This Light, the Will of the Heart, I See

"When the time comes, we can't back down. We cannot let up. We have to give it our all. If we don't… we're all screwed." –Sakana Satoshi

So, yeah, had to rewrite this entire chapter. Grrz…

Inspiration: the Matrix Revolutions soundtrack and the video for Shoes and Let Me Borrow that Top. (yeah, extrapolate!)

Chapter Rating: PG

Spoiler Warnings: Up to the 25th Bleach Manga (checks Shonen Jump) uh, Chapter 14 of the Vizard Arc?

Chapter Warnings: language.

"These are normal thoughts."

Note: Some Japanese words may be in italics.

These are thoughts Sakana (and spirit animals) receives. "This is stuff she sends."

"This is one's Zanpakuto."

Chapter 9: Dunes of Sand

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The captains and lieutenants met in the first division meeting hall, an unsettling quiet resting upon them. The only one not present was Hinamori, who still had not been found. Once everyone was settled into his or her respective spots, Yamamoto's voice rang out.

"This meeting has been called by Kuchiki-taichou, who had gone to the world of the living on the account that two Espada's reiatsu, as well as Ichimaru and Tousen's had been sensed around the area in which Satoshi-taichou and Hitsugaya-taichou were staying."

Glances were passed among the vice-captains; they still did not know about the two captain's relationship, except for Rangiku and Hana.

"Hana-fukutaichou, if you please."

Hana shuffled nervously in front of everyone, tightly gripping the neatly folded letter. Worry and fear were clearly inscribed on her face as she opened the letter.

"A-anou… As the vice-captain of Satoshi-taichou, I knew, but my fellow vice-captains are unaware, so I shall extrapolate. A few months after the betrayal, Hinamori-fukutaichou disappeared. We all believed she had defected, and our suspicions grew after the Arrancar's attack on Satoshi-taichou and Hitsugaya-taichou. Her reiryoku was completely drained from defeating this arrancar, and Hitsugaya-taichou had lost his memory."

Hana's grey eyes scanned the hall.

"She became empathic and telepathic; she was extremely sensitive to people's emotions and thoughts. After a while, Hitsugaya-taichou regained his memory and Satoshi-taichou's empathy and telepathy had subsided. Or so we thought."

The hall's silence was broken by murmuring among the captains; even this detail was unknown to them. Yamamoto hit his staff against the floor, and the hall fell silent again.

"When me, Kuchiki-sama, Ichigo, and Rukia went to the house they were staying in, we saw signs that there had been a forced entry; the door had been blown to pieces. When we went inside, we saw their gigai lying on the floor next to the closet. Kuchiki-sama found a note lying in the bedroom that said "closet". When we went into the closet, we found a box with a note inside it…"

Hana sniffed, trying to keep calm. "The note… it's from… Hinamori… and Aizen…"

Hubbub broke out, the captains and vice-captains shocked from the news. Hinamori had truly defected, and Aizen had written the note. Yamamoto hit his staff against the ground again, and the hall once again fell into silence.

"It's in Hinamori's handwriting… but… Aizen's signature is also… on the bottom…" Hana sniffled, wiping her eyes, "R-Rangiku… can you read it…?"

Rangiku stood next to Hana and took the letter, scanning through it, a troubled look on her face.

"Dear Shinigami-san,

I know it may seem hard to believe, but Aizen-taichou is doing the right thing…"

I followed Aizen-sama to Hueco Mundo and found out the truth. He is trying to make the world a better place, both the Soul Society and the world of the living. He told me his plan, and I decided to help him with it.

Aizen-sama needs Sakana-chan and Hitsugaya-kun for his plan. He first took interest in them when he first saw the two of them together. He believes that their rinji kenpei can bring a stop to all the madness in the world. Therefore, he sent Ichimaru-san, Tousen-san, Grimmjow, and Ulquiorra to the world of the living to bring Sakana-chan and Hitsugaya-kun to the soul society…

At this, muttering once again broke out, but then quickly died down.

Aizen says that they know about his plan and they will help him eventually. As for the Soul Society, he says that it needs help. His theory is that Sakana-chan and Hitsugaya-kun's rinji kenpei will automatically create the beautiful world he has imagined. That is why he took them; so that he can awaken their combined power.

I know you probably don't trust him, but Captain Aizen is doing good. Please, don't interfere with his plans.

--Hinamori Momo

In thicker writing was Aizen's name underneath. Hana had pulled out a handkerchief and was wiping the tears from her eyes. Rangiku gently hugged the other vice-captain.

"This is a complicated situation…" Shunsui sighed, looking up at the ceiling, praying that his daughter was okay.

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"Lessee… I remember Aizen-teme doing some research at some point. Somethin' about rinji kenpei. When I looked over 'is shoulder, I noticed it had sommat to do with double rinji kenpei. Y'know all 'bout normal rinji kenpei, don't ya?" Gin asked.

Sakana nodded. "Yeah, it's a special talent that a Shinigami has that normally doesn't have anything to do with their Zanpakuto. Like mind reading or regeneration."

Gin nodded. "Yeah. Anywho, from what I found out, there's rinji kenpei that works only between two people. It happens, oh, one in a thousand years or so. There's a very low chance that it'll actually happen, but an even lower chance of th'two people gettin' together t'use it."

"And that's what Aizen wants us for? Because we have this special rinji kenpei?" Toshiro asked. Gin nodded grimly, the smile disappearing from his face.

"Yes. He doesn't know exactly what ya rinji kenpei is, but he knows that it'll bring a helluva lotta havoc in th' soul society. Ya rinji kenpei has somethin' t'do with ya Zanpakuto, though… I can help ya with it."

Gin stood up and went over to his bookcase, shifting around some books before pulling out a scroll. He handed it to Toshiro.

"That'll tell ya howta unleash it. I'll try to hold Aizen-teme off for as long as possible, but then ya gotta start the war and come over here. Also, here. Take this."

Gin pulled something out of his white sleeve and handed it to Sakana, who took it, looking at it. It was a crystal bottle with a turquoise liquid inside.

"What's this?"

"For ya empathy. I know it's stronger than ya telepathy, so that should help. 'posed to make it easier for ya to not be so sensitive." Gin said. Sakana and Toshiro both let out a snort.

"I'll keep it, but I don't really need it right now. So far… it's been an act."

Gin had a puzzled look on his face. "Huh?"

Sakana smiled. "Yep. I can still sense feelings and thoughts, but it's something I can control now. Even Aizen's feelings don't affect me as much as it would have back when it first happened. It's all been a sham. As long as they have at least touched me, I won't be overwhelmed. That's why I kinda flipped out whenever I touched you. I haven't been around you in a while, y'know?"

"She actually had me going back there, when Aizen touched her face and she began freaking out? I actually thought he was hurting her." Toshiro chuckled. He stood up, helping Sakana up as well. Toshiro then opened the scroll and began to read, Sakana peering over his shoulder.

"So that's how it works?" Toshiro said, "It's pretty complicated, and uses up a lot of energy…"

"Let's give it a shot."

Toshiro looked at Sakana, whose eyes had finally returned to their normal reddish-brown color. She looked very determined, albeit a little shaky.

"A-are you sure?"

Sakana smiled and hugged Toshiro. "Positive."

Sakana then turned to Gin, one of the best friends she would ever have.

"Are you coming with us?"

"Nah, I can't. Aizen-teme will suspect somethin' if I leave. He'll know that I've broken through that lil spell of 'is."

Sakana glared at him. "Well promise me three things. One, you won't get caught under his spell again, two, you'll try to help us any way you can until the war, and three, you come back with us once the war is over. Got it?"

Gin shrugged. "Whatever ya say, Sakana. Just be careful."

The trio then slipped out of Gin's room where they were being held. In order to make it look more convincing, Gin carried Sakana over his shoulder and had his Zanpakuto at a safe distance away from Toshiro's neck. He marched the trio through the darkened hallways of Las Noches until they reached a dead end.

"…this should do it."

Gin placed Sakana on the ground. Toshiro and Sakana looked at the perpetually smiling Shinigami.

"I'll have t'leave ya for now, but ya can handle yourselves, right?" Gin smiled. He gave Sakana a quick hug and patted Toshiro on the shoulder.

"Ja ne, Gin-kun."

Gin took Sakana's hand and kissed it.

"Ja ne."

As Gin shunpo'ed out of sight, Sakana placed her hands on Toshiro's shoulders.

"Ready?"

Toshiro nodded.

Aizen was awoken from his light slumber in his chair of doom by suddenly flaring reiatsu. It took the uragirimono a moment to realize whose reiatsu it was. He suddenly knew what had happened.

The two soul reapers were trying to make a break for it.

Aizen quickly called Ulquiorra and Gin to his side. The "king of Hueco Mundo" was confused. How did they escape? Gin was supposed to be watching over them… and he knew that as long as he had one, the other would do whatever he asked…

"Hai, Aizen-sama?"

"Sakana-chan and Toshiro-kun are trying to escape. Gather anyone who is available and stop them." Aizen said darkly. Gin nervously nodded.

"Hai, Aizen-san."

Sakana finally managed to get a good look at herself. She had wings, but it wasn't like her bankai. They were red dragon wings as well as the dragon tail that normally came with her bankai. Quite frankly, she looked like a cross between a dragon and a Shinigami. Toshiro had blue wings and a blue tail.

"So this… this is our rinji kenpei?" Toshiro muttered. Sakana pulled his arm.

"We'd better beat it; I hear arrancar."

Toshiro was about to open his mouth to ask what arrancar, but he remembered that she was telepathic and could hear the thoughts of others even when it was dead quiet. Sakana raised one hand and fired a cero-looking blast at the ceiling. Both crouched and leapt into the air, flapping their giant wings.

"There they are!"

"Get them!"

The duo flew high above Las Noches, seeing the little specks that were Arrancar. Sakana swiftly banked to the right as a cero managed to reach up to their height.

"Toshiro, can you hold them off? I can open the garganta!" Sakana shouted. Toshiro raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"I suppose. When did you learn how to do that?"

Sakana smirked and turned her back on her lover. "Gin told me, one way or another."

Toshiro focused his attention on the arrancar below. They were becoming quite a nuisance, attempting to fire their cero high enough to hit them. He raised his hands and fired an ice-blue blast at one arrancar, freezing it in its tracks. The other arrancar looked at their nakama and then up at Toshiro. One arrancar let out a roar and released his Zanpakuto, turning into a giant zebra-looking thing.

"Sakana, hurry up! They're getting pissed!" Toshiro shouted. Sakana finished opening the garganta just as a cero from the zebra-looking arrancar clipped her wing.

"Shit!" Sakana cursed, flailing for a moment in the air until Toshiro grabbed her hand and pulled her through the portal. The portal closed right before another cero pierced the air.

Sakana felt herself falling. She opened her eyes to see herself plunging towards a roof. Coming out of her shock, she attempted to flap her wings, only to find out they had disappeared. Then she felt two arms wrap around her waist.

"Brace yourself!"

Meanwhile, in the Seireitei, the captains were awaiting orders from their head captain when all of a sudden a very powerful and familiar reiatsu filled the air. A few vice-captains fell to their knees from the overbearing spiritual pressure.

CRASH!

Even the captains were thrown off guard as the reiatsu crashed right through the roof of the hall, scattering debris and dust and (and asbestos lol just kidding, just kidding) everywhere. When the dust finally settled, they could see a tuft of white hair and blue wings.

"Ow… baka, why through the ceiling?"

"Sorry…are you okay…?"

The captains were shocked at the fact that Sakana and Toshiro had just crashed in through the ceiling. Sakana sneezed and shook herself off in a dog-like way, sending dust flying everywhere. The other captains and vice-captains began to cough as well until the dust died down.

"Sakana-taichou!"

Sakana was promptly tackled by her vice captain, who had tears in her eyes again. She grinned goofily and managed to dislodge herself from her fukutaichou's grip.

"Kora kora! Hana, I'm fine!" Sakana said. She was aware that she probably worried the hell out of her vice-captain for being kidnapped.

After both captains getting an angry earful from their vice-captains, Toshiro and Sakana decided to get cleaned up and rest a little. Yamamoto agreed to it, deciding that they were probably exhausted from the crashing-through-the-ceiling incident.

It was apparent that none of them had seen Toshiro's wings, and for that, they were grateful.

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Aizen was beyond pissed. He was so angry that he had thrown his cup of tea, punched a wall, and killed a few random subordinates via different methods (incineration, picking off every single pubic hair, hitting the genitals, and sticking them in/into a flamethrower, etc.).

Then there was Gin.

"Ichimaru, what the hell happened?" Aizen snapped.

"I'm not very sure. I think while I slept, they broke the seal they were under. I was expecting them to stay unconscious. I'm sorry, Aizen-sama." Gin said. Aizen growled, ruffling his brown hair.

"No matter. I have something else in store. They refused, so now, the Soul Society will perish. Ulquiorra!"

"Hai, Aizen-sama?"

A maniacal grin spread on Aizen's face.

"I think it's time to release… the beast."

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Translations and Such:

Uragirimono: Traitor.

Kora Kora: Hey, hey!

Yes, completely rewrote this chapter. And chapter 10, too. Grrz… so troublesome…