102 Village of the elfs (1/2)
”Permission Denied. Your strength will be needed in the upcoming battle against the Arrancar. You need to return to Soul Society this instant.”
Renji was immediately denied permission to go to Hueco Mundo and retrieve Inoue. Knowing that she was able to meet Ichigo before leaving showed that she had left on her own free will. Itsuki was also there and when Yamamoto talked about returning to Soul Society, he especially looked at Itsuki.
As Rukia rejected the order, a Senkaimon appeared behind them with Byakuya and Kenpachi walking out. Kenpachi looked at Itsuki with eyes filled with a lust for battle while he desperately tried to hold himself back. Byakuya nodded at him and made sure Rukia and Renji got into the Senkaimon before he entered himself. Toshiro and Rangiku also entered and the Senkaimon disappeared leaving only Ichigo and Itsuki.
Ichigo started talking,
”I know you're going to try stop me but, you should know that I'm still going to go any…way…”
Turning around, Ichigo realised that Itsuki had already gone. Itsuki was on a pathway next to the river running through Karakura town as he saw Tatsuki looking frantically around shouting Inoue's name.
She saw Itsuki in front and ran towards him,
”M-master, have you seen Orihime?”
Itsuki remained silent as Tatsuki continued.
”I could always sense her, even if she went far away, I could faintly sense her. But now, I have lost all trace of her.”
Tears started to pour out Tatsuki's eyes as she buried her head in Itsuki's chest. Itsuki looked down and sighed, patting her head, he waited for her to calm down.
'Maybe it's time. Well she will still go anyway even if I told her not to.'
Looking at her puffy eyes, Itsuki pushed back any nefarious thoughts and gave her a piece of paper.
”Tomorrow after sunset, come to this location.”
”Why?”
”You'll know once you get there.”
With that Itsuki disappeared leaving Tatsuki standing there. The next day, Ichigo appeared at the Urahara store looking for a way into Hueco Mundo. When walking inside, he saw Chad and Ishida already standing there. As the three were about to ask Urahara to open the gate, he just said,
”We have to wait for just one more person.”
”One more?”
Ichigo was confused. However, his questions were answered as soon as he heard footsteps behind him. Looking back, his eyes couldn't help but widen as he saw who they were waiting for. He wasn't the only one, Ishida and Chad had a similar expression on their face. They couldn't believe their eyes right now.
”T-t-Tatsuki?”
Tatsuki walked in with an embarrassed expression.
”Y-yo.”
Urahara smiled,
”Then, everyone's here.”
”Huh?”
Urahara never gave enough time for Ichigo to think as he opened the gate and appeared next to Tatsuki. After hitting her with a stick and causing her to get into Shinigami form, he then started hurrying the four into the portal, telling them how it works. One the four were through, he slowly said,
”You can come out now.”