Chapter 21: Into Las Noches

The group had been traveling at a fast pace towards their destination as Las Noches was getting closer by the second. Ichigo was hopeful as they were making great progress getting there, though he had a sinking feeling in his gut that this was a little too easy.

Turning towards the others on top of Bawabawa, Ichigo spoke up to get some of their attention. "Hey, does this seem too easy to you?"

Thomas was the first to answer as he shook his head. "Dude, I rather it stay easy. Also don't jinx us please."

"'Jinx' us?" Wonderwiess started with a tilt of his head. "What does that mean Thomas?"

Said boy sighed. "Well it pretty much means that when you say something hasn't happened yet, it generally happens either way."

"That a you thing or an American thing?" Apache asked since Thomas did explain some of his culture to the group before.

"Nah." Thomas started. "More like an everywhere thing."

Karin rolled her eyes. "Gettin' a little paranoid aren't ya?"

Thomas simply turned and glared at her for a second before turning back to the fortress. They were almost there as the structure seemed to grow in size the closer they got. Within a few minutes, they were in the massive shadow of Las Noches and were ready to break in. That was when a loud rumble stopped them all in their tracks. Bawabawa froze as he could feel the terrain begin to change and shift beneath his body, and he was not liking it. Neliel tried calming him down to no avail as the sand around them began to form into some kind of monster in front of them all.

"Well way to go Ichigo!" Meiko shouted at the chibi. "Ya jinxed us!"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head sheepishly and gave a nervous laugh to her. "My bad."

The sand creature raised its large arm into the air, intending to crush the group quickly for daring to enter into Las Noches uninvited. As soon as its arm was in the air though, the entire creature was covered completely in water, courtesy of one blond arrancar.

Everyone turned to Halibel as she re-sheathed her blade and turned to them. "Jinx averted."

That seemed to work for everyone as they all got off Bawabawa while Ichigo and Yoruichi joined them. Neliel told Bawabawa to head out and she'll call for him later. The big worm nodded and left in blur as it sped off to who knows where.

The group all converged at the large wall of the fortress and a few contemplated just how to get in.

"We could always find a window." Keiji suggested.

This caused Meiko to slap her brother in the back of the head. "Oh yeah, lets all just find a window for us all to go through. It's the perfect plan."

"I can feel the sarcasm from here." Masaki spoke up, chuckling a bit from the girls comment.

"Or," Yoruichi started as she stepped up to the wall and placed her right hand on it. She turned towards the group. "We could just do this." Rearing her hand back a few inches, she struck the wall hard enough to send a small shockwave through the very concrete. Seconds later, part of the wall began to break down from the force of her blow.

"Whoa." Ichigo started with wonder in his eyes. "That was so cool. What did you do Chi?"

Yoruichi couldn't help but return the smile as she began to explain. "With the type of training Munraitokyatto put me through, I found that shunpo has many more uses than simply movement." She held her hand up and it began to vibrate quickly to the point that it was barely visible. "Using shunpo in certain parts of my body, I can generate even greater force at a single point. Pretty cool, right?"She gave everyone a Cheshire like grin.

"That does sound very useful." Yuzu started as she was already thinking of ways to implement that technique to her fighting style.

"Alright, enough teaching." Mila Rose started. "Let's go already."

"Someone seems eager to get her ass kicked." Apache spoke with a grin on her face.

"Whachu say?!"

"My my, still impatient and easily irritated as usual." Sung-Sung spoke in her usual way.

"QUIET SUNG-SUNG!" Both girls shouted out.

"Girls." Halibel started, shutting them up. "That's enough."

"Yes Ma'am." They all said in unison.

Everyone made their way inside and were immediately met with a problem. They were in a large room with multiple hallways going to who knows where. In total, there were five paths all going in different directions.

"Well, crap." Keiji spoke up. "Now what?"

"It seems Aizen may have thought this little trap of his through." Yoruichi started. "He wants us to split up to thin us all out."

"Then I guess that's what we're gonna do." Ichigo started, getting everyone's attention. "If my maths right, since there's fifteen of us and five paths, three can go through each one."

"Glad to see you still remember your math from back then son." Masaki said, proud that her son retain what little intelligence he had when he was alive.

Ichigo smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. "Thanks mom." He stopped to look towards everyone else. "So, who goes through where?"

Halibel stepped in to answer that for him. "Apache, Mila Rose and Sung-Sung will go down that path." She pointed towards the far right entrance. "You three have great teamwork and I expect you all to work together as a unit. Understood?" She spoke in a stern tone that screamed finality to the three.

The Tres Beastia all nodded and spoke simultaneously. "Yes ma'am."

Halibel then continued. "Thomas, Wonderweiss and Hooleer can take the path next them." She pointed to the path next to last.

"Alright then." Thomas started as he cracked his neck a few times. "We got this, right guys?"

"Right." Wonderweiss nodded with a thumbs up.

"Yes." Hooleer answered as well.

"The next path," Halibel continued on, "Masaki, Yuzu and Karin will go down that one." The mother and her daughters nodded, ready for whatever they might run into. "Meiko, Keiji and Neliel, you three go down the next one."

Neliel nodded to her sister as she looked back towards Keiji and Meiko as they also began to to get ready.

"Well, that just leaves myself, Halibel and Ichigo down the last path." Yoruichi started with her arms crossed. "Alright then." She unfolded them and placed her hand forward. "All hand on deck, right now." There was a moment of confusion going through everyone's minds for a moment, but that was gone once Ichigo placed his hand on top of hers, much to the Shihoin's delight. Everyone soon piled their hands on and Yoruichi began a chant of sorts.

"We've all come along way in these past few years. Some going through harder trials than others, but we are here, standing strong and in the face of adversity. Every action we have taken leads us forward through the unknown where uncertainty lies ahead." She paused for a moment, looking towards everyone. "But we will prevail. We will fight and fight and fight, until we succeed, because that is why we are here."

And with those last words, everyone threw their hands down and raced down the paths given to them, ready to face whatever lays ahead.

[Throne room]

Aizen smirked as he sat on his throne, feeling the multiple new reiatsu signatures enter his palace. The brat was too predictable in his actions. It came as a mild surprise though at just how many came with the boy. Aizen had predicted that at least the boy's mother and sisters would accompany him to rescue the human, but the sheer number of extra truly surprised the rogue.

"No matter." He stood from his throne and made his way to his waiting forces. "They will not be able to stop me."

Man it feels good to update this story after months of just everything that could go wrong just going wrong and all. I'm happy that people still enjoy my fics and still read them, so thank you all for that.

The next few chapters will be each group going against an enemy of sorts. Almost like the way it did in canon. I liked that aspect in the show so I'm gonna do something similar coming up.

Stay awesome, stay safe, and as always...

PEACE!