• • •
"Good; everyone is here." Yoruichi noted, nodding her cat head in acknowledgement as Ichigo and Ishida joined us. We were waiting outside. Dawn was fast approaching, that would be our signal to leave.
"Yes," Ishida answered, puffing himself up a bit to appear taller. I rolled my eyes at his behavior. Yoruichi wasn't that scary in cat form. Just wait until they got to see what she really looked like.
Ichigo blinked in confusion, bringing a hand up so he could point at the cat. "Yoruichi-San, why is your tail in a zigzag shape all of a sudden?"
As if on cue, every one of us whipped our heads towards Ichigo. Our jaws were dropped and eyes wide in horror. He really did have no recollection of last night!
"You…got a problem with that?!" Yoruichi seethed, a dangerous aura surrounding her as she craned her head to the side to glare at Ichigo. He gulped under the searing golden gaze, eyes wide.
"Uh, no…" Ichigo stammered, his hand still up and pointing at Yoruichi. "It's as pretty as ever..!"
Ishida quickly dragged Ichigo back a few steps, away from the clearly still fuming Yoruichi. "Idiot," The archer hissed. "You're the one who did that!"
"I did?" Ichigo whispered back, looking clueless.
"After your cannonball exploded, Yoruichi-San was going to explain our plan for when we infiltrate the Seireitei. Then all of a sudden you fell asleep! While you slept you grabbed Yoruichi-San's tail and wouldn't let go! Everyone worked together to make you let go, but the tail has looked like that since… I suggest that you avoid the subject altogether…"
"I…I understand…" The strawberry murmured, watching Yoruichi walk away. Her zigzag tail bobbing with the movement.
"Hey!" Kukaku called, bored. "What's Ganju doing?"
Ichigo shrugged, placing his hands on his hips as he looked away from the elder Shiba sibling. "Don't know. He was reading something downstairs…"
"Hold on a minute!"
Speak of the devil and he shall appear, huh?
"The heroes…always arrive a little later!" Ganju proudly stated, winking.
"…What are you wearing?" Ichigo asked incredulously, eyebrows narrowing.
Ganju grinned, gesturing to himself with his thumb. "This is my special battle suit! Cool, huh? No matter how much you beg, I won't let you try it on! Serves you right!"
"Battle suit?" I questioned, curiously blinking. Did that mean he was coming with us?
"Yeah, why are you wearing a battle suit? Aren't you just coming to see us off?" Ichigo asked.
Everyone was silent for a few moments as Ganju's eyes narrowed as he looked at the grass. After that, he stomped towards Ichigo and grabbed a fistful of his Shihakusho.
"My Onii-San was… killed in cold blood by Shinigami!" Ganju ground out, his face close to Ichigo's. I heard the echoing gasps of everyone else at the accusation Ganju's words possessed.
It wasn't that surprising if you thought about it, actually. During the past couple of months I had learned more about the Soul Society than I would have liked to know. Remember what they did to those Mod-Souls? What they did to the Quincy? It would explain why Ganju was the self-proclaimed Shinigami hater in the district.
"Ganju, shut-!" Kukaku began to yell, rising to her feet as she glared at her younger brother.
"Nee-Chan, don't interrupt me. Just listen!" Ganju asserted, successfully causing Kukaku to freeze in shock. "My Onii-San was a genius. He passed the entrance exam for the Shinigami Academy in one try. His reiatsu was at level six, at par with the Fukutaicho of the 13th Division. Then he finished the six year curriculum in just two years and became an official Shinigami. Five years later he became a Fukutaicho. But then he was killed; betrayed by his Shinigami partner!"
I gasped, eyes widening.
A Fukutaicho was killed by his partner? Did that mean that someone in his division, the 13th Division no less, killed him? It would have had to have been someone under him… Ukitake-Taicho wouldn't have killed him!
Then… Did that mean that Ganju's older brother was the last Fukutaicho of my division? I don't think that Ukitake-Taicho has ever seen anyone else capable of filling the spot after his last Fukutaicho…
Was that the elder Shiba sibling?
"I was young and I don't know all the details, but… there are two things that I will never forget! The cold eyes of that Shinigami that brought my dying Onii-San back, and… the smiling face of my Onii-San as he thanked the Shinigami." Ganju paused, looking down for a fraction of a second before looking into Ichigo's eyes with determination. "…I don't know why, but… not once did my Onii-San speak out in hatred against Shinigami! I want to know the reason why he never hated Shinigami! The reason why he believed in Shinigami even in death!"
Well, I thought that the reason was obvious; he was a Fukutaicho. He was committed to his Division and the Soul Society. I'd never heard of a Taicho or Fukutaicho betraying the Soul Society. They were its fiercest protectors.
Ganju's eyes narrowed, tugging Ichigo even closer. "You are different from other Shinigami! I can feel it! Both of you!" His eyes flickered to me for a moment, before moving back to Ichigo. "If I go with you guys, I know I will discover the reasons! So I will lend you a hand on this one! I will see with my own eyes what Shinigami are like!"
"Ganju-Kun…" Orihime murmured, eyes wide and watering from his touching story. She wasn't the only one that was touched; Ganju's fellow gang members were all crying, as were Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko.
"Hah," Kukaku scoffed, resting her forearms on her crossed legs. "It seems like you've made up your mind… Just don't run away mid-way, brat!" Her smirk stretched across her features, giving her a feral look. "If you want to do it, give it everything you've got!"
"Yeah!" Ganju exclaimed, pumped up.
Ichigo skillfully karate chopped Ganju's wrist, causing the other man to drop his hold on his Shihakusho. Surprisingly, Ichigo reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Ganju's shirt, tugging him close.
Looking down at him, Ichigo's eyebrows narrowed in his signature scowl. "Watch my back."
Ganju scoffed, eyes narrowing. "Why you..!"
"Is everyone ready?!" Kukaku called out, smirking as she turned away from us. Looking back over her shoulder she called out, "I'm not waiting any longer, brats! Ready?"
"Let's go!" I cheered, pumping my fist in the air as I looked straight ahead at the cannon with determination etched on my eyes.
We would save Rukia; I'd make sure of it.
But, I'd also make sure that I found some answers about the previous Fukutaicho of my Division. Who had killed him and why? And more importantly, was he really Ganju's elder brother? A Shiba?
"Huh?" Ichigo asked, drawing my attention as he looked down at the spirit core that he had probably just been handed not too long ago. "Uh, are we going to be using the same orb to make a cannonball? We trained like our lives were on the line to finally succeed in the end…"
"Only you trained so hard, Ichigo." I stated, grinning up at the strawberry as he glared down at me.
"Anyways, Yoruichi-San, can you even do it?" Ichigo asked, looking down at the small black cat.
"You don't have to worry about that," Yoruichi said, looking up at the spirit core in his hands. "Oi, just put it on the ground."
Ichigo was quick to comply, probably still remembering that Yoruichi might not have fully forgiven him yet for messing up her tail. As soon as the orb touched the grass, Yoruichi nimbly jumped on top of the core. Not even a second later, a perfect cannonball was formed. Yoruichi was floating on the ball in the middle of the air, nodding in satisfaction.
"As I thought, it's as natural as breathing for me." Yoruichi stated, before sticking her nose up in the air in smug accomplishment as her golden eyes spotted Ichigo down on his hands and knees. He was the perfect example of woe. "Are you disappointed? Do you feel more inferior?! You trained 'like your life was on the line' to do it and I just did it without even trying. Did that make you feel inferior? Fufufu!"
I bit my lip, grinning. "Yoruichi, while I can empathize with you wanting to make Ichigo feel inferior, I'd have to suggest that you don't do it now. Not with us about to fly into the Seireitei. We can't have him depressed and suicidal, can we?"
"Oh, I suppose not." Yoruichi replied, the cat shrugging her shoulders. "I can always tease him about it later."
"There, much better." I nodded, grinning.
"You're not helping!" Ichigo exclaimed, jumping to his feet and pointing an accusing finger down at me. "You shouldn't be talking; you didn't even practice either!"
Shrugging, I crossed my arms. "Of course I didn't. Like what Yoruichi just said, it comes as natural as breathing. Remember, I told you I was much better at Kido than anything else. That's the basis of all Kido."
Ichigo looked thoughtful for a moment. "So that's how you heal people? Using that technique?"
"Yeah," I nodded, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. "Why are you asking?"
"No reason. I just didn't know it was that difficult."
"I know; you'd probably never get the hang of it." I teased, smirking up at him.
"Hey! Get inside, all of you!" Kukaku called out, "I'm going to begin!"
• • •
We were all sealed within the large canon. It was bigger inside than I originally thought it would be; we were all able to fit with ample room. Although we were kind of crowded together in the center, almost standing shoulder to shoulder so we could all reach to touch the spirit core.
"Everyone, listen." Yoruichi commanded, her eyes shining up at us from her perch on top of the spirit core. "Don't wander off by yourselves after we're in. If you encounter a Taicho, run! You won't have a hope of winning. Our objective is to rescue Rukia. That's all. Do not, I repeat, do not take any unnecessary risks!"
It was quiet as we took in her words, imprinting them into our minds.
No unnecessary risks.
Rukia comes first.
My eyes traveled across everyone while we were waiting for the signal. Orihime was on my right side, looking pretty nervous. Next to her was Ishida. Next to him was Chad, who looked calm and stoic as ever. Ganju was next to Chad. Ichigo was to my left, my shoulder brushing against his upper arm.
"There! The red bronze desire demands thirty-six degrees of adjustment!" Kukaku's voice rang out, faintly echoing inside of the cannon that we were standing in.
Yoruichi's eyes widened, "It has begun! Pour in your energy!"
All of our poured our energy into the spirit core, watching as it stretched and expanded to form the protective cannonball around us.
"Seventy-two pairs of illusions. Thirteen pairs of whistles. The right hand of the monkey…grasps the stars! Embracing twenty-five suns, the cradle of sand is bleeding. Kakaku Style Version Two! Kagizaki!"
With a boom, we were slung into the air. When I opened my eyes, which had closed at the loud noise, I saw the ground a great distance away from us; not only that, but we were up in the air, upside down!
"Wow..!" Orihime and I echoed each other, gaping at our view.
"The impact wasn't as great as I thought it'd be…" Ichigo noted, looking down below us as well.
"Heh, idiot!" Ganju sneered, smirking at us. "It has just begun!"
"Huh?" I asked, tilting my head to the side as I leaned over Ichigo so I could get a look at Ganju. "What do you mean?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, the cannonball took a sharp turn. And when I say a sharp turn, I mean a sharp turn; if my angles were right, it looked like we'd shot out at a ninety degree angle!
"WAAAAAHHHH!" Everyone screamed, looking up and watching the clouds whip past us at alarming speeds.
"Che," Ganju scoffed as he pulled a folded scroll from the inside of his shirt. With a grunt, he undid the string holding it tied together with his teeth, letting the scroll unfold so he could read the writing.
"Oi? What are you doing?" Ichigo questioned, turning his head to the side to get a better look at Ganju.
Ganju looked up from the scroll with an irritated look on his face. "This is the 'Follow-Up Incantation!' The Version Two has a two part incantation! The 'initial incantation' decides on the direction, then the follow-up maintains the speed and stability! That way, we'll land right on target! If you want to walk out of this alive, don't bug me!"
"O…Okay…" Ichigo nodded.
"Next… Listen, everyone!" Ganju called out. "To pass through the barrier safely, the cannonball must be kept stable! Thus, we have to regulate everyone's reiatsu emission level uniformly! However, I have to read the incantation, so… I won't be able to focus on my emission. Therefore I need everyone to compensate for me! You should be able to detect any change in my emission level through the orb. Please adjust accordingly! If we mess up, we're screwed! Please be careful!"
"Got it," I nodded, feeling my eyebrows furrow as my eyes shined in concentration. Before my eyes, I could almost see the amount of reiatsu they were releasing.
"Okay." Ishida looked down, concentrating on the spirit core. Needless to say, we'd probably be the best at doing this, so we made it our mission to monitor the energy output. Maybe it was the Quincy in us that made us so adapt at sensing, but we'd put it to good use.
Ganju's eyes shown in determination as he pulled the scroll back so he could read from the beginning. "Kakaku Style…Version Two! Follow-Up Incantation!"
I closed my eyes for a moment, getting a good feel of everyone's reiatsu. Everyone was at different levels; this was going to be a disaster. The levels were all over the place, rapidly changing.
"Fate of the three sparrows, fate of four dragons, no road in five directions, no return in six miles. Wind, gorilla, spoon, cane…"
"Ichigo," I spoke over Ganju's chant, cracking one eye open as I looked up at the strawberry. "You're releasing a bit too much."
"Oh…okay…" Ichigo nodded, meeting my eyes for a second before looking down at his hands resting next to mine on the orb as he tried to lower his reiatsu emission. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and slowly released it. "…Okay…"
"Kurosaki! Lower it some more!" Ishida demanded, glasses glinting in the lighting as he stared across to look at Ichigo.
"I… I know! I'm lowering!"
"Ichigo…" Chad mumbled.
"I said I know!" Ichigo yelled, still trying to lower his output.
"A thousand ashes, a thousand intellects, the sum of white clouds…"
"Kurosaki-Kun… a little more…" Orihime winced, knowing that she was about to get yelled at.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed, glaring at the spirit orb. "I know! I'm trying! Hold on!"
"Tilting toward the yin, away from the fiery red shadows. A thousand ashes, a thousand intellects…"
I sighed, this wasn't going smoothly at all! Ichigo's reiatsu emission was still way off the map compared to everyone else's… And getting him this agitated wasn't helping in the least bit; his reiatsu seemed a bit messier than it was before.
"Damn you! I read the same line twice!" Ganju yelled, leaning over to yell in Ichigo's face. It looked like tears were gathering in his eyes; was it really so bad that he messed up and read the same line twice?
Ichigo bristled, eyebrows narrowing. "Why are you yelling at me?!"
"I lost my concentration because you were yelling and screaming, dumbass!" Ganju accused, glaring at the strawberry.
Orihime meekly looked between the two. "This isn't the time to fight!"
"You both need to calm down; when you get this upset your reiatsu levels increase and become messier. Get a grip on yourselves!" I ordered, sternly gazing up at Ichigo and Ganju, looking between the both of them.
"Inoue-San and Kokawa-San are correct! You both need to stop it." Ishida agreed, narrowing his eyebrows as well.
"Quit it!" I ordered, glaring at them as they continued to glare at each other, foreheads pressed together. They were trying to push one another back, both glaring at the other.
"Hey…" Chad spoke up, eyes widening. "Look outside..!"
"That's the Seireitei!" I exclaimed, eyes widening in recognition.
Everyone braced themselves as we continued to head straight towards the Seireitei. We were getting so close I could make out some of the individual buildings.
"We're going to crash..!" Ishida called out, panicking.
"It's no use!" Yoruichi yelled, "Everyone pour in all your reiatsu! Make the cannonball as hard as possible!"
"Let's do it!" Ichigo yelled in determination, his reiatsu spiking to high levels as he focused on it as best as he could. I nodded in understanding, instantly releasing as much reiatsu as I could at once; although, I knew I needed to save some reiatsu for whatever we'd face once we actually got into the Seireitei.
We watched, counting down the seconds until our cannonball would collide with the protective barrier that spanned over the entire Seireitei. It didn't take long before I could visualize the barrier, our small orb drawing closer with each passing second as it continued to speed towards the Seireitei.
With a large jostle, we collided. I could see the ripples of disturbance; the barrier was trying to either push us away or dissolve our spirit particles like Kukaku had warned. Sparks were literally flying, dancing around us and crackling.
Ichigo grit his teeth, "Go through..!"
Slowly but surely, the orb flitted through the barrier.
However, once we were through, it popped just like a bubble.
I gasped in surprise, trying to catch my breath when I realized that we weren't falling to our death; we were merely just floating in the air. Dense wisps of reiatsu from the spirit orb still surrounded us, which was probably keeping us floating in the air.
"Wha…What's going on?" Ichigo questioned, blinking in surprise as he floated around in the air. "It's good we got through the shield, but why aren't we falling to the ground?"
"Everybody stay together!" Yoruichi ordered, yelling as loud as she could so all of us could hear her. "Right now, the cannonball has hit the shield and is dissolving, and they're only momentarily intertwined."
I looked up at Yoruichi, my eyes widening. "Then that means…"
"Yes," The cat nodded. "Soon it will begin to whirl and form a tornado, then it will burst and be destroyed. If we separate, then we will be sent flying to different directions!"
The sound of rushing wind met my ears, causing me to curse softly. The tornado was beginning to form! The wisps of reiatsu that had surrounded us converged and began to spin around us, just like a real tornado. Not only that, but the wind kicked up and sent us flying around. Even Chad was useless in the violent winds..!
"It's begun!" Yoruichi exclaimed, being spun around by the wind currents.
"Woooo!" Ganju exclaimed, being sucked backward by the winds. "Dammit! I ain't gonna fly away!" And so, he began an awkward swimming motion to try and pull himself out of the current. It worked, and he swam over to Ichigo and hung onto him. "We have to stay together!"
However, when he came into contact with Ichigo, both were knocked down further into the vortex.
Ichigo struggled and kicked, "Wah-! Let me go! Get away from me!"
"Everyone, hold on to the person closest to you!" Yoruichi commanded, her voice full of authority. "Don't ever let go!"
I looked around, trying to see who was closest to me. Chad was a little ways away and Ishida was even further. Orihime was the closest, so we awkwardly maneuvered through the air towards one another.
"Jun-Chan!" Orihime breathed out, a bit relieved that so far we were all okay.
I nodded up at her, grinning. "Don't worry. We'll find a way out of this."
The auburn haired girl nodded, slightly smiling down at me. As my red and black hair fluttered across my eyes, I drew one hand away from my hold on her to push my bangs back behind my ear.
"Sado-Kun is close, we should go towards him!" Orihime suggested.
Nodding, I agreed with her. Chad would be like a huge anchor; I don't think we'd get blown around as much with him around. However, Chad was reaching for Ishida.
Ishida was quickly flying away, soon to be out of our reach. Chad called his name, reaching once more for him. The next thing I knew, Ishida broke through the tornado!
Chad was quick to follow, though. Reaching for the archer, he roughly grabbed onto the front of his Quincy clothing and threw him back up into the vortex. Orihime and I crudely caught him, our hands on his shoulder.
"Chad!" I exclaimed, eyes widening once I saw Chad quickly falling through the air; he was outside of the vortex and was falling quickly.
"Sado-Kun!" Orihime was quick to mimic my call, gasping in horror as we watched him speed away from us.
"Ch…Chad!" I heard Ichigo shout from somewhere behind us. I turned my head, staring up at the strawberry. Yoruichi was on his shoulder, and he had an arm slung around Ganju's neck while he was gripping on the front of his shirt. Ganju also had a hold of the front of Ichigo's Shihakusho.
I grit my teeth, turning around and watching Chad fall towards the Seireitei; he was surrounded by a reddish orange glow. It was probably burning up from the friction of falling from this height.
"Don't worry! He'll find a way to survive!" Yoruichi assured. "Don't mind it! If you want to find him, you have to worry about yourself first!"
"Damn..!" Ichigo cursed, shaking his head.
All of us locked gazes, urging ourselves closer; we needed to stay together. To do so, Orihime, Ishida, and I had to swim towards Ichigo, Ganju, and Yoruichi.
"Jun!" Ichigo called out, stretching his hand out towards me. He grit his teeth at the distance between us, but we were steadily getting closer.
Orihime's grip on my other hand tightened once I reached for Ichigo's outstretched hand.
"Ichigo..!" I yelled, mentally cursing my short arm span.
We were so close..!
Yet, the closer we got, it seemed like the slower we moved towards one another. His fingers were inches away from mine, close to brushing against my own.
I winced, shutting my eyes as a bright light flashed. The already strong winds picked up even more, become more turbulent. I felt Ichigo's hand bump mine for a second, before I was sent flying back. The motion jostled my grip on Orihime's hand, causing our hold to break. Screaming, I was forced away from everyone.