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Another short chapter... mainly, since this chapter was about Ichigo saving his own ass. Heh. I thought about pulling some of the material I meant for the next chapter into this one, but I decided I'd taken long enough to update as it was.
BTW, if scenes in this chapter heavily imply Orihime's feelings for Ichigo, this is merely characterization. No jumping to conclusions, 'kay?
The resounding crash of the White Road Gate slamming shut had made a chill of horror run down Orihime’s back. Ichigo wasn’t with them. Ichigo was on the other side, trapped with a monster of a man that had so effortlessly destroyed Jidanbo.
Kurosaki-kun…
“Inoue…”
Orihime closed her eyes, pressing a hand against the unforgiving gate as though attempting to slip through and reach him. Chad stood immediately behind her, silently offering his support. “He’s still alive, Sado-kun,” she whispered, knowing she sounded like she was in denial but actually certain. How she was certain, she wasn’t sure.
Yoruichi had apparently written Ichigo off as a regrettable loss. At his level, the cat had said, fighting a captain was suicide. He was probably already dead, he had continued, looking unsettled.
“I can tell somehow.” Orihime shook her head before leaning her forehead against the gate as well, imagining she could hear the clashing of metal against metal as Ichigo fought for survival against an opponent that was out of his league. “He’s still fighting….”
She sensed rather than saw Chad’s nod. “Ichigo’s not one to give up.” He paused for a moment, as though considering something, before adding, “Yoruichi-san knows a captain’s strength, but he doesn’t know Ichigo’s. He’ll survive.”
A smile crossed Orihime’s face, and she turned the bright expression on Chad. “You’re right, Sado-kun. I really shouldn’t be worried; Kurosaki-kun will come through for Kuchiki-san.”
“Orihime!” Yoruichi yowled, and she looked back to see the black cat beckoning for her with his tail, standing by Jidanbo. Apparently, the district’s residents had succeeded in strapping the giant’s arm back in its socket, and now it was her turn to heal the damage.
As she got up, summoning Shun’o and Ayame by their names, she glanced back one last time at the gate.
Be safe, Kurosaki-kun…
Repeatedly the wakizashi and the daito clashed. Ichigo had the advantage of reach, while Ichimaru had the advantage of speed; more often than not, speed won out, though the captain was having a harder time landing a threatening blow the longer they fought.
Or at least, Ichigo thought he was having a harder time. Certainly the captain was landing less attacks, but judging by the expression that hadn’t faltered the whole time they had been exchanging blows, Ichimaru might have been playing with him.
On the bright side, I think I’ve figured out that footwork of his…
It had struck Ichigo as strange that a captain would rely completely on a certain footwork pattern. Doing so led to a predictability a fighter normally couldn’t risk. On the other hand, certain movements could be executed with a higher speed, allowing for overall faster movement. And that was what Ichimaru was doing.
Metal flashed, and still partly caught up in his mental analysis, Ichigo felt the bite of Shinso at his shoulder. He copied the captain’s footwork, whirled around and struck low; the wakizashi met the daito solidly, and he flipped, using the crossed blades and his off hand to attempt a kick that was blocked by a forearm.
Damn it.
Rather than attempt a follow up, he rolled away from the captain, bringing up Kyoka Zangetsu to guard as he righted himself.
“Clever boy,” Ichimaru praised, amused. “Ya nearly got me there.”
Eyebrow twitching, Ichigo shot forward again, locking blades, using his strength and reach to put the captain on the defensive.
The captain was not as skilled at zanjutsu as Urahara was, but neither was he. If Ichimaru started using kido, then Ichigo would lose. Right now he could match the captain, but reinforcements could arrive at any moment. He had to get away. It set his teeth to grinding, but it was the truth.
The question was how. He was at a disadvantage in speed. Sandal-hat had taught him how to fight, not how to run, and Kyoka Zangetsu… well, Ichigo couldn’t hold an illusion out of sight, even if he managed to concentrate enough to get that far. But the sword could certainly help…
He needed a diversion. Something explosive. Something to distract the captain long enough for him to get a head start.
But how?
Ichigo dodged as Shinso extended yet again, grabbing onto the blade with his off hand, slashing down at the wrist that held the offending blade steady. The captain was ready, however, and with a brief intonation the force of the kido that landed dead center tossed him easily ten yards away, where he choked as he got to his feet and coughed up some blood.
Kido… Not good. He breathed in and out to clear his head. If only he knew some kido himself, things would be so much easier. Kido was just another form of reiatsu manipulation, though, wasn’t it? The same principle he used in true illusion.
Simple in theory, yet in practice like trying to tighten one’s fist around an ocean.
Ichigo couldn’t afford to eat another kido like that, but now that Ichimaru had finally used one of the shinigami demon arts, it was likely he wouldn’t hesitate to use another. Not to mention it was now he that was out of range, since the captain hadn’t allowed his zanpakuto to shorten to its normal form.
I have the shittiest luck sometimes, he groused, focusing on his reiatsu. Perhaps he could take advantage of that - though, if he wanted this to work, it would have to be damn convincing….
‘I would agree,’ came the unexpected response, upsetting his concentration and causing his spirit power to trickle free of his grip, only to be caught in a more skilled one. ‘This opponent is not like the gate guardian. It is not likely he will be so easily fooled. We must pursue a different path.’
Feel free to suggest whatever comes to mind, Ichigo snapped, recognizing the voice; he was surprised the zanpakuto had decided to show up in this of all situations. In front of someone who was not even an ally? It seemed a little… personal.
Kyoka Zangetsu laughed softly at his ponderings. ‘Until you can externalize me yourself, you needn’t worry about my being seen.’ He then grew sober, save for an amused tilt of his mouth at the awkward gymnastics that resulted from Ichigo’s divided attention. ‘However, that will be irrelevant if we do not manage a retreat. At our limited capability, utilizing the illusions to the point necessary to fool a captain is only a sliver short of impossible.’
Ichigo rolled under Shinso, staying low to the ground so a kido blast shot harmlessly over his head. If he hadn’t been certain already, he was now; Ichimaru was testing him, not actually going for the kill. For how long, he didn’t know, but so long as the captain wasn’t actively pressing him…. Tell me something I don’t know.
‘If the delicate will not work,’ said Kyoka Zangetsu candidly, ‘then perhaps the rough will.’
You mean, blowing shit up? Despite himself Ichigo smirked. Despite the appearance, despite the phraseology, despite the intonation, sometimes it was truly obvious just how Kyoka Zangetsu came to be his zanpakuto. Unless you have some other ability you didn’t tell me about…
The zanpakuto spirit shook his head, smiling. ‘No. I do not. You, however….’
His face itched strangely as Ichigo felt his spirit power begin to swirl around him, guided by Kyoka Zangetsu’s careful influence, fractionally slow so he could track the movement. He didn’t notice as Ichimaru paused, watching carefully, as reiatsu built, focused at a point - and then fizzled out.
‘Try it again by yourself,’ the zanpakuto spirit advised, growing vague and beginning to disappear, his lesson concluded.
Ichigo mentally retraced the path the spirit power was meant to take, noting it could theoretically branch off to several places, before forcing himself to concentrate on his opponent. It was a wonder the captain hadn’t taken advantage of his distraction, a wonder he was nonetheless thankful for as he pressed forward, seizing the minute advantage garnered by surprise, rolling under the incoming kido.
Concentrate. Concentrate!
The reiatsu surged, and with a yell he didn’t realize he was making, a surge of scarlet energy coalesced and exploded from his hand, hitting the captain at point-blank range. And then he was away, the chameleon illusion coming to life at a subtle push.
Ichigo ran as fast as he could manage, deeper into the Seireitei. Farther from the gate and his only allies.
-
Ichimaru Gin sat upright, feeling the ryoka boy’s presence diminish to nearly nothing and not feeling up to following. His hand drifted to his temple and came away from a small amount of blood, and he laughed, the sound stark and ironic.
“Huh. Cero…I wasn’ expectin’ that.”
As Yoruichi watched the schoolgirl work, she was careful not to let her roiling thoughts show on her adopted face. The gate was shut, with Ichimaru Gin on the other side, and traveling to another would take far too long.
But that wasn’t the worst of it. Had that been all, it would have been easily salvaged. Their next step was obviously to find Kukaku, and hope she would help them punch through the barrier with her Flower Crane Cannon.
No.
Not only had the path through the gate been lost to them, so had Kurosaki Ichigo. More importantly, so had the best chance they had of succeeding in this insane endeavor. While she didn’t doubt her strength, Yoruichi was no fool, and she knew that little Bya-chan had surpassed her.
In that moment Yoruichi knew defeat.
Orihime’s head shot up from watching Shun’o and Ayame at work. The healing was taking longer than she had originally thought, and her worry for Ichigo was eating at her, probably making it take even longer.
Kurosaki-kun…. She smiled, feeling her worry begin to evaporate. She didn’t know why, she didn’t know how, but the same feeling that earlier told her Ichigo was alive was now telling her he was safe. Well, as safe as he could be, trapped alone with the same people who meant to put Kuchiki Rukia to death for saving lives.
She could only trust Ichigo to stay alive.
Making sure Shun’o and Ayame could work without her for a moment, Orihime dashed off to share the good news with Chad.
Next chapter: Ichigo saves face after running away... in a fashion one wouldn't expect. Yoruichi and co. go to meet Kukaku and things get explosive. Shit happens and Rukia and Renji have a talk.