It's taking me a bit to get used to this new format
Anyways... Nothing to say people move along!
Just kidding... No seriously
READ!!!
Kubo Tite owns Bleach, I only own two Pizza Hut coupons and a Green Bay Packers ski cap, that's all Kubo will get if he sues me.
Chapter 8:
His Unknown Legacy
Fire...
Screams...
Death...
He could see them all in its macabre display, the terrors that haunt even the battle-hardened to their souls.
Bodies lie around, scattered about like the dieing petals of a blossom tree. Their banners torn, arrows impaled on their backs, limbs amputated from the roots. The rain pours as if they are the tears of the gods, reflecting on man's folly for destruction. A scene that even the King of Hell would shudder in fear.
A young woman lies near him, her black hair a tattered mess, an arrow lodged in her shoulder. She breathes, but only slowly, Death's grip is not their but close.
He yearns to go help her, to save her from this absolute Hell.
Without warning he hears horsesteps, a samurai clad in white is charging his direction, his spear positioned to thrust.
Quickly he looks for a weapon, a sword, a spear, anything! The horseman is getting closer
Finally he finds a sword, it's massive blade as wide as a man, not hesitating to think he prepares to attack.
The samurai is now within thirty paces, spear ready to thrust.
He postions himself, ready to recieve the attack.
At last the two meet, metal meets metal.
And then...
Kyoto, November 6, 1597
Two brown eyes wake in shock, a gasp of air breaks the silence of the room. The sunbeams of a late morning peer though windows.
The room's occupant rubs his eyes, trying to shake off sleep and to the world of the awake.
Leaning up from his futon, the young man smooths his unruly bedhead of orange hair as his eyes now fully open.
"That same dream again" He ponders of his lastest nightmare, grasping for meaning, what is bringing him to dream off Death?
Another voice breaks the silence, and the pondering
"HEY ICHIGO! Time for breakfast!"
Sighing in slight annoyance at his younger sister's voice his mind leaves that meaning alone for now
"Alright, I'll be there"
Stirring himself, he walks down the narrow hallway to the common area, his mother and sisters gathred at the low table, food at the ready.
"What took you so long to wake up?! Breakfast was ready and you were still sleeping off like a rock!"
"Karin, please respect your brother"
Silenced by her mother's command, Karin obeyed, although she still stuck out her tounge as a final gesture. Ichigo merely rolling his eyes at his sister's cheap retaliation. "Ohayo, everyone" The family spoke a prayer to Buddha and Kamui and dug in to the bowls of rice and fish.
"How are you Ichigo?"
"Had myself a bit of a rough night but otherwise I'm alright"
"I've heard you tossing on your bed last night, you sure everything is fine?"
"Oka-sama, their's nothing to worry about me, I've just been having some bad dreams"
"What were they about Nii-san?" Yuzu, the younger sister asked.
"I'd rather not say, and let's just keep it that please"
"Alright then" Masaki at last closed the topic, her eyes however, betrayed a look of concern.
The conversation passed to other subjects, the upcoming Winter, the recent shortage in rice, Urahara's store, the Sosuke marching off to war again.
Soon the bowls were empty, grains of rice littering the table, Karin and Yuzu spoke their thanks for the and ran out of the house leaving Ichigo and Masaki for clean-up.
"Do you have any plans for today?"
"Urahara needs some help at his shop, and I was going to practice with Tatsuki for a bit"
"You do know Karin has been wanting for you to train her and Yuzu swordsmanship?"
"Oka-chan, If I do that, they'll just complain it's too hard and boring, so what would be the point?"
"It would show to them you care."
"Alright maybe, if they can stay quiet I will do that" Having cleared the table Ichigo returned to his room and grabbed the wooden Bokken sword leaning on the wall, then he opened his bedchest to pick up his dagger.
Unsheathing the short blade he could read the characthers "Honor, Duty, Love."
Ichigo stopped for a moment, just staring at the blade, Masaki said it was his father who gave the blade as a gift before he left, never being seen since. In his childhood he asked his mother just what person his father really is. She said he was a kind father and husband but never did mention why his absence is prolonged.
His mind delved a bit into the woven web of memories, like searching for something long lost, he tried to grasp something, a memory that had been lost to the river of Forgotten.
Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts, he was going to be late soon, deciding to come back at that point another time.
Before leaving the house Masaki had one request to say
"Ichigo, I've heard that the soldiers are distributing rice bales at the Market district, if you could bring some back home I'd be very grateful" "Sure thing"
Watching her son walk off to town, Masaki was now alone, alone to gather her own thoughts
"It's been 15 years since that day, ever since he knows not of his true father, back then he was a boy but now..."
"Perhaps the time is soon"
Market District, Kyoto
Morning was now passing into midday, the raucous activity of the Markets could be seen everywhere, commoners walking the old dirt roads, merchants shouting their wares to potential customers, carts of goods travled along.
One merchant stand in particular stood out, decked in red with yellow characters proclaiming "Urahara Shop"
Their were peddlars that sold a variety of items, and than there was Urahara Kisuke, magnificently crafted swords, Chinese porcelain, the writings of Confucius, Buddha, Murasaki and the Heike Monogatari, even goods from the foreign lands to the West. All these things and more, Urahara had them.
Ichigo walked inside colorful intrest, the shop owner greeting him from the back of the store.
"Ichigo, glad of you to come! Help me out with these things will ya?."
Urahara, adorned with a straw sunhat was carefully balancing a large Jade vase.
"Where's Tessai and the others?"
"They went off to Sakai last week, heard the foreigners opened a new trading station there and I want what their hawking, plus with Jinta and Ururu away it gives me some peace and quiet for a change"
"Seeing that I live with two younger sisters I can understand your pain" Ichigo said as he helped carry the Vase to its shelf.
"You break any of those things your paying" "I know! I know!"
The two then noticed a procession moving down the road, carts of rice bales wheeled down the path, armed samurai guarding the wagons as the people made way for a path.
"The Sosuke are marching out of Kyoto again?" Ichigo asked
"Word is the clans in Kyushu had been refusing to join his army, so he'll probably march out and crush them completely, that much I'm certain"
Seeing those wagons, laden with enough food to feed thousands in the city, Ichigo couldn't help but sigh at the sight, frustration coloring his voice
"I don't get it, people around the city had been complaning they have no food for the winter, so how the hell is Aizen affording all this food for the Army?"
"Well, I've heard he's been sending soldiers out at night to enforce "rice collections" from the local farmers, at this rate they won't have any food for themselves all year."
"So all of us just stand by like the little commoners starving while Aizen get's to trump around as the Land's Savior?! And I suppose Buddha was a girl as well!" Ichigo banged his fist on a table, showing his frustration.
Urahara sighed in sight of Ichigo's outburst, still he couldn't help but smile a little "He's definitely Isshin's son alright, stubborn, loud, and with the people's needs at heart"
"You can ask any farmer, craftsman, and merchant and they'd probably say the same thing Ichigo, problem is the Sosuke have swords, spears, guns, and a very big castle to top it off. What do we have to counter?"
"I don't know? Perhaps be willing to stand up for ourselves!"
Taking a moment to gather his words Urahara spoke again
"You know, you remind of an old friend I once fought alongside years ago, he was loud, rude, reckless, and had the same opinion as you."
"Hmm?"
"Most Samurai or Daimyo believe the people owe their service to themselves, that they are nothing more than tools. He thought otherwise, he believed the Samurai should serve the people's will"
"Whatever became of him"
"He died... In some long-ago battle, and with him his idea for the future"
"Shame, I would have liked to have meet him one day" Hearing this, Urahara couldn't help but laugh a little
"What's so funny?"
"I don't know about that, perhaps he's closer than you think" "What?"
Urahara merely smiled again "And just as boneheaded as his father too"
"Nothing, now in the meantime could you put these swords on the rack please?"
As Ichigo positioned the blades into the sword rack he noticed something in the back room. Upon closer inspection he came upon a huge sword wrapped in black silk, it's massive rectangular blade standing out.
"Hey Urahara, What's this sword doing here?"
"Oh, that old thing, it's just an antique, leave it there"
"Never seen a blade that huge"
"Me neither, now get back to work" Ichigo complied, still he couldn't help but feel that Urahara was hiding something about that blade.
"Lately, now there's been a lot of things I'm not sure of today"
When the store at last was put together Urahara offered Ichigo his payment.
"Thanks for the help today, I'll inform if I require further assistance"
"As long as you pay me, I will remember"
"Any plans you got today?"
"I've promised Tatsuki I'd spar with her, right now I am very late, and this is Tatsuki were talking about."
"Relax, I'll be praying for your very life." "How come that doesn't sound really encouraging?" As he finished the two laughed together. "Anyways, I'd better get going, see you around"
Ichigo left out in a hurry, Urahara then took a bottle of Sake from his counter and took a swig. And then, to his thoughts his mind went
"You sure set an example for your son as you lived Isshin, too bad you couldn't see him now"
Taking another swig he could notice storm clouds gathering in the East.
"A storm is coming, both literally and figuratively, when it comes, will you be ready?"
"Will all of us be ready?"
"YOUR LATE ICHIGO!"
Ichigo winced a bit at his friends outburst, Arisawa Tatsuki had been his friend for years, in fact it was her that helped tone his swordsmanship. Sure she was loud and a bit annoying, but he was glad to have her nonetheless.
"Urahara was paying me to help fix his store, couldn't resist."
"Whatever, shall we get started" Tatsuki spoke, positioning herself into a fighting stance, Ichigo himself did the same, Kendo sword at the ready
"Bring it on"
As the bustle of midday activity continued, one individual stood out from the crowd. All clad in a white cloak with an archer's bow on his back.
The few Sosuke guards notice him with suspicion but do nothing to act, they can't for he is a monk of the Holy Temple of the Quincy.
Though their power has waned over the years since the rise of the Sosuke, the Quincy nevertheless command great respect from peasant and samurai alike.
The monk raises his head, bespectaled eyes seeing upon the tall white structure that dominates the city.
Las Noches Castle, the all-too-noticeable symbol of the Aizen clan's power.
The Quincy says nothing, only gazing still at that towering monstrosity. Now his thoughts, of which only he understands, speak out in his head.
"This city is like a rotting fruit, it's appeal remains on the outside, but in the flesh, the grip of Aizen's tyranny slowly drains the life of the people."
His interest in the castle now gone, the Quincy continues on his way.
This chapter is a lot easier to think of since it's crafting the story, of which is my specialty
Thanks for reading this and as always the Shogun requests a review
Till then...