After bathing and getting some clean clothes, Natalie and Edward joined Kisuke at the table. The others were nowhere to be found.
“Where is everyone?” Natalie asked.
“They’ll be along soon enough. For now I wanted to talk to you about how long you intended to stay in this world with us.”
Natalie took a deep breath. “I don’t know honestly. I know I don’t want to be here when you guys go after Aizen though.” Not wanting to say too much she stopped herself there. She knew the battle with Grimmjow and the other arrancars and espadas was coming and soon, but they didn’t know about that attack. As much as she wanted to warn them about it and how difficult it was going to be she didn’t know what effect that would have on them. How many movies and stories had gone into paradoxes and the like that could rip apart the very fabric of space and time when you messed with the flow of things? But then, she had already sort of done that by taking Edward from his world and nothing had happened from that right? Still, not worth the chance. Besides it was something that had to happen the way it did for the sake of Ichigo and the others.
“Why not stay and help us with that though? We could use the help of talented people such as yourselves.”
Natalie looked at him a bit strangely. She just remembered how Kisuke had told Orihime that she couldn’t be a part of this. She was guessing that hadn’t happened yet either. He hadn’t even really wanted Sado to go but he’d changed Kisuke’s mind. Still, this seemed a bit out of character for him. What wasn’t he telling them? A lot if she had figured Kisuke right when reading about him. She shook her head. “Sorry Kisuke, that is one fight we certainly don’t want any part of. I know how worked up the Soul Society has been about it and the implications of what Aizen may have planned and that’s not something we’re allowed to interfere in.”
It was Kisuke’s turn to eye her. “You know an awful lot, how much of this world have you read about?”
“Enough. I will say this, I know what’s coming and it’s enough to make me NOT want to stay here for it. We will stay for a little while longer though and help keep things quiet if that’s what you’d like. I know the group that’s here would rather focus on their mission than on the crazy amount of Hollows that have been showing up.”
“You’ve been talking to Yuroichi.”
Edward nodded. “She came in to talk to me while Natalie was in the bath earlier.”
“Meddling cat,” he said with a laugh. “Oh well, I suppose that’ll do if you’re so inclined.”
“Seems fair, right Natalie?” Edward asked. Natalie nodded her agreement.
As the agreement was made, Tessai came into the room followed by a shorter dark haired girl and a taller orange red haired guy. Natalie recognized them right away as Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki. When they came in Edward and Natalie both stood up from the table to properly greet them. They wouldn’t get the chance to though, at least not right away.
“Who’re they Kiskue?” Rukia asked looking at them suspiciously. Natalie was sure Rukia could feel their different spiritual pressure.
“They’re my guests Rukia, calm yourself. These two are going to be helping us with the little Hollow problem we’ve had as of late.”
“What as bait?” Rukia asked with a cocky grin. “That girl there has a spiritual pressure almost as intense as Ichigo and isn’t any better at keeping it under control.”
Natalie just took a deep breath trying not to let what Rukia said get to her. She already knew that Rukia could be a little rough sometimes. Edward didn’t look like he was taking her little assessment very well but thankfully he was keeping it to himself.
Kisuke just chuckled. “Well I can’t argue with you Ms. Kuchiki but still, her ability, as well as the young man’s, are exceptional. I think they can handle a few Hollows.”
“Yeah I’ll believe it when I see it,” Rukia said as she sat at the table. Natalie and Edward sat back down and Ichigo joined them. Natalie didn’t need to be able to read spiritual pressure to know that he was going through troubles of his own with his inner Hollow.
“You’re awfully quiet today Mr. Kurosaki. I’d ask if the cat had your tongue but Yuroichi’s out at the moment so…”
They just sighed at Kisuke’s bad joke. “You’re as cheesy as usual though Urahara,” Ichigo said as Tessai came in with tea for them. Natalie had more than enough tea for a life time at this point. How could people drink this much of this stuff?
“So what brings you two here today?” Kisuke asked Rukia and Ichigo.
“What do you think? I thought Captain Hitsugaya and the others were supposed to be here too,” Rukia said sounding rather annoyed. “I thought we were going to be talking strategy, though I didn’t know you had anyone else here.”
“The strategy is simple, we handle the recon and these two handle the Hollows, simple,” replied Kisuke.
“Yeah well I’m not trusting that one until I see it with my own eyes.”
“You’re so skeptical Rukia. Isn’t it enough that Toshiro, Renji, Yuroichi, and I have all seen what these two can do and trust that they can do what we’re asking of them?”
“Frankly? No.”
Kisuke just shook his head. “Fine, the first time they go out I’ll let you and Kurosaki go out with them so you can see for yourself. Just don’t interfere with them; it might not end very well if you do.”
Rukia rolled her eyes. “Whatever…” Just then her pager went off. When she checked it, it showed that two Hollows had shown up in the area. “Well, seems we get to see them in action already.”
Kisuke looked over at Edward and Natalie. “You two ready?”
They both grinned and nodded. They had sat quietly while Rukia sat there and openly doubted them and doubters were high up on Edward’s list of things he didn’t like. Even Natalie didn’t like having someone doubt her this much. Now they’d get a chance to serve those words back to her with a side of humility. They both got up and headed out, transforming as they went. Rukia and Ichigo followed closely behind.
It wouldn’t take long for them to find the first of the Hollows. It was a rather large, serpent looking thing. It took one look at Natalie and it looked as though it were salivating. They both took their stances.
“I’ll lock it up…” Edward started.
“And I’ll blow it up,” Natalie finished with a grin.
Edward clapped his hands and put them to the ground causing a spike to shoot right through the beast. When it was writhing in pain, Natalie took her staff and aimed for its head. With a flash she had let her Spatial Rift fly and the Hollow blew into pieces. The tail, which was the only thing left, quickly vanished.
Rukia and Ichigo couldn’t believe their eyes. “Well that certainly was effective but does your technique just obliterate them like a Quincy or do you actually help them cross over?”
Natalie looked at Rukia impatiently. “Questions later, wasn’t there another one we had to take care of?”
Rukia nodded and pointed toward the sky. “Yeah and it seems to have picked up on you.”
The second came flying in and headed directly for Natalie. Edward created a sword and jumped on its back as it flew by. Natalie was able to dodge out of the way before the Hollow could get her. Edward was holding on to the thing for dear life. He sunk the sword into the back of the thing’s head making it come crashing to the ground. When it did, it threw Edward off and made him go rolling across the pavement. Natalie took advantage of the situation now that Edward wasn’t on the thing’s back. She lifted her staff and launched a Spatial Rift at it blowing it to pieces just as she had the one before it.
With that taken care of, Natalie went over to where Edward had landed. “You OK?” she asked offering him a hand to help him up.
He slowly got up and let her help him up. “Damn it, that hurt,” he said as he got to his feet. When he tried to stand though his left leg didn’t want to support him. Natalie quickly grabbed a hold of him keeping him from falling.
“Looks like you managed to bang up the automail leg,” she said. “Anything you can do to patch it up?”
“Help me over there so I can sit down and take a look,” he said indicating a low wall that would be easy for him to sit on.
Once she had helped him there, he lifted the leg of his pants up enough to look at the damage. “Not so bad, looks like a cable snapped. I can fix that.” He clapped his hands together then put it to his leg mending the broken cable. He bent his knee and wiggled his toes making sure the movement was back then he tried to stand. “Looks like it’ll be all set for awhile but I think we might want to find someone eventually who can take a really good look at it.”
Natalie sighed. She knew of only one person that would be able to fix it up right, Winry. There was no way she could take Edward to Winry in his world though, he’d never allow it. It looked like the only other option would be the other Winry, the one that might put Edward in danger. Well as long as she didn’t take her Edward to the world on the other side of the gate there that shouldn’t be a problem though. She’d deal with that later; at least they were alright for now.
Rukia walked over to them. “Is everything alright?”
Natalie nodded. “Yeah, now it is.”
“Then to my earlier question, what happens to them after you take care of them?”
Natalie thought about it for a moment. “Well I’d guess they move on since it would seem people like me are ferrymen in this world.”
“You’re a hell butterfly?” Rukia asked sounding shocked.
“Well that’s what Kisuke thought but it’s not exactly like that since I’m not from this world but I suppose I’m the equivalent of one.”
Rukia nodded approvingly. “Alright, let’s get back to the shop before you attract any more attention from the Hollows.”
No comments:
Post a Comment