Chapter 4
"Bakudo Number 73: Tozansho!" Rukia heard Yoruichi-san shout. A blue energy ignited from the former Shinigami's hand before it extended upward to four points, forming a proper pyramid that eventually solidified into a barrier that encased all of them. The Kido should have called forth an inverted pyramid; however, given that Yoruichi is a master of the Demon Arts, such an augmentation was an easy feat.
"Rukia!" Ichigo barked at her, and she immediately felt herself snap from the daze. "What happened to Inoue?"
Rukia pursed her parched lips. She exhales a shaky breath before she answers, "I-I don't know. One second we were-," she faltered, a sob threatening to escape her mouth. "We were just talking and then…and then…she said that her heart is hurting before she…before her body…"
Ichigo nodded impassively. "Okay," he said.
"Inoue," Sado glanced at Inoue, still keeping his guard up despite the fact that they were protected by Yoruichi-san's Kido barrier.
Rukia observed how their tall comrade's brows knit in confusion. Gingerly, he placed his index finger beneath Inoue's nostrils. Rukia heard Sado's breath hitch before his shoulders sagged minutely.
"What's happening, Chad?" Ichigo's voice was frantic. When the taller man did not respond, Ichigo exclaimed, "Chad? Hey, Chad! What's happening to Inoue?!"
By now, the rest of their eyes are laser- focused on the silent Fullbringer.
"She's not breathing anymore," he had said simply, and yet Rukia could simultaneously hear the glaring silence and the deafening shatter of someone's heart breaking into millions of pieces.
"This is no time for jokes, Chad," Ichigo's voice rises once again, a dangerous threat that seemed to morph into something akin to the wail of a Hollow. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
Immediately, Rukia sprang to action, ordering Ichigo to lay their friend's body down.
"Kurosaki, move," Ishida pushed the tense Shinigami Substitute to the side. "Keep guard along with Sado, Urahara-san, and Yoruichi-san. That light out there might target us next."
Ichigo nodded, and Rukia refocused her attention on Ishida who had just knelt beside Inoue's chest area.
Ishida began his analysis, "Patient is unresponsive and not breathing. Body is already lying on a flat surface. Environment should be safe enough. Kuchiki-san, I need you to loosen up Inoue-san's upper clothing. "Everyone, please look away!"
Everyone did as ordered, before Ichigo ripped up his black kosode top, and handed it to Ishida. "Cover her with this," the orange-haired teen mumbled, his back facing them as he kept guard.
Rukia managed to remove the clasp on Inoue's collar. "Ishida," she called, taking Ichigo's kosode and putting it over their unconscious friend's chest area to keep her decent. "Done."
The Quincy placed the heel of one of his hands on the center of the lower part of the sternum, carefully avoiding Inoue's chest. He then placed his other hand on top of the other, interlocking his fingers. Ishida's shoulders. "I will now proceed with the chest compressions. 1, 2, 3…"
Rukia charged her palms with Kaido - Healing Kido - and began emanating a light-green energy towards Inoue's direction. "Renji, help." The red-haired man promptly followed and cast the same spell.
"9, 10, 11- Come in, Inoue-san. 13, 14, 15…"
BOOM! The source of light shot in all directions, golden-light shining as it combust into large explosions.
RUMBLE! The ground beneath shook and trembled, throwing them towards another side.
"Don't falter!" Ishida barked, continuing to count his chest compressions. "22, 23, 24…Kurosaki…" the raven-haired teenager strained. "I'm losing strength. Switch with me."
Ichigo nodded, placing himself near Ishida, forming the same hand placement. Swiftly, the two maneuvered in such a manner that no second was wasted.
"27, 28, 29…" Ichigo continued the count. "Come on, Inoue. Wake up-" Ichigo's voice faltered. "Please… 31, 32, 33, 34…" and by the 35th chest compression, Ichigo stopped.
"She's responding," Ichigo breathed out a sigh of relief. "She's breathing again. Thank God."
"Where is he?" The light outside pulsated once again, and Rukia saw how Urahara-san's back flinched. The light began to charge once again, arguably about to release another torrent of catastrophic explosions.
"Wake her up," Urahara-san uttered.
"What?!" Ichigo argued. "Inoue needs to rest!"
"Kisuke, what are you on about?" Yoruichi-san barked.
Then, the green-clad man turned towards them with such an unreadable expression that Rukia was taken aback. Rare were the times that she saw surprise in the eccentric man's face. "Just do it! Inoue-san needs to wake up! NOW!
Rukia took the initiative. She shook Inoue. "Wake up, Inoue!"
"INOUE!" came their resounding plea.
HUMMM. The light has now tripled in size, continuously charging with thrumming energy. "Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?"
"Where. Is. He." Then a volley of gargantuan light beams exploded from the source, decimating all the rocks that laid on its path. A stray beam hit their pyramidal shield, shaking the barrier in which they are kept safe.
RUMBLLLEEE!
Crack. Yoruichi-san's Bakudo is about to shatter!
"INOUE!" Ichigo shouted on top of his lungs, his voice a mixture of desperation and something more raw.
Thud . Rukia heard a beat, as she saw Inoue's eyes open.
Thud. They were open but they were staring at nothing.
Thud. Inoue's eyes lack light.
FFFZzzshhh… The torrent of light fizzled out of existence.
"Where is he…" The voice faded out.
Rukia saw the golden orb of light grow weaker until it was about the size of a fist. It splintered into two. The larger one flew upwards, and one shot towards them.
"No, you won't!" Ichigo brandished his sword and swung; however, the light safely passed through the shield, his Zanpakuto, and his body until it went straight inside Inoue.
"Nooo!" came Ichigo's panic-stricken howl.
It had been about a couple of hours after all the ordeals that they were put through. Their group has now relocated in one of the larger spare rooms within the Kuchiki Manor. Everyone did not find it fit to stay in separate rooms.
Rukia sighed to herself, finally feeling the last vestiges of adrenaline wash away from her system. This broke the proverbial dam of fatigue and drowsiness to finally catch up and drown her in its tempting embrace. It is not helped by the fact that the night has befallen them, with the cicadas singing them a droning lullaby as the orange light from the flickering flame of the lanterns cast a mesmerizing shadow dance.
"Well, at least, everyone seemed to have rested themselves enough," she remarked to herself. She had offered the rest of the group proper accommodations befitting that of the Kuchiki Clan's prestige. There were warm baths, proper food, clean clothes, and comfortable futons that each individual can safely lay their beaten and battered bodies into.
Inoue still laid on one end of the room, her unconscious form blanketed by a thick comforter. Rukia personally saw to it that she was the one who dressed Inoue in white shitagi under robe.
Rukia noticed Urahara-san sitting just outside the shoji paper partition. The eccentric man had been deathly silent in their trek towards home. And he still is. There seems to be a lot in his mind despite the fact that they finally defeated Yhwach.
"Kisuke," Yoruichi-san's footsteps echoed against the wooden floor, waking up the napping denizens of this room, except for one…except for Inoue. "What's on your mind?"
Rukia expected that Urahara-san would turn around with a creepy grin on his face, but that was a stretch. The man seemed so lost, with prominent bags under his eyes, and a rueful smile on his lips.
"Everyone, please gather around," Urahara-san said, and their group formed a circle. Rukia joined in, taking her place next to Renji, with Ishida on her other side.
Rukia decided to take Renji's hands in hers. Her childhood friend cocked an eyebrow in confusion. She merely shook her head with a small smile of her own.
"What I'm about to tell you is not 100 percent accurate…just a working theory," Urahara-san started, unwilling to take his eyes from the wooden floor. "I believe that the golden light that we have witnessed a few hours ago is a manifestation of Inoue's powers. The Reiatsu signature, wavelength and even the color are all designations of her Shun Shun Rikka."
Rukia cast a glance around her until she saw Ichigo's unresponsive gaze cast down towards the flooring. He was despondent until his brows furrowed. "Is that it? Ichigo's irate voice snapped.
"No. What made me believe that it was Inoue's powers is that-" Urahara-san hesitated for a moment. "-is that the orb of light said something to me…it said: A warrior who has lost his strength will only get in the way. "
"I still don't understand," Ishida spoke. "How does that prove that it was the Shun Shun Rikka?"
"That line-," Urahara-san bit his lip. "I said it to Inoue-san to prevent her from joining the Winter War against Aizen and the Arrancars."
"I see," Sado nodded. "I was there, and I can confirm. Yoruichi-san and Abarai-san can confirm as well."
"No, Kisuke," Yoruichi-san interrupted the conversation. "What actually happened to you? And why did you suddenly shut down after that light attacked you?"
"I-" Urahara-san's voice seized. His eyes staring at his open hands. He shook his head in defeat and exhaled. "I lost my Shinigami powers. I can't feel my Zanpakuto anymore. It feels as if my powers have never existed at all. There's not a trace."
"H-How…" Rukia found her voice trembling in disbelief. "How does that happen?"
"It seems that the Shun Shun Rikka decided to reject the reality of me being a Shinigami ."
"Inoue would never do such a thing!" Ichigo barked at the man, standing up from his position.
"Kurosaki," Ishida chastised the orange-haired teen. "Please sit down and listen first!"
Ichigo sat down and huffed, crossing his arms against his chest as he glared at Urahara-san.
"I know that, Kurosaki-san," Urahara-san assuaged Ichigo. "Hence I have three hypotheses. First, the Shun Shun Rikka was operating under the basis of Inoue's unconscious mind. Given that the golden light basically slapped me back with my own message, it seems that…it seems that the things I have said to Inoue scarred her deeply that it ingrained itself into her psyche, eventually manifesting into the actions of her powers. The same thing happened with Aizen. Who would have ever thought that the supposedly-healing Soten Kisshun could separated Aizen and the Hogyoku? It even erased that cursed orb out of existence."
"Inoue would never-" Ichigo protested once again, grunting. "She would never hate anyone enough to cause that kind of damage. She would never wish torment against anyone."
Rukia nodded her answer, agreeing with Ichigo's declaration.
Urahara-san did not argue back. Instead, he waited until everyone's attention was back to him. "My second hypothesis is that the light is a separate entity from Inoue…one that is an amalgamation of all six of her Shun Shun Rikka sprites, similar to Zanpakuto Spirits."
"But that brings the question as to why is that light even asking: Where is he? Who is this he that the Shun Shun Rikka is looking for?" Ishida suggested.
"My third hypothesis is that that light is something more," Urahara-san said in a gravelly voice. "Something more than a mortal existence bound to Inoue's powers as the Shun Shun Rikka." The older man then turned towards Ichigo and in a cold voice, he asked, "Kurosaki-san, when you and Inoue were fighting against Yhwach, was there any indication that she used all six of her Shun Shun Rikka in one single technique?"
Ichigo was silent for a moment, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. "Yes," he finally answered. "She emitted golden light then as well."
"I see," Urahara-san considered Ichigo's answer for a moment. "Everyone, I believe that whatever Inoue did, when she combined all six of the Shun Shun Rikka, something came out…it released something…or someone in this case. And it is looking for this ' he'. Then, when it saw me and Aizen, it operated under the emotional duress and trauma embedded within Inoue's unconscious mind. If this is the case, then all three theories stand."
"..."
"Yes, Sado?" Yoruichi asked the gentle giant, making Rukia turn towards the Fullbringer's direction.
"Nothing," Sado-san replied.
"It might help," Rukia said in a gentle voice. "Please?"
Sado-san kept quiet for a moment before he recounted, "I just want to point out that, perhaps, Inoue was just in the process of awakening the true extent of her Fullbring."
"That is another angle that we may consider," Urahara-san replied evenly.
"It's not," Ichigo countered. "I tried doing what Ginjo did when I achieved the final state of my Fullbring. I tried pacifying Inoue's Reiatsu with my own," he paused. "Nothing happened."
"Now that we're on the topic," Ishida segued. "I find it strange that Ginjo's group Xcution never tried to recruit Inoue given the magnitude of her powers."
Rukia glanced at Sado-san, awaiting his answer. After Ichigo reacquired his Shinigami powers seventeen months after Aizen's defeat, their orange-haired comrade gave them a brief explanation about the whole encounter. Apparently, it largely involved Sado-san as Xcution is a group of Fullbringers.
"I find myself questioning it as well," the gentle giant answered. "Logically speaking, Inoue's powers far outclasses my own. Shun Shun Rikka is very versatile and it is capable of rejecting phenomena. Not to mention, it is the only Fullbring that we know of that manifests actual living beings. No other Fullbring behaves the same way since Full Manifestation Art specifically refers to manifesting the latent souls of non-sentient, non-living objects. In short, our Fullbrings are bound to be non-sentient and non-living as well. By all accounts, Xcution should have recruited her first, but they didn't."
"That, and Ichigo's enemies tend to target Inoue first," Rukia wanted to say but kept it to herself.
"I see," Urahara-san has this faraway look, his mind probably working on hundreds, if not thousands, of possible explanations. "Sado-san, you said that Xcution never recruited Inoue. Did Ginjo ever disclose the reason?
"Not entirely. Ginjo just mentioned that there was something that is fundamentally different about Inoue…Ginjo seems aware that she should be a Fullbringer but whenever I brought it up, he has this certain reaction that something does not add up, at least in terms of Inoue's Reiatsu."
"Very well," the older man supplied. "I just have one final question. This is for the rest of you. Based on Inoue-san's Reiatsu only, what is she?"
Rukia pondered the question for a moment, remembering the feel of Inoue's Reiatsu signature from their training or whenever she summoned her powers to heal and protect them. Does it bear similarities to a Shinigami? A Hollow? A Quincy? A Visored? An Arrancar? A Fullbringer? Rukia then realized that there was no definite answer.
"Oh, God," Ishida was the first to speak. "It never occurred to me. There's none. Wait, a pure Human Reiatsu in such a high volume? But, that's not possible."
"Precisely," Urahara-san confirmed. "It shouldn't be possible. She's the proverbial 'monster' to the rest of your 'normal' Reiatsu. And what I find the most curious about is that she's the exact opposite of you, Ichigo Kurosaki."
Ichigo was not able to say anything as something made itself known within the room. Whatever this thing is, it emitted such a dangerous and violent presence that sent alarm bells blaring in Rukia's system.
"Zangetsu!" Ichigo hollered, standing up and grabbing his Zanpakuto. Its blade glinted dangerously against the miniscule light.
"Ichigo," Rukia stuttered. It was uncanny. this man standing beside Ichigo. Their resemblance is uncanny. No, they were identical because before them stood what appeared to be Ichigo's twin brother, just that he was of eerie white color - skin, hair, and clothes. "Who's that standing beside you?"
Ichigo did not look towards any of them. He was glaring and gearing to strike towards another side of the room. "This one beside me is Zangetsu, the Hollow Spirit that resides within my Zanpakuto."
"King!" The White Ichigo - Zangetsu - spoke in a voice that reminded Rukia of Gin Ichimaru. "Stand back. That thing reeks of bloodlust."
Rukia felt monstrous Hollow Reiatsu emanate from this Zangetsu; however, Rukia is also certain that this was not the thing that she sensed a while ago.
"Inoue!" she shouted, noticing the presence near her unconscious friend's body.
In there, hovered a man clad in black with cloth wrapped around the bottom half of his face. The man has blades attached to his arms and legs, and black bat-like wings sprouted from his lower back.
"Who are you! Name yourself!" Ichigo growled as he and the materialized Zangetsu brandished their swords, ready to attack. "Get away from Inoue or else."
"My, my," the unknown man said. "So this is how you ended up, woman."
"You!" Yoruichi-san gasped.