Chapter 19 - Jaws of the Seireitei
"Orihime!" Isshin called out loudly as he burst out the front door of his clinic. "I knew I could sense your reiatsu with Ichigo! Welcome back!"
"Dad!" Ichigo hushed. "It's late. You're going to wake up the neighborhood!"
Isshin looked around him, then declared in his same loud voice, "Well, the neighborhood can know that Orihime is back, unharmed and in one piece, then!"
Orihime giggled. "Thanks Mister Kurosaki. I'm sure Ichigo can fill you in on what's happened, but I'm just here to heal Rukia and Chad, and then I'm off again."
Isshin raised an eyebrow, beckoning them in. "Is that so? You're a busy girl these days, eh, Orihime?"
Ichigo looked down, a grim expression on his face. "I wish it were that simple."
Isshin grew serious. "What's the matter?"
"Orih-"
"Oh Ichigo!" Orihime huffed; "If you're really that worried about me you can come with me. I'll introduce you properly to Madara and them. I think you'd be surprised," she said with a cheeky smile.
"You're going back to that hollow?" Isshin asked incredulously.
Ichigo sighed, massaging his temples; "She doesn't exactly have a choice. Orihime, how about you see to the wounded, and I'll explain things to my dad?"
Orihime nodded, relieved that she wasn't going to be interrogated again by Ichigo's father. "Yeah, let me know when Urahara arrives."
As Orihime made her way to the patient wards, Isshin turned toward his son. "Kisuke's coming?"
"Yeah… Long story short, Orihime somehow made friends with Madara in the last few hours, and they joined forces with Aizen."
Isshin reeled back. "What?!"
Ichigo waved in dismissal. "But, she's here now because Madara apparently wants a gigai to be able to achieve world peace…? And if Orihime gets him one, she goes free."
Isshin scrunched his face, and pinched the bridge of his nose, hard. "Hold up, Ichigo, you've got to be missing something here. That hollow that almost sucked up Karakura town into a ball of mud wants world peace? And why would he need a gigai for that?"
"Well according to Orihime that's what's going on," Ichigo clarified. "I wish I had all the details, but she won't tell me; in fact I don't think even she knows what Madara is really trying to do with the gigai."
At this, Isshin found a stool and sat in it, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, resting his palms together. "What'd Kisuke say about this?"
"Urahara thinks it's not a big deal, and frankly, I agree with him." Ichigo shrugged, finding a stool of his own to sit on while they waited. "She revealed all of this during her report to Yamamoto, and the head captain gave us the green light to go through with this. Honestly, I don't see what Madara could possibly do in a gigai that he can't do already, and if Orihime really comes home free after that, then it's a good trade in my eyes."
Ichigo was looking off at the direction of the patient wards as he spoke, feeling Rukia and Chad's spiritual pressures increasing. Upon receiving no response, however, he turned back toward his father; the former squad 10 captain's features were schooled into a hard grimace as he stared intently into the floor. "What, you think a gigai's gonna give him more powers or something?... Dad?"
Isshin slowly looked up toward Ichigo. "Did Kisuke ask you to accompany Orihime when she brings the gigai to Madara? Is anyone going with her?"
Ichigo frowned in confusion, shaking his head. "Not yet, but I'm guessing I would be going with her, just to be safe. Why?"
"It is never 'not a big deal' when Kisuke Urahara and the captain commander agree on something that doesn't obviously benefit them. There's got to be something more at play here." As he finished, Orihime, Rukia and Chad walked through the door into the clinic waiting room.
"Ichigo," Chad greeted. "I heard you were just in another battle with the Arrancar."
"Orihime said there are ten espada!" Rukia said, worriedly. "Is that true? There's five more of them above Grimmjow?" There was no trace of her wound anymore, but she still instinctively brought a palm toward her stomach where Grimmjow had stabbed her.
"Hey guys, glad to see the two of you are back on your feet again," Ichigo replied with a smile, before growing more serious; "And yeah, Rukia. It seems like it. We fought the fourth Espada today, and he was definitely scary strong."
Rukia's eyes were downcast; "I'm sorry I can't be of more help, Ichigo. I think I might ask Urahara about his special bankai training methods… maybe get Renji to help."
As if on cue, the door to the clinic swung open and before them stood none other than Kisuke Urahara, who let himself in without knocking. "Whatever my favorite customer needs, Urahara shall provide!" He bowed in grandiose exaggeration, before rising with a smirk. He observed the room; "Looks like everybody is here and we're ready to begin." A black cat trailed in on his heels.
Isshin cast a sideways glance toward him and his feline companion. "Kisuke. Yoruichi. Ichigo just brought me up to speed on current events," he said flatly.
Urahara stiffened slightly at Isshin's tone, before readjusting his feet, standing squarely to face the elder Kurosaki. "Now, Isshin, I know what you must be think-"
"What are you up to, Kisuke, that you would send Orihime alone back to Madara? Whatever you've got cooking up in that devious mug of yours, it'd better not put the girl in danger," the former squad 10 captain threatened.
Orihime gave a small gasp, but nobody else in the room moved or said a word. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, until Yoruichi began grooming her paws, and Urahara sighed. "You worry too much, Isshin. If I know you half as well as I think I do, you want to go with them to make sure nothing funny happens, right?"
Isshin grunted.
Urahara let out a small laugh; "Ichigo, how about you go with Orihime? I'll brief your dad here on what she told us earlier, and we'll be right behind you; it might be good for us to pay this place a visit."
Orihime beamed at this. "Oh! You're coming, too, Ichigo?" She looked thoughtful; "Only a few people can see spiritual beings in the Leaf Village, though… Maybe you'll want to come in your normal body?"
Ichigo shrugged. "Huh… Yeah, sure. Rukia, can you go wake Kon?
Rukia nodded, bolting up the stairs two at a time.
"And how exactly are we getting to this Leaf Village, anyway?" Ichigo asked.
Urahara gave a wry smile, lowering himself to one knee and placing a palm on the floor. "My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality."
"Kisuke! What are you trying to do in my clinic?!" Isshin barked, but the former squad 12 captain ignored him, smiling wider.
"The black-haired shepherd hangs from his chair… Stratus clouds part, and let me pierce through heaven's gate." As he finished the incantation, a small garganta ripped open in the middle of the Kurosaki clinic's waiting room. "See? Perfectly safe and stable. Don't you trust me, Isshin? We've known each other for what, 200, 250 years?"
Isshin marched toward Urahara, hoisting him up by the front of his shirt with one hand. "Yeah, it's been at least two centuries, and you still keep pulling stunts like this." He gestured toward the crackling portal, before setting the convenience store owner down again and rubbing his temples. "It's almost midnight on a Thursday, my son is about to be sent off to some unknown land, and I have a garganta open in the waiting room of my clinic. I'm surprised you haven't blown yourself up yet."
"Oh, he has," Yoruichi purred. "He just has contingencies in place so that he doesn't die. I even remember him having to use his Bankai once just to stitch himself back together."
"Yoruichi," Kisuke groaned. "I thought we agreed that particular incident stayed a secret…"
Ichigo narrowed his eyes. So Urahara has a Bankai, and it has healing properties? I should keep that in mind, he thought to himself, before Orihime's voice spoke up. "Are you sure this garganta will lead us to the land of fire?"
"Yeah. I honed in on the location of the garganta you appeared in, and reverse engineered it. It'll take you right back to where you came from," Urahara replied, handing a small pouch to Orihime. "Here's the gigai. It's shrunk down at the moment, but Ichigo knows how to inflate it. All Madara will need to do is channel his reiatsu into it and it will take his physical form."
Orihime took the pouch. "Great!" She said, before looking at the garganta hesitantly, and then at the clock on the wall that read 11:40pm. "It's getting late, though… Shouldn't we rest up tonight and go tomorrow?"
Urahara waved her off dismissively. "You're here, and Ichigo's here. Plus, I've just gone through the trouble of summoning this garganta."
Ichigo scowled, and looked over to the Mod Soul that Rukia had dragged out of bed. "Yeah, whatever. Kon, I'm going to need my body for a bit."
The mod soul nodded, and Ichigo swapped back into his physical form.
"Come on, Orihime, the quicker we get this done, the better."
Orihime looked toward Ichigo, then nodded determinedly. "Sure. Let's go," she said, stepping into the garganta.
Ichigo was right behind her. As the portal closed, Isshin grabbed two stools and planted one in front of Urahara, before sitting down on the other. He leaned forward, slapping his hands onto his knees. "Alright, Kisuke. What are you hiding from the kids? And why are you in such a hurry to get this gigai to Madara? Just what the hell is going on here?"
Urahara looked pensively at Rukia and Chad. They were statuesque, watching in fascination in the corner of the room.
"Alright… If this all goes south, a few more hands on deck to help will be good to have," he relented. "So here's what's going to happen..."
Land of Fire - Konohagakure; Hokage's Dwelling
Hashirama was sitting with his arms crossed, drumming a finger against his bicep. "So you want to capture all the tailed beasts, and then have us join Aizen's rebellion against the shinigami?"
Madara nodded. "Yes. As long as this dichotomy of shinigami and hollow exists, there will always be that threat of them intruding in our lands and wreaking havoc. Aizen's plan will remove the instinctual hunger all hollows feel by turning them into Arrancar like Harribel. Then, when there are no hollows to prey on the living, and no shinigami to meddle in our affairs, we will be able to unite the nations under a single banner of peace."
Hashirama looked thoughtful; "Harribel, can Aizen be trusted?"
"Lord Aizen is a man of his word," she replied. The Espada had remained largely silent throughout the conversation as Madara outlined his ambitions for the Elemental Nations. She always tuned out slightly whenever Aizen was discussing his grand designs for the Seireitei and the soul palace, too. She had no interest in such things.
Hashirama nodded. "And Madara, what do you intend to do with the tailed beasts, then? Do we really want eight more jinchuriki?"
Madara shook his head; "I can seal them with my Rinnegan. Mito's Kyuubi will be the only tailed beast left." He didn't want to tell Hashirama that he would need to extract the nine tails at some point, because he was hoping to find a method to prevent Mito's death upon its extraction before it came to that.
"Alright," Hashirama said, finishing his tea. "The hour is late, and your office has been cleared out since we thought you were dead. Do you two want to stay in one of our spare rooms?" He gestured toward a closed door as he finished.
Madara looked at the door, and took a breath to thank Hashirama, before realizing something. "Isn't that Tobirama's room?"
"…Yeah."
The words of gratitude died in Madara's mouth, replaced by a bitter taste. "I'll find a bed somewhere else. Harribel, you can stay here if you want. See you in the morning," he said as he turned to leave.
Suddenly, he heard the screeching sound of a garganta opening behind him, and sensed Orihime and… Ichigo?
Hashirama leapt from his chair protectively in front of Mito, before recognizing Orihime coming out of the garganta. Behind him was a slim but well-toned young man with similar, but lighter orange hair as the girl. "Ah, it's you, Orihime. Welcome back. Is this your brother?"
Orihime recoiled, cheeks suddenly reddening, before Ichigo answered in her stead. "Nah, Orihime's a friend of mine. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki; nice to meet you. Madara and I met earlier in Karakura town," he said, inclining his head toward the hollow. Madara raised an eyebrow, but nodded back in acknowledgement. Ichigo extended a hand toward Hashirama, who shook it.
"Hashirama Senju, Hokage and leader of this village, and that's my wife, Mito Uzimaki."
Ichigo nodded, before Orihime elbowed him in the side and faced him toward Madara. He struggled with himself briefly, before continuing. "...Sorry for attacking you before," he said with an exasperated sigh. "I thought you were going to hurt Orihime, but she seems to have nothing but praise for you, so you have my gratitude for taking care of her. I'm just here to make sure she comes back in one piece after you're done with the gigai…" He trailed off, suddenly noticing a fifth person in the room with them.
Harribel had just finished the final sip of her tea, so her jacket that usually covered her mouth and remnants of her hollow mask was unzipped. He looked at the scantily clad blonde sitting with her arms crossed in the corner of the room; she was so silent he didn't notice her before. And then his eyes fell upon her chest. "A-another hollow?!" He stuttered, quickly fumbling in his pockets for his substitute shinigami badge.
"Calm yourself, Ichigo. She bears you no ill will." Madara's deep baritone cut through his panic.
"Oh," Ichigo said dumbly as he dropped his badge and scrambled to pick it up again. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. Pleased to meet you all," he stammered.
Hashirama raised his eyebrows with a small smile. "Yes, you just said that."
Mito scoffed and walked away, and Orihime just wore a dejected expression.
"Did I?! Hahaha!" Ichigo laughed nervously, blushing as his gaze swiftly darted from her ample chest to her emerald eyes. Harribel had one eyebrow slightly raised as he nervously walked up to her. "So who might you be, uhh, hollow lady?" He said, extending his hand.
She shook it. "Tier Harribel, Espada number three."
Ichigo's jaw almost hit the floor, he was so distracted by the rest of her that he had missed the small number '3' tattooed on the inside of her right breast. Now, he gaped at it, before catching himself and yanking his hand away from Harribel and instinctively moving to grab Zangetsu's hilt. His fingers fumbled in the air behind him, however, as he had forgotten he was in his human body.
Despite feeling a pang of jealousy that Ichigo had noticed Harribel but not herself, Orihime giggled. "It's okay, Ichigo, Harribel is a friend, too. She owns this huge mansion in Las Noches and hosted Madara and I earlier."
Ichigo swallowed, lowering his hand and forcing himself to keep his eyes above neck level on Harribel. "I see."
Madara shook his head and scoffed. "So you're here to make sure Orihime returns in one piece, are you, boy? Among us, you are less than nothing."
Mito sighed, placing her hands on her hips; "This is why you have so much trouble earning the goodwill of the villagers, Madara!" She chided. "Make yourself at home, Ichigo. Any friend of Orihime's is a friend of Konoha. What she has done for Hashirama is a debt that may never be repaid."
Orihime waved dismissively; "Oh, it was nothing, really!"
Seeing that the new arrival meant no harm, Hashirama yawned. "Ichigo, Orihime, you two want to take that spare room over there?" He gestured to Tobirama's room.
Orihime went pink; "Umm…"
But Ichigo beat her to it. "Why not? I can sleep on the floor."
Mito crossed her arms. "You insult us, Ichigo. Give me five minutes; I will have a spare bed made for you. Madara, I trust you can secure lodging arrangements for yourself and Harribel?"
Madara grunted. "Yes. Let's meet at the Hokage's office at noon, Hashirama." He held out his palm in Hashirama's face before the Hokage could protest. "Look at yourself in the mirror. You need to sleep. You wouldn't want Tobirama to revive to a barely recognizable elder brother, would you?"
Hashirama looked pleadingly at Mito, who crossed her arms and raised her chin in triumph. "You already know my thoughts on the matter," she huffed.
"Orihime, you still awake?" Ichigo whispered from his mattress on the floor.
"Yeah. I slept quite a bit earlier today at Harribel's."
"What were they talking about? It sounded like somebody important is getting healed tomorrow?"
"It's Hashirama's brother, Tobirama. He was killed by one of the other village leaders in an assassination attempt not long ago. Madara apparently has the power to revive the dead, or something."
Ichigo sat up. "What? That's impossible." Orihime was on her side, looking at him; they made eye contact for a brief moment, but she quickly turned onto her back.
Orihime smiled, gazing up onto the low wooden ceiling of Hashirama's hut. "I find it hard to believe, too. But you should hear him speak, Ichigo. It's like he's got intimate knowledge of the world itself. There's just something about him that makes you want to believe his words."
Ichigo scowled, but he had time. "So what exactly has he said?"
Orihime turned to face him again, this time making eye contact and holding Ichigo's gaze. "He talked about his childhood… his friendship with Hashirama, and how they used to be in warring clans until they founded this village. They've been through so much, Ichigo, but now their mission is to extend the peace and comfort of this village to the rest of the world."
Ichigo frowned. It was hard to accept that a hollow of Madara's power was truly striving for something as noble as world peace. "It's a bit too cliche, don't you think, Orihime? What if they're just saying that to trick you into helping them get this gigai?"
Orihime shook her head. "No… I don't think so. It's hard to explain, but maybe you can talk to Madara yourself? See what kind of person he is… And if we can get the shinigami off of his back, it'll make their goal of world peace so much easier."
A pained expression crossed Ichigo's face. "I… don't think that's possible, Orihime. Yamamoto himself has tasked the entire Gotei 13 as well as us in Karakura town with the elimination of Madara and the Espada, remember? The old man will deal with Aizen, but Madara and the rest are up to us."
Ichigo…" Orihime sat up on her bed, too. "If you care about me at all… Please don't fight Madara and them."
Ichigo sat up straighter.
"It would… break my heart if you died, Ichigo," Orihime whispered, barely audible.
Ichigo stood up. "You don't think I have a chance at all?" A hint of edge was creeping into his voice. "I achieved Bankai in ten days, and I have my hollow mask, too. I'm strong, Orih-"
"But are you as strong as Grimmjow?" Orihime cut him off, steel in her gaze. "Ulquiorra is far above Grimmjow, and Harribel is stronger than him. That's not even taking into account the two other Espada above her. Then there's Madara. You don't know how much he was holding back in Karakura town. He didn't want to get me caught up in the battle!"
"They're just saying that to scare you, Orihime. There's no way these Espada are a match for the Gotei 13 - the captains have had centuries to train and hone their skills-" Ichigo was raising his voice, but Orihime cut him off again, getting to her feet.
"And from what Madara has told me, Hashirama is even stronger than him. By a lot-
"What?! Why would you heal him, then?!" They were talking over each other, now.
"I don't want you to fight them, Ichigo! They're not bad people. Aizen, maybe, but not Harribel, and not these two." Orihime was standing close to him. Close enough for him to feel her quickened breathing on his bare chest. He was conflicted as he held her gaze, but he eventually looked away.
"I'm sorry, Orihime. I can't do that. I'm a substitute shinigami. Yammy and Ulquiorra's first attack killed hundreds of innocents in Karakura Town; you saw it first hand. Plus, Grimmjow almost killed Rukia. If Madara is allied with the Arrancar, then he is our enemy."
Orihime's eyes glistened as she embraced him in an apprehensive hug, pressing her face into his chest. "Then what about me, Ichigo?" She said, a slight quiver in her voice. "If I am allied with Madara and the Arrancar, am I your enemy, too?"
Ichigo tensed. When he didn't immediately answer, Orihime pushed him aside, choking back a sob, and ran out the door.
Ichigo sucked in a breath, but didn't call after her. Her words had sent his thoughts spiraling into a jumbled mess. What the hell is she saying? See Orihime as an enemy? Is that some kind of a joke? He thought. Damn it. What the hell have they been telling her?
On the other side of the thin wall, Hashirama grimaced, and let out a steady sigh as he closed his eyes. He could deal with this tomorrow.
Madara awoke to an angry flaring of reiatsu in the distance. Looking at the sun, it was mid-morning at most. He had brought Harribel to his old office and laid out two piles of hay, one on each corner. She had wordlessly settled into one of the piles and gone to sleep, so he followed suit. Now, she was nowhere to be seen.
He located her reiatsu signature close by, near the training grounds, and made his way toward it with a sonido. The reiatsu that had just flared was not hers. Ichigo? Madara thought, confused.
"That's not fair!" Hiruzen was sitting on his buttocks, with a broken kunai in hand. "You're cheating with that zanpakuto. Just 'cause I kicked your butt…"
Ichigo was standing over him, with Zangetsu in shikai slung over his shoulder. "Hey, you asked for it, kid."
Madara touched down beside Hiruzen. "What's going on, here?" He asked. Harribel was there, too, watching on the sidelines with her arms crossed.
Hiruzen picked himself up. "This creep's been out here destroying training dummies all night, so I thought I'd size him up and teach him a lesson," the young Sarutobi grumbled as he dusted himself off and pocketed the broken end of his kunai.
Madara chuckled and turned toward Ichigo. "If all you do is train without rest, your body is going to fall apart. Ample recovery is equally important for growth."
Ichigo raised Zangetsu toward Madara, a dark look on his face; "I've still got plenty of steam I need to let off before I can even think of resting." His gaze fell on the hilt of Gamuza, clasped on Madara's left hip. "I see you've got yourself a zanpakuto. How about it, Madara Uchiha, you up for a spar?"
Madara studied Ichigo for a few seconds, before scoffing and turning away. "Sparring with someone of your power level does not interest me."
Ichigo's lips curled up into a snarl. He flared his reiatsu again, but before he could retort, Harribel appeared before Madara with a sonido. "If you're that keen on a spar, I shall be your opponent." She slowly drew Tiburon. "I am curious as to your abilities, Ichigo Kurosaki. Lord Aizen speaks highly of you."
Ichigo sank into a battle stance. "Aizen speaks highly of me? I'm flattered, but he doesn't even know me."
Harribel smirked; "He knows more than you can imagine;" and pressed the attack. Ichigo did not even see what hit him as the hilt of Tiburon drove into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath, but quickly picked himself up again, using Zangetsu for support.
"You should take me more seriously, Ichigo Kurosaki. Show me your Bankai," Harribel taunted, lowering Tiburon in invitation.
Ichigo growled. "You want to see my Bankai? Be my guest; Bankai - Tensa Zangetsu!" He cried. A cloud of dust billowed out from around him, and as the edge of the dust reached Harribel, he dove toward her with a shunpo. She caught the sleek blade of Tensa Zangetsu almost effortlessly in the hollow center of her Tiburon, and yanked it out of Ichigo's grasp. Before the substitute shinigami could react to this disarming, she twisted and planted a vicious spinning kick into Ichigo's gut, sending him tumbling back dozens of meters before he slowly rolled to a stop at the feet of Orihime and Hashirama, groaning in pain.
This time, Ichigo did not immediately get up. He clutched at his midsection as he squirmed on the ground, coughing up a globule of blood. He opened his eyes to the glowing orange field of Soten Kisshun, and felt his pain rapidly easing.
"Thanks, Orihime…" He sputtered out.
"Ichigo Kurosaki." Hashirama spoke gently, kneeling beside the downed boy. He was a few years older than Hiruzen, at most. The Hokage was dressed in his official white garb, and he positioned his oversized hat so that it would shield Ichigo's eyes from the morning sun. "I know you are frustrated and confused right now, but as it stands, the only person causing any trouble right now is you. Stop picking fights and speak your mind; you will find receptive ears all around you." He helped Ichigo up to a seated position as he finished, and channeled his own medical ninjutsu into the boy through the palm on his back.
"Ichigo," Orihime spoke softly, squatting down next to him and looking into his eyes; "I think we may have forgotten to keep our voices down last night. Hashirama heard most of what happened. But he's right. I'm not asking you to suddenly become friends with Harribel and Madara, but at least give them a chance."
Ichigo could not hold her gaze this time, slumping and looking into the dirt. "You are not my enemy, Orihime. Don't you ever dare think that. You will never be my enemy."
Orihime cupped Ichigo's face and brought it closer to hers. "Then give Madara a chance just like you gave Byakuya and the shinigami a chance, okay?"
Ichigo glanced up at Madara, who was staring down at him from the corner of his eyes, and sighed. "Alright. Sorry… again, Madara, Hashirama… everybody." But this time, as he got to his feet again, he truly meant it.
Hashirama smiled; "And there's that! No infighting allowed in Konohagakure," he declared triumphantly.
Harribel sheathed Tiburon, a small smile on her face, too, and Orihime embraced Ichigo in a tender hug.
Hashirama looked up toward the sun. "There's a few hours until noon… I've sent messengers to spread the word for the village to gather here at noon, but what are we supposed to do, now?"
Madara shook his head. "You should be sleeping, Hashirama. Go back to bed."
The Hokage jabbed a finger at him. "Madara! Do not address me as if I were a child to be scolded!" He shouted, but there was no venom in his voice. A glint appeared in his eye, then. "Say, Madara. I haven't had the opportunity to stretch my muscles for weeks. Haven't felt like myself until Orihime healed me yesterday, you know? How about a little warm up to shake off the rust? You and I, just like old times." He brought his hand slowly to the black hilt of the sword at his hip, a wry smile spreading across his lips.
Madara smirked, and his reiatsu flared in excitement. "You want to dance with me, Hashirama? Harribel, can he borrow your zanpakuto?"
Hashirama shook his head. "No need." He drew his blade from its onyx scabbard. It was a Chokuto as long as Madara's Gamuza. There was no crossguard; just a small, golden Fuchi separating the silver blade from its hilt. "This is no ordinary sword."
Madara's eyes widened as he recognized the weapon. "The sword of Kusanagi… one of the three legendary imperial regalia. How did you come to possess such an artifact?" He said in awe as he drew Gamuza in response.
Hashirama nodded. "You did not expect me to march into war unarmed, did you, Madara?" He said as he brandished the weapon, admiring the masterful craftsmanship that went into shaping the unknown material of its blade. "The Sarutobi elders had it in safekeeping. Now that they are gone, Hiruzen over there has allowed me to borrow it. Kusangi will not be easily shattered."
The Uchiha scoffed, accepting the explanation, before activating his Rinnegan and holding his blade in a two-handed stance. Hashirama mirrored him. No more words were uttered, and the clearing was silent, but for the ambient rustling of wind against leaves. Then, completely in sync, the two charged.
Madara led with a horizontal slash. Hashirama checked the blow, rolling with its momentum and spinning full circle to bring his blade back against Madara's exposed side.
With impeccable timing, Madara brought an elbow down against the blunt edge of Kusanagi, redirecting the swing low enough for him to jump over. While airborne, he weaved a series of strikes toward the Hokage's head, all of which were dodged or blocked.
Madara anticipated his guard pattern, though, herding the Hokage to his desired position. As Hashirama ducked the final swing, he was in the perfect position for Madara to finish his combo with a downward axe kick.
Eyes widening, sage markings appeared on Hashirama's face as he brought a forearm up to block the kick. A shockwave of dust erupted from Hashirama's feet as he absorbed the force of Madara's kick, billowing outward. The two of them leaped back again, putting some distance between them.
"Sage mode?" Madara said smugly. He had forced Hashirama to escalate his power first, this time. "I didn't even realize it, but how could you see me before without your senjutsu?"
Hashirama blinked rapidly, before shaking his head. "I don't know, but you do look much clearer now. You only got that kick in because you were all fuzzy before," he complained. "I thought I was just tired, but I guess not."
"It's because you're spending more time around people with high spiritual pressure," Ichigo explained from the side. "It's how Orihime first learned how to use her powers and see spiritual beings, too."
Hashirama nodded in thanks to Ichigo, before turning back to Madara and shrugging; "Well there you go. Round two?" He said, sinking into a different, one-handed stance now.
Madara smiled savagely, concentrating on the nature energies around him and activating his own sage mode. "Need you even ask?!" He roared as he kicked off toward Hashirama with a sonido.
Ichigo was dumbfounded by the speed at which the two were fighting. Even in Bankai, he could barely process their movements beyond blurs of motion, much less react to them. In fact, he couldn't keep track of either sword aside from the sparks that flew with each clash. He looked to Orihime, who was staring intently at the battle. "Orihime, can you see them?"
The orange haired girl turned toward him with a dazed expression, before laughing bashfully. "Nope, you?"
"Uh, yeah. They're pretty fast, but nothing I can't handle."
Harribel was listening in with a raised eyebrow, sparing Ichigo a bemused glance, before turning back at the action, enraptured by the graceful dervish before her.
Hashirama was on the offensive, now, raining blows left and right in a style that was both impossibly elegant, and completely alien to her. Madara's eyes were narrowed in exertion as he was forced back slowly, desperately bringing Gamuza to bear again and again against Kusang's onslaught. An instant later, with the slightest overextension of Hashirama's arm, Madara saw an opening and headbutted the Hokage. Suddenly the tide of battle shifted as Hashirama reeled back, struggling to regain his footing. Pressing his advantage, Madara swung wildly as he sought to overpower Hashirama through superior strength.
To Harribel's eye, Hashirama was the finer swordsman, and Madara was the bestial juggernaut. Madara's parries looked desperate and strenuous, and his blows were true but cleavingly inefficient. Hashirama, on the other hand, seemed to know exactly how much to move in order to block or avoid Madara's strikes, and his own attacks were precise, like a viper. There was much less wasted energy.
Madara's technique was brutish but powerful, Hashirama's refined and discerning. Polar opposites of each other in theory, but almost completely evenly matched in execution.
Harribel felt a shiver run down her spine in a mixture of fear and excitement as each clashing of Gamuza and Kusanagi reverberated through her bones. If Hashirama had this sword of Kusanagi in their fight against the shinigami instead of her Tiburon, and was not blinded by grief from the deaths of his villagers, he may well have broken past Unohana. She knew that they were both beyond herself in skill, and for the first time since becoming an Arrancar, she resolved herself to train and grow stronger.
And then, as quickly as it began, the duel was over. As Madara brought Gamuza up in a diagonal uppercut, the tip of the blade caught in the dirt. It didn't stop the strike at all, instead carving an angry furrow into the earth, but the slight hitch in momentum allowed Hashirama to kick the blade out of Madara's grasp, and raise his own against the hollow's neck.
Madara raised his hands in concession; and the two stood in that position for a few seconds, panting moderately. Hashirama had a light sheen of sweat over his forehead.
The Hokage sheathed his blade with a smile, and Madara growled in annoyance as he used Bansho' Ten'in to call Gamuza back into his grasp, sheathing it too. "I'm not used to the length of this zanpakuto," he grumbled. "If I had my Gunbai and Scythe you'd be dead five times over already."
Hashirama closed his eyes, smiling wider and nodding knowingly. "Yeah, yeah… And if I had a second sword, you'd be dead six times by now."
Madara harrumphed, but said nothing more. The fact that Hashirama also could have used his eight gates technique went unmentioned.
"Hashirama!" Mito called as she hopped down from a nearby tree. "I am your wife, but not your servant!" She angrily exclaimed as she tossed a bundle of woven straw boxes at the Hokage's feet.
Hashirama rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, before righting the boxes and summoning a large, round table and chairs with his wood style. "Thanks, Mito… Sorry, I just got a bit excited at the idea of fighting Madara again, you know?"
The Uzumaki plopped herself onto one of the newly spawned wooden chairs, and wordlessly began to unpack the boxes of food. "Well? Is your new sword good enough?"
Hashirama took his place on the chair beside his wife. "Yeah. You have my gratitude, Hiruzen," he called out to the young shinobi who was still shell-shocked at the display of swordsmanship he had just witnessed. "The sword of Kusanagi holds its own against Madara's zanpakuto. Speaking of which…" He looked back toward Madara, raising his voice. "I didn't think green would be your color of choice, Madara."
The Uchiha walked up and sat opposite Hashirama and Mito, while Ichigo, Orihime, Harribel and Hiruzen took the remaining seats. "It's not mine. Aizen gave it to me as a gesture of our alliance… It belonged to Harribel's predecessor."
Harribel nodded in affirmation, a sombre expression crossing her face. "Her name was Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. I looked up to her when I was still a Numero, before the latest reseating of the Espada ranks."
Hashirama nodded; "Has she passed on?"
Harribel shrugged. "Maybe… but nobody knows. She just suddenly disappeared one day, years ago, and left her zanpakuto. It's the only instance I know of where a zanpakuto has no owner, but I guess Gamuza is Madara's now."
The sun slowly crested over the horizon as morning turned to noon, and more shinobi began to gather in the training grounds. The group paid them no heed, still passionately engaged in conversation. Hiruzen had left to organize the ceremony for Tobirama's revival, but between Madara, Hashirama, Orihime, and eventually Ichigo, there had been no more than a few seconds of silence in hours.
As they ate and conversed, Ichigo began to understand why Orihime believed in Madara and Hashirama's 'will of fire' so much. It seemed truly great, and given the power they had demonstrated, their plan to unite the nations was certainly possible to pull off. Ichigo had even convinced Hashirama to teach him some swordplay. All Urahara and Zangetsu ever did was come at him and teach him to fight using his instinct, but Hashirama had demonstrated exactly how powerful a master's technique could be.
"So," Hashirama said, "It is almost noon. You think it's about time to give this gigai a try, Madara?"
At Hashirama's words, Madara looked toward Konoha with his Rinnegan, and spied in the distance Danzo and Hiruzen as well as an entourage of shinobi carrying Tobirama's casket. Behind him, the entire Konoha armed forces marched in unison. They were mere minutes away.
Madara nodded. "Yes. Enough dawdling around. The time is nigh."
Orihime wordlessly took out the small, cherry-sized black ball that Urahara had given her, and placed it into Madara's hand.
Madara eyed the rubbery object. "Do I just eat this?"
Ichigo erupted in laughter, and Orihime joined him.
"No, see that little pinhole there? Blow into it and it will expand the size of a person, and then you can channel your reiatsu into it," the substitute shinigami explained.
Madara turned the ball around in his fingers, until he saw the opening Ichigo was mentioning. He took a deep breath, and blew. To his surprise, there was barely any resistance as the small rubbery ball expanded out and took on the shape of a skinless human.
Orihime recoiled as Madara flopped the gigai onto the table. "Eww… It's kinda creepy."
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "They all look like that. Once you channel your reiatsu into it, it'll take the form of your soul. Whatever clothes have made the biggest impression on you will be what you manifest when you enter it."
Madara nodded warily, before slowly channeling his reiatsu into the gigai. Before he knew it, his surroundings blurred, and was suddenly staring into the sun. Reflexively turning his head and shielding his eyes, he realized he was on his back, so he sat himself up. Looking around him, he realized with a pang of embarrassment that he was sitting on the table, surrounded by the group.
He got off, hearing the nostalgic clinking of his old red armor as he moved, and took a few seconds to take in the surprised expressions on Harribel, Orihime and Ichigo's faces. Hashirama looked positively glowing, and Mito wore a small smile.
"What-" Madara began to ask, but stopped when he realized he did not hear his voice as if it was echoing through his mask. He looked into the reflection of a bowl of water, and saw his own, human face for the first time since he had died. "My… mouth, my nose… I'm… human," he muttered, hesitantly bringing his hands to his face.
Hashirama laid a hand on his shoulder, and the pressure of the Hokage's palm felt more substantial than it had as a hollow. "Welcome back, Madara," he said softly.
Orihime spoke next. "So this is what you used to look like?" She took in the appearance of the man before her. Parts of him certainly resembled the Madara she knew in hollow form. He wore a blood red battle regalia, similar to what she first saw Hashirama the previous night. The long, spiky tufts of black hair was the same, but instead of flowing over a ringed hollow mask, it now draped lazily over the right side of his face. There were some faint lines denoting his age; he was older than she thought. "I thought you and Hashirama were the same age… But you look… kinda older?" She mused, before clasping her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry!"
Madara crossed his arms, but smiled. "We are the same age. Or similar enough. Hashirama just has some stupid natural regeneration that keeps him looking young."
Orihime's eyes widened, before she sidled up to Hashirama, looking up at him with doll eyes. "Regeneration… Looking young? Is this something I can learn?"
Mito sighed and shooed her away. "You're still a child, Orihime! And no, it's inherent within his chakra nature."
Hashirama laughed, and Orihime looked indignant; "Who are you calling a child! I'm 17; turning 18 near the end of the year!"
They stopped their carrying on as Tobirama's casket came into view, and the bearers gently lowered it onto a podium that Hashirama had summoned with his wood style.
Madara cleared his throat, before walking up to the podium. "Alright. How do I leave the gigai, Ichigo?"
"Just raise your spiritual pressure. When there is too much reiatsu to contain, the gigai will fail and dissipate, and you will be back to your spiritual form," Ichigo explained.
Madara nodded, as Hashirama and Orihime walked up beside them. Between the Hokage's healing and Orihime's Soten Kisshun, they were prepared for anything.
Madara activated his Rinnegan, and clasped his hands together, his elbows flared parallel to the ground. "Rinne Tensei - Heavenly Samsara of the Outer Path!"
Madara felt the most enormous drain on his chakra he had ever experienced; even more so than Barragan's respira. He smiled in appreciation of the Rinnegan's power, honing in on what he remembered of Tobirama's chakra signature, and willed it to return to the body within the casket.
He opened his eyes. Something was terribly wrong. He had completed the jutsu and was channeling his reiatsu, but it was not rising. In fact, it was as if both his chakra and reiatsu were being absorbed into an endless void. He fell to his hands and knees. "I can't leave the gigai… I can't raise my reiatsu." He turned toward Ichigo.
"Madara!" Orihime called out, concerned. She had enveloped him in her Soten Kisshun, but he felt no reprieve from the immense drain upon his being. He felt his vision begin to darken. "H-hashirama…" He croaked; the Hokage, seeing Madara fall, quickly came to his side, sharing his chakra with the Uchiha. He frowned as Madara's gigai seemed to eat up his chakra without benefiting from any of its healing properties.
As they watched in helpless horror, Madara's hair became thin and bone-white. His face grew sunken, his skin shriveling and wrinkling over an increasingly visible skull. The skin on his arms also grew withered, mottled with spots and sagging against the ground. The red armor that once sat buckled firmly atop a muscular build now had visible gaps all around, hanging loosely over his atrophying body. He looked as if he was aging rapidly. His arms buckled, no longer able to support his weight as he collapsed.
And then, a garganta opened behind them, heralding the arrival of three familiar reiatsu signatures.
"Dad? Kisuke, Yoruichi? What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo was in his shinigami form as well, having also come to Madara's side. He drew zangetsu.
Isshin and Urahara both had their zanpakuto drawn and released in shikai, and Yoruichi wore a pair of dark purple gauntlets and greaves, already clad in the white aura of her shunko. They all exuded immense spiritual pressure. All three were primed and ready to fight.
"Ichigo, Orihime," Isshin said, a somber look on his face. "Leave Madara; he is about to expire, and there is nothing you can do."
Urahara nodded. "I've analyzed his unique, dual faceted lifeforce. The gigai is an evolution of the one I gave to Rukia. He will not be leaving this gigai, and it's been rigged to continuously absorb everything Madara is. I didn't expect it to be triggered so soon, but in a few moments this hollow will be spent, and his soul will be drained of its vitality."
AN: Okay! First thing's first. Anybody who's read up to here, please leave a review regarding whether you want Tobirama back or not. I was kind of undecided, because I don't particularly like his character either, but the story can progress both with or without him.
Also, am I making Ichigo too weak...? I kind of feel like I'm making him too weak, but the main characters at the moment are so much stronger than Grimmjow, which Ichigo fought almost to a draw at this point of his development...,
Responding to reviews:
ChangeMe4574 - not really; Urahara is the guy whose intellect even Aizen was cautious off, and did manage to seal Aizen in the end. Although...whether this plan of Urahara's turns out for better or worse in the long run, I guess you'll just have to wait and see :P
MaxTrueOmnipotent1 - I'm trying to get across the idea that, in Orihime's eyes (and now Ichigo's), the line between friend and foe has become very blurred. I've got a few more big story beats and twists regarding who is on who's side, though, so just wait and see :P.
Awwal - Yeah; my idea was a combination between Rukia's reiatsu absorbing gigai that Urahara used to try and neutralize the hogyoku, as well as the reiatsu seal he used on Aizen during their fight to try and burn him inside out with his own reiatsu. Whether it backfires or not...you'll find out soon heh
MadaraLimboClone - lol we'll see if anybody else votes. Tobirama's arc in this story as a whole is essentially concluded, anyway.
Thanks for the support, everybody! Until next time; there's going to be a lot of action next chapter.
