Here is Chapter Nine! I must admit I've been suffering with a tiny bit of writer's block, so for that reason if this chapter is not as good as the others I am reaaaaaallly realllly sorry! I promise the next chapter will be so, so, so much better! I promise!
A huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story so far, I am so very grateful! Every time I see a new review I just squeal in delight! I absolutely love reading them and hope for many, many more.
No yaoi this chapter I'm afraid, but the battles between Ichigo's friends and the Espada take a helluva turn!
I hope you do enjoy the chapter; Chapter Ten will be upload ASAP! And I will put in some lovely fluff and Yaoi for Aizen and Ichigo (and a couple of other pairings)!
On with the show!
Chapter Nine: Countdown:
Ishida ducked and shot out of the way of the clone's sword, panting heavily and staring at the Espada he'd encountered; he hit the wall and staggered slightly, he lifted his arm and clutched the air as his Quincy bow appeared by his side, he aimed it at the real Espada and fired two dozen arrows in his direction.
He darted away from the wall with a quick burst of Hirenkyaku and shot around behind the enemy, firing another lot of arrows. His eyes widened and he faltered as he realised the Espada was no long in the same spot and jumped out of the way just in time before he was nearly cleaved in two.
"Gemelos Sonido… My sonido is fasted among the Espada. And by adding a few extra steps I can create a clone of myself." Zommari rumbled as he looked at Ishida with a plain expression.
Ishida narrowed his eyes slightly, keeping a firm grip on the reiatsu bow in his hand; he swallowed slightly and kept a steady eye on him.
"Truthfully… It is similar to a magic trick." Zommari continued, still staring at him with glassy yellow eyes, "Magic tricks are supposed to surprise the audience so do not be ashamed if you could not follow it."
"Is that so?" Ishida replied, his hand tightening around the bow, "I believe you are the one who should be ashamed. Ashamed for revealing your party trick so soon."
Ishida shot forwards, drawing one of the Seele Schneider's as he Hirenkyaku-ed, slashing as hard as he could at the Espada in front of him, he let out a yell as he forced the blue reiatsu through the other's body completely until he emerged on the other side. He panted heavily at the strenuousness of the attack. He faltered however when another blade sliced down towards him, he dived out of the way, managing to escape a severed arm with only a scratch on his arm.
"My Gemelos Sonido isn't limited to making just two clones." Zommari told him as he appeared behind him once more and stabbed forwards.
Ishida spun and fired a dozen arrows straight at his face, using Hirenkyaku to make a quick getaway. He panted slightly, slipping on the ice and landing on his backside.
When he looked around again, Zommari was in a different position altogether, his Zanpakto was hovering in front of him and his legs were widely parted; his hands then moved into a pose of meditation.
"Quash-" the Espada's head creaked all the way around until his forehead and chin were sideways, "-Brujería."
Ishida swallowed and watched; his eyebrow twitched slightly as he watched the other's pupils widened until they almost engulfed the entire iris. With a creak and a small bang, his Zanpakto began to bend around and around until he came still and Zommari was engulfed in smoke.
The smoke then began to glow dark purple as it merged around his body, when the smoke dissipated, Zommari was completely covered with eyes. Hundreds of eyes!
Ishida shuddered visibly in slight disgust at the sight; there was something very unnerving about it.
Zommari pointed one of his palms in Ishida's direction, the eye began to glow purple and Ishida's eyes widened and he flitted away, reappearing behind the Espada.
The Espada looked around at him, "What's wrong? You assumed I was primed to release an attack, yet nothing has happened. From your expression it appears you cannot comprehend why." He smirked widely, "It has already happened!"
Ishida's eyes widened and he looked down suddenly as he felt a sharp sting on his leg, he yanked up his trouser leg and his eyes widened further as he saw a black flower-like mark on his leg.
"You're right leg now belongs to me."
"What do you mean?"
"Everything holds sovereignty over something else. Subordinates are at the command of their supervisors. Commoners are at the command of their king. Clouds are led by the wind. Brujería steals sovereignty over anything I set my eyes upon. I call this ability… Amour." He tilted his head, "You still appear to be confused. Everything will become clear once you have experienced it."
Ishida faltered and balled his fists.
"Now. Come here… Right leg." Zommari said, gesturing with his hand.
Ishida let out a gasp as the leg moved, stepping towards the Espada, he was forced to take a second step but on the third he shot an arrow across his own leg, severing the tendons instantly.
"Oh… That's very drastic. But it will certainly prevent me from using your leg. But how will things go here?" he asked as another eye lit up purple.
Ishida's eyes widened as he felt a prickle in his arm, he looked down at the same black flower-shape appeared on his wrist. He clenched his teeth as his arm began moving towards his throat. He slashed with an arrow and his arm fell limply at his side.
"A leg… and now a wrist… You make such fast decisions… But tell me-" he murmured, "How you will fire the bow… Without use of your arm?"
Ishida faltered and looked up suddenly, yelling as he was struck around the top of the head and hit the floor unconscious.
Zommari returned to his usual form and picked up the unconscious Quincy, placing an ear piece in his left ear, "Aizen-sama… Ishida Uryuu has just been apprehended. Minor wounding. I will take him to the cells where the other are."
"Very good Zommari…" the lord of Las Noches smirked as he watched his sleeping pet, "Do it quickly. Then report to Ulquiorra for your next mission."
"Yes Aizen-sama."
Zommari unhooked the communication piece and sonido-ed away.
Aizen smirked and rested back on the bed; he stretched slightly and looked down at the sleeping, orange haired shinigami. He leaned over and brushed his hair from his eyes thoughtfully, tilting his head slightly before his hand brushed down the side of his face and down his neck, he tugged gently at the black collar around his neck.
He leaned down and brushed his lips over his cheek before he slid out of bed and pulled on a fresh uniform. He breezed out of the bedroom and into the main room, throwing open the balcony doors and smiled as the morning sunlight entered the room and fell upon him.
He looked around fleetingly as he sensed the remaining reiatsus of the shinigami and humans running around Las Noches. He tilted his head and pressed the intercom on his chair arm, "Grimmjow… Go to the first floor." He ordered.
Meanwhile, Inoue and Chad were sprinting down the corridor; they were both highly concerned as they had been sensing strong bursts of reiatsu from all of their friends.
Inoue came to a stop and leaned over on her knees, panting heavily, "How long is this corridor?" she asked exasperatedly.
"The palace is very big… Remember what it looked like from outside."
She nodded and sighed, "Yes… It soooo huge… Unimaginably."
Chad nodded in agreement before looking towards where they were heading, "We should continue." He told her, without warning he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder before he started running again.
He ignored her shouting and pleading to put her down and just kept going, his eyes moved to the right hand side of the corridor as he saw an opening in the wall ahead. At first he thought about going down it but on a second guess he decided they should continue straight on. If they switched course now they could get lost.
Inoue's eyes widened as someone came out of the opening as they passed it, "Sado-kun! Behind you!" she cried.
He spun around as his arm transformed and threw it out towards the speeding figure, "Il directo!" he shouted.
"Stop Sado!" a new yet familiar voice yelled.
Inoue faltered and summoned Santen Kesshun, forming a hasty barrier in front of the owner of the voice. When Chad's attack faded and left behind a slightly bent and cracked barrier.
Rukia swallowed and stared at them both, "Y… Your reflexes have improved Sado…" she said a little hesitantly, still slightly shocked by the attack.
"Oh… Rukia… My apologies. I assumed a hollow had sprung out on us." He rumbled.
Inoue slid off of his back and hurried over to Rukia, "Are you okay? How did you get here?"
"I'm fine Inoue." She smiled, "I just followed the path that I took and it came out back there. Have you been able to sense anyone's reiatsus?"
"Yeah… We've sensed practically everyone. Except yours, Shirosaki-kun and Tensa-kun… Though we haven't sensed Kurosaki-kun either."
Chad looked up suddenly and stared down the corridor they'd been running through, "We should continue. I think someone is coming this way."
The two females nodded in agreement and the three of them started running again. Before they had gone far they ended up in front of a large grey coloured door; though hesitant, they slowly opened the door and went inside.
They found themselves to be in a large room. There was no furniture anywhere… Though there was a large ring in the centre of the room. Was this a… Training room?
"I thought ya'd never get here!" a voice cackled from above them. As the three looked up towards the rafters a blur shot down towards them and with a loud boom and crack, the Espada landed on the floor in front of them, "Wha's with those expressions? Ain't ya pleased to see me?"
As the plume of dust that had risen when the man had landed settled they were confronted by electric blue hair, two swipes of blue eyeliner and a plunging V-neckline.
Grimmjow.
Chad transformed his arm again, this time also transforming his other arm, "This is Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo. The power to attack which I found deep within myself after much training." He said in a grumble. He ran forwards and punched Grimmjow hard in the gut and then the face, groin and chest. He looked up slowly at the Espada and faltered as he saw he was just grinning like an insane person.
"Wha? You expected that to hurt me?" he grinned wider still and swiped him aside like he was a ragdoll. Chad hit the wall and slid down it.
Inoue squeaked quietly and stared at her friend.
"Inoue. I'll distract Grimmjow. Try to heal Sado in that time."
"Y… Yes…" she nodded.
Rukia drew her Zanpakto and narrowed her eyes; Grimmjow was walking towards Chad, forming a cero with his hand. She swung her Zanpakto around and froze his hand completely, neutralising the cero.
As Grimmjow's eyes flashed towards where Rukia was she slowly twirled her Zanpakto around until the blade was facing the floor, "Tsugi no Mai…" she bent at the knee slightly as four pure white streaks rose up from the floor in front of her, "… Hakuren!"
Grimmjow was enveloped in white snow-ice and frozen in a block of thick ice. As soon as he was completely frozen Rukia ran over and joined Inoue at Chad's side.
"Is he alright Inoue?"
"Yes. Just stunned. He'll be fine in a few minutes." She smiled confidently.
"That's good."
There was a creak from beside them and Rukia looked around in time for Grimmjow to shove his hand through the ice and slam it against the side of her head, "Don't sell me short, Shinigami!" he yelled, shattering the remainder of the ice, "Did you think freezing one layer of my skin would be enough to kill me, or hurt me? You retarded?" he finished in a bellow, his eyes glinting darkly as his hand glowed red and he began forming a cero again. He charged it until the red light had all but engulfed Rukia's face.
"Rukia!" Inoue cried.
Just as the cero was about to be deployed, a bright flash of blue light interrupted and sent Grimmjow staggering back. The blue haired Espada looked around with a dark scowl and glowered as the giant human got to his feet with both hands clenched into fists.
"Sado!" Inoue and Rukia both exclaimed in relief, Rukia more so that Inoue.
He ignored the pair and walked forwards slowly, lifting his arm and running at Grimmjow again, he let out a roar and threw a mirage of punches at Grimmjow with seemingly no end.
By the end of them, Grimmjow was panting with a small dribbled of blood running down his chin. His eyes narrowed and he abruptly reached out and caught one of Chad's hands and it was thrown at him. Chad's eyes widened greatly and he looked at Grimmjow his head snapping sideways as he was punched back.
Grimmjow grinned menacingly, several minutes later tossing Chad's body aside, "You guys are nowhere near as fun as Kurosaki…" he growled.
"K… Kurosaki-kun…" Inoue whispered, "Where is he?"
"Like I'll tell you." He scoffed, "Get real, Woman."
Inoue swallowed but ran past him towards Chad to heal him, her hands going towards her hair pins. But before she could release her technique Grimmjow's hand knotted in her hair and threw her towards Rukia, both of the flying into the wall with a cry and crumpling on the floor.
Grimmjow summoned a couple of lower level Arrancar and had them carry the two women while he threw the man over his shoulder. He shook his head in disappointment and headed out with them.
'Geez… I thought Aizen might have given me a stronger target… Bastard must still be pissed about me fucking his pet.' He thought with a long sigh.
"Did ya sense that?" Shiro hissed quietly, clinging onto Tensa's arm tightly.
"Yeah… It was Rukia and Chad…" he replied with a nod, "I think Inoue might have been there too."
"Do ya think their okay?"
"Of course… These are Ichigo's friends we're talking about."
"Y… Yeah but this is the Espada that their fightin'." He replied a little unconfidently.
Tensa glanced at the albino and sighed, cupping the back of his head comfortingly as they walked, "They'll be okay. I'm certain of it."
Shiro smiled at the soothing contact and leaned against him. He froze suddenly and spun around, "Its Ichigo! I can sense him! It's really him… He's okay!" He exclaimed suddenly, half bouncing on the spot with excitement.
Tensa smiled widely as well and rested his hands on the albino's shoulders, "I sense him too! That's fantastic! If we follow his reiatsu we can find him!"
"Yes!" Shiro exclaimed and turned, throwing his arms around the black haired Zanpakto soul.
Tensa hugged him back for several moments before leaning down and kissing him softly, he brushed his cheek with his hand and pulled back, smiling widely as he saw a spatter of pink blush on the other's white cheeks.
They both froze suddenly as they heard very heavy footsteps and sensed strong reiatsu. They looked around eagerly for somewhere to hide before Shiro let Tensa climb up onto his shoulders. After a moment of wriggling and hiss like profanities, they had both shimmied into the ventilation system in the ceiling to hide.
Not a moment too soon.
Only three minutes after they'd hidden two Arrancar, plus Grimmjow. They watched with wide eyes as Chad, Inoue and Rukia were carried away below them.
They glanced at each other, "Let's follow them." They said at the same time and began silently crawling through the vents, following Grimmjow's reiatsu hastily.
They found their way and finally peered through another vent opening as Grimmjow's reiatsu stopped moving.
"Holy shit!" Shiro exclaimed quietly as they saw that below them, in a humongous room Kuchiki Byakuya, Abarai Renji, Ishida Uryuu, Chad Yasutora, Inoue Orihime and Kuchiki Rukia were knelt before Aizen Sousuke and another chair which was facing away from everyone, their hands were bound behind their backs and they were all weaponless. With the Ten Espada stood just behind them.
"My dear Espada… You've done very well." Aizen smirked and looked down at the captured trespassers, "Very well indeed."
A/N:
Well there we goooo! As I said I am really sorry if this chapter comes across as tacky or rushed… I have tried really hard to overcome the writer's block and I am sure I'll be back on course for the next chapter!
I hope you did manage to enjoy the chapter however and I look forwards to hearing from you hopefully. Thanks very much for sticking with the story and I hope you continue to love it as much as you have so far!