Renraku-gakari.
Disclaimer: Skymaster23 has no connection to Bleach.
Multi-chapter story.
Soul Society, 118 years ago.
An individual is walking around a forested area when he hears what seems to be faint splashing sounds. "That noise? Could it mean..." He asks himself before he grins and heads towards the source. "Salutations, kind sir or madam! It has been many a day since-" He starts to say before hearing a shriek.
"Mi-minaide!" The kind person yelled before tossing a large rock at his face.
Once he recovers from that, he points at the person. "What, pray tell, did'ya do that for?!" He asks, only to notice one odd thing about the person in front of him. "And how can you appear my age with hair like that?"
The other person is quiet for a moment before replying. "Sorera no kotoba, wakarenai."
The boy blinks and fold his arms. "Just where am i?" He asks next, and points to himself. "What is your name? Mine is..."
Yonbantai courtyard, present day.
After recalling Minazuki, Unohana turns to leave. "There is somewhere i want to go." She says, only to stop after a few paces. "But...if I'm correct, they may need to know of this sooner rather than later." She tells herself, and vanishes for a bit before returning with a jigokuchou.
"Wait, you're not planning on asking for him to come here already?" Her assistant asks as Unohana draws her zanpakutou again and opens a senkaimon before saying something to the messenger and sending it in. The pair depart in a certain direction.
Elsewhere, a person is at his desk when the messenger flies in. The person nods and calls for someone.
Back with the two shinigami, they are several miles into their journey when they are met by a figure in chainmail and a tabard with the Latin number 7 on it. "This must be big if someone like you seeks our aid." He says while narrowing his eyes.
"What was that?!" The fuku-taichou asks while taking a step forward, but Unohana glances at her.
"Now is not the time for old wounds."
"...Very well, it would explain all the fluctuations we've been detecting lately. Just what do you have in mind, and why call us?" The newcomer asks her as he looked towards the execution hill for a moment.
"Several days ago, the gobantai taichou, Aizen Sosuke, was found dead."
"What...from what i was told, there are only three aside from you who could match him, even if by surprise." He says aloud.
"That is part of why i sent the summons; i think there is a fourth." Unohana tells him.
"And who would that be?" He asked, but before she could answer, a heaviness is felt. "Wh...why is it getting warmer all of a sudden?"
"That would be the sou-taichou, but we must continue." Unohana explained as she helped her assistant stand up again.
"Where to, taichou?" She asked.
"Choushijurokushitsu."
After a bout of panic from the assistant, the three are making their way to the government district, they all turn to see a burst of pale-blue light from the hill. "Now what; wasn't that one of those spells of yours?" He asks, only to gasp as a cloud of dirt as big as the nearby spire appears after hearing something about a ryoka and the number 88*. "What the hell did you get me into; is this the end of the world?" He asked, thinking that for a second, it almost looked like a skill he'd seen before.
"Calm yourselves." Unohana tells then, only to see three others in the distance, but says nothing. "We must keep going." She said next before she started running.
Once they arrive, the newcomer raises a brow. "This person you called us about sure must have been an impatient one." He quipped. Unohana says nothing.
As they reach the underground assembly hall, however, the assistant places her hands over her mouth as they see the carnage. "Every last one...Taichou?!" She asks as she takes a breath.
"How can this be...all of them...killed at once? Captain?!" The newcomer asked as well as he stood by one body slumped over pointing to the right as if attempting to jump over the table.
While noting the state of the remains, Unohana's hand twitches. "I have to admit there are few ways to kill this many so quickly, but the answers will not be found here." She says, and heads back outside before performing shunpo.
Almost as soon as the newcomer caught up, the faint sound of an explosion is heard from the tunnel entrance. The three rush in to see another disturbing sight. Without even waiting for the boy to fall, the newcomer begins glowing and begins changing into what appears to be a boar-like animal. Aizen starts to say something, but is cut off as the newcomer vanishes for a second and plows him into the wall of a second tower only for a second Aizen to appear and raise a hand. "Hadou no sanjuhachi: hyoga seiran." He said, causing a torrent of ice to engulf the newcomer.
Ichibantai courtyard.
Two days after the defection, Unohana, Kyouraku, Ukitake, Zaraki, Kurotsuchi, Sui Feng, Hitsugaya, and Komamura, their assistants, Rukia, Ichigo and his companions are standing. "Any ideas what that geezer called us for?" Zaraki asks outloud.
"Whatever it is, we will wait for him to explain as long as he sees fit." Sui Feng replied.
"Peh, friggen shrimpy bit-" Zaraki was saying when Yamamoto shows up.
"My apologies for bringing you out here despite the conditions some of you are in, but recent events demand we all be summoned." He tells them.
"But if it was not Genryuusai-dono, then who?" Komumura taichou asked.
"We did." Someone calls out, and they all look to the right to see two people.
"Aren't you the little early bird." Kyoraku tells one of them.
"Any idea who that is, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, only for Uryu to reply.
"The one on the right, Kurosaki, is a Nephilim; while the other is a Shabh Alfaris. They're foreign equivalents to the shinigami."
"Equivalents? You mean they do konso instead of quesy's?" Ichigo asked him, causing an anger vein.
"We're called Quincy, and all i could do is shoot hollows." Uryu replied before looking to the newcomers again. "Although, the nephilim aren't supposed to have Zanpakutou like you do, they just use stamps."
"If not with zanpakutou, then how do they fight hollows?" Chado asked him, only for Yoruichi to join in.
"I can answer that; you know how i am able to change form?"/"Nuh-uh; i absolutely do not want to hear it!"/"It's the nephilim's special ability." She explains while Ichigo covers his ears, and Rukia draws. "They call it Effusione pellis, and it causes them to change into any animal from reality or fiction. I learned how to do it back when i hadn't even gotten used to my shikai, so it doesn't quite work when i change back." She said before Rukia spoke up.
"I hope my illustrations were of aid to you, Shihouin-dono."
Yoruichi looks down to examine them, then grins. "I'd say it certainly...no, definitely resembles the style you'd expect from the Kuchiki clan; but you can skip that -dono dono talk."
"You mean it?! Oh, i simply can't wait to tell nii-sama how his mentor praised my art skills."
Ichigo is about to comment on that when they hear a smacking sound. "Ow...what'd i do?"
"As if you don't know; i have nothing to say to you, Captain "former husband" Pendleton." Kotetsu Isane tells him while scowling.
A few minutes earlier. "Aren't you the little early bird...Byu-kun." Kyoraku-taichou said to one of the new arrivals, a tall man physically in his mid-twenties wearing chainmail. The only difference was that this man had a sword at his side and a sleeveless haori with a hood under which blond bangs were just visible, while the other man was wearing exactly the sort of clothes Ichigo and the others had seen on TV.
"I guess; but it was only 177 days." The first replied.
The second man turns his head. "177 for you, Pendleton; i was not due to arrive for another 23 years." He said, making the first hold his hands up a bit.
"Don't take it out on me just cause your naptime was interrupted, sir Naaji." Pendleton told him, getting a sneer in response.
"You dare think me lazy, boy?!" The second growls while Uryu glares at Ichigo in the background, then huffs and rolls his eyes.
"Aside from that-" Pendleton says as he looks around at the crowd. "Let me just say...dai niiii...hajimemashite!" He added with a big grin, which he drops when he noticed "a few of them" were too busy arguing while another worked on some sort of book held sideways.
"...Anyway, it seems we have some new faces around here." He says when he notices three individuals of two very different sizes. "So this one actually goes to meetings, huh?" He tells himself under his breath.
"What'cha here for so early, hanehane?" The smallest of the three asked, seemingly not noticing the look of suspicion before the spike-haired man speaks up.
"Yachiru, don't shove your elbow in my face."/"Oopsy."
As the second man shakes his head, the first looks elsewhere. "And it seems some familiar ones are here...too." He says as he looks up at the third. "Er, not sure what word to use here."
"Than how about you not use any." Komamura-taichou recommended.
"Deal!" He says to his former commander before turning around. "Now that that's taken care of; good to see you got yourself one of those badges, Isane." He says as he moves to place a hand on her shoulder, but she smacks it away. "Ow...what'd i do?"
"As if you don't know; i have nothing to say to you, Captain "former husband" Pendleton." She tells him, giving off a sense of something other than simple anger.
"...Aw, don't be like that, it'll be just like-" He tries to say before Unohana-taichou interrupted.
"Would it not be best if you got back on topic, Captain Pendelton?" She asked, her tone bringing up a story Isane once told him when he first heard a certain word.
Soul Society, 119 years ago.
As she was out on day gathering wood for a fire, she sees some flashing lights amidst the trees and heads towards them. After a while she hears clanging and shouting. "-mned monster!"/"Where is she, where is sh-gah!"/"Takehiko; no, stay bac-ahh!" She hears, along with other voices ceasing one by one, the only indicators they existed being several bodies, half of which were in more than a single piece. Those, and one that was standing. A woman wearing black, yet covered in red.
The young girl notices the woman appearing to move her mouth, but couldn't tell if anything was said at first. "Where is it! You can't hide forever, my hitsuzen!" She then hears in a loud voice, followed by the woman sending a fist into a trunk, causing it to split and fall. Once that sound faded, the woman begins to turn when she hears a sound. A glint is given off by her blade, and she vanishes once the girl can open her eyes again, only for the sight to be of it sliding into view from behind her. "I've long since learned not to think youth equals innocence. Show me your hands, before i take them." The woman said in a voice colder than the steel she was holding.
The girl's only response was a gurgling noise making her look around. "Never heard it before, child?" She asks in a flatter tone, and the girl shakes her head and show her something.
"No, but what about these?" The child asks her, holding up one of a few metal rods as the woman narrows her eyes.
"Fill your stomach." The woman tells her as she turns around.
"Wait! Where are you going?" The child asks next. "I'm Kotetsu Isane; who are you?"
"...Shinigami." The woman replied without looking back before disappearing.
Back in the present, Captain Pendleton sighs. "Aright; later then." He says and both he and the second newcomer walk up the oldest of the gathering and bowed.
"Huh, what that all about? "Do any of you know who that guy is, and haven't i seen that person he's talking to before?" Ichigo asked aloud.
"She's the Yonbantai fuku-taichou, Kotetsu Isane-dono; but I'm not sure about the one with the haori."/"Me neither. Must have shown up after i left." Rukia and Yoruichi reply.
"I've seen him before." Hanatarou tells him. "That's Buford Pendleton. He was the former Nanabantai fuku-taichou, and later was transferred to the Sanbantai as it's taichou."
After recalling the short clash he had when he first arrived, Ichigo looks to him again.
"So he was the taichou of that scrawny grey haired guy who took off the other day?" Ganju asked while Ichigo glared at him.
"Not quite. Ichima...that deserter took over when Captain Pendleton left for the other Soul Society a few decades ago." Hanatarou explained some more.
"Okay; but why would she risk treating someone who outranks like that in broad daylight?" Yoruichi asked him, only for another voice to answer.
"I think it's easy enough to guess for a former-"/"Matsumoto, stay out of it." The jubantai pair both say.
"Heh, no reason to think much of it, Ryoka-san; Yama-ji didn't say anythin' about it, after all." Kyoraku-taichou told them before looking forward.
"We are again pleased to be in your presence, Yamamoto sou-taichou-sama." The two men say, and stand straight. "And yet, we can't help but be displeased. What is this we hear of you going so far as to you that on a mere goteitaishi?" The older of the two asks him.
"If you are referring to the execution, alkabtin Naaji, the orders came from what was believed to be chuo shijuroku." The sou-taichou tells them.
"You believed, yet you never gave any thought to the constant contradictions they gave?" alkabtin Naaji "asked" him. "It is after all known to you just why the Sokyoku is intended for taichou's alone, isn't it...unless you are not as unaware of this incident as you claim?"
The Ichibantai fuku-taichou then speaks up. "You dare accuse Eijisai-dono of involvement in this?!"
But he stops when Yamamoto raises a hand. "To what are you truly referring?" He asked with a tone indicating the answer.
"We refer to the fact the stand can only become active if a taichou's reiatsu permeates it, thus removing the threat of collateral damage, sou-taichou." Captain Pendleton answered.
As the two visitors continue speaking with the sou-taichou, Ichigo and his friends glance at each other over the last few words. "Collateral? But how would a whole city's worth of people get heart problems if Kurosaki-kun hadn't broken that post?" Orihime asked, causing them and the four nearest shinigami to stare at her.
"Inoue, you're thinking of cholesterol." Ichigo tells her as Hanatarou nods.
"What the two men over there are implying is that if it Aizen's scheme hadn't been halted by both your orange haired friend here...as well as a certain someone-" A dark haired lady with glasses said while glaring at Kyoraku. "-Then the stand could have overloaded, causing everyone within 40 miles of the site being incinerated." She explained further.
"And it only took 3 and a half months for you to figure out; loyal to a fault, indeed." Uryu commented while pushing up his glasses. "And who might you be, exactly?"
"I think Kyoraku-san called her Nanao when i ran into them." Chado explained.
"I'm Ise Nanao, hachibantai fuku-taichou; and i don't like that tone, quincy...but i won't deny your words, other than that you may not be thinking far enough." She replies while looking down. Uryu raises a brow just before they hear someone else.
"Hey Uryu, remember that thing about getting burned to death; well..." Ganju says while pointing at Ichigo, who is in the middle of the two rows with Sui Feng blocking his way.
"What the hell does he think he's doing?!" Uryu asked just as loudly.
"Tanpopo just realized those new guys aren't siding with kuronegi down here." Ganju explained while glancing down at Rukia.
"Kuronegi?"
"Nevermind that; Chado-kun, get Kurosaki back here before he gets us arrested again!" Uryu demanded.
Earlier with the two visitors.
"Just how did you manage to let this happen, sou-taichou; could it be that you've been on the job too long?" Pendleton asked while looking down at him.
"I have been at this...job...long enough to not fall for such provocations." Yamamoto replied with one eye open. "You read Unohana-taichou's report on what the traitor explained to her before fleeing, correct?"
"I did; but you would have us believe that Aizen was telling the truth about this "kanzen saimin" of his?" Pendleton asked next before Kurotsuchi snorted. "Does the junibantai taichou have something to add?"
"Not at all; i was only thinking of what is to be found once this debacle is over and i can have access to Kyouka Suigetsu." He said before returning to his spot.
"As one who can read facial expressions just as well, if not better then either of the nibantai taichous, i can say that he showed no signs of deception." Unohana replied while Sui Feng clenched a fist and Yoruichi's eye twitched.
After a few seconds, the two visitors lean towards each other. "You've worked with these people closer than i have; are we to accept this?"/"Lying does cause changes in the facial muscles and the eyes; as Soul Society B's foremost medical expert, she would be able to spot those signs even at a distance."/"Very well."
"We will clear you of collaboration; but you still missed the chance to uncover his duplicity when the chuoshijurokushitsu became too interested in executing one minor underling even if she did commit a maximum offense." Naaji said, causing Ichigo to interrupt.
"Hold it, excuse me...what does that mean?" He asked as Sui Feng rushed in front of him with a hand on her zanpakutou's handle while Chado headed over.
The two glance at each other again before Pendleton replies. "Sui Feng taichou, at ease."
"You have no authority to tell me that." She says without looking away, until he says two small words.
"Ja-chan."
She flinches and sneers before relenting.
As Ichigo and Chado swear they saw flames surrounding her as she walked off, the western looking person approached. "As much as you'd not agree, giving powers to a mortal is bad; it's just not "throw a sun at them" bad." He tells the boy.
"So then what would you have done?" Ichigo asks after sending Chado back, only for Pendleton to stare at him. "What are you looking at?"
"No, must just be coincidence." The captain says after walking around him.
"What is; hey, answer me, already."
"What we would have done is simply have her reverse the process and erase your memory of the event, assuming you survived like you did before."
"Eh, survived?!" Ichigo shouted.
At that, Pendleton heads back to Yamamoto and says something to him. "This inquiry is hereby adjourned; all except Sui Feng taichou and Kyoraku taichou will return to their compounds. The ryoka will accompany Unohana taichou. Dismissed."
As the others part ways, Matsumoto gives a glance behind her. "Say, when Pendleton-san was looking at the ryoka's leader...do you suppose-" She says before Hitsugaya taichou turns his head.
"Don't dwell on what was, Matsumoto; there are only three deserters that need dealing with." He tells her before walking off.
"Taichou...what would you say right about now?" She asks while looking upward.
With Ichigo.
"Hanatarou, you said you're the seventh person of her group, right?" He asks.
"Yep, what do you want to know?"
"Aside from all the stuff you said before, i heard a bit about this compound of yours from Chado and Ishida, but what about those two?" He asks more quietly before Ganju went on about having been there too.
"Unohana taichou? Well, in all our history, she's one of the two taichou's who've been incharge of the yonbantai, and one of the two remaining from the day the gotei jusantai was formed." He explains.
"She is? So, would that be why they said that the same guy who one-shotted me, Renji, and two taichou's ran away from her?" Ichigo asks, making him pause.
"I honestly don't know. Until you showed up, no one has ever seen her so much as look at her zanpakutou."
Back at the Ichibantai.
Once the crowd dispersed, the real business began once Yamamoto sat down in his office. "Now then, how are we to respond to all this?" He ask them.
Kyoraku made the opening response. "The first thing to do is determine how far this goes; i doubt Ichimaru and Tousen are the only ones in on it." He says while looking to Sui Feng, who huffs before nodding.
"I will personally investigate each agent of mine from each compound and replace them, failure of this level can not be allowed." She tells them.
Yamamoto nods before turning to the other two. "What is the reaction from your respective commanders?"
"Soul Society C is still debating. General Kysely does offer support, but it'd be limited due to the hollow activity caused by that war the mortals started a few months ago." Pendleton said, followed by Naaji.
"Which may even increase if this Aizen of yours has indeed sided with the menos grande."
"Which leads to another, perhaps even bigger, problem." Kyoraku says aloud. "Just what do they have to gain from doing anything other than munching on three former taichous, and what was that thing the ryoka claim Aizen took out of Kuchiki taichou's sister?"
"And why would Shihouin Yoruichi risk appearing before us at the same time?" Yamamoto added. As Sui Feng leaves at the mention of the last name, she and the others all think back to an even more disastrous time.
Shinigami Zukan.
As Ichigo and the others are leaving, he stops and turns. "Wait, i almost forgot...Yoruichi, you said you knew shikai right; that means you have a zanpakutou too?"
"Sure, why do you ask?"
"Couldn't you have used it back at Kukaku's so i could have had an easier time beating up Renji and Byakuya, or even when i was doing that bankai practice?"
"Oh...i would have and all, but we both prefer i not go overboard on measly little hollows." She explains.
"Go overboard?" Ichigo asks, causing him to imagine her surrounded by hollows.
"Huh, ganging up on little old me?" Figment Yoruichi says as she draws a blade out of it's sheath. "Sucks to be you...Bankai!" She shouts, and out of a burst of smoke, a battleship appears and blows all of them up.
"You mean it would have done that to me?" He asked while backing away.
"Done what?" She replied with a look of confusion.
Chapter 1.