StarCrossed: Getrennt von Schicksal - Kapitel Zwei

Kapitel Zwei (2) – Die Vogel (The Bird)

Ichigo Kurosaki felt overwhelmed. The captains of the entire Thirteen Court Guard Squads and himself had been brought here to receive the grandest Soul Reapers that had etched their names in Soul Society history for their immense contributions. He had expected them to come in glorious fashion, with serious, stern looks on their faces ready to do business and fix the Soul Society in a heartbeat. But little did he expect the Royal Guard members to look quirky, and, need he say, too carefree about the invasion that had happened only hours ago. Their appearances were nothing like he had imagined, and he could honestly feel a tad of disappointment inside him.

After some banter between the Royal Guard and the current captains of the Soul Society, Ichigo saw a rather young and intriguing woman approach them. She was completely clad in fine robes, and had peculiar skeletal arms protruding from her back carrying six swirling spheres.

“I have everybody on the list…” the woman, Senjumaru Shutara spoke softly over towards the monk Royal Squad member named Ichibei Hyousube.

“Good, good…!” He spoke rather jolly-like, clasping his hands together.

“…Except…”

Shutara had an ominous look on her face, expressing somewhat displeasure. All the captains glanced over at her, Shutara’s tone surprising them a bit. Ichibei raised his eyebrows in astonishment, Senjumaru’s sudden approach intriguing him.

“…Except…?” he asked as the woman advanced towards him. Ichigo had a look of confusion, wondering whom the lavishly dressed Royal Squad member had meant. She whispered inaudibly to him as Ichibei rubbed his chin pensively. Ichigo took a step forward, wanting to know what they were talking about.

“…Kasandora Haruna, I see….alright…”

Once Ichigo heard Cassie’s name, his eyes widened in alarm and approached the monk Soul Reaper.

“…Cassie? What about her? What’s going on…?” Ichigo glanced all over him at everyone, looking for answers. All the captains looked as oblivious as he did, and that irritated Ichigo even more.

“…Everybody on the list…? Cassie? What the hell’s going on…?”

He spun around to face the elite Royal Guard, hoping they wouldn’t stay silent about this any longer. Ichigo growled in fury when he got no replies from them, and was about to snap when he heard the monk’s voice.

“Ichigo Kurosaki, please calm down…”

“How the hell can I calm down?! Why can’t any of you just answer my damn questions?! I thought you guys were the ‘famous’ Zero Squad! Tell me what the hell is going on, or else!”

From behind Ichibei, Tenjiro snickered to himself with crossed arms as Nimaya wore a huge grin on his face in amusement to Ichigo's behavior.

“Calm your temperament,” Senjumaru softly said. “What I meant by ‘everybody on the list’, I meant your friends in my spheres…we are taking your friends to the Royal Realm to get them healed and prepared for the war against the Quincies…If you don’t want that, then I can just drop them here…”

“…No! I just wanted to know about who is in those weird hands of yours, and what you meant by mentioning Cassie! What about her?”

Ichibei wore a calm expression as he placed his hand on Ichigo’s shoulder.

“Look, we have all your friends with us right now…but…”

“But what, damn it?!” Ichigo wore a look of desperation, taking a step back and clenching his teeth. Shunsui Kyoraku took a step forward, tipping his straw hat in the Royal Squad’s presence.

“Please, just tell him what’s going on with his friend…” he spoke calmly. “I’m sure it would do him some good to know…”

“Very well…” Ichibei complied. “We don’t mean to alarm you, Ichigo, but…your friend Kasandora Haruna wasn’t in the spot she was last in the Fourth Squad…We think she either escaped, or was taken…”

Ichigo’s eyes began to shake, anxiety overwhelming his entire body. “Wh-What…?”

The captains looked shocked, and Retsu Unohana, the captain of said squad, closed her eyes softly. Tenjiro glared over at her while smacking on his long smoking tube, looking suspicious.

“…You didn’t know about this, Unohana…?” he hissed lowly. “She was under your care, wasn’t she…?”

“I’m sorry, but I did…”  The serene captain stated softly. “I didn’t want to worry Mister Kurosaki…Rest assured that I have assigned several members of my squad to look for her…”

“That explains it…” Shinji spoke up amidst the group of fellow captains. “…no wonder I saw so many Fourth Squad Soul Reapers running around while coming here. I was wondering why they looked so frantic instead of doing their jobs helping the injured in their headquarters…”

Ichigo wore a look of panic, his limbs feeling stiff and immobile. He was starting to think the worst about his friend Cassie; he feared for her life. He shut his eyes tightly and screamed.

“Damn it, well try harder!” he screeched in anger and agitation. “…Tch, forget it, I’ll go look for her myself…!”

He spun around fiercely, but was halted by Kensei Mugurama, who had a firm hold on his shoulder. He gripped it tightly as Ichigo stared up at him with wide, troubled eyes.

“There’s no need to jump into conclusions…You know her dad Hikaru…he probably came and took her to the World of the Living to tend to her himself…You know how over-protective he is…”

“You…don’t understand…! The nurses told me Cassie was too weak to even leave the Fourth Squad; they even mentioned they weren’t going to let even her dad take her because it could be detrimental to her well-being…! I’m not going to believe that nonsense…!”

Ichigo viciously took off Kensei’s hand off his shoulder, incensed.

“…Somebody took her, and I don’t doubt it was those bastards who destroyed the Soul Society…! The guy I faced said he would come back for me, and what better way to lure me than to take one of my best friends…! Cassie is in danger! You guys just don’t get it…!”

“We get it, Ichigo…” Shinji tried reasoning. “And we’ll…”

“No! I’m going to look for my best friend…!” Ichigo turned to face the Royal Guard members, giving them an evil glower. “And if it was your intentions to take me with you to the Royal Realm, forget it! I’m not leaving until I find Cassie! If those bastards want me, they will get their wish and I’ll destroy each and every single one of them…!”

“Tough words for someone as weak as you…” Tenjiro muttered. “What makes you think you will ‘destroy’ them at your current level? You won’t stand a chance…”

“I don’t give a damn!”

Before Ichigo lunged at him, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and fell forward as Kirio Hikifune stood behind him with her hand outstretched. He had been knocked unconscious by her vicious slap to the back of his head and now lay on the grassy ground.

“Boy needs to calm his temper, I must say…” the plump Royal Guard member mumbled. Ichibei glanced over at the captains of the Seireitei austerely.

“I will leave you with the task of finding Kasandora Haruna; after-all, she is also on our list and it’s a must that she’d be brought to us…”

“And how are we supposed to bring Miss Haruna to you if we find her…?” Jushiro Ukitake asked in a tender voice. “Obviously we can’t go to the Royal Realm without your assistance…?”

“You leave that to us…” Ichibei ordered. “Just hold her for us…though I hope it’s soon…the war will certainly not wait for us to train her in time…”

The captains all stared at the Royal Guard sternly as Tenjiro now had Ichigo over his left shoulder, preparing to leave towards their next destination to re-launch to the Royal Realm. As they began to walk away, Ichigo slowly opened his eyes. He had a severe headache from Kirio’s slap and didn’t have the strength to jump down from Tenjiro’s shoulder. His face was filled with hopelessness as his eyes softened a bit.

“…Don’t worry Cassie…I’ll become stronger…and bring you back…Just…just hang on…”