A/N: So for the last chapter being really short, it was well received, thankfully. A few of you expressed some concern on the unfolding events; those will be handled in PM so as not to spoil some things for others. As for Unohana being old…who cares? She still looks great and can kick almost anyone's ass.
I don't own Bleach
1 day in the Living World = 7 in Soul Society
L.W-Living World
S.S-Soul Society
H.M-Hueco Mundo
"speak"
'Thoughts'
"Zanpoktou"
"Hollows"
Chapter 8
Tia and Tatsuki were taking a quick breather from their spar to get some water and share some laughs when they noticed the light from the other side of one of the nearby rock formations.
"Tatsuki, Tia, you two up yet?!"
They immediately recognized Ichigo's voice as he called for them. "We're right here." Tatsuki responded as they walked around the rock.
"Good, you're both up. We need to get everyone together, Hat N' Clogs, Yourichi, my dad, Ishida, Chad and Orihime. Tia, I need you to teach how to open a Garganta, we're gonna need a big place to stay."
"What on Earth for?! What's going on Ichigo?"
Before he could respond five more senkimons opened around the training grounds. From each gate came a different squad. "We may have the beginnings of a revolution on our hands. Hehehe oops." Ichigo explained rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyoraku and Ukitake, followed by Yumichika found the small group while Tatsuki had Ichigo in a head lock and rubbing her knuckles violently on his head.
"You did what, you shithead?! I can't believe I fell for such a warmonger! If it wasn't other delinquents, it was Hollows and now it's other Shinigami!"
Unohana quietly stepped forward and placed a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder to stop her berating. "Now, now, Arisawa-san…you wouldn't want to hurt my Kenpachi would you?"
Tatsuki gave a loud hmmph as she let go of her boyfriend. She'd been too caught up in yelling at him to notice her exacts words, but they weren't lost on a certain blond standing next to Ichigo. Tia eyed the healer suspiciously.
"Oh if Ichigo takes her as well…Could you imagine the centuries of experience she has. It's almost intimidating. We need to talk to Tats about letting us share him."
'Later Tiburon, we have more pressing matters right now.'
"Ichigo, is this the one you mentioned about wanting to be your Vice-Captain?" The Captain of Squad Six asked.
"Right sorry you guys, this is Tia Halibel, former Tres Espada, Vizored and now my Vice-Captain…I guess." Ichigo explained as he motion to Halibel. "Tia, these are Captains Retsu Unohana, Byakuya Kuchiki, Shunsui Kyoraku, and Jushiro Ukitake. This here is our fifth-seat officer, Yumichika."
"It's an honor to meet you all. I must apologize for my kind's actions toward you. None of us would have served Aizen if we had known just how little we meant to him." Halibel greeted as she bowed to the group.
"Please Halibel-san, let us move on from that. We wouldn't be here right now if we blamed you for your actions. As it is, we're actually here more or less because your honor came into question during a meeting, along with Ichigo's." Retsu spoke up.
"I'm afraid I don't entirely understand. Can you please elaborate?"
"I'll tell you later, don't worry. Right now we need to get everyone ready to move into Las Noches. Would we be able to move everyone through one Garganta or would we need to do multiple trips?" Kenpachi responded.
Tia took a closer inspection at all the Shinigami in the desert area. "Tough to say honestly, I think we should do two trips just to be sure."
"Alright, we'll get started on that while you guys go get everyone together and ready to move out."
The Captains went to their squads to explain the situation and get them ready to go to H.M. Tatsuki left to go get everyone that wasn't present while Ichigo and Tia got started on Garganta training.
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Head-Captain Yamamoto sat in his chair looking at what remained of his subordinates. After the stand-off between Shoalin and Kurosaki, things had gone down into a spiral. Sides were chosen and a great power divided simply because there was a disagreement on who should be allowed to enter.
'Where did I go wrong?' Yamamoto kept asking himself.
"Head-Captain," Captain Shoalin spoke up. "we need to decide on a course of action. They have to know that we'll find them easily in the L.W, so they'll most likely retreat to H.M."
"I am well aware Captain Soi-Fon. As of right now, Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, Kyoraku, Kurosaki and Ukitake, along with their squads, are to be considered traitors and should be treated as such. Soi-Fon, find out what they're up to. Kurotsuchi, monitor all traffic in S.S, H.M and the L.W. Hitsuguya, I want you to gather all the squads that have not been given a replacement Captain yet and start pushing their training."
"Yes sir." Everyone replied as they flashed away to perform their given duties.
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The next hour Ichigo and his fellow Captains explained the scenario that they found themselves in to everyone gathered. Urahara, Yourichi and Isshin remained deathly silent as they considered all possibilities. Orihime, Chad and Ishida gave their silent support to Ichigo.
"We can't keep everyone here, in a few minutes we will be relocating to Las Noches. Hopefully we can find Neliel and convince and remaining Vaste Lordes and Arrancars to help us out." Ichigo explained. "While everyone was arriving, Tia here taught me how to open a Garganta."
"Uryu, I know you hate hollows but you hate Shinigami just as much. I'd like you to come with us; we could use your help."
The young Quincy's first response was pushing his glasses up with his middle finger. "You'd be running around without a plan if I weren't around. Besides, we just through a war with the hollows, now it's time for a war with the Shinigami, you think I'd miss out on it?"
Kurosaki nodded his appreciation. "Orihime? Chad?" Sado simply nodded his head, preferring to keep to his quite demeanor. Orihime seemed worried but shook her head after a few seconds.
"I'll come; you guys are my best friends. I'll help out Captain Unohana with any injured."
"Old man, shut up. I know you wanna say something, don't. We've been through worse. Just look after Karin and Yuzu. Yourichi, I don't expect you to raise your hand against…"
"Ichigo, me and Kisuke helped you get into S.S in the first place, and we knew the risks then. We know the risks now, we'll help, you can count on it."
"Thanks. Well, everyone ready?" Ichigo asked as he looked the faces of those gathered around him.
No one spoke up; they remained silent and steadfast in their decisions. "Alright, let's get going then. Tia, I'll take the first group which will be squads four, six and eleven. Five minutes after we leave, you follow us. Tatsuki, stay with Tia please, just to be safe."
Tatsuki gave an exasperated sigh and hesitantly nodded her head. Ichigo embraced her in his arms before pulling away enough to give her a comforting smile. "See ya soon."
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Neliel, in an attempt to fix the power vacuum that had erupted in H.M, had made her way to the throne in Las Noches to keep the hollows from destroying themselves. Here she currently sat and listened to the surviving Arrancar and Vaste Lordes and their…ideas of vengeance.
"First the Shinigami slaughter us simply because it's in our nature to eat souls, then we let Aizen lead us…to where? Where has that traitorous scum gotten us? What good have the Shinigami ever done for us? We should strike at them while they're weak." One of the numerous suggested.
"Did you already forget? We lost the war; we are worse off than they are right now. If we were to strike them now, our kind would surely be brought to the brink of extinction. We will remain here and rebuild our forces so that should they come here, we can defend ourselves. Do I make myself clear?" Came the reply from the teal-haired woman sitting on the throne.
A resounding 'yes' could be heard throughout the room before the doors violently crashed open. "Neliel-sama, there is…someone here to see you. He was clearly a hollow but he was accompanied by several Shinigami Captains. He said he knew you personally."
The room filled with outraged chatter and remarks about how the Shinigami had come to finish their work. Neliel however adopted a genuine smile on her face. "Thank you, you may let Itsygo and his friends in."
The room fell silent slowly as more and more hollows realized that their leader had allowed them entrance with a warm smile on her face. The Vaste Lorde that had opened the door moved to the said to allow the group to enter.
All eyes turned towards the door suspiciously as many hands became occupied by sword hilts. First to enter was a tall Vaste Lorde with orange hair, red orbs for eyes and blood red markings on his head. Behind him came two Shinigami wearing white haoris. One was a woman with black hair that was done in a long ponytail. The other had hair as white as the hollows around him.
When the threesome got the raised that the throne rested on they all took a small bow before Neliel addressed them. "Ichigo, I wish you'd lose the mask."
Ichigo gave a soft chuckle before he let his hollow form break away from his body. "It's good to see you too Neliel." He could tell the woman before him was trying her hardest to stay in her seat and not throw herself at Ichigo.
"What do I owe for this surprise visit? You took off in a hurry to go fight Aizen…Did you? Did you kill him?"
"Yeah, I killed Aizen, Nel. As for why we're here, we need a place to stay. Not just us three either, we've got five whole squads that are in need of quarters. By now we've been branded as traitors ourselves."
Discontent quickly spread throughout the room as hollows became outraged that Shinigami dared to ask for their help this soon after the war. "For what Ichigo? You've told me what you've done for them. You've helped them with their problems, now they brand you a traitor."
Ichigo turned around to look out the door he had entered through. "Oi, come on in you two."
Through the door strode in two more females. One with black hair, dressed in a Shinigami uniform. Beside her a blond, who was still wearing her Espada uniform. Many instantly recognized the Tres Espada, Tia Halibel and bowed respectfully as she walked past them.
The two stopped when they stood on either side of Ichigo. When they got to their positions, they both took one of his arms into theirs and held onto him. "You see Nel, I tried introducing Tia here into the s.S ranks as my Vice-Captain. That in turn set off a series of events that led to us fleeing from S.S. We're trying to get S.S out of its seclusion and back into progression. Nel, we started a revolution with the old man."
A/N: Sorry guys for the short chapter once again. Between writer's blocks and many other things going on right now I just don't have the time or mind to do it. As a fair warning, there will be NO update the weekend of June 13th. I will be at a convention with my brother, having a good time. One last thing, I will be needing more OCs in the coming chapters. If you are interested in seeing one of your characters in the story, please let me know and I will fill you in on the details. Thank you.