" come from Ichigo's group as he finished passing out.