A round, hand held saw spun to life with a whining drone and its jagged edges cut through the air. It met plaster and dug deep, snapping cemented fibers as it was dragged the length of a cast.
"Good riddance," Grimmjow muttered when he turned off the machine and shook off the remaining flakes of cast from his arm. He moved it around experimentally. "Good enough."
"Grimmjow." He almost walked into her. Rukia was pale as a ghost, her clothes still stained in Karin's blood. She didn't say anything more, just looked to his thinned arm. Her fingers traced down over the scar before sliding into his hand.
"Is she alive?" he whispered when he pulled her against him.
"For now."
He nodded, knowing the grim reality.
"You're going after Yuzu aren't you?"
"Yes."
She p
ulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Thank you."
"I haven't done anything yet."
"Just...take care of him, okay?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. She raised up on her tip toes and pressed her mouth to his. It was a goodbye, and he slipped away from her without another word. He'd already packed. He slung the sword he'd chosen over his shoulder and picked up the pack with water and rations. It was going to be rough not having his cash and reputation to get him through, but when he met the hard eyed young man waiting for him at the exit to the pillar, he was pretty sure no one could get in their way.
"Let's go."
Ichigo led the way out. It was dark, but neither were going to waste time waiting for daylight.
It was cold.
It was silent.
Grimmjow actually felt on edge from the dangerous energy radiating off of Ichigo. The young man led them on at a brutally fast pace until they were in the burnt city and facing the long stretch of asphalt again. They stopped at the rusted sign high above the highway, indicating two paths—one would take them north, one would take them back to Tokyo.
"I'm telling you there's something going down in that damn city," Grimmjow said.
Ichigo still hesitated, eyes shifting back and forth over the words.
"I can't afford to make the wrong decision here, Grimmjow."
"I know you can't."
"Tokyo...Karakura..."
"In a way, your town is where it all began—the end of the world. It was the closest point to the spiritual world."
"But the spiritual world is dead."
"Maybe they don't think so. Maybe that's what all this noise down in Tokyo is all about."
"Then why the hell did they take my sister?"
"That I can't tell you. But you better make up your mind."
"If it was just you going after Yuzu, you'd pick Tokyo?"
"I would."
"Fine. Let's go."
Ashphalt rippled before them. Long dead cars wavered on the horizon. Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arm and hauled him to a stop.
"What?"
"We've been walking almost non-stop for thirty hours."
"I know."
"You can't just blaze a warpath from here to Tokyo."
"Watch me."
"Fine. But tell me this: are you going to blaze your way through those five or six guys hiding on the other side of that truck?"
Grimmjow nodded to the overturned tractor trailer. Ichigo's head whipped back the way they were headed. He looked for the signs but it took him nearly a minute to catch the curved reflection of huddled men in one of the truck's front end mirrors.
He pulled out his sword. "Yes I am."
"Shit." Grimmjow chased after him when Ichigo continued his path dead ahead. The men must have been watching them in the same mirror because they rounded the truck front as soon as they realized they were armed.
"Gun!" Grimmjow shouted but before he could even dodge Ichigo had reached around his back and pulled something from the back of his pants.
Three shots went off in quick succession. Three men hit the dirt just as Ichigo dropped the gun and brought both hands up around his sword.
Grimmjow stopped. He watched the boy who'd told him just a few nights ago the reason he didn't kill humans. He watched him cut through two throats and deliver a fatal wound across the last man's chest. It took him over a minute to sputter and choke on his last breath. Ichigo flicked the blood from his blade and returned it to his sheath. Grimmjow picked up the gun he recognized as the one normally strapped to Soifon's hip. She must have given it to him before they left.
"What the fuck was that?" he demanded when Ichigo took the gun back from him and tucked it in the back of his pants.
"It's what I said, Grimmjow, I'm not letting anything get in my way."
"You fucking idiot!" Grimmjow grabbed his collar. "You are going to get us killed being that reckless."
"No, I'm finally being the killer you want me to be."
"This isn't what I wanted. At least you were smart enough before but this is just asinine—you're gonna burn out and melt down when you suddenly come to grips with what you did."
"I'm saving my sister!" He grabbed Grimmjow back. "And I thought you were going to help me. For once I need you to be the pyscho you are!"
"Who the fuck are you calling a psycho?"
"Oh come off it, Grimmjow. You're a fucking murderer. All you've done since the Clash is fucking kill people, if that's not psychotic I don't know what is."
"Fine, call me a fucking psycho but you're the one who's losing his grip. You're freaking out after what happened to Karin and losing Yuzu."
"OF COURSE I AM!" He shoved Grimmjow away. "Grimmjow I have to save her, at any cost."
"No, not at any cost—it won't do her any good if you die tryin'. You asked for my help, well fuck me I'm here and this is me trying to give it to you. The only way we save Yuzu, is by making it to Tokyo alive. The only way we do that, is playing this smart."
Ichigo still looked half angry, but he'd listened and he seemed to be fighting back his heaving breaths.
"Okay," he finally said. His eyes darted over the bodies but Grimmjow didn't see regret. It was kill or be kill and if Ichigo could accept that, it would be for the best.
"Good." Grimmjow picked some weapons and more rations off the bodies. He slid a flask of liquor from one pocket, took a swig and handed it to Ichigo to finish. He gulped back the remaining mouthful and took a steadying breath.
"Lead the way."
They stuck to the highway—no deviations, no distractions. They took what the needed from those they killed. The roads were thick with those ready to do them in for what they had so they simply returned the favour. No matter what the resistance, they were a force to be reckoned with. With Ichigo as cold and confident as his companion when facing down the enemy, there was little that could get in their way. They took turns sleeping, taking just a few hours here or there, day or night, using tasks like cooking their canned goods or cleaning their clothes to keep them awake while the other slept. It was a system—an exhausting one, but they got just enough rest and recovery that they could still remain alert and win any fight thrown at them.
"You're hair is fucking orange again," Grimmjow commented over a mid-day pit stop to rehydrate and scarf down the energy bars they'd taken off a body two miles back. "Well half of it anyway."
"Does it matter?"
"It looks stupid."
"Then you can cut it for me."
Grimmjow gave a laugh.
"What? You were pretty good at doing hair as I recall the day I met you again."
"Fine, I'll shave your head for you this time then," Grimmjow threatened as he chewed. But he leaned back against the hood of the car where he sat and eyed Ichigo again. "Actually, it's really pissing me off." He threw away his wrapper and pulled out his sword. "Don't move."
It was a quick and dirty job, but Grimmjow grabbed fistfuls of hair and sliced off the black ends, leaving Ichigo with a mess of a haircut, and very short, but back to his original orange. The young man was still wincing from the rough job but looked down at the dyed ends that littered the ground around him.
"I thought you wouldn't want me to be advertising who I am."
"And I thought you didn't want to hide. We're done hiding kid, let any motherfucker out there know who's coming—and maybe they'll be smart enough to get out of our way."
Ichigo dusted the hair from his shoulders and stood.
"I like the sounds of that."
"Good. Just, uh, don't look in a mirror anytime soon."
Ichigo's grin disappeared and he frantically patted at his hair.
"Wait, how bad is it?" But Grimmjow just set off down the road again. "How bad?!"
Rain pelted on hundreds of rusted rooftops and bounced on pavement. Ichigo and Grimmjow had seen it coming but with nothing but one rusty car after the other for shelter they had decided to push onward until the last second. Just before it hit, they spotted the motor home. They threw the door open just before the onslaught but stopped dead when they saw the four cowering figures in the back end of the vehicle.
"Shit." Grimmjow saw their eyes widen and stick on Ichigo. His hand went for his sword but Ichigo grabbed his wrist.
"Grimmjow!" His scolding tone was enough to get Grimmjow to take a better look. The camper was dim, but now he saw clearly who these people were—a man and woman, middle aged. Two teenage faces, girls, just a little younger the Yuzu and Karin.
"A family," Ichigo breathed.
"They recognized you." Grimmjow still seemed hesitant to relax but Ichigo pushed past him.
"We just came for shelter," he said to them. The father was at their fore, nothing but a knife in his hand for protection. "We won't bother you."
It wasn't their home. No one could live on the highway between the lack of resources and the terrible danger of passers-by but this must have looked as appealing to the family as it did to Grimmjow and Ichigo when they saw the rain.
"You're him. You're that boy from the television," the father finally spoke.
"Yes, I am." He felt Grimmjow ever at the ready for a fight but the man lowered his hand and to Ichigo's surprise approached him, taking his hand.
"Then tell me, son, please. Why has this happened? You said we would be saved. Tell me why the world has been reduced to this."
Ichigo watched him in the low light. He wasn't angry, like most people. He was exhausted, he was on the boarder of despair. Taking a look at him and his family they looked half starved. They must be desperate to make a journey along the highway but that question would have to wait. Ichigo took his hand back and nodded.
"I'll tell you what I can, while it's still raining."
"You should sleep," Grimmjow argued. Ichigo had taken watch last time and it was his turn to rest, but the young man shook his head.
"No, I owe them this, Grimmjow."
The man's head turned sharply at the name. He seemed to take in Grimmjow for the first time and now he withdrew from Ichigo and hurried back to his family. Grimmjow rolled his eyes and sat down in the booth seat with a long sigh.
"It's alright," Ichigo tried to sooth. "He's helping me get where I'm going. He won't hurt you."
"No money in it," Grimmjow added. That made the most sense to the man, at least, and he nodded, taking a seat on the fold down bench. His family joined him. Ichigo sat opposite them while Grimmjow remained where he was—he wasn't really fond of strangers.
Ichigo told of the spiritual world, the war and why it happened. He explained his failure, but for the first time in a long time, didn't apologize for it. The man kept quiet the entire time, but thanked him at the end, for telling him the truth about this world.
"It's amazing you've stayed together all this time. I don't see many families."
"Family is all you have."
"I know." Ichigo sank back.
"What I want to know," Grimmjow cut in. He'd fallen asleep for half the story but now leaned out of the booth to speak to the father. "Is what scared you so bad you've left wherever you've obviously been living to hit the highway. It's dangerous, especially for women, and that knife ain't gonna stop much."
"You're right. But that's how bad things are in Tokyo."
"Tokyo? You can't seriously be telling me you've travelled from Tokyo and made it through with just that knife."
"No, I don't expect you to believe it." The man's voice dropped low and his daughters turned their faces away.
"Bad things happened between here and there. We had a gun—not anymore. My brother was with us—he was a marine. But then Junction city...now it's just us."
"What's so bad in Tokyo then?" Grimmjow didn't lose time to sympathies.
"The Vandenreich."
Both he and Ichigo exchanged a look.
"Please tell us," Ichigo prompted.
"They've been getting worse all month, but now there's suddenly so many of them. And they're organized, strong. They keep taking people—doing awful things to them."
"What do you mean?"
"...I don't know...experiments or something. It's crazy, but I heard someone who barely escaped them, he said..."
"What?"
"He said they were doing tests, looking for people's...souls or spirits or something."
"Spiritual energy?" Grimmjow burst out.
"Maybe."
"Ichigo, what the fuck?"
"I don't know." Ichigo shook his head. "They must...they must think there's still some chance..."
"Some chance of what?" The man cut in. "Could they...put it back? Could they undo it?"
"No it's impossible," Grimmjow answered for Ichigo. "This is it, the end. There ain't no do-overs."
"But Grimmjow-"
"Don't you start."
"It doesn't matter what we believe, what matters is what the Vandenreich believe—and why they took my sister. How could Yuzu possibly be of any use to them in these plans?"
"Because she is your sister. She should have all the same things that were in your soul, right? Hollow, Quincy, Soul Reaper and Human. And she'd be easier to control than you."
"...control...or cut open, experiment on." His fingers gripped the chair. "Grimmjow what are they doing to my sister?"
"Nothing." Grimmjow stood and moved over to him. "Because they can't possibly be more than a day ahead of us. And they won't do anything until they get to Tokyo. We'll catch up before then—nothing will happen to Yuzu."
"You don't know that."
"I do, because with both of us after them, they stand no chance."
Ichigo looked up at him. "Promise me something, Grimmjow."
"What?"
"If something happens to me—"
"You know I will."
Ichigo held his gaze. "Good. Thank you."
"Just get some sleep before the rain stops, alright?"
"Okay. You guys too." Ichigo nodded to the bedroom in back. It would be tight but more comfortable—even if it was grungy and well used by many travellers on the highway. "Grimmjow will keep watch."
The rain pounded on for many hours. Everyone slept despite the thunder on the metal roof above. Grimmjow stared into the dark, knowing nothing could survive out there to attack them anyway, but still not ready to let his guard down.
The cry startled him even though he'd half expected it. Ichigo was so exhausted it took a long time for him to return from the nightmare. By the time he saw the waking world, Grimmjow had him by the shoulders.
"You back yet?"
"Grimmjow..." Ichigo sat up. The esapada sat across from him, waiting for him to go on. "Do you think it's possible."
"To undo what happened? No. I've already told you that."
"But Vandenreich wouldn't act without reason. They must have found something—some reason to believe the spiritual world could be opened up again."
Grimmjow couldn't argue that. As much as they hated them, there was no denying the quincie's intellect.
"Why would they want to put it back?" Grimmjow finally asked.
"To regain their power."
"I guess. But Ichigo, it can't be done."
"How can you know that?"
"Because we have no power. That's it, end of story. If we still had spiritual pressure I'd say there was a chance but we don't so that's it. Babies aren't even born—it's not just what made us hollows and soul reapers that's gone—but life itself is spent. No more to be had. This is it, the apocalypse, kid."
"I know that!" Ichigo let his temper fly for just a second and reigned it back at once, turning his eyes to the rain running down the window instead of Grimmjow's eyes.
"Think of it this way," Grimmjow continued, his voice losing some of its hostility. "If there was a way to undo it, what would happen to this world? Everything landed here, so if there was some way to put it back, wouldn't that tear apart this planet, this world? And what would happen to our souls, the ones from the spirit world? Would we go back or disappear or what? The thing is, even if there was some way to undo it, it might not be worth it."
"Anything is worth escaping this."
"Oh really? If it risks the lives of your sisters, your friends?"
Ichigo was silent a moment, then, "Grimmjow when they die, there's nothing waiting for them anymore. I think maybe it is worth any risk, to restart the cycle."
Grimmjow sank back against the bench and sighed. "Whatever. It's a pointless conversation since it will never happen."
"Are you really okay with it? With this being the end."
"Like I said before, all I had waiting for me was Hell anyway."
Now it was his turn to drop his eyes and Ichigo knew where his mind had strayed.
Dawn brought an end to the rain. Grimmjow left the camper first, to both relieve himself and check that no one dangerous was emerging from any of the other vehicles around them. When he returned he found the father on his knees, facing the sun rise and bowing his head to the earth.
"What's wrong with you?"
The man finished his whispered words and sat back on his heels.
"Nothing. I was saying my prayers."
"Prayers? To who? Ichigo told you about the spiritual world last night. And if there was a god, don't you think he'd have intervened before the universe ended?"
The man stood and brushed the dirt from his clothing. "The fact that we are still alive is proof enough to me he is there. Besides, I didn't know about your worlds until this war. Why do you think that's where it ends? How do you know there wasn't something more than what you saw with your own eyes."
"Yeah, whatever. I'm done with all these philosophical conversations."
"That's because you know what you've done is wrong, and you don't want to face judgement in the end."
Grimmjow turned back at this and gripped the man around the throat.
"You know what I've done, so why the fuck are you trying to piss me off?"
"Grimmjow!"
He let the man go. Ichigo hurried over and shoved him back from the father.
"Don't touch me." Grimmjow returned the shove. "Come on, let's go."
"Give me your gun."
Grimmjow stopped.
"What?"
"Your gun, Grimmjow. They need it more than us."
"The fuck they do! You want your sister back, right?"
"Of course I fuckin' do but we got an extra one now from that gang. We can afford to give it them."
"Unbelievable." Grimmjow pulled the spare from the back of his pants and threw it on the ground. He'd given in but it seemed more like he'd done it so when they ended up getting shot at Ichigo would realize he was wrong. When Grimmjow started to leave without him he gave a hurried goodbye to the family who thanked him for his generosity and ran after the espada.
The day was cold—not just because a cold wind had blown up after the rain but because Grimmjow refused to talk to him. They remained far apart as they walked, putting mile after mile behind them.
Ichigo struggled to find something to say that might ease the tension. By dusk he still hadn't found the right words but when darkness fell Grimmjow at least slowed down so Ichigo could catch up to him. No matter how pissed off he was he knew they'd best stay close during the night.
It was freezing. Ichigo didn't remember it being this cold for a long time. The temperatures varied little from the norm since the Clash. They didn't have much choice but to walk through the night or risk freezing while they slept. The cold seemed to cool Grimmjow's temper. By the next dawn they weren't moving very fast and finally stopped for an hour or two of rest.
"We must be gaining on them," Ichigo said, finally breaking the silence.
When Grimmjow didn't say anything he looked over to where he leaned against the wheel of a car, expecting anger but finding him holding his arm close to his body, flexing the fingers that Ichigo only now noticed were swollen.
"What's wrong?" Ichigo moved over to him. He saw for himself the discolouration in his fingers. The cold must have really bothered it around the break. "You took the cast off too soon."
"It's fine."
"It isn't. Let me take a look."
Grimmjow was reluctant but it must have hurt enough he let Ichigo do his work. He removed his layers and Ichigo felt along the jagged scar. Grimmjow hissed in pain and his head knocked back against the car as he tensed.
"Damn." Ichigo felt the bump, calcification of the bone. It could cause problems for the rest of his life if it went untreated. Hanataro or Rukia might be able to fix it if they ever got back to the soul reapers. For now he wrapped up his arm and hand with bandages they'd brought to give it some support. When he finished, Grimmjow was quiet. Ichigo was too.
"Junction city's only a couple days away," Grimmjow finally said and Ichigo knew they were okay again. "We should make a plan."
"It takes so long to walk around."
"I know. And I don't think we should. It's a good place to dig up information. The Vandenreich were likely seen, and maybe they even bartered for supplies."
"What about you? Won't they be after you to fight again?"
"I don't know. It's all different now. They'll want me for the glads and—" He clenched his newly bandaged hand. "...I can't do that again."
"I know."
"Plus I was slaved out. If word of that's reached here I'll have no credit left. I'm just property."
"Shit. And I'm a wanted man."
"Yeah. So I say we spend the next hundred miles making a damn good plan."
"Agreed."
They were deep in discussing options when the road became covered in sand and Grimmjow halted them, weary of the chance of a sinkhole.
"I don't remember this part of the road," Ichigo admitted.
"That's because we bypassed it last time around." Grimmjow cast his eyes to the sand dunes beyond.
"Oh yeah, the quincy civilians."
"I can't believe you forgot—I certainly haven't," Grimmjow growled as he led them on. The fact was, Ichigo hadn't forgotten at all. He'd been thinking about if for quite some time, and the potential help he might get from them. The only thing was, he didn't know if they'd let Grimmjow pass through their territory a second time.
He didn't breach the subject until they were back on the asphalt and Grimmjow suggested he check their Soul Reaper radio again.
Nothing but static. Ichigo tried a range of frequencies just in case—then.
"What was that?" It was too garbled to make out but it had been clear Ichigo had come across and active channel.
"Not sure." Ichigo tried to adjust it but it was no good, he couldn't get it clear enough.
"That's not the frequency the soul reapers gave us," Grimmjow noted. "It's probably that Valkin guy and he people."
"Yeah."
"You think they might be able to help, don't you?" Ichigo should have known Grimmjow would see through him.
"…I don't know."
"Well I'm not going back there."
"I know."
"So what? You want to split up?"
"No, I don't."
"Well that's out only option if you want to go see them."
Ichigo sighed. He didn't know what the right thing to do was.
"Look kid. It's your sister, okay? We knew it would be a risky business going after her. If that's what you gotta do, then do it, don't fuckin' worry about me. I'll go into the city and get some info. Hell it's probably easier than having your orange head with me anyway."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You meet me there after you've touched base with those assholes."
"I guess it could work."
"Alright then, we'll split when he get closer."
They left it at that. Ichigo wished he could feel more comfortable with the plan. He continued playing around with the frequencies as they walked, hoping to get in contact with Valkin via the radio and avoid splitting up but he never achieved a clear signal.
They still had a long way to travel. Last time they'd caught a ride through the desert and missed this entire stretch of frequently sand-covered, broken highway. They'd also missed the long stretch of sun baked bones that were scattered for a mile over the pavement and the black carcass of a Boeing 747. They walked the graveyard in silence and didn't see another soul until they were closer to splitting up.
They'd decided to crash for a few hours. Ichigo was on look-out and Grimmjow had just lain down on the bank just below the road when they heard the group passing by.
They often over-heard conversations when resting and Ichigo barely tuned into the words until one was spoken that had Grimmjow sit bolt upright.
"That fucker Cino took everything from me."
"You idiot, you don't think you got off lucky? Most fucker's who cross him don't walk away with their lives."
A few more curses indicated the man did not agree with his companion.
"I heard the real reason he moved into Junction was 'cause of some trouble up North."
"What kind of trouble?"
"Not sure really, but business musta gone bad if he came all the way here."
The rest of the grumbling was lost to them. Ichigo turned away from the road and met furious blue eyes.
"Grimmjow don't you dare," he saw the wheels turning already. "You made a promise to get my sister back. That's what we're doing—not getting revenge."
"You should want revenge too for what he put Yuzu through," Grimmjow growled. Ichigo gripped his shoulders.
"But it won't bring her back! You understand me? If you waste one second—one second we could be spending finding her—I won't forgive you."
Grimmjow's eyes narrowed and he pushed Ichigo off of him but didn't say anything.
"Grimmjow! Tell me you won't go after Cino when you get to Junction City."
It was a long time before the Espada spoke. He was furious, Ichigo could tell, but somewhere reason was screaming past his rage to tell him Ichigo was right. Seeking revenge against one man would only stop them from getting to their ultimate goal. He looked away when he spoke, voice bitter.
"Fine."
"Not good enough."
"What?" he spun back.
"Promise you won't go after him."
"Fuck you, I already said."
"Grimmjow please, just promise me."
"I ALREADY DID!" His shout echoed through the empty air. "I promised when I said I'd help you get your sister back."
Ichigo let out a breath and nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
Grimmjow just grunted and stood back up.
"Aren't you going to sleep?"
"Fuck that, let's get a move on."
Ichigo knew he was pissed. He decided against arguing. "Okay. We'll be close by day break." "Good." Was all he said and stomped away ahead of Ichigo.
They stood together, staring out at the long strip of desert land they both remembered from their last visit here.
"It won't take you long. I'm sure they'll have people watching," Grimmjow reassured.
"It's not me I'm worried about." Ichigo cast his eyes sideways.
"I made out just fine before I ever met up with you," he reminded. "I'm just gonna head straight to Haido's anyhow—that is, if it looks like they don't know anything about what happened up North. If anyone has information about those bastards who took Yuzu it will be him. It's a solid plan." But they both watched each other for a long moment before Grimmjow stuck out his hand and Ichigo shook it.
"I'll see you in a day or two anyhow," the espada reasoned and let go. "Hope those sons of bitches have something useful."
"Me too."
And that was it. They waved one another off and Ichigo left the solid asphalt of the highway for the territory of the Vandenreich civilians.
It took him a few hours, but he made it to the place he and Grimmjow had found last time. This time around, however, he avoided the smoke-bomb assault and instead was greeted warmly as if he were an old friend.
"I never expected to see you back so soon," Valkin welcomed him. "Does this mean you've decided to take us up on our offer?"
"Not exactly," Ichigo admitted but he saw no surprise in Valkin's eyes. "I found my sisters."
"Well that's good news, isn't it?"
"It was…it was everything I'd wanted…"
"Then what?"
"Then the Vandenreich attacked. They took Yuzu—one of my sisters. I have reason to believe they are headed to Tokyo."
"Tokyo…" Obviously Valkin had been hearing rumours as well. Ichigo had to hope he knew more information that could help them. "It's still not exactly clear to me what's going on there. I had men there, but they've been out of contact for weeks now."
"I haven't gotten anything on the Soul Reaper radio either." Ichigo produced his walkie. Valkin took it from him and gave it a look over.
"I don't know how helpful it will be, but I will give you our frequency as well so that you can ask anyone in the vicinity if they have any important information. I can't allow you to write it down, but I will tell you our passwords so we know to whom we are talking."
"Yes, thank you. And then will you tell me what you know of Tokyo?"
He nodded. "In the mean time we'll restock your supplies and get a meal in you."
"Thank you."
Others left to do his bidding. "I have to ask before we start, what happened to the espada?"
"He's still with me, he went on ahead to Junction City."
Valkin's expression changed. At first Ichigo thought he was angered by the fact they were still travelling together but then a pang ran through him and he saw something else in the elder's eyes.
"Why? What is it?"
"I'm afraid if Grimmjow Jaggerjaques has entered Junction City, there is no chance he'll be getting back out alive."
"What? Why?"
"He's quite famous for pissing off the new ring leader in town."
"Ring leader? But that's Haido isn't it?"
Valkin shook his head. "A man named Cino dethroned him weeks ago—in a pretty nasty way as I heard it. Runs the show in Junction City. And he put a bounty out on Jaggerjaques's head."
"Fuck." Ichigo made to leave but Valkin caught his arm
"Don't son. You came here for information that will help save your sister. That's all that matters now. I'm afraid it's already too late for you companion: Grimmjow Jaggerjaques is as good as dead."
Duh duh duuuhhh. Thanks for those still reading! I have been doing much re-reading and writing lately. I keep switching between stories, working on a Point Blank sequel, on Redemption and POW from my "beginnings" stories. Still not sure what to publish next, but I will be focussing on wrapping this one up first. Thanks again for reading and reviewing, until next time,
Riza