For all those who've been reading I sincerely thank you all ;) Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter in the story ;)
Chapter 6: The Gateway
"Have we made the necessary preparations?" asked Yamamoto.
"Yes Sir. Mayuri taichou has prepped the rifle and all participating captains are on standby," Unohana replied.
"Alright. Have we made contact with Kisuke Urahara?"
"Yes. He's already vacated his shop and created a false signature of his reiatsu which should lead Soi Fon directly into our trap."
"Good….well let's just hope this works out perfectly…..I don't want any unnecessary causalties."
"Understood Sir."
In order to lead Soi Fon into their trap, the shinigamis had to prepare well and arrive in the real world before she did. Their plan was to have all participating captains arrive in the real world at the same time to take up their positions, where afterwards a standby team would open up a senkaimon in the middle of rukongai where they would use two artificial souls Mayuri had created to lure the rogue 2nd division captain in. Upon arriving in the real world and reaching the Urahara shop, the artificial souls were designed to vanish instantaneously, leaving Soi Fon all alone by herself. Considering the close proximity between the opening of the senkaimon and the Urahara shop, the shinigamis were hoping Soi Fon would trace the false reiatsu signature of Urahara before she realized something wasn't right. It was a risk they had to take if their plan was to work.
"Open the senkaimon!" yelled Yamamoto. "Lift the limiters!"
"Fellow captains, let us move," said the captain commander as he and 5 other captains made their way into the senkaimon.
Some time later….
"Soi Fon sama…..you….you….feel that to don't you?"
"Fools….are they that dumb enough to travel to the real world right now? AHAHAHAHA!" laughed the rogue 2nd division captain maniacally in a high pitch.
"I'm just afraid something might happen to you…"
"You? Afraid for me? You're working with them and you still dare to tell me you're on my side?"
"But I…nevermind….it doesn't matter…."
""That's what I thought. Even with you helping them, I'd still easily overpower them….AHAHAHAHAHA! Kukaku Shiba…you'd better have an answer for where she is! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
Suzumebachi could only remain silent. Her master had completely lost her mind by this point and there was nothing the little hornet could do. The zanpaktou spirit was terrified by the form her master had taken on. Soi Fon's hair grew even longer and she kept it unkempt as it extended all the way to the ground that surrounded her feet. Her haori was torn and tattered, the pure white becoming as grey as a pencil lead. All parts of her eyes were still as black as the night sky with blood still constantly pouring out from them. Her fingernails had grown several metres, with them being crooked and bent. Like a wicked witch from a fairytale, Soi Fon was perhaps the scariest thing to ever live at that point in time.
Just as she was about to head towards the Shiba estate, something had caught the attention of the rogue captain. Concealing herself by hiding behind a set of trees, she witnessed two shinigamis at work.
"Hmm….what's this? Another senkaimon opening?" Soi Fon thought to herself.
Watching the two individuals casting a spell to open the senkaimon, Soi Fon could not believe her luck. It was much more difficult to travel to the real world to find Urahara and that was why she had targeted the Shiba clan first. She knew an opportunity like this would be hard to come by and she wasn't going to pass up this rare chance.
"Now would you look at that? Just my luck. AHAHAHAHA. Shiba clan, consider yourselves lucky…..Kisuke Urahara," Soi Fon paused as she licked her lips and gave a sick gaze towards the senkaimon opening. "You're next….HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Soi Fon sama…..please be careful…."
"Did you say something you little irritant?"
"Uh….no….no….I didn't…"
"Good…..let's go get that bastard….AHAHAHA!"
"Soi Fon sama….."
Following their conversation, Soi Fon, and unwillingly, Suzumebachi, tailed the two individuals as they entered the Senkaimon.
An hour later- The Real World
"Captains, be on guard. She'll be arriving soon."
"Yes Sir."
"Sir, energy readings are rising. She should be here anytime now," Unohana mentioned.
"Alright…..Mayuri taichou…..are you in position?"
"Yes Sir…" said Mayuri as he lay in wait on the rooftop of a building quite some distance away. He had used a kido spell to completely camouflage himself and hide his reiatsu.
Just a few moments later, the senkaimon opened as the two artificial souls stepped out, with Soi Fon following close behind. Just as planned, the two artificial souls had made their way towards the Urahara shop. As Soi Fon was just about to step in and kill them, the final stage of the shinigamis plan was about to take effect.
"Goodbye you two. Thanks though for….." Just then, Soi Fon stopped as she witnessed the two artificial souls right in front of her disappear into thin air.
"What the….what is this?"
"See Soi Fon sama…that's why I told you to be careful…"
"Just shut up…you already knew what was coming didn't you….why don't you just tell me what's going to happen next already? It still doesn't change the fact that I can easily beat them."
"But I don't know what's going to happen next…."
"Hmph…or so you say….."
Deciding that she just wasn't going to give a damn, a frustrated Soi Fon smashed down the door of the Urahara shop and drew her blade and pointed it at the shop's owner, Kisuke Urahara.
"Hmm….surely YOU must know where she is. Or do I have to kill you too?"
Urahara kept still and did not give a reply. All the paranoid Soi Fon received was a smile that irritated her to the very core.
"Not talking eh…well….good riddance then."
Leaping forward and slashing the ex 12th division captain, Soi Fon thought she was sure to see blood splatter across the room. However, upon making contact with her target, Urahara, like the two artificial souls, disappeared into thin air.
"What the heck is going on? AHHHHHHHH!" yelled Soi Fon as she felt increasingly infuriated.
Finally realizing that this was all a setup, the 2nd division captain exited the shop where another surprise was waiting for her. As soon as she had stepped out of the place, the captains who had travelled to the real world were there, anticipating what was to come.
"Long time no see Soi Fon taichou."
"Captain Commander Sir….."
"Look at the power you've obtained….a shame that we can't let you continue on like this."
"Hmph…..you guys had better not interfere with my mission to fin Youruichi sama. I won't hesitate to kill you all right here."
"Then come at us. Show us what you're made of."
"As you wish."
As she leapt into the air and drew her blade to launch an attack, a short, sharp pain in Soi Fon's right shoulder caused her to land and take up a defensive stance.
"Ugh…..what is this….." an inured Soi Fon said as she pulled the dart out from her shoulder and threw it on the ground.
"Bullseye."
"What's wrong Soi Fon taichou?" Yamamoto said to tease the rogue captain. "You look like you're in pain."
"You bastards…what did you guys do…..I'll end….." Before she could finish, Soi Fon collapsed face first to the ground as the drug took effect.
"Quickly open the senkaimon! We don't want to open the portal to the Valley of Souls here."
"Yes Sir!"
As the shinigamis lifted Soi Fon's unconscious body off the floor, they proceeded into the senkaimon to travel back to Soul Society.
Later at Soul Society…..
Finally arriving back, the captains placed Soi Fon on the floor so that she faced the sky. They were then joined by the other captains who were to open up the portal. The seven participating captains drew their weapons as they surrounded Soi Fon. Firmly grabbing on to the handles of their zanpaktous, they started to recite the incantation to open up the portal.
"Gates of light, rescue this shinigami from her plight. Save her from this insanity, and show her the way towards clarity. Cleanse the darkness from within her heart, and ways with it she will part."
As the shinigamis finished the incantation, a beam of light rained down upon Soi Fon's body. After engulfing her in a brilliant white ball, the light disappeared, leaving nothing behind except for an energy ring that formed around the area where the captains were standing.
"Sir, she should be arriving in the valley anytime now. Please take a break, you don't have to watch over the seven of us," Unohana said to Yamamoto.
"How can I when I may be responsible for the deaths of some of you guys? I don't want a single one of you to commit more energy to holding the portal open for longer than the thirty minutes I have stipulated."
"Alright Sir…..but please don't strain yourself….."
"Hmph…..whether that happens all depends on lady luck…" said Yamamoto, staring into the distance as she clasped his hands together and focused his thoughts on what was to come.
That's the end of Chapter 6! The story's climax is in the next chapter and I hope you guys continue to read and enjoy !