[DISCONTINUED] Strive | Bleach

Chapter Eighteen: Limits of Power.

“Yoruichi Shihōin, huh?” It’s been so long since I’ve since her in this way, with her purple hair, flawless bronze skin, and wide golden eyes; her lone trademark of the Shihōin Clan. Jeez, and just when I was getting used to her as a cat… “The former commander in charge of the Stealth Force, and, ex-general of the First Division Punishment Force-- Yoruichi Shihōin. I haven’t seen your face in a while. You’ve been in hiding for over a hundred years: I thought you were dead.”

“Yoruichi,” She looked over her shoulder at Ichigo. “You came here to save me, I realize that. I appreciate it. But at the moment, I need you to step aside so I can beat this guy.”

“Beat him? You think you can beat this guy?” Alright, well, I already knew that, but she could’ve at least—well, maybe not in his case. He’s a bit of a hard-head, this one. “You are a fool.” Yoruichi suddenly disappeared from my line in sight, only to be seen a moment later punching Ichigo in the stomach. No, she completely jabbed him in through his wound. My stomach burst from on the inside. The bandages around my body came loose and fell in my shihakushō. My blood began to stain the ground as I dropped to my knees. I was completely useless, now. Why would Yoruichi do that? Why did she attack Ichigo? Was she actually in cahoots with the Soul Society this entire time? He fell unconscious over her shoulder. I started feeling woozy, and lightheaded, but I forced my head up and my eyes wide open.

“It’s a drug, isn’t it?” Jushiro, who stood above me, glanced down before looking to Yoruichi. “A powerful anesthetic; you put it directly in his body to try and save him. What do you intend to do with him, Yoruichi?”

“Ukitake—“”Don’t waste your time trying to help him,” Byakuya cut in. “Neither of you will ever escape from here.”

“My, my, just listen to you talk like such a big-shot now, Byakuya,” she replied. “And not even once have you ever beaten me in a game of tag, have you?”

“Shall we give it another try?” They both disappeared, only to appear in each other’s original spots. The ribbon on Byakuya’s zanpakutō burnt away as he slashed at Yoruichi. She was moving slower than I had imagined that she would, though I knew it was only because she was carrying Ichigo’s dead weight. Byakuya and Yoruichi walked toward each other head-on, continuing in their dance. She jumped over him, and started running to the opposite side of the bridge. But as soon as she landed on the platform, Byakuya had flash stepped ahead of her, cutting her off from her escape.

“Do you really think you could escape with a flash step that slow?” “Yoruichi, no--!” The body that Byakuya had cut was just a decoy. But how’d she do that? And where’d she go? I glanced around, prying my eyes open all the way with my bloody fingers. I saw her perched on his arm with a smirk of triumph on her face.

“Did you really think you could catch me with a flash step that predictable?” She jumped off and flew high in the air, landing on the roof above us. “Three days,” she called down. “In three days, I shall make this boy stronger than you. Until then, consider the fight between you two postponed. Feel free to give chase if you wish, but…” Her eyes locked onto mine as I flipped roughly on my back. “Yoruichi Shihōin is not about to be caught by the likes of you.” And then she was gone. I let out a relieved breath. She wasn’t on their side after all. Oh, thank goodness. She was going to help Ichigo get stronger, so that he could beat Byakuya and save Rukia. So then, where did that leave me and the others?

Ganju was just barely hanging on, and it was all I could do to not close my eyes and give up fighting to stay awake, so that Ichigo could stay alive. I was in the Soul Society’s clutches all over again. So how many times does this make it? Three or four, I think.