What Good Am I?
"Two squads of Arrancars to capture three young humans," the unknown being said disapprovingly, "You must have been able to detect the presence of each other, and you yet both still came."
Three of lead Arrancars looked oddly downcast, almost hurt at this new arrival scolding them. The fourth, the huge, dark one, Charlotte joined in with an equally disapproving glare at them.
"You weren't monitoring for other parties, Tesla-chan?" Charlotte said crossly.
"Damn stupid Vega, not warning me," Findor could be heard swearing.
"Aeros-sama, we-" the Arrancar Tesla began to try explaining.
"I think you've missed your opportunity to convince anyone of your version, Tesla. Let's see if someone can interpret of the events that led us here," the creature Ichigo and his companions now knew as Aeros said, silencing Tesla. He then turned to the three teens.
"Ishida Uryu," Aeros suddenly asked, "What do you think is happening here?"
"Eh, well," Uryu briefly stumbled, unsure what to say.
"Don't be afraid," Aeros said, sounding oddly encouraging, "Just observe what you see around you and tell us what impressions it gives you."
"Alright," Uryu replied, still unsure, but carefully examined both groups, "Judging from the appearance of some of the passengers, it seems the second group is transporting several Arrancars and Hollows they've captured. Perhaps for experiments or to be forced into combat, based on what was said about where they're being taken. The first group was a smaller force. They appear to be specifically assembled for capturing us."
"And what meaning should be taken from that?" Aeros asked.
"Oh, I know, that Tesla guy is probably the strongest," Ichigo suddenly commented, "In anime, it's always the smaller, less dangerous looking guys who turn out to be the strongest one."
"You, you think I look strong?" Tesla reacted from atop his Hollow, blushing at Ichigo's assessment.
"Oh, Tesla-chan honey, don't let it go to head," Charlotte responded.
"If that's true, Ichigo," Chad added, "I think it would be that Findor guy."
"WWWHHHAAATTTT?!" the Arrancar Redder cried, to the further embarrassment of his companion.
"That wasn't the question," Uryu said, annoyed at his friends' unrelated evaluations.
Aeros let out an unsettling laugh, which again made the Arrancars all cower.
"You all do amuse me, I grant you that," the being clad in blue commented, "Although, as with all matters involving spiritual beings, there is of course some dynamic of power involved."
A chilling breeze moved through the crowd. The Arrancars with uncovered faces and the giants Hollows they rode all trembled in reaction to it. The skull-masked Arrancars stiffened. Ichigo furrowed his brow. He raised his hands and formed a square with them. He stared at Aeros through it, centering on his eyes. He then turned to his tall friend.
"Chad?" the orange-haired teen asked, "It's, it's not possible right?"
"Huh, what Ichigo?" he replied.
"Everything is different about him, his voice, his height, the feel of his reiastu, even the color of his eyes," Ichigo said, clearly haunted, "But still..."
"Is there something you are expecting to see, Kurosaki Ichigo?" the blue-haired creature said, suddenly popping up near the teen, leaning so close into Ichigo that the orange-haired teen jumped back in surprise.
"I…" Ichigo only floundered. He looked to Chad, but the taller teen looked lost in grim thought.
Aeros turned back to the raven-haired boy, "As you were saying, Ishida Uryu."
"Hmm, the second group seem have been out catching Hollows before we got here," Uryu contemplated, "Maybe they received orders to also capture us while in the middle of returning from that mission."
"Oh yes," Aeros urged him to continue, "quite possible."
"The first group said humans aren't allowed in Hueco Mundo, like everyone keeps mentioning. They were willing to let us return to the world of the Living," Uryu further reflected, "So each of them came with different objectives, following different orders. Likely then from two different sources."
"And so," Aeros asked Uryu for his conclusion.
"If I had guess, if we want to find Inoue," Uryu eyes narrowed as he spoke, focused on Tesla and Charlotte, "We'll want to have the second group take us to her."
"Wha, we didn't come here to be captured by them," Ichigo protested.
"I didn't say that Kurosaki," Uryu said with an eerie calm, still staring intently at the two Arrancars, "I said we should make them take us to Inoue."
"Uh," Ichigo balked, then whispered to Chad, "I, I didn't think Ishida could look that scary."
"Yeah," the dark-skinned teen added, his brow producing a nervous sweat drop.
"Grab them Redder!" the Arrancar Findor abruptly shouted and threw a small item into the crowd below his Hollow. There was a blinding flash. In a short time though, everyone recovered. The Hollow carrying Findor and his companiom were gone and the skull-masked Arrancars began retreating.
"A flash bang," said Aeros, now behind Uryu and Chad, "What a novel attempt at a diversion."
Uryu and Chad both noticed Aeros sounded and acted utterly unaffected.
"Where's Ichigo?" Chad said, now realizing his friend had also vanished.
"Kurosaki?" Uryu also asked.
"It was a calculated risk," Aeros said, "I let Findor and Abirama escape with him, but not the two of you."
"You let them take him?" Chad angrily questioned the unknown entity.
"Yes, although it undoubtedly coincides with Aizen's plans, there is, a certain sequence of events that it's vital be fulfilled. I'm hoping this will prove an avenue towards that end," Aeros said, "He should, if needed, be capable of dealing with the two Arrancars who have taken him and any other adversities he encounters. So, with that in motion, we now must attend to both of you"
He then looked to the second group's leaders.
"Tesla, Charlotte," he said as if expecting something from them, "Isn't that right?"
The two Arrancars froze at being called out by the name by this Aeros creature.
"Well," he said to them coolly, "Go on now."
Although hesitating at first from fear, Tesla managed to give the order, "Seize them Charlotte!"
Two metal claws attached by chains launched from the passenger circle on the back of the Arrancars' mount. They clamped around Chad and Uryu and began drawing them in.
"Get us out of here|" Tesla shouted and the Hollow took off running, the teens pulled through the air as they were dragged behind. It didn't move as fast as any of the high speed maneuvers of the other spiritual creatures, but Aeros was rapidly disappearring as the distance between them grew. The other Hollows of Tesla's party followed.
Aeros was already nearly out sight when the confused teens heard a terrifying laugh echo throughout Hueco Mundo. They were able to still make out Aeros now raising into the air. Following him, massive torrents of wind rose and the clashing of thunder roared. The Hollow holding them continued its frantic speed just as the unknown being vanished from their view.
Moments later, Tesla could be heard shouting to the driver of the beast over the noise of their retreat, "Faster Charlotte! He's gaining on us!"
"That won't matter and you know it, Tesla-chan!" the larger Arrancar replied back.
Chad and Uryu could now see Aeros was catching up with them, and the massive storm was trailing behind him. Then, while their mount kept running, bolts of lightning began raining down all around them, several striking very near the Hollow carrying them.
"You're making difficult to miss!" Aeros' voice again echoed.
"Sado look!" Uryu shouted to Chad over the din of their flight and the thunder. The Quincy gestured to the right of him with his head, "Over there!"
A short distance from them, one the other Hollow's of Tesla's group was near them. A bolt of lightning struck the path before it, creating a pit. The Hollow tripped over it, allowing the Arrancars and Hollows it carried as prisoners to escape and flee. Moments later, this repeated with another Hollow, and then another.
"This Aeros thing is freeing them?" Chad questioned.
"Maybe we can lose him through this," Tesla could heard, though he sounded unconfident, even desperate. The two teens looked above them to see an approaching shadow.
"What the…" Chad said, too stunned to finish his statement. The Hollow carrying them moved onward under a massive, shimmering blue mass spreading in every direction.
"Is, is that water?" the dark-skinned teen managed to ask finally.
"It's an ocean," Uryu commented in equal shock, "An ocean in the sky."
After he said that, a twisting spire of water descended towards them. The Hollow manged to barely avoid it, but another immediately followed.
"Can't dodge it!" Charlotte strained.
A lightning bolt struck the water tendril, breaking it apart. Another descended from above at the Hollow and its passengers. This time several powerful gusts of wind sliced the threatening water sweep apart. It fell upon them as raindrops, while the Hollow began moving away from beneath the gigantic floating body of water.
"We're clear now," Tesla announced sounding minutely relieved.
Just as the eye-patch sporting Arrancar declared their escape, another bolt of lightning stuck the chain holding Ishida and sent the Quincy flying away.
"Ishida!" Chad shouted helplessly as his friend disappeared.
Another bolt struck the enclosure on the back of the Hollow. This one reformed into Aeros. He sat leisurely on the back seat. Tesla and Charlotte both tensed at his arrival.
"Well..." the creature said expectantly. The two Arrancars remained still. Aeros sighed and rolled his eyes, "Pull him in already."
"Ah, of course, Aeros-sama," Tesla said still terrified, but drew Chad onto the back of the beast.
"And you, Charlotte," Aeros ordered to the other, "Keep us going, back to Nnoitra."
"Yes sir!" Charlotte answered with more enthusiasm than Tesla and turned to focus on steering the Hollow.
Chad was brought aboard and the claw removed from him. He stared intensely at the Aeros creature.
"Will Ishida be alright?" he spoke finally.
"Currently, he will be unharmed. There are those in need of him where he parted from us," The blue-haired creature said, "I can't guarantee his safety from all those he'll encounter, but he is presently not in danger."
"And Ichigo?" Chad asked next, "You said he should able to handle whatever he's headed into."
"Again, I offer no guarantee, especially with whatever Aizen's designs may be," Aeros said, "But presently he should be able to."
"Are you able to take me back to either of them?" Chad asked next.
"Is that where you are needed now, Sado Yasutora?" Aeros asked back.
Chad paused at the strange familiarity of this question. He found himself recalling the rest of encounter at Urahara's earlier that day.
XXX
XXX
XXX
Chad heard nothing more from Tessai or Urahara. He was also more than ready to leave the training facility and the shop. He saw no one else as headed to the storefront where he found Ururu excitedly assembling a basket of the more exotic and costly treats of the store, whilst both Jinta the Kido Captain watched.
"Don't you have things you want too Jinta-kun?" the dark-haried girl asked, not wanting her co-worker to be left out.
"I want…" the red-haired boy said sounding deep in thought.
"Come now," the Kido Captain urged, "Do not hold back."
As Jinta rubbed his chin in thought, a black cat entered the store.
"Oh," Ururu cried abandoning her candy collection to retrieve the feline.
"Hello Yoruichi-san," the Kido Captain said indicating he already was aware of the cat's identity.
In reaction to his greeting to her, the cat leapt from Ururu's arms and headed to the back of the shop just as Urahara entered.
The shopkeeper managed another surprised "Oh-" at her presence before the cat disappeared in the back area.
"You know Yoruichi-san also?" Chad asked after observing the various exchanges.
"That's not surprising," Urahara added, "You're in the business of knowing other's secrets, aren't you?"
"A necessity," the Captain replied
Then the red-haired boy spoke up, calling everyone's attention to him.
"I want that," Jinta said pointing to the his employer, "Urahara-san's hat."
"Now that is an interesting choice," the Shinigami responded, "I suppose I shall have to take it from him."
The Captain produced a small black sphere with lightning-like streams of energy, all shifting in colors as they flowed into it. The sphere hovered above the Kido Captain's hand. With its conjuring, Yoruichi rushed back in, now in her human form of a beautiful dark-skinned woman. She readied to attack, but Urahara stepped in front of her, signaling for her to not act yet.
"Is that what you want?" the Captain asked the red-haired boy, "Do you wish me to take it by force for you?"
"Uh, no…" Jinta answered sheepishly, "I just thought..."
"Did you?" the Captain, "Because I will not do that."
The Kido Captain tossed the sphere towards the ceiling. The black center shrank away as it ascended and the varied lights fled to the corners and disappeared in a spectacular display which elicited a tiny "Ooh pretty!" from Ururu.
"Now I do not like being made into someone that cannot fulfill his promises," the Captain said, "But I must accept that."
"I, I'm sorry" Jinta said, looking dejected, "I just, I dunno..."
"Oh no, do not feel badly. Sometimes those sudden, random ideas are the most honest we can be," the masked Shinigami said gently, and knelt placing his hands upon the boy's shoulder, "You should not be careless with them, but there are times when it takes the bravest person to speak what no else can. Do you understand?"
Jinta nodded.
"Excellent," the Captain said and rose, clapping his hands together, "Now, will you be selecting some other treasure?"
"Wait," Urahara said to stop the proceedings, then sighed, "Ah, guess I have no choice."
He placed his ragged hat upon the red-haired boy's head, "Here, Jinta, wear it well."
"Urahara-san…" Jinta said with childish nervousness.
"Go on," the Shopkeeper said encouragingly.
The red-haired boy clutched the hat's brim to make certain it was truly there, then called to his dark-haired cohort, "Hey Ururu, gimme some of that candy!"
Chad watched all this, still unsure what to make of this unkown Captain and what he'd seen. Yoruichi placed her hand on Urahara's shoulder gently.
"That was very sweet Kisuke," she commented.
"Yoruichi, this is the Kido Captain, THE Kido Captain," Urahara said emphasizing the Shinigami's status amongst the higher ranks of the Soul Society, "As you demonstrated, Captain, you know Shihōin Yoruichi already."
"Not personally," he replied, "But I have long had deal with members of the Noble houses."
Yoruichi only frowned.
"You need not look at me so, Yoruichi-san," the Captain said, "I am not here to take any back before the Forty-Six or any Noble Family Counsel."
"Is that so?" the dark maiden asked unconvinced.
"Why do you think the Captian-Commander sent me?" the Captain said back, "A member of the Gotei Thirteen would have had to bring you back, officially. Lieutenant Captain Abarai has have gotten himself in a lot of trouble for his stay here."
"Renji is in trouble?" Chad asked out concern of his former training partner.
"Only, again, officially," the Captain answered, "Things being what they are presently, he'll never be allowed to be a Captain. Not that he has such ambitions. Fortunately, his own Captain will serve as a well placed advocate for him."
"Jiji-san did that something like?" Yoruichi asked, unable to hide her surprise,
"Yamamato may have been made Captain-Commander by virtue of his power,'' the Captain replied, "But not even he could hold that positon so long as he had by power alone."
Urahara and Yoruichi were both utterly dumbstruck.
"So shocking that he'd lower himself to the level of politics?" The Kido Captain responded, clearly amused at their reaction.
Chad decided to take this moment to slip away, not wanting to further involve himself in Soul Society matters. Outside though before he could reach the next block, the Kido Captain was awaiting him.
"Just a moment please, Yasutora Sado," he said stopping the teen, "We had discussed before that there are those who will notice the absence of Inoue Orihime."
Urahara, Yoruichi, and the two store assistants all joined them outside the store.
"When did he get out here?" Yoruichi wondered aloud, "That wasn't Shunpo. He just vanished the moment we weren't watching him."
"Yes," Chad answered the Captain guardedly, "What of it?"
"And among them, there are ones with some degree of spiritual awareness," the Shinigami said, "There may be some advantage gained for them to further develop whatever powers they possess. They should come here as soon as possible."
"What?" Chad asked.
"Wouldn't it be dangerous to involve them?" Urahara added trying to discourage the Captain.
"You surprise Urahara Kisuke," said the masked Shinigami, "In fact, you almost disappoint me. I would have been certain a man of your famed intellect and curiosity would be more driven to seek knowledge of unknown powers."
The shopkeeper gave pause to this. Chad protested, "He's right. I can't involve anyone in this."
"Are they not, just by being denizens of Karakura, already involved? You know what Aizen Sosuke has planned for this town. I am not suggesting they be placed on the front line against him. But they may still be able to help others with what is coming. We will need all we can," the Kido Captain said, with a glance back to Urahara, "Back before your own powers emerged, did you not want more than anything someone to explain to you what was happening and show you what you could do to help. Do they not deserve the same?"
After considering this briefly, Chad spoke, "Urahara-san…"
"Sado-san, here," the Shopkeeper said before Chad could ask, and offered a card with his shop's address, "Tell those three friends of Kurosaki-san and Inoue-san to come here after school."
"Wait, three of them? I know about Asano Keigo and Arisawa Tatsuki," The Kido Captain said, uncharacteristically surprised, "How did this third one elude me?"
The masked Shinigami disappeared into Urahara's shop, still focused on this new information. Chad, Urahara and the others stayed silent until he had left.
"I'll be back with Ichigo later," Chad finally said to move on from that unsettling note the Kido Captain left them on.
"That is best, Sado-san," Urahara said, "He can save Inoue-san from Hueco Mundo."
As Chad left, he overheard a final conversion by the store's occupants.
"Urahara-san," the red-haired child Jinta was heard saying, "You can have your hat back actually. It smells kinda funny."
Chad glanced back. Ururu was fighting to hold back a giggle. Yoruichi though, was totally unrestrained. She collapsed onto the street holding her sides, tearing up with laughter. She even briefly broke into a coughing fit, then returned to laughing.
Urahara snatched the cap back and returned to his shop fuming.
"Don't you ever wash it?" Jinta called, fully innocent and oblivious.
"Please," Yoruichi pleaded "No more!"
Chad left the group there to meet up with Ichigo.
XXX
XXX
XXX
Although he had begun by remembering his meeting with the Kido Captain, Chad now found himself stuck upon the final words of Urahara to him.
He stared at the mostly unchanging landscape for several moments before then asking, "What of my other friend, Inoue? Are you able to take me to her?"
"More difficult to say," Aeros replied, "Undoubtedly she's been hidden in the labyrinth of tunnels and towers Aizen has been operating out of for decades. Nnoitra's arena may be an entrance for you to reach her."
"Will I be able to save her?" Chads asked. not turning yet to face this unknown being that had made himself a guide for him and his friends since their arrival in Hueco Mundo.
"It is not impossible," Aeros said, "But, if you mean, is there any chance you will defeat those that presently hold her with your own power. No, you won't."
"I came here with Ichigo to save her," Chad said, facing towards Aeros, but not raising his eyes to meet his, "Someone told me it may best to support him in that. If I can't do that and I can't save her myself, what am I doing here?"
"That is not for me to say," Aeros said, more gently than the teen excepted from him, "I admit, I have my own ends I need to see through. They do involve her. That said, I will take you with me, as far as you wish to follow."
Before Chad say more, Aeros stood and headed toward the front of the Hollow carrying them.
"If you intend to walk this path, Sado Yasutora," he said, "Then prepare youself for this."
Before them there stood long line of small sand dunes. Just beyond them, an immense violent wall of stormss. It formed a gray barrier darker than the night of the desert. Like the ocean in the sky he passed, it stretched further than could be seen in every directon.
"Welcome," Aeros said, "To the edge of the world."