The Pact

Twenty minutes later Isshin was pounding on Urahara’s door and demanding to be let in. A few minutes went by with Isshin threatening to tear the door off if someone didn’t answer him. The door finally slid open and Urahara, with hat, minus clogs smiled halfheartedly at his friend.



“To what do I owe this . . . unexpected pleasure, Isshin?”



Isshin grabbed him by the front of his yukata and gave him a hard shake. “What did you DO, Kisuke?”



Urahara peeled the other man’s fingers away from his robes one at a time before grabbing his wrist and pulling him into the place. “Honestly, Isshin, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Saki?”



“I’m not in the mood for saki right now. Just tell me what the hell you did so I can fix it!”



“You’re babbling. Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”



“Alexa showed up at my house tonight. Remember her? The scary bitch who would have happily seen to it that you were no longer recognizable as a man. She took Ichigo, Uryuu, Sado and Renji. Said to ask you why. Now what did you DO?!”



Urahara frowned for a moment. “I felt some very odd reiatsu flares in the area. Several as a matter of fact. Yoruichi went out to investigate them. She should be back shortly and we’ll see what’s happening. It’s very odd though,” he said, waving Isshin to sit down. “What would Alexa want with those four? How many were with her?”



“I didn’t count but I’d have to say at a guess at least ten. I suppose I should tell Ryuuken about Uryuu, he’ll be all kinds of pissed off considering . . .” He and Urahara suddenly looked wide eyed at each other. “Dear gods, do you think that . . .”



“Ryuuken being the first class bastard he is finally caught up with him? I’d say it’s a good possibility if Alexa brought that many with her. But why take the boys? Unless . . .”



“Unless they were looking for Uryuu and the others refused to give him up or say which one he was. Alexa wouldn’t have time to sort things out because the portal to this world is only a short term thing and as I understand it, it’s a bitch to open in the first place.”



Urahara nodded. “So, she would have taken them all as a precaution.”



“It gets worse,” a voice from behind them said. Both men turned to find Yoruichi leaning in the door way looking none too happy. “There are at least thirty of the Guard here in this world. Whatever is happening, they aren’t playing around about it. Want to enlighten me as to why they’d specifically be looking for Ryuuken and Uryuu?”



Both men sighed heavily each already knowing it was going to be a long night.



“The Quincy made a pact with them. It’s been in standing for centuries, never broken by either side.”



“Why do I feel a “but” coming on?” Yoruichi said.



Urahara sighed and scratched his head under one side of his hat. “You know Ryuuken. When has he ever done anything other than whatever he damn well pleased?”



“So, what did he do to piss them off that much?”



“More like what he probably didn’t do.”



“I seriously doubt Uryuu even knows about the pact. It isn’t something that would have been discussed with him until he was close to being of age,” Isshin said thoughtfully. “Ryuuken’s father probably would have been the one to tell him but he was killed long before Uryuu ever came close to being old enough to understand.”



“You’re probably right about that. We know Ryuuken himself would have never told him because they don’t talk about anything other than the standard “how was your day” bit. If they even say that much to one another.”



“Okay, enough about Ryuuken screwing up his relationship with his son. How do we get mine back before he mouths off and gets himself killed?”



***



“Damn it! Where are you taking us?” Ichigo demanded as he was shoved forward, nearly falling flat on his face because his hands were bound behind his back by some kind of weird energy bands that also sealed his abilities. His feet were also tied so he could barely walk and he’d been blindfolded. He had to presume the others had been as well. “Answer me!”



The woman his father had called Alexa stepped in front of him and took his chin between her forefinger and thumb, looking him over carefully.



“You just have to be Isshin’s get. Brash and obnoxious like your father. You’d think at least some of your mother would have been passed on.”



“What the hell do you know about my mother?!”



Sado’s quiet voice came from somewhere to his left and slightly behind him. “I don’t think it’s wise to make them angry.”



“Would ya try not gettin’ us killed,” Renji grumbled from up ahead.



“I concur,” Uryuu said, simply because if he didn’t say something Ichigo might get nervous and ask where he was using his name. Since he was the only one who hadn’t spoken those who were frog marching them to the gods only knew where would know who he was by process of elimination.



“Oh, I highly doubt you’ll be killed. Perhaps maimed a bit but certainly not killed.”



The people surrounding them chuckled at the joke. None of them found it the slightest bit funny.