Apotheosis: Chapter 10 - Quality
Apotheosis
Chapter 10 - Quality
Ichigo adjusted the acting captain's sash, wondering again if he really had to wear the awkward thing. He was a bit nervous about attending his first captains' meeting; he was confident enough in his ability on the field, but the captains of the Gotei 13 made an art form of intimidation, and Ichigo was well aware of all the things he didn't know about Soul Society's inner workings. He spent some time talking things over with the officers he was friendly with, but it would take more time to sort everything out.
A knock preceded Shuuhei's entrance into the 3rd Division offices. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah." Ichigo straightened the sash one last time as they made their way to the meeting.
"Nervous?" Shuuhei asked.
"Eh, a little," he admitted.
"No one's going to expect you to do anything at your first meeting. It won't be a big deal."
"I know all the Division information, and I'm up to date on the latest field reports, so as long as they don't ask me about anything else, I'm ok."
"They won't even ask that much," Shuuhei assured him. "They just like to hear themselves talk, mostly."
"Good."
Ichigo scanned the faces in the room as they entered. He knew all the captains, at least by reputation; a swift head count revealed not everyone was there yet.
Hitsugaya looks the same as ever. Wonder if they'll ever figure out that the cold face he wears really means he's bored stiff? Heh. Ichigo nodded to the short captain as Shuuhei showed him to his place near the front of the room. Startlingly, Hitsugaya actually offered a small smile in return. Man, he has loosened up.
"Ahh, Ichigo!" The cheerful voice and enthusiastic waving turned several heads. "Welcome!" Ukitake somethin'… hangs out with that slacker guy with the hat.
"Nice to see you, Ukitake-taichou." Ichigo remembered his manners at the last second. Ukitake beamed before resuming his conversation with a rather put-out looking Zaraki.
Byakuya still looks like a marble statue. Bit less of an ass lately… guess that's Rukia's good influence. His polite greeting to the 6th Division captain garnered a brief nod. A little bit less of an ass.
A hand on his elbow pulled his attention away from the captains. "Ichigo," Shuuhei began, "where's Renji today?"
"Ah, the 5th is out to the West today I think. They were gonna go pretty far." Ichigo concentrated a moment. "They're definitely not anywhere nearby. Why're we havin' a meeting without all the captains?"
"Happens all the time," Shuuhei told him. "Plenty of us think it's more important to be out there."
Ichigo nodded. "Good to know that isn't a problem. 3rd Division is on duty today - anything comes up, I'm outta here." He felt a twinge of anxiety in his gut. Snap out of it, Ichigo, this ain't a big deal. Just a meeting.
"Even Kuchiki-taichou will leave if his Division is on alert."
"Huh." Interesting.
The conversation in the room ended abruptly as the Commander-General of the Gotei 13 entered and took his place at their head.
He does that very time he appears. Bastard loves scarin' people.
"Captains and Acting Captain of the Gotei 13," Yamamoto began. "You have been called here to hear the result of the studies being conducted on the mutated Hollows by the Research and Development Institute."
Always the reminders. Everyone's gotta be precisely ranked. Ichigo kept his face smooth, though he wanted to snort and roll his eyes with the ridiculousness of it all. See, I was worried for nothin'. The anxiety faded slightly but refused to go away entirely.
"There have been disturbing results. Some of the Hollows studied were not created or altered by the traitor Aizen Sousuke. They were always mutated, there was no manipulation."
"How is that possible?" Only the 8th Division captain had the seniority and the audacity to interrupt the Commander-General.
"The changes made to Hueco Mundo during the war are responsible for mutating new Hollows as they are created." Yamamoto met the astonished faces impassively. "It is unfortunate, but it is true. Research is now being done to determine whether these changes are permanent, or if they can be reversed or altered."
Kuchiki Byakuya spoke smoothly in the silence that followed. "What does this mean for us now, for our people?"
Byakuya showing concern for his subordinates? Gotta remember to tell Renji. Ichigo's senses tingled oddly at the thought of his lover, and the anxiety rose again in his stomach. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and focus on Yamamoto's next words.
"It means that until we know the extent of the damage to Hueco Mundo, we will have to remain on full alert and continue to maintain the vigilant watch we have kept."
Ichigo knew he should be concerned about that, but he was getting more agitated by the second. No good. It's not just nerves - something's not right. Ichigo gave up and focused his attention on the growing sensation. There was a disturbance brushing against his senses that seemed strangely familiar.
"Ichigo!" Shuuhei's hand on his arm snapped him out of the trance. "What's wrong?"
Ichigo blinked several times and looked around, The eyes of all the captains were fixed on him. Shuuhei and Ukitake were at his side looking concerned, and Soi Fong still stood opposite him looking sour. He didn't have time to interpret the rest.
"Something's wrong," he stated bluntly. "Somethin's goin' wrong with the 5th." He knew as soon as he said it that it was true.
"That's absurd," Soi Fong snapped. "How can you know that?"
Ichigo glared at her, past caring about manners. "I know!"
The arrival of a breathless messenger interrupted the brief standoff. "Yamamoto-sou-taichou! Message from 5th Division lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia. The 5th is seeing heavy action in the West, and there's another rift opening to the North of their position. They've taken heavy casualties, and they don't have enough to split their forces. Kuchiki-fukutaichou is requesting assistance-"
That was all Ichigo needed to hear. He shook off Shuuhei's hand on his arm and sprinted for the door.
"Where do you think you're going, Kurosaki-taichou-dairi?" Yamamoto's dry voice stopped him in his tracks.
"My Division is on duty, Yamamoto-sou-taichou," Ichigo forced his voice to politeness even as he explained the obvious. "I am going to go lead my Division in performing our duty."
"How remarkable… the 3rd Division is actually ready to do their duty."
Ichigo whipped his head around to stare hard at Kuchiki Byakuya. Did he… oh you're slick, you sly bastard. He straightened, pulling his pride around him.
"The 3rd Division will always stand ready, but the 3rd Division acting captain," he emphasized the words with a hint of sarcasm, "hasn't got time to stand around here. I'll be more'n happy to discuss my Division, but only after we get back from doing our duty by 'backing up the 5th'." He deliberately chose the same words from all those weeks ago. Ichigo flicked his eyes imperceptibly, meeting Byakuya's once more before he flashed out of the room as the alarm began to sound.
*
When Ichigo reached the 3rd Division barracks, he was met by three squads ready to go, and half of a fourth.
"Everyone know where we're going?" Ichigo asked the squad leaders. They nodded tersely. "Then let's go. Squads One and Two with me. The rest of you follow two squads at a time until they stop ringin' that alarm - Squad Five, wait for the squad from the 4th to get here and follow with them."
Ichigo took care not to outdistance the shinigami he led, though his nerves were screaming at him to hurry. The feel of the conflict ahead grew stronger with each step. One spiritual signature stood out over all the others in Ichigo's awareness - Renji was holding his own, but he was fighting furiously, which meant the rest of the Division was being hard-pressed, and-
There was a sharp rise in his power level. This whole situation's just reached new levels of critical. Captains needin' to use bankai on what used to be routine patrols? Hell, captains needing to lead most of the patrols was bad enough.
When they got there, Ichigo led the squads around the edge of the 5th Division's fight, not wanting anyone to get caught in the crossfire.
"Oi, Rukia!" he shouted as he passed her. "We'll cover the North!" She acknowledged with a brusque motion even as she began her next chant.
Ichigo steered clear of the giant skeletal serpent spinning viciously around a tall Hollow that had - was that four heads on long, scaly necks? He knew his presence had already been noted and their destination understood. Ichigo sped past, ears ringing as huge fangs crushed one of the writhing necks with a roar that turned into a scream as two other heads retaliated.
The rift in the North was smaller, but it had been open unchecked for several minutes, and dozens of small Hollows prowled the area.
What're they waitin' for? Ichigo called a halt as he figured it out. They are waitin' for somethin'.
As if on cue, a large arm emerged from the rift, forcing it open even wider. Head and shoulders followed, and then another head and huge torso.
"Teams, spread out!" he called. "Get rid of those little ones - they're waitin' for that big one, and I don't think we wanna find out why!"
The two-headed Hollow stepped clear of the rift, which closed itself inexplicably almost on the creature's tail.
Shit, that thing looks solid.
Not waiting to let the creature settle itself, Ichigo leaped and dropped a two-handed overhand blow directly on top of one of the hideously deformed heads. He wasn't surprised when Zangetsu only sliced off a piece of leathery skin and skipped off the skull - it took more and more effort to defeat these new Hollows.
He withdrew to prepare for another attack, and cast an eye over his forces. They were doing well for the most part, fighting in teams, though one group seemed to be struggling with a larger pack. Ichigo wanted to help them out, but his instincts screamed a warning to pay attention to his own fight just in time.
The whip-like tail sailed past his ear as he flashed out of range. A disorienting tug at his reiatsu that followed in its wake left him cold all over. Oh great, one of those. Hate energy drainers.
He kept a close eye on the tail as he circled the thing; it moved fast compared to the bulky body that kept shuffling in place. Ichigo darted in, trying to gauge its range as he slashed straight across one of the monster's knees. Zangetsu left a gaping wound, but Ichigo barely dodged as the tail came whipping between the Hollow's legs to stab at him.
Fucker. Too damn smart. He continued circling, taking advantage of every opening to leap up and carve slices off the giant while looking for a pattern to exploit.
*
Bastard sure can take a beatin'. Renji's whole body ached from the effort of battle and the assortment of wounds he'd picked up. One particularly vicious bite had his left leg nearly numb, and his balance was off when he attacked. He paid the price gladly, though, to slowly lead the thing away from the bulk of his forces after two of his people had been horribly mauled by the snapping heads.
He'd never seen a Hollow quite like this before. It had no arms to attack with, but each bite had an incredible amount of force behind it, seeming far out of proportion to the skinny necks, and the effort of meeting the crushing attacks had taken a heavy toll on Renji's energy.
Two heads were down, necks crushed and masks shattered, but that just left more room for the remaining two to manoeuvre. The one on the right feinted left, then attacked from above.
Too obvious, goin' for my weak side. Renji stood his ground, sending Zabimaru up to intercept while keeping a close eye on the head on his left. The roar from above was nearly deafening as the two collided. The skeletal serpent's fangs tore thick strips from the Hollow's long neck, but missed delivering a finishing blow.
Any second now. As the badly injured head retreated in pain, Renji spun Zabimaru into a defensive circle around him just in time to catch the new attack from the left. The force of the impact wrenched his shoulder, sending fresh waves of pain through his bruised body, but he gritted his teeth and launched a counter attack - at the other head.
Taken completely by surprise, it had no chance to escape as Zabimaru shot straight forward with a scream of victory. Long, vicious fangs closed over the scaly neck and-
CRUNCH!
-tore the head right off. The neck stump fell heavily, dragging across the ground as the brutally wounded Hollow stepped back in confusion.
Just one more t' go... Renji gave the last head a deadly look, his grin feral.
*
They'd managed to clear out a lot of the small Hollows attempting to reach the large two-headed monster, but it was clear to Ichigo that his forces were tiring quickly from having to chase down the speedy little things. And if he didn't defeat his own opponent soon, they were all going to be in trouble.
Cruel claws ripped a shinigami in half almost simultaneously, and several small Hollows raced through the breach. Fighters lunged desperately to head them off, and they almost succeeded - only one escaped their blades.
When the little Hollow touched the monster's leg, it… imploded, was about the only way Ichigo could think of to describe it. The two-headed Hollow roared through the explosion that knocked out two nearby shinigami. Ichigo would've sworn it had gotten stronger, and the wound on its knee smaller.
"Now we know why we can't let them get in range of that big one!" Ichigo grimaced. "Do whatever it takes to keep them away!" he ordered.
This's takin' too damn long. Here we go again…
"BANKAI!"
*
His left leg was nearly useless now. Renji had shifted his weight entirely to his right foot, knee slightly bent. He could balance like that for a very long time, but this thing wasn't going to let him just stand there in one place.
"Taichou, let us help you!" One of his teams was approaching from behind. Renji swore under his breath - he encouraged teamwork where appropriate, but they wouldn't stand a chance against something this powerful, even with only one head left.
"No!" he ordered. "Get back! Cover Kuchiki-fukutaichou, help her get that rift closed." He raised his voice to yell over the battlefield. "Rukia! Ya almost got it?"
"Just about!" The shouted reply drifted back. He chanced a look - the rift was a lot smaller now, and the few Hollows that were managing to get through were being engaged almost instantly by his teams.
Zabimaru screamed a warning just as Renji pulled his attention back to his opponent. The remaining head was streaking in for a solid hit - again, to his vulnerable left side. Dammit! Thing's too smart. Renji focused his reiatsu, concentrating some of his remaining energy on his left leg, willing it to hold as he pivoted sharply on his right, whipping Zabimaru into position.
The two heads collided. The strike was blocked, but the angle was wrong to turn the blow; several tail segments shattered from the force slamming through them. Desperately Renji disconnected the joints before the shock reached him - he didn’t think his arm could withstand another blow like that. The stab of agony that shot through his bones as he settled his weight made him certain his leg couldn't.
The Hollow's remaining head wavered almost drunkenly, one side of its mask deeply dented. Renji was all too aware of the fact that they both only had one more solid attack left in them. Good thing one more solid hit ought t' do it, then. He brought Zabimaru up again, intending to finally end it.
But he'd run out of energy.
Renji fell onto his face, cursing as both legs gave out underneath him. "Shit!" Zabimaru crashed to the ground beside him in pieces.
Only one more option left. "Sorry, Zabimaru. I hate it just as much." Renji concentrated every scrap of his remaining energy.
"Higa Zekkou!"
The wickedly sharp shards glowed faintly as they rose. They shot unerringly for their target, one after the other - the mask shattered under the bombardment, and the bizarre Hollow thrashed wildly.
"Fuckin' die already!" If he'd had the strength, Renji would've laughed as the Hollow disintegrated at last.
Renji struggled onto one side, craning his neck to see how the rest of the fighters were faring. Spots danced in front of his eyes, but he could see that Rukia had closed the rift, and was now helping their teams clear out the last of the Hollows. Relief swept through him. They'd done it.
"Go… rest," Renji panted. "We can't do any more here." The hilt of his zanpakutou warmed briefly in his hand before resuming its sealed state and growing cold once more. His fingers refused to release their grip, so he stopped trying.
"Renji!" Rukia's voice sounded very far away. Where was she going?
"Renji, can you hear me? Isane! Over here, he's hurt badly!"
Renji made a point of sheathing the katana before succumbing to his exhaustion, rolling onto his back to watch the sky spinning above him grow dark.
I'm sorry, Ichigo…
*
Ichigo zipped around the two-headed creature without much difficulty, slowly slicing chunks off of it. He couldn't get near the mask again with that tail guarding - and when he'd tried to shear the tail off, the shock that ran up his blade convinced him it was a bad idea to try again. So he kept hacking away at the torso and limbs - Ichigo couldn't understand how the thing was still standing with so many hideous wounds, but until he figured out where the monster was vulnerable, the best thing he could do was to keep weakening it and keep it occupied. If it was going to just stand there, all he had to do was avoid that tail and he'd eventually bring it down.
The Hollow roared as Ichigo tore through its abdomen and chest, the wicked slash running up from its right hip and stretching clear across to the left shoulder. Bet that hurt, ya bastard!
Then the massive body moved unexpectedly. The ground shook as it took two lumbering steps toward a knot of shinigami working hard to keep a pack of smaller Hollows out of range. It raised one massive arm to crush them from behind.
Shit, it wants to heal! Ichigo knew they didn’t stand a chance. He yelled a warning even as he flashed to intercept.
The giant fist slammed Ichigo to the ground, trapping him briefly. Ichigo felt the creeping chill again as its barbed tail slithered around the tree-trunk sized-leg and tried to latch onto his arm. He managed to scramble away, but not before it left a bloody gash on the back of his right hand.
The sudden drop in his energy when the tail made contact with his hand made him dizzy; he shook his head to clear it. Ichigo winced as he circled again, looking for a weak spot. Every breath was shallow and painful against his ribs - he was sure at least one was broken.
Can't take another hit like that. I don't wanna do this, but… Ichigo pummelled his brain desperately for a solution - any solution - other than bringing out the Hollow. He had it under control, but it was an uncomfortable sort of control, and each time he used it he had to beat it into submission yet again - and he just didn't have that kind of time or energy right now. I'll give it one more try.
He watched intently. There - an opening!
"Aughhh!" Ichigo sprang, putting all he had into the slash that carved a hole in the behemoth's chest and rocked it off balance. Finally! He flashed high above and stabbed down into the mask - just as the tail sped up from below to wrap around his leg, jabbing its barb into his calf. He ignored it, and the agony in his hand, focusing his strength instead on forcing his blade down farther and twisting it to shatter the mask. The thing shrieked and writhed.
"Fucking hell!" Ichigo cursed as his energy level dropped. It would be a race to see if the Hollow could drain him before it faded. He slashed at the tail on his leg, but the strength had gone out of his arm.
He let his bankai fade; speed wasn't going to help him now, and he needed every bit of energy he had left to get his people out of this. Ichigo chopped again at the appendage gripping his leg, this time dislodging it enough to allow him to wriggle his leg out of its grasp. He had just enough energy left to flash out of range as the Hollow finally began to dissipate.
Ichigo's energy was nearly gone. He could only dimly sense the battles being fought right beside him. Sheer force of will kept him standing balanced on one leg as two more teams flashed in and helped the exhausted 3rd Division shinigami clear out the last of the Hollows. Ichigo had time to recognize the 4th Division insignia on some of the uniforms before the world spun strangely…
*
"We did it!" Excited cheers echoed all around him. "We won!" … "He defeated that thing all by himself!" … "He saved us!" … "You're bleeding pretty badly there, are you ok?" … "Really? Hey, do you think this'll leave a cool scar?"
Ichigo was lying down. That's odd. I was fightin', wasn't I? He attempted to sit up, but a sickening wave of dizziness made it an easy choice not to fight the gentle hand that pushed him back down.
"Lie still, please, Kurosaki-taichou-dairi, the fight is over," Unohana Retsu's voice was startlingly close. Ichigo turned his head, blinking hard to get his eyes to focus on the 4th Division captain.
"You've lost a lot of energy, and you've got several broken ribs," she explained.
"What about the 5th? Are they back yet?" Ichigo tried to ask, but another wave of dizziness interrupted him, darkness dancing on the edges of his vision.
Unohana seemed to understand anyway. "The other teams are on the way in with the injured from the 5th Division. Everything will be fine," she informed him calmly. "Now please relax and let us help you."
"But…" the rushing blackness overwhelmed him.
*
Omake
~Ch 10~
Akuni: Man you guys sure took a beating out there!
…
…
Byakuya: You might remember they are unavailable, due to the wounds they've suffered through their showy but admittedly effective actions. It would be… unfortunate if they did not recover.
Akuni: Oh, Byakuya, you old softie. I knew you cared!
Byakuya: … That's 'Kuchiki-taichou'.
Rukia: *coughs* Nii-sama, if I could respectfully point out, she is the author…
Byakuya: Meaning?
Rukia: Ah, she has a certain amount of power here.
Byakuya: *turns his chilly gaze on Akuni* I believe we understand each other.
Akuni: Uh yes, Kuchiki-taichou, of course we do. *coughs* Well now, since Renji and Ichigo can't be with us, perhaps you'd like to say a few words about the situation in Soul Society?
Byakuya: The situation is difficult, and I do not have time to waste here any longer.
Rukia: Nii-sama, wait… *sighs* Ah well.
Akuni: Bye Byakuya.
…
Akuni: Phew. He's really lightened up over the years.
Byakuya: *reappears out of nowhere* Chire…
Akuni: *screams in terror and runs for her life*
…
Byakuya: You know, that was fun. *smiles faintly*
Rukia: Told ya! *giggles*
Continue to Chapter 11 - Acknowledgement
Return to the Apotheosis main page
Chapter 10 - Quality
Ichigo adjusted the acting captain's sash, wondering again if he really had to wear the awkward thing. He was a bit nervous about attending his first captains' meeting; he was confident enough in his ability on the field, but the captains of the Gotei 13 made an art form of intimidation, and Ichigo was well aware of all the things he didn't know about Soul Society's inner workings. He spent some time talking things over with the officers he was friendly with, but it would take more time to sort everything out.
A knock preceded Shuuhei's entrance into the 3rd Division offices. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah." Ichigo straightened the sash one last time as they made their way to the meeting.
"Nervous?" Shuuhei asked.
"Eh, a little," he admitted.
"No one's going to expect you to do anything at your first meeting. It won't be a big deal."
"I know all the Division information, and I'm up to date on the latest field reports, so as long as they don't ask me about anything else, I'm ok."
"They won't even ask that much," Shuuhei assured him. "They just like to hear themselves talk, mostly."
"Good."
Ichigo scanned the faces in the room as they entered. He knew all the captains, at least by reputation; a swift head count revealed not everyone was there yet.
Hitsugaya looks the same as ever. Wonder if they'll ever figure out that the cold face he wears really means he's bored stiff? Heh. Ichigo nodded to the short captain as Shuuhei showed him to his place near the front of the room. Startlingly, Hitsugaya actually offered a small smile in return. Man, he has loosened up.
"Ahh, Ichigo!" The cheerful voice and enthusiastic waving turned several heads. "Welcome!" Ukitake somethin'… hangs out with that slacker guy with the hat.
"Nice to see you, Ukitake-taichou." Ichigo remembered his manners at the last second. Ukitake beamed before resuming his conversation with a rather put-out looking Zaraki.
Byakuya still looks like a marble statue. Bit less of an ass lately… guess that's Rukia's good influence. His polite greeting to the 6th Division captain garnered a brief nod. A little bit less of an ass.
A hand on his elbow pulled his attention away from the captains. "Ichigo," Shuuhei began, "where's Renji today?"
"Ah, the 5th is out to the West today I think. They were gonna go pretty far." Ichigo concentrated a moment. "They're definitely not anywhere nearby. Why're we havin' a meeting without all the captains?"
"Happens all the time," Shuuhei told him. "Plenty of us think it's more important to be out there."
Ichigo nodded. "Good to know that isn't a problem. 3rd Division is on duty today - anything comes up, I'm outta here." He felt a twinge of anxiety in his gut. Snap out of it, Ichigo, this ain't a big deal. Just a meeting.
"Even Kuchiki-taichou will leave if his Division is on alert."
"Huh." Interesting.
The conversation in the room ended abruptly as the Commander-General of the Gotei 13 entered and took his place at their head.
He does that very time he appears. Bastard loves scarin' people.
"Captains and Acting Captain of the Gotei 13," Yamamoto began. "You have been called here to hear the result of the studies being conducted on the mutated Hollows by the Research and Development Institute."
Always the reminders. Everyone's gotta be precisely ranked. Ichigo kept his face smooth, though he wanted to snort and roll his eyes with the ridiculousness of it all. See, I was worried for nothin'. The anxiety faded slightly but refused to go away entirely.
"There have been disturbing results. Some of the Hollows studied were not created or altered by the traitor Aizen Sousuke. They were always mutated, there was no manipulation."
"How is that possible?" Only the 8th Division captain had the seniority and the audacity to interrupt the Commander-General.
"The changes made to Hueco Mundo during the war are responsible for mutating new Hollows as they are created." Yamamoto met the astonished faces impassively. "It is unfortunate, but it is true. Research is now being done to determine whether these changes are permanent, or if they can be reversed or altered."
Kuchiki Byakuya spoke smoothly in the silence that followed. "What does this mean for us now, for our people?"
Byakuya showing concern for his subordinates? Gotta remember to tell Renji. Ichigo's senses tingled oddly at the thought of his lover, and the anxiety rose again in his stomach. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and focus on Yamamoto's next words.
"It means that until we know the extent of the damage to Hueco Mundo, we will have to remain on full alert and continue to maintain the vigilant watch we have kept."
Ichigo knew he should be concerned about that, but he was getting more agitated by the second. No good. It's not just nerves - something's not right. Ichigo gave up and focused his attention on the growing sensation. There was a disturbance brushing against his senses that seemed strangely familiar.
"Ichigo!" Shuuhei's hand on his arm snapped him out of the trance. "What's wrong?"
Ichigo blinked several times and looked around, The eyes of all the captains were fixed on him. Shuuhei and Ukitake were at his side looking concerned, and Soi Fong still stood opposite him looking sour. He didn't have time to interpret the rest.
"Something's wrong," he stated bluntly. "Somethin's goin' wrong with the 5th." He knew as soon as he said it that it was true.
"That's absurd," Soi Fong snapped. "How can you know that?"
Ichigo glared at her, past caring about manners. "I know!"
The arrival of a breathless messenger interrupted the brief standoff. "Yamamoto-sou-taichou! Message from 5th Division lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia. The 5th is seeing heavy action in the West, and there's another rift opening to the North of their position. They've taken heavy casualties, and they don't have enough to split their forces. Kuchiki-fukutaichou is requesting assistance-"
That was all Ichigo needed to hear. He shook off Shuuhei's hand on his arm and sprinted for the door.
"Where do you think you're going, Kurosaki-taichou-dairi?" Yamamoto's dry voice stopped him in his tracks.
"My Division is on duty, Yamamoto-sou-taichou," Ichigo forced his voice to politeness even as he explained the obvious. "I am going to go lead my Division in performing our duty."
"How remarkable… the 3rd Division is actually ready to do their duty."
Ichigo whipped his head around to stare hard at Kuchiki Byakuya. Did he… oh you're slick, you sly bastard. He straightened, pulling his pride around him.
"The 3rd Division will always stand ready, but the 3rd Division acting captain," he emphasized the words with a hint of sarcasm, "hasn't got time to stand around here. I'll be more'n happy to discuss my Division, but only after we get back from doing our duty by 'backing up the 5th'." He deliberately chose the same words from all those weeks ago. Ichigo flicked his eyes imperceptibly, meeting Byakuya's once more before he flashed out of the room as the alarm began to sound.
*
When Ichigo reached the 3rd Division barracks, he was met by three squads ready to go, and half of a fourth.
"Everyone know where we're going?" Ichigo asked the squad leaders. They nodded tersely. "Then let's go. Squads One and Two with me. The rest of you follow two squads at a time until they stop ringin' that alarm - Squad Five, wait for the squad from the 4th to get here and follow with them."
Ichigo took care not to outdistance the shinigami he led, though his nerves were screaming at him to hurry. The feel of the conflict ahead grew stronger with each step. One spiritual signature stood out over all the others in Ichigo's awareness - Renji was holding his own, but he was fighting furiously, which meant the rest of the Division was being hard-pressed, and-
There was a sharp rise in his power level. This whole situation's just reached new levels of critical. Captains needin' to use bankai on what used to be routine patrols? Hell, captains needing to lead most of the patrols was bad enough.
When they got there, Ichigo led the squads around the edge of the 5th Division's fight, not wanting anyone to get caught in the crossfire.
"Oi, Rukia!" he shouted as he passed her. "We'll cover the North!" She acknowledged with a brusque motion even as she began her next chant.
Ichigo steered clear of the giant skeletal serpent spinning viciously around a tall Hollow that had - was that four heads on long, scaly necks? He knew his presence had already been noted and their destination understood. Ichigo sped past, ears ringing as huge fangs crushed one of the writhing necks with a roar that turned into a scream as two other heads retaliated.
The rift in the North was smaller, but it had been open unchecked for several minutes, and dozens of small Hollows prowled the area.
What're they waitin' for? Ichigo called a halt as he figured it out. They are waitin' for somethin'.
As if on cue, a large arm emerged from the rift, forcing it open even wider. Head and shoulders followed, and then another head and huge torso.
"Teams, spread out!" he called. "Get rid of those little ones - they're waitin' for that big one, and I don't think we wanna find out why!"
The two-headed Hollow stepped clear of the rift, which closed itself inexplicably almost on the creature's tail.
Shit, that thing looks solid.
Not waiting to let the creature settle itself, Ichigo leaped and dropped a two-handed overhand blow directly on top of one of the hideously deformed heads. He wasn't surprised when Zangetsu only sliced off a piece of leathery skin and skipped off the skull - it took more and more effort to defeat these new Hollows.
He withdrew to prepare for another attack, and cast an eye over his forces. They were doing well for the most part, fighting in teams, though one group seemed to be struggling with a larger pack. Ichigo wanted to help them out, but his instincts screamed a warning to pay attention to his own fight just in time.
The whip-like tail sailed past his ear as he flashed out of range. A disorienting tug at his reiatsu that followed in its wake left him cold all over. Oh great, one of those. Hate energy drainers.
He kept a close eye on the tail as he circled the thing; it moved fast compared to the bulky body that kept shuffling in place. Ichigo darted in, trying to gauge its range as he slashed straight across one of the monster's knees. Zangetsu left a gaping wound, but Ichigo barely dodged as the tail came whipping between the Hollow's legs to stab at him.
Fucker. Too damn smart. He continued circling, taking advantage of every opening to leap up and carve slices off the giant while looking for a pattern to exploit.
*
Bastard sure can take a beatin'. Renji's whole body ached from the effort of battle and the assortment of wounds he'd picked up. One particularly vicious bite had his left leg nearly numb, and his balance was off when he attacked. He paid the price gladly, though, to slowly lead the thing away from the bulk of his forces after two of his people had been horribly mauled by the snapping heads.
He'd never seen a Hollow quite like this before. It had no arms to attack with, but each bite had an incredible amount of force behind it, seeming far out of proportion to the skinny necks, and the effort of meeting the crushing attacks had taken a heavy toll on Renji's energy.
Two heads were down, necks crushed and masks shattered, but that just left more room for the remaining two to manoeuvre. The one on the right feinted left, then attacked from above.
Too obvious, goin' for my weak side. Renji stood his ground, sending Zabimaru up to intercept while keeping a close eye on the head on his left. The roar from above was nearly deafening as the two collided. The skeletal serpent's fangs tore thick strips from the Hollow's long neck, but missed delivering a finishing blow.
Any second now. As the badly injured head retreated in pain, Renji spun Zabimaru into a defensive circle around him just in time to catch the new attack from the left. The force of the impact wrenched his shoulder, sending fresh waves of pain through his bruised body, but he gritted his teeth and launched a counter attack - at the other head.
Taken completely by surprise, it had no chance to escape as Zabimaru shot straight forward with a scream of victory. Long, vicious fangs closed over the scaly neck and-
CRUNCH!
-tore the head right off. The neck stump fell heavily, dragging across the ground as the brutally wounded Hollow stepped back in confusion.
Just one more t' go... Renji gave the last head a deadly look, his grin feral.
*
They'd managed to clear out a lot of the small Hollows attempting to reach the large two-headed monster, but it was clear to Ichigo that his forces were tiring quickly from having to chase down the speedy little things. And if he didn't defeat his own opponent soon, they were all going to be in trouble.
Cruel claws ripped a shinigami in half almost simultaneously, and several small Hollows raced through the breach. Fighters lunged desperately to head them off, and they almost succeeded - only one escaped their blades.
When the little Hollow touched the monster's leg, it… imploded, was about the only way Ichigo could think of to describe it. The two-headed Hollow roared through the explosion that knocked out two nearby shinigami. Ichigo would've sworn it had gotten stronger, and the wound on its knee smaller.
"Now we know why we can't let them get in range of that big one!" Ichigo grimaced. "Do whatever it takes to keep them away!" he ordered.
This's takin' too damn long. Here we go again…
"BANKAI!"
*
His left leg was nearly useless now. Renji had shifted his weight entirely to his right foot, knee slightly bent. He could balance like that for a very long time, but this thing wasn't going to let him just stand there in one place.
"Taichou, let us help you!" One of his teams was approaching from behind. Renji swore under his breath - he encouraged teamwork where appropriate, but they wouldn't stand a chance against something this powerful, even with only one head left.
"No!" he ordered. "Get back! Cover Kuchiki-fukutaichou, help her get that rift closed." He raised his voice to yell over the battlefield. "Rukia! Ya almost got it?"
"Just about!" The shouted reply drifted back. He chanced a look - the rift was a lot smaller now, and the few Hollows that were managing to get through were being engaged almost instantly by his teams.
Zabimaru screamed a warning just as Renji pulled his attention back to his opponent. The remaining head was streaking in for a solid hit - again, to his vulnerable left side. Dammit! Thing's too smart. Renji focused his reiatsu, concentrating some of his remaining energy on his left leg, willing it to hold as he pivoted sharply on his right, whipping Zabimaru into position.
The two heads collided. The strike was blocked, but the angle was wrong to turn the blow; several tail segments shattered from the force slamming through them. Desperately Renji disconnected the joints before the shock reached him - he didn’t think his arm could withstand another blow like that. The stab of agony that shot through his bones as he settled his weight made him certain his leg couldn't.
The Hollow's remaining head wavered almost drunkenly, one side of its mask deeply dented. Renji was all too aware of the fact that they both only had one more solid attack left in them. Good thing one more solid hit ought t' do it, then. He brought Zabimaru up again, intending to finally end it.
But he'd run out of energy.
Renji fell onto his face, cursing as both legs gave out underneath him. "Shit!" Zabimaru crashed to the ground beside him in pieces.
Only one more option left. "Sorry, Zabimaru. I hate it just as much." Renji concentrated every scrap of his remaining energy.
"Higa Zekkou!"
The wickedly sharp shards glowed faintly as they rose. They shot unerringly for their target, one after the other - the mask shattered under the bombardment, and the bizarre Hollow thrashed wildly.
"Fuckin' die already!" If he'd had the strength, Renji would've laughed as the Hollow disintegrated at last.
Renji struggled onto one side, craning his neck to see how the rest of the fighters were faring. Spots danced in front of his eyes, but he could see that Rukia had closed the rift, and was now helping their teams clear out the last of the Hollows. Relief swept through him. They'd done it.
"Go… rest," Renji panted. "We can't do any more here." The hilt of his zanpakutou warmed briefly in his hand before resuming its sealed state and growing cold once more. His fingers refused to release their grip, so he stopped trying.
"Renji!" Rukia's voice sounded very far away. Where was she going?
"Renji, can you hear me? Isane! Over here, he's hurt badly!"
Renji made a point of sheathing the katana before succumbing to his exhaustion, rolling onto his back to watch the sky spinning above him grow dark.
I'm sorry, Ichigo…
*
Ichigo zipped around the two-headed creature without much difficulty, slowly slicing chunks off of it. He couldn't get near the mask again with that tail guarding - and when he'd tried to shear the tail off, the shock that ran up his blade convinced him it was a bad idea to try again. So he kept hacking away at the torso and limbs - Ichigo couldn't understand how the thing was still standing with so many hideous wounds, but until he figured out where the monster was vulnerable, the best thing he could do was to keep weakening it and keep it occupied. If it was going to just stand there, all he had to do was avoid that tail and he'd eventually bring it down.
The Hollow roared as Ichigo tore through its abdomen and chest, the wicked slash running up from its right hip and stretching clear across to the left shoulder. Bet that hurt, ya bastard!
Then the massive body moved unexpectedly. The ground shook as it took two lumbering steps toward a knot of shinigami working hard to keep a pack of smaller Hollows out of range. It raised one massive arm to crush them from behind.
Shit, it wants to heal! Ichigo knew they didn’t stand a chance. He yelled a warning even as he flashed to intercept.
The giant fist slammed Ichigo to the ground, trapping him briefly. Ichigo felt the creeping chill again as its barbed tail slithered around the tree-trunk sized-leg and tried to latch onto his arm. He managed to scramble away, but not before it left a bloody gash on the back of his right hand.
The sudden drop in his energy when the tail made contact with his hand made him dizzy; he shook his head to clear it. Ichigo winced as he circled again, looking for a weak spot. Every breath was shallow and painful against his ribs - he was sure at least one was broken.
Can't take another hit like that. I don't wanna do this, but… Ichigo pummelled his brain desperately for a solution - any solution - other than bringing out the Hollow. He had it under control, but it was an uncomfortable sort of control, and each time he used it he had to beat it into submission yet again - and he just didn't have that kind of time or energy right now. I'll give it one more try.
He watched intently. There - an opening!
"Aughhh!" Ichigo sprang, putting all he had into the slash that carved a hole in the behemoth's chest and rocked it off balance. Finally! He flashed high above and stabbed down into the mask - just as the tail sped up from below to wrap around his leg, jabbing its barb into his calf. He ignored it, and the agony in his hand, focusing his strength instead on forcing his blade down farther and twisting it to shatter the mask. The thing shrieked and writhed.
"Fucking hell!" Ichigo cursed as his energy level dropped. It would be a race to see if the Hollow could drain him before it faded. He slashed at the tail on his leg, but the strength had gone out of his arm.
He let his bankai fade; speed wasn't going to help him now, and he needed every bit of energy he had left to get his people out of this. Ichigo chopped again at the appendage gripping his leg, this time dislodging it enough to allow him to wriggle his leg out of its grasp. He had just enough energy left to flash out of range as the Hollow finally began to dissipate.
Ichigo's energy was nearly gone. He could only dimly sense the battles being fought right beside him. Sheer force of will kept him standing balanced on one leg as two more teams flashed in and helped the exhausted 3rd Division shinigami clear out the last of the Hollows. Ichigo had time to recognize the 4th Division insignia on some of the uniforms before the world spun strangely…
*
"We did it!" Excited cheers echoed all around him. "We won!" … "He defeated that thing all by himself!" … "He saved us!" … "You're bleeding pretty badly there, are you ok?" … "Really? Hey, do you think this'll leave a cool scar?"
Ichigo was lying down. That's odd. I was fightin', wasn't I? He attempted to sit up, but a sickening wave of dizziness made it an easy choice not to fight the gentle hand that pushed him back down.
"Lie still, please, Kurosaki-taichou-dairi, the fight is over," Unohana Retsu's voice was startlingly close. Ichigo turned his head, blinking hard to get his eyes to focus on the 4th Division captain.
"You've lost a lot of energy, and you've got several broken ribs," she explained.
"What about the 5th? Are they back yet?" Ichigo tried to ask, but another wave of dizziness interrupted him, darkness dancing on the edges of his vision.
Unohana seemed to understand anyway. "The other teams are on the way in with the injured from the 5th Division. Everything will be fine," she informed him calmly. "Now please relax and let us help you."
"But…" the rushing blackness overwhelmed him.
*
Omake
~Ch 10~
Akuni: Man you guys sure took a beating out there!
…
…
Byakuya: You might remember they are unavailable, due to the wounds they've suffered through their showy but admittedly effective actions. It would be… unfortunate if they did not recover.
Akuni: Oh, Byakuya, you old softie. I knew you cared!
Byakuya: … That's 'Kuchiki-taichou'.
Rukia: *coughs* Nii-sama, if I could respectfully point out, she is the author…
Byakuya: Meaning?
Rukia: Ah, she has a certain amount of power here.
Byakuya: *turns his chilly gaze on Akuni* I believe we understand each other.
Akuni: Uh yes, Kuchiki-taichou, of course we do. *coughs* Well now, since Renji and Ichigo can't be with us, perhaps you'd like to say a few words about the situation in Soul Society?
Byakuya: The situation is difficult, and I do not have time to waste here any longer.
Rukia: Nii-sama, wait… *sighs* Ah well.
Akuni: Bye Byakuya.
…
Akuni: Phew. He's really lightened up over the years.
Byakuya: *reappears out of nowhere* Chire…
Akuni: *screams in terror and runs for her life*
…
Byakuya: You know, that was fun. *smiles faintly*
Rukia: Told ya! *giggles*
Continue to Chapter 11 - Acknowledgement
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