Chapter 7: The Invasion Begins

Bursting from the sand, both Ichigo and Ganju spat out what felt like a mountain of sand. Slowly emerging, they coughed and gagged at the nasty taste left behind.

"We're safe, thanks to your weird spell," Ichigo managed to say, spitting again. When Ganju continued to gag, Ichigo scowled. "How long are you gonna choke on your own spell?!" he demanded, kicking him hard in the back. Ganju overbalanced, landing face first back in the sand.

"Dammit!" he reared up, throwing sand everywhere. "You sure got balls to be kickin' the man who saved your life!" Ganju snarled, grabbing Ichigo by his kosode.

"My ass!" Ichigo scoffed. "I never said you saved me!" the two began to argue once again.

"I just said-"

"Aw, there's only two here?" they froze at the whine, female in tone and a little childish. "How boring," she complained.

"Boring? You crazy, Natsuki?" Ichigo turned slowly to see three Shinigami on the roof beside them. Two men leapt down to stand on the path; one with a shaved head, and the other with black hair with what looked like feathers attached to his eyelashes. The third Shinigami; the woman who had spoken before, remained sitting on the roof above, her blonde hair cut just above her shoulders. "This is lucky! Some Ryoka landing right by us, it's lucky!" the woman giggled as he started dancing, chanting lucky as the two Ryoka stared at him.

"Huh?" Ichigo wasn't too sure what to make of this strange Shinigami, who stopped, staring at them.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he roared furiously. "Here I am dancing the Luck-Luck dance, waiting for you bastards to crawl out of there! What the hell are you standing there stupefied for?!" he demanded.

"What's with him?" Ichigo muttered as he continued to rant.

"Oi, we should take our chance and run," Ganju hissed at him, and Ichigo turned to him, his eyes going wide.

"Run?!" he repeated incredulously. "In this situation? What the hell are you talking about?!" Ichigo demanded.

"Don't be stupid! Can't you sense their Reiatsu?! They're nothing like ordinary weakling Shini-"

"Are you two gonna gossip all day?" they were interrupted by the woman again, whose head was in her hand.

"They're probably so afraid of us they can't stand it," the third Shinigami finally spoke, and Ichigo glanced around with his usual scowl.

"Like I said, boring. Ikka here is giving you the chance to crawl out of that sand pit you're playing in," Ichigo watched the strange young woman, who was watching him with a curious expression. "Because otherwise someone else is gonna find you, and Ikka won't get his fight," she shrugged with a smile.

"True..." the bald Shinigami crouched beside them nodded in agreement. "Alright!" he straightened up with a cheer. "Then I'll set a time limit. I'm so nice!" he declared.

"I'm gonna run," Ganju decided in a hushed voice. "If you wanna fight, do it alone!" he declared, and took off as the Shinigami was mid sentence.

"Huh?" they watched Ganju run off. "What happened? You two break up?" the dancing Shinigami asked.

"Something like that," Ichigo sighed. Hearing laughter, he looked up at the woman, who had her arms around her stomach.

"He ran off! What a wimp! He had the balls to break into the Seireitei, and he just runs away!" she laughed hard, before sobering and getting to her feet. "Ikka clearly claimed the carrot-top, do you want the other?" she asked the black haired man.

"How kind of you to offer. I shall graciously accept," he flicked his hair from his face, and leapt over Ichigo's head. Ichigo glanced around, watching him chase his unwilling companion.

"Enjoy, Ikka, I want to see how far the wimp gets," Natsuki winked as she got to her feet. "Have fun you two," she winked, and leapt into the air, leaving the 3rd seat to fight the Ryoka. He watched her leave, before focusing on his own opponent.

The lights had long since faded, but the alarms were still going as Shinigami in the Seireitei mobilised and hunted for the Ryoka. Leaning against the wall, Kirara peered out the window, hoping for some sign of what was going on.

"It's so frustrating. I was weak before, and now I'm completely helpless," she sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she looked down to see a dark haired figure slowly approach the two guards. "The kid..." Kirara murmured, watching as he shuffled, before turning, clearly told to leave. Kirara couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry kid. I didn't mean for you to get attached," she murmured, a sad smile on her face.

'Yet you got just as attached to him,' Kokoro no Kage commented. Kirara gave another soft laugh.

"I did," she saw no point in lying to him. "How can I help it? He's family," she watched until he'd disappeared from sight, before her smile faded. "Ichigo, you idiot. Just go home, please," she stared up at the tower that kept going, with winding stairs on the inside. "I can't always be saved," her voice shook at those words and she slumped over onto her side, closing her eyes.

Natsuki heard the other Ryoka shriek as he kept running, and she easily caught up, running along the wall. Keeping just behind Yumichika, she watched as the Ryoka cast a Kido to break a hole through the wall. "Huh. He's heading right for that hole. Idiot. Wonder just what-" she stopped, feeling a flicker of Reiatsu. Skidding to a stop, she looked around, her amber eyes scanning for the third Ryoka. "Five lights came from that thing, and those two Ryoka were one of them. How many have actually gotten in?" Natsuki wondered. "And why?" she shook her head, barely registering the explosion that came from the direction Yumichika had been chasing the larger Ryoka in.

Nearby, she felt Ikkaku's Reiatsu flare as he fought the orange-haired boy, but no sign of the other Reiatsu. "That signature, I think...I know it," she mumbled. "But how? And where'd it go?" she wondered, continuing to look around. She stiffened as she felt a sudden presence behind her, but before she could react, a hand clamped over her mouth and she was hauled off the wall with a squeal. The next thing she knew, she was being slammed against a wall in an alleyway. "What the-" she stopped as she looked up, her eyes wide. "No..." she whispered.

"Where's she being kept, Hamasaki?" Shinji demanded of the Shinigami who had always been by Kirara's side a century ago.

"You...you can't be-" with a roll of his eyes, Shinji covered her mouth again and pulled her farther away from the light as several Shinigami ran past, calling out to one another.

"We got a powerful one this way! Fighting the third seat, that'll be good to see!" they laughed as Natsuki recognised the unseated officers of her Squad. She struggled, but the former Captain's gasp was too strong. When the other Shinigami were gone, she relaxed in his grasp. Watching her carefully, Shinji lowered his hand and kept her restrained.

"Stop babbling and tell me what I want to know," his voice was low and purposely flat, but Natsuki could hear the inflections of his irritation and worry. She took a moment to take in the former 5th Division Captain, whose blond hair was cut much shorter, and he wore clothes from the World of the Living, just like Kirara.

"I..." Natsuki paused and shook her head. "You're the Ryoka? Are you-"

"Hamasaki, just answer the damn question," Shinji growled, in no mood for her words. "Where is Kirara being kept?" he asked again.

"I can't, she's..." Natsuki turned her head away, unable to say it aloud.

"She's what? A criminal?" Shinji asked her quietly, aware that he was on very limited time. "She's your best friend, and don't tell me that she's not when you have that sad-ass look on your face," he said. Nearby, they heard a loud explosion, and Natsuki couldn't help but note that it came from the direction that Yumichika had chased one of the Ryoka in. She then felt Ikkaku's Reiatsu pulse again, before fading almost to the point of vanishing.

"Yumi...Ikka..." she murmured, wondering just who the two other Ryoka were, that they could hold their own against – or in the case of the orange-haired boy in Shinigami garb, defeat, the two powerful Shinigami of Squad 11.

"Hamasaki, I don't have the time for this," Shinji brought her back to the matter at hand.

"The tower," Natsuki finally blurted out, her eyes closed. "She's being kept in the Shine of Penitence to be executed on Soguyoku Hill," her voice shook as she said it aloud.

"Thank you," Shinji finally released her and took a step back.

"Wait!" as he went to leave, Natsuki found her voice.

"I'm not here to catch up, Hamasaki," he said as she went to speak again.

"You're as bad as her," he glanced around, a little surprised by the anger in her voice, and found tears in the girl's eyes. "She won't talk to me, or Captain Aizen, or anyone," Natsuki didn't notice the rapid change in his behaviour as he turned away quickly, his fist clenching at the name. "Let me help you," she pleaded. "I don't know what happened, but I know she doesn't deserve to be killed for this. Please," Natsuki pleaded.

"No," the tears spilled down Natsuki's face. "This is a dangerous enough mission. I'm not having Shinigami against Shinigami. I admire your intentions, but I just can't trust you," with that, he was gone, moving too quickly for Natsuki to even think about following.

Shaky, Natsuki took a step and collapsed on her knees, falling forwards to brace herself on her hands. So many questions went through her mind, each spiralling out to form even more questions. To come face-to-face with the former Captain, clearly intent on saving Kirara, giving as little away as her friend, was overwhelming Natsuki. And she wasn't stupid. Even if he hadn't straight up told her he didn't trust her, she could see it in his eyes. Same as Kirara.

"What happened a century ago to make you hate us?" Natsuki whispered, before feeling another pulse of Reiatsu. Her eyes widened. She recognised that signature well. "Hanataro!" she was on her feet and sprinting towards the young 4th Squad member, who was like family to her.

It took a lot to get to Shinji. He prided himself on his control. At least, when Kirara wasn't involved. That woman somehow managed to obliterate his patience with one defiant look. But when she wasn't involved, he was a lot more controlled in his reactions.

But Ichigo Kurosaki was pushing him more and more and he was just about ready to send the boy back to Urahara and continue the mission alone.

"I'm Hanataro Yamada," the black haired Shinigami from the 4th division bowed politely to Ichigo, Ganju and Shinji, but they didn't even register what he was saying.

"Are you crazy, bringing him here?" Shinji demanded of the pair of idiots he was unfortunate enough to be stuck with on the rescue mission.

"And aren't you supposed to be our enemy?" Ganju barely even acknowledged him, glancing to the boy instead. Shinji inhaled slowly, trying not to freak out on the Shiba. "What're you calmly introducing yourself for?" he demanded. The boy blinked at him.

"Oh...I suppose you're right," Hanataro murmured.

"What did you bring him for?" Ichigo demanded to Ganju.

"What could I do?" Ganju shrugged. "He was next to me, so I just brought him without thinking!" he defended.

"You brought a Shinigami with you, you idiot," Shinji shook his head. "He's not your ally, he's one of them," he pointed out.

"Exactly! Do you pick up everything off the ground if it's beside you?!" Ichigo demanded loudly, and he and Ganju began to argue again loudly.

"Would you two shut up?" Shinji spoke up, growing tired of their constant arguing.

"Please, don't argue over me," Hanataro pleaded.

"Who said we're arguing over you?!" the two roared at him, taking him by surprise.

"But if you raise your voices, they'll find us!" they immediately shut up, realising he was right. They were hidden in a small storage room, away from sight, but if they kept up their yelling, anyone outside would hear.

"We have to get to the Shrine of Penitence, but we need to find the best way to get there," Shinji took a seat beside the two. "Everyone will be looking for us. Particularly Squad 11, since you idiots gave two of their high-ranking members a beating," he shot the pair, who were covered in blood and bruises, irritated looks.

"The Shrine...of Penitence?" Ichigo and Ganju glanced around at Hanataro again. "You're after that prisoner, the woman, right?" they paused as he spoke, and Shinji sighed.

"This is exactly why you shouldn't have brought him here, he'll-" he finally looked at the boy properly, and paused, his grey eyes narrowing. "What was your name again?" he asked.

"O-oh! Hanataro, Hanataro Yamada," Shinji and Ichigo both froze at the introduction.

"Yamada?" Ichigo repeated as Shinji stood. He was in front of the young Shinigami in an instant, gripping him by the collar. Hanataro squeaked in fear as he was hauled forwards as the stranger stared at him intently, before sighing heavily.

"You idiots. Of all the damn Shinigami you could find," Shinji snapped as he turned to the pair. Hanataro's eyes grew even wider, not understanding. "We haven't much time to get Kirara out before her execution, so I suggest we leave-"

"Hana!" the door burst open and Hanataro squealed again, before he was enveloped in a hug. "Are you okay? I sensed your Reiatsu near the Ryoka and..." Natsuki paused as she realised they weren't alone.

"You!" Ichigo and Ganju exclaimed. Natsuki quickly got to her feet and drew her Zanpakuto, only for another sword to slam against hers as she went to move. Shinji disarmed her in two quick moves, shoving her in and slamming the door shut again.

"I'm really starting to get annoyed here," he commented in a low voice as Natsuki kept Hanataro shielded behind her, her eyes on Shinji's drawn sword. "You take him and go. We have to-"

"Natsuki," Shinji twitched as Hanataro interrupted him. "Why didn't you tell me?" Natsuki frowned at his words.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not understanding.

"I mean, why didn't you tell me that the prisoner was my sister?!" Ichigo and Ganju stared in alarm as the timid boy raised his voice. Natsuki turned to him properly. "I told you I was the one cleaning her cell and bringing her meals, and you never said who she really was!" he exclaimed, tears in his eyes that were very similar to Kirara's.

"Hana..." Natsuki watched him sadly. "I never told you because it didn't seem right for you to meet her when she's a prisoner," she shook her head. Hanataro was silent for a moment, before looking past her, to Ichigo.

"I...I know a way. A passage to the tower," he told the boy, whose eyes widened.

Did you expect the extra companion joining? I wanted to change up the arc as much as possible and this was something I couldn't help but add in. Let me know your thoughts on it!

Please review!