Binding Contract
Chapter 9: Triple Double
"Report, Kurotsuchi-taicho," Satoru asked while simultaneously coming through the large doors of the assembly hall. It did not go unnoticed that Byakuya was with her or that her glasses were mysteriously absent from her face. The Sixth Division's taicho made his way towards his own spot where Renji waited for him. Most of the fukutaichos were there as well. Satoru saw that Gin and Hiyori were standing in her spot. Hiyori looked quite pensive while Gin... Well, it was hard to tell what Gin was thinking unless the smile was not on his face. Presently, the smile was indeed present. When Satoru arrived at her place and faced the others, she had to blink.
Everyone looked as though they'd been pulled from their beauty sleep. Most of the taichos had simply thrown their haori over whatever they had been sleeping in. It even took Satoru a moment to recognize Mayuri without his make-up and hat. Their subordinates had no such thing; Ichigo had not bothered to close his kosode and Rukia was in bunny pajamas. What caught Satoru's eye was Renji's pink kimono.
Mayuri blinked at the sound of his title. He rubbed his head, mindful of his hair. He glanced over at Nemu, who handed him a sheet of paper. "Well, it seems that there have been three garganta opened in Soul Society. Only two are in the North Rukongai while the last is near the West Gate of Seireitei."
"And did anything of interest come out of these garganta?" Satoru asked, looking out of the window.
"Just your run-of-the-mill hollows." Mayuri looked up away from the paper. "Nothing special."
"Run-of-the-mill, eh? So this is something that the lower seats can handle?" Love asked through a yawn.
Mayuri shrugged. "It certainly would appear..."
He was cut off by a shinigami forcing his way into the assembly hall. Some of the First Division's own tried to halt the progression of the shinigami. He tried to fight them off before looking ahead at the others. "Soutaicho! Soutaicho, it's an emergency!"
Satoru raised an eyebrow. "Let him through," she said. Her subordinates let the shinigami through. "Now what is so urgent that you felt the need to interrupt a meeting?" she asked.
The shinigami swallowed as he looked into Satoru's eyes. She seemed even more intimidating without her glasses. He shook his head and focused on the task at hand. "Satoru-soutaicho, the West Gate has been breached. The guardian is..." He obviously could not bring himself to say the words.
"Breached? Are you certain?" Ukitake asked. The shinigami nodded. Ukitake looked over at Satoru. "Obviously this isn't something the lower seats can ha..."
Everyone paused as a dark, massive reiastu washed over them. Satoru's eyes widened minutely before glancing out the window in the direction the reiatsu was coming from. Then she looked back at the others. "Well, this is DEFINITELY something that our lower seats cannot handle," she said.
"Well, what's the plan?" Kenpachi asked.
Satoru hummed to herself for a moment. "Sarugaki-fukutaicho," she said. Hiyori came around from behind Satoru and looked up at her. Satoru looked down at her. "Go to this disturbance at the gate. Kira-fukutaicho and Abarai-fukutaicho, go with her. Kurosaki-fukutaicho, Kuchiki-fukutaicho, Matsumoto-fukutaicho, and Hisagi-fukutaicho, split up. Two of you head to each of the other two garganta." The seven who had been called upon moved slowly forward for a second, looking around at each other. Satoru sighed. "By all means, take your time." That set them into motion.
Unohana looked over at Satoru. "Should I ready my relief teams?"
"But of course. Everyone please be on standby. It feels as though this could get nasty really quick."
Outside the building, Hiyori looked at Kira and Renji. "Let's go. We don't have time to lollygag." She immediately took off without them. Kira and Renji exchanged glances before following after her.
Ichigo sighed. "Rukia, come with me," he said. Rukia nodded and looked at Rangiku and Hisagi. Rangiku gave her a thumbs-up. They all left together, both teams heading towards the North Gate of Seireitei.
"Imma stay with you, Satoru-san?" Gin asked as they traveled back to Satoru's office. Satoru nodded. "Why wouldn't ya want me ta go with Hiyori-san?" he asked.
"Ichimaru, you and I both know the answer to that question." Satoru glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Gin got the message instantly.
She knew what was coming and she had a plan.
It did not take long for Ukitake, Shinji, and Kyoraku to make it to her office. Hinamori and Nanao were also with their superiors. They walked in to find Gin sitting and Satoru standing outside on her balcony. Shinji was the only one to follow her outside. She was staring off towards the West Gate.
"Worried about Hiyori?" he asked.
Satoru shook her head. "Not at all. However," she nodded towards the horizon, "what exactly is that?"
Kira caught a glimpse of Hiyori as she ran on the rooftops slightly ahead of them. "Sarugaki-san, why don't you join us down here?" he yelled up to her. Hiyori gave him one irritated eye. "Suit yourself. But, it's not wise to..."
Hiyori jumped across the alley, landing on a different building. Renji and Kira had to join her lest they be crushed by the remnants of the roof Hiyori had been on.
"What was that?" Renji asked, looking at the damage.
"No. What the hell is that?" Hiyori asked, pointing ahead of them towards the gate.
"It's huge," Kira mumbled.
"No shit. Let's go ask it what it wants," Hiyori said as she disappeared from between them. Renji swallowed and immediately flashed in front of Hiyori, making her come to a skidding halt. She frowned up at him. "Move it, pineapple!"
"I know who that is. Attacking him head on is not the best of ideas," he said.
Kira raised an eyebrow as he caught up with them. "Who?"
Renji faced the beast before them. "Yeah. He used to be the Cero Espada, Yammy Riyalgo."
Rangiku and Hisagi came to a stop in a village. The village was silent. It did not look as if it had been attacked at all. Rangiku walked forward. Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though everyone had simply...
"... vanished. Like their bodies just evaporated into thin air," Rangiku whispered.
"I've heard of something similar to this. It happened about one hundred years ago." Hisagi walked up beside her. "The only difference is... there are remnants," he said.
"Remnants?" Rangiku asked. Hisagi pointed to a pile of clothes. The clothes were intact as if they were just strewn about the ground. However, there was evidence that a person had indeed been there. The evidence was there in the form of pieces of charred flesh.
Rangiku swallowed as she looked at the mess. Then she turned around and narrowed her eyes. "Do you feel that, Hisagi?" she asked.
"What did this? This is sick!" Ichigo said loudly. He and Rukia had encountered something similar to what Rangiku and Hisagi were facing.
"Quiet down, Ichigo. We don't know what did this, so we need to tread carefully." Rukia glanced around, trying to control her gag reflex. There was no sign of the culprit. "There aren't even any hollows around."
"You noticed that, too? This is where the garganta opened. We were told low-level hollows had come out. What do you think happened to them? They couldn't have just disa..." Ichigo paused when he felt a strong presence above them. Rukia had already paused and was looking at the owner of such reiatsu.
"I must say that I'm impressed with the response time of Soul Society's finest." The perpetrator set a foot on the roof of a small house, gazing down at the two shinigami. "I thought I would have a little more time to goof off."
Rukia immediately armed herself. "Who are you and what do you want?"
A smirk crossed the perpetrator's face. "What I want is none of your business. But I will tell you who I am." The perpetrator was directly in Rukia's face the next second. Her eyes widened as his hand grabbed hers, preventing her from attacking. "Décima Espada, Monserrat Lieven. Who are you, cute little shinigami?"
Rukia frowned and squeezed the hilt of her zanpakuto. "Fukutaicho of the Thirteeth Division, Kuchiki Rukia!" She broke free of him and swung upwards. It did not take her long to realize that she was swinging at air. She turned around hastily to see that the Espada was sauntering over to Ichigo in a leisurely fashion.
Monserrat took in Ichigo's appearance. So this is the one. I didn't think they'd send their trump card out so easily. At this level, I could wipe the floor with him, he thought. He smirked at Ichigo.
"And you are?" he asked, even though he knew full well who Ichigo was.
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. He had not drawn Zangetsu at all. "Kurosaki Ichigo. But why do I get the feeling you already knew that?" Ichigo asked.
Monserrat shrugged playfully. "I don't know what would give you that idea. However, I have heard of your name. You didn't do a real good job of protecting the snow bunny over there."
"I knew you had no intention of harming her. Your posture alone gives away that much." Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "But I am curious to know why you've killed everyone in this village."
"Now THAT wasn't my fault. I simply... went for a stroll." Monserrat smiled sadistically. "I didn't MEAN for them to die. It just sorta... happened."
Ichigo frowned, placing a hand on Zangetsu. "Bastard..."
Rangiku and Hisagi were staring at a purple-haired, seemingly one-eyed Arrancar. She was not looking at them, but instead at the horizon. Then the Arrancar looked at the duo. Rangiku's hand immediately went to her zanpakuto. Before she could draw, Hisagi stopped her. She looked up at him and he shook his head, taking a few steps forward.
"Is this your doing?" he asked loudly.
The Arrancar stared in silence for a moment. Between the skull covering the right top portion of her head and the fact that her mouth was also covered with a purple mask, it was hard to tell what she was thinking by her face alone. She then nodded her affirmation.
"Why did..."
Rangiku was silenced by the Arrancar speaking. "Weak souls do not do well under my type of reiatsu. It burns from the inside out if you cannot handle it." The Arrancar took in their appearances. "I did not wake you did I, shinigami?"
Hisagi shook off her question. "Why are you here? What do you want with Soul Society?" he asked.
"What I want is of no consequence. However, you will serve as a means to my end." She looked at Hisagi, taking her eyes off of Rangiku. "What are your names, shinigami?"
"Hisagi Shuuhei, fukutaicho of the Ninth Division."
"Matsumoto Rangiku, fukutaicho of the Tenth Division."
The Arrancar's eye widened a bit. It was barely noticeable. Then she closed it and lowered her head. "How lucky am I?" she whispered. Then she looked back up. "I am Zinnia Gerben, Novena Espada." She disappeared.
Hisagi and Rangiku looked around. Before Hisagi could turn, he felt a sharp twinge in his chest. Looking down, he saw a small sword sticking through him. He turned his head and saw a small Arrancar with short sand-colored hair. She was holding the hilt of the weapon protruding through him. The sound of sonido made Hisagi look back ahead of him. Zinnia was standing in front of him.
"That's my fracción, Menoly."
Rangiku disappeared from her spot and attacked Menoly. Menoly's eye widened as she approached. Rangiku's attack was stopped by Zinnia as she caught Haineko before it made impact with Menoly's outstretched arm.
"Get out of my way," Rangiku said.
Zinnia narrowed her eye. "I cannot have you attacking my subordinate while she's busy. Your opponent is me." She pushed Rangiku back. "Don't worry. I'm sure Hisagi-fukutaicho will be just fine."
Rangiku did not have long to ponder her words before Zinnia was swinging vertically at her with her own katana. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Menoly wrench her zanpakuto out of Hisagi. The latter spat up blood and fell on his knees.
Get up, Hisagi. You've got more in you than that, she thought. To her surprise, he seemed to have heard her thoughts. He was on his feet a moment later. Smirking, Rangiku turned her attention back to Zinnia.
Hiyori, Renji, and Kira stopped right in front of Yammy. The Arrancar looked down at them. Not recognizing Kira and Hiyori, he turned his attention to Renji and let out a hearty laugh.
"Well, if it isn't the red-haired shinigami I destroyed. Why aren't you dead, small fry?" he asked.
Renji felt his cheeks get hot as Kira and Hiyori turned to look at him. Biting his lip, he stepped forward and looked up at Yammy. "I should be asking how the hell you survived! By those scars on that mug of yours, Kuchiki-taicho and Zaraki-taicho sliced you up but good! What are you doing here?"
Yammy laughed. "Who cares? All I know is that I'll just swat you away as easily as before!" He punched down at the trio. Renji and Kira easily avoided him. Hiyori just watched him. Yammy's smirk widened as he saw that Hiyori was going to be smashed.
"Chop cleanly, Kubikiri Orochi!" Hiyori yelled. She raised the giant serrated blade and sliced the fingers that were coming down over her off. She smiled as Yammy reeled back, clutching his hand.
"You little bitch!" he yelled.
Hiyori made her way to Kira and Renji. "You have to at least let him know you're not here to play," she said with a frown on her face. She turned back towards the ailing Yammy. He was glaring murder at her. "You want some more?" She jumped off to battle him.
Renji and Kira looked at one another. Shrugging, Renji released Zabimaru. He followed after Hiyori with a battle cry. Shaking his head, Kira hung back for a second, watching the two fight.
Two hotheads, he thought. He glanced around, seeing the other fallen shinigami. The injuries included a lot of missing limbs. Yammy had apparently enjoyed hacking them to pieces, literally. Most of the area around the gate was completely destroyed. Kira looked over at the battle with the other three. He raised his zanpakuto.
"Raise your head, Wabisuke."
Kyoraku and Shinji were watching Satoru. She was sitting at her desk, eyes closed and breathing evenly. To the outsider, she looked like she was asleep. Nanao said as much.
"Is she sleeping? At a time like this, Satoru-soutaicho is sleeping?" she asked, looking at Kyoraku. He was shaking his head.
"Then what is she doing?" Hinamori asked.
"She's reading," Kyoraku replied. "She's reading the battles as they each happen separately. I suppose she might be keeping track of each."
"Yeah. Apparently she can't do that while having her eyes open," Shinji said with a yawn.
"It's a lot more difficult than you two are making it seem. There's a lot of stuff going on out there. It's amazing that she can separate them," Ukitake piped.
Shinji scoffed. "It looks like she's being a lazy..."
"I can hear you." Satoru opened her eyes and looked up at the others. "I only close my eyes to keep my them from going dry. Besides, would you prefer that I stare straight ahead, looking like I'm in some sort of trance?"
Kyoraku laughed. "It would at least alert us that you aren't asleep." Satoru narrowed her eyes at him. Then she stood up, grabbing Sakayume. Kyoraku raised an eyebrow. "And where are you going? Besides, no one on the other side even knows what you look like. Don't you think the element of surprise is better? Surely you aren't needed out in the field yet. There are others for that."
"Of course not. However, I have something I would like to check out." Satoru looked over at Gin. "Ichimaru, go see to Hisagi-fukutaicho. He seems to be fighting injured. Tell Kuchiki-taicho to see to his fukutaicho."
Gin stood up. "And where will ya go?" he asked.
"My bread and butter seems to be in a spot of trouble." Satoru walked out the office with Gin following her, leaving the others alone. "This, I cannot have. I will send word if I require assistance, gentlemen. Watch my office," she called back to Ukitake, Kyoraku, and Shinji.
Gin's smile disappeared as they hurried down the halls of the First Division. "It's Ran, isn't it?" he asked.
"Well, I did not lie about Hisagi-san being in trouble. But, it sounds much less... personal if I mention him. They are fighting two Arrancar; the one Matsumoto-san is fighting is far more powerful than the one Hisagi-san is fighting." Satoru looked up at him as they made it outside. "I suggest you hurry. Don't forget about Kuchiki..."
"What about me?" Byakuya walked up from behind them. Gin smirked and took off. Byakuya watched him go before looking back at Satoru. "What is it, Satoru-san?"
"I believe your fukutaicho is in need of some assistance," she said. She noticed that Byakuya's expression did not change, but he did nod curtly. Smirking, she touched his shoulder. "Take Zaraki-taicho, just in case."
That garnered a more expressive look on Byakuya's face. "You are lacking faith in my abilities, Satoru-san?"
"Not at all, Kuchiki-san. However, the more the merrier." Satoru started to walk off in a different direction. "That is an order, by the way. I will know if you disobey me." With that, she disappeared.
Monserrat stood between Rukia and Ichigo. Rukia was panting. Ichigo had Zangetsu stuck in the ground and was on one knee. The right side of his head was bleeding. Monserrat looked bored. He crossed his arms and looked between Rukia and Ichigo.
"This is all you two've got? This is pathetic!" he yelled. He glared down at Ichigo. "You're holding back, shinigami. I don't appreciate it."
"What makes you think I'm holding back?" Ichigo asked. The truth was that he was indeed holding back a great deal. He had yet to release his bankai. He was trying to accomplish his goal without resorting to it. After all, this was only the Décima. Theoretically, he should be able to defeat him with little difficulty.
"Don't play me, Kurosaki. Maybe you need a little... incentive." Monserrat turned and looked at Rukia. She tensed, holding up Sode no Shirayuki. Monserrat smirked.
Rukia did not have time to block the blow. She belatedly raised her zanpakuto to parry. It happened faster than she could see. All she could do was inhale sharply as her throat was slit to her vocal chords. Making a painful, hoarse noise, she crumpled to the ground while holding her bleeding throat.
"RUKIA!" Ichigo hurried forward towards her. His eyes widened when he noticed Monserrat at his side. Ichigo had almost no time to dodge the cero coming towards him. He reappeared next to Rukia, who was gasping in short breaths. "Damnit! Rukia, look at me!"
Rukia's eyes fluttered open. She pointed to her throat and then to her mouth. Then she shook her finger. Somehow, Ichigo understood that. She could not speak. He nodded and ripped some of his kosode off. He gently wrapped it around Rukia's neck, trying to quell the bleeding. Rukia's eyes widened as Ichigo worked and she tugged on his sleeve. Out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo saw the yellow cero. He stood.
"Ban..." The word was caught in his throat.
Monserrat saw his cero connect with something. Frowning, he knew that it had not connected with its intended target. Shit. What the hell did it hit if it didn't hit Kurosaki? He thought as the dust settled. He raised an eyebrow at what he saw. A barrier?
"Kurosaki, what did I say about using your bankai?"
Ichigo was a bit stunned. Satoru was standing in front of him, looking at him with a mixture of disdain and disappointment. "Well, I needed it."
Satoru shook her head. "For this insignificant bug? Kurosaki, you should be able to defeat him with a single swing of Zangetsu. Now, what about our little intruder?" She turned her head to the side, dissipating the barrier.
Monserrat frowned when he saw who had interrupted his fight. This small wench? She looks weaker than that Kuchiki girl, he thought. He took notice of the golden sheath under her silver sash. She's not even dressed like a shinigami.
"Why have you infiltrated Soul Society?" Satoru asked.
Monserrat crossed his arms. "Straight to business, eh? Name's Monserrat." He held out his hand, as if asking for Satoru's name.
She smiled. "I'm just a passing shinigami." She faced him completely. "Now, you never answered my question, Monserrat-san."
Monserrat nodded. "You're right about that. Don't think I'll be telling you that any time soon, either." He flexed the fingers on his right hand. "Are you going to fight me now? Those two weren't much fun."
"If you want, you can try to fight me," Satoru said. She nearly laughed at the look Monserrat gave her. "I'm waiting, Monserrat-san."
Monserrat frowned. She spoke very politely. It was so polite that it was irritating. She was not openly goading him, but at the same time she was. Grinding his teeth together, he charged head on at her. She did not even make a move to draw her zanpakuto.
What's her...
He stopped moving when he noticed that Satoru was directly in front of him. Or had he stopped moving before? Why did he feel like this moment should have passed already? Monserrat shook slowly out of his trance just as Satoru placed a hand on his chest as she passed him. Time seemed to slow.
"Hado No. Fifty-Four: Haien."
Hisagi stood up straight. Normally, the girl he was fighting would probably be dusted. However, with what was effectively a hole in his chest, he was beginning to find it harder and harder to move, let alone breathe. She had not spoken a word yet. She just kept watching him intently. His every move did not escape her eye.
"Not a talker, are you?" Hisagi said as he raised Kazeshini. "You haven't said one word since we began fighting. Your master tell you not to speak or something?"
Menoly bit her lip. She shook her head. She continued watching Hisagi. He's about to do something, she thought. Is he about to release?
"I can't drag this out for much longer. As you can see, my body will not allow me to. I don't like fighting women at all. But when one runs me through, I suppose I have the right to make an exception." He took a deep, ragged breath. "Reap, Kazeshini."
Menoly's eyes widened. She barely had time to react to the scythe coming towards her. By the time she dodged the first, a second was following. The chain wrapped around her neck. Hisagi pulled with his left hand, dragging Menoly to the ground. The small Arrancar dropped her weapon and glared up at Hisagi as he approached her. He used the other scythe to stab Menoly in the shoulder, pinning her to the ground.
Hisagi raised an eyebrow at Menoly as she growled. "Doesn't feel nice to have a hole put in you, does it?" He glanced over to where Zinnia and Rangiku were fighting.
Or rather, where Zinnia was making sport of Rangiku.
Rangiku held out the hilt of Haineko. The ash formed a sword again. She looked up at Zinnia, who was calmly standing there. She's so strong. I'm exhausted and she's barely put up any effort. Every time I get close, it's like she's sucking the life out of me, she thought drearily. Maybe if I...
Zinnia watched Rangiku disappear. Narrowing her visible eye, she turned and shot a cero where Rangiku reappeared. The shinigami seemed to have expected this and disappeared again. Zinnia turned her head and shot another cero. Then she felt a hand on her back.
"Bakudo No. Sixty-One: Rikujokoro," Rangiku said. The six rods held Zinnia in place. "There! Now you can't..." Rangiku stepped back when she noticed something forming in front of Zinnia's eye.
"What was that, shinigami?" Zinnia said as a purple cero formed over her visible eye.
Rangiku barely dodged. The cero grazed her left side. She fell down, releasing Zinnia from the binding. This pain. Was that a normal cero? I've never felt a burn like this before, she thought. Her eyes widened as Zinnia approached.
"Pathetic. You should've at least been able to drive me to my resurrección, Matsumoto-fukutaicho." Zinnia raised her weapon. "I so rarely get to use it. Too bad."
Just as she swung down, something that glimmered brightly in the moonlight shot out and blocked her strike. It barely missed clipping off her mask. Zinnia's eye widened significantly and she jumped away from Rangiku.
Rangiku blinked a few times. She knew that weapon. She watched as it retracted. Gin?
"I can't have ya hurtin' Ran-chan. That's the type of thing that warrants death," Gin said as he approached. He watched Rangiku sit up slowly, clutching her burning side. "Get to the side, Ran," he said.
"Ichimaru, what are..."
Gin looked Hisagi's way, his smile wide. "Satoru-soutaicho sent me. She said ya was in trouble, Hisagi-san. Apparently, Ran was in far more. Wonder why she wouldn't tell me about ya, Ran." Gin looked back at Rangiku. She simply shrugged. "Yer hurt. Get to the side."
"But, Gin..."
"Ran-chan, don't make me repeat mahself." Gin stared at her for a moment. Rangiku nodded and limped away.
Zinnia faced Gin. Ichimaru? It was easier to flush him out than I thought it would be, she mused. Apparently the Matsumoto woman really is a hindrance to him.
"Menoly, complete you mission," Zinnia said.
Hisagi looked down at Menoly. The fracción pushed herself off the ground, grabbing the chain around her neck. She yanked it from Hisagi's lax hands. After removing both the chain and sickle from her body, she grabbed her sword. Then she disappeared.
"Wait! What the hell just happened?" Hisagi yelled.
Gin chuckled. "It would appear that someone has an ulterior motive." He squeezed Shinsō. "I hope it's an excitin' one," he said.
Zinnia narrowed her eye. "Perhaps."
Rangiku looked between them. "What's she talking about, Gin?"
"Just stay back, Ran."
"Gin..."
Gin looked over at Rangiku. "Ran, don't..."
Rangiku rushed forward. "Watch out!"
"Hey, Pinky!" Hiyori yelled over to Renji.
Renji rolled his eyes. "Between you and Yachiru, I don't know who's worse! My name is Abarai Renji! Use it!" he yelled to her.
Hiyori rolled her eyes. "Can you use that red fireball thing you did before again?" she asked. Renji raised an eyebrow. Then he nodded. "Well, get ready." Her hollow mask began forming on the side of her head.
Kira was keeping Yammy busy at the moment. He'd lost count at how many appendages he's seemingly severed. For some reason, it just felt like they kept growing from out of nowhere. He momentarily lost his concentration when he felt an approaching reiatsu.
Is that...
"Move it!" Hiyori knocked Kira out of the way. Kira stared at her, noticing her mask. Then he looked down to see Renji readying an attack. "If you don't wanna die, move your ass!" Hiyori yelled again. Kira frowned and moved to the ground.
Renji swung his arm forward, sending Hihiō Zabimaru forward as well. "Hikotsu Taihō!" he yelled. Hiyori simultaneously shot her own cero at Yammy. While the explosion was impressive, they could still sense Yammy's presence.
"What's this guy made of?" Hiyori wondered aloud. "He just won't go down!"
Yammy laughed. Besides his face being bloody and random fingers missing, he looked none the worse for wear. "You call that a cero, little girl?" He moved one hand down towards Hiyori. Before she could move, he flung her away with a single flick of his finger. Hiyori went crashing through several buildings.
"Go after her!" Renji yelled to Kira. Kira paused a moment. "Go, Kira! Satoru-soutaicho won't appreciate it if her fukutaicho dies on our watch!" Renji reiterated. Kira nodded and headed towards where Hiyori had gone. Renji then faced Yammy alone.
"Just you and me, eh?" Yammy opened his mouth, getting ready to shoot a cero. Before the cero could even be properly charged, he threw his head back in pain.
"Still as mouthy as ever."
Renji looked around for the source of the voice. Zaraki-taicho?
"And you're still as brutish as ever."
Renji blinked. Why had he not noticed? Kuchiki-taicho?
Sure enough, both of the aforementioned men had appeared. Kenpachi was swinging around his zanpakuto, trying to get the blood off of it. He'd chopped off Yammy's lip. Byakuya walked up behind Renji.
"Kuchiki-taicho..." Renji started.
"Zaraki-taicho and I will take it from here. Go see to Satoru-san's fukutaicho," he said. Renji nodded slowly.
Before any fighting could be re-commenced, the bright light of a negación came down on Yammy. The bottom lip-less former Espada glared down at Kenpachi, Byakuya, and Renji.
"This ain't over, you bastards!" he cackled, showing that he was missing a few teeth.
Kenpachi frowned. "What? That's it?" He faced Byakuya and Renji. "What the hell?"
"On your feet, Kurosaki." Satoru was staring down at Monserrat as he recovered from her kido attack. She heard Ichigo shuffling towards her. Monserrat was looking up at them, glaring malevolently. He was getting ready to attack again. "I'll take care of Kuchiki. You handle this one... WITHOUT your bankai."
Ichigo inhaled sharply as Satoru turned around. They passed one another, missing an assault by Monserrat. "Hey, are you looking for me?" Ichigo called from behind Monserrat.
What the... He wasn't that fast ten minutes ago, Monserrat thought angrily. He glanced back at Satoru, who was kneeling beside Rukia. He started towards them, but was stopped by Ichigo and Zangetsu.
"You're fighting me now, Espada." Ichigo narrowed his eyes. Monserrat matched the glower with his own.
Satoru unwrapped Rukia's throat and looked at the wound. "I cannot heal your vocal chords. However, I can stop this bleeding and quell some of the pain. Retsu will be able to heal your vocal chords." She watched Rukia struggle to nod. She placed her hands over Rukia's neck and began to heal her.
Monserrat stopped moving and looked up at the sky. Then he looked back down at Ichigo. With a smirk, he used sonido to disappear into the forest. Ichigo looked at Satoru. The elder woman sighed and stood up.
"Kurosaki, get Kuchiki back as quickly as possible. My patching won't last long since I didn't get to finish. She should be all right until you get her to Retsu." Satoru began approaching Ichigo.
"But what about..."
Satoru shook her head. "I'll take care of things here. Go now, Kurosaki." Satoru's shunpo was swift and silent.
Ichigo sighed and replaced Zangetsu. Then he headed towards Rukia. "Hold on for a little while longer."
Between Gin and Rangiku was a negación field. Rangiku had pushed him out of the way just in time. They both stared at one another for a moment. Then they looked at Zinnia. She had her own and was already beginning to rise up. Rangiku limped forward, glaring bloody murder at the Espada.
"You tried to take Gin! What do you want with him?" she yelled up to Zinnia. Zinnia simply stared down at the screaming shinigami. "You tell Aizen that over my dead body will Gin ever go back to him! You hear me?"
Zinnia continued to eye the ranting Rangiku. Then her negación disappeared. "Your dead body, eh?"
Rangiku blinked. Gin was standing in front of her, blocking Zinnia's strike that would have killed her. She wobbled before taking a few steps back.
"I happen ta like Ran's body. So yer gonna hafta tell Aizen that I can't have her dyin' just 'cause he wants a friend. I'm fine where I'm at," he said, his voice in a deadly tone.
Zinnia nodded. "Why don't you tell him yourself?"
Rangiku ran forward just as a negación came down on around Zinnia and Gin, catching them both. Hisagi pulled her away before she could get caught in it. Gin eased up off of Zinnia and looked around him. He glanced down at Rangiku as he rose to the heavens... again. If her face was pained before, it was nothing to the tears running down her face now.
"Don' cry, Ran-chan. I'll be right back. I promise," Gin said as he disappeared with Zinnia.
Once he was gone, Rangiku fell to her knees and slammed her fists down on the ground. "DAMNIT!"
Satoru stopped at the remnants of what had been where a negación had been. Raising an eyebrow, she looked back up and around her. The forest was way too quiet. Sighing, she closed her eyes and looked down.
"How long do you plan on watching me?" She opened her eyes again as a small chuckle sounded out.
"My, my. Your senses certainly aren't dull."
Satoru watched as a man in white stepped out of the trees to face her. "Practice makes perfect; years and years of practice." Satoru raised an eyebrow. "You're Aizen Sosuke."
Aizen stopped a few feet from her. "Yes, I am," he replied.
"It wasn't a question." Satoru stared up at him. "White clothes, impeccable hair, perfect smile, obnoxiously bigheaded aura... How could it not be you?"
"I assume you are the new soutaicho," Aizen said.
"Whatever gave you that idea, Aizen-san?" Satoru asked. "I'm simply a passing shinigami. I sensed trouble and came to help."
"You're lying," Aizen said.
"I did no such thing, Aizen-san. I simply said I was a passing shinigami. A shinigami, I am. Passing by, I was. I did not affirm nor did I deny your claim of my position."
Aizen blinked a few times, his general expression not changing. He realized that she was right. Her tone of voice almost annoyed him, though. She spoke in a way that was neither too polite to be mocking nor too haughty to be condescending. Where she looked like she should sound more like Unohana, she sounded like a bored Gin without the accent. It was peculiar.
"You are right. But you know my name and I haven't the slightest notion of yours. Do you mind telling me what it is?"
Satoru's face went completely blank before she smiled warmly. "I am," she paused for unnecessary dramatic effect, "just a passing shinigami, Aizen-san." She turned around. "Good day."
Aizen watched the mysterious woman walk off, waving her hand as she did so. He was excellent at reading people. She had not lied to him at all. She simply did what Gin did best; she wove her way around the truth. There was no doubt in his mind that she was indeed the soutaicho. But if so...
Why haven't I ever seen her before? Aizen pondered.
As Satoru walked back towards Seireitei, she searched the area around her. She frowned for a moment. Ichimaru's reiatsu has disappeared, she thought. Then a sneaky smile crossed her face. Good.
AN: Bleach 412. Just... Bleach 412. Excuse me while I crawl into a corner and die now.