𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒚 (𝑲𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒊) 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 »« 𝙱𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷/ᴋɴʏ

xix.

    "Duìzhǎng! Duìzhǎng!" Huian shouts loudly, running through the bustling 13th Division barracks. She stumbles over her feet and slides to a stop in front of the opened shoji doors of Jūshirō's office.

  "Fàn-san? Is something the matter?" Jūshirō stands up from his desk at Huian's deep scowl.

  "Those–those cǎobāo! They went to go get Kuchiki-dono!" Huian hisses angrily. Jūshirō blinks at the rare name-calling. What did Kurosaki-san and Shiba-san do to make her angry?

  "Why are they going to get Kuchiki-san? Did something happen?"

  Huian hisses like a tiny kitten. "I tried to stop him! He said something was wrong, and then that cǎobāo called me short as he left! Me, short! I'm only average in height!"

  Jūshirō blinks again before he scratches his forehead. Something was wrong? What was? The plan? Did Kurosaki-san remember something pertinent?

  "What did he exactly–" Jūshirō cuts himself off when he feels the flare of reiatsu before he hears the sound of shunpo. He looks up and stares at the Inner Court messenger bowed in front of his office.

  "Ukitake-taichō! An emergency order!"

  "Did Yamamoto-sōtaichō send it?" Jūshirō asks, feeling unease start to grow in his gut.

  "Yes. With the combined authority of Hitsugaya-taichō. It is a 1st class order, Ukitake-taichō..." Jūshirō breathes in sharply as the order is relayed. He curses quietly before he bolts out of his office, not hearing the rest of the order.

  "Duìzhǎng?! What are you–" Huian races out of the office to chase after her sickly captain, only for him to use shunpo.

  "Kurosaki-san told me they were only here to save Kuchiki-san... and he's their leader. They didn't kill Aizen-san, so who is making it appear like they did?" Jūshirō scowls as his thoughts run rampant. He needs to see Shunsui. They need to speak with the Central 46. Now.

•••

    There's an explosion of dust and light, completely destroying a wall and filling up the path behind it for at least 15 feet. The Shinigami are thrown around or slammed against the walls, immediately knocked out by the force of the hit.

  Chad looks down at his smoking fist and stares at the black and white coloring. "At first I would get exhausted after firing 2 times... but now I don't even break a sweat after five..."

  "Sado-kun!" Chad looks up at Orihime's shout and watches as she runs up from behind with Yoruichi running next to her.

  Chad turns and gives a slight bow towards the cat once they stop running. "Thank you, Yoruichi. I've gotten stronger because of you."

  "Now's not the time for thanks," Yoruichi states before pouncing forward to take the lead. "Let's go before we waste anymore time with Shinigami."

  "Yes, sir!" Orihime exclaims brightly with a salute and Chad silently nods his head. They take off running after the cat, easily keeping up.

  "HOLD IT!" Orihime yelps loudly and almost trips over herself when someone suddenly appears in front of them. Yoruichi lets out a low curse and Chad holds up his fist.

  "This is the end of the line for you, foolish trespassers!" A hulking man with two braids stood before them with a large smirk. "Because I, the 3rd Seat of the 8th Division: Enjōji Tatsuhusa am here!"

  "Ooh! Sado-kun, let's convince Kurosaki-kun to let us braid his hair again!" Orihime speaks as if they're having lunch on the school rooftop rather than being confronted by an enemy. Chad nods his head all the same, agreeing to the comment.