I was very emotionally charged when I first wrote the last chapter, so much that when I returned to do a last minute check of it, I found that I'd missed a few words and that I'd repeated a line of dialogue twice in one scene. It's funny, what you can miss- as you're writing, it makes perfect sense in your mind...
I admit that my prose style can be a bit "grand" at times, especially when it comes to dramatic dialogue for the characters. I'm a fairly emotional person (I cry pretty easily!), and I tend to write the characters with more of an emotional edge, which can sometimes conflict with the source material or how they're seen at large. I see Hitsugaya as a frustrated leader, yet who's ultimately sympathetic toward others, so he's a bit nicer than might be expected. I've grown to like Ichigo as I've written for him. Personally, his morality and his sense of loyalty is what interests me- that he's one of the few people more concerned with doing what's right than what's expected- than just portraying as this all powerful plot device.
Anyway, special thanks to ulquihime7980, RAHbooks, and "Guest" for their reviews of the last chapter.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter VII:
"Reconciliation, Part 2"
"When you were talking about the destruction of the Ouken, I could tell you were holding something back." Ulquiorra began. "Now, this means that you're either hiding some bit of information to use as leverage later on... Or, you've reached a conclusion so staggering that not even you can fully comprehend the implications of it." He reasoned. "Tell me then, Octavio, which is it?"
Szayel smiled darkly. "Actually," he began, sliding his hands into his pockets. "It's a bit of both..." The Arrancar continued, pausing to adjust the frames of his glasses-like mask. "Tell me, Ulquiorra, how well versed are you in the fields of astrophysics and thermodynamics?" He asked curiously.
The Cautro Espada arched a dark brow at the question. Out of all the possible response he'd anticipated the pink-haired Espada giving him, this was not among them. "Well enough." Ulquiorra replied after a moment, his interest now genuinely peaked. "While I'm not a scientist like you, but I'm well-read, and of an open mind when it comes to such matters." He replied evenly with a flick of hand.
The Octavio seemed rather pleased with himself, likely realizing that he'd actually managed to throw Ulquiorra with his reply. "You flatter me." Szayel replied smoothly, brushing a pink strand out of his eyes. "But how can you be sure you can even believe what I tell you? After all, we can appreciate that fact that our kind aren't exactly known for being upfront and honest."
"Because you have no reason to lie to me," Ulquiorra replied. "just as you realize that you have nothing to gain by deceiving me- save for my ire." He continued evenly. "Aside from that, a scientist doesn't lie when it comes to pure facts, and an egotist doesn't miss a chance to boast."
Szayel chuckled and nodded. "Well, I'm afraid there's no simple answer to your question... And you'll have to live with the knowledge of what I'm going to tell you- to surrender the luxury of ignorance." He remarked, an all too familiar air of smugness in his tone, holding his hands up in an ambivalent posture.
"I'll try to keep this... relatively simple, but I can make no promises." He continued. "The universal laws on the conservation of matter states that energy cannot be destroyed... Ergo, it must go somewhere." Szayal explained, his tone now all business as he spoke. "Now, this is where things start getting 'heavy'... As you may recall, I likened the destruction of the Ouken to the effect of a supernova? The ultimate catastrophic outpouring of stellar matter."
Szayel held his hands up, a gap of about six inches between the palms. "To put things in more relative terms, a supernova is the explosion of a star." The Espada dramatically thrust his gloved hands outward for emphasis as he continued. "I'm not just making a colorful metaphor here, there's a very real reason why I compared the explosion of the Ouken to a supernova..." The pink-haired man explained to him, letting his hands fall to his side as he continued.
He continued. "Now, as everyone knows, physics dictate that for every action, there is the equivalent and opposing reaction..." He brought his hands back up as he spoke. "In the event of a supernova- which is energy moving outward- the opposing action is when the energy moves inward- in this case, causing the star to collapse in upon itself." Szayel began bringing his hands together. "The energy starts contracting inward, tighter and tighter, until the strain eventually punches a hole through the 'fabric' and space and time, forming what's commonly known as a 'Black Hole'." The palms of his hands now pressed together.
"It's like a whirlpool, pulling everything into it." He continued. "The reason it's called a Black Hole is because it consumes everything within its reach- even light, hence the name." Szayel explained to him, reaching up to adjust his glasses. "Just think of it: a dark, lifeless hellmouth, consuming everything!"
"How exactly does any of this relate to our situation?" Ulquiorra asked incredulously.
"Ah, well now, I'm glad you asked." Szayel quipped. "You see, we've already experienced the supernova- that was the explosion that devastated Soul Society." He began. "But the Ouken wasn't a star, and its destruction didn't end with that explosion... Which brings us back to my previous rant." The Arrancar continued with a confident smile. "The thing that makes a Black Hole the stuff of nightmares, when things go from science fact to science fiction... Is that there's no way of knowing what exists beyond it."
"A 'portal' to the unknown, like the gates of Hell, right out of Dante's Inferno." The Octavio Espada commented theatrically. "It's the horror of the ultimate unknown- a void, in which all of the long-held notions and laws of existence and reality do not exist." Szayel explained. "Right now, there's something like that, here in the Soul Realm... A small- imperceptible -tare in the very fabric of reality, right at the center of the space that the Ouken occupied." He reveled in a low voice. "It harmless at the moment, but it likely won't remain inactive forever... Especially, if the rift expands."
"What do you mean?" Ulquiorra asked, crossing his arms.
"I'm not entirely certain..." Szayel replied pensively, running a hand through the pristine locks of his cotton-candy hair. "It depends how you look at it... Scientifically, it's an unknown, but if it's anything like a black hole, then it would gradually expand in scope and magnitude of strength." The Arrancar reasoned as he turned to pore himself another glass of wine. "I'm a bit thirsty... Would you care for a drink while you're here- a glass of wine, or perhaps something a bit stronger to steel your resolve?"
Ulquiorra cocked his head slightly, then nodded. "If we must... wine will do, I have no desire to become intoxicated at the moment." The Cautro remarked. He watched as Szayel retrieved another glass and filled it with the remaining contents of the bottle, before taking an unopened bottle out for later.
"Here," Szayel spoke as he offered him the glass. "As I was saying, an event of that scale could take thousand of years to fully manifest, though the effects would most certainly begin to become tangible long before then." The Espada explained. "I can hypothesize on what we're dealing with, but it's likely that one of two things will happen: that it becomes a giant one-way 'portal' to oblivion that will engulf everything- and I mean everything." He offered, taking a drink.
Ulquiorra took a sip as he listened. "Or, it becomes a sort of 'gateway' to the unknown- like a wormhole, except it's not limited to spacial dimensions..." He paused. "It would be like looking into the mouth of some dark abyss- infinite and unknowable- yet, something must be on the other side." Szayel stopped to take a longer drink, more deliberate this time. "Maybe another dimension, or even another plane of reality all together..." He paused, sipping his wine. "Or, if we're really unlucky- it could literally be nothingness- an empty void of unexistence."
Ulquiorra finished his wine and set the glass down. "This line of thought is starting to veer dangerously into the domain of the metaphysical." He observed dryly. "Perhaps your madness is coloring your assessment?"
Szayel grinned wildly. "You speak as if that was a bad thing. Really, sanity is such an overrated concept." He countered. "You can't chose normality when you do the things we've done... Ultimately, I find madness to simply a superior form of genius. " The Arrancar reasoned. "But back to the matter at hand. You see, whatever happens, the effects won't be limited to Soul Society." The Espada added darkly, a strange expression on his face.
"If the stability of this realm is threatened, then the stability all realms would then be jeopardized." The Arrancar continued. "And no where and no one would be safe from the repercussions of something like that." He finished, his tone devoid of even the slightest trace of its usual mischief. "Think about it, Ulquiorra... Existance as we know it, undone- and every living being becomes an un-person un-doing un-things un-togher.
"In other words, universal oblivion." Ulquiorra remarked dryly. "If you're correct, then it would seem that you'll have your work cut out for you when it comes to convincing these people." The pale Arrancar remarked, finishing off the wine in his hand.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Shunsui quietly entered the back yard of the Ukitake estate, finding his long time friend sitting on the porch with a cup of tea in his hand. "Aw, Jushiro, I was told you were back here."
The white-haired Captain turned to him. "Shunsui, what brings you here?" Ukitake asked in his usual friend manner, watching as the Captain sat down beside him. "It's too early for sake, but would you like to join me for tea?" He offered with a smile.
"Oh, nothing, I thought I'd just drop by and pay you a visit." The tall captain replied, giving one of his usual smiles as he accepted the cup of tea. "Well, that, and I could also tell that my darling Nanao-chan needed some time alone with Lisa-san..." Shunsui amended. "They were always so close, and I known that she missed her- dear Lisa's sudden departure upset her more than she'd ever admit."
Ukitake nodded understandingly. "Well there have been a great deal of revelations in the days following the end of the war... Thankfully, some of them happen to be for the better." He replied, bringing the small ceramic cup to his lips to sip the warm tea. "As of now, only the First Division lacks a recognized leader."
Shunsui nodded, sipping from his own cup. "Well, it's thanks to that young human woman's miraculous powers that I'm up and about." He replied with a smile. "Captain Soifon is still on the mend, but I don't think she'll put up with being hulled up in the Second Division much longer."
"I can sympathize," Ukitake replied with a slight chuckle. "Having spent my fare number of days bedridden, I can see how she'd become fractious- especially given her nature." He reasoned. "There's a good chance we may see her at the next meeting- crutches or not."
"Yes, these women are certainly putting us to shame." The scruffy man replied as he took another drink from his cup. "But then, to be both a woman and a Soul Reaper means being twice as strong as the man standing to either side of you!" He declared, his long chocolate-colored lock of hair shaking as his wide frame rumbled with his rich laughter. "They really are the backbone of Soul Society!"
"That expression you said just now," Ukitake began. "tell me, where did you hear that?"
"Oh, I didn't hear it anywhere." He replied, turning to reveal a broad grin- set amidst the perpetual short brown stubble that adorned his angular features- and a glint in his relaxed gaze. "It's just something that I've realized over the years." Shunsui explained. "At any rate, why don't you tell me about these new, er, house guests of yours that I've heard about?" He asked, finishing his tea.
Ukitake nodded. "Well, Stark is currently in Huecco Mundo- with Lady Halibell- speaking to the Arrancar on our behalf, though he should be returning soon." He began. "As for Lilinette... I image that she's over at the Fourth Division headquarters- probably trailing young Yamada-san, I'd guess." The Captain explained with a thoughtful expression. "I'm afraid she's rather protective of me, she's even taken on the duty of making sure that Unohana's medicinal tea is delivered... And that I drink all of it."
Shunsui gave an incredulous look, noting the bashful look of his friend's face and the brief nervous chuckle as he finished. "As I recall, they're the same two that we fought- in fact, I distinctly remember that the one called Stark nearly killed me." He pointed out. "I guess something must have happened to change things while I was unconscious?" The Captain asked calmly.
"Then Nanao-san didn't tell you..." He mused softly, rubbing his chin. "Well, when we were fighting Stark and Lilinette, you remember how Supreme Commander Yamamoto unleashed his reiatsu against Aizen and his forces?" He asked, getting a nod. "At first, it seemed like it was working- several of the Arrancar started withering under the sheer force of it..." He paused, Shunsui recalling how he'd had to shield Nanao from the crushing force of their leader's power. "And yet, Aizen somehow had some kind of counter-measure that turned his own attack against him and took us out as well."
"That's when I lost consciousness?" Shunsui asked.
Ukitake nodded solemnly. "And because of you, Nanao was shielded from the backlash, but you were a mess when the dust cleared... and I was half dead." He revealed. "Everyone in Soul Society could only watch as Aizen manifested the Ouken to breach the realm of the Soul King, then Kurosaki appeared and stopped him... But then the Ouken exploded." He revealed. "When I came around, there was smoke and rubble everywhere, Nanao was terrified, and I was so weak from the fighting and my sickness..."
"That's when I saw Stark and Lilinette, and the female Espada- Halibell- but she was too weak to stand on her own after Aizen stabbed her." The white-haired man continued. "I thought for certain they were going to kill us... But then, Stark stood down and waited for healers to arrive. He even helped Unohana to deal with all your injuries." Ukitake explained. "Lilinette helped as well, she went off with Nanao to help spread word of the ceasefire between our two sides."
The two men fell silent, only to turn around at the sound of footsteps behind them, met by the sight of a young woman standing in the doorway. She was short and slender- with an adolescent build- and short yellow-green hair that reached her shoulders and single visible rose-colored eye.
"Lili-chan, welcome back." Ukitake greeted warmly.
"Hiya, Shiro-san!" Lilinette replied with a smile.
Shunsui couldn't help but notice the blush that colored her face (even as she smiled) at the overtly cute and girly manner that Jushiro addressed her, or the gentle smile that graced his friend's features as she returned the greeting- addressing the highly respected Captain as "Shiro-san".
"How was your day at the Fourth?"
"Great, though Taro-kun still needs work." Lilinette replied. "Unohana-san is amazing- she's a really great Alpha, just like you!" The Arrancar explained.
"Alpha?" Shunsui remarked with a faintly quizzical look.
Lilinette turned to the other man, falling silent as she regarded him. She remembered him, though she wasn't as familiar with him as Stark- who'd fought him- was. One thing she did know was that he was strong enough to have come close to killing Stark.
"You know, the strongest wolf in the pack." Lilinette replied. "Just like how Stark was the Alpha of the Espada- because we were the strongest." She continued. "The Alpha always leads, because they're the strongest of the pack." She explained, as if it was most obvious thing and Shunsiu was simply slow for not understanding the allusion. "It's usually a strong male, like Shiro-san... Though, a female can also be the Alpha- like Unohana-san." The young female Arrancar explained to the two men.
"I... never thought about it like that." Shunsui remarked. "Tell me, is there any major difference between male and female Alphas?" He asked with a small smile.
"Well..." Lilinette began, rubbing her cheek as she thought it over. "To be honest, females usually make for better Alphas." She answered. "The males usually fight for themselves or to defend their territory or lesser members they have some claim on... While the females usually fight to protect the young and the other females in their care." She explained to them. "I know Halibell would do anything to keep her three Fraccions safe, the same way I get the feeling that Unohana would die to protect the members of her Division... Never underestimate a female with something to loose"
"Is that always the case?" Shunsui inquired.
"No, not always." Lilinette replied after a moment. "Some males- some men- can be both strong and honorable, like Shiro-san." She replied, folding her hands behind her back.
"Lili-chan," Ukitake began. "Do you really mean that?" He asked, taken aback.
The young Arrancar nodded. "Don't forget that I've fought you, I've seen both sides of you." Lilinette replied softly. "I've also seen the way your Lieutenants look at you, the way Unohana looks at you and how she smiles when she's thinking of you." She continued. "There's a reason why so many people trust and respect you like they do, Shiro-san..." She paused. "Oh man, I can't believe how mushy I'm being right now- gah, I think I'm actually blushing!"
Ukitake, blushing faintly, quickly tried to ease Lilinette's embarrassment, doing his best to assuage her worries over being too 'touchy-feely'. Shunsui chuckled."A heart is not judged simply by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others." He recounted with a smile.
The white-haired man turned to him. "What's that from?"
"Oh, just something I heard in a movie once." The rugged man replied. "I think it was based on one of the books that Nanao-chan likes to read." Shunsui added with a smile.
"Oh, that reminds me," Ukitake began. "Stark-san will be returning soon, and you and Nanao-san are welcome to join us for dinner next week." He offered with a smile. "Unohana-san is coming, and I have a good feeling you and Stark will really hit it off."
Lilinette rolled her eyes at that. "That's for sure," she groused. "Yeah, those two are gonna be great friends- I mean, they're both lazy old wolves after all."
The white-haired Captain chuckled. "Well, I think your Lieutenant might agree with that."
Shunsui's expression and posture both fell at the declaration. "I'm really a... lazy old wolf?" He silently wondered to himself in a crestfallen tone, before sighing.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The wind swept across the white sands of Huecco Mundo, just outside of Las Noches, under the glow of the omnipresent silver crescent moon.
Stark yawned, looking off into the dark firmament of the endless night. Sensing a familiar, powerful presence nearby, he turned to see Halibell. "I can sense them gathering to Las Noches," the tall Espada calmly observed. "Tell me, Halibell, what's your sense of things?"
The comparably tall female Espada was in her unreleased state- the toned flat stomach and full hips of her bronzed body visible. "They feel betrayed and scared... They will fight if they have to, but I believe they're willing to speak with the Shinigami." She replied. "Though, as we expected, they still desire certain guaranties and concessions before agreeing to any treaty."
"The Shinigami expected this as well..." Stark replied, moving to sit down and gesturing for her to join him on the white sands of the dune. "What are their terms?"
She nodded and sat down beside him. "They plan on rebuilding Las Noches, as a defensible sanctuary that they can live in, so they'll need technical and material help in building infrastructure." Halibell began as she looked up at the eternal night sky. "They want help in creating sustainable crops and fresh water for the newly ascended Arrancar." She continued. "They can see how vulnerable they are right now, so they'll allow the Shinigami to set up an outpost, because the additional security its presence would offer them."
"That all sounds reasonable." Stark commented thoughtfully. "I'm sure the Twelfth would be willing to help them set up some kind of water recycling system, and I imagine Szayel would enjoy the challenge of creating some kind of food crop... Perhaps grow them artificially, like the humans do, I think the process is called 'hydroponics'?" The Primera Espada reasoned.
After moment, Halibell turned to him. "Stark," she began. "May I ask you something... personal?"
Stark was unsure how to react to her tone, but quickly shrugged his confusion off, quietly giving the female Espada a simple nod. "Sure, whatever, go ahead."
"So much has changed..." She began. "The power we gained as the Espada- enough to rival that of the Shinigami- I wanted to believe it came with a higher purpose." The Tercera explained as she gingerly sat on the dune. "That we were destined to elevate our kind, to become something more... And yet, in the end, we were used and discarded- just like all the rest of that man's projects."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Tia." Stark replied. "We were all taken in on some level, were all fooled by Aizen's grand promises." He reasoned. "He almost led us to ruin, but he's gone now... and you and I, and the others... we're still here." The Primera offered.
"I want to believe, but I'm... scared." She admitted. "Scared of the uncertainty of the future, to put my faith in something unknown." Halibell explained uneasily. "After everything that's happened, to settle into this new way of life..." The buxom female paused. "Stark, do you believe that our kind could truly be content with this kind of life, that we could be... happy?"
Stark gave her a small nod. "I'd like to think so..." He began evenly. "We will always be warriors, the end of the war doesn't change this, but I've seen these Shinigami in peacetime- they compose literature and create works of art, they cultivate verdant gardens and raise flowers and Koi in them." The Espada explained with a small smile. "If we can fight like them..."
"...Then perhaps we can also live like them?" Halibell asked him in a low voice, receiving a brief nod from the tall, brown-haired Arrancar seated beside her.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ulquiorra looked down at himself... While pale, his new complexion was no longer the white marble tone it had once been. He reached up to touch the center of his chest, below his throat, only to touch against the surface of his chest, then ran his hands through his thick black hair...
He paused, feeling the dense softness between his slender fingers. He turned around to look at himself in the full-length mirror. Gone, too, was the iconic fragment of his Hollow Mask- his "half helmet", as the woman had referred to it- that had covered much of the right side of his head for so long. His black hair hung down in thick locks that framed his face- with another lock between his eyes- and tapered off as it reached the collar of his shirt. He noted, with some relief, that his eyes were still the same shade of green he remembered, just with far more human pupils in place of the animalistic slits.
He allowed a small smirk, showing that the change in his upper lip, while running his fingertips along the dark green tear-lines that ran from his eyes to the base of his jaw. Ulquiorra reached up to lightly touch his thick dark eyebrows, before straightening himself up. The Arrancar was dressed in a plain black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans and sneakers.
He then turned to Orihime, meeting her warm brown-eyed gaze with his own sharp green eyes as she smiled softly at him, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she stepped forward. Ulquiorra silently moved to meet her, taking her hands and pulling her to him. The young woman let out a small girlish yelp of surprise as their bodies met- her soft form pressed against his strong body.
One hand came to rest on the small of her back, while his free hand move up through the tresses of her long fiery red hair- to the back of her neck. Brown eyes met green, before he tilted her head and leaned in- muffling the redhead's surprised gasp as he hungrily kissed her. Orihime sighed as she relaxed in his arms and returned the embrace. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, her hands on his back- clenching the black fabric of his shirt in her fists as they kissed.
She felt his tongue against her lips and granted him entrance, groaning faintly into his mouth as her tongue mingled with his. Ulquiorra was overcome by the sweetness of her lips, the more her experiences of this woman, the more he wanted of her. It took all of his well-honed control to eventually pull back from her to allow them both a chance to breath. The Espada looked at Orihime for a moment, allowing himself a satisfied smile at the sight- her soft pink lips parted, honey-brown eyes slightly glazed over with a desire she yet didn't fully understand, and her face flushed a lovely rosy hue.
"Ulquiorra..." She began breathlessly. "W-what's come over you?" Orihime asked, blushing, her knees weak and body resting against him for support.
The Arrancar flashed a uncharacteristic smile as he held her. "Well, I needed a way to make sure that this thing works right." He offered in hushed voice. "Though..." Ulquiorra whispered softly, her entire body shivering when she felt his warm breath tickling the shell of her. "I can certainly think of a few other ways we could try this Gigai out, hm?" He suggested teasingly.
Orihime blushed furiously at the obvious innuendo in his words, and quickly buried her face in his chest in a desperate effort to hide her red hot embarrassment.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
A few days later, Stark and Halibell returned to Soul Society, along with a handful of the Arrancar representatives from Las Noches. The Shinigami calmly listened to the Arrancar presented their terms and requests to them, with the two powerful Espada overseeing the exchange.
The Shinigami agreed to help the Arrancar in rebuilding Las Noches, and to helping them to establish their society and creating infrastructure. They also agreed to provide them with water and a sustainable food source for them. In turn, the Arrancar agreed to allowing the Shinigami to build an outpost, citing their own need for greater security. They also agreed to reign in the ingrained drives and behavior of their kind and to take measures to control the development of the forthcoming Arrancar.
There was still a great deal of details to hammer out, but this was enough a start, enough to allow them to form a tentative agreement between their two sides. The Arrancar seemed to respect the words of the Espada, deferring to their authority and strength. So, if two of the strongest Arrancar alive guarantied something, then the others were inclined to accept their word.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Captain Shunsui Kyoraku turned around, drink in hand, to the modest assembly in the large reception hall of the Central Building. "My friends," he began with a smile. "I'd like to thank you all for coming here today... Your presence proves the significance of the man we're here to remember."
Shunsui's wavy brown hair was combed and held in a neat ponytail, and his black robes freshly cleaned and pressed (courtesy of his Lieutenant). The long flowing pink kimono he wore, draped over his broad frame like a cloak, was absent- though his iconic straw hat remained. The paired katana and wakizashi that comprised his Zanpakuto- Kaken Kyokotsu- were tucked in his belt.
Between himself and the others- there were eleven Captains, fourteen Lieutenants, as well as a few of the Seated Officers, and others guests. Lieutenant Sasakibe of the First was among them, dressed in his modified Shinigami robes- with the western influence. He was holding an open bottle of champagne in his gloved hand and promptly set about pouring the pale sparkling fluid into the tall slender glasses and sending bubbles rising up as he filled them all.
Captain Unohana of the Fourth and Captain Ukitake of the Thirteenth, his long time friends since his days at the academy, were present. The female captain's long dark hair hung free, down the back of her white jacket, with her strange healing Zanpakuto- Minazuki- hung from the thick white obi tied around her waist. While the other captain's sleek white hair held in a simple ponytail, that was tied in the back with a black hair tie. The singular, unreleased form of his dual Zanpakuto- Sogyo no Kotowari- was tucked neatly into the white sash tied around his waist.
The two Captains were joined by the three Lieutenants they shared between them- both the the elder and younger Kotetsu sister and Sentaro Kotsubuki. As well as the 3rd Officers of their Divisions, Rukia Kuchiki and Hanataro Yamada. The wolf-like leader of the Seventh, Captain Sajin Komamura, and his 'tough guy' Lieutenant, Tetsuzaemon Iba, were also present.
Byakuya Kuchiki- Captain of the Sixth and head of the Kuchiki clan- was present, clad in his captain's jacket and Shinigami robes, with his hair held back and his aqua-marine silken scarf delicately wrapped around his neck. As always, Senbonzakura hung at his waist. His Lieutenant, Renji Abarai- his deep red hair bound in a warrior's tail- listened intently as the scruffy Captain spoke.
The only person not standing was Captain Soifon of the Second. Thankfully, the break in her left arm had been below the elbow, so she didn't have to deal with the further hassle of having her arm held in a sling, not that the cast alone turned the simple task of moving from one room to another to a herculean undertaking for her. At the moment, she was forced to forgo her usual tight-fitting top and arm covers for a more conventional, loose-fitting top. He jacket was draped over the high back of the chair.
"...for all that we have lost, we've regained old friends." Shunsui remarked, briefly pausing to gesture to the four Vizard- all formally reinstated the previous day. "Not to mention, some unlikely new allies." He continued with a smile, looking to Szayel (who was flanked by Nemu).
For the most part, the three Vizard Captains appeared much as they had prior to their exile, with Shinji and Rose looking all but identical- save the former's short hair and the fact that the latter now wore his wavy blond hair loose about his shoulders. Kensei stood out because of the various piercing he'd gained during his time away, with the main difference in Mashiro being her lime green hair was now straight and the strange new goggles she wore like a headband.
Along with the energetic green-haired woman, Shuhei Hisagi- the dour, tattooed other Lieutenant of the Ninth was also present. The figure of the Fifth's young Lieutenant, Momo Hinamori, was present at the gather, along with the usually glum Lieutenant of the Third, Kira Izuru. However, for the first time in a long while, the oppressive air that had fallen over them during the recent months seemed to have faded and given way to a new atmosphere- the two finally able to smile and laugh.
Zaraki Kenpachi, the fearsome Captain of the Eleventh, was in attendance. The imposing man wore his usual attire- except that he appeared to be wearing a new eye-patch over his left eye, black with narrow muted gold edging. He appeared to be wearing a new captain's jacket- the previous one destroyed in his battle with Nnoitra - with his long, battered sword strapped across his back. Yachiru, unsurprisingly, was perched on his shoulder, with her usual cheery expression.
Szayel smirked, a gloved hand adjusting his glasses. The Octavio wore a version of the white captain's jacket- with sleeves and resembling a lab coat- over the tightly fitted white and black-lined uniform he wore since becoming an Espada. Nemu, ever the picture of calm composure, was standing close beside him, close enough to wordlessly capture his hand in hers, snaking her delicate fingers together with his long slender digits. The Arrancar smiled and turned to her- dark green eyes meeting bright golden ones, her expression betraying nothing, save for the glint in her eyes.
Nanao accepted a glass of champagne with a polite nod, before she then placed a hand on Hinamori's delicate shoulder in a reassuring gesture, giving the smaller Lieutenant a soft smile as she turned to glance up at her. The slight, demure youth blushed, but was quick to thank her.
Drinks were handed out- some were given glasses of champagne, others given wine, while a few of the participants were given lighter beverages. Captain Hitsugaya looked at the drink in his hand, pausing to look at his reflection in the colored liquid. Despite his Lieutenant's fervent efforts to get him to imbibe something stronger, he'd held fast in his dislike of alcohol. Still, he couldn't help but smile, even as the aforementioned Lieutenant leaned over him, her full breasts pressing against the back of his head of snow-white hair as she affectionately draped an arm over his shoulder.
Hinamori had watched, silently, as her childhood friend and the gorgeous woman standing near him exchanged smiles and covertly flirted with each other. The small youth was quick to look away, not wanting to dwell on the strange feeling the sight seemed to cause within her.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Shunsui began. "To... absent friends," he paused. "And to the friends that we have yet to meet." He finished, holding his glass up.
There was brief chorus of agreements from the others...
"To the Undiscovered Country," Nanao offered. "To the future." She finished with a smile.
Again, there was another chorus of cheerful replies...
"To the crazy old man- to Yamamoto!" Kenpachi declared loudly.
Again, there was another round of cheers, followed by everyone saluting and promptly downing their drinks in honor o their late leader.
(- End of Chapter VII -)
Oh man, did I toil over the scene with Szayel and Ulquiorra, about the distortion caused by the Ouken. I tried to keep it somewhat grounded in real science, but the concept is still pretty far out. Though, I feel I point out that it's not literally a black hole, and the logistics of it all shouldn't be mulled over for too long, given that there's a major supernatural aspect to it.
Anyway, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. I'm trying to keep as far ahead of the updates as possible, and I've been having trouble finding the time to keep working on the later chapters. Writing this is kind of like steering a giant ship, in that it takes a while to get it moving in a new direction from how things played out in the manga. Still, both the pacing and variety of scenes has really started to pick up at the point in the story that I've reached. With any luck, this should mean that I can the chapters written a little faster, and hopefully be able to stick to my plan of updating every other week.
As of now, I'm concurrently working on a couple of unrelated stories (primarily my Mass Effect ones). Though, I also also want to get back to "Immortals" and "These Peaceful Days" at some point in the near future. Aside from that, I'm toying with an alternate universe Bleach story- it's just a matter of working out a rough plot line and getting started- but I think it might be interesting. Again, thank you all for continuing to follow and review my stories, your feedback and suggestions are always welcome and very much appreciated.
-Bojack727
