BLEACH: To Save & Protect

-Beyond the horizon

27/11/16- I added a small bit at the end.

"We may call it the end but that's just the horizon... new beginnings lie beyond"- JK Constino

The soul society was enjoying an unprecedented level of endowment. Fifteen court guard squads, good relations with the zeroth squad and for the first time in years, all squads had captains. With such levels of good fortune things could only get worse. Everyone knew they would get bad eventually. It was only a matter of time. Those who got satisfaction from fights like the 11th squad and Grimmjow were hoping that war would break out soon but they were not having much luck. It was close to fifteen years since the substitute shinigami-now captain-Ichigo Kurosaki had defeated Yhwach. Even he was getting bored of the order. People like him thrived in chaos and there wasn't much of it at the moment. It was maddening...

"Rukia...would it be selfish?" Ichigo asked as they strolled through the seretei. It was a very ambiguous question.
"Yes." Rukia answered swiftly. She could tell exactly what he was thinking-that's how close their bond was.
"But you wouldn't judge, would you?" He asked after a pause. Rukia took a deep sigh...
"I would not." She answered. They continued to stroll through the alleys in the seiretei silently. Where were they going?!
"I just have to say it, Rukia...we need a war in this place!" Ichigo jabbered, " All the captains are bored! We might get too rusty!"
All his nonsense was getting on her nerves! It was a simple concept-really. How could he not get it? How could they all not get it?! Wars are only fought for peace. They are not games.
"There are worse things than that , Ichigo." She said to him calmly. Suddenly, they felt a reasonably large reiatsu approaching from behind them!
"Did you feel that, Rukia?" Asked Ichigo.
"If you felt it, of course I did it too!" She answered.
"You should walk a little bit ahead of me...I think it's coming for me." He said to her.
"I am a captain! I don't need your pity or protection!!" She shouted angrily.
"That's not what I meant! But I'm sorry..." Ichigo apologized. They continued moving quietly as the reiatsu approached. The reiatsu spiked and Ichigo felt something tapping him on his right shoulder. When he looked, he saw a serrated blade barely scratching his haori...
"Hello Zaraki, I don't suppose you were trying to cut me with that dull blade of yours..." Ichigo remarked. Zaraki Kenpachi had just tried to surprise him with an attack without his eye patch and he had failed terribly! A massive grin appeared on Zaraki's face.
"You talk big game now huh!" Kenpachi remarked, "I bet I can cut you in half with a second strike."
"Not a chance." Ichigo responded, "perhaps you should use your shikai or better still..bankai."
"You don't have to tell me twice!! Drink Nozorashi!!!" He screamed. His zanpakuto morphed into a humongous fan like blade and his reiatsu spiked. Ichigo hadn't move as Zaraki tried to bring down his monstrosity on him but he shunpoed out of its way at the last possible moment.
"You're too slow, Zaraki." Ichigo taunted him. He was enjoying this-they both were. But Ichigo was enjoying it more. Rukia stood still and watched them quietly. Swiftly, Zaraki swung his blade again but faster than the first time. Ichigo drew one of his Zanpakuto and blocked but the strength of the attack threw him into the nearby buildings and destroyed them.
"You're all talk no action, aren't you?" Zaraki taunted. Ichigo quickly stood up from the rubble and launched an attack. Even Zaraki could see that it was going to be fatal!
"Dance, Sodi no Shirayuki-first dance hakuren!!" Rukia tried to block the attack but she only managed to weaken it a little.
"Getsuga tenshou!!" Some one shouted. A red getsuga diverted the attack into the sky where it diffused harmlessly.
"What were you thinking?!" Karin scolded Ichigo. She had arrived in the kneak of time to prevent a possible catastrophe.
" Sorry Kenpachi...it still gets out of control sometimes... " Ichigo apologized to Zaraki.
"Hmm, I still cannot believe a wimp like you is stronger than me!!" Remarked Kenpachi. He sealed his zanpakuto and left the scene.
"What are you doing here, Karin?" Ichigo asked.
"I was on my way to the squad one barracks for the vice captains' meeting when I felt your reiatsu and I immediately knew you were going to cause trouble!" Karin explained.
"Everything was fine..." Ichigo casually brushed off her concern.
"Look at what you did to the seiretei!!" She scolded him while pointing at all the structures they had damaged.
"Vice captains' meeting? What's that about?!" Rukia asked.
"There are reported riots in Rukongai...they're getting quite serious!" Karin explained.
"Riots about what?" Ichigo asked.
"I don't know..." Karin answered.
"Better go on ahead, you might be late..." Rukia said to her.
"Behave yourself, Ichigo." She said and shunpoed towards the 1st squad barracks.
"What do you think the riots are about?" Ichigo asked Rukia.
"I don't know..." Rukia answered, "But you just might get your war after all..."

Because of the detour she had made to deviate disaster courtesy of her brother, Karin was a little late for the meeting and she apologised to her colleagues. All vice captains were present for the meeting. Nanao and Okikiba of squad one, Omaeda of squad two, Kira of squad three, Kiyone of squad four, Hinamori of squad five, Yuushiro shuhoin of squad six, Iba of squad seven, Sentaro of squad eight, Hisagi of squad nine, Matsumoto of squad ten, Akon of squad twelve, Ikkaku of squad eleven, Ashido of squad thirteen and Neliel of squad fourteen.
"I am sorry I'm late..." Karin apologized.
"Who cares!" Omaeda jabbered.
"Shut up Omaeda!" Matsumoto responded to him.
"I heard there are riots in Rukongai, what's that all about?" Ikkaku inquired.
"They are fighting against the poor living conditions outside the seiretei..." Hisagi revealed.
"Hmm...what do they want us to do? It's not our fault that they are poor!" Omaeda remarked as he picked his nose with his pinky finger.
"I don't care about how poor they are, I just want to know if they are strong!" Ikkaku declared with a smack on his face.
"Hmm, you're not so different from the arrancar!" Neliel commented.
"How dare you compare us to the hollows!" Iba complained.
"Relax everyone, this is not time for bickering!!" Nanao called upon them.
"There's a war knocking on our door..." Kira remarked in a low tone, "the hardest we could ever fight."
"Don't be so dramatic, Izuru...it's probably nothing." Hinamori tried to be optimistic.
"The data we have collected points towards something serious!" Akin revealed, "some of the reiatsus are at the level of a captain."
"A captain?! It can't be" Iba reacted. A messenger arrived suddenly with orders from the head captain; all vice captains were to immediately go to Kusajishi to dispel the rioters! The use of force, including shikai and demon arts not exceeding level 50, was permitted.

Immediately, they all run off to Rukongai - some more glad than the others. Karin was trembling! She had never been in a combat situation before - the thought alone was terrifying.
"Don't worry..." Neliel said to her, "I will watch your back, that's what battle...just promise not to leave mine fully exposed."
"What's she scared of? She's captain Kurosaki's sister, isn't she?! And her father is former squad 10 captain, Isshin Shiba." Iba remarked, "Her family is basically soul reaper royalty!"

That's exactly what she was afraid of. All those expectations stretching out from her feet till the horizon and horizons beyond. Would she ever reach beyond those horizons?!-she wondered.

Hello! This is an extra part I wrote after opening a new draft by mistake. It introduces a full length original bleach fan fic story arc I hope to write in the future. Tell me what you think.
PS. This book ended with part8
Thanks for your time, have a great day;)

-Constino