Bleach: Belmont Legacy and Anime Series

Rescuing Rukia

Bleach – The Heart of the Matter

By Tayla Drago

(Soul Society Saga: Part 1)

In the Seireitei in Soul Society, several alarm tiles slot into place as a voice declares that a distortion has been detected in the western Rukongai and alerts the Shinigami, who proceed to run toward the source of the disturbance as 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai wonders what is going on. Meanwhile, in the Dangai, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends run along the path. Looking back, a shocked Uryū Ishida wonders what is happening and points out how the wall behind them is catching up due to the area they just ran through encroaching and collapsing in on itself, prompting Yoruichi Shihōin to chide him for talking instead of running faster before frantically asserting that it is all over if the Kōryū catches them. Suddenly, a tendril of the collapsing Kōryū latches onto Uryū's cape and begins dragging him backward by it, to his surprise. As Ichigo criticizes Uryū for wearing such a flamboyant outfit to begin with and grips the handle of his Shikai, Zangetsu, Yoruichi stops and warns him to not use his Zanpakutō because it will get him caught up in the Kōryū as well due to being part of his spiritual being. Yasutora Sado runs back and rips off Uryū's cape, freeing him from the Kōryū, and while Uryū thanks him, Sado hoists Uryū over his shoulder and rejoins the others in running ahead despite Uryū's protests of being able to run on his own. However, upon looking over the area behind them, Uryū notices something and warns his friends that something is coming after them. With a light shining through the Kōryū from its front, the Kōtotsu bursts into view behind the group, and when a startled Uryū wonders what it is, Yoruichi reveals that the Kōtotsu is a cleaner of the Dangai that appears once every seven days before bemoaning how it had to show up right now. Telling the others to run faster due to the incredible speed of the Kōtotsu, Yoruichi sees that they are close to the exit, but as the Kōtotsu draws closer, Uryū declares that it is impossible for them to outrun it. Upon hearing this, Orihime Inoue suddenly stops in her tracks and turns around to face the approaching Kōtotsu with a determined look on her face. While Ichigo and Sado express surprise at this, Orihime uses Santen Kesshun to block the approach of the Kōtotsu, resulting in a powerful explosion of energy that sends Ichigo and his friends hurtling out of the exit from the Dangai and into the Rukongai outside as they scream in fright. The dust clears to reveal Orihime has caught everyone with another Santen Kesshun, and as she cheerfully asks her friends if they are alright, Orihime compliments Ichigo's embarrassing landing pose, to his irritation. Admitting that this journey into Soul Society was more intense than he expected, Uryū pulls out another cape from within his uniform. When Uryū states that he never thought he would use his extra cape so soon, Ichigo and Sado are left speechless at him bringing a spare to begin with. Though Orihime concludes that it all ended well because no one got hurt, Yoruichi headbutts her in the eye for being so naive and explains that she was lucky the Kōtotsu only hit the shield area of her Santen Kesshun because touching the Shun Shun Rikka themselves would have killed her.

Yoruichi: Just be careful next time, will you.

Orihime: Sorry...But we did make it.

Chad: We did.

Uryu: And we're finally here.

Ichigo criticizes this berating and points out that they would have died without Orihime's intervention, which is what allowed them to enter Soul Society without a scratch, but Yoruichi merely claims that he does not know how serious this is.

Ichigo: Is this place really the Soul Society?

As the dust around him and his friends clears to reveal the rural buildings of the Rukongai, a surprised Ichigo questions if this is Soul Society, prompting Yoruichi to explain that this is the area where Souls first come to live after entering Soul Society and comprises the area encircling the Seireitei, where the Shinigami live.