The Snow Queen of Fairy Tail
It had been several weeks after the incident with Kugo Ginjo and the Soul Society passed the time by with relative ease. Within the barracks of the First Division, the Captains of the Gotei 13 met to discuss a breakthrough by the Department of Research and Development.
"I'm sorry Captain Kurotsuchi, but could you please repeat yourself?" Jushiro Ukitake, a man with long white hair and a normally gentle disposition asked with a troubled expression.
"I am close to perfecting a means to transport a soul reaper near instantaneously between the Soul Society and the World of the Living," Mayuri Kurotsuchi explained with a maniacal grin on his face, much to the unease of his fellow Captains. "I merely need a few volunteers to assist me with ironing out several…kinks in the system."
"What sort of…'kinks' would that be?" Byakuya Kuchiki queried. "And why is a volunteer from your own Division insufficient?"
"I have already tested it on several of my own members with great success," the clown-faced Captain retorted. "However the process becomes exponentially more difficult, the stronger the soul reaper in question is. As such I would need to run several tests with a reasonably powerful Soul Reaper. Therefore I am requesting the use of one of your Lieutenants."
Murmurs broke out among the Captains as they pondered the possible ramifications of allowing the demented Captain of the Twelfth Division leeway to use their own members as fodder for his experiments.
"I feel I need to repeat the question again, why can you not simply use your own Lieutenant for this? And what success have you had so far with…less powerful members?" Byakuya repeated, a chord of concern echoing within his psyche for the well-being of his adopted sister, rather than for his red-haired subordinate.
"Nemu will be needed to assist me with the actual calculations and procedures and she isn't a suitable candidate for several…other reasons. As for our recent successes, we have had a 100% success rate over the last ten trials. Now I have taken the liberty of analyzing possible candidates for my purposes and have found that Lieutenants Kira, Hinamori, Iba and Kuchiki would be ideal candidates. They possess both the temperament and the power to be of use to me." More agitated murmurs broke out now with his declaration and if one were watching the Sixth Division Captain, they would have noticed the way his eyes narrowed minutely, before returning to his previous expression of apathy. They were all silenced though as the Head Captain slammed his cane into the ground.
"Captain Kurotsuchi…what is the chance of mission failure should I allow you to conduct your experiment?" the aged Commander asked, cracking a single eye open.
"I have calculated it to be less than 1% under ideal circumstances and provided the subject is in reasonable health."
"Very well…Captains Rose, Hirako, Komamura and Ukitake, you have 24 hours to explain the situation to your Lieutenant and inform them that they may volunteer for the position if they so choose. Should no volunteer be found after the 24 hour period, I will choose one at my own discretion. Dismissed."
XXX
"We've been waiting a long time now; does anyone know why we were summoned?" Momo Hinamori asked her fellow Lieutenants as she, Rukia, Tetsuzaemon and Izuru sat within the confines of the Lieutenant's meeting room.
"I don't know. The Captain left for a meeting this morning, but I haven't heard from him since and now to be called here on such short notice…," Izuru Kira answered, cupping his chin with two of his fingers. "It can't be too important as the others don't appear to be joining us," he continued as he glanced towards the entrance as if expecting the rest of the Lieutenants to march in soon.
"Knowing Matsumoto she'll probably be late, can't say I'm surprised though," Tetsuzaemon muttered, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head.
Their musings were soon brought to an end though as the door slid open and their Captains entered into the room, with a grim expression on their faces.
"Please, be at ease," Ukitake said as he walked towards the empty chair next to Rukia. "I am afraid that we have less than pleasant news for the four of you."
"Captain Kurotsuchi has recently revealed a breakthrough he's made in transporting soul reapers between the Soul Society and the World of the Living," Shinji explained with an apathetic expression on his face. "The unpleasant part is that he now requires a volunteer to help him fix the kinks in the system. Essentially one of you has been nominated as his lab-rat."
The assembled Lieutenants cringed at the idea of being a test subject for the somewhat deranged Captain and began to softly murmur among themselves.
"You said that one of us has been nominated, who is it?" Rukia asked.
"Well that's for the four of you to decide," Shinji answered, casually waving his arm towards her peers. "You have a day to decide after which, if there is no volunteer, it's likely that the Head Captain will pick one of you at random. Now then, there's no need to rush this decision. Why don't we all take a break and come back later," he said as he pushed his chair back and stood up. As he approached the door, he froze mid-step as a voice broke through the silence.
"I volunteer for this task," Rukia said firmly as she stood up, shocking her fellow Lieutenants, though the Captains kept their expressions guarded.
"Rukia…there's no need to rush into this. There's still time to…" Ukitake tried to say, only to fall silent as Shinji shook his head at him.
"Ya know this ain't gonna be pleasant Kuchiki. Don't ya wanna discuss it with your brother at the very least?"
"I don't believe that Captain Kurotsuchi would ask for a volunteer if he wasn't somewhat certain of its success," she replied, sharing a look with her Captain. "I also believe that if there's a chance that this will help us save more souls in the future…then it would be wrong for me to not take the risk."
"You and your brother, both so stubborn," Shinji said with a sigh as he scratched his head tiredly. Glancing towards Ukitake, he saw a sad gleam in the old man's eye.
"I'll inform the Captain Commander of your decision," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and managed a small smile. "Take the rest of the day off to relax. I doubt Captain Kurotsuchi will give you much time to prepare."
XXX
Treading softly towards the shrine her brother kept in honor of her sister, Rukia bit her lip as she pondered how to approach the subject of her mission, especially given everything her brother had done in the past to protect her. Stopping outside the sliding door, she took a deep breath and slowly slid the door open, finding her brother standing before her sister's photo, his back to her.
"Nii-sama," she greeted, bowing her head before him.
"The Captains have been informed that you volunteered for Captain Kurotsuchi's experiment," he spoke softly, his voice unwavering.
"I…I have Nii-sama."
"I have only recently begun to act in the manner that I believe that Hisana wished I would towards you Rukia and make no mistake about it, the weight of my sin still weighs heavily on my mind."
"Nii-sama you don't…" she tried to say, only to fall silent as he turned around and walked towards her slowly.
"I have tried to protect you to the best of my abilities, even when you have…wandered into trouble, but now I fear that I will not be able to protect you from this mad science." Standing before her, Rukia found herself pinned in place as he stared down at her, his eyes narrowed as he searched for only what he knew. "If at any moment you wish to end your participation, say the word and I will do all in my power to help you."
"I…thank you for your support Nii-sama, but I have learnt much in the last two years on standing up for my convictions. I will come home safely, no matter what," she said with a soft smile, causing his eyes to twitch slightly.
"See to it that you do," he muttered as he walked past her. "Good night Rukia."
"Good night, Nii-sama."
XXX
"Report Akon," Mayuri snapped as he entered the control room of his newest project, while dozens of staff scurried back and forth between multiple terminals, muttering to one another.
"Subject has been decontaminated and placed within the chamber. System diagnostics have revealed that all equipment is operating within expected parameters. Substitute soul reaper Ichigo Kurosaki is on standby in the World of the Living to assist with the purification if the subject is in danger," a man with three prominent horns on his head replied as he stood at the front of the room, his back to the giant panes of glass that looked into the test chamber.
"Humph that simpleton always pokes his nose where it doesn't belong."
"It was either him or Kisuke Urahara," Byakuya murmured as he strode into the room along with Jushiro, his eyes narrowed and fixed on his fellow Captain. "I assume that he was the lesser of two evils."
Grumbling about overprotective brothers under his breath, Mayuri turned his attention to the interior monitor of the test chamber where Rukia was displayed, her arms at her sides as she stood with her eyes closed. "Lieutenant Kuchiki, do you understand your orders," he asked, his voice reaching her through the device they'd implanted within her ear.
"Yes Sir. I will be…transported to an area within the World of the Living where I will be tasked with the extermination of a hollow. Once the hollow is exterminated I am to contact Third Seat Akon and request extraction."
"Yes, yes that's the basics. Now I must stress to you that at no point during the deconstruction are you to vary your reiatsu. Once we inform you that the optimal level has been reached, you are to maintain it no matter the distraction. You are also to remain as still as possible. We will inform you once it is safe for you to move once again. Should you experience any discomfort…you are to report it to Akon. Though I honestly don't know what would cause you such discomfort."
'Because being rendered down into your base spirit particles is nothing out of the ordinary,' Rukia thought with a grimace.
"Mayuri-sama, we have confirmed the presence of a hollow entering Karakura Town. ETA two minutes to breach."
"Excellent. Begin preparations to transport Lieutenant Kuchiki. Ichigo Kurosaki, I trust you are ready."
"Yeah, it's not like I have much to do here anyway," said substitute replied, as an image of him appeared on a screen above them a bored expression on his face.
"I really do hate that boy…" he muttered as he muted the feed to the World of the Living and turned his attention back to Rukia. "Begin the experiment." At his command the level of activity took on an almost frenzied pace as technicians quickly began tapping away at their consoles.
"Lieutenant Kuchiki, please begin to raise your reiatsu," Akon ordered, his eyes fixed on the energy readouts in front of him.
Within the chamber, Rukia barely moved as she slowly began to raise her reiatsu, a white glow encompassing her as her energy continued to build.
"Subject's reiatsu levels are within optimal levels," a voice called out, causing Akon to nod.
"That's it Kuchiki, keep it there. Initiate cell deconstruction," Akon ordered, glancing up as the test chamber began to flash with a pulsating white light
"Cell deconstruction commenced."
"You should know Captain Kurotsuchi, that if Rukia comes out of this harmed in anyway…the consequences for you will be…less than pleasant," Byakuya murmured, tearing his gaze away from the light show in front of him and onto his colleague.
"You worry far too much Captain Kuchiki. Besides, sacrifices are always made in pursuit of progress," Mayuri replied, not bothering to turn towards him.
XXX
The dull roar in her ears finally died down and Rukia found herself gasping for breath when sensation finally returned to her body. Collapsing to her knees, she took several deep breaths in an effort to return her breathing to normal.
"Cell reassembly complete, subject may move at their discretion," a voice crackled through her ear piece and if she wasn't gasping for breath, she might very well have snapped at them.
"You know, that looked just as about as uncomfortable as I expected it to be," Ichigo said, causing her to look up and meet his gaze. "It's nice to see you here in one piece Rukia," he said with a smile as he offered his hand to her.
"Believe me, it felt like I was in several pieces only a moment ago," she responded with a chuckle as she forced herself to her feet with his aid.
Spotting the hollow in question lumbering through a clearing a few hundred feet away from them, she leapt off towards it, while seamlessly drawing her zanpakuto and holding it at the ready, before coming down with all the grace of a ballerina and slicing it in two from head to groin.
"Well that looked easy enough and you didn't even need me to step in," Ichigo said with a grin as he joined her amongst its disintegrating remains.
"Please, I've been doing this longer than you've been alive. Piece of cake," she replied, mimicking the act of dusting off her hands. "Time to go home now, Third Seat Akon, requesting extraction."
"Extraction request confirmed, standby for cell deconstruction."
"That just does not sound pleasant," Ichigo said with a shudder, causing Rukia to swat him on his arm.
"Aww the big boy's afraid of a wittle science," she said, poking her tongue out at him.
"I'm not afraid, I just don't trust the scientist," he snapped, turning his back on her with a huff, causing her to snicker. As she was about to continue her teasing though, the words died in her throat as a crushing pressure crashed down on them, sending a shiver of fear down their spines.
XXX
"Well so far so good," Jushiro said with a half-smile as he turned to Byakuya, the concerned brother not even bothering to reply. As they waited for the procedure to complete though, a cacophony of wailing sirens screeched through the silence as an alarm was triggered, sending numerous technicians into a panic.
"REPORT AKON!" Mayuri shouted over the din, his gaze zeroing in on his subordinate.
"We have another hollow signal entering the testing area. Awaiting classification…" he responded, staring at his screen with interest. "Im…impossible," he muttered his skin paling as he analyzed the readout.
"What? What is it?"
"It's an…arrancar. Estimates put it as an Espada."
"WHAT?!"
"How long until the extraction is complete?"
"Three minutes Captain."
"Inform Ichigo Kurosaki that under no circumstances is he to engage the Espada. His power alone could jeopardize the experiment."
XXX
Back within the World of the Living though, Ichigo did not need to be warned of the impending Espada, as he and Rukia stared in horror at the garganta slowing cracking open in front of them to reveal a familiar mop of blue hair.
"It's been a while Kurosaki…who knew that the very first hollow I tossed out as bait would be the one to snag both you and your little girlfriend," the former Sixth Espada said with a wicked grin as he exited the garganta and stood high above them, his reiatsu pulsing wildly about him, in tune with his bloodlust.
"Ichigo Kurosaki you are to not engage the enemy Espada under any circumstances until Lieutenant Kuchiki is clear of the battlefield!" a frantic voice shouted through their earpieces. "Failure to comply may lead to complications with Lieutenant Kuchiki's reassembly."
"What?!" he spat in alarm, his fearful gaze meeting Rukia's own as they digested the technician's words. "Why are you here Grimmjow?!"
"Isn't it obvious? This fight will never be over so long as one of us draws breath. I've been training for over a year, waiting for this moment…" he cackled as he began to descend to the ground. "Well? What are you waiting for? Do you need me to put a hole in your girlfriend again before you attack me?"
"Let her leave Grimmjow…this is between you and me. Always has been…"
"Eh? If she wants to leave then she should get out of here on her own. I'm not waiting any longer to settle the score with you!" he roared as he drew his zanpakuto and charged headlong at Ichigo.
"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed as he drew his blade and rushed to meet Grimmjow. As their blades connected with a deafening screech, a shockwave washed over the area shattering the windows and cracking the ground around them, while their reiatsu's clashed in a violent light show of azure.
XXX
"I told the boy not to engage him and now look what he's gone and done," Mayuri muttered as they watched helplessly as the two strove back and forth against one another. "How much longer until the extraction is complete?"
"I…I can't say sir. The interference from their reiatsu is making it difficult for us to isolate Lieutenant Kuchiki's reishi from them."
Hearing the door behind him slide open, Mayuri glanced over his shoulder to see Byakuya storming out of the room, a sense of cold fury echoing in his steps.
"Ichigo Kurosaki, I told you not to engage and now your antics are delaying Lieutenant Kuchiki's return," Mayuri said with a sneer.
"My antics?!" Ichigo's voice crackled through the speaker as he ducked under a vicious swipe from his opponent. "He's the bastard that attacked me!"
"Regardless, you need to end your quarrel quickly or take it elsewhere. The cell deconstruction will begin soon."
XXX
"Gee, I never would have thought of that!" Ichigo snapped as he lashed out with his blade, the edge just ghosting over Grimmjow's skin.
"Who the hell are you talking to?!" the former Espada demanded as he frowned at the substitute.
"None of your fucking concern!"
"Eh?! You're not at the level I want you at for this fight and it sounds like they're the cause of it, of course it's my fucking concern," Grimmjow snapped back, charging back into the fray and locking blades with the substitute.
Before Ichigo could utter a retort, they both noticed Rukia's body become enveloped in a bright white glow. Sighing slightly in relief, Ichigo was stunned as he watched Grimmjow raise his hand towards her. "Wait Grimmjow!"
"This fight's between me and your boyfriend bitch, no need for you to interfere," he muttered as he rapidly began to charge a cero.
"Nooo!" he screamed as he redoubled his efforts in an attempt to break Grimmjow's concentration.
It was all for naught though as the Sexta Espada smirked at him and murmured, "Cero," sending the vibrant crimson blast barreling towards the immobile Lieutenant.
"Rukia!" he yelled as he flash stepped away from his opponent and into the path of the Doom Blast and grunted as it barreled into him like a freight train. 'There's no way he should be this strong!' he thought in a moment of panic, as he felt himself being pushed further and further back, before glancing over his shoulder to see Rukia mere meters away. Growling he dug his heels into the ground and finally began to slow down, before coming to a stop a mere meter in front of her.
"Hmm, now why does this scene seem so familiar," Grimmjow said with a grin as he bit down hard on his finger. "Oh wait...I know why." Charging the erratic azure energies into his palm, he braced his feet and couldn't help but laugh, as he shouted "Gran Rey Cero!"
Seeing the dreaded attack cutting easily through its lesser cousin, Ichigo began to funnel as much of his reiatsu into his blade, before shouting "Getsuga Tensho" and unleashing his signature skill against it. As the two devastating attacks collided, they detonated with a thunderous roar and unleashed a towering inferno that swept through the area, decimating all in its path.
Gritting his teeth at the oncoming onslaught, Ichigo dug his blade into the ground and raised his own considerable reiatsu to attempt to divert it around himself and Rukia. It proved futile though as he was soon sent flying with a cry as the flames finally overwhelmed him.
XXX
Back within the control room, there were several panicked yells as the room began to shake and the test chamber began to emit a blinding white light, which quickly morphed into a violent crimson as an explosion ripped through it and washed over the area, shattering the pane of glass to the control room and ripping through the door to the test chamber. As the yells turned into screams of agony, the wails of sirens joined them as blast shields began to rapidly seal off the test chamber from the rest of the facility.
XXX
As the din finally died down, Ichigo groaned and forced himself to his feet, coughing as he scanned the burning flames around him. "Rukia!" he cried out, his voice echoing through the desolation. "Rukia!" he yelled again as he stumbled forward, using his zanpakuto as a crutch. Hearing a scuffle behind a mound of debris, he hurried towards it, falling flat on his face in his haste. "Rukia!" he cried out once more, as he finally stumbled over the debris, only to come across Grimmjow as he struggled to break free from the numerous kido that bound him, while Kisuke stood with a grim expression over him, his back facing Ichigo. "Urahara-san…" he called out to him, causing the man to glance over his shoulder at him.
"Kurosaki-san…" he murmured, bowing his head slightly in greeting, before he turned back to the struggling Espada.
"Have you seen Rukia? I can't…I can't sense her anywhere in this chaos."
"Kurosaki-san…I…" but the words failed to come out as he slowly turned around to face Ichigo, the charred insignia of the Thirteenth Division in his hands.
"No…No….NOOOO!" Ichigo screamed as he collapsed on his hands and knees. "RUKIAAAAA!" he cried out in agony, his rampant reiatsu sending a shiver down the spine of every spiritual being within Karakura Town at the hollow feeling that it echoed.
XXX
Stirring from unconsciousness, Rukia moaned in pain as her body assaulted her with several waves of agony. Her body felt like it was burning alive and only the cool feeling of her zanpakuto spirit within her numbed the agony enough for her to remain conscious.
Sifting through her senses, she moaned again as whatever she was lying on jerked roughly, sending a fresh wave of agony coursing through her body. Through the pain though she could hear a muffled voice…a girl if she had to guess, speaking to someone and…berating them? Cracking an eye open, she attempted to take in her surroundings, only to wince and shut her eyes again at the bright light that assaulted her being.
"Can you hear me?" the soft feminine voice spoke again, causing her to try and open her eyes once again, thankful that the blinds had been drawn closed to spare her the pain.
"W-Where…?" she tried to ask, only to falter as her throat constricted and she hacked and coughed violently.
"Don't strain yourself, you're safe now," the voice ordered and she felt a soft hand run through her hair, attempting to soothe her. Desperate to at least put a face to the voice, Rukia opened her eyes as wide as she could bear and just barely made out a teenage girl with dark blue hair smiling down at her. "Hi, I'm Levy. Don't worry, we'll be home soon."
'Home…I promised that I'd come home,' Rukia thought as she closed her eyes and felt her body surrendering to unconsciousness again. 'I promised Nii-sama…I promised to come home…'