Crossing Over   von konpaku
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                         Kapitel 12: Strange Visitors
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At the border of the Desert
 
After days of walking through the desert sands Hitsugaya and Hinamori had
finally managed to get out of the deserts' heat and into the deep forest at the
border of the Land of Fire. Relieved the Taicho slumped to the ground in the
shadow of a tall tree. He could finally focus on Hyourinmaru instead of focusing
on not passing out. Sighing deeply he concentrated on entering his inner world.
As he had expected from the reports of the others was it completely white,
except the wooden bars that separated him from the ice dragon. Hyourinmaru was
coiled up and only slightly lifted his head to look at his master with piercing
blue eyes.
'Toushiro', he whispered weakly, still feeling the effect of the heat.
'Hyourinmaru', the other answered, kneeling down before the bars. 'How can I
break the seal?
'Remove it', the dragon merely answered.
'Kuchiki tried that and the paper just reappeared', Toushiro disagreed.
'Did he have the intent to break the seal?'
'Of course?! Why wouldn't he?' Confused Toushiro stood up again.
'True', the other only replied blowing icy mist out of his nostrils.
The young Taicho looked up to the Seals and ripped one of, only for another to
reappear in its place. He repeated this again and again, his anger rising. In
his cage Hyourinmaru stirred and lifted his head higher to watch his master more
closely. Icy mist rose up around them and Hitsugaya could feel it engulf him
while he continued to pull off one paper seal after the other. The mist formed
crystals around his hand until it was completely enclosed like it was when he
used his Bankai. As he next slammed his hand on the paper it froze instantly and
with a desperate cry he pulled it off and heard a loud creak.
 
Meanwhile on the Training Grounds of Konoha
 
As Renji had went off to the infirmary most of the Shinigami and Shinobi had
returned to the Training Grounds, while the Kages, their entourages and Byakuya
remained in Tsunade's office to wait for more information. Either party was met
with a barrage of questions regarding the appearance of the Hollow. Amidst all
this Killerbee and Ikkaku had made a deal to properly fight once this whole
thing and the war were over. The conversation had strayed as the first grumbling
belly had announced itself and Sakura had offered to get the Ramen they had
wanted to get earlier. By now the others who had gone to eat elsewhere had also
returned and were given a detailed description of what had happened by Naruto.
Rukia was barely paying attention by that time and Rangiku had laid back to
sunbath, while Killerbee tried to teach Ikkaku – and Yumichika – how to
release a sealed beast.
 
At some point Rukia had just wandered off lost in her thoughts trying to get her
emotions under control. Her insides were boiling, there was the fear of being
stuck here and the unknown dangers this could bring with it; there was worry
about Renji and what it was the Hokage would discover and there was the dread
she felt about being unable to properly contact Sode no Shirayuki. She had felt
it before when she was stuck in her Gigai with Ichigo. This was different, but
it was still a painful experience. Suddenly hearing the fine chimes of bells she
looked up, only to see a lightning strike across the ground and a bright
vertical line form before her above the ground. The line glowed red and widened
until it had the shape of a large square. The light faded and instead a sliding
door appeared and Rukia eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. Behind
her the others had gotten up to watch as well. White smoke rushed out of the
door as it slid open. When the smoke cleared a large, white haired Shinigami
stood in front of several others close behind. When she laid eyes on Rukia her
stern expression changed into one of relief.
“Rukia-san!” She greeted her colleague joyfully and stepped out of the
Senkaimon.
“Isane-san!” Rukia only replied.
“Finally!” Rangiku screamed from afar and appeared right before the other
woman to pull her into a tide embrace.
Behind them the other Shinigami silently exited the gate and formed a line
beside it. More appeared behind them, but before them walked non other than
Squad Two Captain Sui Feng.
“Kuchiki, Matsumoto, I see you're doing well”, she greeted them formally.
While Rukia bowed in return, Rangiku saluted mockingly.
“Get to work”, the Taicho only ordered and the Shinigami behind her spread
out, some of them carrying heavy machinery.
“Who are you and the hell you're doing?” Naruto called out, stepping
forward.
The Shinobi had come closer, their weapons drawn ready to attack the Shinigami.
“Don't even think about attacking and get your superiors”, Sui Feng only
replied, threat in her voice.
For a moment they looked at each other, unsure what to do.
“Naruto, you're the fastest. Get Tsunade and the others”, Shikamaru decided
and with a nod the other was gone.
“We don't mean harm!” Isane called out to the remaining Ninja “We just
want our friends back”
“Then what are the machines for? Do you want to attract more Hollows?”
Shikamaru challenged.
Startled Isane looked in turn towards the Taicho and Matsumoto.
“We had a little mishap earlier. One of them broke through, but no one was
harmed”, the latter explained sheepishly.
“Then it's about time we get this realm into proper condition again”,
Kurotsuchi Mayuri declared cracking his knuckles, as he stepped out of the Gate.
“Now where is that red-headed lieutenant friend of yours?” He adds with a
sinister grin. “Go look for him, Nemu”
“Of course Mayuri-sama”, the girl behind him replied with a bow and vanished
in a flash.
 
“You got Kuchiki's message! Awesome!” Ikkaku called out walking briskly over
to them, Yumichika and Killerbee close behind.
“That's Kuchiki-taicho to you Madarame-sanseki”, Sui Feng reprimanded him.
“Of course”, he complied with gritted teeth.
“So, what do you mean with 'getting the realm into proper condition'?”
Shikamaru changed the topic, but before anyone could answer an anguished cry was
carried over to them from afar.
 
“Another one of those things?” Choji wondered out loud.
“Nah, that's Renji”, Madarame laughed.
“What's happening?” Rukia worried, saying out loud what everyone was
thinking.
They could here several more cries followed by loud crashes. In the direction
they came from they could see clouds of dust rising up between the buildings.
The sounds got closer and closer until the distressed and half-naked Shinigami
plummeted into the ground of the Training Field. Close behind they could glimpse
a black shadow and just when Renji's disappeared the shadow crashed unto the
ground, releasing a cloud of dust and sand into the air. When the dust had
mostly settled Nemu was visible or a moment, her right hand stuck in the ground,
rotating like a drill, before she launched after the other lieutenant once more.
“Get her off me!” Renji yelled, between halts.
He jumped between the gathered crowd, trying to shake her off his heels and even
if he was faster, she was just one step behind. As soon as someone noticed him
they jumped aside, awaiting the impact, yet no one dared to step in. At some
point Sui Feng had enough and Shunpoed in Renjis way. Startled he nearly ran
into her, but with a swift move she simply subdued him and pinned him to the
ground face first.
“Kurotsuchi, call back your lieutenant!” She ordered and added “Kyuuseki,
get your ass over here and undo the binding!”
Mayuri merely rolled his eyes in annoyance, Nemu in turn made her arm stop
spinning and returned to his side, awaiting new orders. Following the Captains
command a Shinigami with long flowing, red hair knelt down beside Renji,
greeting him with a warm smile. Sui Feng stepped off him and the other woman put
her hands onto Renji's back. He could feel her Reaitsu entering his body, much
like Tsunade's Chakra had done. As if loosening a muscle he could feel the
tension in his back cease and a deep sigh escaped his lips. The other Shinigami
got up and held out his hand.
“Thanks Kyuu-chan”, he accepted with a toothy smile.
“You're welcome and you should also be able to access Zabimaru again”, she
merely returned.
“Really?!” Renji exclaimed and without warning a low-ranking Shinigami knelt
down before him, holding the sword that he had put aside back in Soul Society
when all this had started.
Carefully he took it and made a step back, he looked in turn at Kyuu-chan, who
was smiling encouragingly at him, Rukia, whose expression was a mixture of
curiosity, relief and he believed a hint of jealousy and the others, who looked
at him full of expectation. He took a deep breath and unsheathed his sword
simply dropping the scabbard onto the ground. Holding the sword straight before
him, he hovered his hand over the blade calling out “Howl, Zabimaru!” The
blade glowed red and where his hand passed it on its way down to the tip the
blade itself thickened and spikes grew from it. When he was done the form of the
blade had changed entirely into some kind of saw. A large grin was plastered on
Renji's face and laughing he held the blade up for everyone to see. The Shinobi
stared at it in awe, as this was definitely different to anything they knew
about the Samurai's way of fighting.
“Sweet cheeks me next!” Ikkaku interrupted this moment.
Noticing Kyuu-chan's hair rise slightly, Renji put a hand on her shoulder and
warned: “You don't want to go down that road, Ikkaku-san”
“Ladies first”, Kyuu-chan coldly replied to the demand, anger gleaming in
her eyes and turned to Matsumoto and Rukia.
“Nice to finally meet you in person, Rukia-san. I've heard a lot about you”,
she greeted the much smaller woman with a warm smile and knelt down before her,
hovering her hand above Rukia's chest.
“Yes, uhm, likewise”, she was only able to stammer.
“Don't fib, I know he hasn't talked about me”, she laughed and felt Rukia
relieve after she had undone the seal blocking her Zanpakutou spirit.
“Abarai, get dressed while we set up the perimeter and return with everyone's
uniforms”, Sui Feng ordered, not followiing the exchange.
“Hai, Taicho”, Renji complied, realizing for the first time, that he was
standing there without a shirt. He blushed even harder and went off to do as he
was told.
“You're the girl from Shuuhei's squad we tried to hook up with Renji,
right?” Matsumoto mused when Kyuu-chan had moved on to her.
“Yes. That is me”, she acknowledged blushing and added with a smile towards
Rukia: “But there is a very good reason why that would never have worked
out.”
“Yeah, we figured...”, Matsumoto commented a little mopey.

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