Towards the Future: Cave of Fulmination

This article, , is a side-story entry in Bleach: The Coven War, set during the Prologue. The chapter takes place a few weeks following Towards the Future: Kenji's Resolve, and again features Kenji Hiroshi and Van Satonaka as the main characters.

"When I said I'd help you, this is not what I had in mind."

Van, who stood behind the sitting Kenji, couldn't be faulted for that particular opinion. It wasn't often one walked into a cave in the farthest and most destitute region of Northern Rukongai and found that the interior of said cave sported weather, after all. Rain fell from the ceiling, thunder roared throughout the cavern, and lightning struck down to the ground at regular intervals.

What made this daft venture even more daft though? Kenji was sitting. Sitting! In a cave. With lightning falling from the fucking ceiling!

"You're gonna get us killed you mad bastard!" Exclaimed Van.

"You've done nothing but complain since we got here!" Kenji shot back. "Stay and help or piss off, 'cause I swear you're giving my arse a headache!"

"Judgin' by the state of this magnificent plan of yours, I'm not surprised it was concocted by your arse."

Kenji quickly got to his feet and grabbed Van by his kosode. The pair where about to enter into one of their usual arguments when a booming voice echoed throughout the cavern: "Who dares disturb my slumber?"

Van quickly pointed at Kenji. "He dares."

Kenji could only sigh as he rolled his eyes in irritation. "So much for camaraderie."

The lightning that had earlier fell at random suddenly struck down all round the pair! The two stood back-to-back with Kenji releasing his Zanpakutō, with Van quickly grasping one of the two swords. It didn't matter if he wielded one of the blades; so long as Kenji wielded the other, and the blades remained tethered together, they'd be safe from the lightning. Unlike natural lightning however these bolts where sustained and they soon converged above the pairs head!

"Begone!"

Kenji stabbed at the bolt with his blade whilst Van pointed the second blade further into the cavern. The rain suddenly intensified and the thunder roared even louder than before, but the lightning had ceased at the very least.

"Why do I get the feeling we've pissed something off?" Van asked.

"I'm inclined to agree." Kenji answered as he sweated into his sandals.

It was at that point that the ground beneath their feat began to shake! Kenji was sent tumbling to the floor as a section of the roof fell free. He looked up, cursed loudly, and rolled to the side. But all he did was delay the inevitable; the ceiling was coming down atop their heads, and the pathway they had used to get here would soon be closed off.

"Wreak Havoc, Kōsekihana!"

The falling earth and stone was held aloft by pillars of crystal that supported a massive pink-coloured ceiling. Van's Zanpakutō was truly a marvel; it allowed him to control streams of minuscule and frighteningly sharp crystal fragments, which had the effect of crystallising anything they touched. As a result the cavern, which had been about to come down atop their heads, was stable once more.

For now.

"You wanna get moving?" Van asked, his voice already straining. "I won't be fit to hold this forever, you know!"

"Why have you come here?"

Was it just Kenji or did the booming voice from before sound less menacing than it had before? Only time would tell.

"Power." Kenji answered.

"For what purpose?"

"Because we fucking need more of it!" Van shouted. He was obviously struggling to keep the entire cavern from falling in on top of them. "Why else would you need power!?"

Kenji stepped forward.

"For vengeance."

The rumbling of thunder returned stronger than ever and it almost sounded like laughter. Then lightning flashed all around; there was no escaping it, even when Kenji held his Zanpakutō aloft in an attempt to absorb it. Van and he where engulfed by it but when the pair opened their eyes they where no longer inside the cave; they where outside, and the entrance was whole once more.

As Van looked around Kenji patted his backside comically.

"I didn't shit myself, so that's something."

"Speak for yourself." Van muttered. "You know I hate lightning, right? I got struck by it once before I met you and Kei. I nearly died!"

"Then why in the name of all creation did you come to a place called the 'Cave of Fulmination'!?" Kenji exclaimed.

"Because you're my friend."

The thunder that sounded like laughter returned then and the pair found themselves surrounded by a brief surge of what appeared to be lightning. They felt power fill their bodies.

"That is the correct answer. I have granted you both a small measure of my power. Now go and let me sleep!"

The thunder ceased as quickly as it appeared and Kenji and Van where left marvelling at how much power the voice had described "as a little".

"What exactly is this place?" Van asked.

Kenji was quiet for a time before answering.

"Do you remember my grandfather?" When Van nodded Kenji continued. "He was a believer of something called the 'Yuengiri', which taught one to communicate with powerful nature spirits. He taught me the basics and told me that this cave was rumoured to be the home of ."

"... Okay, that explains the weather." Van answered. "But did it really just share its power with us?"

"You feel it, right? I know I'm stronger than I was before."

"True. But at what cost?" And that was the real question. "Now what?"

Kenji grinned. "We get you home so you can change your pants."

"Fuck you!"

End.