If my writing fluctuates, I apologize. I've been going through alot and writing this has been my only escape. And seeing the interactions on my stories is honestly one of the few good things happening to me lately.
Thanks everyone that's been reading my stories. I appreciate all of you
I should have known. I really should have. When have things ever just gone without a hitch? Never! Things always go wrong, and their trip through the dangai was no exception. Why? Because they just happened to enter the dangai on its weekly cleaning day.
Our group was being chased by the Kōtotsu, the cleaner, and it was slowly but surely catching up to us. No one could outrun the Kōtotsu, and it was becoming more clear the further it got.
"Just keep running forward!" Yoruichi yelled, but it wasn't really useful advice. The only way to outrun the Kōtotsu was to use shunpo, but only the two of us could use it.
"It's catching up, Yoruichi!" I snapped at her. "These can't outrun it, and I can't carry all four of them!"
"You don't need to! We're almost there!"
I could see the end of the dangai up in the distance, but I could also feel the Kōtotsu all but literally on our heels. There just wasn't a way for them to get out with all of them in tact. I didn't think I'd have to make a sacrifice so soon in our journey, but at this point, there didn't seem to be any other option. I reached for my zanpakuto and prepared to turn and face the Kōtotsu, but before I could do anything, it was Inoue who reacted.
"Hinagiku! Baigon! Lily!" Those hairpins she always seemed to wear started glowing. "Santenkesshun! I reject!"
I couldn't hide my surprise when a bright came forth from the hairpins and created a shield between us and the Kōtotsu, and when the sweeper came in contact with the shield, it created an explosion that sent us all through the end of the dangai...
... and right into the sky above Rukongai.
We didn't even have time to react before we crashed into the ground. My place as one of the ones infront meant I had the unfortune of potentially having someone land on me. By some grace, it ended up being Yoruichi, but she ended up hitting my middle and knocking whatever air I had left out of me.
"Is everyone okay?" Came Inoue's innocent question, and I honestly had to resist the urge to strangle her.
"Yoruichi" I wheezed out. The cat was still in shock on my stomach, and unfortunately had her nails in me. "Can you.. let go now?"
"Yes, I'm sorry"
I breathed out a sigh of relief as her sharp nails were removed from my skin and she climbed off me. I carefully sat up and started rubbing the back of my head, since it taken a large brunt of my landing. While the others continued their chatting, and Yoruichi ended up scolding Inoue, I looked around the area. Empty, not a soul in sight. I couldn't blame them. It's not everyday some strangely dressed people, including a shinigami, came crashing down from the sky.
Sighing, I carefully stood up and stretched out. I'm definitely way too old for crash landings, and it's showing. Something briefly caught my attention, and I saw someone through a crack of a door before it slammed shut. At least we didn't end up in a deserted town. Continuing my look around, I soon realized where we were. No, it wasn't some deserted town. Luck had delivered us right outside Seireitei. Not only that, it was the White Road Gate. I had frequented this area alot back in day when I was still in Squad 13, whose district was quite literally right infront of us. The urge to hide before anyone who might recognise me popped up then.
"So, this is Soul Society?" Ichigo asked. It seemed they had finished their squabbling.
"Yes" Yoruichi confirmed. "This place is known as Rukongai, the Drifting Spirit Town. This is where souls come to live upon coming to Soul Society, and is on the perimeter of Seireitei, where shinigami live. It's the poorest area in Soul Society, but also the one with most freedom. It also has the largest population of souls in Soul Society"
"Hmm.. even with all that.. there's no one else here"
"Huh? What's that? It looks so different on that side"
Following Ichigo's gaze, I saw he was looking at Seireitei. It was true that Seireitei was much different than Rukongai, down to the floor. It was something that had always annoyed me a bit, that shinigami lived in luxury while the rest of the souls had to live like this.
"That's Seireitei" I informed Ichigo, crossing my arms.
"Alright then!" Before anyone could stop him, Ichigo started running towards Seireitei.
My eyes near bulged out of my head they went so wide. "Ichigo, you idiot! Wait!"
The seireiheki wall nearly crushed Ichigo beneath it when it came down, but my idiot nephew just managed to avoid it. If our entrance didn't alert them, the wall coming down definitely let everyone know we were here. At least now if someone from Squad 13 came around, they wouldn't be able to see me. Small victories, I guess.
"It's been a long time..." I perked up for the first time since we got here. I didn't think I'd be meeting someone from my past so soon, but I had to admit I was glad it was him. "Since someone has tried to pass through the Seireimon without a permit"
As the dust settled, the figure of an outrageously tall man started coming into view. He towered over most shinigami I've ever met, and had long black hair tied behind his head in a ponytail, as well as side burns that were also long enough to be tied into two ponytails. He wore a tasseled fez, and an altered shinigami Shihakusho with a pair of axes.
Ikkanzaka Jidanbō. The gatekeeper of the White Road Gate... and a very old friend of mine.
Admittedly, I hadn't seen Jidanbō in more than twenty years, even before I left. After I transferred to Squad 10, I had been too far and too busy to come around for a casual chat. It must have been because of that, that I had interrupted his conversation with Ichigo.
"Jidanbō!" I dragged out the end of his name to get his attention, waving my hand in the air, earning not only his attention, but the attention of the others too.
The giant of a man squinted at me for a second, before his eyes widened in recognition. "Enka-san! It's been thirty years since I last saw you!"
I ignored the stares I received from the teens, and the scolding from Yoruichi about being so informal. "It's been way too long! I hope you've been well"
"Where have you been? Everyone's been wondering where you were!"
"Well, it's a long story-" Before I could continue, Jidanbō dragged one of his long axes across the ground, creating a wall between Ichigo and the rest of us. Once everything settled, I noticed Inoue and Sado standing behind the wall. Seems like they were going to use my conversation with Jidanbō as a distraction to go and help Ichigo. Rude.
"Sorry, Enka-San. It seems like because of some country bumpkins, we'll have to continue catching up"
"It's fine" I waved him off. "Have fun!"
I could feel stares on me again. Since Ishida was the closest, I just turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You seem awfully close with the enemy"
"We use to be close back in the day" I shrugged.
"Back in the..." he shook his head, although I feel like that's going to come up again on the future. "Why are you so casual with someone who's going to be fighting Ichigo? Shouldn't you be more worried about him?"
"Nope" I turned towards where the fight was taking place. "I have faith that Ichigo will win"
Jidanbō was a formidable warrior, that was true. He wouldn't be where he was if he wasn't. But Ichigo... Ichigo was a force I had never encountered before. The boy got stronger and stronger faster than anyone I had ever seen before, perhaps that was due to his parentage. Ichigo would he triumphant in this battle.
And it wasn't long until my prediction came true. Ichigo ended up the victor when he smashed Jidanbō's axes. I had to cover my ears at the man's wailing, as much as I loved him, Jidanbō sounded like a siren when he cried. Ichigo ended up comforting the giant, and he agreed to open the gate for us.
As we all approached the gate, Jidanbō turned towards it. The gates of the Seireimon were exceptionally heavy, and only the 4 gatekeepers were strong enough. Even Jidanbō had problems with it, judging by how his muscles bulged as he strained to open the gate.
"Thanks alot, Jidanbō" I grinned.
"It's no problem, Enka-san! Anything for a-" He froze.
Following his gaze, I caught sight of the shinigami that waited on the other side. I expected some of them to come and investigate, and wasn't even surprised that it was Squad 3. Due to their proximity to Squad 13, and Jushiro's health, it wasn't strange that they would investigate in Squad 13's stead. However, the one thing that did surprise me was seeing Squad 3's Captain waiting.
"Who is that?" Ichigo asked after he had come over to investigate.
"The Captain of Squad Three... Ichimaru Gin"
Ichimaru Gin. The man had been a captain during my time in the Gotei 13, and even back then there had been something off about the man. The man looked, talked and felt like a snake. Lady Luck wasn't on our side today, bringing one of the worst Captain's right to us. There was only one of us here who'd be capable of taking him on, and she wasn't even in the right position to do so.
"Oh, this will not do" The sound of his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I immediately moved my hand towards my zanpakuto, and took a step closer to Ichigo.
But it turned out that it wasn't Ichigo that needed protecting from the Captain. A flash of silver sliced through one of Jidanbō's arms, and blood spurted out from the wound. I had heard about Ichimaru Gin's zanpakuto back in the day, but I had never seen it in action until now. The man didn't even move, and yet managed to cut Jidanbō's who was meters away.
"Jidanbō!" I yelled out in concern as he came down onto his knees, the gate slamming down on his shoulders. Somehow, he still kept it up.
"That's unacceptable" My head snapped back towards Ichimaru, my entire body tensing up. "A guardian of the gate isn't supposed to open the gates"
"I lost" Jidanbō managed to say between his groans of pain. "Opening the gate is what's expected of a gatekeeper who has lost"
"What are you saying?" My grip on my zanpakuto's handle tightened as Ichimaru started walking towards us. "A gatekeeper who loses isn't openin' any gates. When a gatekeeper loses... it means death"
Before I could stop him, Ichigo rushed forward and clashed with Ichimaru. Ichigo was always a bit of a reckless idiot, but I didn't think he was this suicidal! Didn't he remember what happened the last time he faced a Captain?!
"Ichigo, What the hell are you doing?!" I snapped, at the same time as Ichigo questioned Ichimaru. It was that damn Shiba blood.
"Don't you try to butt in, fox face" Ichigo had his sword pointed towards the Captain, like the absolute moron he was. "Anyone who attacks an unarmed man, will be killed by me"
Damn that Ichigo. Did he really think a week of training alongside Urahara gave him a right to be this cocky?! As strong as Ichigo was, a captain was way too far out of his reach! "Ichigo, that's enough!"
While Ichigo had ignored me, that damn snake tilted his head briefly in my direction. Knowing his gaze was on me made me freeze, and I had a sinking feeling like I did something I wasn't supposed to.
Ichimaru let out a scoff as he turned his attention back towards Ichigo. "You're a funny kid. You're not scared of me?"
"Not at all!" Of course he wasn't. Because Kurosaki Ichigo lacked a damn survival instinct.
"Hey!" Yoruichi had come forward. "Stop it, Ichigo! We have to retreat for now!"
"Huh? Why?!"
"Because that's a damn captain and none of stand a chance!" I seethed at him, although my eyes never left Ichimaru. There was something about his expression that was setting off warning bells.
"But I'm only just getting started! I just can't forgive guys like him"
"I don't care! You're not strong enough to take him on!"
"It's fine! I'll just end it.."
"So you're Kurosaki Ichigo"
"Huh?" Ichigo turned back towards Ichimaru, confused. "You know about me?"
"Oh, just as I thought" Ichimaru got this snake like grin on his face. And then surprised us by turning around and walking away.
This should have been our opportunity to walk away. But of course Kurosaki Ichigo didn't know how to leave well enough alone. He was exactly like his father in that regard, I couldn't help but think with an annoyed frown.
"Huh? Hey! Where are you going?! Hey, wait!"
"All the more reason why I can't let you pass" Once he put some distance between us, he stopped and removed his Zanpakuto from his sheathe.
"Why are you standing so far back? Are you going to throw your wakizashi?"
"It's not a wakizashi. This is my zanpakuto, you see.." it was like a switch had flipped in him, and he went from being calm, to taking on an offensive stance. "Shoot 'em dead.."
His words sparked me into action, my body jerking forward and unsheathing my zanpakuto as I yelled out "Ichigo, watch out!"
"..Shinso"
Ichimaru's zanpakuto started extending at a breakneck speed, and Ichigo barely had enough time to bring up his own zanpakuto to block the oncoming weapon. But even then, the force sent him flying into Jidanbō's, and pushed them both back some distance. I watched as the gate came back down, and before it shut completely, I made eye contact with the Captain. He met my glare with a grin, and then he was completely gone from sight.
With the gate now closed, we had lost our only chance at getting into Seireitei easily. I don't know how we're going to do that, but we'll have to find a new way inside.