Force of Souls Chapter 25 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another Force of Souls chapter! It’s time to break into the Seireitei! Can the Flower Crane Cannon and reishukaku do the trick? Will it be a safe landing? Who will the group meet when they get there? The Seireitei isn’t just sitting still either; the Captains are in an emergency meeting, and so are the Lieutenants!

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 25 – Tattoo on the Sky

For the one that is gone,
I offer assistance.
For the one that I owe,
I will make you succeed.
For you who brought back hope,
I will leave a mark on the sky.

The sound of footsteps on wooden floors were heard as two men walked towards a designated area.

“This is the first time that I’ve been required to wear my Lieutenant’s Badge.” Renji spoke as he affixed the dull bronze badge to hie upper left arm over his shihakushō. It had the character for ‘6’ in kanji and the emblem of the Sixth Squad, a Camellia, in black imprinted to it.

“Naturally!” The other man walking beside Renji replied. The man stood tall at 182cm, he had a distinctive haircut that was kept short, but stood tall and was perfectly trimmed. He wore black sunglasses with his standard Shinigami uniform, which he left a bit open, showing off a muscular chest and the white wrappings around his waist where his Zanpakutō was sheathed, rather than at his hip. “It’s the first time that I’ve been required to wear mine in a long time. But the situation calls for it.” Iba Tetsuzaemon informed the new Lieutenant.

“Lieutenants are to wear their badges and standby in the second conference room, right?” Renji spoke the orders that had been delivered to the thirteen Lieutenants.

Iba and Renji entered the selected room to find only a single other person there.

The person that had been the first to arrive was a somewhat short girl, with brown eyes, and black hair that appeared to have a shade of purple to it in the right light. Her hair was pulled into a bun that was held in a tied cloth. She wore the standard Shinigami shihakushō, with the Fifth Squad’s Lieutenant armband on her left upper arm.

“Renji, Iba…hello.” Hinamori Momo greeted the two men, sitting on the floor with her knees up, her arms resting on them, and her back against the wall.

“Hello, Momo.” Renji returned the greeting, looking around the room. “Are you the first one here?”

“Yes…it looks that way.” Momo nodded to her old schoolmate.

“The Captains and Lieutenants are busy running their squads.” A new voice spoke up from the doorway. “It could take hours for all of us to get here.” The speaker was a young-looking boy. He was rather short, with turquoise eyes and short, spiked, white hair. He wore the standard Shinigami shihakushō with a green sash around his shoulders, held together by a round, star-like clip. The sash held his Zanpakutō’s sheath in place on his back and was tied to it at either end. On his left upper arm was the Lieutenant’s armband for the Tenth Squad.

“Toshiro.” Momo smiled at her childhood friend and surrogate little brother.

“We’re the same rank, Momo. Call me Lieutenant Hitsugaya.” Hitsugaya Toshiro looked annoyed at the familiar, informal address.

Every Shinigami in Seireitei knew of the prodigy, Hitsugaya Toshiro. He’d entered the Shinōreijutsuin on his first try despite his young age, graduating from the academy in a single year with the highest written and performance scores in each of his classes, joining the Thirteen Court Guard Squads shortly afterwards, and then becoming the youngest Shinigami to ever reach the rank of Lieutenant. His genius and talent had many accept him as a Shinigami and as an officer of the Gotei Thirteen. But it was being one of only two Lieutenants to have achieved Bankai that had earned him the respect of all Shinigami in the Seireitei. Had it not been for his young age (by Shinigami standards) he’d have potentially been the Captain of Squad Ten after Captain Shiba disappeared.

“You doing alright, Hitsugaya?” Iba asked with a chuckle. “Captain Matsumoto isn’t working you to death, is she?”

“Captain Matsumoto still foists all of the work that doesn’t directly require her attention onto me and the other seated officers.” Hitsugaya answered with a flat tone. “She works hard and finishes all of her paperwork and duties quickly; but only so that she can laze around and drink her booze.” A very small twitch could be seen along Hitsugaya’s eyebrow.

“Renji…” Momo got Renji’s attention, even as she lowered her voice.

“Huh?” Renji blinked at Momo’s change in volume.

“Have you seen Captain Aizen?” Momo questioned, looking worried. “I haven’t seen him at all since this morning.”

Recalling the talk he’d had with Aizen, and the secrecy the Captain clearly wanted to keep, Renji lied. “No… I haven’t.”

“Oh.” Momo looked saddened by his response. “He’s been acting strange… He was strange all morning and wouldn’t tell me why.” She worried her lips and her hands grasped her hakama tightly. “I…don’t know what to do.”

“Don’t worry.” Renji did his best to be reassuring, even as he looked off to the side. “It’s probably nothing. I’m sure everything will go back to normal once this ryoka situation is dealt with.” Internally, his thoughts were very different. ‘Damn it. What in the world is going on, Captain Aizen?’

-Shiba Kūkaku’s Home ~ Basement Dojo-

“Excellent, Miss Orihime!” Koganehiko praised the orangette as she held the reishukaku with a perfectly formed cannonball around her.

“Very good, Miss Tatsuki, though the shape isn’t perfectly spherical…that probably has something to do with your personality or the nature of your Reiryoku!” Shiroganehiko nodded to the Martial Artist turned Shinigami.

Indeed, Tatsuki’s cannonball wasn’t perfectly round. The edges occasionally wavered and the top seemed to have wispy Reiryoku leaking off of it like smoke from a smoldering ember. But the cannonball was still solid and strong, despite the obvious differences from Orihime’s.

“Mr. Chad?” Koganehiko looked at the cannonball formed around Chad. The teen had both of his arms transformed and the Reiryoku flowed out of the reishukaku strongly. “Whoa! It’s a little unstable, but it’s strong!” The cannonball around Chad almost seemed to be vibrating as he fueled it with his Reiryoku.

“Don’t bother with this guy…” Ganju dismissed Ichigo with a scoff and a bored look on his face.

“Shit up, pig straddler!” Ichigo beaned Ganju in the head with the reishukaku. “You’re supposed to be helping! But you haven’t said a damn word of advice since you got here!”

“You little…” Ganju growled at Ichigo, holding the reishukaku in his hands. “It’s not my fault that you can’t even figure out how to put your Reiryoku into an object!”

“Still arguing, huh?” Tatsuki rolled her eyes at Ganju and Ichigo’s back and forth.

Orihime let out a cute, but strained, chuckle. “Ehehehe…”

“They got off on the wrong foot, and now neither of them is willing to listen to the other.” Chad easily pointed out the problem between the impromptu instructor and student.

“It is about dinner time.” Shiroganehiko mentioned, looking at a pocket watch.

Koganehiko nodded to his brother. “Let us get prepared for dinner, while these two work out their issues.”

“I don’t mind waiting.” Orihime shook her head.

“Not in any rush, myself.” Tatsuki agreed with her girlfriend.

“It’s fine, you guys go get dinner.” Ichigo looked over at them with a slight smile, though his eyes showed that his thoughts were directed inwards. “I’ll be right there, as soon as I get this down.”

“Right.” Chad nodded to his best friend. Trusting that Ichigo would succeed, and wanting to give him the space that he needed to do so.

“Are you sure, Ichigo?” Orihime asked gently.

Ichigo gave her a genuine smile, one that never failed to make Orihime smile back. “I’m fine, Orihime. Please, go eat.”

“You heard him, Hime-chan.” Tatsuki teased Orihime, poking her flat tummy. “I can hear your stomach growling already.” The look that she and Ichigo shared was a short conversation in and of itself.

“Tatsuki…” Orihime whined and pouted cutely at her girlfriend.

The door closed behind the group and left Ichigo and Ganju alone.

It was a few minutes later that Ganju broke the silence while Ichigo was focusing on the reishukaku.

“You’re really pushing yourself.” Ganju mentioned, pointing out that Ichigo had sweat running down his face from the effort he’d been putting into his practicing. “Is it that important for you to save this Shinigami?”

“Absolutely.” Ichigo’s one word response made Ganju blink.

Ganju sighed after a second. “Did you promise that you’d save her, or something?”

“No.” Ichigo replied, looking at the reishukaku like he was trying to puzzle it out.

“Then it’s about money!” Ganju grinned, making motions with his hands as if he was tossing money into the air. “You’re getting paid to save her!”

“Your money is no good in the Living World, moron.” Ichigo looked at Ganju like he was stupid. “And I don’t need to be paid to save her.”

Ganju narrowed his eyes at Ichigo’s response. “Then why’re you trying so hard?! I don’t get it…”

“I love her.” Ichigo’s answer stopped Ganju cold. “Before we even knew each other, she saved my life. I haven’t repaid her for that yet. She gave her powers to me…a complete stranger…so that I could save my family. And that’s why she’s in trouble. Right now she’s waiting to be executed.” Ichigo turned to face Ganju with his amber eyes like glowing steel. “I’m not letting her die without a fight. Even if I have to take on the entire Seireitei in the process.”

Ganju didn’t know how to respond to that. It was a level of sheer determination and conviction that he’d never seen before. But it did echo with something that he himself held dear. Something that he’d turned a blind eye to and ignored since the death of his older brother.

“You’re thinking of it as two separate processes.” Ganju pointed out to Ichigo.

“Huh?” Ichigo looked at Ganju in confusion.

“You can cast Kidō, right?” Ganju asked, and received a nod of confirmation from Ichigo. “You have a Zanpakutō that you flow your Reiryoku into?” Another nod from Ichigo. “Then stop thinking of them as two different things.”

“Explain.” Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he looked between the reishukaku and Ganju.

“You’ve really got no talent, huh?” Ganju sighed heavily at Ichigo not getting it. “Throw yourself into the circle…but channel the power into the reishukaku, rather than making it form into a Kidō. Even an idiot should be able to do that much.”

“Ah…” Ichigo’s eyes widened as he recalled doing the same thing only once before…when he’d poured his Reiryoku into the Asauchi to give Shingetsu a true form.

No one could’ve expected what happened next.

-Dining Room-

“You guys feel that?” Tatsuki questioned as a sensation of being pulled to her right occurred.

“Yes.” Chad nodded, feeling the same thing.

“It’s affecting my food too.” Orihime mentioned, dropping a piece of her grilled fish from her chopsticks, only for the small piece of food to fall at an angle, rather than straight down.

-Sitting Room-

“The fuck?” Kūkaku noticed the sake she was pouring for Yoruichi flow against gravity and off to the side of the saucer.

“I believe we should go check on Ichigo.” Yoruichi was already heading for the door.

Kūkaku hopped up to her feet and followed after the black cat.

-Basement Dojo-

The shoji door hit the other side of the frame as Kūkaku threw it aside with more force than necessary. “What the hell is going on?!”

Ganju, who was sitting on the tatami and just staring at the center of the large room, managed to speak after a second. “S-Sorry, Sis… I just corrected what he was doing wrong… I had no idea this would happen…”

In the center of the room was a massive sphere of dark navy Reiryoku with indigo along the edges. A vague humanoid silhouette could be seen floating in the center of the sphere of power. Before the group’s very eyes, the orb shrank, seemingly collapsing in on itself and growing darker as it did so. When it was at the same size as the cannonballs that the other three had produced, it stopped shrinking and slowly began to grow lighter. The cannonball went from pitch-black, to a dark indigo, a dark navy blue, a dark blue, blue, and then the translucent light blue that the others had made.

“I did it!” Ichigo smiled at his accomplishment. Seemingly not realizing that everything in the large house, that hadn’t been nailed down, had shifted towards him during his display of power.

“Good job, Ichigo!” Orihime beamed at her boyfriend, throwing her hands above her head.

“Thanks!” Ichigo turned to smile at his girlfriend. But as his focus split, the edges of his cannonball buzzed and wavered fiercely.

“You idiot! Don’t lose focus!” Kūkaku yelled at Ichigo, her eyes locked onto the cannonball around him.

“Eh?” Ichigo blinked just as a large crack formed on one side of the cannonball.

BOOM

The explosion of force shook the whole house.

Chad, Tatsuki, and Orihime could only stare as Kūkaku raised her hand and a transparent barrier appeared between them and the blast. They only felt the floor shake beneath their feet, the Bakudō between them negating everything else. When the dust cleared, Ichigo lay on the floor, a wisp of smoke rising off his prone body.

“DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?!” Kūkaku stormed over to Ichigo and panted her foot firmly on the back of his head, forcing it against the floor. “I told you, that if any one of you loses focus, it’s Boom! Didn’t I?!” She stomped on his head once. “Didn’t I say that?! Huh?!”

“Yes…yes you did, ma’am…” Ichigo’s voice was rough as he coughed into the hard floor, unable to move his head.

“Then did you do it on purpose?” Kūkaku was now grinding her foot onto Ichigo’s head, looking down at him with an unamused glare as she questioned him.

Yoruichi was sitting beside the door watching the spectacle with a look that was far too amused by Ichigo’s situation.

“Serves you right, dandelion-head.” Ganju snickered at Ichigo’s predicament.

“YOU’RE EQUALLY GUILTY, YOU FOOL!” Kūkaku was suddenly right beside Ganju, her fist drilling into the side of his head and knocking him to the floor.

“OOF!” Ganju hacked out as his head bounced off the floor once and he laid prone, blood flowing from his mouth from the punch. “Wh-Why?”

“You know why!” Kūkaku glared down at her little brother.

“Hah! Take that!” Ichigo had pushed himself up in time to see Ganju get decked by Kūkaku.

Speaking up proved to be the wrong idea though.

Kūkaku’s foot came down on Ichigo’s head again, grinding it into the floor painfully.

“Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Ichigo flailed underneath the powerful stomp, unable to remove Kūkaku’s leg from his head.

-Later-

After having practiced a bit more to get a feel for the reishukaku (this time under Kūkaku and Yoruichi’s watch), Ichigo was sent off to get dinner and a bath.

Ichigo had been surprised to find his shihakushō had been cleaned and folded, waiting for him when he’d finished bathing. Apparently, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko worked damn fast when they were motivated. After getting dressed again, he was met by Tatsuki and Orihime.

“Yoruichi and Kūkaku wanted to speak with us for some reason.” Tatsuki informed Ichigo, taking his right hand with her left and interlacing their fingers.

“Okay, I guess.” Ichigo smiled at Tatsuki, leaning forward to kiss her lips softly. Just a simple show of affection, given they were in someone else’s house.

“They mentioned the three of us specifically, I wonder why?” Orihime mimicked Tatsuki, taking Ichigo’s left hand and entwining their fingers with a bright smile. She and Ichigo shared their own soft and sweet kiss, which made Orihime giggle happily.

“Let’s go find out.” Ichigo figured it couldn’t be anything too crazy, given that they were going to be blasted into Seireitei soon enough. It didn’t get much crazier than that!

-Sitting Room-

“You three are here, good.” Kūkaku motioned to the three cushions set out for them on the tatami. “Sit, sit… We have something to talk about.”

“What’s this about?” Ichigo asked as the three sat down. He looked over at Yoruichi, who was sitting beside Kūkaku.

“I believe that Kūkaku would like to ask you a favor.” Yoruichi answered, the black cat’s tail swaying back and forth slowly.

“A favor?” Tatsuki raised an eyebrow at the beautiful woman.

“What is it?” Orihime tilted her head curiously.

Kūkaku finished off the saucer of sake that she had in her hand and set it down. “Orihime… What are the limitations of your Zanpakutō’s Shikai?”

“Um…I’m not one-hundred percent sure.” Orihime admitted sheepishly. “We only had a short time to train together after I was able to hear her voice for the first time.”

“Is it a healing ability, or a restoration ability?” Kūkaku’s next question was more pointed.

“Neither.” Orihime shook her head. “It’s a rejection ability.”

That got her blank looks from everyone else.

“Hmm?” Orihime looked at each of them in turn. “What?”

“We need you to explain that a little better, Orihime.” Tatsuki mentioned as a small smile crossed her lips. Orihime was just too cute.

“Sure thing!” Orihime smiled and looked at Kūkaku. “Permission to draw my Zanpakutō?” Asking permission in someone else’s home seemed like the right thing to do.

“Go ahead.” Kūkaku bid her to continue.

Orihime picked up her kodachi from where it was lying on the tatami next to her cushion. She unsheathed the blade before speaking the release command. “Reject, Shun Shun Rikka.” The sword, hilt and all, glowed orange before dispersing into energy that quickly reformed into six crescent blades that slowly circled through the air around Orihime, each one looking similar to a bird in flight. “This is my Shun Shun Rikka, isn’t she cute?” Orihime lightly caught one of the floating blades, let it spin on her fingertip, and then returned it to its floating path around her.

“That’s one way to describe it.” Kūkaku shrugged, not unfamiliar with Zanpakutō that changed entirely upon releasing their Shikai.

“The effect it has is dependent on the number of links that I use.” Orihime explained as the six blades floated above their heads. Three started to follow each other in a circle. Two others did the same a little to the right. And on the left a lone blade hovered in the air by itself. “Three links forms a shield that rejects everything on the outside. Two links forms a space that rejects everything on the inside. And one link rejects on both sides, splitting whatever it passes through in two.” The basic rundown of her Shikai made Kūkaku eye the floating blades with curiosity. Yoruichi, Ichigo, and Tatsuki already knew this, but it was still quite the versatile ability that even Orihime was only just beginning to understand.

“I fail to see how rejection is going to do what you think it can.” Kūkaku deadpanned at Yoruichi.

“You won’t know unless you ask her.” Yoruichi replied back, the cat’s masculine voice pointedly reminding Kūkaku that she was the one that needed to ask for the favor.

“Ask me/her what?” Orihime, Tatsuki, and Ichigo all asked at the same time.

“Jinx!” Orihime giggled brightly at her boyfriend and girlfriend. This naturally got smiles from both Ichigo and Tatsuki. They wouldn’t change Orihime for anything.

“Hah…” Kūkaku exhaled heavily. “Guess I’ll just ask then.” Her sharp eyes found Orihime’s soft and warm gaze. “Could you do anything about my arm?” She moved the stump a bit to draw Orihime’s eyes to it. “I’m willing to do a lot if there’s a way to get it back.”

“I can try.” Orihime smiled gently at Kūkaku, nothing but kindness and a genuine desire to help on her face and in her voice.

“Thank you.” Kūkaku smiled back at the girl as she used her left hand to undo the white bandages wrapped around the end of the stump.

“Sōten Kisshun, I reject.” Orihime spoke and two of her floating blades flew over to hover near the remaining part of Kūkaku’s arm. Between the two crescent blades an oval of orange Reiryoku formed as the Zanpakutō sought to fulfill the desire of its wielder.

Nothing seemed to happen.

Yoruichi, Tatsuki, Chad, and Ichigo all watched on as nothing changed about Kūkaku’s stump of a right arm.

Orihime’s expression became sharp and focused. Her eyes narrowing as she poured more Reiryoku into her Zanpakutō. The orange glow intensified, becoming bright enough that it was hard to look at.

“You can do it, Orihime!” Shun Shun Rikka called out from within Orihime; cheering her on as she tried to reject the loss of Kūkaku’s arm that had probably happened before Orihime herself had even been born.

The seconds turned into minutes, and Kūkaku began to lose hope. Two minutes in and she resigned herself to not getting her arm back. At the three minute mark, she was about to tell Orihime to stop, but then she felt and her breath nearly caught in her throat. Kūkaku’s head whipped around and she watched in stunned shock as her stump was no longer a stump…but her lost right arm piecing itself back together from seemingly nothing. A few moments later and the orange oval of Reiryoku faded away as the two blades returned to floating lazily around Orihime.

“Woo…” Orihime exhaled, looking a bit worn out. “That took a lot more than anything else I’ve done, so far.” She laughed lightly, only to be pulled into Ichigo’s arms. “Thank you, Ichigo.” She nuzzled into him with a smile.

“Don’t forget about me, Hime-chan.” Tatsuki scooted over to lean into Orihime, putting the orangette into her favorite place in the world; between her boyfriend and girlfriend.

“It’s actually back…” Kūkaku stared at her right arm, even as she flexed her fingers and then formed a fist. “It’s like it was never gone…”

“You did amazing, Orihime.” Tatsuki kissed her girlfriend’s cheek softly.

Ichigo kissed the top of her head. “You’re incredible, Orihime.”

“Ehehehe…” Orihime giggled as she enjoyed being snuggled between them both.

“Koganehiko! Shiroganehiko! Grab the good sake and find Ganju! We’re celebrating!” Kūkaku called out loudly, a wild smile on her face as she stood up and threw a few punches with both arms, shadow boxing the air at a blurring speed.

“Kūkaku-sama?!” Shiroganehiko entered the room and stopped dead.

“Shiba-sama?!” Koganehiko matched his brother, stopping dead in his tracks and just staring at Kūkaku as they’d known her years and years ago, whole and complete.

“Hurry up, you two!” Kūkaku grinned at the last two loyal retainers of the Shiba Clan. “We’ve got something to celebrate for the first time in a long time!” She laughed brightly.

“Kūkaku-sama!” Both large men had fountains of tears pouring from their eyes in pure joy at seeing their Lady happy and whole.

“Sis?! What’s all the noise?!” Ganju came tromping down the corridor loudly and shoved his way into the room.

Chad peeked into the room from the doorway, having followed Ganju as the man dashed down the hallway after hearing the loud exclamation from his sister.

“Ganju!” Kūkaku smiled at her little brother and flexed her right arm. “Go grab those idiot buddies of yours! We’re celebrating!”

“Ku-Kūkaku…your…your arm…” Ganju nearly stumbled forward in shock as he saw Kūkaku with both of her arms again. “Is this real?” His right hand touched the restored arm. Ganju felt the warmth, the softness of the skin, and after holding it for a moment, he even felt his sister’s pulse through her right arm. “H-How?” Tears were threatening to spill form the corners of his eyes as he looked at his older sister for an explanation.

“Thank her.” Kūkaku pointed at Orihime after freeing her right arm from Ganju’s grip.

Ganju nearly slammed his full body into the tatami mats as he dropped into dogeza. “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I can never repay you for this; but I’ll spend my life trying to! I swear it!”

Revelry was in the air within the Shiba house that night, Ganju’s lackies joining in along with Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko. Yoruichi wisely decided to usher her four charges out of the room before Kūkaku decided to get them all wasted on the good sake. The black cat made sure that the four of them were in the room set aside for them as sleeping quarters, complete with four separate futons, before following the noise towards the larger meeting room from earlier. The party had clearly moved and Yoruichi needed to make sure that both Kūkaku and Ganju didn’t get so drunk that they couldn’t launch the Flower Crane Cannon tomorrow.

-The Next Morning-

“I hope you three slept well.” Yoruichi looked over the four of them.

“Well enough.” Ichigo shrugged to the cat.

Kūkaku looked around for a moment. “Where’s Ganju?”

“Right here, Sis!” Ganju ran around the side of the house in a new outfit and with a long folded paper in his left hand, that was trailing behind him slightly. He panted a little before straightening up. “Heroes always show up late!” He gave the group a thumbs up.

“Why’re you dressed like that?” Tatsuki questioned, looking at the new outfit.

Ganju’s new outfit consisted of a white kosode, over which he wore a green vest. He had a green bandana over his black hair, and black pants on his legs that had white swirl designs on each leg. The same design that the four visitors had seen on many things within Kūkaku’s home. On his forearms, Ganju wore special guards, and on his back was a small barrel-like container and beneath that was his cleaver style sword in its sheath.

“Hahaha! You like it?” Ganju laughed as he proudly threw his chest forward. “It’s my custom-made battle costume! Cool, huh?”

“Battle costume?” Ichigo raised an eyebrow at Ganju’s words. “You’re just here to see us off, so why do you need a battle costume?”

Ganju took several steps forward and got right in Ichigo’s face. He stared hard into Ichigo’s eyes before he spoke again. “My older brother was killed by a Shinigami!” Ichigo, Orihime, and Tatsuki all went wide-eyed, and Chad nearly flinched at the sudden and unexpected revelation.

“Ganju!” Kūkaku barked at her little brother, her Reiatsu beginning to fill the air and crush everyone.

“Shut up and listen! You too, Sis!” Ganju bellowed loudly, his volume and the fact that he’d talked back actually making Kūkaku relent and look at him in surprise. Locking eyes with Ichigo again, Ganju continued. “My brother was special. He made it through the entire Shinigami Academy in just two years. While he was still in the Academy, his Reiryoku was already as strong as a Lieutenant’s. He joined the main force of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and in just five years he was made Lieutenant.” Ganju ground his teeth for a second. “Then he was killed! Betrayed by the Shinigami he thought of as friends!” His eyes darkened as he thought back to that horrible day. “I was just a kid back then, so I don’t remember all of the details, but there are two things that I’ll never forget… That the Shinigami that dragged my brother, mangled and dying, to our house had a face like a demon’s, cold and empty... And that my brother smiled and thanked that Shinigami in the end!”

Shiroganehiko and Koganehiko both had tears in the corners of their eyes as they listened and also recalled that day, so long ago.

“I don’t know why my brother did that… But I can say one thing for sure. He never hated the Shinigami.” Ganju knew it in his heart and always had, but he’d chosen to hate them for taking his brother away all the same. “I want to know why. Why didn’t he hate the ones that betrayed and killed him? Why did he believe in them until the very end?” Ganju grabbed Ichigo by the front of his shihakushō. “You three aren’t like other Shinigami, that’s the feeling I get! If I go with you, maybe I’ll find something out. I owe Orihime as well…and that’s why I’m going to help you out!”

“Ganju…” Orihime wanted to tell him that he didn’t owe her anything, but Tatsuki’s hand on her shoulder stopped the orangette. Seeing Tatsuki shake her head slightly made Orihime realize that Ganju’s reasoning was his own, and they shouldn’t speak against it.

“I’m willing to go into the heart of enemy territory to learn what a Shinigami really is!” Ganju spoke strongly, his meaning only known by Kūkaku, Shiroganehiko, and Koganehiko.

“Ganju! He’s grown to be such a fine young man!” Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko couldn’t hold back anymore. The two men nearly bawling at seeing Ganju finally willing to take the first step to moving beyond his older brother’s death.

“Ha!” Kūkaku smirked at her little brother’s words. “Sounds like your mind’s made up. Well, don’t come crying back to me, you little punk!” Her smirked turned into a ferocious grin. “If you go in there, you’d better be ready to die!”

“I am!” Ganju declared loudly, not backing down.

“Hey.” Ichigo smacked Ganju’s hand off his shihakushō and grabbed the front of Ganju’s shirt, nearly headbutting the other man when he jerked him closer. “Welcome aboard.” Ichigo welcomed Ganju into the rescue mission for Rukia.

“Hmph!” Ganju knocked Ichigo’s hand aside with a grin as the two separated.

“You better be ready, because there’s no going back now, kiddies!” Kūkaku laughed as she turned towards the Flower Crane Cannon. “Let’s go!” The group approached the towering cannon, and Kūkaku spoke to Ganju. “Did you master it?”

“Sort of.” Ganju replied truthfully.

“Fine then, we’ll go with the Flower Crane Cannon launch method two.” Kūkaku looked at her little brother. “Can you do it?”

“Y-Yes.” Ganju nodded to her.

WHAM

Kūkaku slammed her fist into the side of the cannon and everyone saw it open in a spiral pattern, identical to the one on both Kūkaku’s red robe and Ganju’s pants. “Everyone, get in! Hurry it up!” All six of the soon-to-be invaders walked into the Flower Crane Cannon and the wall spiraled closed behind them.

Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko hurriedly wrapped special ropes around the cannon, four lines going off int the cardinal directions and staked into the ground. Kūkaku used a massive calligraphy brush to paint a circle around the base of the cannon. Every step had a reason, and none of them could be skipped if the Flower Crane Cannon was to be have a successful launch.

“The sun will rise soon.” Kūkaku saw the first rays of light begin to peek over the horizon. “That’s our cue to begin the launching ceremony.” Once the black circle was finished, Kūkaku tossed the giant calligraphy brush aside.

Inside the Flower Crane Cannon, Yoruichi sat atop the reishukaku that was held by the other five. “Listen. Stay close together once we enter the Seireitei. If you meet anyone of the Captain class, flee immediately. Our goal is to rescue Rukia and only that. Do not take unnecessary risks!”

Kūkaku felt the rays of the morning sun on her back and unsheathed her Zanpakutō form her left hip, once more wearing it where it had always been before losing her right arm. She knelled down onto the platform and stabbed the tip of her Zanpakutō into the wood. “Far away! Copper-colored greed desires the domination of thirty-six degrees!”

“It’s starting! Combined your Reiryoku!” Yoruichi instructed.

With the power of all six of them flowing into it, the reishukaku produced an immensely powerful cannonball.

“Seventy-two pairs of legends! Thirteen pairs of horns! The right hand of the monkey grabs the star!” Kūkaku pulled off her white head wrap with her left hand and the cloth wrapped around the limb as if it was alive. A second later and Kūkaku’s entire arm along with the cloth burst into flames. She punched the black circle with her flaming fist and the fire traveled down her arm and into the ink, leaving not a single blemish upon Kūkaku’s skin. The ink ignited as if it was gunpowder, twin lines of flame racing around the base of the cannon before meeting up and then rocketing up the side of the Flower Crane Cannon. “Embraced by the twenty-five wheels of the sun, the cradle of sand bleeds! Flower Crane Cannon Launch Method Two! Kagizaki!”

BOOOOOOM

The Flower Crane Cannon blasted the cannonball high into the air. Smoke was sent racing across the ground form the base of the tower along with a massive gust of air. The rumbling of the explosion echoed throughout the air for a long moment.

“You did it, Kūkaku-sama!” Shiroganehiko praised her.

“It was a complete success!” Koganehiko declared with a nod.

“Be careful in there, Ganju.” Kūkaku looked up at the pale blue sphere in the sky that she’d just launched. As much as she berated him when he did stupid things, he was still her little brother, and she cared about his safety.

-Cannonball-

“I expected a stronger jolt.” Ichigo mentioned as the cannonball hung in the air, the ground far, far below them.

“Idiot, it’s coming!” Ganju smirked just as the cannonball reached the apex of its launch.

With a sudden shift, the cannonball shot off in the direction of the Seireitei at insane speed.

“Holy shit!” Tatsuki cursed as they blitzed through the sky.

Ganju reached into his shirt and pulled out the long folded paper he’d had earlier.

“The hell are you doing?” Ichigo questioned the man.

“Part two!” Ganju informed the group as a whole. “Flower Crane Cannon Launch Method Two is a two-part incantation! Part one controls the launch and direction, but part two controls acceleration and trajectory! This method allows precision guidance! Now, if you want to make a safe landing, don’t bother me!”

“Fine!” Ichigo let Ganju do his thing.

“Now then everybody, listen up!” Ganju addressed the group. “In order for us to land safely inside the Seireitei, we have to adjust this cannonball’s trajectory! And to do that, we have to even out the discharge of our Reiryoku! Now, I’m starting the ceremony! I won’t be able to monitor your Reiryoku once I begin! I want all of you to match your Reiryoku level to mine!” He nodded to the reishukaku. “You’ll be able to feel each other’s Reiryoku input through this, so just adjust accordingly! If we mess this up, we’re finished! So concentrate!”

“Right!” Orihime nodded.

“Got it.” Chad confirmed as well.

“Let’s go.” Tatsuki evened out her breathing as best as she could.

“Okay.” Ichigo tried to feel out the agreed upon Reiryoku level within the reishukaku.

“Flower Crane Cannon launch method two, part two!” Ganju began and spread out the long paper. “The fate of the three sparrows, the fate of the four dragons, enclosed on five sides, unable to return six Ri. Winds of heaven, orangutan, spoon, elm, cane…”

“Ichigo, that’s a bit too much.” Orihime spoke up as Ichigo’s Reiryoku began to climb past the set amount.

“Sorry.” Ichigo flowed more of his Reiryoku into himself, containing it in a cycle rather than letting it out through his palm.

“A thousand ashes and a thousand truths, the plan of the white clouds…” Ganju continued the chant.

“A bit lower, Ichigo.” Chad mentioned as Ichigo’s powerful Reiryoku was still threatening to tip the balance of the reishukaku.

“Got it…just a second.” Ichigo grimaced as he tried to pull even more back from the orb in the center.

“Close to the moon, not stepping on the shadow of scarlet…” Ganju’s brow began to twitch at the talking around him.

“Almost there, Ichigo.” Tatsuki encouraged him as the equilibrium between all of their Reiryoku was nearly there.

“Yeah…shit!” Ichigo ground his teeth as he couldn’t withdraw more…his Reiryoku control was already straining to redirect the flow within him as it was.

“A thousand ashes and a thousand truths, the plan of the white clouds…” Ganju’s eyes widened as he realized he’d been distracted by the constant talking. “You idiot! I read the same line twice because of you!”

“How is that my fault?!” Ichigo yelled back at him.

“I was distracted by everyone telling you to fix your Reiryoku!” Ganju shouted at Ichigo.

“Ganju, Ichigo, stop it!” Orihime actually glared at the two.

“We really don’t have time!” Tatsuki agreed with Orihime.

“Hey…” Chad spoke up, looking in the direction that they were flying. “Look at that!”

The cannonball was rapidly approaching the Seireitei with no time to try and control where it would impact on the invisible barrier around it.

-Seireitei-

“What’s that sound?” A tall Shinigami with a Captain’s haori over his shihakushō questioned, looking up into the sky. His black hair was styled into long points, each tipped with a small bell. He had a black eyepatch over his right eye, and his face and body were covered by scars, his face sporting a long one that started at his forehead, went over his left eye, and all the way down his cheek to his chin.

Skreeeeeeeeeeee

“Wha-What’s that?!” Renji looked up at the glowing ball rocketing towards the Seireitei.

“It’s coming down! Momo, move everyone back!” Captain Aizen ordered his Lieutenant.

“Yes, sir!” Momo complied instantly, ushering the nearby Shinigami to retreat to a safe distance.

“It’s coming right at us!”

“Run!”

Shinigami ran from the incoming object, never having seen anything like it before. All over Seireitei alarms rang for the unexpected event, mobilizing every Shinigami to their battle stations.

-Cannonball-

“We’re going to crash!” Yoruichi started belting out instructions, seeing as the second half of the launch had failed. “We have no choice! Infuse the reishukaku with all of the Reiryoku that you’ve got! Harden the cannonball as much as possible!”

Ichigo was now at an advantage as he let loose his Reiryoku and flooded the reishukaku with his power. The cannonball visibly darkened as it was overloaded. The contributions of Ganju, Tatsuki, Chad, and Orihime were also substantial, nearly making the cannonball vibrate from the sheer power input. Yoruichi held back though, not wanting to shatter the reishukaku with the amount of Reiryoku the cat was capable of channeling.

“Now!” Ichigo roared just before the cannonball hit the barrier.

BAKOOM

Every Shinigami that saw the impact nearly had the sight seared into their eyes. The incredibly dense Reiryoku that slammed into the Sekiseki barrier caused a chain reaction that sent intensely bright arcs of Reiryoku across the surface of the barrier. Some would swear it looked like a flower, others a crane with its wings spread. But the sheer contrast of the light compared to the morning sun made it look as though someone had imprinted an image onto the very sky itself, like a tattoo.

-End Chapter-

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Seireitei break-in…partially successful?

It certainly leaves an impression!

What happens next as the ryoka smash their way onto Seireitei?

Kūkaku got her arm restored!

Orihime’s power is fucking insane!

But now the Head of the Noble Shiba Clan has her full power back!

Me thinks that might just alter some things coming up in the near future!

How does Seireitei respond to this unprecedented attack?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I get your reviews, later!