Chapter Three: Karakura City Limits
"HAHAHA! What? What did you say?" Byakuya stared at the blue haired beauty, annoyed as she clutched her stomach tightly; it beginning to ache from laughing so hard. Byakuya sighed deeply as he looked down at his hands.
"Sen – Senbonzakura," he repeated. As soon as the last syllable was uttered, Sayori erupted into laughter once more.
"You gotta be kiddin' me! Your zanpakuto's name is Senbonzakura? You? Mr. Macho? Mr. Ego? You have a girly sounding zanpakuto? Get outta here!"
"Shut up! It's not girly."
"Really, Byakuya? It's not? 'A thousand cherry blossoms' does not sound like a girl zanpakuto to you?"
"No, it does not."
"Are you for real? You must be smokin' somethin' serious." The two young nobles sat at an outside bench table right outside of the Shinigami Academy bookstore. They often met up here after they had finished with their classes for the day.
"I'm not smoking anything. You are one who's full of shit."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then. Cho! Hey, Cho! 'Mere for a sec!" Sayori began to call out to Cho Hidaka, who was walking toward the food court with two books tucked under her arm. Cho, who had also been blessed with the signature Hidaka clan cerulean eyes, stopped and began to walk over to her first cousin. She set the books on the table.
"Yeah? What's up?" She sat on the table between the two.
"Let me ask you somethin'. If someone were to tell you that the name of their zanpakuto was Senbonzakura, would you think its master was a boy, or would you think it was a girl?"
"Mmm . . . it sounds more like a girl's zanpakuto to me." Sayori clapped her hands in victory and pointed at the Kuchiki heir.
"Aha! See I told you!" Byakuya rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
"Aw, don't be gettin' mad – Byakuya-bo." He glared daggers at Sayori's grinning face.
"You know I hate it when that damn demon cat calls me that, so don't you start either." Sayori giggled again before responding with a sarcastic pout. Cho bounced her eyes between them.
"Did I miss something? You two are acting even more retarded today."
"I've been tryin' to tell Kuchiki-dono over here that his zanpakuto has a real feminine soundin' name, but he ain't wanna listen to me." Cho's eyebrows lifted and her blue eyes widened with understanding.
"Ohhh. I see, so your sword is named Senbonzakura." She smiled. "I didn't know you were able to release your sword. Congratulations." Byakuya smirked. He turned to look at his best friend, emphasizing his next few words.
"Thank you, Cho-chan." Sayori simply rolled her eyes and shook her head. The blue haired Hidaka princess looked over her shoulder at the books her black haired cousin had placed on the table earlier.
"What classes are these for, Cho?" She read the titles of each one; Kido: Mastery of Incantations of Fifty and Above and Getting to Know Your Zanpakuto.
"Oh, they're not really for any class. Zi Shihoin recommended that I read them since Kimi no Shini is still kind of new to me. I don't really know how to handle him yet."
"Kimi no Shini? Is that the name of your zanpakuto?" Byakuya asked. Sayori had told him that she was able to manifest her zanpakuto two weeks prior. This fact gave Byakuya a little extra push to manifest Senbonzakura. He simply couldn't let these Hidaka princesses best a Kuchiki prince. No way, no how.
"Yeah."
"Yep! Kimi no Shini; the Prince of Death. See Byakuya, now THAT's the name of a zanpakuto. Not some ol' flower child name, like Senbonzakura." Sayori giggled even more as he flipped her off. She loved to tease him.
"So what is your zanpakuto like, Cho-chan?" Cho grinned from ear to ear.
"He's really sweet. He acts like a real prince too. He does get a little frustrated sometimes because I am having a hard time learning his abilities, but he's patient."
"I haven't really gotten to know Senbonzakura yet. Then again, I did just manifest him two days ago." Cho nodded her head. She then turned to her cousin, who was flipping through the pages of Kido: Mastery of Incantations of Fifty and Above.
"Have you been able to manifest your zanpakuto yet, Sayo?" Sayori shook her head, continuing to look at the book.
"Nah. Nothin' seems to be comin' together with him or her. My zanpakuto is a stubborn one." Byakuya looked over at the girl.
"No, your zanpakuto isn't stubborn. You're just not skilled enough to call it out. Don't lie."
"Well I do know one thing. When I finally do manifest my zanpakuto, it won't have some sissy name like Senbonzakura."
"At least I have a zanpakuto."
"Yeah, a girly zanpakuto."
"Sayori, you are – "
"Okay, okay!" Cho interrupted, waving her hands between the two. She had a feeling their friendly, competitive banter was going to turn into a real fight soon. Byakuya had a very short fuse and Sayori didn't know when to quit sometimes. Seriously, why are they best friends again? Sayori playfully winked at the agitated male before returning her attention to the book. Just as she was about to turn to the next page, a piece of paper slipped out between the latter ones. She reached down and picked it up.
"Ay, Cho. What's this?" A look of horror played across Cho's pretty, mocha face.
"No, wait! Don't –" It was too late. Sayori smiled a huge, Cheshire cat like smile as she looked at the paper that was covered in doodles of hearts, suns, kisses, and a huge message in the middle.
"Cho-chan and Uki-chan forever." She immediately turned around. "Ahhh! You like Ukitake-taicho? I didn't know that!" Cho's eyes darted around, sincerely hoping that no one but the three of them had heard her outburst.
"Shhh! Shut up, Sayo!" Byakuya squinched his face.
"You like him? Eww, he's old enough to be our father. In fact, he friends with our fathers. Not to mention that he has tuberculosis."
"So," Sayori said, "he's still hot. I like Kyoraku-taicho too."
"But all he does is drink sake and chase women."
"He's still hooot."
"So is Aizen-fukutaicho," Cho added. Sayori shook her head.
"I don't know about him. He seems kinda nerdy. Not my style. I like my men sexy, with long hair." Cho grinned and pointed toward Byakuya.
"Like him?" Sayori scoffed.
"Please, I said sexy. And I said men."
"That's it Sayori! Let's go!" Byakuya sprang from his seat and drew his wooden sword. The students who had already manifested their zanpakuto were not allowed to carry them on school grounds.
"You are such a tool. I'm not about to fight you."
"Why? Are you afraid that I'll whoop you?"
"Nooo, I'm afraid that I'll whoop you." Byakuya's left eye began to twitch, with anger.
"Idiot. You can't beat me, you can't even summon your zanpakuto. There's no way that you can beat me."
"Byakuya, come on, now. I am a member of the Hidaka clan. My father was the Kidōshū Sōshi. My brother is the current Fuku Kidōchō. Byakuya, I just spent the last fifteen minutes readin' this book!" She waved the kido book for emphasis. "So don't try me, Kuchiki-dono. I don't want you to embarrass yourself." Byakuya grinded his teeth. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that there was some merit to her warning. It was a well known fact that the majority of the Hidaka nobles were extremely skilled in kido. Many clan leaders had gone on to become the commander or lieutenant of the Kido Corps. Sayori was indeed quite good at the magical arts, but he highly doubted that she was as good as she claimed.
"Bring it on then," Byakuya insisted. He threw the sword down and lifted his hand in front of him. He pointed his index and middle fingers toward Sayori. She looked up from the book.
"What are you doin'?"
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of –"
"Bakudo 1, Sai!" Instantly, Byakuya's hands flew behind his back, restrained by the invisible force of the kido. He fell to his knees, then to the ground.
"What the hell! Sayori, let me go!"
"No way! Not 'till you calm down."
"I'll calm down when you stop being a bitch!"
"Yeah, cause that's gonna make me break the spell even faster. What an intelligent young man you are, Kuchiki-dono."
"Why you –"
"Hado 1, Sho!" The binding caused by the bakudo spell immediately broke after Cho uttered the hado spell's name. Byakuya growled as he climbed off the ground and walked back over to his seat. Sayori expected him to lash out at her, but he just sat there beside her, pouting. Cho grabbed her book from Sayori and tucked both under her arm. She hopped off the table and stood in front of the two, giving them stern looks.
"You guys need to calm down. If one of the teachers had seen us, we'd been in huge trouble. Why don't you guys just make out already and get it over with." A pair of cerulean eyes and a pair of grey eyes widened.
"WHAT?" they simultaneously asked. Cho put a hand on her hip.
"You heard me. You know you like each other. That's why you are always getting on each other's nerves. It's like some weird, passionate game you two play. Maybe if you'd just kiss already, you could end it and get some maturity." The slightly older girl turned on her heels and walked away. Sayori and Byakuya stared blankly into the space in front of them.
* * *
"Taicho. Taicho? Taicho!"
"Don't yell, Renji. I heard you the first time." Byakuya lifted his head from his desk and met the face of the Squad Six lieutenant. Renji dropped his shoulders.
"My apologies, Kuchiki-taicho. I thought you were asleep."
"How foolish, Renji. I never fall asleep on the job. I was simply meditating." He knew that was a lie, but he could only hope his lieutenant bought the farce. However, from the look in his eyes, Byakuya wasn't so sure that he did. He sighed, closing his eyes. "Was there something that you needed?"
"Uh . . . yeah. The head captain wants all of the captains to report to Squad One's barracks for an urgent meeting." Byakuya nodded his head before standing.
"Very well. Thank you for the information, Abarai-fukutaicho."
"No problem."
Byakuya stopped by the kitchen in the barracks of Squad Six before heading over to the captain's meeting. He drank two cups of tea, hoping that the caffeine would give him some brief energy, since he had been up all night, plagued with dreams of his former best friend. I have not seen Sayori in almost thirty years. Why is she coming to my dreams so much lately? It makes absolutely no sense.
"Oi, Kuchiki-taicho." Byakuya turned around to see that it was the Squad Eight captain, Shunsui Kyoraku, who had addressed him. He was standing beside his lieutenant.
"Kyoraku-taicho. Ise-fukutaicho."
"Good morning, Kuckiki-taicho," Nanao replied.
"Kuchiki-taicho, your reiatsu is off today. Is everything alright? Something seems to be bothering you." Byakuya pursed his lips together. Shunsui was a very intuitive man. And while it was a great asset to him on the battlefield, it was an annoyance off of it. Byakuya turned around.
"I'm fine." He continued walking. He heard Shunsui whisper something to Nanao. He then heard the Squad Eight lieutenant shunpo away. "So, do you know why the captain commander has called this meeting? My lieutenant said it was important." Shunsui shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. However, it really must be important considering that we just had a meeting with Yama-jii yesterday. Maybe he found some dirt on Aizen."
"Perhaps."
"Then again, it might be about what's been going on in Karakura Town lately." Byakuya glanced over his shoulder.
"Karakura Town?"
"Yeah. Jushiro told me about it. Rukia told him that Ichigo has been having to fight a high level of Menos Grande ever since a few days ago."
"It is not unusual for Menos to appear there. That town contains a high amount of spiritual pressure."
"True, but it is unusual for Menos to keep appearing in the same spot and at the amount of numbers that have been reported. According to Jushiro, Ichigo and his friends encountered seventeen just this morning."
"You are right. That is unusual."
"Yeah it is. Your sister left late last night to help them." So, that's why Rukia didn't come home last night. I thought she was out with Abarai again. Good.
"I'm sure Kurosaki, Rukia, and those humans can handle the situation." The two captains walked through the doors of the Squad One meeting room. They were the last to arrive. They took their respective places and waited for the head captain to speak.
"I have called this meeting to order to inform you all of a phenomenon that has been occurring recently in the world of the living. There has been an usually high number of Menos appearing lately in Karakura Town. Reports are that the Menos seem to be centered in one place, which is also highly unusual. The substitute shinigami and Rukia Kuchiki are currently handling the matter; however, if things get worse, I will dispatch the Squad 10 captain and lieutenant as well. Kurotsuchi-taicho, I want you to do some research on the area. Try and see if there is anything in particular that is drawing the Menos." Mayuri nodded his head. "Also, try to find out if this has anything to do with Aizen."
"Not a problem."
"Ukitake-taicho, I want you to place a temporary barrier over the area in order to stop the Menos from causing any more harm."
"Hai, sensei."
"Good. To all the rest of you, just remain on alert. We have yet to determine how big this problem is and I don't want to take any chances. This meeting is adjourned."
* * *
"I think we've cleared the area of the Menos for the time being," Rukia said as she watched Ichigo finish getting ready for school. "I just got a text from Renji saying that Ukitake-taicho put a barrier over the area to hold back the Menos." Ichigo sighed.
"Good. At least I can get a break for a while." He looked over at Rukia who had sprawled out across his bed, making herself more comfortable. She was still in her PJs. "Are you going to school as well?" She shook her head.
"Nah. I told Ochi-san that my family would be on vacation for three days. I'm still supposed to be in the Soul Society, remember? I'm taking a day off. You handle everything." She tossed the soul reaper badge to him. Ichigo smirked.
"Being lazy, I see. Not very befitting of a Kuchiki noble. Byakuya wouldn't improve."
"Shut up. Leave nii-sama out of this."
"Whatever. I'm running late anyway. Catch you later." Rukia waved as he left.
* * *
"Everyone, I have the results back from your last quiz," Ms. Ochi said, waving a stack of papers. "I have to say that I was pretty unimpressed by what I saw. Nevertheless, it is only a fraction of your grade, so consider yourselves lucky." She began maneuvering through the rows, passing them out. "However, I highly recommend that those of you who received less than a B study very hard before the test Friday. Remember, this test counts for twenty percent of the final grade." Ichigo looked over to see what his friends had gotten; an 'A' for Uryu, a 'D' for Orihime, a 'B' for Chad, a 'B' for Mizurio. When he finally received his paper, he saw that he had gotten a 'C'. Great. After Setsuna received hers, he stretched his neck to peek. She had gotten a hundred percent. Damn.
"Damn." He immediately looked around, hoping that no one had heard his slip of the tongue. No one had heard except for the one it was directed at. Setsuna turned in her chair and smiled.
"I'm kinda surprised too," she said. "I thought I had missed a couple. What did you get, Ichigo-kun?"
"A 'C'."
"Oh? Well, you passed."
"Alright, alright everyone that's enough chatter. We still have a lesson today in case you have forgotten. So everyone open your books to chapter six." Ichigo and Setsuna did as they were told and turned their math books to the right page. Ichigo was following along with the lesson when a folded piece of paper landed on the book. He looked up towards the direction it came from, but Setsuna had already turned back around. He opened it up:
Hey, do you wanna study with me this afternoon?
Huh? Well, I really shouldn't since that Menos problem hasn't be solved yet. Then again, Ukitake-san did put up a barrier. Oh, what the hell. Ichigo smirked before picking up his pencil. He scribbled 'yeah' on the paper and tossed it back. Setsuna smiled when she read it, but did not turn around. She gave him the thumbs up.
* * *
"That's pretty awesome of you to offer to help me study," Ichigo said as he and Setsuna walked down the sidewalk, headed toward her place. They had just gotten off the No. Five bus that lead to the other side of town. Setsuna smiled.
"Oh, it's not a problem. You are my friend, after all."
"Yeah." Ichigo looked around him as he walked beside her. He had been to this side of Karakura Town before, however not that often. It was a lower class, more poverty stricken area of the city. Not quite the slums, but definitely far from suburbia. "Wow, you live quite a ways from school. Until I rode the bus with you today, I always thought that you walked there." Setsuna looked up at him and gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, it is a ways away, but unfortunately, this is all I can afford at the time. Still, it's an upgrade from my old place in Sapporo. It's kinda tough living on your own, ya know? Ichigo's eyes widened a bit.
"You don't live with your parents?"
"No. I never knew my parents. I think I saw them once when I was really little, but the memory is all a blur. I don't know any of my kin, really. I'm a nomad, haha." Ichigo could tell that the laugh and smile weren't genuine. It was almost as if she was trying to mask her true emotions. Maybe she felt angry or sad or abandoned. Whatever it was, the smile could not hide what she truly felt and he picked up on it immediately. "We're here!" Setsuna proclaimed, drawing him out of his thoughts. She took her backpack off her shoulder and began to look around for the key. As she rummaged around, Ichigo took a moment to notice the surroundings of their destination. It was the old industrial district of Karakura Town, close to where the old warehouse was. Ichigo looked around cautiously, trying to sense any Menos that may have been in the area. It seemed as if Captain Ukitake's barrier was upholding well.
"Ichigo-kun? You alright?"
"Huh?" Ichigo looked down to see Setsuna's blue eyes staring at him with concern. He forced a smile and put a hand behind his head. "Oh, it's nothing. I – I was just thinking about something is all."
"Oh. Oh, okay." The two teenagers walked inside.
The apartment was a basic studio apartment with a separate, tiny bathroom. Ichigo sat down on Setsuna's futon, which was the only available seating. She sat beside him. The two began to study their math assignments when a loud noise came blaring from outside. Ichigo stiffened. Menos Grande! But . . . but how the hell did they break the barrier? I have to go – but how do I . . .?
" – Ugh, there it is again." Ichigo jerked his head.
"What?"
"That noise outside? It does this everyday around this time. Must be some const-
"Wait, Setsuna-chan! You can hear that?" Setsuna looked at him like he was crazy.
"Yeaaah. It is pretty loud, Ichigo-kun. Don't worry, it usually quits after a while." Ichigo continued to stare at her dumbfounded. He began to sweat. The Menos sound was getting louder which meant that they were almost out of the broken barrier. He had to change and he had to change quickly.
"Setsuna-chan, can I use your bathroom real quick?" Setsuna narrowed her eyes at him. Why is he acting so strange?
"Y – yeah. Go ahead." Ichigo scrambled to his feet and quickly transformed into a soul reaper. He jumped out of the bathroom window and hurried to the Menos. There were eight. Damn!
"Ichigo!" He turned his head to see that Rukia was shunpoing over to his direction.
"Rukia!"
"I got here as fast as I could. I spoke with Ukitake-taicho a while ago. It seems as if the Menos are being drawn toward a strong spiritual force in the area. However, whatever is emitting the spiritual pressure, has hidden their reiatsu well enough that the Menos can't pin point the exact location as to where they are; only a general area."
"What?"
"Yeah. But, I wonder what could be emitting such a reiatsu?" And then it clicked. He knew. He finally knew what the Menos were after. He finally knew why they had begun to show up the same day Keigo made his big announcement.
* * *
Gee, he's been in there a long time. Does he have the runs or something? Hope not. Setsuna put down the math book she'd been reading and walked over to the bathroom door. She knocked. "Ichigo-kun? Is everything alright in there?" No answer. She knocked again. "Ichigo!" No answer. She began to get concerned. She noticed that the door was unlocked. "I'm coming in, okay?" She hid her eyes behind her hand and slowly opened the door. She screamed loudly when she saw Ichigo's body lying on the white, tiled floor. "Ichigo!" She ran over to him, pulling his head into her lap. "Ichigo? Ichigo! Say something!" She ran to the phone and called the paramedics. Soon after, she began to perform CPR, per their instructions. "Come on Ichigo! . . . Wake up! . . . Ichigo! . . . Help! Someone please help! Help me please!"
"What's that?" Ichigo turned away from the Menos he was fighting and looked over at Rukia, who was staring in the opposite direction, toward the Earth.
"What's what?"
"That noise. Someone's in the area calling for help." Ichigo's eyes widened.
"No, wait! Rukia!" He quickly slayed the last two Menos and tried his best to catch up with her, but to no avail. Rukia pushed the door open to Setsuna's home and slowly walked inside. Setsuna heard her footsteps and called out to her.
"Oh, thank Kami! Please hurry! I'm in the bathroom!" Without a second thought, Rukia ran over to the bathroom to help. When she got there, she stood frozen in place. It was if she was the one who had seen a ghost. Setsuna looked up at her, still cradling Ichigo's body in her arms, glad to finally see some help. "Please help him. He's been like this for over ten minutes."
"Se – Setsuna?" Setsuna narrowed her tear stained eyes.
"What? How do you know my name?"
"Is that really you? Setsuna? Setsuna Hidaka?" She began to get angry.
"Why are you just standing there? Please help Ichigo! He could be dying!"
"No – no, I'm . . . right here." A loud gasp escaped Setsuna as Ichigo appeared behind Rukia, an apologetic look plastered on his face. She darted her eyes frantically between him and his body. Her body began to tremble with both confusion and fear.
"Wh – what the h –"
She was not able to finish her question. The world became black before she had the chance.
