Chapter 4

- Defiance -

Part II. Ignition

Rei turned her head slightly, looking to make eye contact with her guardians before separating from the multitude just to have enough room for battle.

'Phobos, Deimos, stay with Luna and Artemis... Protect the Princess no matter what.' -At that point she knew she could handle a fight one on one, and if she couldn't, she would still manage it somehow, but what she couldn't bear would be for something to happen to Usagi.

'As you wish, Princess' -Was the simultaneous and silent response that mentally answered her telepathic command. The guardian's answer showed traces of doubt, clearly fearful of the situation, but was filled with understanding of the priority their Princess was giving to the person who mattered the most to her.

She felt ambushed, insulted by the lack of trust shown by the people who now confronted them... but could she really blame them? Could she be sure she wouldn't do the same thing if the situation were reversed? She might feel just as distrustful, especially after having faced so many dreadful enemies... but no, Usagi would never let it get to battle without allowing the intruders say something to defend themselves.

She was trying so hard, pushing herself and her senses to figure out whether or not their opponents were evil, and her facial expression showed just how uneasy she felt.

- 'Her expression is so hard to read...' -Momo was uneasy as well, not only because the situation had evolved so rapidly it seemed almost out of control but because she didn't know what to make of the intruders. They didn't seem to be enemies, and although their reiatsu was unlike anything she'd ever felt, it showed no signs of being evil; it didn't feel right to fight with someone whose intentions were unclear... but still her mind kept telling her she should know better than to trust someone based only on assumptions.

As they reached a near-by leveled area with far more space to move, both women looked at each other, standing in a defensive position trying hard to analyze the opponent and clearly reluctant of what was sure to follow. Neither was sure of anything nor comfortable with fighting for no clear reason, but it still had to happen and there was nothing either could do about it at the moment.

Rei decided to take a chance, having thought of a way to figure out for sure if the mysterious people in black had malicious intentions or not. - "Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen. Akuryō Taisan!" -She released a scroll from in between her index and middle fingers and threw it at the 5th Division's Fukutaichō.

The scroll made contact with Hinamori's Zanpakutō and even though nothing happened, she knew she had to respond in someway.

She backed away a little as the scroll fell to the floor, and although part of her didn't want to attack, she resorted to Kidō. Extending her right arm and stretching her palm, she spoke the words that so many times before had been pronounced by her lips: "Hadō no 73: Sōren Sōkatsui"

As the blast of blue energy emerged Rei reacted to it by releasing an attack herself - "Burning Mandala"- 'A spell?' It seemed unusual for her that someone armed used a spell instead of their katana to attack. Something didn't make sense to her, and it was bothering her more than she felt comfortable with.

Eventually both fires collided creating a gigantic multicolored blast that was seen form all other locations where fights were taking place.

"You used a spell" - Rei began, -"If you can use spells then you must have known the one I used wasn't meant as an attack"

"It was meant to eliminate evil spirits, I know" -Momo added, avoiding a sigh and simply driving her look to the ground.

"I know. But... it's still my duty to get you to surrender." -She spoke of her duties as a Shinigami with the determination of a soldier, but unintentionally let her breath to give away the fact that although she took her responsibilities seriously, it didn't mean it made her happy to carry them out.

A sigh escaped Rei's lips and a certain degree of admiration was demonstrated by her response.

"I see. Well, wasn't this a good day to run into someone with solid ethics?" -The latter remark was muttered quietly -as if she needed to hear it out loud but meant it only for her own ears- though Momo heard her anyways.

"Since your duty is to get me to surrender, mine gets a little more complicated. My responsibility right now is to convince you otherwise, to make sure you comprehend we are not here as invaders, that we have no harmful intentions... there has to be a diplomatic way around this." -Rei continued, showing sincerity and hopeful to get her opponent to change her mind.

"I already know that. I could tell by the way you've behaved so far, but as sorry as I am to say it, that doesn't change a thing." -Momo replied, displaying understanding but knowing that until Kuchiki Taichō or Unohana Taichō gave an order to abort, she couldn't take it into her own hands -although she was the representative of her Division and practically had had all the responsibilities of a captain ever since Aizen's betrayal, she hadn't been cleared to make decisions as one.

"Then I suppose this can't be helped" - A deep breath followed Rei's statement as she decided to use her most powerful technique, knowing it'd be useless to continue a pointless conversation.

"Unfortunately..." - Momo as well was prepared to give all she had, starting by unsheathing Tobiume.

"Hajike, Tobiume" - Hinamori's Zanpakutō acquired it's true form, and as Tobiume's blade fire up, she witnessed Rei's katana disappear and turn into a trail of fire that crawled up her arm, becoming a bow and arrow.

"Mars Flame Sniper" was the call that Momo heard as she speechlessly observed the incandescent beauty of the flames.

Momo prepared herself and as she was ready to call upon her own flames, a Jigokuchō set down on Tobiume's blade.

'A Jigokuchō?' -Momo's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected arrival.

'A... butterfly?' -Surprise too became evident in Rei's expression.

A/N: I still do not own any of the characters or canonic material :P so the previous disclaimer remains the same ^.^

Sorry it took me forever! but I hope it pays off, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

(I don't believe I've used any new words, but just in case, a Jigokuchō is a Hell Butterfly)