Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I merely own Asuna.
OMG! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while, but no worry, I will not become an author who abandons her stories. I have not forgotten and all though this chapter is a little short, I promise that the next upcoming chapters will be a little longer. Also my time has been limited due since I have been busy writing a Transformers Fanfiction.
Hmm and I was wondering how the reunion between Asuna and Daddy dearest should go. Hmm, she could stay behind and create a diversion for Ichigo and them to get away when Lieutenant Kira arrives or I could let them reunite when Ichigo goes to save Rukia on the bridge?
Decisions. Decisions.
I thank to each and everyone who has read, followed and favorited Misguided Angel. I appreciate it greatly and on with my reviewers.
MysticalNyla: I am sorry for never thanking you directly. I am glad you find this story interesting and hope it would be so in the future.
Guest: Thank you for the wonderful review. You know who you are and I will try to keep it amazing as possible.
Howl for the rising moon: I have to say this. I love your name, its unique ^_^ And thank you. I hope you continue to find it amazing.
Well that's all. Thanks for the support and now I present to you another Chapter.
It seemed as though the hidden way Hanatarō was talking about was the sewer system beneath the Seireiti, and Asuna had to admit she would have never thought about it.
"Heh," Ganju scoffed at the back. "I have to admit, I would have never thought to using the Sewer System." He admitted as Hanatarō nodded his head.
"Yes since it runs under ground through out the Seireitei, we can use it to go any place safely without running into any trouble." He informed as Asuna sighed and glanced around, her eyebrows furrowed together.
"I don't get why something so big is kept a secret from everyone." Ganju inquired. "It wasn't even hid very well under that flagstone."
Hanatarō glanced at Ganju, "Everyone knows that it exist. But they don't use it. No one will ever think about looking for us down here."
Ichigo stared at the boy's head. "How do you know that?" He questioned and Asuna nodded.
"Only a small Squad Four Release and Aid workers, happen to know the layout of these tunnels. So besides me, there aren't many people who know their way around down here."
"Oh I get it. You Squad Four guys have to know your way around these tunnels cause' its a supply round for delivery and aid to different units." Ganju observed as Hanatarō laughed nervously.
"Well," he stopped and rubbed the back of his head. "Its not so much a supply route but rather that we're the ones who have to keep these tunnels cleaned up."
Asuna sighed as she stared at Hanatarō with utter respect. "Oh that's a bummer," she stated placing her hands on her hips. "It seems as though Squad Four ends up with more than its shares of demional chores." She exclaimed and Hanatarō nodded.
"Yes that's right." Ganju stared at Hanatarō over Ichigo's shoulder.
"You know. It actually got me feeling a little sorry for these Squad Four losers." He admitted and Asuna glared at him.
Hanatarō smiled. "Oh but it isn't all that bad. There are some advantages too." He laughed nervously and began walking again, Asuna's eyebrows furrowed together when she noticed that Ichigo wasn't following.
"Hanatarō," Ichigo called and the boy stopped in his tracks. "Why are you doing this for us? Why should our mission be any of your concern?" Her eyes widened and she stared at the orange haired boy. "After all we're still your enemies and instead of the white tower, you could be leading us in a trap." He finished.
"Ichigo," Asuna warned lightly under her breath.
"Before we follow you any further, I wanna know why your helping us?" Ichigo inquired and seconds of silence seemed to pass.
"I know more about you than you think," Hanatarō stared. "From listening to Rukia; she talked a lot about Ichigo Kurosaki." It seems as this new piece of information had said boy's eyes widening.
Hanatarō turned towards them. "Please save her. You've got to," he turned around completely and stared at Asuna, Ganju and Ichigo "Please save Miss Rukia!"
Ichigo stared at him for a moment and sighed. "Let's go. We don't have time to waste." He informed and Asuna merely huffed in her breath, her fists clenching beside her and turned around, following silently beside Hanatarō.
Placing her hands behind her back, she closed her eyes, thoughts merely occupying her head as Hanatarō informed them off what happened to Rukia after she was captured.
It bothered her that she still couldn't manage to remember anything from her past, and not even hearing Rukia's name triggered anything. Not even the mention of the Squad Six Captain who shared the same last name as her seemed to trigger something.
She found herself leaning against the wall as Ichigo, Ganju and Hanatarō sat down to catch their breaths, Ganju and Ichigo listening intently as the boy continued to tell tales from his time with Rukia.
"She told me a lot about the World of the Living. But most of all the stories Rukia told me had one thing in common. It seems she always mentioned this one person in particular. Until one day," Hanatarō sighed as Ichigo stared intently at him.
"An official execution order came for her." Hanatarō sighed as he seemed to remember the flashback of Captain Kuchiki informing about Rukia of her execution. "She sounded so sad when she said those words."
Ganju stared off in the distance. "Sounds like this Rukia is one strange, Soul Reaper. Don't you think?" He inquired as Asuna opened her eyes and turned towards the three.
"Yeah, she's something else." Ichigo said before standing up, gaining the attention of both Hanatarō and Ganju. "And that's why we're going to rescue her."
Hanatarō peeked around the flagstone, making sure the coast was clear. "Okay. The coast is clear. You three can come up now." He informed as he opened the flagstone. "This is the closest opening to the white tower."
"You can go first, Asuna." Ichigo replied and said girl smiled lightly before pushing herself out, inhaling the fresh air around her she couldn't help but smile.
"Ah nothing beats fresh air after being in a sywer for who knows how long." She commented glancing around, noticing that the area they were in was surrounded in some kind mist she guessed.
"There it is," Hanatarō informed as he pointed upwards and Asuna glanced at the direction. "That's the White Tower." Ichigo and Ganju finally climbed out.
"That might be the closest sywer opening but wow!. We still gotta a long way to go." Asuna mumbled rubbing her neck.
Ganju nodded his head. "You know I got a bad feeling this isn't going to be an easy job." He admitted and Asuna nodded her head.
"The mist is starting to clear. Time to move." He said before the four started moving towards the stairs. As they walked through the mist, Asuna's hand shot forward and she pulled Ichigo back, halting everyone else.
"There's someone at the stairs." She warned them and soon enough the mist cleared a little to show the outline of someone standing on the stairs as she predicted.
She managed to catch a glimpse of long crimson hair tied back into a high ponytail and what looked to be somesort of headgear, from the looks of it, expensive glasses.
"Its been a while," the man informed as he pulled off the glasses. "I wonder if you still remember my face?" Ichigo's eyebrows pushed together.
"Oh you'll be gone and forgotten soon enough." Ichigo replied. "But first I've got a whole mount of payback I got to extract from you. Renji Abarai." He finished as Asuna stood quietly beside her orange haired friend, watching intently as the man named Renji descended from the stairs.
"You've not only remembered my face but my name as well. Your full of surprises." Renji grinned towards Ichigo.
"Thanks for the compliment." Ichigo thanked as Asuna stood aside and frowned.
"Whoa," Ganju muttered behind her. "Who is this guy? His spiritual pressure is on a completely different level from those guys we were tangling with before." He questioned as Asuna glanced back seeing the pale expression on Hanatarō's face.
"N-no. It can't be," she frowned. "That's Renji Abarai. He's the Lieutenant of Squad Six." Her eyes widened and she whirled around, watching as Renji approached them.
"I must admit, I'm surprised to see you. I was certain you would be a dead man after I saw how Captain Kuchiki attack you like that?" She narrowed her eyes and her hand shot forward, grasping around Ichigo's wrist as he took a step towards Renji.
"Wait Ichigo," he flickered his gaze towards her. "Please think about this. He's a Lieutenant, you shouldn't be rushing into things like this." From the determined look he gave her, she sighed and let go of his wrist.
"I don't know how you ever managed to survive that," Renji confessed. "But it seems as though there is more to you than I first believed." The two continued to approach one another and Asuna's eyes widened when the crimson haired Soul Reaper drew his zanpakutō. "But as I told you, I'm going to kill the one who stole Rukia's powers, so this is as far as you go."
"Ichigo! You idiot, think about what your doing?" Asuna yelled as he went to draw his own zanpakutō.
"Because as long as your still alive, Rukia can never regain her powers!" With that the crimson haired Lieutenant rushed towards Ichigo, said boy doing the same.
"What do you care about that when you just sentenced her to death!" Ichigo fully drew Zangetsu from his back and sprinted towards Renji. "I'm going to cut you to pieces!"
Asuna glanced at the two behind her. "I think it's best if we stay clear from this fight." She confessed and turned back towards the crimson haired Soul Reaper and her orange haired friend. "He's got this."
The two finally clashed together, a determined look on both their faces. Both a look that made Asuna shiver lightly. "Now he's doomed!" Ganju exclaimed once Renji and Ichigo clashed once again. "No matter how strong Ichigo might have become, there's no way he can hope to defeat a Lieutenant."
Asuna rolled her eyes. "You have no faith," she muttered. "Its extremely bothersome. And look," she pointed towards the two that were focused on their battle. "I wouldn't bet any money just yet."
Hanatarō nodded. "Yeah I mean take another look. Somethings happening." He informed and the two bickering stopped and turned around, their eyes widening when they saw Ichigo parrying all Renji's attacks and with overwhelimg strength, managed to push Renji across the field and slamming him into a wall.
"Oh wow! Ichigo just pinned Lieutenant Abarai against the wall," Hanatarō said in awe. "Ganju, this Ichigo guy, what kind of a human being is he?" He inquired and Ganju stared on wide-eyed.
"Watching this fight I'm beginning to wonder that myself." He confessed and Asuna merely grinned placing her hands on her hips, silently cheering Ichigo on.
"So tell me the truth, Ichigo." Renji pushed Ichigo slightly away. "Do you actually believe that you will be able to rescue Rukia?"
Ichigo stared at him in determination. "I do." He confessed and Asuna smiled lightly.
"And even if you do manage to defeat me, there are still eleven more Lieutenants left! And then of course above them," he pushed against Zangetsu. "-are thirteen full fledged Captains. You will have to utterly defeat every single one of us to even have a chance of reaching the Tower. You can't possibly believe that you can pull that off."
Ichigo leaned forward, adding more pressure on Zangetsu. "I don't care about the odds. I don't care about how many Captains or Lieutenants there are. I'll defeat them all. Everyone one of them! I'll defeat anyone who makes the mistake of getting into my way."
Renji stared at him. "Where did that all come from? You know this confidence of yours borders on the insane. Such a quality would almost be admirable if it weren't so irrational. So your zanpakutō was changed huh," the crimson haired Soul Reaper inquired. "Its a mistake to think your stronger just because of that."
Asuna's hands clenched beside her as she wathced on with anticipation but gasped out when Renji sent Ichigo flying backwards. "Now, Roar Zabimaru!" Her eyes widened when the crimson haired Soul Reaper activated his Shikai.
"Ichigo! Watch out." She watched with horror as Zabimaru extended, heading towards Ichigo with quickening speed. The said boy's eyes widened as he went to block the attack but found himself unable to as he was pushed back.
"Move!" Asuna commanded and the two behind her quickly complied and ran out the way just in time as Ichigo went crashing through the wall. "Ichigo!"
Following the movement of Zabimaru, she watched as the blade retracted back towards its owner. "You seem to think just because you've fought me once before back there in the World of the Living that now you know my true power, well let me tell you something you amatuer," Renji growled out as he advanced forward.
"Whenever a Captain or Lieutenant ranked Soul Reapers are sent outside, severe limits are placed on our powers, so that we won't inadvertently affect the World of the Living. My strength right now is five times stronger than the first day we met. So no matter how confident you are or how strong you've become, there's still no way you can defeat me." He stated and Asuna glowered.
Moments seemed to pass before Ichigo's voice was heard. "I see. If that attack was suppose to be at your strongest,-" Ichigo stated as he stepped out from the destroyed wall.
"If so, that didn't have any affect on me at all. So thank you. If all I have to worry about is eleven more like that one, then I think I'm going to be just fine, Renji." Ichigo confessed and Asuna merely stared on with wide-eyes as she noticed blood dripping from his forehead.
"I'm going to enjoy this." Renji stated with a grin, and Asuna could only hope that her orange haired friend would make it out alive.