Where the Soul Lies

**Where the Soul Lies** is the twenty-fifth episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

With Jaguara no more, and her city now in ruins, the group decide to leave to continue their search for Paradise.

## Summary

The group watches as Jaguara's city is in chaos, with people robbing and fighting ensuing, while soldiers take what they want to leave. It's Ichigo who's surprised to see how different the city has now become. Confused, Hige wonders where Blue went, since he promised her that he would come back to her. Tsume says that it doesn't matter, causing Toboe to try and stop him.

But Hige tends to agree with him, stating that they should just leave him, and that he would only slow them down. Giving Cheza to Ichigo, Kiba goes to help Hige up, who wants to know why, when Kiba reminds him of what he said once, about how "having pride doesn't count for much if you're dead". Afterwards, he believes that it's time for them to leave the city.

Out in the wastelands, Kisuke and Yoruichi try to stay close as winds pick up. That's when they find after a while that the winds die down as they find a transport vehicle. While she goes to check the vehicle to see if it's in working condition, Kisuke checks the back, only to find the dead bodies of three of Jaguara's soldier. Yoruichi asks if he found anything, until she sees them, saying nothing. It's Kisuke that suggests that they tried to get away with stolen treasures, but didn't get far. Either way, she tells him that the vehicle is in working condition. He starts it up as she gets in, and they drive off.

Following Quent all the way in the outskirts, Blue doesn't say anything to him. He decides to break the silence by saying that she doesn't have to keep following him. However, she knows that, but admits that aside from traveling with the others, being with him was the only thing that she knew.

Not only that, Blue also believes that if she'd been able to talk to him in her human state, they could have discussed many things. That and the fact that they've been together for so long, after what happened. While Quent says nothing at all, it's then that Blue sees a transport vehicle coming, and rushes down to meet with it. She hold her arms out in an attempt to stop it, but it doesn't appear to stop. Out of nowhere, Quent runs over, knocking her out of the way as he ends up getting hit.

At that moment, Hige stops, causing Kiba to ask what it is. He can't explain it, he simply has a feeling that something bad has happened. Once Ichigo asks if he's sure about that, he's sure, though Hige can't help but wonder.

Trying to support Quent, Blue tries to get him to stay awake. In doing so, she at one point refers to him as "Pops", causing him to ask if that's what she's been calling him all along. She reveals that he's been like a father to her ever since she's known him, making Quent now wonder if that's how she really feels. Blue says it's true, when he falls off her to the ground. Desperate, she tries to wake him up, to no avail. That's when she bites into his leg, making him groan in pain, until she's able to get Quent back up, encouraging him to stay awake. Feeling that Hige and the others are out there, Blue keeps moving as she supports him.

On the move, Kisuke notices that there doesn't seem to be much out there, to which Yoruichi says nothing, but seems to agree. It's then she sees something, and tells Kisuke to stop, which he does. Wondering what it is, he looks to see that out in front of them is Blue, who has Quent on top of her.

Setting up camp, Kisuke mentions how Blue and Quent managed to find each other. At first, neither of them say anything, which changes when Kisuke asks what will happen when Paradise opens. Yoruichi replies that the world will probably start over, and become what it was meant to be. However, Kisuke wants to know what will happen to them though. Since Paradise is supposed to be meant for wolves, he wants to know what that will mean for them. Not knowing that, Yoruichi wants to believe that it won't change what they might have. They get back to driving on the move, when Blue senses something, and wants Kisuke to stop the vehicle.

Mustering the little strength he has, Hige collapses, Renji and Toboe checking to make sure he's alright. He does nothing, until he notices something in the distance, Realizing that it's Blue, he manages to get up and head towards as they call out to each other. They finally reach each other, and nuzzle each other in affection. Seeing the group, Yoruichi sees Cheza with them, relieved that she seems fine, but notices the veins on her neck. After a while, she realizes that it must have something to do with what's happening. Ichigo informs her that they have to get to Paradise, which she seems to understand about, since the world is ending. Discerned, Kisuke wonders why they can't simply go and fly away to another world, confusing Kiba. He asks why humans "always look at the sky when they know they don't have wings", then goes to say that they'll use what they have, and run, for as long as they can.

While Ichigo, Kiba, Renji, and Tsume run alongside the transport vehicle, Cheza comes to, seeing that she's sitting with Yoruichi. She asks about Kiba and the other, though she assures her that they're running right beside them. When Kisuke states that it feels like everything feels right, she admits that it feels that way to her as well, and that the best part is, she with him, holding his hand. Even though he's surprised by this, he smiles. Suddenly, they hit something, causing the transport vehicle to crash onto a cliff. It's Ichigo who stops to warn the others. Getting out is Blue and Toboe, who get Quent out as Hige is then helped out. Concerned, when Kisuke asks if she's okay, Yoruichi feels fine, and wants him to take Cheza, which he does. As soon as he gets out, the ice breaks in the moment, and she falls, along with the transport vehicle.

They all rush to the bottom to find Yoruichi. Getting to her, Kisuke asks if she's alright, but she claims that it'll be alright. That she was glad that she got the chance to spend one last time with him, and she has no regrets. All he does is tell Yoruichi that everything will be alright. That they'll get a house near the beach, and get a little white bird, until after a while, they'll have a couple of kids; it will be everything they wanted. But by that time, she passes, causing Kisuke to mourn for him. The only thing that the group can do is watch all this, until eventually, he brings Yoruichi's body, and lets it sink to the icy waters below. Saying nothing, he then makes his way over to the transport vehicle, until he starts to try and flip it back up.

There's no movement as he continues to try for a while now. Just then, Ichigo comes over to help, taking Kisuke by surprise, when Kiba also helps as well. Over time, the rest of the group helps to try and flip the vehicle back over, until finally, it flips over. Breathing some relief, Kisuke admits to the group that he wants to come with them. They accept him offer, so they move out.

## Appearances In Order

* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Kiba
* Cheza
* Renji Abarai
* Tsume
* Hige
* Toboe
* Kisuke Urahara
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Quent Yaiden
* Blue

## Notes & trivia

* This is the first episode to feature the death of a main character of the series.
* Kiba quoted Hige's speech about pride from back in Episode 1: "City of Souls and Howls".
* Although they have been split up twice, Hige and Blue manage to reunite once again.