Chapter 31: Paths
Rukia Kuchiki had been waiting for an opportunity since they'd started riding on Bawabawa towards the looming palace in the distance. She had her eyes on her prey, and her hands were already reaching out. Even she couldn't tell what kind of expression she was wearing on her face as she did, but judging from the look on Renji's face, she could imagine it wasn't one she wanted Ichigo or the others to see for sure. She had an image to maintain after all. But even that fell flat when she gazed upon those big round eyes and rosy cheeks. She slowly inched her way towards her. Just like a cat that was busy with its food, the girl sat there by Yachiru's side, lost in their little world.
She was almost there. Renji had the most serious urge to stop his childhood friend from doing what she'd planned. He knew that should his companion get her hands on her prize, she wasn't going to let go anytime soon. But they had big battles upcoming and it might not be such a bad idea to let her relieve some stress. And so, he elected to watch how things played out. Just as Rukia inched towards the girl a bit further, the girl's eyes lit up, and she sharply turned her head, looking straight at Rukia's. Yachiru was still absorbed telling stories about her chronicles. Ichigo, Karin, Tatsuki, Chad and Uryu were immersed in discussing their next possible steps. Rukia considered whether she should give up for the time being and wait for Crescent to be distracted again. But one look at that face, and she felt more determined than ever. And so, she inched forward just a bit more. Crescent kept her eyes on Rukia, unblinking. Her whole body was tense. Just as Rukia inched forward, Crescent slowly took a single step backwards with her right leg, just like a cat about trying to make a run for it from a human who wanted to pet it. Rukia inched further, and Crescent stepped back two more steps. At this point, Rukia was only a little short of an arm's length away. Crescent was still observing her intently, her head lowered into her hood.
And then, Rukia pounced.
Crescent was quick on her feet, leaping away just as Rukia pounced. The momentum carried her forward, landing her in Yachiru's lap.
"Ruki Ruki..?! What brings you here..?!" she asked curiously. That was also when she made note of an extremely cautious Crescent clinging to Yachiru from behind. "Huh…wait just a minute, did you just try to catch Rosy..?!" she gasped. "No way! Rosy is only mine to play with!" she pouted, squeezing Crescent closer to her.
"I…wha….that's not…really what I….!" bumbled Rukia on the spot, her fingers still twitching.
"Wh..what's going on…?!" asked Ichigo, interrupted by the sudden commotion.
"He…hey! Pipe down lady! You're going to throw Bawabawa off balance!" cautioned Lily. "But I wouldn't try to grab her like that if I were you, she's quite shy around people. Heck, even with me, she only let me touch her after about a week from when I first met her. Which makes me even more surprised that she's just clinging to you like that" said Lily, pointing to Yachiru.
"That's cuz Rosy and I are two of a kind!" chirped the pink haired girl. Rukia continued to look at Crescent with longing. "Huh, what's that? You're willing to let Ruki Ruki pet you if she lets you have a look at her Zanpakuto? Isnt that nice! Rosy is such a nice girl!"
"My…my Zanpakuto..?" asked Rukia as she clutched her weapon with her left hand.
"Yup! Turns out, Rosy just luuvs to look at different weapons! She says she was really excited when you used your shikai back then to defeat that hollow" explained Yachiru.
"Oh yeah, I've been wanting to ask you about that as well, Ruki-nee" added Karin. "Back then, the blade you had….was that really your zanpakuto..?" Rukia sighed, and was about to draw out her blade when Renji cleared his throat, looking at her with a 'are you sure about that' look.
"Well, I don't see why not. I mean, there's no harm in that" she said. And in reality, if it meant that she could get her hands on the adorable little bundle Crescent was, she felt it was a really small price to pay indeed.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki" she called out, and the onlookers watched as her regular looking katana transformed into the most beautiful looking sword they'd ever laid their eyes on.
"Woah…." Gasped Karin.
"It's so mystical…" said Tatsuki agape, almost wanting to hold the weapon in her hands as well.
"So….that really was you then….." wondered Ichigo. Rukia nodded.
Crescent immediately darted forward, looking at Rukia with longing baby doll eyes. Rukia could practically see them sparkling.
"Alright…..just for a little while then…" she said, slowly handing out her Zanpakuto for Crescent to see.
"Oy, is that really such a good idea? She's just a girl" cautioned Ichigo.
"Ah you have nothing to worry about. She's been doing that since forever. And besides, now that you've shown your weapon, she would've found one way or another to get her hands on it. She'll be done with it soon though, you have nothing to worry about. She really only wants a small peek" assured Lily.
Rukia and the others watched as the girl observed the beautiful blade as meticulously as possible, handling it with such care that it was unbelievable to think she was but a little girl. Ichigo however, had different thoughts when he witnessed the scene.
"This girl….the way she's looking at Rukia's zanpakuto….it's almost as if I'm looking at nee-san….how strange…."
And just as promised, Crescent handed the blade back to its owner and leaned closer to Rukia, showing her head. They watched in amusement as the normally composed soul reaper was practically babying Crescent, rubbing her cheeks, pinching them and playing with her hands. It reminded Renji, Ichigo and Karin of all those times when their normally composed companion would do a complete 180 whenever she was explaining things with her drawings or was trying her best to fit in at the World of the Living with Ichigo and his classmates.
"Still, that's an oddly specific hobby for a squirt like her to have, even if she IS an arrancar" wondered Tatsuki.
"Who knows? Maybe being along other arrancars led to that" reasoned Rukia, who was lifting her up and down saying 'takai-takai!'.
"As I said, there isn't really much to do, so can you really blame her?" asked Lily. Things were silent for a while following that, with Crescent back at Yachiru's side and the two of them lost in each other's company once more.
"Tell me something" asked Karin, breaking the silence as they travelled along the solemn sands of Hueco Mundo. "Yuzu…..did she regain her memory?"
Lily continued watching the horizon. "Nope. Not that I know of atleast. If she did, I'm sure I would've known about it. But on the bright side, she's been safer than ever with Ru-chan. I'd even say that she's a whole lot stronger than when she first came here. Unless she was facing off against one of the fraccione of the Espada or the Espada themselves, it's her enemies I'd be worried about"
Karin gave a nonchalant but satisfied smile. "I see. I mean, of course she is. She's with Ruby-nee after all. Still…I can't help but feel jealous of that dork. I wish I was there with her too"
"What about Orihime?" asked Tatsuki.
Lily waved her off. "Also nothing to worry about. She's been under our care, and I feel bad about saying it but she's under far better protection than Ru-chan ever could offer, since there's many more of us looking after her than a single person. And honestly, I don't see why you guys are here anyways. Leaving aside your skills, you have no real reason to be here. Both of them are in no danger and by coming here, you're putting that to risk. As I mentioned before, you're just being a pain in the ass right now"
A vein popped in Ichigo's forehead. "To hell with that! So, you're saying we should've just abandoned our friends and family in a place like this when they're held captive by the enemy?!"
Lily glared at him. " 'Enemy' huh? Pretty bold of you to say that buster. Even after knowing that it was Nel Tu who escorted that chick here. I know that blue haired ass might've roughed you up a little, but even so, Nel did tell you guys about the rest of us and that nothing would happen to her. Heck, Ru-chan even has that device thingy to let your guy know if anything happened. You're not doing this for Ru-chan, your sister or your friend. You're only doing this for yourself. That ass roughed you up, you were left watching as Nel and the others easily took Orihime from you and you couldn't stand that. Not to mention the fact that Yuzu chose to stay with Ru-chan than be with you guys. I know she doesn't have her memory, but that appeared to you as if Yuzu left you because she thought you guys were too weak, even though that wasn't the case at all. And you couldn't stand it. So here you are, eager to get even. Don't pretend as if this is about something else"
Ichigo, Karin, Tatsuki, Chad and Uryu flinched hard. The change in her tone and mannerisms had been so sudden. The words she'd spoken had hit much closer than they anticipated. No longer did her words and demeaner match her outward appearance of a little girl. Rukia and Renji looked away, because this was something they'd long guessed but Lily's words and explanation further solidified their conjectures.
"W….what do you know, you're just a little brat" retorted Tatsuki.
Lily rolled her eyes. "So quick to snap back at me, I must've been right on the mark. In any case, its best if you start accepting what you're really here for. If I was strong enough, I'd have sent you packing by now. But I'll just have to take you to those guys so they can do it instead" Lily then turned her gaze back towards the horizon. "I've been a hollow for as long as I can remember, but you guys are still alive. You guys can roam around, go outside, explore, eat delicious foods, see sunsets and sunrises, talk to friends, go to school, go shopping, and so much more. Honestly, I really jealous of you. I'm sure it's the same for those three" she said pointing to Rukia, Renji and Yachiru, who was completely engrossed with Crescent. "I've been here for as long as I can remember, in this barren, hollow world for an unimaginably long time. Starrk was the only one I had for many centuries. If it wasn't for Ru-chan, I wouldn't even have the luxury of the company I have now, and what little stories I have from Ru-chan's experiences. That's why, whenever she spoke of you guys, I would be happy too. Because unlike us, the people Ru-chan cares for were all back home, away from the spirit world. In a way, you had what we…I always wanted. I was jealous, but happy. I've never seen someone throw all that away so quickly to prove themselves. I just…..dont even see the merits" she said, her tone rather melancholy.
A tense, uncomfortable silence followed. Lily sighed. "Well, you guys are here. And even if it's not how I hoped it would be, I'm still happy to get to see you all face to face. Heh, I'd always hoped we would meet when Ru-chan took us all to her home in the World of the Living. Anyway, we're here" alerted Lily, and all thoughts were cast aside for the moment. "The moment we enter Las Noches, they're gonna know. Because if any entity other than one with arrancar reiatsu or hollow reiatsu enters, Aizen is immediately notified. Of course, the soul reapers he has with him are exceptions but you get the picture. We're never had a situation like this before, so even I'm not sure what failsafe measures he's put in place for intruders, and I've been here all this time as Las Noches was built. The place where we'll end up as we enter is called Tres Cifras. You'll know when we get there, but basically, there are 5 pathways each leading to different chambers in Las Noches. I know the way of course, but if for any reason we get split up, just remember that all paths eventually lead back to a wide open space. If that happens, just try to meet up there."
The overbearing entrance to the humungous palace was within sight. Lily got off Bawabawa, hinting at them to follow her. The moment they passed through the first, humongous gate, the group found themselves looking at what appeared to be an ornate looking gigantic room, with five large rectangular gateways illuminated by torches above them.
"Wowie! This place's huuuuugeeee!" cooed Yachiru, and her voice echoed throughout the room.
"Careful, I have no idea what alarms we've set off already. We should stick together as much as possible-"
A loud rumbling noise interrupted Lilynette.
"Watch out!" alerted Rukia, pushing off Renji away from her. From spaces in between the doorways, dividers shot out towards them, splitting off the room into five different segments and closing off the way they came in from. Ichigo with Crescent. Renji and Uryu were together in another group. Rukia was with Karin, Tatsuki was with Yachiru and Chad found himself with Lilynette.
Lilynette started banging on the walls. "Dammit, so that's what they had here! Hey! Can you guys hear me?!" But there was no response from the other side. Likewise, the others were doing the same, trying to call out to the others. Naturally, they got no response.
"Not even a minute inside and we're already trapped" remarked Uryu. "I suppose we'll just have to proceed by ourselves. She said these paths lead back into one big open space, so that's what we'll have to do then" he said. "Tch, and I'm stuck with a soul reaper of all things"
"He it's not my fault we ended up in this situation, if you have something to say, take it up with the guy who made this place" replied Renji. "But since we're here, it's better to stick together than if we split apart"
Yachiru cupped her hands around her mouth, looking around. "Rosy! Ichi! Ruki! Rooster Head! Pencil! Muscles! Kari!" But there was no one answering back. Yachiru merely tilted her head. "Hrmmmm….I wanna be with Rosy!" She whined, pouting.
Crescent was in turn was feeling the walls. Ichigo grabbed Crescent, drawing her close to himself. "You better not leave my sight. I wont be able to protect you otherwise" he said, going towards the path. "That girl said these eventually meet up, right? We should try to go through and meet the others"
And so, with similar thoughts, each group pushed on with similar objectives on their mind.
A solitary figure sat atop a broken piece of wreckage amongst the soot and dust encrusted battlefield that was around them as far as the eye could see. Whatever architecture was here before the fighting began was long gone, replaced only by a few broken scaffoldings, half erect pillars, splintered wooden beams, frayed bamboo supports, shattered stone and rock of all different sizes and ceramic shards scattered everywhere. Not to mention the odor of burning earth, ash, corpses and blood that lay all around them. But the woman sitting there, watching her only companion work on the few bodies that lay strewn around them hardly batted an eye. She was as familiar with this sight as she was with her own skills. The very same skills which always ensured that no matter which battlefield she went to, its state would be reduced to the one she found herself in. Her other subordinates were already long gone, either because they were dead or because they didn't want to linger around their own division captain for too long. As the wind blew over her long, ravenous black hair and the warm sunlight highlighted the blood and soot still present on her otherwise flawless pearly white skin, her form was morbidly beautiful and a sight to behold.
But she cared not for the likes of such things. She hardly ever cared for those that would topple over with all but a slight touch from her deadly blade. And yet, here she was, watching over her only companion dig graves for their lifeless companions and foes alike, working herself to the bone after what was already a difficult battle for her. No matter how many times she saw her, it never made sense, then and now. Though her companion was more than happy to explain the reasons for what she was doing, Unohana Yachiru couldn't comprehend the reasons behind her companion's pointless actions.
"Should I help?" asked Unohana. The irritation in her tone wasn't missed by her companion. She merely shook her head, going back to her arduous task of digging.
"It's fine, I'm almost done. And besides, I don't want to force you if you don't want to" she replied.
"Why do you keep bringing that with you when you know it's just going to get dirty again when fighting? Not to mention when you're going around doing this" she said, pointing to the hooded cloak still wrapped around her. The cloak, which was normally white on the outside and deep red on the inside was now blotched with soot, gravel, blood and blackened ash. Summer Rose clutched at her cloak tighter.
"It reminds me of home, and the hope that I can go back to my darlings one day. I'm not strong like you, but this gives me just a little more strength to keep going" she replied. Her petite frame was not one suited for hard labor like digging. The injuries and fatigue she suffered from battle was also fresh on her body. She struggled to deliver the final strokes on the last grave she made. Just then, she could feel the shovel she was holding slip away from her and into the hands of her companion, who was standing right behind her.
"Ya…yachi…?" blinked Summer, looking behind her.
"I'll do the rest. I'd rather put aside my opinions for now than having to watch you in this state for a second longer" she said firmly. Summer blinked once, twice, before understanding that Unohana was firm in her words and nothing she said further would change that. The fatigue from earlier finally caught up to her, and she merely let herself fall against Unohana's chest.
"Sorry…..and thanks" she breathed out. "Think you could heal me a little…?" Unohana noticed that her legs were wobbling. "It's nothing too serious, just a few arrows through my legs. Gotta thank the quincies for using reishi arrows, because they burn as they travel, it actually sears the wound shut. Atleast you wont blead out that way…." She mumbled weakly.
Unohana clicked her tongue in a flash of anger. "Unbelievable" she said, looking at Summer straight in the eye. "Even in this state, not only do you go around making graves for beings that don't need it, but you also do it when you're in such a pitiful state. I've never seen anyone so foolhardy" Unohana then walked her over to the place where she was sitting, before going back to picking the shovel to finish the task her companion started.
"Yachi….? The healing….?" Called out Summer.
"No. I'm going to finish up here, and you're going to heal up your own wounds. I DID teach you the basics of healing kido. If I kept attending to you at every single opportunity, you'll never become any stronger. And being by my side, there's no way I can allow that. I'm not allowing you to get healed by the 4th division either. You are going to heal yourself, right here and now. I don't want to see a single injury on you once I'm done here" she said sternly. Summer groaned.
"Come on Yachi….dont you think that's a bit too excessive? Show some consideration will ya?"
"I am, and you know it" she replied. "Anybody else, and I would've merely left them till the 4th division bothered to do something about it"
"Aww….fine…." whined Summer, placing her hand over her wounds, a gentle green light illuminating them. The process was extremely slow, but still much much faster than if she'd let her body heal naturally. The two spent their next few moments in silence as Unohana now began to drag the corpses around her and place them in various graves, covering them up afterwards.
"How ludicrous" she said, looking at the expression of one of the Quincy soldiers as she put him down in his grave. "What good does it do to bury the enemy? Nothing changes, with war or with anything else. The quincies aren't going to show you mercy because you performed an act of mercy, nor am I or the head captain going or anyone else here going to stop because of your actions. All this is doing is causing you meaningless pain, injury and casting doubts in your psyche"
"Even so, even if we're already dead and are just souls, even if they're the enemy and don't need to be buried by the enemy, it still doesn't change the fact that we have a lot more in common than we admit. Just as we have things we're fighting for, they do too. A territory to protect, a family to go back to, friends to enjoy life with, and the world to explore. The only thing that's really different is what is really driving our leaders to do what they want us to do" replied the ex-huntress.
"That's just an age old argument a naïve and innocent greenhorn would make. We've been over this already, and I still don't believe you know what it means to be at war. Going around healing enemy soldiers, not killing, burying your victims, this is just…..!" she sighed, stabbing the shovel rather forcefully into the earth next to her. "Even now, you still manage to question my resolve in letting you stay here. I still strongly believe the likes of you shouldn't be here"
"And yet, here I am" said Summer. "You may be right, I may be 'too soft' for this world. But I am no stranger to war. My world has been at war ever since my world has existed. Not too different from what's happening here. Except, when we die back home, that's it. There's no soul waiting for you in the Soul Society, no soul reapers to help you move on but the Grimm are always there, just waiting to send more to join our fallen comrades"
"You've told me this before. And let's say I believe you, just for the sake of argument that this world you speak of exists. In which case, it's even more strange that you don't take up arms against those that threaten your existence. If you really have been raised in a war torn world, you've failed to prove it so far" argued Unohana.
"But I do take up arms to protect myself. Against the hollows atleast. You know I don't hold back there. But the quincies…..they're just like us. In my day, we fought against the creatures of the night as a united force, and that's how we stayed alive for millennia. That's why I simply can't bring myself to treat them the same way as hollows. Because everytime I have to listen to another soldier die screaming for his love or his child, I'm reminded of them, and the fact that they're stuck in an unreachable place, forever away from my grasp" she said nonchalantly. "When I'm stuck with such a conundrum, tell me, how could I possibly bring myself to cold heartedly take another's life and deprive someone like me the chance to meet their family and those they're worried about?"
"Because this is war, and every soldier knows what they're fighting for. It's why they're here, so that this family you speak so dearly of can live in peace, with or without you. Some may fight to prove themselves, some fight for glory, some for honor, and some, as you say, fight for their families. They all know why they're here and your sympathy is wasted on them"
Summer sighed disappointed. "I suppose we're split on this as usual" she responded. "But…..I'm sure, that one day, even you'll understand what I'm talking about. Once this whole war ends, and you have a chance to look after a family of your own. Little Shunsui and Jushiro already look up to you as much as they cling to me. And if my kids were here too, I'm sure you'd have understood right away what I'm talking about. After all, my adorable Tai, my sweet little Yang and my darling little Ruby are the very crystallization of the hope that keeps me going"
"Are they…..?" asked Unohana. Summer nodded.
"I'm a terrible mother and wife, running away and deserting them without even saying a word. Though to be fair, I never expected it would come to this. I just wish…..I could see them once more. Tai is strong, but even he can be a big softie when it comes to his family. My little Yang is a bundle of energy, always wanting to do things by herself, always up to mischief. No doubt she gets that from her father. Even so, she's still a wonderful big sister to my shy and reserved Ruby. What kind of mother deserts her daughter when she's barely old enough to even remember her own mother?"
"You don't believe they could be here?" asked Unohana, but Summer shook her head.
"It's not that I don't believe it, but I think it's highly unlikely. Ever since I came here, I've been looking for them, for anyone from my world whenever I could. After all, if I was here, somebody else could be too, right? But no matter how much I looked, I haven't even found a single clue. Personally, I'd rather prefer that they don't end up here. Especially my little sunshine and my darling little rose. Even so, just the fact that I may one day go back to them keeps me going. And I'm sure it's the same for them too. But…I think I'll stop boring you with my ramblings. I'm sure you're annoyed enough as it is having to put up with my selfishness"
"This is the first time you've spoken to me this extensively about your family" said Unohana.
"Yeah, I guess so. I try not to think about it, but I'm glad you lent me your ear. It feels like I got a load of my chest, even if it was just telling someone about it" said the ex-huntress.
Unohana sighed, finishing up with the last of the graves. "Think nothing of it. Though we have our differences, I am glad you shared your perils with me. Perhaps in time I may learn of that which you speak of. But for now, I don't want you to be dwelling on our discussions when fighting the enemy. Although, I am always willing to lend you my opinions and my ears for whatever troubles you. And I'm not sure you have that much to be worried about your family in the first place. As far as your daughters go, if they are indeed your daughters, then I'm sure they'll do just fine surviving here. I mean, your skills aren't the best, but they do prove sufficient enough for you to survive, if only barely. If your daughters are half as good as you are, I'm sure they'll manage to survive here. As for your husband, well, seeing as how you chose him, I'm sure he has to be atleast half decent, wouldn't you agree?"
"I'm not quite sure if that was you assuring me or if that was your way of passively insulting me Yachi" remarked Summer sweatdropping. "But being a mother, you'll always worry about them. But thanks, I do feel kinda better now. And you needn't be so formal and archaic you know!" said Summer, and the twosome slowly made their way back to their barracks.
She couldn't recollect when exactly it was that her mind drifted back to those days. Let alone in the middle of their captain's meeting. Since the last month, ever Captain Hitsugaya had reported them about Ruby Rose, a certain unease was constantly eating away at her. But for someone of her stature and position, she simply couldn't fail the many others who depended on her and so, she would shut away her distracting thoughts, promising herself to look at them once the entire ordeal with Aizen was over.
Perhaps it was a result of her repressing her doubts and feelings for so long. Or perhaps it was the impeding war that was lingering on the horizon. Or perhaps it was the mention of Ruby Rose that triggered something in a small corner of her mind. Or perhaps, it was all of the above. Truly, she wouldn't know. But it had reached a point where her mind was somewhere else entirely during the current captain's meeting she was on. Throughout the whole time, she was strangely silent, but the other captains didn't make note of it, thinking that she had nothing especially important to report. Kyouraku even called out to her once, and Unohana simply waved him off, saying she had nothing to add.
Unohana'e eyes flew wide open. She found herself stepping back a few steps. "Oh god….oh dear lord…!" She could feel a stinging pain from her right shoulder
Kyoraku had been in the middle of convincing Byakuya and Kenpachi against going to Hueco Mundo. The topic of their meeting had been to decide which of the captains and lieutenants were to participate in the battle and how to deal with the situation of Rukia, Yachiru and Renji going off to Hueco Mundo on their own.
Ukitake was the first to notice. "Captain Unohana…? What's the matter? You look a little pale…"
Unohana continued to talk to herself, the expression of shock still on her face. "Oh dear lord…if that's true then….no…..!"
At this point, the entire room had gone quiet. Nobody had EVER seen 'the' captain Unohana that shaken. So much so that even the Head Captain looked quite concerned.
"Captain….are you feeling ok?" asked Kyoraku, pressing her. His tone was calm but his thoughts were anything but calm. Unohana looked at the two of them, seemingly calming down after a few tense seconds. She then looked at the Head Captain. "Head Captain, if I may, I would like to personally go to Hueco Mundo"
Gasps and shock ran throughout the room.
"What did you just say captain?!" asked Ukitake.
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes. "What's your reason, captain Unohana? As the captain of squad 4 and our most expert healer, it would be foolhardy for one such as you to be going to enemy territory all by yourself at times of such a crisis. Considering that you have been silent throughout our meeting today, I assume you have a strong reason for your suggestion"
"Yes. I would not make such a suggestion otherwise. But before I do that, perhaps it would be best to speak to Isshin Shi…Kurosaki first. Can we arrange communications with them now?" she asked, her face serious.
Soi-Fon raised her eyes. "You mean right now? My apologies for cutting in so suddenly captain, but is this really so urgent that we need to disrupt our current topic of discussion?"
"Well, we do need to talk to them as well, seeing as how we are in the final stages of our plans. But perhaps you could tell us what you have in mind, Captain?" asked Kyoraku.
"All will be made clear soon. I do not wish to perturb anyone any further without confirmation" she spoke, only adding to the confusion. "With that being said, if you could, Captain Kurotsuchi"
Mayuri Kurotsuchi smiled with glee "Well, the spirit monitor is right here, and communications to the World of the Living can be established with all but a single button press. I never thought these dreary meetings would actually end up interesting for once!" he said, not even waiting for approval before tinkering with the giant monitor in the meeting room. "There, unless their side is away, we should be able to see them any moment now"
The blank screen flickered and popped a few times before the familiar landscape of Urahara's basement popped into view, with Urahara's face occupying the half of the screen.
"~Salutations! You've reached Urahara's candy store, what can I do for you wonderful patrons from the Soul Society today?~~" he cooed. Soi-Fon clicked her tongue in irritation. But whatever thoughts the rest of them had about his quirky introduction, they were forgotten when Unohana approached the screen.
"Urahara-san, may I know where Isshin Shiba is?" she asked.
"That's a rather strange request, Unohana-san. But to answer your question, no. He's been away attending his daughters' parent-teacher meeting at their school" explained Urahara. "I'm afraid he isn't coming back for quite a while. Still, it's unusual you'd call out for him specifically. What's this about, if I may ask?"
"Very well, I suppose you would know as well. Urahara-san, tell me. Is Ruby Rose really the eldest daughter of the Isshin Shiba?" she asked, her expression unreadable.
"Ruby Rose…? Isn't that Ichigo Kurosaki's sister? What's that have to do with….?" Thought Toshiro inwardly.
Urahara lowered his hat, the playful smile from his face replaced by a serious expression "That's a rather scary face you're making there, Unohana-san. If I may ask, why the sudden interest in Ruby-chan? If I may say so myself, the way you phrased your question was odd too"
"Out of respect for Isshin Kurosaki, I…no, we refrained from bringing up Ruby Rose after his reluctance in talking about his daughter. But now, I'm afraid I simply must know. And Isshin Kurosaki isn't here. If Ruby Rose really is their sibling, and lived with them, I'm quite certain you would know. So tell me Urahara-san. Is she really Isshin Kurosaki's daughter? Or rather….her mother…is her name Summer Rose?"
The reaction was instant.
"What was that?!" exclaimed Ukitake, wide eyed.
"Summ…..no way…! Natsuko-chan's…daughter….?!" Exclaimed Kyoraku.
"Captain Unohana, you can't possibly mean…!" exclaimed Yamamoto.
"Summer Rose…..? Who's that…? For captain Ukitake, Captain Kyoraku and the head captain to react that way, she must've been someone very significant…." Thought Toshiro inwardly.
"Kisuke…..is that really true…?!" asked Kyoraku surprised.
Unohana, Ukitake and Kyoraku were anxiously waiting for his response. Kisuke sighed. It was hard to tell what kind of face he was making under his hat, but his eyes for one, looked awry, and he was trying his best to avoid making eye contact.
"Of course, you would be the one who….." muttered Kisuke under his breath. He then faced them. "Yes" he said simply.
Unohana stood there, with her mouth agape, not saying a single word.
"It….Natsuko-chan's daughter is Ruby…..? But then….that means…..she's an arrancar under...!" said Kyoraku, grimacing.
"What's going on..?" asked Toshiro. "Captain Ukitake…..who is this 'Summer Rose'?"
Ukitake looked around, only to see the expectant faces of the other captains. He sighed. "Summer Rose is…..was…captain Unohana's lieutenant from the days of the quincy war 1000 years ago"
"Captain Unohana's lieutenant…?!" exclaimed Komamura.
"That cannot be…." Said Yamamoto "Natsuko passed away during the days of the quincy war 1000 years ago. Even she herself admitted that her daughter was nowhere to be found. What basis do you have for such a claim, Kisuke Urahara? And even if your claim were to be true, how is it that her daughter is a hollow, an arrancar living in Hueco Mundo?"
"Head Captain, I happened to recollect one of my conversations with Natsuko where she spoke about her family. She mentioned her daughter whose name was 'Ruby'. She hardly ever spoke about her family, which is why I didn't catch on initially. But now, I have no doubt. It has to be her. What confuses me is everything else" she said, looking at Urahara. "I believe Kisuke Urahara, Isshin Kurosaki and Yoruichi Shihouin have kept much more than just her name. If you will, I request you to tell us about her, Kisu-"
"I refuse" he said flatly, surprising the captains.
"What's that?" boomed Yamamoto.
"Unohana-san. I know how much Summer-san meant to you all. But….Ukitake-san, Kyoraku-san, Head captain…..I would advise you to not to pry any deeper. Isnt it already bad enough that you have to face her when Aizen begins his invasion? Would you really want to?"
"It matters not" said Yamamoto slowly. "Even if she is her daughter, even if Natsuko herself was alive and well, all that matters is that she is now on their side"
"Then, what if I told you that Ruby-chan didn't become an arrancar by choice? And that the things she's gone through are things that should have never happened to any mortal soul?" he replied.
"What do you….mean….?" asked Unohana stone faced.
"For you of all people to say that...and judging by your tone…I would assume something really unimaginable happened…" said Ukitake.
"Somethings are best unknown. Especially to you, who shared a deeper connection to Summer-san than I, Isshin-san or Yoruichi-san. And….this isn't something that Ruby-chan wishes that I talk about to others. So, respecting her wishes, I wont say anything more, for all of our sakes. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about the same, head captain. I'm glad you contacted me. You see, young Ichigo, Karin, Tatsuki, Uryu and Chad have all gone to Hueco Mundo in search of Ruby-chan"
"They've done what now?!" exclaimed Toshiro.
"And you let them go by themselves, Urahara-san?!" asked Komamura.
"Oh dear lord, this is just a big confusing mess of events…" sighed Kyoraku.
"I see…so that explains Rukia, Renji's and lieutenant Kusajishi's disappearances" sadi Byakuya, speaking for the first time.
"Don't tell me…they've gone to Hueco Mundo to assist Ichigo and the others..!" gasped Ukitake.
"Uh huh. They left shortly after Ichigo and the others did, so I have no doubt they must have caught up to them by now" replied the shopkeeper.
"But why?! Why would they go off at such a time in search of a single person?!" asked Soi-Fon.
"There's nothing wrong in wanting to see your big sister and younger sister is there?" asked Kisuke. "Be as that may be, young Ichigo and the others have grown much stronger than the time they fought everyone in the Soul Society. And once they reach their sister, I have no doubt they'll be safe. We would've gone with them if we thought they needed the help. But with her there, I'm sure they'll be just fine. Which is why head captain, I want to ask that you leave Ruby-chan to Ichigo and the others. Ruby is family to young Ichigo, and she has her own family who are sympathetic to young Ichigo and Karin as well. Shouldn't that be good enough, that we wont have to face them when the invasion occurs?"
"I see….so you allowed Ichigo Kurosaki and the others to go to Hueco Mundo just so you can create a weak link in the enemy forces. I must say, that's quite dastardly, even for you, Kisuke Urahara" said Mayuri with a shrill voice.
"As bad as it may sounds, it's actually the best course of action, and the same tactic that Aizen used to take Orihime-san away from us" replied Kisuke.
"You sound quite confident that Ruby Rose would go against Aizen's orders upon meeting Ichigo Kurosaki" said Byakuya.
"But of course. I have known her for a whole year during the time she spent her days living with them. She's not the kind who would forgo her family for anything" replied Urahara. "I'm sure you would understand?". Byakuya's eye twitched.
"You really won't tell me anything more, Urahara-san?" asked Unohana with a calm and low tone and with ice-cold eyes.
"I'm sorry" was his only response. Unohana continued to stare at the enigmatic candy store owner for some more time, until she closed here eyes, walking away from the screen.
"I see. In that case, I'll just have to find out myself" she said.
"Unohana-san, I would advise against that, you rea-"
"Urahara-san" she said slowly, sending chills down the other captain's spines. "You're no longer a part of the Gotei 13, and while we appreciate your wisdom and knowledge, our decisions are still ours. You have made your point clear and I have mine. Is that understood?"
Urahara gulped. "Yes"
"Head captain, that brings me back to why I wanted to go to Hueco Mundo. Would it be acceptable for me to investigate this matter regarding Ruby Rose?" she asked.
"Even if you say that…..captain, the fact of the matter is, we would still be sending our healer to enemy territory. Your presence is a vital one to our forces" said Kyoraku. "I'm sorry, but Yamajii, I must ask that you give the order to allow Captain Unohana to stay here. We can send one of the other captains, perhaps Soi-Fon, yes, she's part of the stealth unit. Reconnaissance and intel gathering is as important as any in warfare. It wouldn't be good to have her come out in the open during our confrontation with Aizen. With that, we kill two birds with one stone, information on Ruby-chan and information on the enemy"
"You seem to be mistaken, Captain Kyoraku. After all, I'm not going there as Retsu Unohana but rather as Unohana Yachiru"
A collective shiver ran through them as she declared it. Kenpachi on the other hand, had the widest grin on his face. Yamamoto's face was serious. Ukitake placed his hand over at her shoulder.
"No Unohana-san. You should never, ever have to return to being that person ever again. After all, it was the only thing she ever wanted for you, to have a life where you didn't have to live as the 1st Kenpachi. If allowing you to go to Hueco Mundo will stop you from doing that, then so be it" he said. Unohana spared a single glance at Ukitake's earnest face, sighed and relaxed. Ukitake then nodded at Yamamoto, signaling at him to give his order.
"Very well…captain Unohana, you will go to Hueco Mundo to take care of Ruby Rose. I'll leave it up to you" said Yamamoto.
"Welp, with that settled, since you're already here Urahara-san, let's continue with what we were discussing. Now, about the Vizards…."
Aizen Sosuke had the most amused expression on his face as he sat across the table alongside Tosen, Momo and Gin, each with their own thoughts and expressions. The screen present in front of them was showing what appeared to be a recording of Tres Cifras. They could see five figures in black garb, three humans and more importantly, a hooded young girl and a girl with lime colored hair and a helmet like mask entering the central chamber before getting sectioned off into five different groups by the divider in the circular hall.
"It's just as you predicted, captain" remarked Gin. "Although I must admit, I didn't expect Abarai-kun, Kuchiki-san or Kusajishi-san to be with them"
"And why are Lily and Crescent-chan helping them….?" Asked Momo.
"The Soul Society would never send any troops to assist an operation such as this one. And even if they did send help, they would never just send a couple of lieutenants to the heart of enemy territory. This must be something they decided on their own" theorized Aizen. "As for those two, one of them is a child. I hardly doubt she sees them as anything beyond playthings. As for the other one, I'm not surprised, considering that she IS Ruby Rose's close companion. They ARE Ruby's family after all, it's not unexpected that Lilynette would try to help them. Still, it changes nothing"
"Well, Kuchiki-san and Abarai-kun are good friends of Kurosaki-san. I wouldn't be surprised if they did decide to come here on their own volition. As for Kusajishi-chan, I wouldn't be surprised if she did this on a whim. She HAS been known to be rather quirky after all, captain. Now that I think about it, she IS quite similar to Crescent-chan. No wonder the two of them are stuck to each other like glue" said Gin, pointing to the screen. "Aah, I'm not sure I want to imagine what it would be like having two Yachiru-chans or two Crescent-chans. I can still hear Shinso's cries for help after Crescent-chan made away with him for a whole day" he said, sweatdropping. Aizen gave an amused smile.
"Ah, Tobiume was really embarrassed too after Crescent-chan kept tickling her, she wouldnt let me use her until I promised her that I would spank Crescent-chan the next time I saw her" added Momo deadpanned.
"What shall we do, Lord Aizen? We still need some time with Wonderweiss before we can mobilize our troops" said Tosen. "And as for me, Suzumushi seemed quite happy to be around her, and I share his thoughts. Sweet and innocent Crescent, she really is a wonderful girl"
"Is that so? How amusing to see a Zanpakuto from Hell behaving so human. Quite the contrast" said Aizen, bemused.
"Wait, so does that mean she's never come after your Zanpakuto, captain Aizen? That's surprising! In the six years she's been here, there hasn't been a single arrancar or soul reaper's zanpakuto she's missed. Or atleast that's what I thought" said Gin, surprised.
"A shame, truly. I've been wanting to observe her closely myself, but it would appear she has no interest in revealing herself to me when I'm around" said Aizen, giving an amused smile.
"Oh that's why" thought Gin to himself, even chuckling awkwardly to himself.
"But before we get off topic any further, let us continue with our discussion. Soul Society is sure to send more help. In particular, I expect 'she' will be coming here very soon. By now, she must have heard about Summer Rose. It's only a matter of time before she starts moving as well. We cannot do anything until she is here in Hueco Mundo. Not to mention, Ruby Rose isn't in her quarters, is that right?" he asked Momo. Momo nodded.
"I haven't seen mast…Summer-san in quite a while to be honest. The last I saw her was a couple of days ago. But I'm sure she's still out there by Tier's old lair. Summer-san doesn't really like to be in Las Noches unless she's meeting with Tier or her other Espada companions" she explained.
"Which is why there is nothing to worry about. I'm quite certain captain Unohana will come here looking for her. If she's coming, then Kenpachi Zaraki is sure to come along as well. And they will need someone to open a garganta from this side. So I expect that Mayuri Kurotsuchi will be here as well. Once they are here, we move out to the World of the Living" explained Aizen. "That way, we avoid confrontation with three of the most troublesome captains of the Soul Society. And Wonderweiss can deal with Yamamoto"
"But captain…..if Unohana-san does find Summer-san, wont she help her get back to the World of the Living? After all, Ruby-san CAN open a garganta…" questioned Momo.
"True. But it wont be easy even for captain Unohana. We only need to keep Ichigo Kurosaki and their group here until captain Unohana and the others are here. Even for her, it will take some time before she can find Summer Rose and for things to settle down here. That's more than enough of a window for us to make our move. It's laughable how the presence of just one person at the right place can make it so easy to predict the moves of your enemy. For now, we should focus on our other primary objective. First, Kaname, I want you to send word to the other Espada and fraccione that they are to remain in their own quarters and prepare for engaging the enemy. Next, Gin, I would like you to take over the controls and direct each of the five groups in this manner. First, send Renji Abarai's group through Yami's quarters and then through here. Next…"
Rukia and Karin had been running for a few minutes, going through a long corridor first, passing by a few closed doors before finally coming across a long flight of stairs that they had been climbing for almost 10 minutes. Karin swore that they must've walked up over alteast a few thousand steps by now.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we reached the moon at this rate" said Karin deadpanned. "Heck, I'm even starting to get tired. Who knew our first enemy would be a flight of stairs…"
"Still, it feels weird. I expected that we would've gotten lost by now, in such a huge place. But so far, it's been very clear where to go. Almost as if we're being directed. I do not like the looks of this. Stay close to me, ok?" said Rukia.
"Ruki-nee, you worry too much. I'll be finneeee, you'll see. Heh, I might even be stronger than you, you know?" she smirked.
"There's a fine line between confidence and over confidence you know, and it's not good to learn towards the latter" advised Rukia. "And besides, I haven't even shown you guys what I'm capable of. It's never a good thing to make assumptions you know?"
"Wait hold on, I see an exit!" alerted Karin, and as they walked through the door, they were hit with blinding light. It took another few minutes for their eyes to adjust to the stark difference in contrast. But when they did-
"Whoa….! There was a place like this inside….?!" Exclaimed Karin, looking at the vast expanse of sand around her and the bright blue sky lit with the sun's illuminating rays.
"Inside….? Can you even call this 'inside' anymore? Is this what she meant by a vast open space..?" asked Rukia, looking around. In front of them, connecting the door they came through to a tower in the distance was a bridge. "Let's go there and see if there's a way to descend down to the sands inside that tower" she suggested. Karin nodded and the two entered the rather dark interior of the tower.
"Greetings and welcome to my palace. I'm glad you decided to meet me here, I quite despise the sunlight. Now we can have a proper talk" said a voice form above.
"Who's there…?!" called out Karin sharply, drawing her Zanpaktuto. Rukia did the same.
"Now, now, there's no need to be so wary you know!" said the voice, now coming from the space in front of them. They could see a figure approaching. 'He' was dressed in all white, with a frilly nobleman's coat and gloves. His face, if it could be called that, consisted of a long mask with eight holes. "I'm the privaron Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie" he said.
"An Espada….!" Exclaimed Karin, tightening her guard.
Rukia narrowed her eyes, watching every step the being was making. "You mean…..he's one of the top ten fighters of Aizen's army?!"
"No no no, I believe you misheard me, ladies. I'm a privaron Espada. Meaning I am an Espada who was demoted from the ranks after more powerful arrancars took over my position. However, I believe rather than this face" he said, removing his mask. "This is a much more pleasant face to talk to, isn't it?"
Rukia's eyes went wide, the grip on her zanpakuto loosening. She took a couple of steps back as she stared at the gentle expression on the face of the man behind the mask.
The man whose face bore such a striking resemblance to her own brother, thought Karin to herself.
"Ruki-nee…what's….who's….?" she asked, shocked.
"…..Kaien…."
"We sure have been running for a while, huh? Are we even going somewhere?" asked Renji, looking around the long set of corridors with different sets of doors and markings on each one of them.
"How should I know?" asked Uryu, adjusting his glasses.
"No need to get so riled up you know, I'm just trying to kill time" said Renji deadpanned.
"Still, it's surprising how we haven't come across a single enemy all this time. When the alarms went off, I expected this place would be crawling with arrancars or hollows or something"
"Shouldn't we be happy that there aren't any enemies that've ambushed us?" asked Renji. "It would be perfect if we just kept running and we ended up with the others. Better yet if we reach Orihime or Ichigo's sister"
Their conversation was interrupted midway when a huge blur crashed right in front of them with enough force to break apart the floor. Uryu looked at Renji with an annoyed look.
"Well, thanks for jinxing it!" he snapped.
"You two bozos have some nerve invading Las Noches all by yourselves! Well, too bad for you I'm not your garden variety arrancar! I'm Yami Llargo, the 10th Espada! I'll make sure you both don't leave in one piece!" roared the figure of Yami, a wide grin on his face. Renji could only sigh.
"Just perfect" he said deadpanned, preparing to fight.
She hadn't so much as glanced at the other end of the large hall she found herself in. The moment Tatsuki went through the path in front of her, she was immediately faced with a large room with many pillars around her. But no sooner had she done that, she sensed a something approaching. Grabbing Yachiru, she took cover behind one of the pillars behind her. She watched in horror as the giant spinning disc barely missed the spot she was standing in initially and plunging straight to the floor, leaving a huge dent in it.
"Heeey! No fair attacking out of nowhere!" whined the pink haired girl.
"That's rather rude of you to attack without even introducing yourself, don't you think?" asked Tatsuki, her back against the pillar she was using for cover.
"I have no time to waste introducing myself to a couple of naïve little girls who thinks it's a good idea to walk so brazenly into enemy territory all by themselves. I'm insulted that I have to even go out of my way to take care of a couple of kids" scoffed her opponent. From the voice, she could tell that her opponent was a female.
Dammit, I didn't expect I'd run into an enemy so soon…..still, I have to push through! Otherwise, I'll never be able to catch up to aneki. She couldn't get a good read of her opponents reishi, but from the sound of her zanpakuto and where her voice came from, she could roughly tell where her opponent was. Plus, there were many pillars to use for cover. She would need but one attack to throw her off guard and gain an upper footing in the battle.
"Alright, let's do this then" she told herself before beginning to move.
Ichigo Kurosaki knew not to which out of the two surprised him the most; the arrancar standing in front of him or the girl standing beside him who looked like she was having the time of her life. Either way, he was hard pressed to take the situation seriously, even though he knew he should be.
It all started when they entered an open area that appeared to be a large room with a high roof, beams crossing over above him close to the ceiling. He thought the room was empty until he saw a figure standing atop one of the beams. He was immediately alert but that tension vanished when he realized that the arrancar was actually trying to hide from him but was doing a bad job of it, not even having realized how visible he was. Once he finally realized he had visitors, he tripped and fell.
While Ichigo stood dumbfounded, Crescent ran up to him, pulling out a marker.
"What's up with this weird guy…?! And where the hell did she get that?!" wondered Ichigo deadpanned, unsure of how to act. Crescent then promptly began to draw on his face as if it was the most natural thing to do.
After about a minute or so, the arrancar finally recovered from his fall, not even aware of the rather…intricate designs adorning his face.
"That's a rather aloof expression for someone who's in front of an enemy" said the arrancar. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, 103rd of Aizen's numbers. Quite brave of you to lower your guard so much in front of an enemy. No matter, you'll be done here soon enough….? Wait a minute, it's you!" he exclaimed, looking at Crescent. "Then that means….!" He gasped, pulling out a small hand mirror. "GAAAAH! I knew it! You little brat!" The arrancar then began frantically rubbing at his face with the hem of his clothes. Crescent had a satisfied expression on her face.
"Should I even be doing anything here….?" Wondered the substitute soul reaper deadpanned.
"You little brat, Every. Single. Time! I've just about had it with your pranks, it's time for some punishment!" he declared, rushing at Crescent.
*KLAAANNNG!*
The arrancars's fist met with Ichigo's zanpakuto. But what surprised Ichigo the most was his speed.
"Quite bold of you to worry about others, boya" taunted Dordoni.
"It's pretty messed up for you to go after a little girl for a harmless prank, dontcha think?" asked Ichigo, pushing back.
"You stood there the whole time I was down and didn't even attack once. You're a strange one, boya" said the arrancar.
"I just didn't think I needed to" replied Ichigo.
"Judging an enemy by their appearance, are we? As I suspected, you're still a youngling, boya" said the arrancar, disappearing behind Ichigo and appearing several feet away from him. Ichigo felt a searing cut on his left shoulder. By reflex, Ichigo turned around, firing a Getsuga Tenshou. But the arrancar merely scoffed at him, and kicked his attack away.
Ichigo had no time to pay attention to the Crescent as he focused on regaining his composure after his last attack failed so spectacularly.
"You thought I would be a pushover, simply because of how I appeared to you, didn't you boya? With such a poor reaction speed, such poor defenses and a stance that's so full of openings, it wont take me more than a mere moment to do this!" he declared, appearing right in front of him and kicking at his core. Ichigo managed to block with his Zanpakuto, but the force of his kick was great enough to send him crashing first towards a pillar, and then into the wall behind him and then finally into the room behind the wall. Dordoni then calmly approached Ichigo.
"Use your bankai, boya" he said. "The way you are now, it's all but impossible for you to even lay a single hit on me. It would be far too pitiful if you were to fall here and now"
Ichigo stumbled, pushing himself up from the debris. "No way. You're not even an Espada. I can take care of you the way I am!" he declared, attacking him again. The arrancar quite effortlessly caught his blade on his leg, sending him back.
"Still underestimating me I see. Can you still continue to be this arrogant after witnessing this, boya?!" he said, drawing his zanpakuto. "Whirl, Giralda"
A mini cyclone engulfed Dordoni, and the spiritual pressure coming off from him spiked by many fold. He now had two large horns in his shoulders and he was equipped with a bony armor that covered his feet, calves and waist with two more spikes protruding out of them.
"So this…..is an arrancar's sword release…?!" exclaimed Ichigo.
Dordoni smirked. "Correct. You'll see soon enough that not using your bankai from the beginning was the most fatal mistake you could've made. Now…..on guard!" he declared, charging at Ichigo by spinning and forming a cyclone. Ichigo barely managed to dodge the incoming attack. Anticipating his actions, Dordoni disappeared, appearing right behind Ichigo and sending multiple cyclones at him all at once.
"Dammit, I…..I can't keep up…!" thought Ichigo, struggling to avoid getting caught.
"Use your Bankai, boya" demanded the arrancar once more, calmly watching Ichigo getting tossed around by his attack.
"No…..I have to reserve my reiatsu…..if I started using Bankai now….then…!"
The arrancar sighed. "You really shouldn't be thinking like that" Using another cyclone attack, he tossed Ichigo up and down, demanding him to use his Bankai. Somehow regaining his stance, the substitute soul reaper managed to fire off another Getsuga Tenshou, breaking the wind attack. Using a swift flash step, Ichigo appeared behind the arrancar, swinging at his arm. Without even looking back, the arrancar blocked the hit, twisting and kicking Ichigo away with a roundhouse kick. He then put his arms together, charging a crimson orb in between them.
"A cero…!" exclaimed Ichigo, watching helplessly as the crimson death ray was approaching closer and closer to him. Still reeling from the kick, Ichigo had no way to regain his stance and avoid the incoming hit. He crossed his arms over, hoping to minimize the damage as much as he could and waited for the pain to wash over him.
Except, it never came.
*SHIIINNNG!*
Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, only to see the tiny figure of the hooded girl standing in front of him with her back turned to him.
"Wh…what just…!" stammered Ichigo.
"You….!" Snarled the arrancar. "Don't get in my way!" He then sent multiple cyclones towards her. Crescent darted around them as if she was playing hop scotch, but was caught in one of them. The cyclone kept her suspended in mid air.
"Maybe this'll teach you not to meddle in the affairs of other's, girlie! You should've just stayed with your mother!" he said, sending another cyclone at her.
"Bankai!"
A torrent of reishi whirled around Ichigo, dispersing the cyclone around him and Crescent.
*SCHICK!*
Dordoni felt a cut on his left shoulder, the wound drawing blood. The arrancar gave a gleeful smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, arrancar" said Ichigo, now in his bankai state. Ichigo then picked up Crescent gently, lifting her to his face level. "Did you...save me from that cero..?" he asked her.
Crescent merely blinked, nodding her head. Ichigo riased his eyes. "You did? I was right in front of you, what in the world did you do?" he asked. The girl continued to look at him, merely tilting her head.
"Right, you can't really talk. It's a bit hard to believe though. Still, doesnt change the fact that you did help me out there. Sorry for getting you caught up in this, all because I was stubborn about reserving my strength. After fighting nee-san and Grimmjow, I promised I wouldn't release my Bankai for anyone but the Espada. Heights of stubbornness and foolishness. Just wait for a little bit more, I'll be right back with you. This wont take more than a second" he said. Crescent gave him a sympathetic look and caressed his face.
"Tell me, boya. That girl you're clinging on to so dearly, even going so far so to shielding her from my attacks. You don't have the slightest idea who she is, do you?" he asked.
"Nope, and I don't see why I shouldn't protect someone simply because she's a stranger" replied Ichigo.
"Heh…..so, you'd go so far as to protect someone who you barely know and yet, you'd hold back your strength to protect them?" he asked in a scrutinizing manner. "You're a strange one, I'll give you that" he said. "Now then, now that-"
"I'm sorry, but I really don't have the time to be playing around with you, arrancar. If this goes on any longer, she'll just end up getting dragged into our fight again. So, I'll just finish this as quickly as I can" he said, bringing his hand across his face.
"A bold statement, boya! But you fail to realize, I'm an arrancar! The perfect coalition between a Shinigami and a hollow! Our powers transcend those of both races, so then tell me, can you still make such a bold statement after seeing this…!?" he bellowed, conjuring up more a dozen mini cyclones all around him. "Where's your confidence now, boy-!"
*SPLAAAAT!*
Dordoni hadn't even seen the boy move. One second, his hand was on his face, and his expression had been deadly calm. And the next, his vision was clouded by the blood that sprayed out of the large gash that travelled across his body. It was but an instant, but when he looked at the boy's face, no longer was he gazing at his soft, brown eyes but rather something far more sinister and menacing. Darkness was encroaching his mind as his pupils rolled upwards.
"I see….you're…like us…..after all…." He managed to mutter before his body gave way and his mind slipped completely into the darkness that encroached him.
*SKRIT* *SKRIT* *SKRIT*
He wondered if he was dead. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, going back and forth between his days as an Espada and a hollow.
*SKRIT* *SKRIT* *SKRIT*
The sound was really bothering him now. With some effort, he managed to open his eyes, only find a pair of big round golden eyes staring back at him. She was holding something in her hand and he felt the cold tip of the object as the girl continued to sketch on his face.
"I thought I told you to stop doing that!" he growled, a vein popping in his head as he frantically tried to get away from the girl. The girl was enthusiastically following him around.
"You're still kicking I see, Don Panini" remarked Ichigo deadpanned.
"It's Dordoni!" retorted the arrancar comically, shaking his fists.
"Whatever" scoffed Ichigo, picking up Crescent once more. "I wouldn't move around too much if I were you. You're still barely conscious" The girl continued to wiggle around in Ichigo's grasp, hoping to finish her drawing on the arrancar's face. After realizing she wasn't going to get the chance, she gave up, putting her marker away. The arrancar backed up to a corner, leaning against the wall.
"Who would've thought…..that there would be a soul reaper capable of being like one of us…." He rasped. "I didn't even see it coming. I thought I could deflect and return everything blow for blow. This is completely….my loss" Ichigo continued to remain silent. "You're strong, boya"
Ichigo turned away, going towards the next room. "I really wonder about that…." He muttered to himself.
"Wait" called out the arrancar. "Here's one final piece of advice, boya. Be sure not to pull anything as foolish as reserving your power against one of the Espada or being this soft. Unlike this time, it's a mistake you wont live to regret. If you plan to hang on to that girl, you better make sure you see through it till the end. It would be a shame for the one who bested me to end up getting killed because of his own stubbornness"
"What….do you mean..?" asked Ichigo.
"You'll find out soon enough, boya…." He managed to speak before he slipped into unconsciousness again. Though his words did leave a foreboding taste in his mouth, he put them aside for the time being before bolting off towards the next section of the palace.
Orihime Inoue had been on her edge the entire day. At first, she thought she'd imagined it. But once she felt it a second time, she was dead certain.
"This…spiritual pressure….!...Kurosaki….kun…?!" she wondered to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard rather loud bangs on the doors to her chamber. The metal door creaked open.
"See? I told you! 'Princess' was all by herself!" said a female voice. "Finally, we can have some fun~~" Orihime shuddered violently. She knew exactly to whom that voice belonged to. She involuntarily backed away from the door. Standing in front of her, with a condescending look, was a female arrancar with dark hair tied in twintails and her companion who was a female arrancar with short blond spiky hair.
This hadn't been the first time they'd come visiting her. Though she was cared for a lot by Nel and her friends, though Aizen had made sure nothing came to pass by when he was with he, there were windows wherein she would be left all by herself, even if they were short. She was no stranger to getting strange and dirty looks from the other arrancars of course. When she agreed to come to Hueco Mundo with Nel, it was something that she had considered and something that she was willing to accept. And for all the care Nel took to ensure that things were as peaceful as they could be for her, Orihime felt she couldn't possibly ask for more. At first, the two in front of her did nothing more than to sneer at her, scorn her, belittle her and engage in all different sorts of verbal abuses. But at some point, verbal abuses turned into physical ones. The time they had to see her to do anything would be very short, ranging only from a couple of hours to a day at best. But that short time felt like an eternity whenever the duo was doing everything they could to slowly whittle away at her mentally and physically. She had considered telling Nel, or even Aizen. But equally, she cursed herself for being unable to resist them as she pleased, for letting them do as they pleased with her.
She did try to resist, at first. But as arrancars, they were much too strong for her to handle. And resistance only made their treatment of her even worse. And so, at some point, she simply let them do as she wished with her, enduring the shame and pain until they were satisfied. Today was one such day. Loly was already beating her down, berating her for thinking she was special because she was getting attention from the big shots such as Nelliel and Tier Harribel.
"You think you can continue to give me that look? Huh, you petty little bitch!" roared Loly, punching her again. Orihime didn't even wince under the pain, her forehead now bleeding profusely. She merely continued to look at Loly with the same expression as before.
"What's that look for? You think you can just take it all just because Aizen-sama's taken a liking to you?! Haah?!" she growled again, punching her a few more times in the face.
"Hey, Loly, shouldn't you try to be a bit more quiet?" asked Menoly, but was quickly shot down by her companion.
"Let me tell you something fun, princess" said Loly with a venomous tone. She was still holding Orihime in the air by her hair. "I just happened to overhear that we have some intruders. They say it's a couple of humans, a bunch of soul reapers and a couple of traitors" she said sadistically. "Now, I don't know about all that, but I hear they're here to rescue your royal ass" she said. "Finally, I get a reaction out of you. Now THAT's the look I wanna see!" she snapped, beating her again. "What's so good about you anyways!?" *WHACK!* "Now even the intruders are coming for you, going so far as to invade Las Noches all by themselves!" *WHACK!* Orihime felt a couple of her molars break away. "Must make you feel so good about yourself, huh?!" *WHACK!* "You must think you're oh so above us arrancars, don't you?!" *WHACK!* She violently coughed blood. A small tear escaped her single open eye.
"Oy, come on Loly, don't you think we've done enough-?"
"Will you shut up?!" she snarled. "I just can't stand the way she continues to look down on me! And who cares, she always heals up after we leave anyways! So how does it matter what I do to her? Argh that's it, I'm ripping out that fucking eye!" she roared, reaching for Orihime's left eye.
Of all the times they'd visited her, they'd never gone this far. She neither had the energy nor will to respond to Loly's threat, and was half expecting that she was going to lose her eye for sure. She could feel a burning and stinging pain after Loly's arm completely covered her eye. Her vision was going red and she could feel warm life essence drip down her left side. She didnt know if she just lost her eye or if it was the blood obscuring her vision. But for some reason, the pain and burning sensation on her left eye didnt get any worse. Her half open right eye could barely make out Loly's terrified expression looking at someone next to her. However, there was one thing she felt very clearly.
Unbridled animosity and a pair of silver eyes staring down at Loly and Menoly's panic-stricken forms.
Well, been a bit longer since my last update again. Really sorry about that. Few things were going on and I tried my best to write in between. Anyway, for the next parts, I just want to say that I'd likely be skimming over some of the battles which I think don't need too much emphasis. I will flesh out the more important encounters and battles of course, but the battles with the fraccione and other arrancars is something I wont focus too much on. Personally, I think battle scenes are scenes that are best shown visually than expanded upon using text. Now that that's cleared up, the next chapter will give some info on some of those battles, some special encounters and the prelude to a big, BIG event/fight.
Also, I wanted to properly explain why captains such as Unohana, Zaraki, Byakuya and Mayuri were even IN Hueco Mundo when they are big forces of the Gotei 13 and should've been fighting Aizen. The canon, in my humble opinion didn't do a good job at this and only showed that the Gotei 13 sucked at tactics. Many parts of Aizen's decisions were also stupid in the show (like when he decided to cut down Harribel for no apparent reason or simply because he felt he didn't need her, even though she was one of his most loyal followers). I plan to fix stuff like that, making it look like both of them are formidable in terms of power and brains.
Response to reviews:
Argorok: Thanks a lot!
Lucian Naruto: That IS news to me. I wish they showed this in the show though. Right now, I'm only using things that you learn about in the show. If its in some comic or something, I might miss it. But its interesting to know regardless. I will have my own parts added in to Summer's past and story of course, but when we get to Remnant, we'll see.
Kragh: Yup indeed. They have much more in common than you might imagine. That's partly why she's so excited and you could even say the reason why she can tell what Crescent is saying.
Spellflame: Oh boy, you'll see it soon enough.
Fregreg: Well, I don't know if the answer to that would be considered a spoiler, but to keep things interesting, let's just say that it will be an important event when Ruby meets Raven. Naturally that means those close to her will be involved as well.
firewyrm2: Ahaha yeah true! And of course, I will. When I do start the spinoff, I'll be sure to add a footnote in the chapters of course.
dolansosar: Thanks a lot, it makes me really, really happy to hear that! Well, I don't want to spoil anything big, but let's just say that part of it has already been implied in a previous chapter. The being that brought her to Earth did mention that he did it so that she could bring salvation to both worlds. Naturally once can assume that the things that she gained in Hueco Mundo are instrumental to that. As for how different will she be in Remmant, it will be the first thing that her friends will notice.
C3l3st14: I would say that she has a much leaner frame that you would think. Because her shtick is speed, and she was/is a cheetah based arrancar. Known for their light, slender frame and speed. If I had to describe her, her physique is one that's very lean, slender and fit, with no excess fat on her anywhere. She is a soul after all, she can't 'grow' in the traditional sense. Atleast that's how I picture her.
Vedahzii: Yup, and god save Byakuya and Ikkaku, who knows how many more modifications Byakuya is going to get in his manner and if Ikkaku will ever have a peaceful moment with the troublesome duo on their tails!
L4 of the WEST: Thanks!
Mobian: Mostly Byakuya and Ikkaku are the ones who should really watch out for the duo. And oh boy, how right you are about that. Not just Lily, once Ichigo realizes who Crescent really is, he's gonna freak out for sure.
Crimsongear: Yup and the next chapter sets up a prelude to one big event regarding a few things. Thanks a lot, appreciate it!
The-Killer40513: Yeah, absolutely. No, it's right after Aizen arc. So it's not that far away actually. Personally I'm excited to get to that point as well. She'll be a very different person than when she left Remnant for sure. She was brought to bleach verse for a purpose, one that also involves Remnant.
PoofyOhio: Hmm, I haven't really watched Naruto, I only know the manga. Still, I know what you mean. Aah, the only reason I have for that is because I had a 1 month time skip. Still, I'll try to keep the story as linear as possible without too many jumps here and there. And yup, she sure is!
TooBad69: Yeah and it's thanks to the support I get from all the readers that I'm motivated to continue writing. So thanks a lot for that! I'd say a good estimation would be 10-15 more chapters before Aizen arc ends and Remnant arc begins. It could even be shorter than that, but 10 is a good number.
RandomName3064: Yeah definitely. I do plan to touch upon Summer's past. If not here, I will in a separate spin off fic with full details. But you will get some parts of it here as well.
Yeah, that's what I saw in a lot of forums as well that discussed Oz's nature. But personally, I plan to up that a little bit, making him more on the level of Shinji's father from evangelion or Lelouch in terms of being morally grey.
True, and in this chapter, you could see how much of an effect it had on the normally mature and composed captain.
Guest: Thanks a lot for reading and thank you so much for putting it so nicely. Everyone has their preferences and I respect each one. But thank you for putting it nicely, it's not often people do that when they say they don't like something I've written and are dropping the story. The romance was never going to be a big part. At all. Still, I understand and hope that you found it a good read till that point!
Kamon772: That's completely fine. I am trying to improve my grammar too with each chapter and trying to minimize my mistakes. But of course, my initial chapters were a bit of a mess.
Zifryt: Thanks a lot!
NEGATARO: Hmmmm well, Dordoni didn't for one. Honestly though, I don't want to focus too much on other side characters. I already have so many characters doing stuff currently. It would be extremely difficult for me if started to write about more characters. So probably not.
Xeno01: Hoh boy, when he finds out who she really is, it will be a scene to see for sure. Indeed, that's the angle I planned for him atleast. Ulquiorra definitely finds something endearing in both Ruby and Yuzu. He's the only Espada outside of her group that Ruby's comfortable with. Oh yeah, Yang for one will go nuts. Tai will…..probably be too distracted by his estranged wife and how different she is compared to how he remembered her. As for Isshin, he'd probably go crying to Masaki again, ahaha!
Plebers: True. Good for Grimmjow that Crescent doesn't really talk. That's why he was spared of the same.