I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.


Sitting Out

Kurai spun, sensing the shikai of the Squad 5 lieutenant Momo Hinamori, and began to race toward it, using his Flash Step. Finally he stopped in time to block a slash from both her and the Squad 3 lieutenant Izuru Kira. Both froze before slowly backing away, Captain Hitsugaya standing a short distance away, also having responded to the release of both of their shikai.

"Momo," Kurai growled looking toward her and seeing the shame in her eyes. "I know how you must feel, but right now, you need to take Captain Aizen's body down. Izuru, I know you're defending Captain Ichimaru but if you don't put that sword of yours away, I'll kill you."

"I'll inform the Head Captain," Captain Hitsugaya stated turning to leave.

"No Captain," Kurai spoke up, stopping him as Momo and Izuru both stepped back, putting their swords away. "You I need to speak with. Izuru will report it."

"Very well," Captain Hitsugaya nodded as Izuru left. "What's wrong?"

"I can't remember," Kurai growled. "Whatever I was going to tell you before, I still don't remember. However, I can remember that I went to the Central Forty Six Compound to appeal Rukia's execution. I can remember being afraid. I don't remember what happened though. I think you should take a few friends and go check on the Central Forty Six. Just the be safe."

Hitsugaya nodded glancing at Momo.

"She thinks Gin did it," Hitsugaya stated. "I'm not sure she's wrong."

"I don't think he did," Kurai sighed. "In fact, I don't even trust Aizen enough to really be dead. I don't know how he could be alive but I think he is."

"That's impossible," Hitsugaya pointed out. "His body is right there."

"I know," Kurai nodded. "I have to find Ichigo and end all of this before things get any more out of hand."

Hitsugaya nodded and Kurai turned to leave then stopped.

"Oh, and don't leave Momo alone," Kurai suggested. "I doubt it's good for her right now."

Then, he left. Within ten minutes, he sensed Ichigo, right beside Captain Kenpachi Zaraki. Ichigo was finished. And there was no way Kurai was interfering in that battle. Instead, he decided to find Ichigo's other friends, silently praying for Ichigo's luck as he did.

"Why is it," Gin began appearing in front of Kurai after a bit, "that you're about the only one in the Seireitei that hasn't gotten into a fight of one kind or another yet?"

"Because I've been lucky," Kurai stated. "You looking to change that?"

"Maybe," Gin smirked. "But first, I want to know what you think of things."

"Me?" Kurai smirked. "Simple. I think that you and Aizen are plotting something. You are a snake. And Aizen is almost too good a man. I don't believe that Aizen is actually dead. And what ever you two are plotting, it's happening at the Central Forty Six Compound."

"I see," Gin nodded. "Well, here's what I think. I think, you're a traitor. I think you spared Ichigo Kurosaki just so that he could come here to save Rukia, an old friend of yours, if i'm not mistaken. I believe that you killed Captain Aizen. And I cannot allow you to live."

Gin drew his zanpakuto, the blade glowing and extending, tearing through Kurai's left shoulder. He ducked under the blade as it passed over his head and drew his own zanpakuto, blocking the blade as it swung back at him again. He shoved it away and charged but just as he reached Gin, his zanpakuto shortened to its normal size before extending again, this time through Kurai's heart. Gin retracted the blade and raised it but stopped and lowered it again.

"It would seem you're going to live, Kurai," Gin sneered. "Be grateful."

And then, he was gone.

"Damn," Kurai growled. "I would have thought I would do better than that."

He heard someone running toward him on the street and crawled to the edge, rolling down the roof and slamming to the ground. Just as he did, a Squad 4 group found him and began to treat his wounds.

"Who the hell did he fight?" one questioned as they worked. "The wounds are too precise to be some thug."

"Captain level, probably," another guessed.

Kurai suddenly felt both Ichigo and Kenpachi's Spirit Energy drop to nearly nothing and coughed.

"Captain...Zaraki," Kurai groaned. "Find him. And...save him. And the Ryoka...if you can. We need...to question him."

"But Sir," one spoke up. "You're still wounded."

"It'll only take one of you to get me to the Squad Four Barracks," Kurai reminded them. "Now go!"

They nodded, one picking him up and heading for the Squad Four Barracks and the others leaving. A day later, Kurai was tucked into one of the many beds, surrounded by other wounded who were in better condition and all waiting the same attention Kurai had just received. He'd be healed by the next day, sooner if he could get the strength to activate his shikai. But he couldn't get the strength because they had him in cuffs. Mostly because he had become combative when they had tried to pull pieces of broken roofing out of him from when he had fallen onto the roof. The cuffs restrained his strength, making it nearly impossible to get out of the bed.

"Well look at this," Izuru chuckled walking into the room. "Captain Ichimaru told me what happened. You're a fool."

"You're with them aren't you?" Kurai growled.

"Like I said, a fool," Izuru snored. "Just wanted to tell you, what you can't remember, may have saved the Soul Society, had you been smarter about finding out. Oh well. Tell Angel I said hello."

Kurai's eyes widened as Izuru walked out of the room. Then, they squeezed shut as tears flowed out, staining his cheeks and pillow and turning his eyes red.

"Kurai?" a familiar voice spoke up. "What's wrong?"

He opened his eyes again to see Momo and Captain Hitsugaya.

"It's nothing," Kurai lied, turning his head enough to wipe his eyes on his pillow. "What are you two doing here?"

"We heard you were hurt," Momo stated. "Who did you fight?"

"The snake," Kurai growled looking to Hitsugaya. "Get to the Central Forty Six Compound, soon. I think Izuru may be in on this. He all but confessed to me a minute ago."

"I see," Hitsugaya nodded. "We will. For the time being, you need to rest."

"No, I need my zanpakuto and to have these cuffs off," Kurai stated. "I have to go. Speaking of which, what happened between Ichigo and Captain Zaraki?"

"The battle was apparently a draw, as both were rendered unconscious," Hitsugaya stated. "However, the Ryoka was nowhere to be found when Squad Four members arrived."

"I see," Kurai nodded. "Let me up. I have to make sure he dies."

"Are you sure that's what you're going to do?" Momo questioned. "You're not going to try to save your oldest friend?"

"Just let me up," Kurai ordered flatly.

Hitsugaya smirked and stepped forward, releasing the cuffs and handing Kurai his zanpakuto.

"For the record," Hitsugaya whispered. "I'm rooting for the Ryoka as well."

Kurai smirked and nodded then stood, holding his zanpakuto with the blade down.

"Grow, Haruko," Kurai growled dropping the sword and creating the usual circle of grass.

Grass wrapped around him, reaching up to his wound before healing him. Then, he retracted the grass and sprinted out of the room. He ran through the streets until he felt a very familiar Spirit Energy released through Shikai. Familiar, and truly hated. He made a beeline for the power and arrived to fine Ishida sitting against a wall with a gash in his left shoulder and Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad 12 standing in the middle of the street, blood dripping of of his Shikai, Ashisogi Jizo. Suddenly, someone off to one side began to cough. Kurai silently moved to the opposite side of the street to see Mayuri's Lieutenant lying against the wall bearing a matching wound to Ishida's, only much, much deeper.

"Do you have to make so much noise over there?" Mayuri demanded, turning toward his lieutenant.

"My deepest apologies Sir," she apologized weakly. "My captain Sir, please, may I have some of the medicine as well? The wounds seem to have penetrated to my lungs and I...I'm not sure I can...sustain my life force much longer."

She entered into a coughing fit as Mayuri began to walk toward her, Kurai gripping his zanpakuto more out of instinct than preparation. He knew Mayuri. Knew what he was like. How he fought. What he could do. Even how to kill him. But he was unsure of how Mayuri treated his subordinates. As Mayuri reached his lieutenant, he drove a foot into her rib cage, likely breaking a few and causing her to cry out in pain.

"You insect!" Mayuri spat, smashing his foot into her again and again. "Are you deliberately insulting me? Eh? Is that it? Are you suggesting there's something wrong with your body? That an insignificant slash could cause you to fail?"

"Stop it!" Ishida shouted. "Why are you doing that? How can you treat your very own people that way? If you don't treat her soon she'll die!"

Mayuri lifted his lieutenant by her robes, holding her a few inches off the ground.

"So now even you feel free to begin insulting me?" Mayuri snarled looking to him. "By suggesting she'll die from a wound like this? A body, which I created? Surely you're not saying it could cease to function from an injury as minor as this one! You'd better be careful whom you insult!"

"You created this girl?" Ishida blinked, surprise written all over his face.

"That's right," Mayuri sneered, as though that had proven he was better than the Quincy. "Would you like to know what the brat's name is? I melded the essence of my gigai technique with my gikon technique and named her Nemu Kurotsuchi! An appropriate name for such a masterpiece, don't you think? So you can forget about parading your misguided sense of justice around here. I'll use this thing however I see fit! And what I do is no concern to a stranger like you."

Mayuri slammed her into the wall, Nemu coughing up blood and gasping in pain, unable to make much sound.

"Enough!" Kurai roared, appearing beside Mayuri, slashing upward and removing Mayuri's left arm, freeing Nemu who fell limply to the ground. "Hello again, Mayuri!"


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