Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Providence ❯ Espada ( Chapter 8 )

As Osamu Ryu rushes toward the 4th division's barracks holding the 5th divisions Vice-Captain, he senses a great clash of rietsus. From the size of the rietsu, Ryu could tell that a captain was fighting…and losing.

 

How is a captain losing? He stops, allowing Rukia to catch up to him a few seconds later. “Take her to Retsu, I need to go”. Rukia looks at him confused for a moment, but realizes that Ryu was trying to focus and wasn't going to give his orders any more discussion. She picks up the limp body of Hinamori and both Shinigami are gone in a flash.

 

As Ryu races towards the fight he keeps his hand on his Zanpaktou, ready for a fight at any moment as though the warring rietsu was going to come out and attack him. As he gets closer, Ryu notices explosions of screaming Rietsu. He could tell that the fight was a serious one, and he was afraid that the fight would grow out of the forest and back towards the people of Seireitei. He could not let that happen, too many innocent people had already been killed by the attack. He would need to do everything within his powers to keep it isolated.

 

As Ryu reaches the fight he pulls out his Zanpaktou, ready to strike. He immediately realizes what he is facing, one of Aizen's elite, an espada. The espada looks more human than Ryu had expected. He has blue spiky hair and eyes. He wears a white hamakaand a black sash. Most importantly, he was fighting, and seemingly beating, Captain Kurosaki Ichigo.

 

“Need some help?” Ryu asks, as he stands ready next to Ichigo. Ichigo, breathing heavily, replies, “I've got him right where I want him…” with a smile. With that they both attack with a flash before the espada can say anything. Ryu quickly realizes the power of his foe. How is this guy keeping up with two captain level shinigami? Ryu didn't have the time to contemplate this question as he barely dodged a strike from his adversary.

 

The battle stops for a moment with the espada in between the two shinigami. “Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?” The espada asks Ichigo. “You aren't going to need his name when you're dead, Gimmjow” Ichigo replies. The two shinigami catch each others glance and Ichigo lets out a Getsuga Tensho at Gimmjow who easily dodges the attack only to be targeted by Ryu, “Way of Destruction 63: Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down”.

 

One of the blasts seemed hit knick Grimmjow, and in that moment of hesitation Ichigo flashed in to make the killing blow. Ducking, Grimmjow is just barely able to avoid the strike. “You cut off a piece of my hair!” yells Grimmjow. “I think it looks better,” replies Ryu with a smirk.

 

Grimmjow didn't seem to like that response as he attacks Ryu ferociously. Looks like he's stepping it up a notch, better not miss this cue. At that moment, Grimmjow lets up and flashes above Ryu, about to blast a cero at him, but Ryu was ready. A powerful fiery blast comes out of Ryu's Zanpaktou, canceling the cero, “Rain Fire From Heaven, Kagutsuchi”. “Good,” says Grimmjow, “looks like it's time to get serious”. Ryu looks at Ichigo, “Why don't you take a break? You look tired.”

 

Ryu looks back at Grimmjow, Kagutsuchi beginning to emit steam. “Let's see what that Zanpaktou can do.” Grimmjow says. He begins striking like before, but this time the strikes are coming down harder. Ryu feels his arm starting to take some damage from blocking all the strikes. Come on, I've got to pick this up. Ryu flashes away to put some separation between him and his opponent and siphons his rietsu into Kagutsuchi. It is now beating red and fire is actually at the base of the dragon's mouth.

 

“Well doesn't that look frightening”? Grimmjow taunts as he charges at Ryu again. This time Ryu dodges the first strike and strikes back, “Kaji-Kashira!” Ryu sent a great fiery dragon's head spiraling towards Grimmjow who was able to cancel it barely by sending another cero at it. The explosion sent Grimmjow back a few yards. He smiles and flashes behind Ryu, going faster than before. Before Ryu can react, he is kicked to the ground, creating a large crater. Grimmjow follows him to the ground and puts his knee to Ryu's stomach causing Ryu to spit blood.

 

“Don't make me kill you when you still haven't shown me everything, release your bankai and let's get this over with.” Grimmjow commands Ryu, still on his back. Ryu stands up slowly and makes eye contact with Grimmjow. He raises Kagutsuchi to his chest, holding it with both hands, letting the handle rest in the center of his chest with the blade facing Grimmjow. He pulls both his arms away, spinning the blade and simultaneously yelling “Bankai”.

 

Out from his chest comes a dragon made of fire spiraling towards Grimmjow, who is barely able to avoid the dragon. He looks back at Ryu, who was now in a Dragon stance without his Zanpaktou. In that moment of hesitation, Ryu turned his fists and stepped and the dragon, which was now behind Grimmjow, turned and mimicked the movements of Ryu, coming down on Grimmjow from an angle behind him. Grimmjow dodged again, but the dragon followed him, striking from the right, then the left, never attacking from the centerline. It was all Grimmjow could do not to be engulfed by the massive dragon.

 

Every once in a while, he was able to catch a glimpse of Ryu, who was far off moving quickly and flowing the strikes into each other. Every time Grimmjow tried to attack Ryu, he would defend using the dragon to cut off Grimmjow's strikes. “This is enough!” Grimmjow yells as he lets a huge cero at Ryu while the dragon was behind him. Ryu dodged it and flashed right next to Grimmjow, attacking with his Zanpaktou that had reappeared while dodging the blast. The two stand face-to-face, blades locked. “Had enough yet?” Ryu asks.

 

Before Grimmjow could respond, Ryu feels another thunderous rietsu. Another figure appears beside Grimmjow, “It's time to go, I've collected enough data”. This figure had pink shoulder length hair and his mask was formed like rectangular glasses. The two unlock blades. “I haven't even started with this guys, just a few more minutes?” Grimmjow asks. “We have our orders, it's time to go,” replies the other figure. As he says this, a fissure opens up in the sky and the two jump in. Before Ryu or Ichigo could follow them, the sky closed back up.