Thanks to Epicness392, lolcatsmanseven and Drkooljack for the reviews! And to everyone else who decided to continue reading!
I've got all the translations that appear during this story from google because I can't speak Japanese. If you can Japanese and any of these translations should be wrong, please tell me :).
Chapter 2: Red Roses
"The traitor Sosuke Aizen escaped during the battle with the substitute soul reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. His current plans are unknown but it can be assumed that he is already planning his next move. His two allies Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen, also traitors, died during the battle. Two of the Espada, a group of the ten strongest Arrancar, as well as three Arrancar, were captured and currently held prison. Five Espada were killed but three are still alive and their whereabouts unknown. We can't let them regroup with Aizen, that's why Central 46 decided to give you the mission to track the remaining Espada down and to kill them. This is a very important assassination, failing won't be tolerated." The young woman who was standing in front of the members of Central 46 in the underground room smiled at the last sentence as she knew exactly what the meaning of the hidden threat was.
"What is with Aizen? Isn't he the greater threat right now?" she asked with a soft, kind, but confident and strong voice, and looked up at the members of Central 46 who were shielded so that they weren't to be identified.
"The problem Aizen will be dealt by the 13 court guard squads" another voice said.
"I understand" she said nodding and threw a glance at her partner. The man was silent and let her talk; he stood there like a statue, with a small smile on his lips.
"However, we will only do this assassination under a few conditions" she continued. The room went silent for a moment before someone asked: "What do you mean by that?"
"I know that Ichimaru as well as Tosen are still regarded as traitors. I want you to cancel it."
"No way!" an angry voice called out. "Former Captain Kaname Tosen was clearly loyal to Aizen and even though former Captain Gin Ichimaru tried to kill Aizen it doesn't change the fact that he still helped him achieving his goals!"
"In the end they both regretted at least part of their actions, they saw that what they did was wrong and their betrayal is already forgiven. Also, like you just said, Captain Ichimaru wanted to kill Aizen in the end, he set his own life on the line to do so" the woman explained calmly. "They deserve to be buried in a proper funeral that's appropriate to a soul reaper. This is one of our conditions."
"And what would the other ones be?" a deep angry voice asked in a dark growl.
"You won't sentence the imprisoned Espada as long as our mission isn't completed." Before one of the members of Central 46 could oppose her she continued: "The two prisoners may have knowledge for example about the whereabouts or plans of their fellows and Aizen. I'm aware that their judgment will be execution but they won't be helpful if they're dead."
"They are dangerous! We can't take too long time with judging them!"
"Yes, but we shouldn't rush things either. Also I'm certain that the 13 court guard squads won't let them escape, or do you have doubts?" she asked with a smirk, making several voices growl.
"The third condition will be to inform us about the events that are going on in Soul Society while we carry out the assassinations." This point was no problem, several members mumbled approving.
"Great, the last one will be that all the points against Kisuke Urahara, Tessai Tsukabishi, Yoruichi Shihoin, Ichigo Kurosaki, Isshin Kurosaki, the Quincy Uryuu Ishida, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Rukia Kuchiki, and the group who call themselves vizards, will be dropped. They never have committed any crime against the Soul Society and the former soul reapers will be allowed to return to the 13 court guard squads if they want. Also in the future they will get any support from the Soul Society they need."
"Don't worry we already have planned to do so on our own" one member said sharply.
"Good" the woman only said. "So, will you accept our conditions, members of Central 46?"
"I hope you know what you are asking for with the first and second ones… But we will accept them as long as you carry out the assassinations. As soon as you betray the Soul Society, act against the mission or fail on purpose, the condition will be void by law." Both the woman and the man simply nodded and then left the underground chamber.
Standing outside in the sunlight the man chuckled. He had short hazelnut brown hair, amber eyes, was well-built, circa 180 centimeters high and he had a small scar on his left cheek. "One wouldn't think that Aizen killed the last members of Central 46, the current ones are exactly the same like the last."
The woman laughed, nodding. "Yes, you're right." She was two head shorter than the man, had black long hair with some blue strands in it, dark eyes, and pale skin. They were both dressed in the usual black soul reaper outfit with their swords at their sides. However, their robe's sleeves were cut off so that they arms were exposed. The arms of the man were covered with tattoos. On his left arm there were several signs, lines, and the tattoo of a knife decorated his left bicep. A dragon snaked around his right arm, surrounded by lotus petals; its mouth was opened and about to close around a red rose that was on his shoulder. However, the blooming rose was surrounded by thorns. The same rose along with the thorns was also found on the woman's right shoulder.
"Do you go back to the hut or shall I?" the woman asked, blinking into the sun.
He sighed. "I'll go. You probably just forget packing the most important things again." She chuckled and scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Alright, then let's meet at the gate of the 12th squad where Captain Kurotsuchi should open a garganta for us." With that she was gone. The man remind standing there for a second longer, smiling into his surroundings, before he too disappeared.
"Welcome to the meeting, captains of the 13 court guard squads as well as substitute soul reaper Ichigo Kurosaki" Genryusai Yamamoto opened the meeting. The now nine captains were lined up in two lines, the head captain stood at the top and Ichigo was standing near the door.
"I called in this meeting to discuss the happenings of what happened and what is about to come. As you all already know we still don't have any information about the whereabouts of Sosuke Aizen and the three Espada who survived and fled. To solve the last problem Central 46 called in the help of the Red Roses."
Ichigo frowned. "What's the Red Roses?" he asked, not caring that he just was interrupting the head captain.
"The Red Roses are two former members of the second squad" Ukitake answered. "They were at captain level but never accepted a promotion. When they left the squad they became assassins and carried out assassinations by order of the Soul Society."
"Yes, but they often get in trouble with Central 46 themselves and sometimes even refused to finish some assassinations" Soi Fon continued. "They are not always as loyal as one might think but all in all they finish their jobs with a great score, that's why the Soul Society keeps relying on these two."
"Wait, they are only two?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah, Mai (Dance) Tsukino (Of the month) and Kohaku (Amber) Mori (Forest), they were the two bests in squad two before they left it. They're calling themselves Red Roses because a rose looks beautiful but it is in the same time dangerous and red symbolizes the blood that's spilled during an assassination. They both have the tattoo of a rose placed on their right shoulder."
"That is correct" Yamamoto said "but what I actually wanted to tell you are the conditions under which they accepted the mission."
"Conditions?" Ichigo repeated, once again interrupting the most powerful man in Soul Society.
Soi Fon grinned. "It's not often that Central 46 relies on them but if they do it's a very important assassination they have to carry out. However, Mai and Kohaku never once accepted a mission without ordering something in return. I guess that the new members of Central 46 just learned it on the hard way." She chuckled as she was proud of the two former members who had served under Yuroichi when Soi Fon had been the third seat and later the lieutenant of the squad after Urahara became captain of squad 12.
"What conditions did they negotiate this time?" Shunsui Kyoraku asked curiously. Shortly the head captain repeated the four points that were made only an hour ago. After it the captains were silent for a moment.
"I don't get it, why did they negotiate these conditions out?" Ichigo asked confused. "I mean, it's nice and I really appreciate it but why?"
"Who knows…?" Kyoraku said with a shrug. "Does one really need a reason to do such a thing?" he asked looking at the substitute soul reaper with a small smile. "The exact reasons of why they're making these conditions are often hard to understand, but they mostly do have a motive."
"I just hope they finish their jobs quickly and retreat the bodies so that we can examine them since these two are holding up the death of the current prisoners" Mayuri Kurotuschi said.
Ichigo didn't feel well at the thought. Yes, the Espada had been their enemies, they had threatened his friends, he almost had died during their battles but did they really deserve to be sentenced to death?
"What if they're no longer on Aizen's side?" he spoke out loud what he was thinking, making the entire captains look at him. He thought about Ulquiorra telling him that he might become more human, that he was able to see something like a heart, a soul, a human thing. He thought about Grimmjow, how he had stood up again even though he already had been defeated and when he was cut down by his comrade just like that. He thought about Nel who had got back her memories and old form in order to protect him. They were all originally Hollows. They should be enemies but he couldn't help but to feel sympathy toward them. Ichigo didn't hold a grudge against any of them. He didn't want revenge because they hurt him or his friends. And he certainly didn't want them to die! The only one who may deserve such a destiny was Aizen!
"We don't know if they're still loyal to Aizen" Byakuya spoke up calmly while Ichigo gritted his teeth and balled his fists. "If they are, they are enemies who must be destroyed before they make contact with Aizen if it's not too late already. We have to cut them down before they can regroup and plan out their next attack."
"Yes, but what if they are not? Aizen probably just used them like everyone else; maybe they didn't even want to fight under his command and only did because they were forced to!" Shunsui touched the end of his straw hat and lowered his head as Ichigo called upon a point he also had thought about a lot since he had defeated the first Espada, the one who hadn't want to fight, the one who certainly had grieved over his comrades deaths, the one who was now locked up, awaiting his execution.
"Ichigo, let me ask you a question" Kenpachi said seriously. "When you fought against your opponents, did you really have the impression they didn't enjoy fighting?"
"No but-"
"Wherever they are loyal to Aizen or not, it's not important. What really is important is that they are still Hollows and we are soul reapers, we are both species born to fight and wherever we meet our blades will be crossed. So even if they don't fight under Aizen they are still enemies we have to get rid of."
"Tsk, in your position I wouldn't talk like this" Mayuri said. "After all it was you who let your opponent alive when you actually should have killed him!"
Kenpachi glared at the scientist. "I don't finish enemies who can't even fight anymore." Kurotsuchi already opened his mouth to reply but Yamamoto interrupted them.
"Enough! Ichigo Kurosaki, you surely have a soft heart but we are at war and you can't win a battle when you take pity upon your opponent. When you fail to strike them down in the right moment they may turn against you and do what you couldn't because of your soft heart. The decision is already decided, the surviving Espada will be tracked down by the Red Roses and assassinated!" he finished, stomping his staff onto the ground. No one dared to say a word – except of course for an orange haired individual.
"I just have a question. On our travel through Hueco Mundo we came across an Arrancar called Nel who turned out to be the former third Espada but she isn't part of Aizen's army anymore and in fact she even helped us and saved my life! What will happen with her?" he asked as he was truly worried about Nel. He only had thought about her after Aizen had left during their fight when he received the message that two Espada were imprisoned.
"I'm well aware of that" the head captain calmly said, seeming to be unimpressed by the substitute's bluntness. "However, when Captain Kuchiki, Captain Kurotsuchi and Captain Zaraki searched Las Noches after your leaving the fifth Espada was gone as well as the one you just described."
"In your report you said that she had healing abilities, right?" Unohana asked with a kind smile. Ichigo nodded. "According to Captain Zaraki the fifth Espada had been wounded too badly after their battle to be able to stand up that quickly."
"Wait, what do you want to say with that?" Ichigo said. "Nel was on our side, she protected me! That guy wanted to kill her, there's no way she would have healed him!"
"Ichigo Kurosaki, the current mission for the Red Roses is to hunt down the current Espada. However if this Neliel Tu Oderschvank will be with the targets and even fight with them, you must understand what the consequences will be." Ichigo looked to the ground. Nel, he thought and the laughing face of the little kid Arrancar appeared in his mind. Please be safe.
"Captain Kurotsuchi, the Red Roses must already await you at the gate of squad 12. You will open a garganta to Hueco Mundo through which they can pass." Mayori looked everything else but happy.
"I don't understand why I should waste my precious time in creating a garganta for those low ranks but" he added when Yamamoto sent him a threatening glare "I will generously do it."
"Wait, in that case I will come with you. I'd like to speak with the Red Roses myself before they leave" Ichigo said making Kurotsuchi sigh before his face lit up.
"Good idea, I've got some things I'd like to ask and test you about your final getsuga tenshou anyway." he said with sparkling eyes.
Ichigo though replied: "No way in hell I will play the guinea pig for you" he growled. "Not after what you did to Uryuu."
Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes. "I don't understand why you're all making such a fuss about such a small incident."
"It's decided then" the head captain interrupted them before the conversation would get out of control. "The captain meeting is hereby over."
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In the next chapter Ichigo will talk with the Red Roses and Shunsui searches a new drinking buddy :).
