The Nueva Espada

Chapter 24:Save The One Save The All

Bleeding red reiatsu

Power surging through the air

Darkness filling the area

And a blood curling roar

These were the signs that things had taken a much darker turn

"This power...could it be the power he activated in Hueco Mundo?" Yamamoto contemplated as he and Isshin flew away from the torrent

Byakuya however was clouded in the darkness

"This power?! He's activated it once again?!"

Byakuya's wonderment was put to rest as a black getsuga smashed the Captain into a nearby wall

"I-Ichigo?" Rukia quietly muttered to herself however her thoughts escaped for her as the kido around her was broken and a pale white arm wrapped around her and smashed through the roof

Rukia now clearly laid her eyes on her savoir, it was Ichigo, once again clad in the demonic hollow form

Which had already begun to break apart

"Ichigo?" Rukia repeated as if it was the only word in her vocabulary

"Can't..." he panted as the form began to dissolve as they reached the surface "Can't hold...the form"

Ichigo huffed and panted as the mask cracked off, the long hair dispelled and his skin returned to its normal color

Rukia reached out and supported him, being the only thing keeping him on his feet

"We...have to get back" Ichigo continued to pant "We need to get back...to Hueco Mundo"

Rukia stared at him for a few seconds before nodding

"Bakudo #77..."

"Welcome to our humble abode!"

The door slammed open, revealing the contents of the apartment

the oddly large apartment

A large club-like area stood before her, a dark skinned woman sat on a couch on the far side of the room, a well-dressed young man sat on a nearby table, holding a videogame, complete with earphones that he was currently using, a one-eyed well dressed butler stood behind the bar

"This place is pretty big" Karin commented

"One of us has some pretty big bank accounts, we were able to knock down a few apartments above and to the sides"

"That explains it"

"Kugo, what're doing?" came the voice of the women "Pickin' lil' kids off the street? Didn't know you were into all th-"

"Before you go any further, she's already made all the inappropriate jokes, so cram it Jackie" Ginjo groaned as Karin made a mental note of the women's name

"Still, Kugo" the boy said as he plucked out one of his earbuds "What're you doing bringing a complete stranger here...unless she's a-"

"Easy, Yukio" Ginjo cut the boy off

"A what?" Karin asked herself as she added Yukio to her mental database

"She's just a poor homeless girl I found in the soaking rain" Ginjo shrugged

"And what did you hope to accomplish by bringing her here?" Yukio asked

"Give her a hot shower, dry her clothes and food and a bed for the night"

"Since when are we a freakin' charity?" Jackie asked

"Maybe should I go..." Karin mumbled

"It's fine Karin" Ginjo waved her off "Ignore them, they're only teasing you"