SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 7 out, this is Chapter 8 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 8: Ice and Flame! Fierce Fight of Amagai vs. Hitsugaya


"Damn you!" Kibune cursed, Kira having blocked off the circular saw. "Just die already." he increased the strength of his attack, the power throwing Kira off. "You think you dodged it?" he renewed his attack on Kira who had shifted to avoid getting hit. "Sickening." he jumped down to face Kira head-on. "Why do you oppose me so?"

"Why did you enter 3rd Squad?" Kira questioned. "If you're aiming to be the greatest Shinigami, there must be countless better ways to go about it."

"You must have an appropriate rank in order to show your strength." Kibune explained.

"I see." Kira realized. "But it's too late now. Captain Amagai knows all about what you've been doing. Even if you kill me, you have no future here."

"So what?" Kibune smirked. "The Kasumiōji Clan is trying to use their Bakkōtō to create a new world. For example, with this Bakkōtō alone, I can kill off the entire Squad 3."

"Is that what you and the Kasumiōji Clan are..." Kira breathed.

"You don't need to hear anything else." Kibune declared. "You're going to die now. Damn you." he hissed, Kira having struck Reppū with Wabisuke and sending the over-sized Zanpakutō to the ground.

"I won't let you." Kira powered up his Reiatsu. "Do you even know what friends are?"

"Those guys are my friends?" Kibune mocked. "I've told you several times, being powerless is a sin. I've never considered anyone as a friend.

"I see." Kira steeled himself. "There's absolutely no way I'll let you succeed. You slice through the weak and look down on everyone. You only think of how you can manipulate your comrades to meet your own desires. The most important thing to me is that everyone in the 3rd Squad, above all else, is bound together by trust. You spit on that trust."

"What nonsense." Kibune scoffed and tossed Reppū at Kira again. Seeing Kira had used Shunpo to dodge the spinning blade, the former 3rd Seat renewed his attack on his nemesis.

Kira once again used Shunpo to not only dodge the thrown weapon, and to also close the distance between him and Kibune.

"You're barely able to stand, Lieutenant Kira." Kibune mocked, easily dodging Kira's sword. "I'm amazed you still can fight in that state."

"You'll never become the greatest Shinigami." Kira declared.

"Bullshit!" Kibune retorted. Allowing the Bakkōtō to consume more of his Reiatsu, he let his powered-up blade fly.

"Down here." Kira had made use of the time difference to move beneath Kibune and sent the ex-3rd Seat flying backwards with a kick. "Hadō #33: Shakkahō!" forced to take the fight to the air when Reppū cut in between the two fighters, Kira released the Hadō spell.

"How?" Kibune breathed, skidding out of the resultant smoke.

"It looks like you haven' noticed." Kira noted. "You've been controlled by that katana's power ever since you put it on. The power you've obtained isn't real. I couldn't stop Captain Ichimaru." he admitted, clashing blades with Kibune. "I am powerless, but Tula-sama reminded me; that I have responsibility: responsibility to protect the 3rd Squad, my friends. I can't lose!" freeing himself from the deadlock, he swooped down towards Kibune, sword drawn.

"So, you're saying your resolve is stronger than mine?" Kibune retorted. "A foolish thing like that can't overpower my true strength."

"You can't defeat me if all you're after is power." Kira strengthened his will at the incoming Reppū, striking at the spot where Reppū was conjoined with the Bakkōtō. "I get it." he realized the weapon's weak point as the Bakkōtō tentacles writhed to cover the spot that was hit. "Your Bakkōtō covers the surface of your Zanpakutō. And..." using Shunpo, he shattered the shield with Wabisuke. "It's power has been nullifying the effect of my Wabisuke. It seems that your strength is fake, after all." he noted, Kibune kneeling down due to the increased weight of Reppū. "Wabisuke's attack power is, most likely, inferior to yours. But our strength isn't limited to pure force. Zankensoki: only when your heart is in balance, can you claim to have true strength."

"I can't lose to you." Kibune muttered and allowed the Bakkōtō to consumed more of his Reiatsu. "I won't lose. I won't be beaten by the likes of you."

"He's been completely devoured by the katana." Kira sighed. "As the Lieutenant of the 3rd Squad, I will stop you." he declared and both combatants clashed for the last time; with Kira winning the fight as Kibune was finally consumed by the Bakkōtō and Reppū sliced into two.

"Lieutenant!" Kanō, Aida and Inose rushed over to the battle-worn Kira.

"Tell Captain Amagai..." Kira muttered, before passing out.


"Leave him to me!" Amagai moved forward, the splintered off group were still chasing after the ninja who had napped Rurichiyo.

"End of the line." Ichigo declared, the two Shinigami having cornered the lead ninja. "Let of of Rurichiyo."

Tossing Rurichiyo into the air to let Ichigo catch her, the ninja took on Amagai.

"A doll!" Ichigo gaped, seeing the fake puppet after Amagai dispatched the ninja. "It's a fake." he informed Rukia and Shu who had just arrived.

"Then, the real one is..." Rukia frowned.

"She was probably taken elsewhere." Amagai agreed with Rukia's guess. "Go to the stadium?" he echoed, when Kira's Hell Monarch Butterfly landed on his finger.


"So that Kibune guy was part of the Kasumiōji Clan after all." Ichigo noted, the group was reunited with Inose's group, Aida and Kanō were carrying the two broken part of the Bakkōtō imbued Zanpakutō.

"When did he join?" Amagai frowned. "Anyway, take Kira to 4th Squad.

"What are you going to do?" Ichigo asked.

"This isn't just some family feud anymore." Amagai agreed. "Things are rather grave when someone from my own Squad becomes a slave to a Bakkōtō."

"What's grave, now?" Renji piped in.

"How'd you know we were here?" Ichigo blinked.

"I just barely felt Kira's Reiatsu when he was fighting." Renji explained. "And when I got here, I wasn't disappointed. More importantly, why didn't you get in contact with me sooner? It looks like Kira's been injured."

"The 3rd Squad's 3rd Seat is working with the Kasumiōji Clan," Rukia replied. "Lieutenant Kira pursued and defeated him."

"So you stuck your head out and got caught in another sticky situation, huh?" Renji joked.

"Lieutenant Abarai, would you mind doing me a favor?" Amagai requested. "This is proof that the Kasumiōji Clan is guilty of treason." he took Aida's half of the Bakkōtō. "Tula-sama's final piece of the puzzle. Give this to Tula-sama and the Captain-Commander Yamamoto and pass everything we've told you."

"But, considering my position..." Renji trailed. "Wouldn't it be better if you went?"

"No," Amagai replied. "When the orders come down, I'll be the one leading the attack on the Kasumiōji compound. If my hunch is right, it's highly likely that Princess Rurichiyo is somewhere in the Kasumiōji manor. Since we've found their hideout, that's the only safe hiding place they've got left. Also, if Kibune is supposed to be their trump card..."

"Rurichiyo will be in danger if we waste any more time." Ichigo concluded.

"Got it." Renji relented.


In the Squad 1 office...

Tula and Yamamoto exchanged a look when Renji placed the broken half of the Bakkōtō in the office table.

"The final piece." Tula nodded, pleased. "Finally."


"Damn it." Ichigo cursed, spotting Squad 10 guarding the Kasumiōji Clan gates. "Another tough guy in our way."

"Kurosaki Ichigo!" Hitsugaya barked. "I know you're there. Come out. So you came here after all." he noted, when Ichigo walked out. "Amagai, you're..." he was forced to defend himself against his fellow Captain.

"Go, Kurosaki!" Amagai barked. "Leave things here to me."

"Let's go, Shu." Ichigo grabbed Shu and Shunpo-ed into the manor with Rukia in tow.

"Wait, Ichigo." Rukia was poised to take Matsumoto on. "I'll go. Go, Ichigo!" she ordered.

"Pull back, Amagai." Hitsugaya instructed.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't." Amagai replied.

"And it's not like like I can hold back against you, so..." Hitsugaya's eyes hardened. "Sōten ni zase: Hyōrinmaru!" he activated his Shikai.

"Sever, Raika!" Amagai, too, released his Shikai, his fire blast melting the ice dragon.


"Attention!" Tula sent out the new orders. "We have discovered evidence that leads us to believe the Kasumiōji Clan has committed the heinous crime of high treason. All Squads of the Gotei 13 are to follow Captain Amagai's lead and break into the Kasumiōji compound. Gather all evidence found!"


Omake: Arrancar Encyclopedia

Ichimaru: Today's about the blue sky in Las Noches. (The screen is split into the daytime and nighttime of Las Noches. Wonderweiss is seated on the floor underneath the screen) It's where Aizen-sama makes an mitigation sun in Hueco Mundo, where it's normally always night. But I betcha he made it on a whim.

Tōsen: (Shunpos in) Why are you explaining this today?

Ichimaru: It's looking like the action will be coming back here soon, so I figured I'd hype it up.

Tōsen: You just want more airtime, don't you?

Ichimaru: Ain't you here to get more airtime too, Tōsen?

Tōsen: You offend me. (Shunpos off with Wonderweiss)


SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Hitsugaya and Matsumoto stop fighting after they hear the order to attack the Kasumiōji clan, and the remaining Squads attack the compound following Amagai's lead. Kumoi, incensed about the attack, sends all of his assassins against the attacking Shinigami. Rukia and Shū find Kumoi, who is using Rurichiyo as a hostage, and reveals that he sought to take control of the nobility of the Soul Society. Amagai arrives to subdue Kumoi for trial.

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