Yamada Hanataro inches very close to the camera, raising his hand in a nervous little greeting to the audience. "Hello... e-everybody... How are you...? I am the most bullied kid in the Bleach World, Yamada Hanataro..." He says into the microphone in his hand.
A sign hangs over the stage behind him which reads "2nd Anniversary," with the number 2 taped on(1). Ichigo and Ganju are standing near the sign, giving helpful advice to Hanataro as he tries to start to show.
"You're too damn close!" Ichigo yells over at him.
"And that self-introduction was too subservient!" Ganju adds.
Hanataro shuffles back toward them and carefully speaks into the microphone, "Bleach has recently managed to make it safely through 2 years... so I've been told to be the host.... To be honest, I don't really think I have a big enough role to do this..."
Ichigo looks at him with his arms crossed, "Hey now."
Ganju looks off to the side of the stage, distracted by an enraged plushie in a black tux.
"AAHH!? Hey you!! That's my mic!!" Kon jumps on stage. "No wonder it wasn't in my dressing room!! That mic is my life! I'll take it back by force if I have to!!"
Ichigo has enough self-preservation to step back before Kon leaps at Hanataro's head with a flying kick. The poor Shinigami is no match for the enraged stuffed toy.
Kon easily retrieves his microphone and takes over the show, "Now, here we go!! Welcome to the 2nd annual Bleach popularity poll!! JOINT!!"(2)
Asano Keigo rushes on stage in pink tuxedo with Kojima Miruiro trailing behind him in a light grey suit. Both boys have tears streaming down their faces.
"AHH!!" Keigo sobs. "Why weren't we called to be on the cover?!"(3)
Mizuiro demands, "Who the heck is that weird bandanna-guy sitting in the middle?!"(4)
~*~*~(1)Somehow budget cuts couldn't afford a new sign so the one from last year had to be reused. :P
(2)Kon likes to say random English words during his shows as a way to emphasize his point and sound more dramatic! JOINT!
(3)There was a group picture of Team ICHIGO (minus Hanataro) in the issue of Jump that this chapter was published in. The image is currently featured on the official Bleach website.
(4)Of course, Mizuiro is talking about the one guy on the cover art that he doesn't recognize - Ganju.
Now onto the main event...
~*~*~
(Intro- Awesome color pic! XD I could try to describe it, but there's a great scan of it right here.^_^)
Renji collapses at Ichigo's feet. The battle had been intense, but now his energy is spent and he falls forward, passing out.
Ichigo looks down at his fallen opponent as he breathes laborously. Blood pours freely down the side of his head. Ichigo doesn't last long on his feet and he soon topples over as well.
"Ichigo!!!" Ganju sprints toward the fallen men with Hanataro following behind.
"Hey! You alright, Ichigo!?" Ganju kneels by his side. "Answer me! Hey!!"
"...Vice Captain Abarai Renji..." Hanataro stares at Ichigo's fallen opponent in shock. He defeated... a vice captain... His gaze slips toward Ichigo's direction, Ichigo-san... What are you really- His throughts are cut off by the sound of people approaching. He looks up and sees figures in the distance.
"Someone's coming!!" Hanataro warns Ganju. "Three... no, four... maybe five of them."
"We'll be in trouble if we try to face a mob right now," Ganju unceremoniously hefts Ichigo's limp body over his shoulder. "We'll pull back! Lead me somewhere that no one will find us!"
Not too long after they make their escape, Kira Izuru, Vice Captain of the 3rd, arrives with three of his subordinates. They're shocked as they take in the scene.
The one wearing a bandanna gasps, "That's...!"
"Hey hey hey hey!" the one with short dreadlocks speaks up. "That's.... A-abarai-san!!" He and the third subordinate, a spiky-haired youth, rush toward the unconcious man. "Are you alright, Vice Captain Abarai!?"
Izuru stares at the scene in disbelief, "This can't be... to be strong enough to defeat Abarai-kun..."
"Hurry up and pick him up from that side!" one of the young men orders the other.
"I...I know that! You're the one who needs to get his act together!!" the other snaps back.
"Let's go!!"
Standing beside Izuru, the subordinate wearing the bandanna speaks up, "It seems that they've escaped... shall I go after them?"
Izuru thinks for a moment, "No... right now, the wise thing to do is keep Abarai-kun's rescue as our priority."
~*~*~
Down a ladder and through a passage of underground waterways...
"...Healing ability?" Ganju leans against a doorway leading into a small room. He crosses his arms and asks, "Don't you guys use first-aid medicine and stuff?"
"Yes," Hanataro replies. "Other Shinigami can only use their spiritual power for battle, but we in the 4th Division are the only ones who have the ability to heal.... that's pretty much all we can do, though," he admits.
"I see," Ganju says. "...So. How's he doing? Ichigo, I mean..."
Hanataro kneels by Ichigo's side, looking over his deep wounds, "...It's terrible... but... I'll definitely heal him... please give me some time." He reaches to take off the medicine kit strapped to his back, "I'll try to heal him in just one night."
Ganju looks over at his bleeding comrade and says nothing in reply.
~*~*~
Elsewhere...
"...This can't be!" Hinamori Momo, Vice Captain of the 5th, covers her mouth with both hands in horror. Tears edge out of the corners of her eyes as she looks down at the unconcious Renji, bundled in a streacher and laid out at their feet in the middle of the doorway.
"...He was already like this when I found him..." Izuru tells her. "...If I had been just a little sooner and assisted him in battle..."
"No... don't be like that... It's not your fault..." Momo assures him while she tries to get over her own shock.
Izuru looks down sadly, "...In any case, I'll contact the 4th Division. I'll have them bring a first-class rescue team..."
"That isn't necessary."
Without any warning, Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the 6th and Renji's direct superior, appears right behind Momo. "Put him away in a cell," he orders them.
"Captain Kuchiki...!" They turn to him in surprise.
"N... no, you musn't..." Momo speaks up as Byakuya turns away to leave. "...Abarai-kun fought the intruders all on his own... Despite that, you're..."
"Don't make excuses," Byakuya warns her. "Facing a battle alone means that defeat cannot be allowed. I have no need for fools that do not understand something so basic. He's an eyesore. Hurry up and take him away."
Momo's fists clench in anger, "...Wa... Wait just a moment! How could you say such things..."
"Stop!" Izuru places a hand on Momo's shoulder to calm her.
She looks up at him, "But Kira-kun...!"
Byakuya turns his head slightly to look back at them and Izuru bows down deeply at the waist, "Please forgive our rudeness!"
Momo loses her nerve, well-aware of the risk she just took by talking back to a Captain. She looks away, "...Pl... please forgive my discourtesy..."
Byakuya leaves without sparing them a second glance.
"Ooh, scary!" Ichimaru Gin, Captain of the 3rd, speaks up from the back corner of the room.
"Captain Ichimaru!" Izuru turns to him in relief. Momo is too startled by his sudden appearance to say anything.
"What was up with that, huh? The 6th Captain is as scary as always," Gin beckons to his Vice Captain. "Don't worry 'bout it. I'll go call up the 4th Captain for ya. Come with me, Izuru."
"Yes, sir!" Izuru follows him out of the room obediently.
"...I... I'll leave it to you, sir!" Momo bows low at waist out of gratitude. Gin gives a little wave as he and Izuru walk away.
"WHOA! Abarai sure got his ass kicked big time!" 10th Captain, Hitsugaya, exclaims from right behind Momo.
"FWAAAH!?" Momo tenses up - this is the third time in five minutes that a captain has appeared unnannounced right behind her. This was seriously wearing down on her nerves. "Hi... Hitsugaya-kun!!"
"Hey, hey, hey," Hitsugaya looks up at her with his arms crossed - Momo is still a few inches taller than him. "I'm already a Captain. Are you sure you should be addressing me like that?"
"Shut up! Geez!" She snaps at him, upset. "How come you Captains sneak up behind everybody without making a sound!? You're always so -" She pauses mid-rant, stuck by a sudden realization. "...Why are you at a place like this? Especially without your Vice Captain..."
"...I came to offer advice," he looks over in the direction that the earlier captains left. "Be careful of the 3rd Division."
"Eh...? The 3rd Division...?" Momo asks, unsettled. "Is this about Kira-kun...? Why?"
"I'm talking about Ichimaru, but probably Kira too I guess," Hitsugaya's gaze slides over to meet her eyes. "For the time being, it doesn't hurt to be on guard. Especially -"
~*~*~
"The situation has gotten out of hand!" 1st Captain, Yamamotogenryusai Shigekuni (i.e. Yama-jii), speaks to an assembly of the Captains - though there are a few notable absences. "Now that we've lost one of our Vice Captains, this is no longer a matter which can be handled by the lower ranks." Yama-jii turns to address Gin, "I'll overlook Ichimaru's earlier renegade actions."
"Thanks a lot," Gin grins.
Yama-jii continues, "All of the high ranking officials within Seireitei, including Vice Captains, are hereby given permission to release their Zanpaku swords at any time without restrictions. I want you to relay this order to those who couldn't make it here this time."
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the 1st Captain announces, "we're going to have an all-out war."