She tried to resist.
But where could she go?
He wasn't going to let her go back.
He tried to force her into complying, threatening to even kill her allies if she was troublesome. But her only response was confusion and apathy, arming herself with words. It wouldn't be the first time they tried to kill them. What would be so different this time? There was Urahara's circle, her own, the group of Soul Reapers, and maybe the Vizards. All the Vizards were captain level Soul Reapers. But thinking they would assist in defeating the Arrancars was maybe a bit too naïve. She was aware of how they didn't want to get involved with the Soul Society after what happened to them.
But she did her best to carry an unwavering faith in her allies. She didn't want him to see any doubt.
And so, he warned her that Aizen wanted her to function upon arrival. He would overlook any nicks or scratches… maybe a missing eye would also go unpunished.
As if she wasn't already afraid of Ulquiorra.
That scared her.
Especially when he said it so apathetically.
Weirdly, it kind of reminded her of herself.
But that's what made her move her feet.
If she wanted to survive, two eyes were better than one.
The place he was bringing her to, she already knew it was in a separate place, a different world. She never forgot what the doorway looked like from the outside when she saw two first two Arrancars return to their base. It was the Garganta. And now, she was on the other side, at their base.
The moment she stepped foot into it, she could feel different strong spiritual pressures scattered throughout the enormous fortress. Very few she recognized, but the rest was all foreign to her. It's like they all flickered around, forcing her to always be on guard in case any of them moved closer to her.
She could feel the tension in her body build.
If this were her first day as a Soul Reaper, she might have collapsed under the weight of it all.
As she followed him obediently through the halls, her hands stayed limp on her sides. Her eyes glanced to her sword at her hip. She was wondering why it was still on her. It was strange that he didn't even bother confiscating. But when she directed her eyes at his back, she could somehow form an answer to her ponder. If she dared try to unsheathe it, then he was confident he could 'nick and scratch' her.
She didn't want to know how he would.
All she knew is that she needed to play her cards correctly and never let her guard down.
Katsuko lifted her hands to her chest.
Her fingers were playing with her ring.
...
...
…
They finally stopped in front of two large white doors. Many stairs were climbed to get to the point where they were. And she remained silent the entire time. It wasn't too hard. It was actually like being at school and staying quiet in her corner like she used to. It was the feeling she rarely felt.
Oh fuck.
She knew who was behind that door.
The spiritual pressure was unmistakable.
The two doors opened when a few words were exchanged after a knock. Two women became visible on the other side when it opened, one short haired blonde and long a black haired one with pigtails. Their distinctive Hollow masks stood out to her rather than the black haired one's provocative top. On the other side of the door was a single sofa and he was sitting there enjoying some tea.
Aizen.
His dark brown eyes flickered to her matching ones, causing her to stiffen.
What did he want with her?
What could he want with a nobody like her?
If he wanted to kill her, he could have done so by now.
But there would be nothing to gain by killing her.
"Hiragi Katsuko." Aizen set down his cup and gingerly got up from his seat. "I'm happy to see you're in good shape."
He's happy I obeyed.
"Welcome to our palace, Las Noches."
Welcome to hell.
How the hell was she supposed to respond to that? There was nothing she could say, nothing she wanted to say. All she did was stare quietly at the man and just nodded her head once as if she was mute. Even when he came closer with several steps and gazed at her did she stay quiet.
She couldn't understand why he was looking at her like that.
As if he saw something she could not.
Without saying a word, she kept staring at him, wondering when he would turn away or say something else she couldn't find a response to.
"You look tired," Aizen remarked. One of his hands started getting closer to her. Her eyes immediately locked on it, watching the way he went to hold hers delicately. He lifted them up between them. Her eyes moved back to look at him. "It seems that you've had a long day." He added. Her eyes went to their hands again, watching curiously as his thumb began to stroke her knuckles gently. Why? Her eyes went back to him, confused by the sudden gesture. She couldn't sense any sort of danger from this touch. Why was he touching her like that?
"Perhaps you should rest before anything else. Would you prefer that?"
A direct question.
This time, Katsuko found her voice.
"Yes, please." She said with a little nod, appearing almost meek under his gaze. She had a long day? How the hell did he know that? Did he have eyes in the Soul Society? The thought of another traitor blending with the other Soul Reapers made her feel uneasy, especially since she was captured.
In response to her words, he smiled a little. His hand slowly slid away from hers, letting it drop back to her side with the sound of her rustling sleeve. He still kept his eyes on her while she blinked at him, still majorly confused about his touch.
"Rest. We will meet again tomorrow." Aizen told her before looking at Ulquiorra and asking him to make sure a meal was prepared for her later. Then he redirected his gaze at Katsuko to tell her that she was free to leave the room. Oh, and she didn't hesitate to turn her back to him and walk back the way she came. She just wanted out. Right now. She barely had time to notice the two girls giving her ice-cold looks when she passed them by. She followed Ulquiorra eagerly out of the room. The two girls inside also left the room, muttering curses under their breath.
All she wanted was to be somewhere alone…
And maybe sit in a corner and cry.
Or even scream in front of a wall.
She just wanted to be in a separate room with only herself.
Katsuko lifted her hand, the one that Aizen gently touched.
It felt warm.
Behind Ulquiorra, Katsuko's face became troubled. No one could see that moment of slight vulnerability. Something happened in that room. It was unnerving her. But she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was exactly. All she was aware of is that something was odd. Something felt so out of place. Was it him? Was it those two female Arrancars? The one that brought her here?
Or herself?
Maybe it wasn't that something was there…
… But actually, something was missing.
Something crucial.
But what?
…
…
…
Aizen turned away from the closed doors and sat back down on the sofa. His eyes seem to crinkle and his mouth curled when he lifted his hand, the one that held hers.
"Not even a tremble."
The room they gave her was ordinary just like the palace. Nothing too remarkable other than the size. There was a bed, a sofa, a high window with bars, a table, and a shower room. Ulquiorra locked her inside the room and left her in the dark. Katsuko didn't even bother switching on the lights either.
When the door shut and locked, she stayed rooted in her spot, listening to the sound of Ulquiorra's footsteps receding in the corridor. When the sound became noticeably fainter, she finally moved. With a sigh, she walked further inside the room and threw herself on the sofa after taking off her sword from her hip. Yeah. They still didn't confiscate it.
Her face was pressed against the cushions while her hand gripped the pillow.
Her mind and heart were feeling all sorts of anxiety and stress. She felt so lost and alone. She didn't know what to do.
The Soul Society won't come for me.
They won't.
Their focus is on the war.
Not a girl.
Her hands brought the pillow closer, burying her face into it to muffle a whimper.
They won't let Ichigo and the others come for me either because it's too dangerous.
What could she do?
She wasn't optimistic.
But that didn't mean she wanted to lose hope.
She would pray for a light in this darkness,
Never stop praying.
For prayers are like wishes.
And to stop wishing was to die.
September 26
MONDAY
…
…
…
Aiza was worried about Katsuko. Last night, she never returned home. It was weird. She was supposed to be in the Soul Society and maybe with the Vizards afterward, but she wasn't sure. All she knew was that Katsuko would never forget to notify her of where she was going unless it was something serious. But as far as she could tell, there wasn't any Arrancar that would have stopped her from coming home. Unless she was with the Vzairds and sleeping over there again?
Aiza bit her lip.
"Where did you go…?"
She was currently on her way to the school to attend in Katsuko's place. All morning, she did her best to hide her worry from Katsuko's mother. She couldn't lie as well as Katsuko, so it took much effort to stay calm.
"What happened…?"
When she walked past the entrance of the school, a hand was quick to latch onto her wrist and pull her to the side. It took her a second to notice that Matsuoka Jun was the one who did it. He looked usually serious and impatient.
"Wh-What's up, Jun?" Aiza quickly slipped back into her Katsuko persona, causing him to roll his eyes and shake his head once to tell her to knock it off.
"Look, I know you're not Katsuko. I'll get to the point: Katsuko is missing. She was taken by a guy with black hair and white clothes while she was wearing that black getup. He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her into something without saying anything."
Jun had tried getting a hold of 'Katsuko' sometime after she was taken but the whole family was out, leaving him with the only option but to talk to 'Katsuko' when she showed up at school. This was the only choice he had if he wanted to keep in mind Katsuko's family. He had yet to inform Haru of the situation, he was the only one who was aware of what happened. And judging by 'Katsuko' reaction, it seemed like she didn't know either.
"He also had a sword on him. Do you know anything?"
Aiza's eyes had widened at some point. White clothes? Wasn't that how Katsuko described the Arrancars once? Who else would have just grabbed her and kidnapped her?! Her heart was beating so fast and loudly, sounding an unbearable alarm. This couldn't be. How could Katsuko just get taken without anyone noticing? And why?!
No, no, no, no!
Katsuko!
Jun jumped in surprise when Aiza started dashing back the way she came. She was running so fast. It looked like she already knew where to go with this information. Seeing that, Jun gripped his bag tightly and started bolting after her. He wanted some answers. He wanted to know who got Katsuko involved in this impossible world.
He just needed—
"J-Jun?! Where are you going?!" Haru yelled when the boy passed by him. He was about ten feet away from the entrance when he saw Katsuko run out and into the streets. She looked so frantic. As for Jun, he was racing after. Judging from that weird feeling, it wasn't really Katsuko he was chasing after. It looked like he was chasing after Katsuko imposter. But why?
"Forget about me! Just go to school!" Jun yelled back, slipping through the gaps of students on their way to school, leaving Haru rooted in his spot with a worried face. The tone in Jun's voice, that fake Katsuko running away, the desperate run to catch up to her. The longer Haru stood there in his spot, the more he felt compelled to follow and find out what was happening.
Haru looked up at the sky with a whine. "Aw, man. I'm really about to go on some adventure shit right now?"
He followed.
"Why did you follow me?" Aiza wheezed, now jogging while Jun followed her. It was impressive how he never lagged. He was so determined to follow her. "You have to go back. You'll be late for school."
"Right," Jun scoffed. "Like that matters to you. Now, where are you going? Why are we in this part of town?" He was looking at the warehouses around the area. They were far from their school. A reply never came because Aiza suddenly stopped and made a quick turn to the left to make a beeline to a specific warehouse. Just as Jun was about to follow, he heard footsteps running behind him. He paused and quickly turned around in alert. This place didn't seem safe so he was being extra careful.
What he wasn't expecting was to see Haru heaving and struggling to run after them.
What the hell? How long has he been running after them?
"Haru, what are you doing?" Jun turned around and followed after Aiza. She was standing a few feet away from the entrance of the warehouse which was closed. And she was banging her fist onto an invisible surface. What?
"Haah... Haah... give me a second...!"
"Hello! Vizards! Hello! I need to talk to you! HELLO!"
"That's fake Katsuko, right?" Haru panted, pointing at the imposter. He put his hands on his knees and clenched his eyes shut. He seriously felt like he was dying right now. "You were chasing after her… what happened?"
"HELLO!"
The longer she banged on the invisible, the more it became visible the longer Jun stared at it. It was something that seem to glow. It was like a transparent box of light enveloping the entire warehouse. Curiously, he stepped closer and placed his palm on it. His hand didn't go through. It was flat against the wall. She didn't even ponder the possibility of this phenomenon. His teeth gritted when he clenched his eyes closed. If he concentrated on that weird type of sensation he felt around Katsuko, he could visualize something.
Nine dots appeared in his mind, nine distinctive dots.
Those had to be different people.
"HEY!"
Aiza flinched when Jun hollered next to her ear. Haru looked like a cat that was shocked by what just happened, body stiff in an awkward pose after flinching away and eyes wide as he stared at Jun.
"WHO THE HELL IS IN THERE?! GET OUT HERE!"
Aiza and Haru exchanged looks.
…
…
…
"People banging on the barrier?"
"Yes. I have no idea why though."
It's definitely not Katsuko because she knew how to get an entry here.
"Ugh… Kensei. Go out there and knock them away."
"Hell no."
"Lisa?"
"Forget it."
"Lo—"
"Don't even ask."
Shinji sighed loudly with his coffee in his hand. No one was willing to go upstairs. He didn't want to go either but he didn't want any unwanted humans loitering around their area. It was annoying. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go up and just take a peek outside. And when he did, he paused when he recognized the faces outside. The three of them paused.
"Hirako-san?" Haru voiced his confusion.
"You…" Jun muttered.
Aiza quickly moved to stand in front of him. "It's Katsuko! She's gone! They took her! The Arrancars!" she spoke fast and frantic. She could have told Rukia and the others… but she was acquainted with the Vizards more, so it felt more instinctive to run to them.
Shinji stiffened.
"What, wait?!" Haruki grabbed Aiza's shoulder to make her look at him. "Who took her?!"
On Aizen's orders?
But why?
He never felt any Arrancar show up yesterday…
"Hold on."
Shinji disappeared back inside the warehouse, ignoring Jun's demands for him to get back out there. Still holding his coffee, Shinji stared at the floor, thinking about what he just learned.
He saw no reason for Aizen to be interested in Katsuko. If he wanted to use someone, then Ichigo should have been the one to be kidnapped. After all, that's the reason why those Arrancars showed up the first time. So, why Katsuko?
Shinji wasn't going to pretend like he didn't have a good idea why.
Her Hollow.
One of his experiments.
A sigh fell out of him.
In any situation, Shinji always kept level-headed to avoid being swept along the situation with recklessness. His years as a Captain had reinforced his discipline within him so strongly. But the way he abruptly pitched his coffee in the nearest trash may have betrayed his calmness.
"I was too late."
…
…
…
Tentei Kuura.
Kensei looked up at the ceiling with a hard look. Katsuko was gone. A quick message from the surface was broadcasted to everyone within Shinji's radius, even to Haru and Jun, and they all stopped what they were doing.
"Oh no, Katsuko…" Rose responded worriedly. They seriously took her in broad daylight and no one sensed anything?
Hiyori stumbled when Ichigo ran past her.
"Oi! Ichigo!"
Ichigo was racing to the stairs, abandoning Hiyori and his training behind without hesitation to go up to the surface. He was going to need more than just that. What the hell was going on? He couldn't grasp a coherent thought right now. He was shaken up and panicked by the news that he couldn't think straight.
The orange haired teen felt nothing but dread in the pit of his stomach when he heard Shinji's words. He almost didn't believe it.
How could Katsuko just get abducted so easily?
There was no way she'd get taken without fighting back.
And if she did, they would have sensed it.
But he didn't sense anything yesterday. No one did. Did Rukia and Inoue not sense it either? They went to the Soul Society together, right? No one from the Soul Society?
He finally made it up to the surface.
"Hirako!" Ichigo shouted. Shinji turned around and found Ichigo staring at him in angry disbelief. "The hell do you mean Katsuko was kidnapped?!"
"You mean you can't understand just from that?"
That's a voice he wasn't expecting to hear. It made him cool down a bit. Shinji never said anything about him being there. Jun was standing in front of Aiza and Haru, looking ice-cold towards Ichigo. Haru's eyes widened when he saw the giant sword that he was carrying. His body was covered in sweat and his face had some cuts on them. He had so many questions to ask right now. He got his explanation earlier but there was still so much he wanted to know.
But Jun didn't even care at that point. The orange haired teen took a second to respond but Jun continued without waiting for it.
"She's gone! She was taken by someone like you! Someone who uses a sword. But he was wearing white and he had black hair." Jun gave the most accurate description he could remember. It happened so fast. He didn't have time to write down a novel about what he saw, just the bare minimum.
Ichigo could only think of one person that matched the description. The one who stayed back and watch the first time the Arrancars showed up. The one that punched her in the gut and had her gasping in pain.
"He just grabbed her by the throat and dragged her into a black thing!"
"It was him." Ichigo hissed and clenched his fists. He already knew what had to be done now. If he took her yesterday, then he didn't have any more time to waste. He needed to find a way to get her back as soon as possible.
"You're the one who pulled her into this mess, right?!" Jun shouted. He wasn't going to give Ichigo any room to argue. He was going to say what he believed was true. Why wouldn't it? It made sense with how everything happened. "You got people around you involved, and now she's gone!"
As much as Ichigo wanted to say something to him, he didn't have time for that. He needed to find Rukia and tell her so that the others could be notified. The orange haired teen looked away from the younger boy and started making his way towards the exit. "Jun, I don't have time for this right now. I have to go."
Then, Jun started running towards Ichigo with an angry look. He grabbed him by the front of his Shihakusho so tightly that his fist was trembling. "I told you before." He growled. "You needed to watch out if she got hurt—" Ichigo saw him raise his other fist and aimed it at his face. Aiza flinched and shut her eyes. Ichigo was about to grab his hand until it stopped a few inches away from his face.
Ichigo's eyes widened a bit when he saw Jun's face twist in guilt.
"I don't know who to blame."
The day Rukia showed up at their school for the first time.
All the times that Ichigo ran off from class.
The two of them were the start of it all.
The way Katsuko and Ichigo ran out of class on the first day back after summer vacation.
… And Ichigo had a history of attracting trouble.
Those were reasons to pin the blame on Ichigo.
He knew it was wrong.
But he needed to blame someone.
Because then it would feel like it was his fault.
He didn't have the courage until just recently to ask about it.
It was only when he saw Rukia fight a monster did he finally ask.
"Jun." Haruki hurriedly ran over to them and put a hand on his shoulder, gently pulling him back. He found that there was no resistance. By then all the other Vizards came up to the surface to see what was going on. "Stop. Don't do that." Jun and violence didn't go together. He knew he would never hurt a friend, but Jun was so upset by everything that he didn't know how it would affect his actions.
"Was it me?" Jun loosened his grip on Ichigo's clothes when the choked out those words, desperation coloring it. "I didn't try hard enough to stop her. I just let her do what she wanted while knowing full well she might die."
What.
"What the hell are you saying?! You know damn well it's not your fault!" Ichigo shouted. That was just wrong. Jun couldn't blame himself for Katsuko's abduction. He couldn't. It wasn't right. It was so wrong.
"But I just watched her get taken away without doing anything."
Haruki frowned deeply. "And what could you have done?"
Nothing.
Nothing that couldn't get him killed in the process.
"You could have died if you did something. You think dying would have made a difference? When you're dead, it's over. You can't do anything at all. And she knew that." Haruki said bluntly. "We both know that… That's why we couldn't change her mind."
…
…
…
"And you're both so short sighted. And too normal to understand and rise above it. I don't think granting you the truth will do you any good. It's not like you can do anything if you knew. You're powerless in the face of it. Rejoice, you get to keep your privilege of ignorant bliss."
…
…
…
"I just wanted to keep her safe. She's not someone who would do all this violent stuff. She can't do it." Jun's hand had slipped off and it was covering half his face as he sported a pained look. "You both put yourselves in danger to fight who knows what… Fuck, I don't think my heart can take this."
He was worried about his friends.
Because Katsuko was right, he was powerless.
Ichigo couldn't stand to watch Jun, the one who was usually so calm, so frantic like this. He didn't deserve to feel this way. He needed to fix this. The human reaper placed his hand on his shoulder when made a move to walk past him and Haruki. "I'll bring her back home." He swore.
Jun stiffened and looked at Ichigo with mixed feelings. Haruki moved around to look at Ichigo and saw how serious he looked. He looked ready for a fight.
"But…!" Haruki tried to voice out his concerns. Both Katsuko and Ichigo were involved in dangerous things that he couldn't understand. Katsuko was gone. He didn't want Ichigo to disappear too. "Are you sure you can?"
Would it be too much to count on him to bring her back home?
Would it be selfish to rely on him?
Was it okay to count on him?
"She's also my friend." Ichigo reminded him and started walking again. If they wanted to save her, then Ichigo wanted to as well, even more so. "You guys just sit and wait for her to come back. I'll save her." Was all he said before flash stepped away, leaving Aiza, Jun and Haruki with the Vizards. His training would have to wait. Right now, his only concern was finding a way to take her back from Aizen.
Aiza lowered her head with a desponded face. Of course, they couldn't just go and get her back just yet. They still needed to inform everyone else. Katsuko would still have to wait a bit more. Aiza clasped her hands up to her chest, as if to pray, to hold her nerves that shook her hands.
Shinji was also leaving; his footsteps were echoing in the quiet warehouse.
"And where are you goin'?" Lisa asked.
"Kisuke examined Katsuko before she got kidnapped." Shinji reminded the Vizards, causing Jun to look at him, wondering what he meant by that. "He might have an answer now."
He left a few words for the boys who were left behind.
"Katsuko is a smart girl. She knew what she was doin'. And she isn't as weak as you think she is."
Everyone was gathered at Inoue's house once Ichigo relayed the news. He ran into Hitsugaya who just finished killing a Hollow and he was the one to gather everyone for an emergency meeting. Urahara and Renji were also present after Shinji gave them the news.
And now, they were currently speaking with Yamamoto through the large monitor that was set up in the living room. The resident of the house was not present since they all rushed out of the school without explanation, leaving her quite puzzled.
As for any possible reason as to why Aizen found an interest in her, Urahara had his theory.
"I had Hiragi-san observed for over a month while she was training. As you know, Nagoma Chisaki's Hollow ended up migrating into Hiragi-san's soul, one of Aizen's experiments." Ichigo and the others were listening to the man who took the floor. "Hiragi-san also possesses the ability to use lightning with her Zanpakuto, something that is unheard of since a Zanpakuto could only use one element."
Rangiku put a hand under his chin. "Was it Naogoma Chisaki's own Zanpakuto that caused it?"
"That I cannot know. What I do know is that it only appears when she utilizes the powers of a Hollow. Knowing this, I recorded a little fight between her and Abarai-san to find anything strange within her spiritual pressure. And I did find something. There was something abnormal, something very minuscule, that happened to her spiritual pressure. It became different as if it was overwritten. But it only happened for a brief moment. I cannot say what that means though since I had my hands full with other matters. Did you sense anything, Abarai-san?"
Renji frowned and shook his head. "Nothing." He didn't sense anything out of the ordinary aside from her spiritual pressure obviously becoming more Hollow-like.
Something they didn't know about was happening to her.
Hitsugaya sighed. "And somehow… Aizen must have discovered this."
"I would assume so." Urahara paused. "Because the Garganta I am making now has a barrier blocking off the entrance." He checked it before coming to Inoue's house.
Ichigo's eyes widened. "What?!" They couldn't go after her right away. This was the worst.
Rukia's expression turned grim. "It's as if he didn't want us to follow after her." The Kuchiki couldn't help but feel bad about all of this. After all, she was one of the people that last Katusko saw. How could she have not noticed an Arrancar closing in on her?
"But Aizen knows that I can remove that barrier," Urahara stated a matter-of-factly, tipping down his hat. "He didn't want anyone chasing after her for a certain time frame."
The Captain Commander stood there, thinking quietly about this. Did Aizen want them to notice too late? He was recovering his experiment. But for what end? What did he plan to do?
It was pointless to think and guess incorrectly. Aizen could always fool them into thinking one way when it was really the other.
"I can fix the Garganta within three days."
So, a decision was made.
A pre-emptive strike on Hueco Mundo.
The attack would occur a week after the Garganta was completed.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the old man on the screen. That decision was unacceptable. "What?! That's a joke! You want to wait a week to go after Katsuko?! That's too much time wasted! We have to go as soon as it's open!"
"Don't concern yourself with Hueco Mundo, Kurosaki Ichigo. You are to remain in the World of the Living. The infiltration of Hueco Mundo will be handled by individuals of my choosing." Yamamoto said with finality, causing Ichigo to stiffen and stare at the old man as if he grew another eye.
"But why a week? Isn't that a bit too long?" Renji spoke up, trying to reason with him, "I would think that it's imperative that we hurry if Aizen wants to use Hiragi Katsuko."
"The safety of traveling through the Garganta is also important to consider. I will not lose members of the court in a reckless charge."
All the logistics were too important to take lightly.
"Now that we know that Aizen's Arrancars are battle-ready from previous encounters, we should plan an attack before the Hougyoku awakens. We will not let them have the first strike again." The Captain Commander's face looked severe. "That is to say, stopping Aizen's ambitions is our priority." Rukia and Renji's eyes widened when they realized what he was implying. "Rescuing Hiragi Katsuko is not."
What did he just say?
Ichigo swung his arm to the side. "What do you mean it's not important?! If you'll do a pre-emptive strike, then we can save her too!" he shouted.
"Aizen has found potential in using Hiragi Katsuko in this war through one of his horrid experiments. If she appears to stand in our way, then, unfortunately," Yamamoto looked at Ichigo with a grave look. "she will have to be seen as a threat and be dealt with accordingly."
"No! You can't!" Ichigo snapped, stepping forward.
Renji pulled back Ichigo's shoulder to try and calm him down. "Ichigo. Don't."
Was this old man serious? He was going to have Katsuko killed if she joined Aizen because of something she couldn't control? He couldn't let them do that to her. No way. "She would never willingly join Aizen! All this time, she was training to fight in the war against him, and you're telling me you're gonna forget all that and call her the enemy if she can't come back?! Don't give me that crap!"
There were so many things to consider. Many things that they also couldn't know about right now.
"We cannot weigh the importance of one human compared to the fate of the worlds," Yamamoto told him, causing him to grit his teeth. "Do not allow your emotions to guide your judgment."
One of the reasons he was permitting Ichigo to go to Hueco Mundo was precisely for that reason.
But what if he used his Shikai on her? What if her Hollow took over? What if, what if, what if, what if—
"With all due respect, Captain Commander, I find that unfair and unreasonable." Rukia said. But she knew that the Captain Commander wouldn't change his mind. Wasn't there some way they could reach a middle ground?
"That is only if it comes to that possibility." Yamamoto reminded them. And they could tell that the topic was no longer open for discussion. "For now, the entire advance team is to return immediately to defend the Soul Society and make final preparations. That will be all."
To prevent any personal attachments from guiding their next actions, Kuchiki Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi were sent to help bring the court members back home, leaving Ichigo and Urahara behind in Inoue's house. The former let out a little sigh and turned his gaze to Ichigo who was staring at the ground with a serious look.
He knew that look. There was no stopping the boy now.
Urahara turned away from the projector, the connection was already gone. "I can remove the barrier and finish the Garganta by tomorrow evening." This had Ichigo turn a bit to look at his back. "That's the fastest I can offer."
With narrowed eyes, he turned to look out the window. Tomorrow evening, huh?
That was still hours from now.
But it was still better than a week.
Sorry, Katsuko. You'll just have to wait a bit longer.
"Are you sure? You'll be going against the Soul Society…"
"Well, it wouldn't be the first." Urahara stated, making his way to the door. "With how things are, Hiragi-san just might die at the hands of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Do you really want to go to Hueco Mundo on your own?"
"I don't have a choice but to go. I can't rely on the Soul Society." Ichigo clenched his fists. He couldn't risk it. He wasn't going to obey like a dog and do nothing. "I have to get her back before they move."
That was the only way to make sure she could be given a chance to be saved.
"Then make your final preparations."
The Vizards saw Ichigo return to the warehouse in his soul form. Everyone was on the surface sitting around and talking about the news before he came. A shadow was cast on Ichigo's face when he came in, but they couldn't dismiss the serious look on his face. Shinji, who was sitting on a stool, leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Not good, huh?"
"They'll kill her if she turns out to be the enemy."
Kensei closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh through his nose. Rose lowered his head. Love closed his manga and rubbed the back of his neck. Lisa stood up and walked a few steps away. Mashiro looked away. Hachigen gazed at Ichigo's form.
Hiyori scoffed. "Fuckin' Soul Society."
The truth was, unlike Ichigo, Katsuko agreed to be a Vizard. She stuck around and got along with everyone, a refreshing moment after their years of secrecy and exile. They were willing to help save her from her Hollow to avoid repeating history. But after hearing the Soul Society's decision, it made them wonder if they just made things worse.
It felt like Aizen still managed to mess with them again after all this time.
History was still repeating itself.
"I have until tomorrow evening." Ichigo told them. "So please keep training me until then."
Hiyori quirked up a brow after he said that. "Huh? What do you mean, you're going after her? Are you dumb or dumb?!"
"You're charging into enemy territory." Love reminded him.
"Wouldn't be the first time I did." Ichigo stated flatly. "I'm going to save her. That's it. I don't know what Aizen will do to her so I can't let the Soul Society get there before me." This was the first time they were seeing Ichigo's resolve to save someone. It made them wonder if he was suicidal until they remembered he did something similar once before. But this time was different. The enemy was strong. He had to understand that after the encounters her faced so far.
The de facto leader of the Vizards just stared at Ichigo.
…
…
…
…
"Why do you care whether or not I join your little club? As far as I can tell, I'm the one who's losing if I refuse, not you. You could literally turn a blind eye to what's happening to me. Why would you try so hard just to recruit me? Why waste your time with me?"
Annoyed, Shinji sighed and narrowed his eyes at her. "You sure do like to ask questions." He turned to rest his arms on the rail and looked ahead. "The Soul Society doesn't care if you were a saint or a great hero. If you become somethin' they don't like or did somethin' that wasn't of your own volition, they'll make you an outcast criminal without a second thought. There is no say in the matter. You don't even get the chance to clear your name. Everyone turns their back on you. Your home, friends, and everythin' is just taken away from you. That's reality." Shinji smirked and glanced at her. "Pretty messed up, am I right?"
…
…
"Alright."
Shinji pushed himself up, causing Kensei to snap his head towards him. "Shinji! Are you nuts?! He can't even maintain Hollowfication! Hell, Katsuko would be a better candidate with her Hollowfication's progress!"
"Then I'll make more progress before I leave." Ichigo swore, following after Shinji. He had no time to waste. He didn't have time to be upset with the Soul Society. He needed to get a better grip on Hollowfication. This power was too important for him right now. Any kind of power that could increase the success rate of her retrieval was something he wouldn't hesitate to take.
This left the others to look at each other before they decided to get up and join them.
"Ah geez." Love sighed. "There's no stopping that kid."
Mashiro frowned when she finally fell into step with him. "Do you think Aizen wants her Hollow?"
"It's the only thing that's obviously out of the ordinary." Rose replied. "But there's more to it." He was referring to what Urahara found in the data. He stole a glance at Kensei, spotting the more pronounced hard features on his face. He was upset. Despite his exterior, Kensei was a caring individual, though it was hard to see it when accompanied by aggression.
"I was concerned about her Hollow," Shinji stated as they went down the steps while the others took their time catching up. "so I observed her until I felt uneasy. But I guess I waited too long. That's my mistake."
The orange haired teen stole Shinji a glance and saw how there was a bit of regret. Just as he told Katsuko, he wasn't a saint. But he still wanted to help her.
"It's not your fault."
This made Shinji scoff. "No shit. It's that jerk Aizen's fault."
Who else would it be?
...
…
…
"What?"
Chisaki stared wide eyed at the messenger.
The news of Katsuko's kidnapping was starting to spread throughout the court.
Chisaki and Hisagi were on their way to Squad 13 for some paperwork-related matters when they received the news from Mitsuhide, someone affiliated with the Naogoma, when he dropped the invitation for a banquet in her hands. It was a banquet to celebrate the eighteen years of their current house leader. She wasn't expecting him to casually drop the bad news after informing her.
"Apparently," The man known as Mistuhide had white hair and light purple eyes that shone like gems, and he wore the standard Shihakusho. "She was taken not long after she arrived in the World of the Living yesterday." He started walking past her. "That's all I know. If you want to hear any more details, I would suggest paying one of the advanced team members a visit. Anyway, I've done my little errand. I'll take my leave. Have a good day, Chisaki-san."
"And no one sensed the Arrancar?" Hisagi wondered curiously when Mitsuhide flash stepped away. That was strange. Just as he was a say something, he stole a glance at Chisaki and paused. She was holding her hands tightly, appearing panicked as her features stiffened.
"If only I didn't… why didn't I…" she mumbled with regret.
"Chisaki-senpai?"
"I-I'm sorry, Shuuhei. I-I… uh, I have to go speak with Lieutenant Abarai and Kuchiki-san." Chisaki did her best to ground herself, not leaving her Lieutenant the chance to stop her as she ran off. "I'll be back soon!"
"Wait! What's—" He hurried after her, but she flash stepped away.
As she quickly raced to the Squad 6 barracks, she felt immense regret flooding her body.
"I should have said something…!"
This is all my fault!
Inoue and Chad sat together on a bench at school. They were on their lunch break and were talking about what happened. Chad was the first to learn about Katsuko's kidnapping after Urahara told Renji the news. He was insistent on joining Renji for the discussion, but he was stopped by Tessai who told him to leave it to the Soul Reapers to discuss. He was hoping they would do something that wouldn't involve a possible death.
"I want to go to Hueco Mundo to save Katsuko." Chad declared. "I have to." It wasn't just Ichigo who he wanted to help. He wanted to go save one of his friends from an unfair judgment.
This is the kind of thing he grew stronger for.
Inoue could sense Chad turn his head as addressed her. "What do you want to do?"
It was hard to believe that a few hours ago they could be having a good time eating Daifuku and then one of them got abducted out of the blue the second their eyes turned away from each other.
Her hands fisted on her lap while her gaze was fixated on the group of students racing around in fun. "I want to help Kurosaki-kun rescue Hiragi-san." She looked at him with a strong resolve. "It's too dangerous for Kurosaki-kun to go alone. And Hiragi-san is going to need all of our help."
September 27
TUESDAY
…
…
…
Shinji got the call from Urahara to notify Ichigo about the Garganta.
And true to his word, his mask time leaped.
Twenty-five seconds.
It wasn't much compared to everyone else, but it was still good. Because he still grew so much stronger. He thanked them for all their help and departed. The barrier was down, giving him free access to the outside world. All he could think about was his progress with the mask adding to his new power level.
But it was quickly wiped out of his mind when he was startled by a sudden voice coming from the side. He turned and found Jun and Haruki sitting against the wall with what looked like a picnic on budget. There were empty juice boxes and two soda cans. On their laps were Styrofoam boxes with what looked like Chinese food in them. Jun had a fork in his mouth while Haruki smiled at him while waving his own fork.
"What the… What the hell are you two doing here?"
"Eating." Jun replied.
Haru blinked. "Waiting up on you?"
Ichigo paused. He narrowed his eyes at them when he realized something.
"You're not coming."
Haru squinted his eyes comically. "Um, you crazy? I don't have a death wish!" he tapped his wrist, pretending to show an invisible watch. "I'm watching a movie on tv at eight o'clock!"
Well… someone's got his priorities straight.
"We don't have a death wish." Jun corrected, getting up from his spot. He brushed off his school pants and started walking over to Ichigo who was still trying to figure out why they were just waiting outside for him.
Yesterday, they noticed that Ichigo was looking very much like them after practice. It gave them a clear idea of what he was doing. They didn't know how they could possibly help him as powerless humans. But if Ichigo was training, then there was something very important that he needed just like them after basketball practice.
"Here." Jun tossed a small plastic bag at him. Ichigo caught it with ease as he wondered just what was inside. There was a water bottle and something else in it. It felt warm.
"What is this?"
When he opened it, he found a meat bun.
"Our wallets aren't heavy like Katsuko's so we just got the bare minimum. I don't think you'd have time to eat a full-course meal anyway." Jun explained. "It's the one you like from that convenience store."
Ichigo felt at a loss for a second. He fished out the warm food and checked the label. It was just as he said.
"You guys didn't have to."
"You're not invincible." Haru picked up their trash and stuffed it in a plastic bag. They were literally sitting outside the warehouse for about five hours since school ended. They made a quick trip to Katsuko's house first to phone their parents that they were staying over to do a school project. They also advised 'Katsuko', who they learned was Aiza, to just pretend like everything was alright for now. They would help her out if she needed anything. "Like sports, you can get tired even though you're the best. That's why we eat. We need more energy. I don't know if you need magical meat buns though. So sorry if it doesn't do the job." He shrugged with a little touch of exaggeration.
They were powerless against the world that Ichigo stepped into.
But they still found a way to do something that would help.
And that was all Ichigo needed from them.
It was more than enough.
"Thanks." Ichigo just smiled a bit and lightly lifted the bag while thanking them.
Jun picked up his bag. "Hey, Ichigo, sorry about yesterday. I was too worked up and stuff." He looked like he really felt bad about raising a hand. "Forgive me?"
The tallest of the three just shook his head. He didn't even want to hold it against him. He understood where the emotions were coming from. "It's fine. Forget about it. Don't worry."
This made the younger boy smile a little. Haru jumped up to his feet with the trash and his school bag in each hand. He expressed a grimace while rapidly pointing around them, specifically at the corners of visible warehouses.
"Okay, please. I wanna get the hell outta here. I don't like it here. Jun, you stay here any longer and I'm leaving your ass behind." Haru quickly spoke while slowly inching towards where civilization gathered in comparison to this empty wasteland. Much like Katsuko, he didn't like this place. It was reminding him of walking in a graveyard in the middle of the night. Too scary. He ran by Ichigo, nudging him on his arm.
"Just be sure to come back in one piece." Jun sighed, following after Haruki. "Or else…" Jun stopped and stared at the sky. Something was on the edge of his tongue and it was eager to come out. But he shrugged and repressed it. He looked back at Ichigo with a flat look. "Actually, I can't do shit. So just come back or else I'm seriously gonna ugly cry."
This pulled a snort from Ichigo. "Alright, gross." He shoved his hand in the bag and started walking past Jun. "Thanks again for the food. You guys should head on home now." Was all he said as he clapped a hand on Jun's shoulder before flash stepping away, causing a small breeze to rustle Jun's clothes. The younger boy sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets, mumbling something about how Ichigo was showing off.
Meanwhile, Haru stood on the side with a little smile on his face. He wanted to say something to his friend dressed in black but he just couldn't. He couldn't say something that would make him carry a burden. The mere idea of imposing their wish on him made him feel… almost pathetic.
He was too embarrassed to ask Ichigo to take care of Katsuko.
The responsibility of a life was too much to bear, was it not?
Jun joined Haru's side as they began walking back home together. They both didn't say anything to each other until after they made it out of the warehouse area.
"Katsuko's shy, she doesn't make a lot of friends." Haru sighed, remembering his friend the way she was. "Sometimes, she stays alone if she has to. Basically, she's got some anti-social issues, I guess. She doesn't fight. She likes calm stuff. She likes staying home and playing games. So it makes me wonder why she chose to wave around a sword." Haru extended his arms and crossed them over each other before making his hands turn, demonstrating a circular motion. "A complete opposite from what we expected."
"Yeah." Jun scratched his neck. "She's the more serious one out of us. She's the last person you'd expect this from."
All of a sudden, Haru dropped his arm around him, the taller of the two, and sighed dramatically. "Yeah. Makes her look unapproachable in her bubble." A bubble that, this time, they couldn't see through. "When she comes back, what should we do? Chase her out of her house? Tie her up for interrogation?"
"Bro, I just want a damn explanation next time. I need to understand what kind of magic journey she's on. She said she was going to right before she got kidnapped. If she takes back what she said, I'm smacking her with my agenda!" Jun exclaimed with hands out in front of him, causing Haru to giggle a little while pulling his arm off his buddy. That smack might as well be the equivalent of slapping someone with some baby powder, just replace the powder with paper. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and swayed a bit as he walked.
"Then we wait for Ichigo to bring her home. Then we can grill her all we want."
"Yeah."
"By the way, it's been a while since I've seen you so emotional... it made my back itch."
"The fuck?"
For now, they would wait and pray.
No one might hear their prayers but they would still continue to pray.
For prayers are like wishes.
And to stop wishing was to lose hope.
Ichigo was ready to travel to Hueco Mundo. His mind was ready for anything that would dare to stand in his way. He was going to get her and bring her back before the Soul Society made their move. After tossing the trash of what remained of his food into a nearby bin, he followed Urahara into the familiar hole in his floor that would let them drop down into the underground training room.
He was ready to do what it took on his own.
Yes, alone.
At least, that's what he thought.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
"What the…" Ichigo's eyes bounced around to look at the faces present in front of him. Chad, Ishida, and Inoue were standing together. Renji and Rukia were also present with the first sitting on a rock, looking a little impatient, and they were both wearing beige cloaks.
"You're late." Renji spat. "And here I thought we were gonna go without you."
"Any second longer and I would've suggested we left, to be honest." Ishida deadpanned.
"What're you guys doing here?"
"Why else?" Chad stepped forward. "We're going to Hueco Mundo with you, aren't we?"
Ichigo stole a glance at Inoue, Chad, and Ishida. Ishida lost his powers, Inoue wasn't prepared for the danger ahead, and Chad…
The orange haired teen closed his eyes and looked away from them. He appreciated their desire to help him, but he knew that they weren't ready for Arrancars. He voiced this to the others, hoping they would understand and turn home, but Chad only attacked him which he was quick to guard with his sword. The attack created a giant shockwave slash blast that shook the entire room, demonstrating his new level of strength. And judging from the look on Ichigo's face, he was proven wrong.
Rukia huffed at Ichigo's expression. "Don't think you were the only person training to fight." She spoke. And Ichigo directed his attention to the petite Soul Reaper who looked upset by his reckless idea. "Everyone here is going to be necessary to rescue Katsuko."
"Hold on," Ichigo and Chad stepped away from each other. "But why are you two here…? I thought you two were staying back in the Soul Society—"
"Are you stupid?! Rukia's snapped, startling Ichigo, and she marched towards him. "What makes you think we weren't going to come?"
"… The old man said—"
"It doesn't matter what he said!" Ichigo's eyes grew large when she grabbed the front of his Shihakusho to pull him down to her level. "We we're coming back no matter what!"
Surprised, he blinked at her. He didn't have a chance to say something since someone beat him to it.
"You know, you're making it really hard not to punch you in the face." Renji sighed and pushed himself up. He was feeling offended that Ichigo didn't have faith in him and Rukia. If he had left before they came back… Well, he would have had a nice surprise coming for him.
Rukia let go of him with an irritated look. "You were planning on going on your own without us." Her features then softened. "Why couldn't you trust us to go with you? Aren't we your friends, Ichigo?"
The realization of his mistake had him staring at the two other Soul Reapers quietly. He wouldn't doubt them again. And now that he knew they were coming along, he brightened up a little. he nodded his head and smiled a bit. "Yeah, you're right."
Rukia was satisfied with his response. "Now then, let's get going. Renji and I had to time our departure from the Soul Society properly but it won't mean anything if they come after us to bring us back."
Seeing as everyone looked ready, Urahara clapped his hands to grab their attention. "Alright, it seems like we can get ready… oh wait," he peered over his shoulder and paused for a second. Everyone tried to get a better view of what he was looking at. "Ah, there she is."
A woman with long brown hair and blue eyes came into view, walking at a steady pace towards the group with a hand on the hilt of her Zanpakuto, giving everyone the impression that she was ready to fight. She stopped when she passed Urahara, standing a few steps away from the human reaper.
"Chisaki." Ichigo voiced. Of course, he was freaking surprised that she was coming along. She wasn't the last person he expected. It's just that she came out of nowhere.
"I have to clean up the mess I made."
Hm... what's up with Chisaki?
Bleach. 2 days. Two. Days. Two Days. Bleach. Let's go! All this Bleach news is giving me a lot of inspiration now. Now that we're getting more into this part of the story, I feel very impatient lol. I'd like to see your guesses as the story progresses...
Also, is it just me or did I not get any notifs at all for months about my stories or PMs until like just two days ago? I wonder why this happened. I'm just glad to see notifs for reviews because I like to read them right away. Makes me happy :)
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you have a nice day/night!