The group made their way to outside of an abandoned factory where the stage was being set for Don Kanonji, who was absent at the moment. As they arrived, they saw Chad with Keigo and Mizuiro, Ikkaku and Yumichika with Keigo's sister, and Uryu with Orihime and Tatsuki.
"Well-well, so you do show up Ichigo. Nice hat." Ikkaku said with a sinister grin.
"How the hell did you know?" Ichigo asked with only his narrowed eyes visible.
"Are you kidding? I could…smell you for miles." Ikkaku said as he avoided using the term "Spiritual Pressure" in public since Ichigo's family was passing by at the moment.
"I see." Ichigo said as he noticed Orihime, Uryu, and Tatsuki approaching.
"Hey Ichigo, I didn't expect to see you here." Tatsuki said as Ichigo shrugged.
"Well I just hope that Kanonji doesn't recognize me. He's under this strange assumption that I'm his apprentice or something." Ichigo said as Tatsuki crossed her arms.
"Oh come on, how would you know Don Kanonji?" Tatsuki asked, before feeling a hand on her shoulder.
"How indeed." Kaichou said as Tatsuki froze and turned towards her slowly. Kaichou was cleaning her glasses with a handkerchief as she gave Tatsuki an icy glare for no apparent reason which caused Tatsuki's face to flash with fear.
"Y-y-yeah." Tatsuki said before grabbing Orihime's arm and dragging her into the crowd.
"That was odd." Kaichou said while scratching her head.
"Very odd." Uryu said curiously.
"Ichigo! Hurry! The Show's about to start!" Yuzu called as Ichigo sighed and joined his family and their group.
"Chin up Ichigo. I doubt that there are any spirits here that will be of any harm." Rukia said as Ichigo sighed.
"You remember the last time a spirit appeared at a place like this right?" Ichigo asked.
"What happened last time?" Renji asked, butting into the conversation. Rukia quickly whispered it to him.
"Oh. Yeah those can be pains." Renji said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Suddenly he felt something hit him in the back of the head. It was moist and mushy…it was a spitball.
"ARGH!!! WHO SPIT THAT?!" Renji shouted as he whirled around to see the gang from Urahara shop. Urahara, Tessai, Uluru and Jinta along with Yoruichi in her cat form being held by Soi Fon in a plain orange t-shirt with black pants.
"Oh great." Renji groaned as he turned back towards the stage.
"So what's supposed to happen here?" Toshiro asked Karin who shrugged.
"You'll have to see it to believe it." Karin replied with a bored tone.
"I see." Toshiro said as he turned his attention to the stage.
"What's wrong with you Tatsuki? I didn't get to say a word back there." Orihime asked Tatsuki who seemed to be back to her old self.
"Oh she just took me by surprise is all. Nothing to worry about." Tatsuki replied with a smile before glancing in Kaichou's direction.
"Oh okay then. Just checking." Orihime said with a smile.
"Aunty Kaichou, have you ever seen an episode of this show before?" Yuzu asked as Kaichou chuckled.
"Sorry I'm afraid I haven't." Kaichou replied with a smile.
"Well then you're in for a treat because this is the greatest show in town! It's so great it'll go on forever!" Isshin said excitedly as Ichigo resisted the urge to injure him this time.
"I'm just curious as to what all the hype's about." A voice said from behind, Ichigo turned and froze in disbelief at who was standing behind him.
"No way?! You guys are here?!" Ichigo asked as he saw every single one of the Visoreds.
"Ichigo, long time no see." Shinji said with a casual wave.
"What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo asked.
"Kisuke invited us. We had nothing better to do so we thought we might swing by for a night on the town." Shinji said before Hiyori approached then slapped Ichigo across the face with one of her sandals.
"You idiot! You were supposed to write us when you got back! It's been three weeks and not a word, you jackass! And what the hell is with the hat?! What, have you come out of the freakin' closet or something?!" Hiyori screeched before Shinji directed her attention to Kisuke who was waving casually towards her. She instantly noticed the hat.
"Oh…so you've joined the freakin' clog head in his sense of fashion. Looks like I'll have to BEAT IT OUT OF YOU!!!" Hiyori screeched but was quickly restrained by Love and Kensei.
"Sorry about her. We let her have too much caffeine today so she went on a violent rant…we uh, still haven't found what happened to half of our stuff. Poor Lisa took the heaviest hit, she lost all of her (ahem) magazines." Shinji said as Ichigo noticed Lisa's depressed mood.
"So…why bring her here?" Ichigo asked.
"Well we keep hoping Lisa finds someone to-." Shinji replied but was interrupted.
"Not her, I mean Hiyori." Ichigo whispered as Shinji gave him a serious look.
"Do the math Ichigo, a hyperactive Hiyori, left alone, and really P.O.-ed as usual…you see where this is going right?" Shinji asked as Ichigo realized the severity of the situation and backed away quickly.
"I thought so." Shinji said.
"Hey Ichigo, who were those guys? Friends of yours? That little blond number is kinda feisty ain't she eh?" Isshin asked as he gave his son a friendly nudge with his arm while Ichigo started praying to the Lord above that Hiyori hadn't heard that comment. Fortunately, she hadn't.
Soon the lights on the stage lit up and the male and female announcers entered the stage.
"Welcome ladies and gentleman! This week's episode of Spirit Hunter is brought to you live from an abandoned factory here in the town of Karakura, where the tortured screams of the dead can be heard echoing through the whole building!" the male announcer said over the microphone.
"Who knows what terrifying and horrible sights we'll see this evening?!" The female announcer said.
"And now let's get in a warm welcome, to this century's premier spiritualist and messenger from hell! Mr. DON KANONJI!!!" the Male announcer shouted as they heard a cannon fire in the distance and saw a blue and black blur flying over the crowd, then suddenly stop in mid air with a jet of flames firing down from behind it…It was Don Kanonji with a jetpack strapped to his back.
The crowd went wild as they saw him descending.
"THE SPIRITS ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!!!" Kanonji shouted as he came down for a landing and the crowd started chanting his name.
"DON-KAN-ON-JI! DON-KAN-ON-JI!"
Kanonji landed safely on the stage and removed the jetpack before striking an epic pose, eliciting the crowd to cheer.
"And how is everyone tonight?!" Kanonji shouted as the crowd cheered louder.
"Hold onto your seats my babies for it's time to hear the spirits cry!" Kanonji shouted causing the crowd to cheer even louder. The crowd's cheering softened as the announcers approached Kanonji.
"So tell us Mr. Kanonji, what do you think of this place?" the female announcer asked. Kanonji grinned as he took a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled.
"I smell the stench of the spirit world around us, but there is so much of it here! I'd have to say that-!" Kanonji said as the crowd answered…
"-SMELL'S LIKE BAD SPIRITS!!!"
Kanonji then crossed his arms and let out a…
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" which the crowd mimicked.
The stage was then covered with smoke as they cut to commercial.
"We came all this way to see this loser?" Renji asked as Ichigo glared at him.
"Told ya that you didn't want to come." Ichigo said as Renji sighed.
"I would rather be thrown into the Gillian forest in Hueco Mundo than be here." Renji grumbled.
"Take me with you." Ichigo said as Renji sighed again.
"Gladly." Renji replied before Rukia elbowed both of them in the gut, simultaneously.
"Shut up you two. Hitsugaya said we had to come here so we're here. Now pipe down and watch the show." Rukia said impatiently. Ichigo then noticed Kaichou looking around curiously.
"Something wrong Aunt Kaichou?" Ichigo asked as Kaichou turned around with an annoyed expression.
"Yeah, I've got to go to the little girl's room but I don't want to miss the show." Kaichou said as Ichigo motioned to the small row of portopotties nearby.
"Ah thanks Ichigo." Kaichou said as she raced off. They didn't notice as Kaichou shot a fleeting smirk at the Visoreds and the Urahara shop group as she passed.
Soon the audience was moving off towards the "Spirit purification location."
"So any ideas if there's a Jibaku here?" Ichigo asked as Rukia shrugged.
"It's hard to say. You know they only show up when humans encroach upon their territory." Rukia replied as Ichigo flashed back to the first time he encountered a Jibaku spirit.
"Yeah but part of me hates seeing those spirits that way. Besides what if Kanonji tries to open up the hole in its chest?" Ichigo asked as Renji chuckled.
"Then we stop him." Renji said with a smirk. He quickly found himself cornered by Soi Fon.
"Consider this a direct order Lieutenant. Under no circumstances are we to interfere unless there is an immediate danger of hollow attack." Soi Fon said as Renji nodded understandingly.
"Yes ma'am." Renji said dejectedly.
"Well hopefully there won't be a Jibaku spirit here." Rangiku said optimistically.
Unfortunately their hopes were dashed as they soon heard the familiar cry of the Jibaku spirit only there were two of them, one male and one female.
"Oh crap." Renji grumbled.
"Take it easy, with any luck we can perform a Konso after the shows over." Rukia said as Toshiro nodded.
"Rukia is correct; we must wait until the risk of detection by those with spiritual awareness has subsided." Toshiro said as Rangiku shuddered slightly.
"I don't care what you say Captain, this place is creepy with those two screamers…it makes my skin bumpy." Rangiku said nervously as the howling continued.
Ichigo looked ahead to where his dad and sisters were, he then turned to see Kaichou walking up towards them from the portopotties. Ichigo looked back and saw that Yuzu looked worried and Karin looked a bit disheartened. He could also see Orihime and Tatsuki looking worried as well along with Mizuiro, Keigo, and Mizuho. Mizuho was clinging to a semi-annoyed Ikkaku's arm. Chad looked unaffected but his spiritual pressure was building slightly and Uryu looked determined.
Ichigo turned back towards where the Jibaku spirits soon appeared. The man was middle-aged and rather stocky in appearance with a t-shirt and overalls on. The woman was young and thin with a dress shirt and mid-length skirt on. Naturally they were both chained to the factory and to each other and the holes in their chests were half formed. Their sudden appearance caused Yuzu to whimper in fear. Ichigo instinctively hurried to his sister and knelt down to her level.
"Hey, don't worry Yuzu. They won't hurt you because I won't let them." Ichigo said as Yuzu clung to him.
"It's not that Ichigo. I'm afraid because I feel so sorry for them." Yuzu said as Ichigo arched an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Ichigo asked confused.
"Those spirits haven't passed on already. And they're chained to this building. I sure hope Mr. Kanonji helps them pass on." Yuzu said as Ichigo smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Don't worry Yuzu. By midnight tonight, they'll have passed on. I promise." Ichigo said as Yuzu smiled back. Ichigo then turned his attention back to the two Jibaku spirits who were moaning and howling.
"We're not leaving until the boss gets back and opens the doors so we can go in and finish our love making!" The man shouted, prompting Ichigo and Toshiro to cover Karin and Yuzu's ears.
"Frighteningly I think I heard about those two." Rangiku said, earning a surprised look from her fellow Soul Reapers.
"How pray tell do you know that Rangiku?" Toshiro asked.
"It was in the news paper the week before Hueco Mundo Captain. A factory worker and the CEO's secretary were found murdered while in the process of (ahem) making babies on the factory's machine floor." Rangiku explained quickly.
"I see. Well let's hope we can save them." Toshiro said as they heard the camera men counting down to the commercial's end.
"We're on in 3…2…1…" the director said as the spotlights flashed on, revealing Don Kanonji standing in front of the factory's main entrance.
"The spirits are always with you…BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Kanonji said as the crowd mimicked him again.
"(Sigh) this is going to be a long show." Ichigo mumbled.
"Can we go home yet?" Renji grumbled, receiving an elbow to the ribs from Rukia.
"And now it's time once again for Don Kanonji to take the stage!" the male announcer said excitedly.
"You can certainly feel the excitement in here tonight!" the female announcer added.
"How about it Mr. Kanonji? What's your personal take on the scene?" the male announcer asked.
"I have a very bad feeling about this." Rangiku said as Kanonji looked the two spirits over.
"Hey watch the eyes buddy! My body is a temple accessible only by my lover!" the female spirit growled at Kanonji as he looked her over curiously.
"Hmm. It's bad, real bad. But with my Super Spirit Cane I will wash them from THE EARTH!!!" Kanonji shouted as he raised his cane like a harpoon while aiming it right at the half-open hole of the male Jibaku, causing Rukia and Ichigo to freeze in horror.
"Oh no not again!" Ichigo exclaimed.
But before Kanonji could thrust the cane forward, they heard a loud gunshot, echo from out of nowhere and a shimmering, thin, white beam of light flew out and struck the cane, knocking it from his hand where it split in two on the ground with smoke coming from the two ends.
"WHOA!!! Did you see that folks! The Super Spirit Cane has been destroyed!" the male announcer shouted as the crowd started talking in confused panic.
"Where did that beam come from?!" Renji asked as he and the others looked around for the origin of the shot. Suddenly they saw a figure flash step up close to the female spirit. It was the Black Wrangler holding a sniper rifle.
"Is that who I think it is?!" Toshiro asked as Yuzu gasped.
"It's the cowgirl spirit I saw outside my bedroom window!" Yuzu exclaimed.
"The what?" Kaichou asked surprised.
Meanwhile the Wrangler placed the rifle butt gently up against the forehead of the female spirit, causing a brief burst of light to emit from the space between the two. The Wrangler removed the butt, revealing the familiar mark of the Konso.
The chains on the female spirit shattered as she joyously sank into a glowing portal beneath her feet.
"Whoa! I smell a very bad spirit! It just destroyed one of the other bad spirits here!" Kanonji shouted as the Wrangler determinedly walked straight towards the male spirit.
"That's the Black Wrangler?" Toshiro asked in shock.
"Yes Captain, that's her. The missing fourteenth Captain." Rukia said as the Wrangler's path was blocked by Kanonji.
"Say! What do you suppose you're doing here bad spirit? Feeding off the energy of you're dead brothers and sisters to grow stronger? Hmm?" Kanonji asked as the Wrangler simply remained still for a moment while staring Kanonji in the face. She then flash-stepped past him and continued on to the last Jibaku spirit.
But before she could perform the Konso, all of the Soul Reaper's spirit pagers started beeping. They each checked and saw a number of light blue blips appearing at the edges of the readouts and getting closer.
"We've got trouble." Toshiro said as the Wrangler, who overheard him, quickly performed the Konso and then started to glow with blue light.
The entire audience gasped as they realized that they could see the Wrangler. She had phased her spirit enough that all of the audience members could see her.
"WHOA!!! Look at this folks! A spirit has appeared right before our very eyes!" the male announcer exclaimed as the Wrangler gave an annoyed grunt.
"Kae!" the Wrangler shouted as the sniper rifle morphed back into a Tommy gun. She quickly aimed it into the air and opened fire, causing the crowd to descend into a panic.
"RUN IF YOU VALUE YOUR SOULS!!!" the Wrangler shouted causing everyone but the Soul Reapers and Don Kanonji to run away in fear.
"Come on Ichigo! Let's go!" Yuzu shouted as she tugged at Ichigo's sleeve. Before Ichigo could answer he heard the familiar shriek of the LeBlancs in the distance.
"Oh no." Ichigo said as he looked at the roof of one of the nearby buildings and saw a LeBlanc appear with a Seeker on a Spirit particle made leash.
"They're back."
End Chapter 7.
What will happen next? Find out in the next chapter.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE R&R!!!
