Here's the next chapter Thank you all for reading once again and I hope you guys enjoy
Chapter 5: The Path Ahead
"Kill…..kill the traitors…kill…..kill…..for Yoruichi sama…."
"Soi Fon sama…please stop this….please…."
"Kill….kill…kill…"
Dark clouds hovered above Sereitei as the boom of thunder roared across the dark sky. Lightning strikes could be seen as a heavy downpour showered the area. The shinigamis were still on high alert for the rogue Soi Fon. A storm like this made the ideal cover for Soi Fon to continue on her killing spree without getting detected and the patrol teams had to be extra careful. Inside Sereitei, Yamamoto gathered with his fellow captains in the meeting hall to brief them about their next course of action.
"Fellow captains, as you know by now, many innocent lives have been lost as a result of Soi Fon's actions. We're here today because myself and two other captains in the room have already decided what to do next. But first, are there any other solutions that you guys might have?"
"Well," replied Komamura. "She's already killed the Omaeda family, and the head of the Shihoin clan. Perhaps she'll target Yoruichi's close friends next."
"Which would mean…Kukaku Shiba of the Shiba clan…..or Kisuke Urahara, former captain of the 12th division, are her next two most likely targets."
"Well…..we can't possibly send three captains each to either location…..that would leave Sereitei shorthanded," said Ukitake.
"That's why Mayuri taichou, Soutaichou and myself came up with this plan," said Unohana.
"Well, let's hear it."
"We're going to lead her to one of the targets."
"Lead her? What do you mean?"
"We'll open the senkaimon and lead her to the real world to find Kisuke Urahara."
At this, the entire meeting hall went into an uproar as the captains voiced out their resentment.
"Are you crazy!? Imagine the harm that would bring!"
"Yeah! If what you said is true about her powers constantly being on the rise, imagine even with the limiters in place her strength in the real world!"
"Exactly. If we go along with this plan and send that many captains into the real world without the limiters and assuming we have to release our bankais, the destruction would be tremendous!"
"Why not lead her to the Shiba clan instead?"
"Please, just hear me out," Unohana said as she attempted to calm things down. We'll have the limiter for Soi Fon in place which would reduce her powers, and lifting the limiters for those travelling to the real world. This would give us more of a fighting chance there as compared to a situation if we were to battle in Soul Society. Also, the chances that lives will be lost are roughly the same assuming all of the participating captain's bankais were to be released. That much power concentrated in any one area would spell disaster. Considering this, leading her to Kisuke Urahara would be the better option. Besides…..Mayuri and I have developed a drug that should shut her body systems down. Considering the great amount of reiatsu she possesses, the drug will only work for about an hour or so…and if everything goes well…..we might not even have to fight her…"
"So what exactly is the plan here?"
"It's going to be near impossible to ensure she takes the drug if we fight her head on…..so before the fight begins….Mayuri tiachou will fire the drug, which will be in the form of a dart, from a rifle from a safe distance. Once the dart pierces Soi Fon's skin, it will inject the drug into her blood system and then we wait for it to do its work."
"And what then?" We're just supposed to bring her back to Soul Society?"
"No…..Soutaichou has other plans after that."
"That's right, Yamamoto said. "She's too much of an asset to Sereitei to just execute her…"
"So how do you propose we revert her back to normal?" asked Kyoraku.
"Since the drug only lasts for an hour, it would not give us enough time to find out what's exactly wrong with Soi Fon and cure her in time. We'll have to do something drastic….we'll have to send her to the Valley of Souls and hope the spirit of Yoruichi helps her …."
Now, the Valley of Souls was an alternate dimension where the souls of shinigamis who have passed went to rest. It would require 7 captains to open the gateway but just by sending a live shinigami there would be a risk. In sending a live shinigami to the valley, the 7 captains who hold the gateway open would be sucked of their life energy at a rapid rate until they eventually die. Then, if the portal were to close while the shinigami is still inside, the shinigami would die for the life force that flows into the valley would cease. So dangerous was the task that it had only ever been attempted once, over a thousand years ago. Once again, the suggestion put forth by Yamamoto caused everyone to voice out their displeasure.
"SIR YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!?"
"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT SOI FON CAN EVEN FIND YORUICHI'S SOUL THERE?"
"EVEN IF SHE COULD, THERE'S NO TELLING HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE!"
"HOW DO YOU KNOW SHE'LL COME OUT NORMAL AND NOT A PSYCHOTIC BITCH LIKE BEFORE!?"
"YOU'RE WILLING TO SACRIFICE THE LIVES OF SEVERAL CAPTAINS JUST FOR A SINGLE ONE?"
This made Yamamoto stand up and slam his walking stick on the floor with so much force that it nearly cracked open. He gave a look that showed nothing but anger as she stared at the captains one by one. Clearly, he was absolutely disgusted by their attitude.
"REPORTS HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THAT SHE CAN AT LEAST TAKE ON 10 CAPTAINS AT ONE GO AND HERE YOU GUYSA ARE COMPLAINING!? BY GOING THROUGH WITH ANY PLAN YOUR LIVES WILL BE AT RISK SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE NOW!?"
At this, they quieted down somewhat after remembering how Toshirou had his banaki destroyed in seconds by Soi Fon. Furthermore, when the captains recalled of how the trio of Komamura, Byakuya and Zaraki reported that they wouldn't have been able to handle Soi Fon if they were to fight that that made them believe that in the end, Yamamoto was right. Any course of action that would be taken were of equal risk and they had no choice but to go along with what Captain Commander suggested.
"Good…now that we're in agreement, let me finish. Once she's through the portal, we'll keep it open for just only an hour. Although Soi Fon's senses are heightened in her current state, they will be much more obscured in the Valley of Souls as compared to a regular shinigami as Mayuri taichous's research suggests. This means that she should not be able to locate and make it out of the portal within the given time frame unless she reverts to normal."
"Wait a minute…when are we going to start? I mean…..what if we wait too long and she goes after the Shiba clan first?"
"We've already informed the Shiba clan to vacate their estate. Also, we've installed security monitors that cover a radius of 5 kilometres around the Shiba estate. This should give us enough time to react in the event anything were to happen."
"And what happens if this plan fails huh?"
"We'll have no choice but to fight…let's just hope that it doesn't come to that….Now all of you…..get some rest. We'll commence the operation soon."
At the same time-Forlorn Forest in Rukongai-Soi Fon's mind
"Kill…kill…..kill…..kill the traitors…..kill them all! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Soi Fon sama…..please stop this…"
"Kill…..kill…for Yoruichi sama….kill….kill…."
"SOI FON SAMA! STOP THIS MADNESS RIGHT NOW!"
"What do you want you little irritant?"
"You going on your little rampage! You killing innocents! What's wrong with you….its…..its…its hurting me….." Suzumebachi said as she sucked up the tears and mucus that flowed down her nose and the side of her cheeks."
"Are you implying that the people who've kidnapped Yoruichi sama are innocent?"
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, YOU DELUSIONAL BITCH? YOU KILLED HER….NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU KILLED HER!" Suzumebachi screamed as she let her master know of her feelings.
At this, Soi Fon shunpoed and used the palm of her hand to forcefully pin her zanpaktou spirit against the ground. Each time the little hornet struggled to break free, the 2md division captain would increase the amount of force she used to hold Suzumuebachi down.
"Soi Fon sama…Soi Fon sama…please….you're hurting me….." Suzumebachi struggled to say as her airway was blocked with Soi Fon choking her.
"You're together with them on this are you…."
"Soi Fon sama…please…it's….it's the truth…..."
"Hmmph…..I should kill you right here…shouldn't I…kill….kill…..kill…."
"Soi Fon sama…..please…..don't do it…"
"Pathetic….you're in cahoots with them and you don't want to admit it…..but if I don't keep you my powers will be reduced won't they…..Count yourself you lucky brat…"
With that, Soi Fon let go of her grip on the little hornet and went under a tree that had its leaves withering and with a few of its branches missing. She punched the tree, with her fists one after the other at a very rapid rate as she constantly said to herself, "kill…..kill…kill…."
"Soi Fon sama…..what's wrong with you….."
Struggled as the little hornet may, Suzumebachi could not nurse her master back to health. Despite constantly trying to remind Soi Fon of the truth, the 2nd division captain refused to believe anything at all. There was no way Soi Fon's zanpaktou spirit could restore the disrupted flow of her master's brainwaves which was the reason behind for Soi Fon being mentally crazed and unstable. She loved her greatly and she could not bear to leave her master to fend for herself and that was the only reason why she hadn't left her, no matter how much it had hurt Suzumebachi. Times ahead for the little hornet looked rough and she knew that only by a miracle could Soi Fon be saved. Until that time came though, Suzumebachi had to put up with all the evil doings of her master in fear that any reaction from her would worsen Soi Fon's health.
"Please…..Soi Fon sama…please be alright…..please remember…."
That's the end for this chapter! Thanks for reading and I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story.