Chapter Ten: Hummingbird Heartbeat, Renji
"Shit..." I groaned as I began making my way back down to the pavement. I felt my body slam pretty damn hard and I swore my spine columns just broke. Another loud crash was followed by Ichigo landing on his stomach.
"Damn... he got us good..." Ichigo got up, holding his head and when he looked up, he began gritting his teeth.
I managed to bring myself back up to my feet but I nearly fell, using Zabimaru as a prop to keep my balance. We've been training for who knows how long and we've been receiving punishment since we got to the Palace of the Destroyer. Shiva had no mercy for us and she managed to summon a doppelganger of Jinpachi, his spirit form that fought with memory the way Shiva remembered him. Jinpachi was just as ferocious than when I last fought, no lost, to him and Shiva reminded that this was an older model of Jinpachi. Meaning we're probably fighting his clone that held a mere fraction of his strength. We both looked to our right and there we saw the group observing us, which consisted of Shiva herself, Kazujin, Sakura and their dominions. They decided that Jinpachi was more than enough to train ourselves with to understand how to achieve the perfect form.
"What are you two waiting for?" Kazujin scolded.
"Just catching our breath, boss!" Ichigo tried feigning a smile but the moment he took a step forward, he got brought to all fours.
"Fuckin'... shit..." I felt cramps in my abdomen and we stretched for an hour yet Jinpachi's doppelganger was still toying with us!
"He's not going to wait! Push forward if you want to live!" Kazujin ordered.
I grunted. I wanted to throw a rock at him but I did not want to incur anyone's wrath. It's bad enough Jinpachi is our current bully right now.
"That was not a request," Kazujin warned.
He had been a strict teacher for us so far. Sakura taught us how to find serenity when and forced us to use up all of our reiatsu on one of her devices when we practiced a few drills. It exhausted us daily so we had nothing better to do but knock out when we went back home. Kazujin trained us physically with more intensity than Rokujin and Mekujin could ever muster while Shiva would send her Avatars to battle us for good practice.
I looked up and saw Jinpachi charging up an attack, spiritual energy fluctuating from his form wildly as a sphere began to grow to an immense size from the base of his palm. The skies were no longer filled with stars and celestial bodies but flames that expanded throughout the universe. A giant dragon reminiscent to the design westerners drew compared to ours started to take shape and when he released the blast, it came right at us. No, an entire legion of beasts came at us.
"Dragon Cannon!" Jinpachi roared.
"Let's go, Zabimaru!" I shot up in my Bankai form with Ichigo right behind him.
"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!" Ichigo returned to his Bankai state and as we charged towards him, the dragons dispersed, a hail of sparks filling the sky while they began to descend our way.
"Fireworks!" Jinpachi's voice was heard echoing throughout this world.
"Oh, fuck me..." I paused in my tracks and so did Ichigo.
Flashback to what felt like a year ago...
Shiva decided to give us room and board in this realm. We lived among the citizens under the watchful eye of the Destroyer in a world fashioned for our people. Those who passed on here were able to watch how our current world is progressing and from what I've seen, Orhime had moved on with her life. I didn't bother watching most of the details she had going on and neither did Ichigo. We just trained like we're supposed to, rest like we're supposed to and some nights, I would miss her. But we met Shizuka and Emi here. Both were killed in the 1990s and both were in their mid-20s. They were pretty much our neighbors and we stayed in small houses away from the industrial living spaces in this world. I bonded with Shizuka and we later became intimate, though I'd feel guilty about engaging in sexual intercourse with her. I was not unfamiliar with sex and I never told anyone that I had several long affairs with some of my colleagues, which included Momo Hinamori, Nanao Ise, Matsumoto Rangiku and Isane Kotetsu among others. I even had one fling with Kurotsuchi Nemu but we were never in any relationship. And at one point, I messed around with Lisa Yadoumaru after she got bored with Ichigo.
I can easily remember how each of them happened. Momo and I had gotten drunk the night before graduation when she followed me to my place. She felt unattractive and I consoled her that evening but then we caved in to one another. For a while, we would sneak off to have sex but when we joined the 5th Division, it became harder especially with Captain Aizen Sosuke taking interest in Momo. We had an amicable end to our casual relationship and she started hanging out with Hitsugaya again, and when I got sent to the 11th Division, I would see Matsumoto after every training session I had with Ikkaku Madarame. But when I decided to focus on being placed in the 6th Division, I had an affair with Isane and just as I got promoted to being the lieutenant under Captain Kuchiki, I begun seeing Nanao for a long period of time, though I had a short-lived thing with Nemu before Ichigo entered Soul Society to retrieve Rukia. When Aizen betrayed us, I began having sex with Nanao again until the end of Quincy invasion. When the Karakura Special Forces got reformed, Nanao and I stopped just two weeks before Orihime and I started, and when she noticed how Orihime was acting towards me, Nanao brought me to the side in our barracks and asked if I was in love with her. I didn't answer but she responded with a smile after noticing my own.
"I'm glad," Nanao told me.
"Eh?" I tilted my head.
"But if it doesn't work out, don't hesitate to ask me to restart what we had." Nanao walked away but turned to give me a wink before leaving me be.
I never told Orihime about them, especially when she told me I was her first. So I tried to stray from that but she'd badger me for questions because I knew what I was doing to be called a novice. She'd get mad, I'd get mad, we'd argue, she'd cry and I'm off to the store to buy ice cream. We'd end the fight by making love and the make-up sex wasn't that bad. She'd ask me if she was better than the other girls but I'd just ignore it.
It wasn't like that with Shizuka, though. She'd come over all the time after getting to know us, and for some reason, she didn't seem pestered by the other girls checking me out. She even suggested I experimented with them, or brought one over to bed with us but I felt too hesitant about the idea. I couldn't even entertain it on my own. It began when she and Emi visited us, and we had dinner. That night after eating, we went to the fields and watched the stars. As cheesy as it sounds, we enjoyed the scene before we tore each other's clothes off. It kept going on for a while and I'd find myself content with this. Because by the time I got back, Orihime would probably be with someone else and I have to deal with it.
I stood on the high ground as I continued to chop firewood. I don't know why but I felt accomplished doing this. I looked up to see Ichigo with haystacks on his shoulders, a sickle held by one hand as he approached. I never figured that leading a farmer's life would be so fulfilling as I brushed the sweat from my brow. I felt a hand tap me and when I looked, it was Shizuka with a cup of water. I smiled as I took the cup, drinking it within a few gulps.
"That was refreshing! I feel better already!" I wiped my mouth as I saw Emi running to Ichigo with his own cup
"Whoo!" Ichigo quenched his thirst.
"You need to tell me how you make these elixirs of life," I pleaded.
"It's just water, darling!" Shizuka giggled, wrapping her arms around me.
"Well, it's something else." I smiled.
This is paradise.
"Kurosaki, Abarai," we heard Sakura call to us.
"Good morning, Hiruyaga-sama," Emi and Shizuka greeted. I forgot only a few ever called her Sakura.
"Morning, chief!" Ichigo saluted.
"Meet us at the Palace of the Destroyer when you're done. Shiva wants to show you something," she instructed.
"You got it!" I gave her a thumbs up as she left.
"So..." Shizuka started.
"Yeah?" I wrapped her around my arms as her lips got closer to my ears.
"Do you have time for a quickie?"
Palace of the Destroyer
"You're late," Kazujin reprimanded.
"Yeah, sorry. We got caught up..." Ichigo laughed nervously as Sakura glared at us.
"Well, you're here so let's go see Shiva." Kazujin led the way but Sakura stopped and when we reached her, she took a sniff.
"You smell disgusting, boys," Sakura told us.
"What? We showered!" I whined.
Sakura didn't say anything. She went after her husband and we remained a considerable distance behind them. They still held hands after centuries of being together. Despite being arranged to marriage, they had genuine love for one another and it wasn't purely political. The family Jinpachi was supposed to be married into ended up being a subordinate to him after they tried waging war which Takehiko instigated but it wasn't necessarily bad. The Juushirou family were filled with masters of science and law, and combining that with the physical prowess of the Hiryu family created an unstoppable force. It gave birth to Asuka and Hitsugaya's legacy that barely clings on to life, and into our veins. We stood on a pedestal after passing through numerous halls and we shot skyward, passing through numerous planes and when we arrived in our destination, I was shocked. We were in Shiva's private place. I got off and several shrine maidens were minding their business when several of Shiva's personal guards approached us.
"General Hiryu, Lady Shiva awaits your presence in her quarters," the leader of the guards informed.
"We'll be on our way, then." Kazujin led our pack as the guards bowed, letting us through.
We were in heaven. We walked on clouds before going down a long flight of stairs that led to an ethereal plane. There was water and several semi-nude nymphs gliding on the surface. There were several rows of rocks that floated to a giant one that I assumed to be Shiva's personal space. When we got the location, we saw several obelisks that appeared to be gates to other worlds. Kazujin and Sakura looked at us without uttering a word. We just blinked at them.
"These three portals lead to different areas. To your left leads to the past, the middle would be the present and the right would be the future," Kazujin said.
"Where are we going?" Ichigo asked.
"The past," Sakura answered, following her husband to the gate.
When we entered, we flew into a zone that was filled with light before reaching the end of the hyperspace. When the flash of light ended, I heard a woman crying in pain. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Izayoi on a bed of hay with Jinpachi standing next to her, her hand held by his. He took on a different appearance: instead of what everyone was familiar with, he appeared the way he did when we first became acquainted. The only thing missing was the large demonic arm and the hood and Izayoi seemed to have grown her hair longer. Her stomach was large and I realized she was about to give birth. Several of their allies stood guard, with Hiruyaga nearby. Rokujin was in the furthest corner in a prayer while Mekujin began directing some of the guards to stand watch. I looked at the sign and it read Toushirou Inn, causing me to stare.
"The day the twins were born," Kazujin commented darkly.
"This inn is located in Junrinan, the 1st District," Sakura added.
"It was around the time Jinpachi left the newly formed Gotei 13 leaderless and for a while, Ichibei Hyousube assumed control with Tenjirou Kirinji and Ooetsu Nimaiya before they took up positions in the Royal Guard. Back then, the only person who stood by their side openly from the first generation was Senjumaru Shutara, Jinpachi's last disciple, though Kirinji and Unohana were more than willing to side with Jinpachi from that particular generation." Kazujin walked to stand by Jinpachi's side while he knelt besides Izayoi, helping calm his pregnant wife down.
"Captain-Commander, I'm sensing a powerful influx of energy near us. Shall I investigate, sir?" Captain Shutara asked.
"It's Nimaiya and Genryuusai, and it seems they brought the bulk of their forces with them," Hiruyaga replied.
"We can handle this, Jinpachi-sama. We'll leave Rokujin with you guys," Mekujin offered.
"What?! I can fight!" Rokujin stood up.
"You're not leaving this place defenseless! Not while Izayoi is in labor! All of you, stay here. I'll go meet them and rip them apart," Jinpachi growled but she grabbed his wrists.
"No..." Izayoi moaned.
"Izayoi..." Jinpachi whispered.
"I need you here... with me... stay..." she begged as she felt another wave of pain hit her.
"General, we can't stay here any longer and I don't think any of us can hold them off," one of the guards told Jinpachi.
"Fight to the death, then!" Jinpachi ordered and they replied with enthusiasm.
"Sir!" they said simultaneously, saluting their leader's courage despite the odds laid out in front of them before scrambling to stand guard.
"Even knowing of their impending doom, Jinpachi still held the charisma of a brilliant leader. He became the general of the warrior branch in our clan, earning him the title of Hitokiriken Jinpachi Yaburi Hiryu Zarubari no Taishou. But he completely disowned our clan for his own purposes, cutting off ties with the Hiryu clan." Kazujin placed a soothing palm on his son's shoulders.
"Where did Zarubari come from?" Ichigo asked.
"We'll show you in a bit," Sakura said. She walked over to Izayoi and smiled remorsefully at her daughter-in-law.
"Yo'!" Kirinji announced, kicking the door open as he walked in by himself.
"About time, Tenjirou," Captain Shutara remarked.
"I hope you didn't leave a trail, you loud-mouth bastard," Mekujin hounded at the captain.
"Eh?! What did you say?!" Kirinji and Mekujin were about to get into it when Hiruyaga held both of their throats, lifting them up in the air.
"Set aside your egos! Izayoi needs medical attention! NOW!" Hiruyaga shouted, releasing them from her grip.
"Ken-chan!" Izayoi yelled in agony.
"Hold on a bit longer, Yaya! Stay with me! Izayoi!" Jinpachi held her head close to him.
"Jinpachi... we need to seek father's help..." Hiruyaga said solemnly.
"No. I don't want to be near that bastard right now," Jinpachi barked.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Izayoi was losing so much spiritual energy just by the conception of the twins. She was predicted to die during the process of child birth and I opted to abort the everything to save her life. Jinpachi left our clan to avoid total war and adopted the name given to him by Shiva, Zarubari. The name was a combination of Zaru and Senninbari, two separate techniques he learned when he achieved a power beyond the Star King form; the Zaru taught him how to completely ignore mutilation and proceed with the fight while the Senninbari taught him discipline and repetition. He ascended to a new level of power no simple mind can fathom in a lifetime no matter what caliber of power they can sustain," says Kazujin as he began pacing slowly around the room with his hands behind the small of his back.
"Jinpachi reluctantly left us but spoke to me. The first generation regarded him as a pawn of the Ghost King but he was always our son and Izayoi's sentinel. Izayoi never wanted to sacrifice her children's lives for hers so Jinpachi was furious for his father even considering it. She was such a sweetheart that I could not bring myself to think of her dying so I left the choice up to them." Sakura got up and sat near the couple as Izayoi groaned.
"Kirinji, what can you do to ease her pain?" Jinpachi inquired, holding on to his dear wife.
"Right now, not shit. Those two dumplings in her belly have strength beyond my level of anesthesia but I can try to take care of her healing process right when she gives birth to both of them." Kirinji began rubbing his chin as he inspected Izayoi's abdomen.
"Jinpachi... they're coming!" Izayoi bit on Jinpachi's haori.
"Shutara! Get ready!" Jinpachi ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Shutara situated herself in between Izayoi's thighs as Jinpachi coached her into pushing.
"You're doing fine! Come on, darling! Keep pushing! We're going to build a family together and raise them until we die! You're going to get mad at me for teasing you about your stretch marks and you're going to hate your son's wife because she'd probably sleep with half of Seireitei before they wed!" Jinpachi says in the same manner a drill instructor would. Izayoi narrowed her eyes but that didn't stop her husband.
"I see the head! Keep going, Izayoi-sama!" Shutara commented. Hiruyaga got one of the clean blankets ready for the first child while Izayoi screamed.
"You can do it! Come on!" Jinpachi yelled. "Get out of my wife's womb, you bastards! You prolonged your stay!"
"One last push..." Shutara informed and all we heard was a deafening scream from Izayoi.
"Oh, my God... I'm going to faint..." Rokujin stated and true to his word, he fainted. Mekujin approached him and slapped his face.
"It's... it's... it's a girl!" Shutara told them, handing off the child to Hiruyaga who gladly wrapped her infant niece.
"Good job! One more!" Jinpachi uttered with the same tone. Izayoi glared at her lover who replied with an anxious smile before she decided to take this moment to relax.
"All right, time to get ready! Yo'! Medics! Prepare the barrier!" Kirinji cracked his knuckles.
"Here, brother, say hi to your little angel," Hiruyaga says, handing her to Jinpachi, which he nervously took, obviously afraid of breaking the fragile child.
"I want to see her," Izayoi said.
"She has your nose," Jinpachi whispered as Izayoi cooed.
"And your eyes," Izayoi whispered back while the child cried. "What should we call her?"
"I was thinking about naming her after my mother and yours," Jinpachi replied.
"Hiruyaga Hitome?" Izayoi asked.
"Better: Asuka Sakura," Jinpachi responded, smiling. Izayoi smiled as she kissed her daughter but handed her to him the moment she felt pain.
"The other one! It's coming!" Izayoi screamed.
"Shutara!" Jinpachi roared.
"On it, sir!" Shutara got ready as Izayoi pushed. "I can already see the head!"
"Oh, God! Ken-chan!" Izayoi screamed, biting on Jinpachi's arm but he ignored it.
"And... it's a boy!" Shutara shouted with joy as she handed him to Hiruyaga.
"A boy!" Izayoi gasped.
"He's handsome, Yaya. This one takes after you more than him," Hiruyaga said, nodding to her brother.
They brought their babies to the couple, Jinpachi holding on to Asuka while Izayoi held on to the boy who would eventually be Hitsugaya. Izayoi passed out, causing everyone to panic for a moment but Kirinji and his assistants went to work. After about thirty minutes, Izayoi awoke with Hitsugaya still in her arms. The children stopped crying as everyone whispered to one another, several congratulating them while Shutara began weaving a comforter for the babies to lay down on. I turned to Kazujin and I could see that he had regret in his eyes for not trusting Jinpachi's judgment. This was a war between three factions; there was Soul Society and the Gotei, Jinpachi and his small force, then we had the Ghost King. A familiar demon appeared near Jinpachi as it observed the sleeping children. Even though everyone saw it, nobody seemed troubled.
"Before Soul Reapers were formed, ancient weapons called the Death Force was used. The cost for high power sent souls to oblivion so Zangetsu forged Soul Reapers with his will without the penalty a Death Force had. In time, Soul Slayers were created but Jinpachi had a Death Force, and with that, he created the Soul Reapers, Zantetsuken and the Genjutsurugi, for his children before they were born. His Soul Slayer has long since been obliterated but the Death Force does not allow him to die until his mission is complete," Kazujin said.
"Were the Death Force weapons like Soul Reapers and Soul Slayers?" Ichigo asked.
"No. Unlike the two, a Death Force was inside their master's will. And these were tools for a massive war before clans were united. When a Death Force is created, it always has an origin, such as Zangetsu's where his Death Force was the arm of a high priest who worshiped the moon and took on the form of a staff. His Death Force eventually helped him create the Tensa Zangetsu and his clan's symbol was the manji. Jinpachi's own Death Force, however, has an even darker history. During the first war when the world was still raw, the Ghost King was badly wounded by the primordial gods, one of them being Shiva. Izanagi wounded him enough to where the Ghost King's fang was chipped and from there, a Death Force was created. Many have tried but only Jinpachi was successful to wield it up to this day. Its name we do not know, but Jinpachi called it the Zenumuron. And among many of its dangers included a special technique called Plagiarism, where he can copy any technique and use it to his advantage whenever he wanted to, and Fireworks, arguably his most powerful attack that can destroy anything and anyone based on his intent to kill," Kazujin added.
"While the Death Force can function similarly like the aforementioned weapons, they have their own will and do not call their wielder's masters until they have the right power to control their might. Otherwise, they risk meeting their end and becoming something far worse than Hollows. Soul Reapers were created as a type of progeny but they are nowhere near as powerful as a Death Force, and a Soul Slayer never evolves unlike the two but only the Soul Reapers are capable of living once their masters die while a Death Force, once mastered, dies with their wielders, making the Death Forces obsolete by the time the Gotei 13's first re-constructed generation was brought to life and records were extensively altered by the urging of the Soul King," Sakura included. "If a Soul Reaper lives on, if not found by a worth master, it becomes a plain weapon and is no longer to be used, and most Soul Reapers are held as artifacts while a Death Force disappears and moves on to the afterlife with their master to triumph even in their passing. Because of the fearsome powers a Soul Reaper and a Death Force represent, the Soul King commissioned the Soul Slayers as primary weapons because only they are qualified to purify souls, unlike the their predecessors that merely consumed souls."
"This is part of the main reason why Jinpachi's era was the strongest of the Death Squad and the Gotei 13; because Jinpachi held a Death Force, a Soul Reaper and in time a Soul Slayer, while several members who are now deceased held Soul Reapers before the vast majority began using Soul Slayers. What made them a dangerous element was how Jinpachi managed to keep them organized because in the past, it was a dog-eat-dog world and the previous incarnations of the Death Squad faced much betrayal and civil war. With Jinpachi, many feared he would use his Death Force to orchestrate Soul Society to fall in submission of his own volition so they had a reason to arrest and possibly execute him," Kazujin said.
We turned to Jinpachi when we felt the ground trembling. The world turned dimmed for a few seconds as if a shadow loomed by, causing Jinpachi to go on alert. He took one last look at the exhausted Izayoi with their children before he went for the door, holding his Death Force in hand. Shutara and Kirinji were preparing to follow him when he stopped them in their tracks. Jinpachi sighed before giving them a weak smile.
"You're not coming with me," Jinpachi told them.
"What? Oh, fuck no! You don't expect to call me way out here and let you assholes take the glory, eh?!" Kirinji whined.
"Commander, with all due respect..." Shutara began.
"It has been paid," Jinpachi interjected.
"I would feel more comfortable assisting you, sir. We are already criminals by association," Shutara asserted. "Let me go with you. Kirinji is better at healing so he will stay here."
"Bullshit! I'm just as strong as you are, Senjumaru!" Kirinji came face-to-face with Shutara, gritting his teeth yet smiled at his colleague.
"Which is why I need you all here," Jinpachi said, getting their attention before continuing. "I can handle those brats but I need you here in case I falter. I am not going to kill them all because there are some good people in their ranks. I just need to draw their interests elsewhere."
"Then let at least Rokujin and I go with you!" Mekujin begged.
"Do you not understand?" Hiruyaga told him. "The only person capable of surviving the onslaught of the Gotei 13 with him is me yet I know why I am not going. Izayoi needs all the help she can get while she's helpless and despite her recovering state, she can still destroy half of this room. Jinpachi knows I want to fight by his side but... I understand what's important to him."
"Thank you... sis..." Jinpachi smiled before putting on a serious face.
"My love... what should we name our son?" Izayoi asked. Jinpachi thought for a moment looking at the ceiling as he rubbed his stubbled chin.
"I was thinking about naming him Hitokiriken Hitachi but that would have been too redundant and people would get confused," Jinpachi pondered.
"Yes, because there are already so many prefixes. What's gotten you so interested with combining our parents' names anyway?" Izayoi asked.
"My grandfather, like the past Hitokiriken before him and my father as well as myself, was Jinpachi. I could not allow myself to be disgraced by naming him in memory of my grandfather the way my father named me after him. Should I die, I would not like my son to think less of me..." Jinpachi revealed.
"Our son will never think less of you and neither will our daughter, darling," Izayoi promised.
"But then I thought about it. My grandfather was nicknamed Kenpachi before I assumed the title for being the best swordsman since Kenji's era, thus creating the Kenpachi title in honor of Kenji Mishima. And your father, Hitachi, was called Hitsugaya after the legendary guardian during harsh winters," Jinpachi finished, looking out the window.
"It's snowing! Look, mommy!" Setsuka jumped up and down as she gazed outside the inn. Hiruyaga joined her, holding Setsuka as they shared what could have been their last moment under other circumstances.
"It is, Setsuka," Hiruyaga said, kissing her daughter's head.
"Then we'll call him Hitsugaya," Izayoi concluded, her voice trembling. Jinpachi smiled.
"I'm telling you, old fart, we can waste those fuckers! I hate half of them anyway!" Kirinji suggested, clenching his fists but kept a smirk on his face.
"Take us with you, master, I insist!" Shutara pleaded.
"Captain Tenjirou, nobody in the Gotei knows of your hidden allegiance with me and expected Captain Unohana to defect. They will expect Captain Senjumaru to be with me but I can't allow you to face execution for our sake." Jinpachi lowered his face slightly with a serious demeanor, his muscles flexing as the spirit of Zenumuron absorbed into its master.
"I don't understand. You bring that bitch, Yachiru, but not us?!" Kirinji complained. "This blows!"
"Unohana was once my disciple and is the current Kenpachi. We need to drag the Gotei away from here before they decide that my children, our children, are liable." Jinpachi tensed as he said this. "I won't allow them to be used as leverage."
"Then we'll destroy them!" Rokujin cried.
"Not if our father decides to align himself with the Gotei," Hiruyaga warned. "It will be chaotic to fight two forces and we're already dealing with the Ghost King."
"Exactly. Just stay here, I will meet Unohana at the battlefield," Jinpachi opened the door but surprisingly, Unohana was there. "You're here early."
"Yo'. Why the long face, Kirinji?" Captain Unohana smirked.
"Keep smiling and I'll wipe your God damn face on the fuckin' pavement!" Kirinji returned with a smirk of his own.
"Whatever. Yo', Commander, the Gotei knows you're around here but not exactly where. We gotta' get moving before they find your secret hideout." Unohana threw her zanpakutou over her shoulder, leaning against the door frame. "What's up, Captain Juushirou? Lookin' good!"
"Thank you, Unohana," Izayoi said weakly.
"Kiss the babies for me, would ya'?" Unohana waved with two fingers.
"With your dead body!" Kirinji cracked his neck, holding his zanpakutou with one hand.
"Enough!" Jinpachi ordered, stepping out before taking one last look at Izayoi.
"I love you, darling... please come back to me..." Izayoi said to Jinpachi.
"And I love you. And I will do my best, but for now..." Jinpachi bowed, putting his hood up. "Let this be the day for them to remember that they almost caught Captain Jinpachi Zarubari! Yo'!"
"Later, bitch," Unohana said to Kirinji before she followed Jinpachi, who held up his cloak like Count Dracula before running off into the distance.
"That motherfucker!" Kirinji began to shake in his anger but calmed down after Shutara placed either hand on his arms.
"The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird..." Sakura whispered, causing Ichigo and I to look at each other before looking to Izayoi weeping yet holding a smile at her newborns. Sakura smiled as she glanced at her grandchildren while their mother sang them to soothe their turbulence.
"Jinpachi met with the Gotei 13 miles out with Unohana flanking them. She was branded a traitor but Jinpachi managed to convince Unohana that he forced her into his plot. Kirinji was the 4th Division commander before he joined the Royal Guard. Jinpachi managed to drag them away from Izayoi's location where she found sanctuary with her family, and since the Gotei had no jurisdiction nor the firepower to enter their domain since attacking the Juushirou clan would force the Hiryu to retaliate, along with their many allies. The fight alone took many of the Gotei 13's lives with only Unohana and Yamamoto remaining since Ichibei, Kirinji, Nimaiya and Shutara entered the Royal Guard. Yamamoto banned all Soul Reapers by then and the outlaws made their way to the Lost City under the leadership of Rokujin and Mekujin, who served as unofficial co-kings. Jinpachi remained the last prince of our clan but left before I could officially retire the clan on to his name," Kazujin said as we watched Izayoi staring at her children while she wept.
"We raised Asuka as our own while Hitsugaya was raised by Izayoi with her family. The plan was to keep them separated so nobody could harm the children. When the Ghost King led an unexpected assault in their young adult years, Hitsugaya led the attack and Jinpachi was brought back from his silence. For a while, the family managed to get to know and love one another before Jinpachi descended to the depths of chaos with the Ghost King, and since then, Asuka has screamed vengeance, marking Izanami as her personal target since she killed Asuna's father, her lover, long after Jinpachi had been considered deceased. Kazujin and I fled to the Star King's realm to find Adonai to grant us the power to restore what we lost when we learned of Asuka's retribution. If we interfere now, it would call upon divine intervention and that could bring forth the destruction of the cosmos, and Jinpachi made it his goal to stop his daughter while he represented Izanagi but got side-tracked when he found a window of opportunity to obliterate the Ghost King himself. So now we need you two; you who have access to this realm without dying because of the blood that ruins through your veins. You will be our herald as we are heralds for Shiva. You are here to make sure Jinpachi's mission does not stray because while Asuka could blindly destroy this world, it could only happen if Jinpachi rips open another wormhole and takes advantage of the situation for he is at the pinnacle of his power. He has reached his prime. He can use the Prima Materia to destroy the Ghost King and his allies once and for all without killing the universe," Sakura said grimly.
"So you need Jinpachi alive yet let him use the Prima Materia for his own use?" Ichigo guessed.
"Yes and no. Asuka would have almost no interest in the aether or the energy to understand what it's for while Jinpachi was destined to restore balance but with the way things are starting to unfold, Jinpachi could use to the power of the aether to terrorize all that is evil and he would change the world into his own Garden of Eden but doing so would require the strength of Adonai, which he has yet to obtain, so we need you to make sure he does not stray from his original goal. While Jinpachi is powerful, he has his limits and challenging Adonai would end his life. What Asuka would do with the aether is to enslave the universe the way she sees fit as a form of true justice but they would live in fear while Jinpachi would disrupt balance if provoked. Either way, misuse of the Prima Materia could be the universe in jeopardy and this is where you come into play. You are there to make sure balance remains and this can result in restoring the puzzle pieces together and to do so, you must generate a plan in affecting Jinpachi's course of action with an unconventional method; the last piece is Orihime Inoue and the both of you need to make sure she does her job," Kazujin said ominously.
"What?! Why?! What does she got to do with this fight?!" I was beginning to feel anxious at the thought of her being used. "Is she a weapon?!"
"No. But she is necessary. Inoue has the unique ability to reverse the flow of time to restore balance. Renji, to probably restore the balance in the universe... we may have to force a completion of the Prima Materia and this would awaken Adonai to fix the universe. The Prima Materia is currently violent, and to soothe it would require several things: Orihime's unique abilities, Jinpachi's raw power and a chaotic stream from the destruction of the Ghost King. Your memories will be wiped out but history will not erase and shall continue to run its course at a safer pace, and will put our families and those after us at peace," Kazujin answered with a grim expression. My heart stopped.
"What are you saying..." I dreaded the response to this question and while we watch a replay of Jinpachi's battle with the Gotei, I felt my eyes stinging with pain. The scene changed and we were back on the platform, and in front of us were the three gates. Shiva came out from the middle gate dressed as if she was ready to assassinate someone.
"Time will restart. You will forget about everything that happened and be returned back to the proper time before the strange anomalies began, starting before Aizen's betrayal," Shiva replied for us.
Flashback ends
Ichigo and I agreed to become strong enough to unlock the true power of the Star King. And to do that, we need to calm down the aether that gave life to Shiva. It was known as the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird, and in order for us to do that, we needed to learn how to let go of the past and look forward to the future, despite how much it hurts us, freeing all restraints that burdened our hearts will help us find inner peace and help us obtain a power similar to the Star King's might. And for us to realize this, we contemplated and fought past versions of Jinpachi and his ancestors.
Ichigo and I couldn't think about being away from our respective lovers. What would happen to me? Would I end up with Nanao? Rukia? How will I react when I see Orihime? Why did we even agree to this?
How am I going to get over Orihime?
It was silly because I've been with Nanao longer but what I felt for her will never amount to what I felt for Orihime. I felt love and passion. I couldn't cry at the thought of losing her. I had no more tears. But I remembered to put others before me. And I can't be selfish. I know Jinpachi has a motive. I know there's a missing link. I know there's a reason for everything. But what?
I smiled at the beautiful display of fireworks and I had a small flashback. I was at Orihime's work and she was dancing to Sara Bareilles' music. I was eating a slice of cake as she prepared to close. It was Brave playing and when she was done, she joined me, sharing my cake. I remember that night, she asked if I wanted to be hers forever. I said yes and she told me she wanted to be mine for eternity. She asked me to never stop loving her and I agreed. That night we walked home and it was snowing but fireworks were lighting up the sky. She laughed and I stared at her. I decided then and there that I fell in love with her. The queen of my soul.
I love you, Inoue...
Fireworks.
I love you so much...
Fireworks.
I don't want to let you go...
Fireworks.
I can't let you go...
Fireworks.
I don't want to let you go!
Fireworks.
Orihime!
Fireworks.
I love you! Orihime! I love you!
I felt tears stinging as they began to flow through my eyes for the first time in ages. I grit my teeth, and I felt myself being overwhelmed. I stared at the vibrant display, ignoring everything when I suddenly felt my heart steadying its pace. These were beautiful fireworks. Everything that I found beautiful involved her and fireworks. That was how our love was like; a vibrant display of fireworks. And I was in paradise. Ichigo floated next to me, both of us caught up by the fireworks and I can tell he, too, did not want to give up someone he loved. As I thought of Orihime, I heard Eden by Sara Bareilles playing as a visible cosmic wavelength formed around the fireworks and I fell to my knees, crying and shouting her name, shouting my love for her and I lost my will to fight for death.
"FORGIVE ME! RUKIA!" Ichigo screamed.
"I ACCEPT IT! ORIHIME!" I cried.
I accepted the change.
There's no going back down... because life in Eden could change...
Life isn't fair...
But love doesn't disappear if someone says it isn't there...
Yes...
Eden...
"Fireworks!" Jinpachi shouted as the heavenly missiles surrounded by celestial fire made their way towards us, the beautiful display resonating romantic rays of light.
We heard them yelling at us to not just stand there but neither of us cared. We accepted our fate. Nothing was worse for our lives were doomed at the knowledge we were going to end up restoring the innocence of misery we shared. We're going back to the beginning but I wasn't entirely sad. I smiled at the fireworks. It is so beautiful.
This is our fate.
This is our destiny.
The seeds of love lost in the sands of time.
Fireworks.
I sat on my heels, my knees on the ground as I embraced death. I continued to gaze at the oddly slow missiles as more fireworks exploded. My vision began to blur. I fell on my back and I turned to see Ichigo staring at me. I heard Shiva's guards yelling in muffled voices as several ran to us, some motioning for an emergency team of trauma specialists to get us back to health or inspect our condition but Kazujin and Sakura walked to us slowly with Shiva leading the group. I felt Ichigo grab my hand and I gripped his, further emphasizing our brotherhood, the bond that we shared, the battles we fought and accepted the choke-hold of the inevitable. I looked up, continue to smile at the exploding fireworks where I vividly saw the image of Jinpachi and next to him was Izayoi, their children and their family smiling down at us. Behind them was almost every incarnation of the Gotei 13 and as my vision faded, a bright light that I assumed to be a star began to glow, expanding slowly to envelope my entire field of sight, my body growing cold yet I felt hot tears flowing from my eyes. I kept my smile perpetually embedded on my face because if I ever died, I wanted the world to know I died with a purpose.
"You did it," Shiva whispered. Right behind her were Kazujin and Sakura.
Orihime...
"Renji..." I heard Orihime's voice call out to me and there she was, coming out from that beautiful light, her smile wide as she held out a hand while I tried to reach out to hers but my arms went limp.
"You have found the Heartbeat of the Hummingbird..." Shiva told us, a smile on her face as my world turned black.
I felt myself travel through the stars, hearing the chorus of Eden playing continuously, floating in an endless serenade through time. Ichigo floated with me before we stopped in front of a white nebular cloud. There I saw a goddess, her beauty radiating a holy light. Her body was a temptress, her hair flowing from an invisible wind, her eyes speaking of elegance as I noticed how revealing her attire was but I did not desire sexual thoughts. I felt at peace.
"Welcome to my world, Renji, Ichigo," she said to us, her arms opening up, pulling us towards her in a motherly embrace.
Her voice is so calm...
"The Heartbeat of the Hummingbird is yours..."
"Who are you?" I said.
"I am Adonai."
To be continued
Next Chapter: Wide Awake, Orihime
SNEAK PEAK!
"Renji!" I felt tears forming as I saw him. I held my injured arm as I stood frozen when he approached.
"I'm back," Renji says, his appearance completely different from the way I remembered him yet I remembered his face perfectly.
I started running to him with tears flowing down my cheeks but before the light disappeared, I saw another person stepping out from it. I felt myself stop as my eyes got wide, an old fear surging through my body. I recognized this man. He stood next to Renji, smiling as he inhales the fresh scent of freedom once again. He was wearing the same uniform the last time I saw him albeit slightly tattered. I felt terror rising through my skin once more. The bane of my existence.
"Aizen..." "It's good to see you... Orihime," Aizen said to me.
AN: I decided to end this series with a total of thirteen chapters. Please correct me if I'm wrong about anything; comments are always welcome. Flames can be burned by Yamamoto's Bankai. And you will receive a roundhouse from Chuck Norris.