A/N: This was an idea I came up with after browsing deviantart recently and decided to start typing Resurrección while I was roughly a quarter of the way through chapter 4 part 2 of Through Our Eyes. Chapter 1 is long, but sets the scene perfectly. There are points that connect Resurrección with Through Our Eyes and, honestly, it was deliberate; but I'm afraid that's where the similarities end. Resurrección is a whole new world for me, so let's enjoy this together, shall we?
While it does have characters from TOE, Resurrección is in a parallel universe to the universe I have created for Through Our Eyes, and it starts around the TBTP arc where it is revealed the strongest males of the lesser-ranked Sōsuke clan have been weaving their deceit through the Gotei 13 since Yamamoto founded the Academy.
How will the Bleach universe change? Will the characters we're all familiar with still be in their standard positions? How will the Sōsuke clan's plans change the fate of Soul Society? So, please read on! Thanks for your time.
Warnings: Vizard/Espada-centric (not until chapter 2), Ichigo-is-Kaien, reincarnation, major AU, prelude to Winter War, M rating.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Not saying it again.
Resurrección
Chapter 1: Fallen
I.
— 1st Division office; all taichou and fukutaichou present, except Yoruichi and Shaolin —
"This is an emergency! According to the report I received from the 2nd Division's Onmitsukidō branch, we've lost reiatsu reception from both Shihōin-taichou and Feng-fukutaichou; the cause is unidentified. We've entered a worst-case scenario; until yesterday, these events only occurred in Rukongai. But we must solve this now in order to protect our honour as the Thirteen Guard Protection Squads!" the sou-taichou decided resolutely. Then he slammed his cane on the ground. "In response, I shall select a patrol of Soul Reapers to investigate the area of the incident!" he continued.
"Jaegerjaquez-fukutaichou and Odelschwanck-taichou of the 10th Division, Hisagi-fukutaichou of the 9th Division, Kuchiki-fukutaichou of the 6th Division, Ichimaru-fukutaichou of the 7th Division and Matsumoto-fukutaichou of the 3rd Division; you six will investigate the area!" The sou-taichou glanced at each person he named. "You are all dismissed!" He spoke firmly and they bowed, before he slammed his staff on the ground once again and the chosen Shinigami left in a series of shunpoes.
...
— In the field —
"You're... Tōsen! Why? You... betrayed Kensei... your own taichou?" Shūhei demanded as he looked at one of the traitors of Soul Society.
"He didn't betray anyone," a voice said, making Shūhei focus his attention on the familiar sound; he'd been at the Academy with the owner of that voice, so he knew who it was. He stared at the figure and found... Hirako-taichou's fukutaichou, Aizen Sōsuke. "He's quite loyal; he obeyed every order I gave him. Please don't be angry with him, Hisagi-fukutaichou."
Shūhei appeared shocked at first, but it turned to anger as he took everything in. "Aizen... Shinji knew it all along! You started all this!" he yelled.
Aizen smirked. "You noticed? I'm not surprised."
Shūhei stirred on the ground. "Of course I did!" he spat.
"Since when?" Aizen questioned.
Shūhei stared at him, his expression blank. "Since Shinji told us about his wariness of you after Neliel's taichou test."
Aizen glared at him. "I see."
But Shūhei wasn't done yet. "Shinji always knew you were dangerous; that you were not a man to be trusted. That's why he chose you to be his fukutaichou; it was so he could watch you, Aizen!" he shouted angrily.
"Yes, and I'm most grateful, Hisagi-fukutaichou. Thanks to all of you constantly doubting me, none of you ever realized," Aizen answered, with a slight smirk forming on his face.
"I just said we did!" Shūhei yelled again, glaring at his friend's former fukutaichou.
"No, you didn't see a thing. For this whole month, I wasn't the one walking behind Hirako-taichou," he replied confidently, causing Shūhei's eyes to widen. "I can make my enemies believe anything I want them to; that's my Zanpakutō's, Kyoka Suigetsu's, true ability. I refer to its power as... absolute hypnosis." Aizen looked smug.
"Absolute hypnosis?" Shūhei repeated, widening his eyes slightly.
"You're a clever man, Hisagi-fukutaichou; you're all quite sharp, in fact. If any of you had treated me the same way the other taichou treat their fukutaichou, you might have seen through it. But none of you tried; since you never trusted me, you always kept me at arm's length. You never opened up to me, never shared any information, you never tried to get to know me... that's why none of you noticed when I had someone else take my place. I had my substitute memorize my behavioural patterns and the way I interacted with the other taichou; if you had truly tried to know me, you would have noticed slight differences in our mannerisms. The reason why you're down on the ground right now is all because you never bothered to get to know me. Did you understand all that... Hisagi-fukutaichou?" Aizen mocked the other fukutaichou.
"Aizen..." Shūhei growled in pure anger.
"One more thing; you said Hirako-taichou selected me as his fukutaichou so he could keep an eye on me. But that's incorrect," he started again, with yet another smug expression on his face.
"What?" was Shūhei's only reply.
"Just as taichou have the right to appoint their own fukutaichou, the candidate has the right to reject the offer. Of course, that's hardly ever happened; but nonetheless I had the option of not becoming Hirako-taichou's fukutaichou. So why did I take it? Because you were all perfect; your suspicious natures and caution around me created the ideal environment for my plans. Now do you understand? Hirako-taichou didn't choose me... I chose him, Hisagi-fukutaichou. You should take the chance to apologize to your friends... they're on the ground bleeding because you came to me," Aizen finished in his mocking voice.
Shūhei stood up suddenly and readied his Zanpakutō. "Aizen!" he yelled, just before his face was engulfed in some sort of pale white liquid that hardened over one side of his face, forming a mask.
"Thank you for allowing my little taunts to anger you," Aizen stated, continuing to mock him.
It's happening to me, too? "Aizen! What's going on?" Shūhei demanded as he struggled to stay on his feet.
"It seems that the Hollowfication process proceeds quicker if the subject is agitated," Aizen murmured to himself as if he was observing an experiment.
Shūhei's eyes widened more than they had the times before. "H-Hollowfication? What... is that?" he questioned, still angry.
Aizen smirked. "You don't need to know."
A few metres away, Rangiku finally stood up and looked through her Hollow mask's eye holes at what was transpiring. "Shū... hei," she managed to get out.
Aizen noticed this, glanced at Tōsen and nodded. "Kaname," he said simply, as if it were an order.
"Yes, sir!" Tōsen replied, nodding his head.
He disappeared in a shunpo, came up to Rangiku and swung his sword down at her.
"Don't!" Shūhei yelled in desperation but, before Tōsen's blade hit her, it was stopped by a double-sided lance.
"Impossi-" Tōsen was cut off by a fist colliding with his stomach from Neliel and was sent flying backwards towards Aizen.
"Odelschwanck-taichou?" Shūhei asked. "What are you doing here?" he continued.
"Never been to this part of Rukongai before, but I'm saving your life," she muttered good-naturedly. "I don't know what's going on... but it seems not all has gone according to plan, am I correct, Aizen?" Neliel asked, narrowing her eyes at the foe.
Aizen just smirked. "Another test subject for my experiment? What a subject it is," he commented with his smug attitude.
"What would you like me to do?" Tōsen asked.
"You may proceed, although... I would like to include her as my next subject."
"Subject, huh? What an interesting choice of words," Neliel said darkly as she walked forward to attack Aizen, but was stopped by Tōsen.
But Neliel merely thrust her lance forward into Tōsen's face; Tōsen blocked with his sword, but the sheer force and extreme speed of the lance's thrust pushed Tōsen fifty metres away. Aizen was caught off-guard by Neliel's display of strength, but he wasn't able to do anything before he saw the lance coming straight for his face. He managed to dodge out of the way, but barely. "Impressive, Odelschwanck-taichou," he remarked, trying to goad the captain into making a mistake.
Neliel stared at him, as if he was crazy; she knew what he was trying to do and wasn't about to make a mistake. Tōsen came swinging his blade at her, but all of them were futile, as Neliel either dodged or parried the attacks with her lance. "Looks like the bitch is holding back," sadistic Mayuri spoke up coldly.
Aizen glanced over at him and then back at Neliel. "It does indeed," he noted, frowning. It appears Tōsen is too far outmatched; I'll have to do this myself, he thought as he disappeared in a shunpo.
He came up to Neliel and was about to swing his sword at her, but was stopped by Shūhei. "I'm not finished with you yet!" Hisagi exclaimed, giving Aizen his own smirk, albeit fatigued.
Neliel pushed Tōsen away and followed after him; too quick for him to react and delivered another punch to his stomach. Tōsen gasped for air, but was cut short when Neliel spun around and drove her lance into his face, the move charged by immense spiritual energy.
"Hmm, she has power after all," Mayuri observed with a sneer as he stared at Neliel with interested, calculating eyes.
On the other side of the field, Shūhei parried Aizen's sword and went to slice him, but Aizen dodged. Aizen used a shunpo to get behind him, but Shūhei once more parried, back flipped over his head and smirked as he got behind Aizen. He sliced Aizen deeply through his back, then followed it up by stabbing him through the back and out his chest. That seemed too easy, but... what gives? This doesn't make any sense; I can't tell if I'm hurting or not. No wonder Yoruichi mopped the floor with us so easily, he thought as he watched Aizen's body drop to the ground.
But then... his body shattered, as if it were made of glass and Shūhei became wide-eyed at the turn of events. "W-What?" he demanded, then he looked in Neliel's direction and saw Aizen making his approach on the taichou he'd been at the Academy with. "Damn!" he cursed, as he hurried to stop him, but then another explosion of the mask's liquid burst out of his mouth and eyes. "S-Shit!"
Neliel was easily taking care of Tōsen, even though she was holding back quite a lot; she did not want to kill anyone... not yet. Just as she turned to run Tōsen through with her lance, she felt a sword pierce her back from behind and saw the blade at her front. She widened her eyes instantly. How? I didn't sense anything coming towards me. Why didn't I- She turned around to see Aizen appear from behind her as if the space had shattered like glass. His shikai! Shit! Why didn't I remember that?! Neliel thought.
Neliel staggered, but stayed on her feet. "I'm quite impressed that you're still standing, however; after all, it would be a shame if you died before the Hollowfication process began," Aizen gave faux praise, chuckling.
Neliel glared at him. "Let's see what I can accomplish before it does," she countered calmly, as she disappeared then reappeared behind Aizen, readying a round house kick to the side of his face.
Aizen was once again just barely able to dodge it and got out of the way for Tōsen to have enough room to attack. Neliel blocked his attack, swept it aside and charged at Aizen. He was gone; Neliel sensed her opponent just behind her, however, gripped Gamuza and blocked the strike with her lance. She turned to see a narrowed-eyed Aizen, swept the sword aside and followed through with a fierce lunge from her lance to Aizen's face, causing him to go flying back twenty metres. Tōsen replaced him and came up on Neliel's left side to take a swing at her exposed ribs, but Neliel brought her lance back, just quick enough to catch Tōsen's blade with Gamuza and throw it to one side.
Tōsen had a surprised expression cross his face and, before he could react, Neliel thrust her Shikai in his face again, throwing him in the same direction she'd thrown Aizen. He crashed to the ground only six metres from where Aizen currently stood, slightly panting. As Tōsen got to his feet, he turned to Aizen. "My... greatest apologies; I will... kill her... shortly," he huffed, completely winded.
Aizen shook his head. "No... You won't; she outmatches both of us in every way possible, but don't worry... the effects should be hitting her in a few minutes, then she'll be too weak to stand. As for you," the fukutaichou stared at Shūhei. "I have no further use for you; but I do have one last thing to tell you both: There is no fear when one expects to be betrayed, what is truly terrifying is when betrayal is unexpected. Hisagi-fukutaichou, Odelschwanck-taichou... farewell," he concluded as he shunpoed to where Shūhei was kneeling, unable to react due to the Hollowfication taking over the rest of his body. Aizen raised his blade to finish the fukutaichou, but was stopped by Neliel. "The process still has not begun?" Aizen asked tersely, glaring at Neliel.
But no sooner had Aizen said that, the same mask liquid that was covering Shūhei's face and chest shot out of Neliel's mouth and eyes. "D-Damn..." she swore.
Aizen glanced over at Neliel and formed a look of satisfaction on his face. "At last... it has finally begun; now I can observe the latest subject in my experiment."
Neliel was beginning to feel really weak; she was barely able to stand and ended up collapsing to her knees. She glanced at Aizen's damn smug face and, as she became even angrier, the mask suddenly exploded out of her. Shit! I can't even stand up! I can't do this! She realized, as the mask quickly started covering her face, so no one noticed her face contort into uncontrolled rage.
Aizen's eyes widened in intrigue and a slight hint of fear, but he continued smiling nonetheless. Is she attempting to stop the process by overpowering it with her spiritual pressure? Very interesting, yet futile, he thought, as Neliel's spiritual pressure continued to grow and was beginning to make everyone nearby very uncomfortable... even Aizen.
"Most impressive," Aizen noted, beginning to cringe at the amount of pressure he was feeling radiating from Neliel. Tōsen fell to his knees and Mayuri was forced completely to the ground.
Neliel's mask had already formed on her face; it had the look of a ram with longer and more curved horns that extended slightly, framing the sides of her face, particularly the cheeks. The mask itself covered her whole face, the facial section tapering down almost triangularly, following Neliel's jaw line.
II.
Within moments, the pressure from Neliel's spirit energy had now become too much for anyone to stand or breathe. "This... can't be happening... I... can't... die... from someone's... spiritual pressure!" Aizen screamed at himself as he was finally forced all the way to the ground.
Then, it just stopped and they all glanced at each other with surprised expressions on their faces, before looking over at Neliel. "Shit! I never... wanted this," she barely got out as she swayed on her feet.
Aizen stared at her, pleased, as he got back to his feet. "Congratulations, Odelschwanck-taichou," he smirked at his success.
Neliel glared at him, but she had no energy left; she couldn't stand anymore. "I... failed-" she was cut short when she collapsed face first on the ground.
Aizen walked over to her and raised his blade. "Though it is quite a shame to kill a subject as... interesting as you, I'm afraid in order for my plans to go unnoticed; I must do what needs to be done." He raised his sword higher. "Goodbye Odelschwanck-taichou, you truly were remarkable and the only one I actually feared," he whispered at the end. Just as he was about to swing his blade, he saw a glimpse of something in the corner of his eye and without warning, the fukutaichou badge on his uniform was cut off. He turned to the newcomers. "I see we have even more interesting guests. How may I help you?" he asked, as if he was merely inviting them for tea.
"Hmph, they found us," Mayuri snorted disdainfully and steadied himself on his feet.
"I'll kill them!" Tōsen exclaimed as he readied his sword.
"There's no need," Aizen shook his head.
"But-!" Tōsen tried to argue, but stopped himself when Aizen glanced back at him.
"Kaname, I said there's no need," the fukutaichou narrowed his eyes at the blind man, making him kneel down.
"Yes, sir! Please forgive my impudence!" Tōsen begged.
A sudden movement caught everyone's eyes. "K-Kiru! Why... are you here?" Shūhei spoke as he made his way over to them.
"What's with that horrific mask?" Kiru asked in slight shock.
"Tell me about it," Shūhei replied with a huff.
Kiru smiled at him for a moment and then focused on Aizen. "Sōsuke-fukutaichou!" he called, narrowing his eyes at the man.
"Sir!" Aizen replied.
"What are you doing here?" Kiru inquired in a serious tone.
"Nothing. As you can see, I happened to stumble upon the investigation teams, who were apparently hurt in battle. I was going to heal their wounds," Aizen answered, as if it were true.
"You two-faced piece of shi-!" Shūhei snapped, but started choking again as the mask liquid came out of his mouth and eyes.
Kiru sighed and shook his head sadly. "Why are you lying to me?" he asked.
"Lying? Is there something wrong with a fukutaichou attempting to save other Soul Reapers lives?" Aizen questioned in false confusion.
"That's not what I meant. Injured in battle? Injured? There's no lying your way out of this; they've been Hollowfied," Kiru explained, causing Shunsui and Jūshirō's eyes to widen in horror. "The vanishing souls, several Shinigami vanishing one after the other; it all led up to this. The only possible cause of this is Hollowfication research. Someone was conducting experiments and considering the current situation, there's no longer any doubt who that person is."
Aizen seemed to smile at him. "I see. You truly are the type of man I believed you to be. I'm happy that you came by this evening. I have a little fact you might want to know: the strongest males in my clan, who are lesser-ranked like the Izuru, having been weaving deceit throughout the Gotei 13 since the sou-taichou founded the Academy. What you find if you return will not be what you're expecting, I can assure you of that. Mayuri, Kaname; we've accomplished enough for now. Let's go." He turned and walked away with the other two following close behind him.
"I'm not done yet, Aizen!" Kiru demanded, but then...
"Please move, Urahara!" Tessai shouted as he readied his hands for a Kidō spell, causing Kiru to jump out of the way. "Way of Destruction No. 88: Flying Dragon Strike, Heaven Shaking Lightning Cannon!" An enormous blast of blue electricity burst from his hands and shot towards Aizen, Tōsen and Mayuri.
"Way of Destruction No. 81: Severing Void."
Once the blast came within a few metres of them, it was suddenly stopped in its tracks by an invisible wall that appeared out of thin air. "Impossible! A fukutaichou... skipped the incantation for Severing Void and still stopped my attack?" Tessai couldn't believe it, becoming wide-eyed behind his dark glasses.
The wall shattered into nothing and revealed that Aizen, Tōsen and Mayuri were long gone. Kiru stood up, with wide eyes. "Tessai, what on earth is he...?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes at the spot Aizen had been a moment before. But he never got the chance to answer, because Shūhei suddenly let out a strangled cry of pain and fell to the ground. "Hisagi!" Kiru called out as he, Tessai, Shunsui and Jūshirō hurried to the man's side.
"We'll deal with Aizen later! Kiru, please help Shūhei and the others," Shunsui stated, looking over at the other Shinigami.
"It's no good; the Hollowfication process has advanced too far for me to help them here!" Kiru sounded stressed, taking a quick glance at Neliel. Kisuke never told me about this, except for what his precious little ball does, he thought, looking back at Shūhei.
"Kiru, it seems you understand what's going on here; I haven't so much as heard of Hollowfication, yet you seem to know about it. You must know how to reverse the process, am I correct in making that assumption?" Jūshirō questioned, staring intensely at Kiru.
"I actually know nothing about the subject. Kisuke was the brains in the family; we're lucky he created a device for such problems as this. It'll be a gamble," he answered after a few moments.
"At least it's better than nothing. I'm going to carry all nine of them just as they are to the 12th Division's barracks; we'll save them with whatever equipment Kisuke has there," Tessai explained, getting to his feet, shifting them apart and putting his hands in front of him.
"Nine?" Shunsui raised his hat in confusion.
Kiru nodded gravely, pointing to the base of a tree where a still figure lay. He got up and dragged the body over to the Hollowfied Shinigami, noticing that it was already too late to save this one as he had a complete bone fragment of what appeared to be a wolf's muzzle, including teeth. Then he paused, studying the person closely. A Quincy?! Mayuri Arrancarfied a Quincy?! ****! "Just as they are? How can you do that?" Kiru asked, becoming very pale as his eyes kept shooting back towards the Arrancarfied Quincy.
"I'll have to freeze time and teleport us," came the response as Tessai separated his hands, revealing a glowing rectangular cube of pure Kidō.
"W-What?" Kiru spluttered.
Shunsui and Jūshirō shared an uncertain glance between themselves.
"Both of these are forbidden techniques; those who use them are severely punished. I insist you close your eyes and block your ears!" he called over his shoulder as the entire area around them began to glow a brilliant yellowish-green and then, in a flash of light, all of them were gone.
...
— 12th Division Barracks —
They arrived inside the taichou's quarters in a flash of light. Tessai let out a few exhausted breathes as he looked around to ensure everyone was here.
"Hollowfication was one of the answers Kisuke stumbled upon while researching how to strengthen Shinigami souls. During the course of his research, he created something that can temporarily break the barrier between Hollow and Shinigami to create a new being. That's what I'll use to heal Hisagi and the others," Kiru explained, as he walked over to a metal safe and began pressing buttons to open it.
"What is this object?" Shunsui asked, watching the younger Shinigami uncovering a small stone in his hand.
"Kisuke calls it the Hōgyoku," Kiru replied, holding the glowing object.
"Hōgyoku?" Jūshirō repeated in confusion. "Can we save them with this? Will Neliel and the others really...?" he began, but was interrupted by Kiru.
"Remember what I said; this is a gamble. Hisagi and the others have a twenty percent chance of getting better at best after we use the Hōgyoku," Kiru clarified.
"Twenty percent?" Tessai echoed in shock.
"If Sōsuke-fukutaichou was really behind the vanishing souls, he probably didn't anticipate the process might be reversible. We can't heal them... without this," Kiru described further.
"Kiru, what about Neliel?" Shunsui queried, finally noticing how much Kiru was avoiding her name.
Kiru glanced at him and then over to Neliel, who was lying face down on the ground still, the mask still covering her face. "She has roughly the same chance. But since she was stabbed in the chest, she will likely turn out to be an Arrancar now. The only thing we can do, for the Shinigami, is stabilize their Hollow and Shinigami powers, so one won't rule over another." He tried to sound cheerful. Tessai's eyes widened and he nodded sadly. "We'll do the best we can," Kiru continued and Tessai nodded once more.
Kiru's mind started whirling with possibilities and he didn't hear Tessai ask a question, desperate for an answer. "We better get to work." He held up the Hōgyoku, not wanting to think of what to say, before sharing a knowing glance at Shunsui and Jūshirō, who waited in the shadows. They returned the gesture and shunpoed out of the quarters.
III.
— Three hours later —
Tessai woke up and immediately noticed the figures, fully Hollowfied and very bestial. He shook his head. "... We failed," he cursed himself, lowering his head as Kiru walked in and became aware of the situation, but in reverse.
"I guess we were too late," he said to himself with an anxious expression on his face. He gave a light laugh, before turning and heading down a hall. "I'm getting some air."
…
— Inside Central 46's chambers —
"What is this about?" Kiru asked, as he tested the strength of the bind his hands were in.
"Did we give you permission to speak? You're here to be interrogated; you are not permitted to speak unless it is to answer our questions. Now consider the situation you're in, 3rd Seat!" One of the central members declared.
Interrogated? Are we under suspicion for something? Kiru wondered, looking around the darkened room. "My apologies," he murmured, lowering his head.
"Where were you midnight last night?" Another member asked forcefully.
"In the 6th district forest of Western Fugai," Kiru answered.
"Was it for your Hollowfication research?" Yet another demanded, causing Kiru's eyes to widen and his head to jerk up.
"Hold on a second! Who told you that I-?" he started, but another member interrupted him.
"You went to Fugai to see the results of your evil Hollowfication experiments on eight people of taichou level strength, starting with the 10th Division's taichou. Is that not accurate?"
Kiru's eyes widened even further as he recalled Aizen's words from last night. "You truly are the type of man I believed you to be. I have a little fact you might want to know: the strongest males in my clan, who are lesser-ranked like the Izuru, having been weaving deceit throughout the Gotei 13 since the sou-taichou founded the Academy. What you find if you return will not be what you're expecting, I can assure you of that."
"Who was it?" he questioned angrily.
"You have no right to ask questions!" One of the others shot back at him.
"Was it Sōsuke-fukutaichou?" Kiru pushed, looking at each of them.
"This is your second warning, 3rd Seat! Do it again and we'll add it to your list of crimes!" was the only reply he received.
"But he's the one who did all this! We went there to save Hisagi and the others!" he protested.
"Your lies are so outlandish that they're almost funny. The fukutaichou of the 5th Division never left Seireitei last night," one said.
"What?" Kiru was wide-eyed in disbelief.
"We have one hundred and twenty four witnesses, plus one taichou who'll attest to that. There's no way you can place the blame on him," the member continued.
"That's impossible!" Kiru exclaimed as a member of the Reversal Counter Force arrived in a shunpo.
"Reporting in! We've found evidence that indicates he was conducting Hollowfication experiments in the 12th Division's research facilities!" The man told Central 46.
"It's decided then. I shall declare your sentences! Taichou of the Kidō Corps, Tsukabishi Tessai! For using forbidden techniques; you shall be jailed in the level three underground prison for high felons! 3rd Seat of the 12th Division, Urahara Kiru! For researching forbidden material and carrying out experiments on it, deceiving your comrades and seriously injuring them; you will have your spiritual powers drained from you and be banished to the human world for all eternity. Finally, the poor 10th Division taichou and the rest of the victims of your heinous research shall be exterminated as if they were Hollows immediately!" The head of Central 46 declared.
"Just let me explain!" Kiru begged, before the entrance doors suddenly opened, revealing a shadowed figure standing in the doorway.
"Who are you?" One demanded.
"Who gave you permission to enter Central 46 during an interrogation?" Another shouted.
Many yelled angrily at the disruption.
"Leave right this minute, you low life!" the head member called loudly, just before the intruder came into the room with extraordinary speed, freed Kiru and Tessai from their restraints and disappeared in seconds.
"Get them, they're bandits! Is anyone out there?" Many of them shouted, not knowing that all the guards had already been knocked unconscious.
...
— Sōkyoku Hill hidden training ground —
"Thank you, Shihōin-dono." Kiru bowed his head gratefully at the man who was Yoruichi's father.
"I'll slap you later for not getting me when you guys got back," Neji grumbled, with a heavy sigh. "I brought all nine of them here, 3rd Seat Kiru," Neji added, pointing to the eight unconscious Shinigami and one Arrancarfied Quincy a few metres away. "I also brought all of the new gigai you've been working on. Now start talking. I want whatever strategy you thought up for the worst case scenario back when you first heard about this from Shinji," Neji demanded, a guarded look on his face.
Kiru was really smiling now. "You've completely seen through me; you are sneaky," he laughed as Neji crossed his arms.
"You're one to talk," he responded seriously.
"Tessai, could you freeze time for Hisagi and the others? Then put level two and three barriers around this area. In the next twenty four hours, I'll make gigai for the two of us and the nine of them; eleven gigai that will completely cut off our spirit energy," Kiru started.
"Tessai and I will go to the human world and try to reverse the Hollowfication process," Kiru decided, before glancing down at the Hollowfied Shinigami. Grimmjow now resembled a panther; Neliel an ibex-like centaur; Yoruichi a cheetah; Shaolin a bee; Rangiku a bipedal cat; Gin a fox; Byakuya a stag-like samurai; and Shūhei a horned demon.
The three nodded in agreement as if they were deciding the future of the worlds between themselves.
...
A/N: Shaolin Feng is Soi Fon's Japanese name.