Visit from the Slayer

This article, , is the seventh chapter of The Rising arc, which is part of Bleach: Cataclysm. Garrett Sheppard and friends remain the main characters. This chapter also sees the return of Kusaka Kori to the story as a supporting character.

Thankfully the Soulless threat had been all but eliminated following the death of their Kikkashō handler. Although the fact these creatures could be controlled, and in such numbers, worried Garrett more than he let on to his friends. After all he had defeated one such creature whom Tiffany had identified as an "enhanced Soulless".

"Do you guys miss the good ol' days when it was just Hollow we fought?" Garrett asked.

"Didn't you used to get your ass kicked?" His sister, Jenna, replied. "Wait, what am I saying? Nothing's changed!"

"Oi, oi! I won't tolerate slander under my roof." Garrett snapped back, though his comment completely lacked any kind of sting.

"But bad language is allowed?" Lloyd asked snidely.

It was just like them to joke around following a victory. They never said it but as their battles became more difficult, and their opposition more varied, the friends where happy just to spend a few moments like this and banter like they used to. "These are the moments I fight for." Garrett found himself thinking suddenly. He squeezed Tiffany's hand, causing her to look at him slightly confused for a moment, before she returned the gesture. He then looked at Randy and Lloyd arm-wrestling on the floor and grinned. Jenna and May cheered them on whilst Ries waited patiently on the winner. "I won't fail them again."

When the door opened suddenly Garrett turned to see his little brother, David, walk into the room rubbing his eyes. He was all bed-head and bleary-eyed and Garrett's fatherly instinct kicked in.

"... I had a bad dream." He said sleepily. "The nasty masks where back again."

Tiffany moved to the far seat to give Garrett and David room. Garrett hoisted his little brother onto the sofa beside him, a big arm around him protectively, and started asking him what it was he had dreamed about. "Although I know already." Apparently David was spiritually aware too but he only began sensing Hollow recently, and mostly when he was sleeping. Ever since The Collapse this had been happening more and more lately. Garrett signalled Ries with a brief look and he disappeared quietly from the room to do some Hollow hunting.

When the front door opened suddenly David nearly leapt out of his skin!

"Hey, hey, kiddo. Look at me." David did. "It's probably just-"

"The hell did you do to my garage!?"

The figure who'd practically burst through the front door reached to grab Garrett by the scruff of the neck, which of course panicked David. Which of course set Garrett off. He moved with such speed that even the intruder couldn't react and suddenly he found himself pinned against the wall with Garrett's forearm pressed against the bottom of his chin.

"Kusaka!?" Garrett exclaimed suddenly.

A series of shocked acknowledgments went through Garrett's friends. Tiffany in particular only laughed before mentioning how dead Garrett was now. Kusaka Kori was the father of Hawke and David Kori and one of Kenji's staunchest allies, not to mention one of the fiercest fighters and no-nonsense men Garrett had ever met. The fact he was standing in Garrett's living room dressed in a pair of black jeans, a white shirt, black leather jacket and a pair of stout black boots was a shock to say the least. And then blind panic set in as Garrett realised just who he was throttling! He released his hold completely and hastily apologised. But then his anger rose anew.

"Never mind your fucking garage! Jesus fucking Christ, Kusaka, you nearly gave me a heart attack! I heard that you had died."

"Language, Garrett!! Young ears." Jenna interjected.

"Take David upstairs." Garrett's tone brokered no argument. "And kiddo. No masked nasty's will get you here, I promise."

Kusaka waited a moment before speaking. "... Masked nasty?"

"David's started sensing Hollow while he sleeps." May provided. "It's good to see you well Kusaka."

He actually crossed the room to hug her! "And you. Have you heard anything from my boys?"

"They're with Kentaro fighting the good fight. Could you do anything for David? My attempts failed."

For a moment he only looked amused. Kusaka then flexed his body briefly and Garrett found himself sliding back roughly a foot. He then took a brief look around before snapping his fingers loudly. A wave of spiritual energy emanated from his body and clung to the walls, roofs and floors of the entire building.

"After I do this all he'll be able to sense when he sleeps is you."

Kusaka jabbed Garrett in the gut hard enough to knock him to his knees and drive the air from his lungs! Yet the moment he did that he found power welling up inside him that he hadn't felt before. He looked up at Kusaka through pain-coloured eyes. Randy had moved to defend his friend but also found himself lying on the floor from a single punch to the gut.

"I just shared my Fullbring with you two losers. Consider it my apology for putting you in the hospital that time."

"How does that help David?" Garrett asked.

"I made a barrier around your house using my Fullbring, which I then transferred to you." Kusaka explained. "After what I did to Averian no Hollow will come within a mile of this place."

"... Whose Averian?" Lloyd asked.

"No one you need to worry about." Kusaka answered sharply. "As for you Garrett, you're coming with me."

"Eh!? Awww, hell no!"

Before he could run however Kusaka had him by the back of his shirt and was bodily dragging him outside. He leapt into the sky still holding onto Garrett's shirt and when the others attempted to follow him they found themselves pinned to the floor by the sheer intensity of Kusaka's reiatsu! In one leap Garrett found himself at the derelict factory district.

"What the hell are you?"

"I'm going to show you what power is."

It was the longest night of Garrett's life. Over the course of several hours Kusaka systematically battered, healed and then battered Garrett again, before healing him up to perfect health once more. Every time he did so he encouraged Garrett to fight; his Battle Aura, his Bakkōtō, his Shinuchi. All of it together. Kusaka met it each time with overwhelming force the likes of which Garrett had never seen before! Nothing even Kenji had thrown at him equalled what Kusaka was doing to him now.

"Enough!" Garrett finally roared just as the sun began to rise.

Kusaka only arched an eyebrow.

"I've had enough of this, and I've had enough of you!"

Garrett threw everything into a decisive slash with his Bakkōtō. The swing encompassed the entirety of his spiritual power amplified by his various enhanced states and his spiritual power flew forward in the form of a wave! Kusaka stopped abruptly, caught the wave in his hand, and dispersed it skyward before nodding his head in recognition. It left Garrett in open-mouthed amazement however.

"... That was everything I had...!"

"Remember that response just now. That need." He said suddenly. "What you just unleashed is my present to you. It's called the Reīssen and its every bit as powerful as Kenji's Jitsugen. I couldn't show it to you or tell you how to use it. The Reīssen is passed down through my family and each person needs to find their own way. Now that you have... make it your own."

Kusaka healed Garrett one more time before turning his back on the young man. "I didn't train you properly the first time because I knew the Kikkashō where watching Hawke's friends. I thought if I left you to your own devices you'd be safer in the long-run, but I guess Anko had other ideas."

He didn't wait for a reply from Garrett. Kusaka simply vanished using the single most impressive flash-step Garrett had ever seen -- or was likely to see again. Feeling refreshed he began the walk back to his house.

"... Still hate him."

End.