'Weak'
'Disappointing'
'Brought all the way to another world.....and still so pathetic'
'You had one single moment of usefulness...then what?'
'She's dead'
'All because you're weak...in both heart....and soul'
'Mike.'
"Aaaaaaahhhhh" (Kagami)
"Calm down! Kagami! It was only a nightmare.' (Tatsuki)
"*huff *huff ...Tat...suki?" (Kagami)
"Yeah it's me.....guess somewhere along the lines you must've hit your head huh?" (Tatsuki)
"*huff I'll be *huff* fine. How's everybody else?" (Kagami)
"Well.....Ichigo's pretty banged up but he woke up not too long ago. Uryu's gone but he's laying low. And myself, Chad and Inoue are fully healed. You've been asleep for nearly 30 hours." (Tatsuki)
"So I'm the last to get up huh?" (Kagami)
'Weak'
"To be fair, Mr Urahara said your condition was actually more severe than Ichigo's. Apparently one of the guys did some healing thing to him so he was in the clear..... But whatever it was that you used left you in a pretty delicate state. Th-there weren't many wounds but....but you were just in so much pain. *sob* For hours we'd take turns watching over you...but you just kept having these.....seizures. *sob" (Tatsuki)
'Pathetic'
"..." (Kagami)
"....Are you....are you okay?" (Tatsuki)
"I'm fine.....just need a little time to sort everything out." (Kagami)
"Okay.....dinner's in an hour." (Tatsuki)
TOCK
"..." (Kagami)
BANG
"Damn it!" (Kagami)
'You...Are...Weak'
***************
"So how is he?" (Orihime)
"He's....he says he's fine but he's definitely not.... He hasn't even asked about Yoruichi...." (Tatsuki)
'And he's having nightmares....mike..' (Tatsuki)
....
"Most likely Kagami-kun already knows.... He's a smart kid...and is aware of how dangerous that situation was. He knows there's no way he could've gotten out of there without some sacrifices." (Kisuke)
An awkward silence spread throughout the room as those present became ocuupied in their own thoughts. Especially Ichigo and Kisuke, who both felt that there was more they could have done to change the outcome of this last fight.
'Even now you don't ask for help....you knew what they would do to you yet even till the end you never asked for help..... Am I really going to run from Soul Society for the rest of my life?' (Kisuke)
'They took her...I was right there yet I was useless. Maybe if I had listen to Kagami.... If I had kept on running he might've gotten her out of there. If I wasn't so focused on trying to fight him. If it was him he could've gotten her out..... If. If. IF!!' (Ichigo)
BANG
"*whispers Why can I seem to protect anyone?" (Ichigo)
***************
27 hours earlier in Soul Society
(3 hours after the battle)
""Greetings Head Captain"" x24
"...." (Head Captain Yamamoto)
In a small part of Soul Society there lay a room that while small, currently housed all the Captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13....except one.
Standing at the head of the group was an old man that would pass for a pensioner if seen on Earth. But here he was known as the Head Captain of the thirteen Court Guard Squads. The strongest man in Sereitei, Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
"I take it you all know why I've gathered you here?" (Yamamoto)
....
"In the latest venture into the world of the living, 200 Soul Reapers were deployed along with the 10th and 3rd squad's Captains and lieutenants. The area they were sent to was Japan's Karakura town where there was huge Hollow event some time prior. This later lead to another Hollow outbreak that took the lives of 126 of our brothers and left our very own Captain Kuchiki severly wounded. Captain Unohana! An update on his condition please?" (Yamamoto)
"Yes sir. Testemonies state the attack that hit him was near instantaneous and cleanly separated the areas it touched, on this case his entire left arm and 2 fifths of his left foot... The....peculiar part is that it was done in a way that should make it easy to rejoin....but the severed pieces act as if they were there own entities...as if they've now become their own puzzles intsead of being pieces of an already existing puzzle." (Unohana)
"Ohhh? How fascinating!" (Mayuri)
"Indeed but while that may be fascinating I'm afraid of what that spells for Captain Kuchiki. It would seem whatever attack that was severed every form of connection two things might share...." (Unohana)
....
"...A 2nd deployment revealed that the previous captains of the 2nd and 12th squad may have something to do with this. They have gathered a force of humans with abilities and are harboring the Quincy responsible. The one responsible for the attack on Captain Kuchiki was also one of these special ability humans." (Yamamoto)
"Oh? So yer saying there's a guy out there that's pretty strong huh? Maybe it's time I take a stroll over to the world of the living?" (Kenpachi)
"I'm afraid that won't work.....the one who did that seemed to not exist yet exist at the same time.... While in brief conversation with him, I made several attempts at scanning and placing a tracker....sorry to say but they were all in vain. I would have loved to bring him back and find out all the li-" (Mayuri)
"Yeah I'm not big on that whole sensing thing. I have my own way of finding strong guys. I'm out of here." (Kenpachi)
"Ken-chan wait for me!" (Yachiru)
"Stay where you are!" (Yamamoto)
...
"There will be an order to things! First we must ensure the punishment to those captured. Which includes the traitor, Yoruichi Shihouin, as well as Rukia Kuchiki who had given her powers to a human and then aided Kisuke's group in their defiance of Soul Societies duty. The punishment for Yoruichi has already been decided. The Shihouin family has asked that she be turn over to them for her to be sentence to undergo the Seishokai!" (Yamamoto)
"Wha-" (Joushiro)
"Oh?" (Mayuri)
"What? B-but sir? Wasn't the Seishokai banned over 600 years ago? To bring back such an extreme punishment is-" (Soifon)
"Not our decision to make! It was decided long ago that when she became a captain if ever something like this were to happen they'd reserve the role of punishing her..... I'm sorry. I too would've liked to have heard her reasons." (Yamamoto)
"...yes sir." (Soifon)
"In addition, Rukia Kuchiki will be executed in 30 days by way of the Sōkyoku!" (Yamamoto)
"!!!" x17
"This too has already been decided and by the council of 46....." (Yamamoto)
....
"I know some of you may have some doubts and suspicions about recent matters. But I ask that we stand fast in these times. Ours brothers did not fall in battle to see us falter! Their sacrifices will be honored and remembered but above all, know this....
On the eve of the 31st day, we shall march forth and raze Urahara Kisuke and his motley crew to the ground! And we shall have no mercy till our fallen comrades find peace!" (Yamamoto)
'31 days huh? Could this be what he meant? His words may have some merit after all. How interesting. Maybe I should look into the other thing he mentioned. Who could the traitor be?' (Mayuri)
***************
Kagami couldn't sleep that night. Normally he'd spend the time planning about how he'd make it through the next arc, but now? He was unsure if it would even happen. The battle wasn't as flashy as later ones but it was intense enough for Ichigo to understand how clearly outmatched he was. Would he even still want to go?
'Would I even still go?' (Kagami)
"....." (Kagami)
Since coming to this world, Kagami felt what it was like to want something and feel motivated to get it. He felt that everything was finally right and fair. You wanted strength? Train. You wanted to reach the top? Work for it. So simple yet so right. Everything felt so much freer especially considering he was definitely willing to work for it!
His main issue with his old life was how overcomplicated everything was. You wanted to be great? Your placement was basically decided by birth. You wanted to elevate yourself? Those at the top would never let you climb higher than them, while those below you tried to drag you down. There were so many shortcuts and scams that no one could trust anyone. So much negativity. Hate. And just when he had escaped it all.... Maybe life was the same in all worlds. Life just sucked in general. Maybe it might've been better if he had....
"Patheti-"
KNOCK KNOCK
"Hey Kagami! .....Can I talk to you for a bit?" (Ichigo)
"Umm? Sure I guess." (Kagami)
TOCK
"...." (Ichigo)
....
"....." (Kagami)
...
"...Look man. We might not have had a great start but I can tell you're a nice guy..... Maybe if I had seen that earlier.....Rukia might still be here... But she's not...and I don't know about you but I'm not going to just leave her to die even if it is her brother saying so! I'll definitely find my way to Soul Society.....and when I get there I could use your help. Let's save the both of them. Together. " (Ichigo)
"No." (Kagami)
...
"Oh....." (Ichigo)
"..." (Kagami)
"Thats....that's okay too-" (Ichigo
"We're way too weak right now.....most likely Kisuke already has a way to get us in so... Our job is to make sure that when we do get in.... No one can stop us from getting out." (Kagami)
"Oh....now that's more like it! I'll talk to the old man about getting back my powers and some training. What about you?" (Ichigo)
"Don't worry about me. I think I may have gotten a glimpse into something... Worry more about yourself. It'll be shameful if you're too far behind." (Kagami)
"Ha. Let's see if you can smile like that when I'm done. See you later man." (Ichigo)
"Yeah man..... Oh and Ichigo?" (Kagami)
"Yeah?" (Ichigo)
"Thanks man....." (Kagami)
"....No problem. I consider you a friend too." (Ichigo)
TOCK
....
....
....
"...What? Nothing more to say?" (Kagami)
...
....
....
"Let's cut the bullshit shall we? Tell me how I can get stronger!" (Kagami)
...
'I see no one taught you how to ask kindly'
"I'm kind to who deserves it. And besides.....I don't think you want to hear me asking do you?" (Kagami)
'Of course not. I can't stand weaklings...if you had given in earlier, you'd be dead right now'
"Pretty extreme behavior don't you think? Especially for what I'm sure is just my Shikai." (Kagami)
'Shikai? Oh no my boy. You could've had that months ago'
"Wha- Then wh-" (Kagami)
'What I come with is something far greater. Power. Enough to beat any Bankai'
"Whatever. I want to get stronger. Can you do it or not?" (Kagami)
'That depends on you. I'm a lot tougher than the old man y'know'
"No problem. That way Kisuke can focus on Ichigo." (Kagami)
'Oh I didn't mean him....I meant the actual old man. The one who sent you here'
"Wha-" (Kagami)
'Matter of fact you asked for this. Do you remember your wish?'
"...No way...." (Kagami)
'Indeed.... allow me to introduce myself. My name is-'
******Author's note******
So sorry for the terrible upload frequency (if this book even still has readers) but it's because I found it really boring to write this first part. I know it was needed to set up what I want to do in the later chapters but the part of the plot I originally wanted to write when I got the idea for this fic, is from now on.
What I'm saying is: this fic will see a lot more regular updates and (hopefully) an increase in quality.
As usual I prefer interacting with my readers over powerstones so feel free to leave a comment.