Bleach 147: The Forest of Menos! The Search for the Missing Rukia

Lunuganga reappears in front of Ichigo and the others. Rukia releases her zanpakutou, Sode no Shirayuki. She is about to activate Hakuren but she needs to stab the ground and they are on Bawabawa. Before they can react, Lunuganga opens a sand pit beneath them. Rukia slips off but the others fail to notice.

Rukia is thrown to the side of the pit. She tries to get a grip of something but she is pulled under. Unable to resist, Ichigo and the others are sucked in as well. In a dark area, someone picks up a sword and draws it. Ichigo and the others fall toward the ground in a dark underground forest. Uryuu suddenly catches sight of a group of Menos Grande walking around a ways away.

Bawabawa hits the ground hard. Ichigo, Renji, Uryuu and Chad are all unharmed. Suddenly Nell falls from the sky and lands headfirst on Ichigo. Ichigo falls to the ground clutching his head. Pesche calls from above and suggests that Ichigo move. Ichigo looks up and has Pesche and Dondo Chakka land on him as well.

Ichigo sits up and wonders where they are. Uryuu walks over to a tree and fells it. He is surprised and then he says that they are the same as the ones above. Uryuu comes to the realization that the trees above are the tips of the trees that are below ground.

Chad comments that the forest is very thick. Ichigo turns to find Nell and the other two shaking on the ground. Nell turns sobbing and says that they are in the Menos Forest. Uryuu tells the others of the Menos he saw as they were falling.

Uryuu says that probably the Espada and the Arrancar live on the surface will the other Hollows live below. Ichigo asks Nell if she knows a way out but she says she has never been there before. She only heard stories about it so she does not know. They start panicking and Ichigo tells them to relax.

Uryuu agrees and Uryuu says the Hollow must have a way to get in and out. Suddenly Renji realizes the Rukia is missing. Ichigo asks when they lost her and Uryuu says it must have been when they fell. Rukia wakes up covered in debris. She gets up and calls for Ichigo. Suddenly, she hears something and brings up her zanpakutou.

She looks and sees a bunch of glowing eyes. Someone emerges from a cave wearing a Soul Reaper robe, a large fur and a Hollow mask. After a moment, the figure flash steps away. Rukia defends herself from scores of Hollows. Rukia wonders where they all came from. She calls for Ichigo again then sees a light in the distance.

She blows back the Hollow with ice and runs toward the light. She emerges and gasps as she sees some Menos Grande. They turn to her and one fires a Cero. She takes a step back and the ledge she is on crumbles causing her to trip. The Menos fires and she turns away. Suddenly, the strange figure appears in front of the Cero. He grabs her and flash steps away again.

With Rukia under his arm, he quickly dispatches the two Menos. Rukia catches sight of his worn zanpakutou as he slashes. After they are dealt with he again flash steps away. Ichigo and the others search for Rukia. Uryuu says it is strange since she fell at the same place as them. Ichigo says that since Rukia is small and light, she would fall fly farther away. Renji agrees and Uryuu wonders what they think Rukia is.

Bawabawa starts making noise and Nell translates saying that he will climb the tree and look for Rukia from there. Pesche and Dondo Chakka praise Bawabawa and tell him to take a good look for the “despicable” Soul Reaper. Ichigo and Renji turn to each other and Renji mutters that they were called despicable.

As Bawabawa starts to ascend, Uryuu stops him and says he will help look. Chad agrees and they both jump on Bawabawa. The unknown person carries Rukia under his arm as he jumps from branch to branch. Rukia continually tries to get him to let go but he does not answer.

She grabs his arm and pushes off in the opposite direction. She looks back but he is gone. She gasps, and then he appears in front of her and grabs her once again. She asks him what he is doing. He speaks telling her to be patient because they will arrive at his hideout soon.

Inside a cave somewhere, shadowy figures meet. One says the forest is getting noisy. The next says there are several strange reiatsu there. Another asks what they should do and the last says that “they” will be dead before they know it. Someone else arrives and says that they got a message from Las Noches. The first says that things are getting exciting.

They arrive at the unknown person’s cave and he lets Rukia go. He walks in and she follows. Inside, she takes a look around and sees an orb of light in the ceiling. She asks if he created it with kidou. He does not reply and she says that he really is a Soul Reaper.

She asks him for his name and his squad. She tells him again to say something and he replies that his name is Ashido. He tells her that they are in the Menos Forest. He explains that it is the Menos’ nesting grounds. He picks up his blade and leaps into the air.

Rukia takes a step backward as he lunges for her. She draws her zanpakutou and blocks the first strike. She tries to get an explanation but he ignores her. The second attack sends her flying. She pushes off the wall and strikes back. She notes that he is strong but he uses wild movements.

He flash steps above her and his next attack sends her rolling across the room. She gets to her feet and watches him trying to catch her breath.

Meanwhile, Ichigo calls up to Uryuu asking if they can see anything. Uryuu says they can’t and Uryuu says he is sure he saw Menos but they are gone now. He hears Renji and Ichigo below and looks to see a bunch of Hollows coming toward them. From their position they take out a few of the airborne Hollows.

On the ground, Ichigo and Renji wonder where they are all coming from. As they are fighting, the Hollows start howling. Nell shouts at them all to run away. Pesche and Dondo Chakka tell her not to worry about the “bad guys.”
A shadow falls over them and marks the arrival of the Menos Grande. One of them reaches for Bawabawa. Uryuu and Chad cannot retaliate because Bawabawa is trembling and they cannot get a clear shot. Ichigo blasts it back with Getsuga Tenshou.

They continue to fight the Hollows. Nell watches from behind a tree. Pesche suggests they try to escape. Nell does not want to leave and Pesche tries to convince her to forget about Ichigo. There is a roar behind them and they see a horde of Hollow blocking their escape.

They yell for help and Ichigo turns and calls to Nell. She is being carried off by a flying Hollow as well as Pesche and Dondo Chakka. Ichigo wants to go after them but there are more loud roars and on the edge of their vision they see red eyes. A whole group of Menos Grande emerge from within the forest as Nell and the others fly past.

Chad comments that there are so many and Uryuu says they are the ones he saw earlier. A Menos opens its mouth and fires a Cero. Back at the cave, Rukia battles the mysterious Soul Reaper. She jumps back and asks if he brought her back just to kill her.

Ashido does not answer. He charges and there is an explosion. Rukia is backed against a wall. Ashido asks if that is all. He then points his sword at her. She throws some dirt at him and picks up her sword but he has disappeared.

Suddenly he appears behind her. Rukia turns and her eyes widen. Unable to do anything she watches as Ashido stabs out with his sword.