Chapter 16: Team 2
At the door of the drinking facility, Ishida and Rotondo paused looking in the direction of the Squad 7 barracks.
"What are you wasting time for child," Kurotsuchi asked impatiently.
"Do you feel that," Ishida spoke up, "Seems Chad and Garland won."
"Yeah, but Garland's spirit pressure's weak," Rotondo's eyes narrowed, "We better move. I can't be out done by my third seat."
Inside the facility resembled the underground waterway that runs through the Seireitei. At the center sat a large circular pool surrounded by bricks that separated into six lanes of water.
"How will that little vile decontaminate all this water," Rotondo asked.
"It's engineered microscopic robots composed of a synthetic antibody found in my DNA," Kurotsuchi explained, "The bots will multiply consuming the toxin converting it into harmless Reshi."
"A compound from your DNA," Ishida questioned suspiciously, "How do we know you didn't create them to take control over everyone instead of curing them?"
Kurotsuchi smiled, "You don't."
Rotondo walked to the center pool, "So do you just pour it in here?"
"No simpleton," the Squad 12 Captain spoke as if Rotondo was an idiot, "That center well goes through the filtration system.
"For maximum efficiency and even distribution, the antidote must be added after the initial detoxification process and before the distribution system."
Suddenly pillars of water rose from the edge of the six water ways as a Soul Reaper rose atop the center pool. The pillars descended in the form of fists converging on Rotondo. Ishida fired his arrows giving Rotondo time to dodge.
"Thanks Ishida," the bear said.
"Oh," the female Soul Reaper with blue hair and pale skin spoke, "I cannot allow Captain Kurotsuchi to interfere with Mistress Algera Sponge's orders."
"Who's Algera Sponge," Rotondo asked.
"My master and leader of this rebellion," she answered.
"So you're his Fraccion," Ishida squinted forming his bow.
"Yes and I am a member of Squad 8, Anglernia Monoke," she pulled her zanpakuto, "Swim and sink you enemies, Marlin Sunray."
Anglernia's pale faced transformed into a monstrous angler fish with ridged sharp teeth and multiple strands of eel-like hairs that housed bulbs at the tips. Her arms and legs webbed and melted into fins when resting against her body.
"Oh," Kurotsuchi mused flaring his fingers with excitement, "I think you'll make a wonderful test subject."
"No time for that," Rotondo shouted.
"Rotondo and I will handle her," Ishida stepped in front of the captain, "You go administer the antidote."
"Very well but it'll take some time," Kurotsuchi said, "Try not to kill her otherwise I may just experiment on you Quincy."
"No promises old man," Ishida shot back as Kurotsuchi stepped against the wall.
The captain growled, "Old man, you insolent brat" disappearing into the wall.
"Hmm, ready Rotondo," Ishida turned to a salivating bear, "What are you doing?"
Rotondo continued drooling, "It's a fish."
"Will you focus," Ishida yelled.
"Sorry Ishida," Rotondo spoke from the side of his mouth, "They're just like rabbits."
"I'd be careful with this one," Ishida responded with a smile, "It looks like it'll give you indigestion."
"You'll see just how fish like I am," Anglernia's voice sounded muffled like speaking under water.
The bulbs atop her head created a blinding light. Rotondo stepped in front of Ishida casting a shadow over the Quincy.
"My eyes," the bear shouted when the light subsided.
"Rotondo why," Ishida asked.
"You had that deer in the headlight look," Rotondo smirked with his eyes closed, "No point in both of us being blinded. Besides I'm better with my other senses than you."
"Rotondo," Ishida shouted releasing an arrow at Anglernia. The arrow passed through the Fraccion which vanished, "A clone? No, an illusion."
"When?"
"Must have been when she used that light attack," Ishida said, "She made a copy. Where did she go?"
Rotondo's ear twitches and he smiles, "Hey Ishida!"
"What?"
"Let's go fishing," Rotondo held out his zanpakuto, "Maul, Ursa Minor." The blade transformed into the long chain with bear traps on both ends.
"How are we going to do that," Ishida asked.
Rotondo stepped to the brick of the center pool, "Captain Kurotsuchi said the center pool's cut off from the others, right? Just fire your arrows into it. We'll either kill her or force her out."
Suddenly the toothy fish head appeared clamping around Rotondo's leg. She pulled the bear under the water making the water cloud red. Ishida ran to the edge.
"Rotondo!"
A bear trap flew out of the water latching onto a pipe overhead. The chain retracted quickly pulling Rotondo to the ceiling. Blood fell from his leg.
"Damn fish," the bear swayed from the pipe. Rotondo saw a shadow growing from a side pool, "Ishida watch your six!"
The Quincy dived forward as Anglernia surfaced firing a row of teeth. Rolling Ishida avoided being pierced. Rotondo watched Anglernia sink beneath the water. The shadow appeared behind Ishida again.
"Ishida," Rotondo started but cut off as the pipe snapped. He fell as the Hollow surfaced. Her attention was focused on Ishida. "Cannonball!"
Landing in the pool, Rotondo's backsplash sent the fish flopping onto the floor. Rotondo surfaced and pulled himself out of the water.
"That bastard Kurotsuchi," Rotondo stood up "The pools ARE connected."
"How do you know?"
"I saw it when I fell into the water. Gaping holes connected all of them," Rotondo answered.
"She probably tore the holes-," Ishida paused adjusting his glasses "Wait you can see?"
Rotondo blinked his eyes then only the left one then just the right, "I guess so."
"When?"
"We'll figure it out later. Let's finish her off," Rotondo gasped as Anglernia was gone.
"Another clone," Ishida said as seven Anglernia's appeared one per pool.
Rotondo swung his Ursa Minor as a whip through three copies while Ishida shot arrows through the other three on the water ways.
In unison, "That leaves you!"
Ishida fired an arrow as Rotondo sent a bear trap. Both attacks crisscrossed going through the image.
"Damn," Rotondo said.
"More clones," Ishida drew an arrow but couldn't get a shot off as pillars of water were directed toward him.
Rotondo gripped Ishida in a bear hug taking the force of the pillars in his back. The two bounced and rolled. Rotondo breathed heavily, "Damn! That hurt."
"We need a plan," Ishida complained, "Can you by me a few minutes?"
"Sure. No problem," Rotondo stood up rushing just in front of the center pool. He whirled Ursa Minor like a helicopter. It passed through clones. A pillar of water rose from the center pool.
"Rotondo," Ishida fired an arrow at the water but it curved around the pillar striking the Hollow on the other side. Anglernia disappeared into the back pool as the pillar of water fell back into the center one.
"Are you all set up?"
"Yeah, Rotondo, we just need a way to flush her out," Ishida thought out loud.
"Flush her," Rotondo turned to Ishida, "You bent an arrow after you shot it just now, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I think I have an idea," Rotondo smiled, "Can you redirect more than one at a time?"
Ishida looked at the pools and nodded, "Good idea."
"Now!"
Ishida quick stepped appearing above the center pool and fired thousands of arrows into each of the surrounding pools at the same time. Anglernia emerged from the center one closing in on the Quincy.
Wrapped by Ursa Minor's chain, the Fraccion struggled failing to break free while Rotondo tightened the chain around a pipe.
"You've fallen into our trap," Ishida said standing above a metal stake, "Rotondo distracted you long enough for me to set up the five points of Seele Schneider.
"It's the Quincy's most powerful attack. All I need is to add a concentrated drop of Reshi and it'll be the end of you."
The drop fell from a small container on the end of a metal stake activating five rows of light that ran the floor converging at the center pool. A pillar of intense spirit energy engulfed Anglernia.
She cried out as Rotondo recalled his Ursa Minor, "No you should have been caught in my trap." She screamed as the pillar erupted in an explosion blowing a hole in the roof.
Anglernia's body fell along with the debris. Rotondo threw the trap that clamped shattering the Fraccion's head. The body landed with a thud.
"Rotondo!"
"Sorry. I'm not taking any chances," the bear fell on his butt, "Those guys always have a trick up their sleeve. Even when they're dead."
Ishida went to argue but stopped. "You have a point," He adjusted his glasses, "Rotondo, you fell into the water. How come you didn't fall under her control?"
"I dunno but my thighs healed too look," Rotondo pulled the pant leg up on his Shihakusho showing Ishida his furry black thigh.
"How," Ishida asked pinching his nose.
"Allow me to explain," Captain Kurotsuchi appeared out of nowhere making Ishida jump into Rotondo's arms. "The antidote had already begun neutralizing the toxin as expected. However healing the wound is an unexpected side effect." He finished muttering to himself "Interesting. Since the pools were connected I could have poured it in the center pool after all."
"Already neutralizing," Ishida yelled, "That was at the start of the battle. Why didn't you help?"
"Insolent brat! Who do you think you're talking to," Kurotsuchi disappeared against a wall "What a bore? I'm going to enjoy my cookies."
"Hey Kurotsuchi! The fight's not over yet," Ishida yelled.
"It's alright. Let him go," Rotondo said then shouted over his shoulder "Thank you for the help Captain Kurotsuchi."
Ishida closed his eyes still in Rotondo's arms. He breathed in deeply, "You're right, Mission Accomplished."
"Not yet," Rotondo smiled as Ishida opened his eyes. Rotondo pulled two cookies from his pouch "How about a snack?"
"Aren't those," Ishida asked.
"Mm hmm," Rotondo chuckled.
"You are by far my favorite Soul Reaper," Ishida commented.
"I can tell. How many other Soul Reapers have you hugged this long," the bear laughed.
Ishida blushes removing his arms from around Rotondo's neck, "Sorry."
"It's alright. I don't mind," Rotondo smiled, "I don't get very many of them." He held Ishida a few more minutes as they split the cookies. "But you're right. The fight's not over yet."
Setting Ishida on the ground, they exited the facility together. Rotondo looks toward the Head Captain's office.
"You want to go after Baldo don't you," Ishida asked.
"Of course. He's family."
"Then let's go," Ishida said.
"No, Baldo's orders were to inform Captain Hitsugaya that the water's safe to drink," Rotondo responded.
"Screw orders if he's family-."
"It's important, Ishida," Rotondo bellowed with his voice cracking, "Lives are depending on it."
"Rotondo," Ishida whispered.
"We'll meet up with Captains Hitsugaya and Unohana then decide from there," Rotondo said "Let's move."
"Right," Ishida answered as they both broke into flash steps.