Visitors from Hueco Mundo
Urahara's Shop,
"…", Ryuji sat there in silence as he had his eyes fastened onto Kisuke's face.
"What would you like to have?", Kisuke asked in his funny voice.
"Coffee… and some explanations.", Ryuji said with a straight face.
"I wished you wouldn't say that.", Kisuke told Ryuji with a sigh.
"Wishes don't always come true…", Ryuji replied to Kisuke.
"I won't be able to give you the answers… It's for your father to tell.", Kisuke told Ryuji with a sigh.
"I know… I'm not here to ask about my father. I'm here to ask about these 'Arrancars' ", Ryuji interjected.
"Oh… Shall we wait for the coffee then?", Kisuke sighed and asked with a smile.
"We shall…", Ryuji replied.
A few minutes later,
"Arrancars… A group of hollows trying to attain Shinigami powers by discarding their mask. Most Arrancars don't have intelligence but…", Kisuke began as he took a sip.
"They have begun to evolve… At an un-naturally rapid rate. I assume Aizen and the Hogyoku are the reason for this.", Ryuji noted with a sip of his own.
"You're right on both accounts. At this rate, the Arrancars will evolve more powerful than captains of Soul Society.", Kisuke told Ryuji with a serious expression.
"And Aizen has a whole dimension of hollows to evolve…", Ryuji stated to Kisuke.
"Yes…", Kisuke said with a sigh.
"Knowing Aizen… He would be plotting to kill us right now.", Ryuji stated, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Who?", Kisuke asked Ryuji.
"Me and Ichigo… If Aizen plans to fight Soul Society with these Arrancars, he would want to eliminate his top obstacles, You, Me, and Ichigo. Since you are good at hiding from him, he would have to target us to lure you out… Taking out two stones in one stone.", Ryuji explained to Kisuke.
"Sounds like Aizen.", Kisuke noted with a smile.
"hmph…", Ryuji smirked back at Kisuke.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar Reiatsu signature hit the two men. Not only that… They could also feel the Reiatsu of a Zanpakuto so familiar…
'That's the Reiatsu of Tensa Zangetsu…', Ryuji noted to himself as he got up.
'With two Arrancars!', Kisuke got up with Ryuji as he noted the fact.
Without a word, Ryuji took off before Kisuke, shedding off his human body while Kisuke took off in the other direction at super speed.
On the other side of town,
Ichigo stood in front of the two Arrancars, with him releasing his Bankai. He blocked the punch of the Arrancar in front of him and slashed off his arm.
It was a giant Arrancar with tan skin, a powerful build, and a ridge-lined cranium. He had brown eyes, black hair, long, bushy sideburns, and a thin ponytail reaching his upper back. Aside from this, he was bald having orange eyebrows, and red markings under his eyes. He wore a white jacket, black sash, and a white hakama where his jacket was open.
"Damn you kid!", The Arrancar cursed while having his right arm bleed due to Ichigo cutting it off.
"You can still stand? You're tough, all right.", Ichigo said as he held his Bankai on his shoulder.
"Seems like you're having a hard time. Shall I take over?", The shorter Arrancar standing behind the larger one asked.
It was a slender, yet fairly muscular, male Arrancar of average height with a melancholic appearance. He had fairly short, messy black hair, pale white skin, a black upper lip, and green eyes with small slit-shaped pupils, similar to a cat's. Part of his bangs fell between his eyes, and he had distinctively thick eyebrows. He had teal lines which descended from the lower part of his eyes. He wore a white jacket, black sash, and a white hakama, similar to the larger Arrancar only his jacket has longer coattails than others, and the collar is higher.
"Shut up!", The Arrancar in front of Ichigo yelled before going for the blade on his waist.
"You need to resort to your Zanpakuto for a foe like him?", The shorter Arrancar asked.
"Shut up, damn it!", The larger Arrancar spit back in frustration.
"A Zanpakuto?", Ichigo asked himself.
'So that sword at his waist is a Zanpakuto! A cracked hollow mask… A hole in his chest… A Zanpakuto… As I was heading over here… I thought the Reiatsu felt odd. Who are these two?! Are they like us?! Hirako and me?', Ichigo went in deep thought.
'Switch places!', Hollow Ichigo told Ichigo inside his mind.
'Damn it! He's here!', Ichigo realized as he held his face, trying to keep the mask from forming.
'Kurosaki-kun!', Orihime, who was behind Ichigo, turned around in concern as she felt the change in Ichigo's reiatsu while healing the injured Yasutora Sado.
'Huh?', The larger Arrancar standing behind him also noticed that.
'If you switch with me, I'll take care of this guy!', Hollow Ichigo told Ichigo inside his mind.
'Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away! I'm not your-', Ichigo yelled back to his hollow, struggling to keep himself in the battle.
"Heh…", The larger Arrancar gave out a triumphant smile before kicking Ichigo in the stomach.
"Kurosaki-kun!", Orihime yelled as she began running towards Ichigo.
"Stay back, Inoue!", Ichigo yelled before getting punched by the Arrancar.
"Heh!", The Arrancar then chopped Orihime away.
"Inoue!", Ichigo yelled in concern as he barely stood up.
"Shut up!", The Arrancar yelled as he began bashing Ichigo.
'Damn it! I can't move my body! I deny you… so now you'll get in my way?! Damn it!', Ichigo yelled at his inner hollow while reeling from the impact.
"I don't know what's going on but he suddenly stopped moving!", The larger Arrancar said as he held Ichigo by his skull, who was going to pass out.
"Hey… aren't you a little cocky?", A voice was heard from behind the smaller Arrancar.
'Huh?! He managed to sneak behind me?!', The smaller Arrancar flashed away to the larger one in shock.
"Huh?!", The larger Arrancar turned around to see that it was a boy of the same age as Ichigo only with dark hair.
"Let him go…", Ryuji told the larger Arrancar with his Zanpakuto on his hand.
"What if I don't?", The larger Arrancar asked in arrogance.
"Yammy-", The smaller Arrancar called out to the larger one before noticing Ryuji standing behind them with Ichigo on his shoulder.
"Ulquiorra! Don't distrac- Aaarrggghhh!", Yammy yelled out at the smaller Arrancar before crying out in pain.
'He cut off his arm and saved the target?!', Ulquiorra thought to himself as he saw that Yammy's left arm was now cut off.
"Sorry for being late, Ichigo.", Ryuji apologised to Ichigo as he put down Ichigo.
"R-Ryuji…", Ichigo managed to spell out.
"Don't strain yourself… Leave this to us.", Ryuji said as he felt Kisuke and Yoruichi standing behind him.
"Shall we tend to them?", Kisuke asked Yoruichi before both of them flashed off toward Ichigo and Yammy respectively.
"I'll keep the guy busy…", Ryuji told Kisuke before disappearing and reappearing before Yammy.
"You little!", Yammy yelled out as he opened his mouth to charge up a cero.
"A cero?!", Yoruichi yelled in shock.
"Ryuji!", Ichigo yelled out in concern.
"Hmph!", Ryuji smirked punching Yammy in the gut, making Yammy spit out blood.
'That fool!', Ulquiorra thought to himself as he came to attack Ryuji.
"Hmm…", Ryuji dodged Ulquiorra and flashed off towards Ichigo.
'We can win this…', Yoruichi thought to herself.
"Open Your Eyes, Rai-", Ryuji's call to release his Zanpakuto was interrupted by a voice.
'Hey… You haven't forgotten about me, did you?', Hollow Ryuji asked Ryuji from inside his head.
'What the?!', Ryuji thought to himself, ceasing the release of his Zanpakuto.
'Let me out!', Hollow Ryuji yelled, clawing his way onto Ryuji's body.
'Stay back!', Ryuji yelled inside his head.
'Let me out! I'll tear these two into pieces!', Hollow Ryuji told Ryuji, slowly taking over his left eye.
'NO! Stay away! Stay away! STAY AWAY!', Ryuji yelled back in his mind, forcefully subduing the Hollow.
'You fool!', Hollow Ryuji yelled as its voice disappeared.
'Gah!', Ryuji felt his body go limp as he fell to his knees, with his Reiatu flaring up like crazy.
'Ryuji!', Yoruichi thought as she looked up at Ryuji before feeling pressure from Ryuji's Reiatsu.
'His Reiatsu… Its fluctuation level is off the charts.', Kisuke thought he felt the strain on his bones.
"This Reiatsu! I-It's in a different level!", Yammy said as he fell to his knees.
'His Reiatsu… It's self-destructive… Any more time in this and he will lose control and kill himself… Its lowest is worse than trash but the peak… it's more than... No matter, Reiatsu of this level still won't be a problem for Lord Aizen.', Ulquiorra thought to himself, sweat dripping due to his efforts to stand in the pressure of Ryuji's Reiatsu.
"Kurosaki-san! Please control your Reiatsu! Or all of us will die!", Kisuke yelled to Ryuji, feeling more strain on himself.
"Ryuji! Inoue has already passed out! Any more and I won't be able to protect them!", Yoruichi yelled, struggling under pressure as well.
"Gah! Aaarrrrgggghhhh!", Ryuji yelled out in pain as he got control over his Reiatsu and fell flat in exhaustion.
"He's down! Now's my chan-", Yammy said as he got up to attack them.
"Hmm.", Ulquiorra hit Yammy on the head.
"Ugh! What was that for?!", Yammy groaned in pain before yelling at Ulquiorra for getting hit on the head.
"Fool! The blood's gone to your head, Yammy. These two are Urahara Kisuke and Shihoin Yoruichi. With your power level, you'll never defeat them. Retreat!", Ulquiorra told Yammy before summoning a portal to Hueco Mundo.
"Running away?", Yoruichi asked Ulquiorra.
"That is a foolish taunt. The two of you would fight me while trying to protect trash who are on the verge of death…? Surely, you know the odds are in my favor… Also, the report to lord Aizen will be this… That the two wannabe Shinigami he has his eyes set on are… trash that is not worth killing.", Ulquiorra said as he disappeared with Yammy.
A few days later, at Karakura highschool,
Karakura High has seen a lot of troublesome groups….
From the delinquent student gang of seniors and juniors to the nerdy geeks who come together to discuss topics from classes. But, never has it seen a group like the one that's currently on the School grounds. It consists of five people, 4 boys and 1 girl. One of the boys was a middle-schooler, which he didn't like to be pointed out for.
Who are these five? They are Ayasegawa Yumichika, Madarame Ikkaku, Abarai Renji, Hitsugaya Toshiro and Matsumoto Rangiku. There is no need to mention who is the middle schooler here...XD. The five were making a ruckus as they were moving around the school, carrying Ichigo's body.
You ask why Ichigo was a 'body' here. Well, a wild Rukia appeared and took out Shinigami Ichigo away. So, the remaining five were tasked with guarding Ichigo's body in school. So, they were moving around with Ichigo's body, arguing on the way about things that they thought were important.
Well… they were arguing on the way. Now, they had the company of the delinquent seniors. Why you ask? Well… Blame Lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku for that. It was the way that she had dressed that attracted the attention of these guys.
Rangiku had long and wavy blond hair, blue eyes, full lips, and a beauty mark located under the right side of her mouth. She is well known for her curvaceous figure; of which her most distinctive trait is her very large breasts. She had dressed very provocatively… wearing the school uniform with several buttons undone so that she could reveal her ample bosom.
No wonder those horny seniors couldn't keep it in their pants…
"Hey there… mind if we invite you for karaoke this evening?", The leader of the gang asked Rangiku.
"Oh me… What should I do? Is there booze involved?", Rangiku asked him innocently.
"Mat-su-mo-to!", Toshiro spelled out her name in anger, pissed off at his Lieutenant's tendencies.
"Oh yes… Sure! Anything for you…", The leader replied, ogling at Rangiku's breasts that shined in the morning sun.
"I'd take you up on your offer but I've got other plans… Sorry~~~", Rangiku replied, feeling Toshiro's anger rise.
"Oh c'mon… It'll be fun.", The leader pushed.
"The girl said no… Move on.", Renji told the leader, clearly annoyed at him.
"Uhh… and who is this freak with red hair and tattoos on his head? Her boyfriend?", The leader asked, giving Renji 'The Glare', his bros taking out their chains.
"...No…", Renji replied with a sweat-drop on his head.
"Then shut up and stay out of my way.", The leader told him as he turned back to Rangiku.
"Oi… If it's a fight, come at me.", Ikkaku said as he drew his wooden sword.
"Madarame!", Toshiro said as he warned Ikkaku with a glare.
"Huh? What's a middle schooler doing here? It's a shorty at that!", The leader commented and began laughing with his bros.
"You-", Toshiro's mouth was closed by Rangiku he could snap.
"Well… What do you say-", The leader's question to Rangiku was interrupted by Rangiku running away.
"Where's she going?", Yumichika asked Ikkaku.
"Ryuji-kun!", Rangiku yelled as she took towards the arriving Ryuji.
"Huh? What the-*glob*", Ryuji looked up from his thoughts to find himself locked between two large soft, heavy, and warm pillows, restricting his speech.
"Ryuji-kun… I've been waiting for you.", Rangiku said in a lovesick voice as she held him tightly.
"Hmm! Hmm!", Ryuji tapped on Rangiku's arm, telling her of his suffocation.
"Oh… Sorry~~", Rangiku apologized to him with a tongue out as she released him.
"What…. is…. going on….?", Ryuji asked Rangiku as he panted between words.
'He looks so handsome~~ Isane was right!', Rangiku thought to herself with a short blush.
"I missed you… Boyfriend~", Rangiku said as she took hold of Ryuji's right arm.
"Boyfriend?!", Ryuji asked with a short blush as he looked at Rangiku's heavenly breasts holding his arm hostage.
To the gang,
"Hey… Is he her boyfriend?", The leader asked Renji while having sweat drip from his head.
"Him? No-Yes… Ryuji is her boyfriend.", Renji lied, expecting the guy to leave them and go after Ryuji.
"….", The gang leader and his bros began shaking from head to toe.
"Huh? What's with you guys? One second you were all 'I'll kill you' and the next you're like 'please spare me'.", Yumichika asked them.
"Please tell Ryuji-san that I'm sorry for hitting on his girl… Hey! Let's go!", The leader told Yumichika before running away with his bros.
"What's with them? They looked like they saw a demon.", Ikkaku asked in confusion.
"Forget about them… Where are Matsumoto and Kurosaki Ryuji?", Toshiro asked the other three.
"Oh yeah… Where did they disappear off to?", Renji asked as he looked around, finding that Rangiku and Ryuji were nowhere to be seen.
In the cafeteria,
"Tasty~", Rangiku moaned out as she took a bite of her bread, seated on one of the table chairs.
"I'm glad you like it…", Ryuji commented with a sigh as he stood next to her.
"Don't you want to have any?", Rangiku asked Ryuji, who just had his hands in the pockets.
"I already ate at home… You can have that.", Ryuji told her with a neutral expression.
"Don't be like that… Come here!", Rangiku said with a giggle as she pulled Ryuji to sit next to her.
"Oi!", Ryuji yelled as he was made to sit next to Rangiku.
"Don't be a prude! Here… Say Aaaaaahhhh~", Rangiku told Ryuji as she held the bread before his mouth.
"Do I have to?", Ryuji asked her once more.
"Yes! Now say Aaaaahhhh!", Rangiku said with an eye-roll as she held the bread neat his mouth again.
"Aaaahhh-hhhmmmm!", Ryuji opened his mouth and took a bite as told.
'So cute!', Rangiku thought to herself as she blushed a bit.
"Well, since we have successfully finished breakfast. I have to get to class.", Ryuji said as he stood up.
"Wait… I need your help.", Rangiku stopped him with her words.
"What is it?", Ryuji asked her, turning around.
After school, Kurosaki Clinic, Ichigo's room,
"Well… Hurry up and tell me about these Arrancars.", Ichigo asked Rukia, who was seated on his bed.
"Hold it!", A voice came from above.
"Huh? Who's voice was that? Renji?", Ichigo asked as he looked around him.
"If you want to know about them, we'll tell you!", Renji replied as he showed himself out of the large light on the roof of Ichigo's room.
"Hey!", Ichigo yelled as they dropped into the room, through the large-light hole with Ikkaku and Yumichika.
"Hey, Ichigo! Long time no see… Well, maybe not.", Renji announced to Ichigo and Rukia.
"You guys…What have you done to my room light? Huh?!", Ichigo asked in annoyance.
"AAAAHHHHH!", Yuzu's screams from downstairs interrupted them.
"Yuzu!", Ichigo called out in worry before running downstairs.
"Ichigo!", Rukia called out as she ran after Ichigo.
Downstairs,
"Yuzu! What happened?!", Ichigo asked his little sister who was seated on the floor, shocked out of her core.
"What happened, Yuzu-chan?", Rukia asked Yuzu as well.
"…", Yuzu pointed out to the front door.
"What?!", Ichigo asked as he and Rukia turned to the door.
"Onii-chan is… Onii-chan is… Onii-chan is with a girl!", Yuzu yelled out while pointing to Rangiku entering the house while holding his right arm.
'Eh?!', Ichigo and Rukia stood there in disbelief.
"I'm home…", Ryuji said with a sigh.
"Ryu-nii… Who is this?", Karin asked as she came down the stairs.
"She is-", Ryuji's answer was interrupted by Rangiku.
"I'm his girlfriend!", Rangiku said with a wink.
"G-G-G-Girlfriend?!", Karin and Yuzu asked at the same time.
'What the? That's not a good excuse to give them, Rangiku-san!', Ichigo and Rukia asked in unison.
"Oi! Stop interrupting me like that!", Ryuji told Rangiku with a scowl.
"Like this?", Rangiku asked before planting Ryuji's face inside her cleavage.
'They're enjoying themselves, aren't they?', Ichigo and Rukia thought in disbelief.
Ichigo's room,
"The Arrancars are a group of hollows who had removed their masks and have powers of both Shinigami and Hollow. Until recently, there were a few imperfect ones but coming in contact with the Hogyoku Aizen possess, has given birth to fully developed Arrancars… like those two from the other day. You're with us so far?", Renji explained to Ichigo while Rukia illustrated in her sketchbook.
"Yeah, I understand… If not for the sketchbook, I'd understand even better.", Ichigo replied, looking at Rukia's sketch in disbelief, prompting her to smack it onto his face.
"Initially, Soul Society's plan was to wait and see until Aizen decided to make his move. Especially when we were still recovering from having lost three captains to the enemy side. But the Arrancars were completed sooner than we expected. So when they were sent to the World of the Living, we had to quickly take action. That's why we were chosen.", Renji ended his explanation.
"Who made the selection?", Ichigo asked Renji and Rukia.
"Who do you think? It's Captain-Commander Yamamoto. With the central 46 massacred, only he has the decision-making authority.", Ryuji answered him, getting nods from Renji and Rukia, validating his answer.
"Rukia was chosen because she knows you the most.", Renji continued with the flow.
"No! I was chosen for my abilities!", Rukia interjected embarrassed.
"And out of the combatants they could mobilize, I was selected for being closest to Rukia. Then I was told to choose a warrior out of Captain class that I trusted most, so I asked Ikkaku-san to accompany me."
"Then Yumichika said he had to come along and Rangiku-san, who heard the uproar, said she wanted to come because it sounded interesting. Rangiku-san won't be swayed, so Captain Hitsugaya was forced to come along to supervise. "
"And so we're here.", Renji ended the long explanation of how they ended up here.
"Is this a picnic?!", Ichigo and Ryuji asked in unison frustrated.
"Anyway… Aizen's definitely got his eye on you both Kurosakis.", Toshiro stated, seated at the window.
"Ah! It's Captain Hitsugaya!", Rangiku exclaimed.
"The one who refused to get inside the light bulb with us.", Yumichika stated.
"Were you waiting up on the roof this whole time? That's not good! You know how you stand out like a silver-haired elementary student.", Renji stated, making Toshiro angry.
"Shut up!", Toshiro hissed at Renji.
"As if you don't stand out with your red hair and forehead tattoos?", Ryuji asked Renji with a 'bruh' face.
"Pfft… He slammed you.", Rangiku commented as she giggled at Ryuji's reply.
"Ugh-hmm… That is true…", Renji replied with a sigh, having no counter to that.
"Anyway… It's true that an Arrancar is born when the mask is removed from a Hollow. But removing the mask of some random Hollow won't get you much of anything. If you're serious about declaring war on Soul Society, it'll naturally be something greater than the Menos.", Toshiro began his explanation.
"Greater than the Menos? What? That sounds like you're saying there are Hollows stronger than a Menos.", Ichigo asked Toshiro.
"Yeah… To be precise, there are three classes within Menos. The first is 'Gilian', the lowest class within Menos, but the largest in numbers. Their characteristic is that they all look the same. The Hollow you fended off in the World of the Living, soon after you gained the powers of a Shinigami is of this kind. I guess you could call them a foot soldier.", Toshiro replied to Ichigo, making things clear.
"That one… was just a foot soldier?", Ichigo asked in shock.
"They're huge, but their movements are sluggish and they are no more intelligent than beasts. It doesn't take much for a captain to kill one. The problem begins with the next level. ", Toshiro continued with his explanation
"The second class is 'Adjuchas'. They're somewhat smaller than Gilians, fewer in numbers, but they are highly intelligent and are several times stronger than Gilians. They control the large number of Gilians."
"And the third is 'Vasto Lorde'. They are the top class within Menos. They are equal to humans in size… It is said that there are only a few of them within Hueco Mundo, but… I'll give it to you straight. These Vasto Lordes are more powerful than captains of Soul Society.", Toshiro told Ichigo with a serious face at the end.
"Huh?", Ichigo looked at Toshiro, shocked by this fact.
"The power gained by Menos when turned into an Arrancar is an unknown quantity. But, now that three of our captains defected to lead the Menos, this is a fact… if Aizen has ten or more of these Vasto Lordes under his control… it'll be the end of Soul Society.", Toshiro said, making everyone in the room feel the tension.
End of Chapter.