Meeting old Friends

This article, , serves as the introductory chapter of the Restoration arc, the second chronological story arc of Part III of Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

The Royal Palace hadn’t changed much. It was still splendid but somehow the scene was dulled somewhat. Maybe he was just older? He was happy to see his young friends as star struck as he had had been sixteen years ago though. Somehow it made him think of the past. Even though he was only looking at it from afar Itazura could tell immediately that things were different. The guard was more intensive than ever. Maybe they’d learned from his repeated attempts to elude them? Or maybe they where just cracking down on Tomoko’s escape attempts?

‘Are you alright?’

Naoko’s voice dragged him back to the present. She looked concerned. Her green eyes posed a question. Nestled behind her were Yori Hisagi and Hoshi Madarame. Of the three Naoko was the most level-headed. Calm and sure of herself, at least normally, she’d make a fine Shinigami. Yori was prone to caution, while Hoshi was prone to jump the gun. Together they balanced one another out. Naoko, however, was the drawn spit of her father, just like her companions. Yori was Shuhei looking at you and, even though she was a girl, it was obvious to all that Ikkaku was Hoshi’s father. The similarities where quite striking. He allowed himself a moment to chuckle.

‘Don’t you worry about me, Naoko,’ He smiled encouragingly. ‘I’m just reminiscing. I had a lot of fun in Heisekai.’

‘You might wanna take a look at this.’ Yori pointed towards the front gate.

Walking in completely unopposed was a man clothed completely in red armour. Long black hair spilled down his back, a gunbai sat upon his back and secured at his waist was a Zanpakutō. Itazura recognized him from the children’s description back in Soul Society.

‘This complicates things.’ Itazura whispered. ‘Naoko, draw your Zanpakutō.’ When she did so, albeit it reluctantly, Itazura struck the edge with his own Zanpakutō which created something known as resonance between them. He showed her a vision of Fujimoto Nakamura – the man he intended to meet. ‘That’s called resonance.’ He told them all. ‘Two Zanpakutō resonate with one another, showing their wielders past in the form of a vision. The man you saw, Naoko, was my mentor: Fujimoto Nakamura. Tell him to perform resonance when you meet him. He’ll see that I sent you.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Hoshi asked.

‘Create a diversion. I need to find out who that man with the armour is.’ With that he got to his feet. ‘Keep to the rooftops. Fujimoto will look after you until I come for you.’ He then looked them each over. He took Yori and Hoshi by the shoulder and looked directly at Naoko, for she was nestled between them. ‘Look after each other, all right? Together you are far from helpless. Keep each other safe, don’t act alone, and you’ll do just fine.’ He then concentrated momentarily. ‘There. That’ll mask most of your spiritual power. Now go! And don’t look back. I’ll be fine.’

The only problem with the final part of that particular statement was that it was mostly bullshit.

Miria, Lieutenant of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13, rung out a piece of white cloth before setting it on Ryan’s searing forehead. He writhed in pain but she calmed him with a sure hand. Standing behind her was old Sōritsu, Ryan’s surrogate father. The sight of scarred face still made her unsure, though he was surprisingly kind, if a little harsh at times. It was him who’d put Ryan in this state.

‘You fawn over him like a love-struck girl,’ he noted. ‘He’s endured much worse at my hands and survived.’

Miria saw red. ‘He was using his Bankai then!’

‘Do you think a Bankai makes a Shinigami little girl?’ Sōritsu snapped. ‘I killed an enemy who had stolen my Bankai with nothing more than my Shikai. Mastery is a thing you youngsters tend to overlook these days.’

‘But…!’

Miria went silent immediately. Sōritsu had her by the throat and the way he was holding her meant that she had no choice but to stare into his one good eye. All feeling left her body – she couldn’t even breathe!

‘Do not presume to lecture me, girl. You are much too young to do that.’

A fierce spiritual power surged through the room and a hand then clamped down around Sōritsu’s muscled forearm! Ryan sat up in his bed, face a thunderhead, eyes focused on Sōritsu’s one. A battle of wills commenced and, unbelievably, Miria found Ryan’s spiritual power knocking aside Sōritsu! She could breathe again.

‘Let… her… go!’

Sōritsu smiled. ‘See, girl? He can muster the resolve after all!’ He then released Miria, who fell to the floor very unceremoniously. ‘You are almost ready.’ With that Sōritsu turned on his heel and left.

‘I thought he was going to kill me.’ Miria whispered.

‘I wouldn’t let him.’

With that Ryan kicked off his blankets despite his fever and tightened the white kimono given to patients in the 4th Division around his frame. He tied up his hair with the band Miria provided before finally slipping into his straw sandals. The final act was the strapping on of his Zanpakutō.

‘Shall we then?’ He asked, offering her his arm.

‘Let’s go.’

Itazura stalked the corridors of the Royal Palace like a wraith. He knew the passageways well and had memorized the secret paths shown to him by Fujimoto, Hiei and Shiro years ago. He was fit to avoid the guards completely who, thanks to his developed Kidō abilities, completely hid his presence. Unless they saw him physically they sure as hell wouldn’t catch him. Now to find his target!

He’d been shadowing the man for nearly thirty minutes now. He really was a poor judge of his surroundings. Or maybe he just thought himself safe here? Did that make him one of the Captain-Generals of the Shuuten? Or perhaps he was a particularly high-ranking guardsman? There where too many possibilities. The only thing that even made him suspicious was that Itazura recognized him.

He continued to follow until the man entered a courtyard within the palace. Ringed with flowers the man finally came to a stop.

‘He said he’d meet me here.’ He said as he scratched his head.

Itazura knelt down behind some shrubbery and put his hand over Kouatsu’s blade for insurance. He sent a mental note for the Zanpakutō to be ready for anything, who sent back that it would be best not to unveil their Bankai just yet. Itazura grinned. That was true. Not many knew that Kouatsu allowed him to use his Bankai powers. It was the reason Kouatsu was with him now. Settling down to wait, Itazura took a deep breathe and waited…

Naoko led Yori and Hisagi across the rooftops, following the mental imprint left by Itazura’s resonance. They kept low, trusting to Itazura’s Kidō. The only path they had to follow was the one Itazura had given them. The rooftops where quite high-up so the possibility of anyone seeing them was slim, though they could still be heard if they weren’t careful. It was why they kept low and quiet.

‘This is it.’ Naoko noted.

‘Look over there.’ Yori suggested.

This high-up the three could see a fair bit into the distance. In one of the courtyards surrounded by flowers was the armoured man Itazura had left to follow. Itazura was likely nearby too. But were? They couldn’t see nor sense him.

‘He told us not to worry.’ Hoshi supplied. ‘Let’s go.’

Unable to argue Naoko turned to leave. It was only then that the three came face-to-face with a silver-haired man with his arms crossed against his chest. He sported messily spiked silver hair, a white kimono dress, and had his Zanpakutō drawn halfway from its sheath. Yori moved to strike but the man moved so swiftly neither followed it! When he reappeared he had Yori’s hand pulled back behind his head, locked in position.

‘You’re quite young for spies.’ He noted.

Naoko squinted at the man. It couldn’t be!

‘But why are you here, running across the rooftops of all places? With your spiritual power suppressed at that! Why not extinguish it completely?’ He then removed their spell. ‘A basic mistake that…’ Yet he sounded doubtful.

‘My name is Naoko Izuru. I was sent here to-’

Everyone was silenced! In the courtyard came a massive spiritual power. The armoured man donned his Hollow mask and, in answer, Itazura’s spiritual power surged to live in challenge! Naoko, Yori and Hoshi moved towards it, though the silver-haired man got between them and shook his head.

‘I should have recognized it sooner. I taught him that spell.’ He then smiled. ‘I’m Fujimoto Nakamura, Captain-General of the Shuuten. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to save my student.’

Itazura dodged through a gap in the shrubbery evade his foes gunbai, which completely pulverized the wall behind him! Itazura then touched upon a pillar which he immediately propelled himself off at speed! He released his Zanpakutō mid-lunge, the forming claws cutting into the man’s Hollow mask before Itazura again danced away. He then backed away a mere three steps where he suddenly vanished, flash-clones forming in his wake. The armoured man moved to strike but he lacked speed: Itazura slashed him across the back before retreating. But he didn’t even so much as scratch him! The man surged forward like an avalanche, using the tight area to his advantage. His gunbai came in from the side but it didn’t strike Itazura. Fujimoto appeared suddenly! The Captain-General caught that gunbai with his right hand, his body the shield against the amazing force behind that blow.

‘Ichihara Kohai,’ Fujimoto almost spat the name, ‘I was ordered by my Queen not to strike at you unnecessarily. Our precarious position stops me evicting you from the palace otherwise. But to raise your sword against a Heisekian citizen is treason, and I bet you know what that means.’

‘That boy is no citizen of Heisekai! He lived in the Seireitei!’

‘Sixteen years ago he was named the Shinsōzoku as well as a son of Heisekai.’ Fujimoto’s voice took on a dangerously angry quality that Itazura recognized immediately. ‘That boy is also my student! Let Loose, Namininoru!’ A water-wreathed Zanpakutō formed in Fujimoto’s hand, which he immediately angled for a strike. ‘Kaiyōbuyō!’ He cleaved through Ichihara’s armour with effortless ease while the water subsequently pushed him against the far wall!

‘Senjou Furashuu!’ Itazura moved at incredible speed towards Ichihara’s back, where he promptly fired an instantaneous Rei Furashuu from his finger tip that blurred through the air towards the latter’s back! Spiritually-fuelled water slammed Ichihara into a veil of killing energy, the combined forces creating a depression within the courtyard!

‘… Is that it?’ Ichihara rose with few injuries, half his mask broken, but otherwise unharmed.

‘No.’

They answered in unison. They then stabbed their Zanpakutō into the puddle leading to Ichihara’s feet, where they declared Tsuzuri Raiden! A bolt of lightning travelled up the water stream, electrifying the Kohai brother, who roared his defiance before slipping away via Garganta.

‘He won’t be back.’ Fujimoto said with a grin. ‘Well, well, colour me surprised! How the hell you been, kiddo?’

Itazura shook his mentors hand before pulling him into a quick embrace. ‘Bad, good, bad and then awesome. Just to clarify: us kicking that guys ass was awesome.’

Fujimoto sealed his Zanpakutō with a quick flourish. ‘You’ve improved. Is that your Shikai?’

‘Yup, this is Ritoruitachi. Aside from enhancing my speed, I can pretty much cut through anything. My blade likes ignoring things.’

‘That sounds very annoying if you’re a slow ass with a strong defence.’ Fujimoto replied. ‘You know, I woke up this morning and thought “how many more defeats will I suffer before I can evict one of those bastards”. You land and, in the space of five minutes, I manage to scare off one of the strongest supporters Oda Kohai has, without any machinations. I see you’ve still got a tendency to poke your nose in.’

‘I had a good teacher.’

People where beginning to arrive to inspect the scene. When they saw Itazura swords were bared though Fujimoto halted the royal guards with a raised palm. Amongst the guards was a woman Itazura hadn’t seen in years! She was looking particularly radiant today, though he noticed weariness in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. She motioned him to step forward and he immediately performed the Heisekian greeting – he placed the back of his right hand on the small of his back, inclined his head and bent his knees.

‘Your Majesty,’ he whispered, ‘you look beautiful as always.’

‘Who are you?’ She asked him, somewhat unsure. She was trying to remember but he couldn’t blame her for forgetting.

Itazura inhaled, raised his head, and then grinned. ‘The last time we spoke at length, your Majesty, you ended up reprimanding your guards because I made them look bad. I was covered in mud, if I recall.’ Fujimoto nearly laughed outright.

‘Covered in mud…? Leave us. All of you.’ Kaede motioned Itazura and Fujimoto into the palace for privacy. Once out of sight she swept Itazura into a tight embrace! ‘It is you, isn’t it? Itazura Kori?’

‘Yup… and just like back then, your Majesty, he cannot breathe.’ She released him.

‘It’s good to see you both as well.’ He then went back outside and motioned towards Naoko, Yori and Hoshi. ‘These are my allies.’

‘We’re acquainted.’ Fujimoto cut in. ‘Very smart of you, Itazura, using the spell I taught you.’

‘I thought you’d pick up on that.’ Itazura replied. ‘Anyways, can we go somewhere a little more private? I also need to talk to Shiro… it’s about Serena.’

Fujimoto read the look of purest regret and sadness in Itazura’s eye and immediately sighed. ‘… Who’s responsible?’

‘… Takahara Yasuhiro.’

Fujimoto snarled before striking the nearest wall! ‘The bastard! Let’s say his is a name that has been cropping up in too many of my reports. Let’s go.’

Next Story > Pushing the Limits.