Vanishing Point

**Vanishing Point** is the eleventh episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

As the night of the first full moon with Cheza nears, the group prepares. However, Darcia has plans on taking back the Flower Maiden that threatens their chance at getting to Rakuen.

## Summary

In Freeze City, Kisuke has been trying to find out where Yoruichi has gone, but hasn't had much luck. As he plans on giving up, a drag queen sees him, apparently interested in him. Before he can come over, a young woman comes over, acting like Kisuke is an old friend that she brings away. It's then that she tells him that she was part of Yoruichi's research team, causing him to ask her where she's gone. All she does is reveal that she went to lead the team to retrieve Cheza, and doesn't know more. Though it's not much, Kisuke appreciates the information, when a voice says they should, "leave it at that". The man, Captain Raiken, arrives with some officers, and tells Kisuke that the House of Lords have requested him to be brought in.

Elsewhere, Lord Orkham is being escorted by a security detail to his command ship. Suddenly, they are ambushed, until afterwards, the guard are all wiped out. That's when emerging from the light, armored troops slowly make their way towards Orkham. In that moment, he recognizes them to be Jaguara's troops, until one of them raises his ax, and deliver the killing blow.

Making their way through a small town, Ichigo doesn't feel too comfortable with the locals, but the wolves start to feel excited, Kiba stating that it will be their first full moon with Cheza. Even though Renji isn't sure what the difference would be, Kiba tells them about a legend of how the Flower Maiden and the wolve's howl will reveal the path to Paradise. Ichigo asks if he thinks it'll happen tonight, but he isn't sure, for they'll have to wait and see. Either way, Cheza says that she's excited, too.

In Freeze City, Orihime decides to go to Ichigo's place after thinking about him for some time. She finds that Rukia is still there, so she asks if Ichigo's come back. When she answers that he's still gone, it makes Orihime convinced that he's not coming back, so she asks Rukia what it is, and where he's gone. Finally, Rukia admits that she's willing to tell her everything, if that's what she wants, and explains to her the events that have been taking place for some time. Orihime takes all this in, not believing it at first, until Rukia notices that she deeply cares for Ichigo, and wants to know if she really wants to see him again. She says "more than anything", so Rukia tells her that she will help her.

Meanwhile, Kisuke is at the police station, being questioned by Raiken on Yoruichi's whereabouts. All he does is inform him that he doesn't know where she is. However, Raiken starts getting impatient, believing that Kisuke knows something, so he then goes on to mention the situation that involved Darcia. Curious, Kisuke asks him which one he's referring to. Losing his patience, Raiken tells him that he's talking about the one from the Book of the Moon, which he slams on the table in front of him. Out of nowhere, an explosion is felt in the interrogation room, when Raiken receives a call, learning that Orkham has assassinated. While he's completely taken back by this, he leaves the room to find out more. The officer in the room frees Kisuke and apologizes to him, but he replies that it was nothing, since he was probably deceived. When the officer asks if he means by wolves, he gets knocked out. Kisuke apologizes, and grabs the book, leaving the interrogation room. He ends up running into a surprised Raiken, who he knocks out, telling a nearby officer that he might be having a stroke, and should take care of it, allowing Kisuke to make his way out of the station.

Where she is currently being held, Yoruichi does some exploring. Doing so leads her through a hall, into what appears to be a monitor room that interests her. Checking it out, she comes to believe that it's used to study Cheza's makeup. That's until she is found by Darcia, who tells her that she has "soothed the isolation of his loneliness" long enough, and reveals that he will now go and retrieve Cheza.

As the full moon comes, the wolves are getting worked up, Ichigo and Renji watching in interest, when Ichigo believes something is about to happen. It's that that moment that Cheza spins harmoniously, the wolves running around her, until they all howl at the full moon.

During that time, Darcia tells Yoruichi the Book of the Moon was a means of finding Paradise, where his grandfather, Darcia The First, disappeared to. When she asks what Paradise is, Darcia explains that it's a world that is ruled by wolves, and that it was lift his clan's curse, and that of his beloved, Hamona. He goes on to say that she suffers by what is known as Paradise Sickness, in which her soul was taken by Paradise. Yoruichi can't help but ask if he should have told her that, but Darcia simply removes the covering over his left eye, and states she'll wait until he returns with Cheza. His eye then opens to reveal it as a wolf's eye, which renders her unconscious. As such, his servant Neige informs him that Orkham's keep has fallen, which means that Jaguara is making her move, Darcia believing that the time is right.

The group gazes at the full moon, waiting to see what will happen. It's until in that moment, lunar flowers start to blossom, allowing them to see them bloom all around them. It's after a while that they see before them a path of lunar flowers. While Ichigo and Kiba take this in, Hige confirms that it's the path to Paradise, and although Renji and Tsume wonder if it really is, Toboe is amazed. Either they, they all follow as Cheza runs on the path, hopeful in reaching their destination at last. But that changes though when an airship is seen heading towards their location, which causes the group to stop, until some of them notice that the path of lunar flowers has disappeared.

The ship lands, then it opens to reveal Darcia, who Ichigo recognizes in surprise, while Kiba asks him what he wants. Darcia asks him if they were enjoying their dreams of reaching Paradise, but assures them the time hasn't yet come for that, then orders Cheza to return to him. She appear to be afraid of this as Ichigo unsheaths his Zangetsu, while Kiba demands that he gets out of their way, and charges at Darcia. But his ship's shields prevent him from reaching him, when it then fires a laser shot that hits the area, taking out Toboe, and worrying Hige to go to him. It's no use more shots that take him out as well, causing Renji to try and fight back with his Zabimaru, only to get hit, Ichigo calling out to him. As Cheza cries out in pain, Darcia looks as if he's enjoying their struggle. More laser shots fire out, cutting off Ichigo from Kiba, who attempts to make his way to Darcia, all while avoiding shots. Despite that, he gets overpowered by one after another, Cheza crying out for Kiba, who desperately tries getting back up.

That changes when he gets hit by another shot, which becomes unbearable for her to watch. He manages to get back up though, and snarls at Darcia, who's ship opens up with another laser shot. That is, to his surprise, until it's stopped when ichigo instinctively releases a wave of spirit energy that manages to cancel it out. While Darcia is intrigued by this, a shot hits Ichigo, sending him flying away, as well as Kiba, who once more attempts to get back up. He gets hit, sending him back down, until no one seems to be able to get up at all, Darcia satisfied. Afterwards, Cheza tells him that is enough, and goes over to where Kiba is lying.

She holds him close, when he says that she should go; that they're wolves, and that they aren't afraid to die. Knowing this, Cheza informs him that it's alright, and that she will protect them. Then she goes to each of them, puting a hand on Ichigo and Renji, and petting the wolves, until she finally goes and enters Darcia's ship. He follows her, until hetakes one last look at Ichigo, then follows her inside. The airship then takes off, the blue moon now starting to turn red.

Leaving Freeze City, Rukia and Orihime know where it is they are going. That's when Rukia sees the red moon, and wonders what is happening.

## Appearances In Order

* Kisuke Urahara
* Drag Queen
* Lab Assistant
* Captain Raiken
* Lord Orkham
* Lady Jaguara (Mentioned)
* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Tsume
* Toboe
* Hige
* Renji Abarai
* Kiba
* Cheza
* Orihime Inoue
* Rukia Kuchiki
* Officer #1
* Officer #2
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Darcia The Third
* Darcia The First (Mentioned)
* Lady Hamona (Mentioned)
* Neige

## Notes & trivia

* This is the first episode in which Jaguara is mentioned.
* Although it's name isn't mentioned yet, Ichigo uses the Getsuga Tensho for the first time.