10: Pursuit

The sombre breeze over Rukongai carried with it the stench of death. An entire village lay in waste, corpses of young and old, man, woman and child. Houses and shrines were either burnt to the ground or reduced to rubble. Skeletal frames of houses stood out, the walls and roofs collapsing while the supports remained strong. A world of peace had been swallowed up by the reality of battle. Those who were not slaughtered weeped for their lost friends.

Ichigo and Train wandered through the ruins searching for survivors, but they found few. Train limped forward, leaning heavily on his berry-headed companion. "Why?" The Black Cat asked, "Why did he kill them? This war...It is against the Court Guards...So why then, would he slaughter the innocent? They weren't even armed!" Train fell forward onto his knees but Ichigo caught him before he fell to the ground. He helped steady him and then they moved on, in search for their pal, Sven.

"Aizen...He sent them. No wonder they did this."

"You sound like you know him..." Train muttered.

Ichigo noded gravely. "It feels like I do. Rukia told me stories about him. She told me he was the worst of scum. He betrayed his closest friends, his comrades...Even those who looked up to him. He turned his back on them and spat in their face. He even caused Urahara to be exiled from Soul Society."

Train's eyes narrowed. "Really?"

Ichigo nodded. "I don't know the details but Rukia told me that Aizen had done something terribly wrong and framed Urahara for the incident. He had no other choice but to be exiled to the World of The Living."

"I see...But then why is he with us now? Shouldn't he be staying behind?"

Ichigo chuckled to himself, "Urahara isn't one to follow rules. He's a rebel at heart..."

Train grinned. "So that's why he's helping us."

"Sure, I guess...But I also know he cares for Rukia. I don't know why but there seems to be some history between the two and he won't let Rukia die. I know I can trust him." Ichigo scanned the ruins and frowned, "Anyway, let's keep looking for Sven."

Sven and Urahara shared a laugh before having a silent stare-off. The breeze blew dust across their faces but neither one shielded their faces from the clouds of swirling dust.

"So you're still alive. That is wonderful news. I sensed some rather unsettling visitors earlier. I was afraid you might have been slain, but the bad guys seem to have dissapeared now."

"Kisuke Urahara. What do you want with me? I may not have known you for long but I understand you only show your face when you have a plan."

Urahara smirked. "You can read me like a book! Maybe that's why you're revered as one of the greatest sweepers to ever walk the earth, alongisde the legendary Black Cat."

"Quit babbling and spill it." Sven grumbled, "I thought you were a warrior not a Jehovas Witness."

Urahara's smile thinned and his gaze settled rather curiously upon the sweeper. "You still wish to save Eve, yes?"

Sven clenched his fists and stared at the ground. "Of course I do...But-"

"You fear you aren't strong enough?" Kisuke interjected. "How foolish! Do you think Eve would have just sat back and watched her friends die because she didn't think she was strong enough? She fought her hardest no matter how strong the enemy was because she cared about you! Will you just abandon her because of your weaknesses?"

"Shut up!" Sven roared. "You don't understand! I've seen those guys fight! They're monsters! They are way too strong! If I tried to rescue her I would just get myself killed and I would never be able to see her again."

"So your plan is to wait? Hope they let her go for no good reason and Eve will just run into your arms? How stupid! I would have thought you knew better! Eve is doomed to be executed. Aizen has grown distrustful of her ever since she tried to escape. Her time on this earth is limited. If you just sit around you will be personally responsible for her death!"

"Stop it!" Sven cried, "You don't think I feel bad enough already? I couldn't save her! I couldn't even save myself! I've been living with that pain ever since that day!"

"Then redeem yourself!" Urahara snapped. "Don't wallow in your own self pity. Take charge and fight until the very end. Even if you die, Eve will know that you died trying to save her. She will understand."

Sven bowed his head. "I...I..."

"Fine then!" Urahara scolded, "Stay here. Hide like a worthless hermit and sob about your missing loved ones. Live with your guilt for an eternity and watch as everyone around you abandons you and is erased by time. Live alone but feel relief that at least you stayed alive." Urahara turned to leave and glanced over his shoulder. "Sven the courageous sweeper is already dead. I see now that this man who stands before me is nothing but the cowardly shell of a once great man. He is worthless. I have wasted my time trying to save him." He walked off but was soon stopped by a trembling hand gripping his sleeve.

"Wait..." Sven whispered. "Please...Help me..."

Kisuke Urahara's smile returned. "Will you abandon your fear and fight until the very end?"

"Yes."

"Will you promise never return to Soul Society until you have saved Eve, or turned to ash?"

A slight moment of hesitation before Sven nodded. "Yes..."

"Very well then. Follow me." Urahara draped a hand over Sven's shoulder and patted his back. "You have made the wisest choice."

Eve stared vacantly at the blank white walls before her. They answered her with silence like they always had. She asked questions but never got answers. She made wishes that were left unfullfilled. She wallowed in the fear of Ulquiorra's next innevitable visit, his next check-up. She was treated like an animal, locked in a cage, fed sludgy filth in a rusted bowl and periodically examined by a creep in a white coat.

A stray cat would not have to endure this...

Black Cat...Eve wondered where he was, if he missed her. Was he searching for her? Had he given up hope? Eve asked the wall. It was her only companion in this terrible place and she feared her sanity was starting to slip away. The crushing loneliness, something she was once accustomed to, was now as painful as a blade or bullet. She would have cried but tears had gotten her nowhere in this place. They were a waste of time and energy. Besides, her tears has dried up long ago...

"Princess. I am coming in." That voice, as cold as ice, chilling and vague. It was Ulquiorra. Eve huddled up in the corner and pressed her face against the wall so she wouldn't have to see him. She could sense his deathly presence, like a corpse hovering over her. He moved closer. His shadow enveloped her and then his hand touched her shoulder.

Eve flinched but it still did not stop him from knocking her to the floor and slashing her throat with a blackened fingernail. Blood oozed out from the small incision and Ulquiorra collected in in a small vial.

"We need more blood." Ulquiorra explained. "Your nanomachines are present in all of your bodily tissues but the blood is richer. The blood is more nourishing for it."

Eve hugged her knees and sobbed, the pain excruciating. Ulquiorra entwined a thick lock of her hair around his hand and lifted her up onto her knees. The poor little girl whimpered and tried her hardest to suppress the rampant tears but they flowed regardless. She knew what was coming. Ulquiorra had done it every time he saw her cry. She closed her eyes and braced herself. A leaden fist collided with her jaw and she was thrown into the wall, crashing hard against the stone.

"There is no use for such a pitiful creature. If it were not for Lord Aizen's plan I would have destroyed you long ago. You are trash."

"Please...Please go!" Eve wept.

Ulquiorra's expression did not change, but there was a definite change in the air around him, as if a fire had just ignited around him. The pallid, ghostly creature crossed over to her and clenched a fist. Eve crawled away but she was unable to escape her ruthless captor. She screamed for what felt like years.

Rukia had no choice but to listen to Eve's cries or terror and pain. They lasted for far too long, eventually becoming quieter with each successive thud. A heavy thud followed and the wailing stopped. Rukia shuddered, feeling Eve's agony. She did not get beaten like Eve, but she could hear everything behind those stone walls. She felt every strike and most times she found herself crying out as well.

Every day, or at least what she percieved as each day, she wished for Ichigo or Train or anyone for that matter to come and save them. Those wishes fell on deaf ears. She heard Eve talking to herself often as well, asking the empty air if they could help her escape or asking where her friends were. It saddened her, but Rukia did the same thing.

The door to Eve's room slammed shut and weak sobbing became audible. Rukia leaned against the wall and whispered, "Eve?" She heard an awkward muffled response from the other side of the wall. "Hang in there...We'll be rescued soon enough. Ichigo and Train will burst in here and take us away from this hell." She said it as much for herself as she did for her companion.

After a dreadful silence, she heard Eve say, "Promise..."

Rukia closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She held her hand over her heart and smiled weakly, "I promise..."

"Rukia?"

"Yes?"

Eve sniffed. "I can't feel my legs..."

"What?" Rukia gasped.

Eve did not reply. There was another thud. Rukia cradled her head in her hands and screamed inside her mind.

Please Ichigo...I'm begging you! Release us from this...Before it's too late!

Urahara, Sven, Train and Ichigo reunited in Rukongia. There it was easier to slip away undetected and return to the World of the Living. Urahara created his own special senkaimon for his companios to make their way through and he followed soon after, first checking behind him for any signs of pursuers. When he was satisfied that no-one was watching he too retreated from Soul Society.

Urahara filled Sven in on their plan while they raced through the dangai.

"You wish to save Eve. To do that you must enter the domain of hollows, you must travel to Hueco Mundo. It is incredibly dangerous there, but with your combined strength you may just survive and if not, at least you will die honorably. I shall help you get ehre but I will not be going with you. I have matters to attend to of my own in preparations for the inevitable war."

"Huh? But aren't we going to break out Rukia and Eve?" Sven asked.

Urahara rolled his eyes. "You did not think that was all there was to this did you? Aizen wishes to crush all of Soul Society and enslave the people in the World of the Living. Even if you succeed in rescuing his captives Aizen will keep up his resistance. However you may provoke him into attacking early. If he is unprepared then his forces will be weaker. We may gain the uper hand then."

"So...You are only helping us because you think we're an adequate decoy?" Train muttered.

Kisuke bowed his head and sighed. "Quite frankly you are correct...But also...I do not wish to see those girls harmed. This war does not concern them. They should never have been dragged into this. At all costs they must be saved and if you do...Promise me you will defend them until the battles are over. Things will become very dangerous here. Aizen will stop at nothing to get what he wants and I fear a great many of us will fall. Such things should not be seen by such innocent beings."

Train chuckled to himself and saluted. "Sure thing. We'll protect them with our very lives."

"I'm glad..." Urahara whispered under his breath. They ran on in silence until they reached the Urahara shop. Once there they found the employees setting up a large portal. They did not look up from their work and silently accepted Urahara's assistance with the final preparations.

Creed was waiting for them, sitting on a rock, gazing thoughtful at the painted sky below the Urahara Shoten. As Train neared he jumped up from his place on the rock and ran over to him. "Train, you are finally here! Soon, soon we will be deep in enemy territory...And then...Then the true Black Cat will reveal himself! I wish for nothing more than witness such a glorious event! I shall not rest until I witness your true form in battle once again." He bowed to his idol and remained that way until Train requested he stand up.

They watched on with growing impatience while Urahara chanted. As he whispered the incantation the portal gradually began to glow with radiant light. Soon the air between the large poles cracked like a piece of glass and a garganta formed. It was small at first but soong rew to become immense.

Urahara stepped back and waved his cane at the portal. "There you go gentlemen. Your path to Hueco Mundo stands before you. Abandon all fear and doubt. Look only forward and remember, Rukia and Eve are counting on you. Good luck and may we all meet again before this is over."

Creed, Sven, Train and Ichigo all nodded gravely to one another before leaping through into the next world. They all released a mighty battle-cry as they charged through and in one moment all light vanished and all four of them were engulfed in darkness.

Urahara watched as the garganta closed behind them and he found himself staring at the empty space for quite some time, lost in thought.

Good luck to you all...Godspeed...I fear there is not much time left until...