"Kenpachi Zaraki and Laxus Dreyar have fought over the skies of Fiore, within the vista of the onlooking Magic Council's HQ. Their battle upheaved the land, shattered it and left craters or soil into ashes. Both were heavily injured but only one was left standing, ready for more carnage. That was the 11th Division's Captain.
"However, a timely arrival of Wizard Saints' Ichiya, Kagura and Erza were able to forestall Laxus' certain demise. Even combined they feel overwhelmed by the sheer vault of power within their opponent, along with an undeniable murderous lust for bloodshed that denied his worn body rest it needs. Just when all four were about to strike, they were delayed.
"By one Renji Abarai. Joined by mutual Lieutenants Shūhei Hisagi and Mashiro Kuna along with their respective Captains, Byakuya Kuchiki and Kensei Muguruma, the five Shinigami interrupt the battle between Mages and Kenpachi. With the leader of the task force led by the 6th Division's Captain, it's clear that the stoic Clan Leader has little patience for the berserker's antics.
"Laying down an ultimatum of coming quietly or be killed now, what decision does the Soul Society's Number One Combat Specialist have to say?"
Chapter 7 - You're Not Alone
Levy McGarden was prepared for anything. She was aware of the dangers and risks of coming in full force with the mages that have already arrived. She didn't want to abandon those who'd go out on their own to fight their common enemy. But the risk it posed to lesser wizards was that much more palpable. Again, she was prepared for the consequences that'd come with this fight.
What she wasn't, nor was anybody present, was the arrival of more unknowns.
Based on their uniforms, tone and familiar speech they all belonged to this 'Gotei 13' that Kenpachi had said he belonged to during his fight with Gajeel. Him being a part of the 11th Division never lost to her thoughts. She could only wonder the power gap between the five if that many were sent to just rescue him. Or was it truly rescue? They seemed to operate under a military hierarchy, and the one who drew his sword seemed to be the most antagonistic to the bloodthirsty murderer.
She was far too distracted by this bizarre series of circumstances to do anything, let alone order everyone to pull back or attack them.
A loud, barking laugh issued by their original enemy made it clear what Kenpachi thought of the ultimatum given to him.
"If you wanted to kill me, you didn't need to beat around the bush, Byakuya!" Kenpachi growled out with a sinister smile adorned on his bloodied visage. Even as the others stoically stared back at him, their Reiatsu rising in response to their comrade's animosity, the behemoth sword wielder pointed it their way threateningly. "If none of you got the balls to face me, then get lost. I got an old score to settle that's long over due!"
"Don't get full of yourself," Kensei lowly spoke, his sneer present with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "You may have displayed impressive feats back in the war, but ten years without a proper sparring partner has made you rusty. This childish action vying for bloodshed is going cost you your life!"
Something about what the Visored said made Kenpachi's smile disappear. Eyes aglow, he leaped up with a propelling jump towards the Shinigami, aiming for Byakuya chiefly. Before the observing Wizards his momentum was impressive for the state his body was in. But the sudden sight of horrendous shower of his own blood bore witness to all happened faster than anyone could comprehend.
Noticing the vanishing of the Kuchiki's blade made him realize that his Shikai was instantly activated. It was far faster than he remembered and the fact he lost sight of it meant he was either too weathered to react properly or his rival had achieved a far more refined control over his Zanpakutō. But the fact it injured him to a degree surprised him and shocked the viewers of the battle.
But it didn't stop him from raising his blade and swinging it forward.
The thing that stopped him wasn't his prime target but an extended Zabimaru that slammed into the middle of his blade before the force was fully ejected. Sparks flew out from the shockwave of the connecting blades. Growling he batted the other Shinigami's sword away and jettisoned himself to throw another slash. Only this time his shoulders were slashed by a Kazeshini, with Shūhei vaulting passed him with a well timed Shunpo.
A catapulting Mashiro landed an explosive Reiatsu filled double kick into his solar plexus, making him dizzy and spurt out blood from his crushed innards. His ears rang and the Lieutenant landed a series of well executed Hakuda strikes that hit his injured chest and face. The pain awakened him enough for him to grasp her neck, strangling her outright while a murderous glare made the wide-eyed Lieutenant squeak impotently.
His arm raised again to slash her in a grizzly half; which felt a defined stinging into his tricep. He didn't have time to turn and see Tachikaze stabbed his arm. Then, by remote control, it glowed a bright blue and suddenly exploded. A white hot pain followed the voluminous blast that consumed his right half. Knocked away from his spinning blade, still held by his muscle-bone clad hand, his whole body had received even more cauterized injuries that bled profusely.
Stopping in the air, Kenpachi let out a guttural howl as he kicked off the skyline and grabbed his sword with his remaining arm. Simultaneously the thrown knife was caught by Kensei. A stoic glare met a dangerous wide grin as he swung his own blade. Both weapons collided, and the resulting clash of Reiatsu made a spherical maelstrom of cyan and crackling yellow. Blistering airwaves shot out between both Captains, effectively forming a twister that connected with the sky and touched the earth, both of them presiding in its center.
"Sorry to cut this battle short, Kenpachi," Kensei muttered, barely heard among the fierce clash of Spiritual Pressure and destructive forces. His free hand swept his face in a downward tearing fashion, revealing a six diagonal slit Hollow Mask, red eyes glowing through the cracks immediately. Pushing back against Zaraki effortlessly, the berserker was knocked off balance and the twister was dispersed through a violent crack. "But I have to stop you, now!"
An instantaneous moment later, the Hollowfied Captain appeared before Kenpachi and slashed in an explosive arc. This blast deprived Kenpachi of his remaining arm and blackened him to a sickening degree. Dropping to the ground below, his sword reverted to its sealed state, now deprived of Kenpachi's Reiryoku to keep it awakened. His own body had dropped wetly alongside as well, his mouth ebbing smoke along with his nostrils, consciousness barely active.
Withdrawing his mask, Kensei joined the other four in observing the effectively defeated Kenpachi.
"I hate to say that, but, that went almost too smoothly," Renji commented dryly.
"I'm just glad none of us had fought him in his peak condition," Shūhei mumbled nervously.
"All those injuries sure slowed him down. Wonder who did that to him?" Mashiro questioned aloud with a finger tapping her lips while crouching in the middle of the sky.
"It doesn't matter," Byakuya proffered, his sword already sealed and sheathing into its scabbard with a satisfying click. "Retrieve his body and we can leave. The sooner we return to Soul Society, the bet-"
"HOLD IT!" A thunderous shout interrupted the Captain's words as well as sent an alarming amount of power tingling down all five Shinigami's spines. While the Lieutenants looked over with defined expressions of surprise, Kensei and Byakuya shared visages of visible annoyance. The muscular, scarred man radiating with bright crackling aura was definitely the man who weakened Kenpachi in the first place. "That man hurt people under my charge and killed thousands of innocents! He must be punished our way!"
"Uh, it was kind of an accident him appearing here in the first place," Renji explained, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Can't you let us take it from here?"
"This isn't a negotiation!" Laxus became an indistinguishable blur of streaking lightning. Arching around the air it veered around to slam into their midst from above. Materializing physically, his fist crashed with a blistering flash of super-heated plasma. But instead of hitting them directly, he found that his fist cracked but didn't penetrate a transparent wall that hung above their heads.
"Is this...a spell?!" He thought with surprise.
"Renji, go get Kenpachi's body and Zanpakutō," Byakuya calmly commanded, his sword drawn out and raised upright. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."
It was only thanks to the Lightning Mage's innate reflexes and reaction timing that he could see the swift razors colored like sakura blossom petals. Transforming into lightning, he darted around the air to avoid the wind filled blades, only a hair's breath ahead of them. While he was busy with avoiding the Captain's Shikai, Renji had shimmered into visibility over Kenpachi's fallen frame.
As he reached down, he felt a threatening presence manifest behind him. In a streaking turn to raise his arm defensively, a scabbard enclosed sword struck forearm. The clash of his limb and the blunt instrument packing intense power split the earth between them for fifty meters, a howling wind carried outward with the force. His eyes stoically locked against Kagura's, the pair showing mutual determination.
"Guess I can't ask nicely for you to leave me be, huh?" Renji wryly smirked as he warded off against her attack.
The bow-adorned woman was silent but her moves spoke louder than any words could. Freeing her left hand to grapple Renji's arm, she spun around to step on the edge of the crevice and toss him over her shoulder. Even as he flew back from the impressive maneuver, he elongated Zabimaru to nick her across the cheek in a near miss of her head. Rapidly sprinting to avoid future swings of the bladed whip, she crashed her Archenemy against the Lieutenant's Shikai, the force of contact from every swing creating powerful shockwaves between the two.
Kensei, noticing the Lieutenant was fighting another Mage, decided to head down and retrieve the Captain himself. Before he could get near him when he used Shunpo, he heard a distant bellow that drew threateningly near. Turning, he'd barely have time to cross his arms in a block against throttling punch that cracked against his limbs.
"MMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNN!" Ichiya shouted, kicking off the earth to continue his physical assault on the Captain. The two exchanged fisticuffs, punches and kicks that created similar flares of Reiatsu to Aura that made their fight seem dangerously explosive. Shinigami couldn't find an opening to use his Zanpakutō while Ichiya couldn't land a decisive hit against the veteran warrior.
Realizing the Mages had bought an opening, Erza rushed to the spot where Kenpachi lied. The defining ringing of spinning metal caught her ears, making her turn just in time to avoid a chain attached chain from bisecting her cleanly. Using Requip in her Heavenly Wheel Armor she summoned a number of swords to deflect the second Kusarigama in a flash of sparking parried metal.
Dropping to the ground, the Lieutenant began spinning both of halves of his Shikai with either hand.
"I'd prefer if we didn't have to fight, but you're interfering with our mission," He spoke in a reserved, calm manner as his eyes met hers. "Stand aside."
"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing," Erza replied with a grim smile. Closing her eyes she became engulfed in a mesmerizing golden light, her body changing into another set of armor. The Bladed Angel armor became engaged, a set of elongated swords with no guards and long bandage wrapped handles. Kicking off the ground she grasped two of them while the other six flew in tandem like missiles towards her enemy.
Shūhei thrust out straight forward while spinning around with adept footwork. Dodging and avoiding the attacks made on his person while parrying with Kazeshini, the primary thrust out crashed into Erza's blades outright. When she got in close to cut him down, he pulled the scythe-like weapon back to catch her close. Avoiding it with a jump, she realized too late the trap of the other reaping sickle-chain was swung around in a violent arc that shattered one of her blades and cut her across the right side collar bone over her shoulder.
Gritting her teeth, she returned to her Heart Kreuz Armor and used dual weapons, rushing back tenaciously at her opponent with dizzying sword play.
Throughout all of the chaos, Levy decided to take matters into her own hands. Inscribing text into the air with her Script Magic she formed a light-formed arm that she sent from her handled grip to capture the downed Shinigami from a distance. Just before she could collect him, a pair of petite boot covered feet smashed into the top of the faux limb, shattering it like a balloon.
Without much fanfare she blitzed out of view and smashed her feet against the idle Skyhawks. Each vessel's front was shattered with each connecting kick, forcing it to crash with the passengers inside suffering for it. Rising up above the Christina, she swung down an ax kick to obliterate the aerial bomber.
To which a decisive three limb deck planted rising kick halted the heel from hitting the vulnerable vessel.
Blinking with intrigue, Mashiro saw Wendy's angered visage twist in expression. Swinging her leg to release a gust of powerful wind magic, the Visored flipped backwards up in the air and throttle back down to throw a punch. With Slayer Magic clad around her own arm she crashed thunderously against the Super Lieutenant, the two taking off into the airspace around the crashing magic vessels.
The airships, however, were suddenly stopped, an invisible field protecting them with only slight vibrations made to their damaged hulls.
"Honestly, this is a nuisance," Alastair exhaled coolly, his own body levitating into the sky with both hands spread. Seeing that all the airships were only superficially harmed, he let them loose with a sigh. Eyeing Kenpachi from a distance, he swung a free arm to make an unseen tether that raised the Shinigami upwards. "To think I have to raise my hands as a Councilor. Governing officials of my prestige shouldn't have to be bothered. What a pain you lot are."
"Hadō #33," A voice chanted above their heads, Senbonzakura still active with his right hand tending with the swiftly evading Laxus, while his left hand pointed at the vessel from above. "Sōkatsui!"
An enormous pillar of blue flames discharged from his hands, large enough to consume it outright three times over. Levy quickly formed a shield with Script Magic that spherically wrapped around the ship, helped with Alastairs redirection of his Telekinesis Magic to reinforce their defenses. The vessel rocked and their protective ward cracked, but protected them from the attack.
Laxus, in retaliation, discharged a bolt of electricity while still avoiding the harrowing seeking razors. Watching him avoid it effortlessly made him gape. Speed of such nature baffled him. His hesitation cost him in the form of six yellow rods slamming into his waist from multiple angles.
"Bakudō #61, Rikujōkōrō," He intoned, slashing his Shikai's hilt across the air shortly afterwards. In a speeding whirlwind, his blades struck him in a manner that shredded him to pieces. Pieces of sparking electricity that coalesced into a streaking bolt of lightning that appeared in front of a surprised Captain.
"That shit doesn't work," The scar-faced man snarled, finishing with a punch that sent a literally shocked Captain soaring across the sky. "ON ME!"
"CAPTAIN!" Renji called out, turning back to block another series of swift blunt sword chops of dangerous degree from Kagura. "Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine," Byakuya brusquely called out amidst the chaotic fighting. Despite feeling the burn of the attack, his Reiatsu had protected him from the brunt of the attack. Wiping away a smudge of blood across the corner of his mouth, he reconstituted his Shikai back into its sealed state. "It seems we're at a stalemate with the inhabitants here. Retrieving Kenpachi Zaraki alive seems impossible."
In a brushing sound, the Captain appeared beside the barely living colleague of his. Raising his sword up he brought it down with focus, aiming to kill him in one stroke. The Mages who were busy fighting the other Shinigami could only spectate helplessly, watching as the swift Gotei 13 soldier was prepared to sacrifice one of his own in order to fulfill his mission.
Then, in a twist of fate, the sword that had lied dormant beside Kenpachi had flew up and clashed against Byakuya's. A resounding clang followed a damning silence. All eyes turned to see a new figure slowly emerge from transparency. What was once seen as an act of phantom occurrence unfolded into a revealed familiar young girl; one who was deemed MIA during the events of the war with the Quincy.
"Lieutenant Kusajishi!" Byakuya exclaimed with a gasp.
"That was my name. It's Nozarashi now," The pink-haired girl replied, a firm tone now laced in her words. Her eyes were brimming with tears and her teeth bared. With both of her hands trembling against the hilt of the blade, she shouted back. "Byakki, please, don't kill Kenny! He means the world to me!"
"I'm confused, where did she come from?" Mashiro piped up, while Wendy just looked on even more confused from the missing context of the situation.
"Don't tell me, we had a Zanpakutō for a Lieutenant of the 11th Division all that time!" Renji quickly caught on, almost on the edge of disbelief while sword locked with Kagura.
"In my experience, the more ridiculous, the more likely that's the case," Shūhei muttered.
"Tch, what a pain! Do you need my help, Kuchiki?!" Kensei growled out as he locked hands against the ugly, burly Ichiya.
"I need to to drop your sword," Captain Kuchiki ignored his comrades' commentary, his eyes reaffirmed a strong stare towards the pleading orbs. "I'm taking Zaraki back to the Soul Society."
"But...he just wanted to have fun...and it was my idea to begin with," She sniffled, eyes continuing to ebb tears while keeping Byakuya's sword at bay. "Please, don't take him away just now. We met so many strong people and we've been having so much fun. Don't ruin it for him now!"
"This isn't a game," He retorted. "He either comes with us or dies here."
"I can't let you hurt Kenny!" She shouts back, her body emitting a bright rose colored Reiatsu. Forcing the Captain back, she leaped forward and clashed the blade repeatedly against Byakuya's guard from different angles, using her small size and maneuverability to get around his defenses.
"Hadō #1, Shou," Byakuya uttered while parrying, making the Zanpakutō trip back with her sword flailing. Without hesitation he fired a Byakurai through her right shoulder. Gaping she buckled and fell back. Grasping the sword, she shuffled back till she was right next to the unconscious Kenpachi. A shaking arm held it up while she bled from the smoking hole, leaking down her limp useless arm. Pulling his sword back, he remorselessly slashed towards the young manifestation of Kenpachi's Zanpakutō.
"ENOUGH!"
A booming shout was released from all sides of the battlefield. Even as the Shinigami slashed towards her, he'd be restrained by a tendril of what appeared to be a gelatinous black ooze. Throwing him with surprising strength, cauldrons of darkness appeared in a smog around the various enemies.
To the surprise of an airborne Laxus, he recognized the figure who was perspiring a cloud of blackness from his own Aura. Still in an immaculate white hooded cloak, his Sun-staff in hand, he looked at everyone with a vivid glare. His voice shouted with vehemence aimed at both parties to express his livid demeanor.
"NO MORE! I WILL NOT STAND FOR ANOTHER OUNCE OF BLOODSHED OVER THIS MAN!"
Raising a hand as if he was cupping something, a wafting wave of black ooze rose up and swathed over both the injured Zanpakutō along with the unconscious Kenpachi. Shrinking till it was the size of a six inch wide onyx sphere, he retrieved it in a near magnetic-like display. Closing his fist, it disappeared, letting them all know who has the wanted man.
"I WILL TAKE HIM UNDER MY WING, BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIM AND KEEP HIM OUT OF HARM'S WAY. YOU SHAMEFUL WIZARDS OF THE LEGAL GUILDS ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL SHOULD REFLECT YOUR ACTIONS MADE HERE. REPREHENSIBLE! AS FOR HIS ALLIES, YOU'D GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO KILL HIM WHEN YOU SHOULD BE RESCUING HIM FROM HIS PLIGHT?! DAMN YOU ALL! UNTIL EITHER OF YOU REACH A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION, I WILL NOT RETURN HIM TO EITHER PARTY!"
"The nerve of him!" Rosalie sneered, tightening her fists at her sides. "What gives you the right to just take matters into your hands, Councilor?!"
"I'm inclined to agree. You're not even in favor of the Council and yet you go out of your way to act in such a rebellious manner. Do you want to be labeled a criminal, Faer?" Alastair inquired with a threatening wave of his hand.
"IF THAT IS WHAT IT TAKES!"
"Faer Pleigh, don't do this! Now that you have him we can take him into a cell designed to house him, and then put him on trial. The Queen needs this as much as the people!" Levy cried out desperately.
"That man is under our charge. We should be taking him back alive if possible," Byakuya tried to make his own argument against the Chairwoman. Icily turning to look at the blue-haired Wizard, he coldly stated. "It's not like you truly want justice, right? What we do with him shouldn't concern you, given that we're taking him out of your plane."
"I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU ARE CAPABLE OF RATIONALIZING CLEARLY! KENPACHI ZARAKI IS NOW MY CHARGE, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH ME AT A LATER TIME!" He refused outright, calculating the possibilities something going wrong on either side being unfavorable to the man's outcome. "HE STAYS WITH ME!"
Captain Kuchiki, along with Laxus, both tried to swiftly intercept him.
Clacking his staff down, an overwhelming flash of light consumed their vision, blinding them for a few instants. In a column of majestic rays, he shot up into the sky and arched around to zoom away into the horizon. A matter of moments and their target had escaped, grabbed up by the least likely person.
"Withdraw!" Byakuya called out, his body shifting out of place next from the growling Laxus. In a matter of seconds every fighting Shinigami left their own opponents behind. As quickly as they arrived, they departed, leaving the company of mages aghast of this event's turnaround.
Only now, did Levy finally exclaim with frustration, "Dammit! Someone, get a Lacrima Scanner working, stat! Check for the injured and regroup at the Council HQ!"
In a series of barking orders, the Chairwoman went from reserved to on point. Even as the various mages went around to help their colleagues did Laxus look at the epicenter where the Shinigami and Councilor left. Balling the dirt, he raised it, sniffing it and blinking at what he smelled.
"I have a scent!" He stood up, raising his head towards the horizon. Turning to look over his shoulder as even the other Saints went to aid their fellow wizards, he shook his head. "I'll rest up and pick up the trail when they're all settled back at the headquarters. I doubt they'll mobilize so quickly given the arrival of that guy's friends. It'll be early morning tomorrow, and then we can settle the score...with both Kenpachi Zaraki, and Faer Pleigh!"
A/N: Wow, got another chapter done. Positive reception and rising views made it possible, thanks to all of you! I'm enthusiastic you're all taking to this little series of mine so much.
With Faer Pleigh finally stepping in to save Kenpachi and Nozarashi, the Shinigami and Mages are unable to capture or kill the most wanted Shinigami of both worlds. What will Faer do with his new charge? How will the mages retaliate, or the Gotei 13's task force?
Find out, on the next Chapter of A Kenpachi Field Trip!