Ichigo stretched when he finally finished the homework that had been dumped on him. Sitting down for as long as he had made him feel sore. He was glad that he was finally done, and could at last get a little sleep. He looked over at his bed. Kon was fast asleep on his pillow, snoring a bit loudly. As he stood up to get Kon off his bed, he felt it.
"What the hell?" he said as the huge spiritual pressure suddenly hit him. He didn't know who owned that pressure, but he knew something had to be out of place.
Kon woke up, feeling panicked all of a sudden. "What the hell is going on!?" he shouted. "What's with this weird spirit energy!?"
"I don't know," Ichigo admitted. He grabbed Kon, forced out the Gikongan pill inside the plush lion and swallowed the pill. As Ichigo's soul was forced from his body, he told Kon, "Stay here! And don't do anything stupid, all right?" With that, he disappeared in a Flash Step.
-o-
David panted heavily as he faced Wrath. The Sin was in more or less the same state. They were both covered in cuts and scrapes, their clothes tattered in places. The Grim Reaper held his sword with what strength he had left in him. Wrath the Furious was apparently much more powerful than he originally thought.
"You know," David said with a smirk. "You're a lot tougher than you look. And that's saying something."
Wrath chuckled. "I could say the same about you, kid." He looked down at their spectators. That red-haired pet of Athena's was kneeling over Lucifer's brat, and that other Grim Reaper had her scythe out at the ready. "But I really do need to get going soon. And my boss wouldn't appreciate it if I came back empty-handed, so I'm gonna have to take that girl down to hell now."
"Over my dead body!" shouted the voice of a familiar orange-haired figure. Wrath turned in surprise, and was barely able to block Ichigo's attack. He was just lucky that being a Sin came with a tough hide. The Substitute Soul Reaper leaped over the Sin, landing in the air next to David. "You look like you've been through hell."
"Almost literally," David replied with a humored chuckle. He then became completely serious. "This guy's pretty strong though. You don't want to underestimate him."
Ichigo smirked. "No need to worry. I always go all out."
Wrath sneered angrily. He didn't have time for more brats. He needed to get the girl and get back, and fast. "Guess I've got no choice," he said with anger evident on his face. "I can't hold back anymore!" He then began to glow a malevolent red, his spiritual pressure slowly rising higher and higher. Until…
"Stop this nonsense," said a powerful voice. Wrath stopped glowing, and his spirit energy returned to its original proportion. All heads turned to see a tall man standing in the air far above the two Reapers and the Sin. He wore a black outfit that looked like a military leader's uniform, medals and badges included. He had black hair in a military-style buzz cut and dark eyes. He looked over at Wrath. "You have taken too long. Lord Lucifer is most displeased."
Wrath scowled, but didn't reply. Ichigo stared at the man who seemed to emit an air of superiority and self-satisfaction. "I take you're another of the Seven Deadly Sins?"
The man nodded affirmatively. "I am the most powerful of the Sins. I am called Pride the Arrogant. For now, you will refer to me as your better, boy." He suddenly vanished in a flicker of movement. The two Reapers looked around with wide eyes when he vanished.
They heard Orihime cry out in pain. They looked in her direction. Ichigo's eyes widened in outrage when he saw that Pride was holding his girlfriend by her throat. David had a look of equal anger when he saw that Raven was lying unconscious on the ground. "Let her go!" the Substitute Reaper shouted at the Sin.
"With pleasure," Pride said. He tossed Orihime away. She slammed into a wall so hard that she actually broke through it.
"Orihime!" Ichigo shouted
"She is still alive, human," the strongest Sin said dispassionately. "I only came for Arisawa." He took hold of the unconscious Tatsuki by the back of her shirt and slung her over his shoulder. "We are done here, Wrath. Let us return."
"Yeah, yeah," Wrath replied. He was then surrounded by a tornado of fire which quickly vanished.
"You're not getting away!" Ichigo shouted as he charged at Pride. The Sin was too quickly enveloped in fire, the hellish flames blocking Ichigo's zanpakuto.
"If you wish to get the girl back," Pride said as he and Tatsuki slowly disappeared, "Then you will come down to hell, Titan-slayer." Ichigo's eyes widened at those last words. "I will not be your opponent. But you will face someone who is in every way superior to you. Farewell, Ichigo Kurosaki, vanquisher of Titan Lord Kronos." And then, he was gone. And so was Tatsuki.
Ichigo stood completely shocked. How did Pride know about that war at Olympus? Were there spies there? Had they been watching him and his friends this whole time? No… he couldn't worry about that now.
"Orihime!" he called into the building that his girlfriend had been thrown into, which happened to be her own home. He found her lying unconscious in her living room. She stirred slightly. He knelt over her, his face contorted to worry. "Orihime, wake up!"
"Ichigo…" she said weakly. She looked at him with relief in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're here. Is Tatsuki all right?" Ichigo's face fell. Orihime didn't understand at first. But she soon figured it out. "No…"
-o-
The master of Hell sat in his throne of human bone, flanked by his two top servants, awaiting the return of Wrath and Pride. He was patient enough to wait two days, but he wanted the extra assurance toward his victory. Soon, two pillars of fire appeared in his throne room, just twenty feet away from his seat. Wrath and Pride stood with Tatsuki Arisawa on the latter's shoulder.
"Welcome back," Lucifer said calmly. "I have been waiting for you two. And I see your mission was a success, if a little belated."
"Forgive us, my liege," Pride said as he bowed. "Wrath failed yet again to control his temper."
"What was that, buzz cut!?" Wrath shouted back at the other Sin.
"Silence!" said the woman who stood to Lucifer's left side. "Do you wish to be replaced yet again, Ares?"
Wrath sneered in distaste. "Don't remind me about that. I still owe that bastard Kenpachi an old-fashioned ass-whooping."
"You will have your opportunity soon enough, Wrath," Lucifer said as he stood from his throne. He walked down towards Pride, who set Tatsuki down on the floor. "When she awakens, she shall be our ultimate weapon. And soon, God Himself will fall."
-o-
I'm afraid that I just might end up in hell for that last line. Oh well. That just means that I'll be able to personally kick Satan's ass :)
