Chapter 3: Blood on the Sand
Sousuke Aizen stood next to Gin on a large sand dune, watching as the attack on the soul reaper base commenced. It was, he thought, time enough, that he finally overwhelmed the base. It had been a thorn in his side for too long and he was glad he would finally be rid of it. It had taken months to plan the final assault, but all of his work would pay off…and maybe it would give him some peace. At very least, it would put a stop to the information leaks that passed through the stealth force, which had a constant presence there. Yes, Head Captain Yamamoto was about to pay.
"Fukaitami," he said quietly, "it is time. I want you to go and wreak your havoc on them."
The new Espada stepped forward and nodded, his deep red-golden eyes glittering with anticipation. He would descend on the soul reapers with a fury. He would make them hurt and he would make them die. Sousuke Aizen watched as he turned toward the soul reaper base and a slow smile crept across his features. Finally. He turned to Gin.
"He will tear them to pieces. He's one of the strongest I've created. This base is doomed," he said softly.
"Nice work, Sousuke. It will certainly give old Yama something to think about," Gin replied.
"Yes…when he witnesses the destruction, I doubt he will consider filling the base with more victims. He will leave and I will be able to focus my energy on overthrowing the spirit king."
That plan still required some major preparation on his part. It would have been so much easier had his attempt to obtain Byakuya's diary succeeded…but as always, the noble had defied him and he hadn't been able to take the diary. That infuriated him to no end. Byakuya Kuchiki's defiance was another thorn in his side that needed to be dealt with. Gin had been correct in his summation of that situation. he had been in love with Byakuya, very much in love. But his love had a dark side. It only survived as long as Aizen felt that he still had some bit of power over Byakuya. When it became obvious that his power over the noble had failed completely, Aizen's love for him morphed into furious hatred. And if Byakuya ever fell into his hands again, Aizen planned to deal him a very painful death. No one defied Sousuke Aizen like that and lived…not even Byakuya.
He pushed his thoughts of the noble away and watched as his troops descended on the base. He was just beginning to hear the first cries, the first signs of battle. It was a sweet sound. He stood, savoring that sweetness and waiting for the base to fall.
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Renji held onto the kido shield that protected the small group of soul reapers caught outside the barrier and looked back toward the base. There was something very wrong with what he saw. From within, the barrier had seemed to be whole and in fine condition…but as he looked back from outside, he saw that he and the other soul reapers had been carefully deceived. The alert line had somehow been tampered with and the barrier had a huge hole in it…and they had been shielded from the base's defenders using clever illusions. Renji's heart froze as the significance of it reached him. It meant that the barrier was useless now. The enemy had already slipped inside and was, most likely, going to appear at any moment. He wondered briefly how long they had been planning this. And he wondered how many hollows had slipped undetected into the base. They had no time. The base had to be informed of the deception. He turned to the twins.
"Takeshi, Chisaki, call Urufuhane, quickly! I am going to drop the shield and when I do, I want the four of you to return to the base as fast as you can and tell them the hollows are already inside. When you have told them, fly home and deliver the message to the head captain…and to Byakuya. Do not engage the enemy unless you are cornered! You have to get the message to the base and to the Seireitei. Hurry. This base is about to be overwhelmed."
Ceros were flashing and pounding the shield that protected them, lighting their faces with a blood red shine. Quickly, the twins crossed their swords.
"Urufuhane!" they called out together.
A huge winged wolf appeared in front of the group. Takeshi, Chisaki, Shoichi and Shoji all climbed aboard. Renji took a last look at their pale faces, then activated his Ban Kai and dropped the shield. The skeletal snake rose up around them, shielding the winged wolf as it rose into the air. The soul reapers that flanked Renji released their zanpakuto as well, buying the young officers the time they needed to get clear of the attackers. Urufuhane turned and soared toward the base. Renji curled the skeletal snake around the rest of the small group trapped with him. Screams were rising all around them now. The attack was underway…at least outside the barrier. He wondered darkly if the battle inside the base had begun as well.
"Damn," he whispered, "I hope they get the message quickly enough…or the base is doomed."
As Renji and his group of defenders waited for reinforcements, the winged wolf touched down in the courtyard of the base. The twins spotted Hinamori running toward them. Takeshi called out to her.
"Vice Captain Hinamori!" he shouted, "Captain Abarai sent us with an urgent message! Hollows have made a hole in the barrier and are concealing themselves inside the base! The barrier has been breached and they are inside! He told us to warn you and to take the message for reinforcements to the head captain."
Hinamori's faced paled at the horrific news, but after sounding the alarm, she turned back to the four young officers and regarded them calmly.
"Go to the head captain quickly. The hollows are beginning to reveal themselves. Get out of here while you can!"
As the winged wolf took to the air, the twins gazed down at the doomed base. Hollows were appearing everywhere inside and outside the barrier now, and tearing into the soul reaper forces as they tried to mobilize. The young officers exchanged worried glances.
"They're going to die," whispered Chisaki in a terrified voice, "That's why they want us to go. Takeshi…we have to do something!"
Takeshi stared down at the battle taking place below them. The soul reaper force was large and well trained, but they had been caught off guard. The hollows were attacking with a fury and the soul reapers were dying as they sought desperately to defend themselves. Takeshi nodded and raised his zanpakuto. Chisaki did the same. Each called out to release their Shikai.
"Setsuzoku, Urufubuke!" cried Takeshi.
"Mure, Kurotaka!" cried Chisaki.
There was a huge explosion of light around them. Out of the light came a huge force of black hawks and fierce red wolves that soared down from the sky and onto the battlefield below them. They sprang onto the attacking hollows ferociously, buying precious minutes for the base's defenders to gather themselves. The invading hollows were forced back and more soul reapers poured onto the battlefield. The fighting was everywhere now, inside the base's walls, throughout the courtyard and out to the failing barrier that flickered fitfully in the distance. The twins looked back in the direction where they had last seen their father. His skeletal snake had morphed into the skeletal dragon king and was tearing through a sea of hollows, screeching furiously. The twins stared at the sight, then looked at each other.
"Takeshi," Chisaki said softly, "What do we do?"
"You heard our captain," Takeshi said firmly, "he told us to get the message to the head captain. The base needs reinforcements. Let's send one more attack to help the fighters and then we'll leave for home!"
Urufuhane soared toward the skeletal dragon king and again the twins raised their zanpakutos. Another force of black hawks and red wolves raced down onto the battlefield. They tore into the attacking hollows and offered some relief to the harried fighters below them. They turned the winged wolf in the direction of the Seireitei, but as they did, a large black form rose up into the sky ahead of them. The four young officers stared in horror.
He was humanoid in shape, but his huge slender form was covered in red and black tufts of fur. Huge, glowing red-golden eyes peered out from underneath a dark fall of hair around his face. He wore a sharp, toothy smile as he faced the young officers, hovering in the air.
"Nice attack," he said softly, "If not for you, we would have taken the base already…but you won't be here to help them for much longer. You are going to die! I am the Espada, Fukaitami! And I am going to be your executioner!"
The winged wolf's reaction was instant. Sensing it could not escape as things stood, it flew into the Espada's face, slashing madly as the four young officers clung to its back. The action caused the Espada's attention to be diverted for a moment, giving the winged wolf time to pull free and turn in the direction of the Seireitei.
Behind them, Fukaitami roared in pain and fury, sending a massive cero flashing in their direction. Time slowed around them as the cero lit the sky around them and struck the winged wolf just as it sought to flash away. Urufuhane froze in midair, glowing with red light as the cero crashed into him. Spinning with the force of the impact, the winged wolf was sent tumbling through the air, out of control. Chisaki screamed and all four officers clung to the wolf as it fell toward the ground. Thinking swiftly, Takeshi and Chisaki shifted to their animal forms and took hold of their stunned cousins. Takeshi's red wolf form urged Shoichi onto his back as Chisaki's black hawk latched on to Shoji and swelled in size until she was large enough to carry him. The twins clung to their cousins desperately, springing away from the fallen winged wolf as it crashed down onto the battlefield and exploded into a shower of sparks.
"Run for that big sand dune!" called Takeshi, "There is some cover there!"
Chisaki turned and soared toward the dune, carrying Shoji tightly in her talons. Beneath her, the battle still raged and she shivered at the sounds of dying soul reapers and hollows. She angled herself to fly up and land near the top of the hill, but as she neared it, she stared in dismay. Two men stood on top of the dune, watching the destruction of the soul reaper base. Chisaki knew their faces. Everyone in the Seireitei knew the faces of Sousuke Aizen and Ichimaru Gin. Quickly, she turned away, hoping beyond hope that they had not seen them. Her hopes were shattered as something tore through her wing and send her spiraling out of control. Unable to circle away from Aizen and Gin, she released Shoji and watched as he landed on the side of the dune, rolled, and then disappeared into a small cluster of bushes. A moment later, Chisaki crashed to the ground a few feet away from the traitors and lost consciousness. As her consciousness faded, her body returned to soul reaper form.
Sosuke Aizen stepped forward, kneeling next to the girl and studying her face. Suddenly, it occurred to him just who the girl was. His eyes grew intense and he turned to look up at Gin.
"Gin," he said softly, "Do you know who this is?"
Gin glanced down at her.
"Well…not really, Sousuke. Why?" he answered off-handedly.
"Gin…this is one of the Kuchiki twins. This is Byakuya's daughter!"
Gin looked again.
"Are you sure?"
Aizen nodded.
"She came to see Byakuya while he was in Hueco Mundo. She found him on the balcony outside my bedroom. She is an interesting girl…a shape changer like Yoruichi Shihoin. And she is a strong soul reaper. You saw her hawk attack."
Gin nodded.
"Do you want me to finish her off?" he asked, smiling.
"Gin, you really are monstrous," Aizen said dryly, "she is, after all, just a girl…powerful or not. No, I need to have some time to think about this. Perhaps she can be of some use."
He leaned over Chisaki, sealing her spirit energy away and taking the slim katana from her hip. Then, he carefully lifted the girl.
"Where are you going?" asked Gin, "You're going to miss all of the fun."
"I need to return to the fortress. I need to see to our guest…and to start thinking about how to make use of her. Stay here, Gin. I'll want a full report as soon as the base has fallen."
"Oh, very well," Gin huffed.
Aizen held the girl close and flashed stepped away from the battlefield. He summoned a flying hollow and climbed onto his back, setting the girl down as the hollow rose into the air and flew toward the fortress. As they soared over the desert, Aizen carefully healed the girl's shattered arm and her cuts and bruises. Chisaki moaned softly, but remained unconscious. Aizen watched her carefully as the hollow carried them into the fortress courtyard and set down. He lifted the girl down and carried her through the large fortress doors and across the black marble floor. He ascended the large staircase and turned off to the left, heading down the hallway to a white door. He opened the door and slipped inside the room. He set the girl down on the bed and pulled up a chair. He studied her face again as he patiently waited for her to regain consciousness.
As Takeshi watched Chisaki soar up the side of the sand dune, he shot along the ground, weaving around soul reapers and hollows, moving to follow her. Shoichi clung tightly to his back as he raced across the sand. They broke free of the battlefield and started up the side of the dune, but stopped short as Shoji darted out of a clump of bushes, signaling frantically for them to stop. Takeshi pulled up, staring. His cousin looked terrified.
"It's Sousuke Aizen!" he said in a terrible voice, "He and Ichimaru Gin are at the top of the hill. Takeshi…Chisaki got hit and I think they have her!"
In that moment, Takeshi Kuchiki forgot everything he had learned about battle. He forgot all about caution, about patience, and about not taking foolish actions without thinking. All that mattered was that his sister was at the top of that hill with the men who had held Byakuya captive for over two months. Takeshi had overheard things that were said about his captivity…that he was severely beaten, that he was forced to use his powers to defend Aizen, and that the traitor had planned to keep Byakuya there with him permanently. He remembered what his father had been like when he and Chisaki had managed to sneak into the fortress…thin and pale, unable to even remember his own family. Also in his mind, was the memory of his father's return to the Kuchiki home…how he had stared at them as though they were strangers and collapsed on the walkway, his mind trapped in madness…how he and Chisaki had been forced to stay away while Renji and Aunt Rukia helped Byakuya get well again. Even after that, his father was different. He got better, but he was never the same in Takeshi's mind. He couldn't let that happen to his sister.
He shrugged Shoichi from his back and flashed up the side of the dune, ignoring the sound of his cousins calling after him. The sand became a blur around him and all Takeshi could think about was Chisaki being hurt, being locked away in the same fortress as Byakuya had been. It wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let it.
He sprang onto the top of the dune, teeth bared and heading for the two men who stood ahead of him. As he closed the distance, he saw Chisaki in Sosuke Aizen's arms. The traitor was climbing onto the back of a flying hollow with his sister. He dashed madly after them, but the hollow rose into the sky and turned away.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" said a frightening voice behind him.
He turned back to see Ichimaru Gin watching him. Takeshi shifted to soul reaper form and released his Shikai. Red wolves appeared and raced towards Gin sharp fangs bared and snarling. The traitor looked in surprise, then attacked the horde of wolves as they charged him. As he defeated the last of the Shikai wolves, Takeshi Kuchiki attacked with his katana. Again, Gin seemed surprised. He stared curiously at Takeshi as the enraged boy attacked again and again.
"You are persistant," he commented.
"And you are going to die," Takeshi told him, slashing at Gin again, "You are going to give me back my sister and I am going to kill you for hurting my father!"
His katana flashed and broke through Gin's guard, slashing the traitor's arm and drawing blood.
"Unacceptable," said Gin softly.
Holding Takeshi at bay, he reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes, then as Takeshi continued his assault, he allowed his eyes to open all of the way. The effect was instant. Takeshi froze, entranced by the hypnotic effect. Gin's katana slashed.
Takeshi felt searing pain pass through him and felt himself falling. Behind him, his cousins had crested the hill and were releasing their zanpakuto. He was on his knees, leaning forward onto his hands. He wanted to scream at his cousins to stop, but he couldn't speak. He couldn't move.
Ichimaru Gin's sword slashed again and again. Takeshi's cousins attacked ferociously and forced Gin back away from Takeshi. Takeshi dragged himself to his feet and raised his zanpakuto, forcing his pained body into a run and heading for Gin again. He released his zanpakuto, burying the traitor in a sea of attacking wolves and at the same time flash stepping forward and slashing with his katana. Gin was forced back further. He met the attacking wolves with unimaginable speed, his katana becoming a blur. The three cousins closed in around him, attacking together. There was the sudden sound of metal biting into flesh and a harsh cry. Then Takeshi heard Shoji howl in anguish. Gin stepped back, staring as the Espada, Fukaitami pulled his weapon free of Shoichi Kuchiki's body. The youth slid slowly to the ground at their feet, his blood pooling around him.
"Well, that was good timing," Gin said, smiling at the Espada.
"My apologies for not getting here sooner," the Espada growled.
"What a shame," observed Gin heartlessly, "Such a terrible waste of such a handsome young Kuchiki. Come, Fukaitami, I think we're finished here."
As Takeshi and Shoji stood transfixed, Gin sheathed his katana and flash stepped away with the Espada, leaving the three boys alone on the top of the sand dune. Shoji dropped to his knees, gathering his brother into his arms.
"Shoichi…Shoichi…" he called brokenly.
Ignoring the slashes to his own body, Takeshi shifted to wolf form.
"Bring him and get on my back!" Takeshi cried.
Shoji climbed onto the back of the red wolf, holding his brother against him and sobbing uncontrollably. Takeshi started down the hill. As he ran, he could see that the soul reapers had gained the upper hand. Ahead of them, Renji's skeletal dragon soared through the air. Remembering his father's healing ability, he turned toward Renji. The skeletal dragon circled slowly overhead, then disappeared. The battle was over…and the soul reapers had somehow managed to hold onto the base. The hollows were retreating back into the desert. Takeshi bounded across the battlefield avoiding fallen hollows and soul reapers. He reached Renji and slid to a stop. His father sheathed his sword, staring at the frightening sight that met his eyes.
"Takeshi!" he gasped, "What the hell are you kids still doing here?"
"We were attacked and Urufuhane fell," the boy explained, "Dad…you have to help Shoichi! The Espada that knocked us down stabbed him!"
Renji gently took the injured youth and laid him on the ground. Shoji and Takeshi knelt beside him, whispering reassurances as the healing light flared around Renji's hands. Renji's heart broke as he quickly realized that the boy was beyond saving. Still, he poured healing energy into the boy's failing body, refusing to give up. Shoichi's eyes opened and looked up at them calmly. His voice was also eerily calm as he spoke.
"Shoji…I see…Aika…" he whispered, a smile coming to his face.
The youth squeezed his brother's hand gently and his dark eyes blinked closed. Shoji's eyes widened and his hand tightened on his brother's. He called his brother's name repeatedly. The healing light around Renji's hands slowly faded. Takeshi and Renji stared in stunned silence as Shoji fell onto his brother's body, sobbing. Then Renji turned to look at his son.
"Takeshi…" he said in soft, choked voice, "Takeshi, where is Chisaki?"