The Grat cell Forges Ahead

This article, , is the eleventh chapter of the Rising arc, which is part of Bleach: Cataclysm. It is the first chapter in the arc not to feature Garrett and instead focuses on his friends, with Tiffany serving as the main character.

The Soulless threat had thankfully abated following the departure of Dastan Shiba and Arata, but that did not mean that Grat had become any less prone to attacks in the coming days. Not by any means. Six days on and had replaced the Soulless and still presented a constant and persistent threat; albeit one the group where more comfortable dealing with. Tiffany was doing her best to coordinate the team to combat the Hollow, but without Garrett, Ries or Lloyd, things where going slow.

And Randy wasn't being quiet or graceful about it.

"Where are those three idiots!?" He exclaimed for perhaps the tenth time in only five minutes.

"How many more times do you need to be told before it penetrates that thick skull of yours?" Tiffany replied, taking considerable effort to keep her voice even. "Lloyd's training Jenna, Garrett's off with Kusaka doing, and Ries has dropped off the face of the earth."

Though Tiffany had her own suspicions regarding Ries -- or rather Shinrei -- and had become convinced that her suspicions where correct. Raikōisan was even beginning to suggest that she sensed her twin nearby, and that he was becoming more and more active.

"Which is why it is only Tiffany, yourself, and me." Another female voice cut in smoothly.

And Tiffany was thankful for May's presence. She was much more capable of directing Randy's impulsive nature than Tiffany was, and when she spoke he tended to listen. As soon as she spoke Randy's annoyance dulled somewhat and he returned to being relatively quiet.

"Look, I know this isn't ideal, but we have to forge on." Tiffany continued. "We've got a reprieve at the minute, so maybe we should focus instead on resting?"

Randy was about to open his mouth in response but suddenly found himself kissing the floor instead! Marisa moved as if a blur but Tiffany saw the movement in its entirety: Shunpo, with a mixture of additional steps that created what was apparently a solid speed clone, for it was the clone that felled Randy, whilst the real Marisa approached Tiffany. The clone winked at her before dissipating.

"BITCH!!"

Marisa casually side-stepped Randy's lunge and, with a playful smile plastered across her face, she tripped him up again.

"You make so much noise I could avoid you in complete darkness."

"Risa!" May exclaimed as she stepped forward to take the woman's hand. "Garrett told me you returned to the Reikai!"

"I did, but I received some new information, and so I returned." Marisa replied.

"Oh?" Tiffany asked. "What information would that be?"

Marisa merely grinned. "It seems that Kentaro heard about your current manpower shortage. I had a little more time before I returned to my assignment, and even though I'm not exactly affiliated with him at the moment, I owed him one. He decided to collect. So here I am."

"Yay for us!" And Randy's tone was thick with disdain.

"Fantastic!" May excitedly exclaimed, while at the same time shushing Randy. "You can babysit Randy."

"What is this!?" Randy roared. "Pick on Randy day? Sexism, I say! Sexism! I miss the guys."

And that was how Tiffany found herself alone with May the following day, whilst Marisa led Randy to deal with what Marisa called a 'sinister presence'. Their patrol path took them through the more populated shopping district of Grat, and things had been relatively quiet considering their recent battles. So it was the perfect opportunity for Tiffany to voice some of her suspicions regarding Ries.

"May?" The girl turned to regard Tiffany curiously. "You've known Garrett and the others almost your whole life, right?"

"Yeah. I met them through Hawke and David. They all used to fight in the Beatdown circuit." Mat stopped walking and beckoned for Tiffany to sit on a nearby public bench. Only when she did did she speak again. "Can I ask what brought this on?"

"Have you ever met Shinrei? He would be Kenji's eldest child."

May looked confused: she hadn't drawn the connection yet it seemed. "I have. He used to spar with Hawke when he visited Kusaka. He was a little distance, almost as if he where scared of hurting someone or breaking something, but he was otherwise kind and polite. Why?"

Tiffany steeled herself. "... I think Ries is Shinrei."

And the sudden recognition that flashed across May's face revealed to Tiffany that she too had suspected the exact same thing.

End.