SailorStar9: This is Chapter 9 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, will it kill you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

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

Chapter 9: Seireitei's Crumbling

"Tula Implosion..." Shion muttered in the rain. "Ichimaru, Tōsen, Kiganjō... Suzunami, Amagai, Komamura, Kuchiki... not yet..." his hand closed around the Twin Sala tree petal. "As long as we won't have to take Tula's life, I..." he pressed on forward.

"This is... Tula Implosion!" Zaraki gaped, as the power crackled in the sky. "Is this the light resulting from the Tula Implosions' clash? No... to think you would use the Shadow Technique forbidden by Tula! You unleashed it from both sides? You... do you really intend to destroy everything?"

Our Tula Implosions' power... Ukitake mused.

Are at a perfect stalemate! Kiganjō realized. With a miraculous balance...

Yes, the forces are brushing upon each other. Tōsen agreed.

But it won't be possible to dodge such a powerful blast. Kyōraku thought. Those who will let down their concentration,even a little, will take from front Tula Implosion's full power.

What? Ukitake was shocked to sense a spike in Spirit Pressure behind them. What is this power?

There would be other people... Ichimaru gaped.

Capable of breaking the balance? Suì-Fēng finished.

No! Kiganjō found his side being pushed back. We're getting pushed back little by little. There would be besides us six, people capable of such a power? I can feel it... behind Kyōraku and the others... this Spirit Pressure! Kuchiki! Hitsugaya! Hisagi! Kira!

"Stop it, you guys!" Kyōraku warned. "Leave this place and hide! If you don't, you will get caught in the power whirlwind when the Tula Implosion's balance is broken. And your bodies will be torn to pieces. You're not wearing your God Robes. Your bodies won't be able to resist the blast."

"Even if we are going to be torn to pieces, we..." Hitsugaya retorted. "We are going to fight for our convictions!"

"What on Earth do you..." Kyōraku gaped as the three dashed forwards. "What do you intend to do?"

"We are going to stop Tula Implosion!" Hitsugaya shot back.

"Captain Tōsen, I have understood it." Hisagi voiced, taking his place beside his former Captain. "The lamentations in your heart. Yes, I, Hisagi, know that no matter what happens, you would never let yourself get tempted by resurrection or become one of Hades' soldiers."

"And it's the same for you, Captain Ichimaru." Kira agreed, beside Ichimaru. "I can understand your feelings."

"And you too," Hitsugaya added. "You should believe in these feelings!"

"Captain Suì-Fēng, Captain Kyōraku, Captain Ukitake!" Rukia pleaded. "Why? Why is that this way? Why must the Captains slaughter each other, despite believing in more than anything in these feelings? I believe... even though it is not easy, we believe in these feelings!"

With their Spirit Pressures at their maximum, the four Shinigamis released their attacks into the clashing energy.

Tula Implosion's energy... Kiganjō was shocked as the blast was sent upwards into the air.

"Is rising to the sky!" Kyōraku gaped.

"Hitsugaya!" Suì-Fēng, Kyōraku and Ukitake called, the shockwave sending the quartet falling into the newly formed crater.

"Tula Implosion's energy, it's rising to the sky!" Zaraki gasped.

"Kenpachi!" Tula voiced. "Kenpachi, are you here?"

"Yes, here I am." Zaraki knelt before his Goddess. "A little while ago, a terrible fight was taking place in the Virgo Temple. And it seems it has just ended right now." he reported. "Do not worry."

"Kenpachi," Tula sighed. "In fact, there is something I want you to bring me. There is something that has been hidden in the Pope's Chamber, under the throne, and I want you to bring it to me. 15 years ago, Aizen left something here, and it is time to give it back to them."

"15 years ago, Aizen...?" Zaraki echoed. "No, this would be...!"

"Are you two safe and sound?" Kyōraku asked, digging himself out of the rubble.

"It would seem so..." Suì-Fēng admitted.

"What about Hitsugaya and the others?" Ukitake looked around.

"I can't see them anywhere." Suì-Fēng replied. "They must have been caught and smashed in the Virgo Temple's destruction. Kiganjō..." she blinked when Kiganjō pulled himself out. "You really are tough. Still can't decide yourself to die?" she readied her 'Scarlet Needle'. "For the sake of Hitsugaya and the other's sake, for the lives they have lost in this fight, I must give you the final blow. Die!"

Wait. Tula stopped her.

"This voice!" Suì-Fēng paused.

"Tula!" the three Captains chorused.

"Suì-Fēng, Kyōraku, Ukitake," Tula voiced. "You must not lay anymore a hand on Kiganjō, Ichimaru or Tōsen. And also, I want you to bring them right now to Tula's Temple."

"No, we can't allow this!" Suì-Fēng protested. "They have come to take your life!"

"This is of no importance." Tula insisted. "I must speak to them face to face. We don't have much time left. Do you understand? Bring them now."

"Tula..." Suì-Fēng muttered.

"Tula, as you ordered, we bring you Kiganjō, Tōsen and Ichimaru." Suì-Fēng stated, the three dropping the former Captains before the teen Goddess.

"But now, they are as good as dead men." Ukitake added. "I fear they won't even be able to speak."

Tula... Kiganjō looked up at his Goddess.

"Kenpachi, give it to him." Tula instructed.

"Take this, Kiganjō." Zaraki presented the golden chest.

This is! Tōsen and Ichimaru were stunned to see the object that laid within the box.

"Yes, it is." Tula confirmed. "It is the golden dagger with which Aizen tried to kill me 15 years ago, while I was but a baby."

"Tula!" Ukitake voiced.

"Why give them such a thing?" Suì-Fēng pressed.

"Ukitake, Suì-Fēng." Tula silenced them. "This is of no importance. Kyōraku, you too, you must understand."

'Chikyūgi' theme song plays in the background in slow-mo.

Why have you give this to me? Kiganjō questioned, taking the blade.

"This is quite evident, Kiganjō." Tula took his hands. "So that you can take my life. Go ahead without hesitating. Pierce my throat. At long last, this way, you will be freed from your pain. Things must be this way."

Tula, you... Kiganjō looked away. You!

"Kiganjō." Tula prompted, righting the dagger.

No! Kiganjō was stunned, Tula taking the blade in her hands.

"No!" Hitsugaya pleaded, the quartet having dug themselves out. Tula-sama, stop! I beg of you!"

His plea went unheard when Tula plunged the knife into her throat, taking her own life right before the ice wielder's horrified eyes.

Meanwhile, Yamamoto and Shion were hurrying towards Tula Temple.

"TULA!" Kiganjō yelled, reaching out to catch Tula's fall.

Taking Tōsen in a death grip, Ukitake tired his best to hold back his tears.

'Chikyūgi' theme song ends.

"What the hell are we?" Hitsugaya demanded, kneeling before Tula's statue, where the golden dagger still laid within the pool of blood. "Even though we are Shinigami, supposed to protect Tula, I have... I... until the moment she died... I couldn't do anything! Not a thing! We were... so we were this powerless? And this thing!" he tossed the knife away and the said blade skidded to a stop under Shion's feet.

"What are you crying for?" Shion scoffed. "Tula is dead. But the real battle only begins now."

"This voice..." Hisagi recognized. "Shion? Even though he was the Seal Keeper, he became one of Hades' soldiers?"

"You who only possess the name of Shinigami, move from there." Shion ordered. "You can only lament and shed tears, Tula's Shinigami have become quite pathetic."

"Enough of this!" Rukia snapped and threw a punch at Shion.

"Your wrath, your pain, sadness, is it only worth that much?" Shion questioned, unfazed by the attack. "What a pathetic thing."

"Kuchiki!" Kira caught Rukia after Shion blasted her away. "What did you say?" he glared. "You've become an enemy and you still pretend to be a Shinigami? We won't forgive you!" and the quartet charged.

"Keep quiet, children!" Shion blasted all four off. "Listen well, you four. I shall now reveal you the meaning behind Kuchiki Byakuya and Tula's deaths, along with the whole truth. I, the Seal Keeper, Aries Shion!" he turned to Tula's statue.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.