I'm here and ready with the next chapter
Me no own Bleach.
Chapter 12:
The White Banners head West:
November 7, 1597, Kyoto, Kurosaki Residence.
The sound of crickets chirping, the last drops of rain from the night's storm drip from the roof.
Ichigo woke to all these sounds and more, the aroma of fresh cooked rice permeated his room.
"ICHIGO!"
"Alright, Alright! I'll be right there."
And yes, the sound of his younger sister moving him away from blissful awakening.
At the table he found his mother and sisters waiting, Karin showing features of impatience.
And he also noticed the absence of one certain guest
"Oka-sama, have you seen Rukia."
"Looks like your girlfriend just left out on you."
"Karin, please." Masaki scolded "Ichigo, she left this note in her room."
His eyes scanned the words written on the scroll.
"Thank you for your hospitality, unfortunetly I have more places to be, I hope wasn't too much of a burden for you."
Rukia
"Heh, figures as much." Was all Ichigo wanted to say.
But something nagged at him, that those weren't the only words to be spoken.
That thought quickly dissappeared as the family proceeded in the same ritual every morning, a prayer to Kamui and the spirits for their blessing, eating while discussing the topic of the morning. Today it was announced finnally that the Sosuke army was marching out of the Capital for the campaign in Kyushu.
"In that case, perhaps the soldiers can stop eating every bale of rice they take." Ichigo said in a dry tone.
"Is Aizen-sama really going to try and end the fighting?" Yuzu asked
"If he can stop killing everyone that disagrees with him, maybe omoutu-chan."
"Ichigo, I don't want to hear that talk at the table please." Masaki snapped at him
"Forgive me Oka-sama, I was a bit out of hand."
"You always are brother."
"Whatever you say." Ichigo answered to Karin's morning banter.
The bowls were cleared and the table cleaned shortly after, then...
"Mother, is there anything you require me to do?"
"None right now actually, the day is yours to see fit."
With pretty much nothing to do, he might as well comply with his mother's other wish from yesterday.
As much as he regretted it.
"Karin, Yuzu, you've been wanting me to teach you swordsmanship for the past month."
"And?"
He sighed a little, wondering why the hell was he doing this. "Grab the two smaller bokken in my room, you want to learn how to swing a sword? I'll teach you."
"YES! Finally, your the best Ichigo!" Karin hugged her brother rather tightly, such displays of emotion rather rare, and frightening.
"Somebody help me."
Orihime's Village
"Thank you very much for breakfast, it was quite filling."
Ishida was outside the Orihime family's farmhouse, bidding his final farewells.
"Wait!" Inoue's father grabbed the few coins from his pouch. "Wouldn't you be needing this?"
"The Quincy doesn't depend on money, especially that of others to enrich themselves. Thank you though."
"Ishida! Before you go." Inoue ran back into the house and presented to him a wooden bow along with a quiver contaning a few arrows.
Ishida examined it, the weapons wasn't lacquered unlike a soldiers, but it was quite sturdy and practical. With his skill the appearence wouldn't matter.
"Where did you get these?"
"Brother and I fashioned it ourselves, sometimes we use it to go hunting in the woods for more food."
"I thought Aizen forbid hunting in the forests except for samurai?"
"It's not just for us," Sora exclamied "Many people in our village are lucky to even find one scrap of food, we're a bit more well off than most since father is head of this village, but we still can't just enjoy our luxary and deny it to others now can we?"
"In a way, it's our part to one day end these days of war." Inoue finished the statement
"It is very noble of you people, the Great Master himself would offer such blessing. But wouldn't you be needing this?"
"We can always craft another bow if need be. Just take it as our form of thanks." said Inoue's father
"I will," He bowed to the family than began to take off on the dirt road.
"Take care Uryuu-kun!"
Ishida heard her express him with the honorific "kun", which was meant to show a female's affection towards a male.
He likely wouldn't be seeing her again. So in a gesture, he signaled good-bye to the ones waving farewell.
Mt Atago, Outskirts of Las Noches
In the time granted by her early departure, Rukia could catch from the perch of Mt. Atago a view of the Sosuke army as well as their allies and the encampment outside Las Noches.
Fujikabe, Kariya, Okodai, Hayakawa, Usagi. Almost every single Daimyo in Kansai, Chugoku, and the island of Shikoku seemed to have gathered. There was also rumor that Ariyo Hisahide, Aizen's former nemesis turned ally was contributing to the invasion fleet.
But she could also see another formation of troops, they flew the white Sosuke banner but were seperately encamped from the rest of the army.
This signaled to her, that Kyushu was not Aizen's only target.
It was something the Kuchiki had feared of, hence her mission to Kyoto.
"That formation, I have to inform Ishida!" Rukia hurriedly left her perched and prepared to hike down.
Right until she saw a half-dozen soldiers in front of her and the downward slope along with a man dressed in samurai attire, his odd pink hair covered an end of his face.
"Well, well, I've heard that the Kuchiki sent someone to spy on our army, never figured Byakuya would put his own dear sister in harm's way." Spoke the sadistic voice of Szayel Apporo Grantz. "Aizen-sama would greatly benefit from holding you hostage now wouldn't it?"
As if to mock his threats, Rukia smirked in reply "Well in that case Szayel, you'll have to tie me down and drag me from a horse as I have no intention to cooperate willingly." And placed her hand on the sword's handle.
"Everyone does it the hard way these days, seize her."
It all happened in a blur, the six soldiers who rushed at Rukia quickly fell to the ground with throats cut. In one motion Rukia had removed and cut her attackers from her sheath. Taking no less than four seconds. It took two seconds to press her blade to Szayel's throat.
"Now listen, neither my brother, nor your Lordship can afford to be enemies right now. So if you allow me be, this whole incident wouldn't have happened."
"Hmm, quite the negotiater aren't you Rukia-chan? Very well, I'll allow you to slip by this time." Hearing those words Rukia returned her sword to the sheath"
"Once we are finished with this venture to the South, you, Byakuya, Hitsugaya, Yamamoto, all show soon drown in their own blood. What we have started, our conquest has no ending, until all have either kneeled, or died."
"Was all this meant to intimadate me Szayel? If so Aizen's retainers sure don't live up to the standard."
Smiling, Rukia began the trek down the slope. Szayel showed no emotion as he walked the road back to Las Noches.
Council chamber, Las Noches Castle:
"Szayel, your late."
"Forgive me Aizen-sama, had some...difficulty returning from the camp."
In the center of the chamber lied a map of Kyushu, troop formations, ships, landing beaches. All to detail.
"Has the invasion fleet been prepared to sail?"
"Once we arrive in Hiroshima yes, by then the worst of the winter storms will end and we can be assured a fair wind west."
"So in that case, the sea travel won't be bothersome, good I don't want to wait that long to fight."
"Oi, brash and impudent as always eh Grimmjow?" Stark spoke lazily.
"Look who's talking Bushoumono-sama." Luppi and Arroniero laughed from Grimmjow's applied nickname to Stark who merely shrugged in response, not caring at all. Tousen and Ulquiorra however, showed in their expressions contempt at another example of Grimmjow's uncouth behavior.
"Alright, since the planning has been finalized, I say now we shift events by our own will." Aizen rose from his seat "Neliel, Halibel, inform our allies it is the time to march." "Hai."
The rest of the generals soon began departing from the chamber to begin preparations.
"Wait Ulquiorra, before we depart I must speak with you."
"Yes?"
"Listen closely, your services I'm afraid will not be available for this campaign."
"And why is that?"
"Because," Aizen said walking to the balcony of his castle, "I have a different task for you, one that requires someone of your skills."
"I'm listening."
"Bushoumono" -Lazy bones
Post-Battle Report:
So what has Aizen schemed about this time? Send in a review and you shall learn.
Made some editing to my previous chapters, as time passes, so does improvement in my writing, I hope.
The Shogun bids you good bleesings on this Super Bowl weekend. Be it your team or not is winning.
Oyusama.