Hi guys. This chapter is a bit confusing as there will be conversations within conversations. So, if you guys see "…" in the story, this means that a conversation is taking place between characters. If you see '…..' instead, this denotes that Keiko is having a conversation in her inner state. I hope you guys do understand what I'm saying. Well, you'll see later on in the story exactly what I mean. With that said, enjoy this next chapter in the story!

Chapter 11: Darkness

As I walked through the streets and alleys of Sereitei, I noticed that nothing much had changed. The foundation of the structures were still intact and nothing was really out of the ordinary. Except for the fact that a dark aura had surrounded every inch of the place, making it seem as though Sereitei was a nesting place for the wicked and evil. It was just so…..void of life. It made me feel goosebumps throughout my entire body and I was pretty sure that someone or some people, were just lying in wait to jump out and ambush me.

'Sharpshooter….this place is giving me the creeps.'

'I know, don't worry. I'm here for you.'

'Thanks.'

After that brief conversation, I thought I that I had detected a familiar presence in the distance. I went on to investigate and there he was, standing about ten or so metres ahead of me as he stared me down. Captain of the 7th Division, the big bad wolf, Komamura Saijin. I had my hands on Sharpshooter, ready to pull him out of his holster in the event that Komamura was going to attack me. I lowered my body and placed one foot forward of the other, taking up a stance that was ready to pounce in an instant's notice. However, the wolf didn't do anything which was really surprising. I would have thought Kaede would command any of his minions to attack any intruder on sight. Instead, he just turned around and started walking in the other direction.

"WAIT!" I yelled at him. I was going to go after him but then, I realized that it may have been a trap. I stopped in my tracks ready to head back to discuss what we should do with my captain, but as I turned around, I saw that the entire route had been transformed. It was distorted beyond recognition, and there was no telling where I would end up. The only path that remained constant was the one Komamura taichou took. Well, people always said that if you get lost, you should stay put and wait for help. But, with Kaede seemingly able to manipulate the routes and whatnot, was there really a point for me not to move at all? As such, I decided to move on ahead and follow the wolf captain.

The path he took should have led me directly to the barracks of the 12th Division. But instead, I found myself ending up at Seireitei's headquarters. Boy was this Kaede messing up the wires in my head. I tried my best to shake it off and focus on the task ahead. I soon realized though, that Komamura taichou was, suddenly, nowhere to be seen. He had vanished into thin air, or so it seemed.

'What the heck was going on….!?' I thought to myself.

My eyes started to dart around to search for clues but then, I heard an ufamiliar voice begin to speak.

"Wow…you're a strong one aren't you?"

"Who goes there!?" I shouted in anger and frustration.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Can't say the same."

This man, he was a weird one. He had his hands in his pockets the entire time. his standard black shinigami outfit had many tears in it and walked with a strange hunch on his back. He had wavy hair that reached his shoulders, and eyes that showed pretenses of innocence that masqueraded a deep, darker look of evil.

"Let me guess…..Kaede….right?"

"Perceptive now are we? That's right. Hayakawa Kaede. And you are?"

Like I was going to tell him my name…

"That's rude you know. You should introduce yourself too."

"Yeah right….spare the lecture will you? So are we going to fight or what?"

"Hmm….." he said with a sickening smile. "If you want to play, I'll play."

Attempting to get a cheap shot in on me, he shunpoed right after had finished talking to get close to me. However, he was too slow and couldn't react in time as I predicted the move and he flew straight into a fist of mine. Judging from the way he held his nose and by how the blood poured from his nostrils, it was safe to say that I had broken his nose. This had infuriated him and he came at me. Once again, he wasn't up to par and I could easily take small steps back and maneuver my body to dodge his advances, having had enough, I grabbed his leaning arm and pulled him towards me before I twisted my hip to help myself judo throw him over my body. He landed several metres behind me and crashed hard onto the tiled floor with such impact that multiple cracks were formed.

"Ugh….," Kaede grunted in discomfort as he slowly picked himself up. "You're strong for a little girl."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"Is that so? Well then, let's take it up a notch, shall we? Confuse, puppeteer!"

He had activated his shikai but it didn't impress me one bit. There was a surge in his reiatsu levels but mine still completely overpowered his. Besides the surge in his energy, the blade of his zanpakuto had transformed as well. It now resembled the shape of a giant hook, or a giant question mark. I couldn't really tell which, and it's not as if it mattered anyway.

"Let's see how my luck is."

"What the heck are you talking about?" I asked. "Your blade is totally not suited for battle. How are you going to kill anyone with that?"

"Why don't you come and find out for yourself?"

"Gladly."

I charged towards him aiming to get in a point blank shot. However, as I approached him, his zanpakuto had vapourised into some sort of gas. I didn't see this coming and I had inhaled whatever the gas was. I shunpoed away from him as quickly as I could in fear of what the effect or effects of the gas were.

"DAMN YOU!" I yelled in frustration.

"Don't get too cocky now."

"What did you just do to me!?"

"My shikai. It creates a gas that when inhaled by the enemy, makes them lose any one of their five senses at random."

"What!?"

"That's right…..and judging from how you are, you must have lost your sense of taste….lucky you."

I hated to admit it, but he was right. I tried moving my tongue around and that was when I realized that I couldn't taste a thing at all….but I guess your sense of taste wasn't really important in a battle. This did though, keep me on my toes. If I were to breathe in the gas once more, there was no telling which one of my remaining senses I would lose…..if something important like the sense of sight was taken away, I was sure to have been at a great disadvantage.

"Count yourself lucky you little bitch."

I gave him a look that showed absolute fury as he pointed his zanpakuto at me in an overly arrogant fashion….alright….time to play it smart…..Composing myself, I too, decided to take it up a notch.

"Take your aim, Sharpshooter!"

'Let's finish this quick, Sharpshooter.'

'You got it.'

Without hesitation, I sprayed in every direction across my front. I didn't care if I damaged anything else, so long as the bastard dropped dead. I didn't manage to get a clean hit though, but a few of my shots did manage to scrape him, leaving quite a few flesh wounds. However, he masked the pain and came right at me. Aiming multiple slashes at me, I dodged right past his attacks. He was sneaky though, attempting to emit the gas each time he closed in on me. Thankfully, his movements were easy to read and I didn't breather in any more of that poison.

"Sneaky bastard."

"You've got quite the tongue for such a young one."

"Does it matter? You know, I wouldn't be talking much if I were you, considering how much you've taken already."

Kaede seemed out of it. He was sluggish and bled from his wounds, staining his outfit. Granted, the bullets only scraped him and didn't pass right through him and that was why he was still had the energy to fight. Nonetheless, he was still in quite a lot of pain and I could tell the battle was soon going to be over.

"Enough, time to finish this."

"Hmph…"

I rushed in towards him, but boy was I about to have the shock of my life. As I neared him, he had utilized his ability to manipulate Sereitei's routes and he was gone in a flash. I was stunned as well to find myself not in Sereitei's headquarters, but in the 1st Division barracks instead. Damn him and his condescending tactics….

"Come out you coward!" I yelled in anger.

I looked around my surroundings intensely, keeping an eye out for even the smallest of movements. I held Sharpshooter close, keeping my finger close to the trigger in the event that I had to fire in an instant's notice.

'I don't like this Sharshooter….'

'I know. But you need to keep a cool head.'

'Alright.'

"Show yourself!"

"Alright," Kaede suddenly said as he let out a small laugh. "It's so cute seeing you looking so confused. I'll play, but first, bankai…"

I felt another surge in his reiatsu levels, but that still couldn't even compare at all to my shikai's reiatsu levels. What worried me though was that I had no idea what powers his bankai granted him. Knowing him, he would have still multiple tricks up his sleeves.

"Condescending Trickster."

"Think you're so big and bad huh? So come out!"

"As you wish."

Then, from out of the blue, he had manipulated the surroundings again and I found myself stunned once more. I froze where I stood and from out of the blue, Kaede appeared right in front of me. He looked different, he now wore the mask of a jester and his zanpakuto changed its shape again. This time, it had transformed into a jousting lance, a weapon that seemed far more suited for combat. In the blink of an eye, his zanpakuto vapourised into a gas and I breathed in whatever this poison was. As I attempted to get a shot in, he knocked me out of the way and kicked me right across the jaw which sent me flying as I crashed hard into a nearby building.

"Now we wait…HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"What did…..what did you do to me!?" I struggled to say as I choked on the gas and labored to get up from the crash.

"Soon…"

"What….are….you…"

Then for some reason, I couldn't even hear myself speak. And soon, I couldn't even smell the scent in the air and the blood that was pouring from my mouth. Was I…losing my mind? Soon after, I couldn't even feel anything anymore. I fell to the floor and tried crawling but I witnessed Kaede walking to me as he squatted down to reach me. I thought I saw him mouth the words, "You're mine now." I tried speaking but….without my ability to hear anymore, I didn't even know if I got any words out. I tried to reach for Kaede's collar and then, everything went black and I couldn't see a thing. For the first time in my life, I felt totally and utterly useless now that all my senses were gone. The circuits in my brain were going haywire as I contemplated the reality of my very own existence, questioning if I was even alive at all. I spiraled down into the depths of despondency and I had no idea if I was ever going to get out. I had no idea where I was or what I was doing and, finally, I lost all consciousness.

Later…..

I awoke in my inner state…..or what at least I thought was my inner state…..I couldn't tell, everything around me was just so dark….I was in a state of limbo and I had no clue if I was even still alive…..perhaps…..I was dead? I walked around aimlessly through this void when suddenly, I thought I heard something.

"YOU BASTARD! What did you do?"

That voice….Soi Fon taichou!

"HAHAHA. You'll soon find out. Keiko, could you please enlighten your dear captain?"

Then, suddenly, my eyes shot open and I could see Soi Fon taichou looking at me from some distance back. I could feel again and soon after, I was able to taste and smell the scent in the air again. I was back! Or so I thought…

"Keiko, please get ready to fire upon command."

Then, I stood up and picked Sharpshooter off the floor and took aim at my sister…what the heck was going on!? I wasn't doing this, and neither did I want to do this. What was I doing listening to Kaede?

'SHARPSHOOTER! WHAT'S GOING ON?'

'It's Kaede's zanpakuto, Puppeteer! He's taken control of you!'

'WHAT!?'

"Keiko…." my sister began to say as droplets of tears started to fall down the side of her cheek as she slowly approached me. "Don't you know who I am?"

Taichou…..of course….

"Give it up! She can't hear you! She's an obedient slave of mine now!"

"How dare you!"

"It's the truth. My bankai's ability lets me eliminate all of the five senses of my target. Once the target loses them, he or she, begins to descend into oblivion as they are no longer able to even tell if they exist or not. By then which, my zanpakuto makes use of their empty vessel of a body to carry out me deeds. I guess that you can say that she's being possessed."

'WHAT!? Give me my body back! Sharpshooter, is this true?'

'I'm afraid it is…..'

"You bastard!" Soi Fon taichou shouted.

"HAHA. Once any target of mine becomes a slave, they'll remain as so even if I power down from my bankai. How else would so many other people still remain under my contro? So, don't even think that you can win that if you sealed my bankai or whatever."

"Damn it…."

"Enough talk. Keiko, go!"

I tried to fight but I was totally under Kaede's control. It didn't matter how much I resisted….I was a slave, bound to his will. I leapt forward attempting to get in a shot at my sister at point blank range. Thankfully, she managed to tumble out of the way. Kaede decided to make me try something new. I slung Sharpshooter behind me as I rushed forward to get in a series of rapid punches at my sister. She avoided them with ease but I was relentless in my pursuit. After the punches, came the kicks. High kicks, low kicks, roundhouses, you name it. It wasn't long before she gave in and a flying roundhouse of mine striked her on her jaw, sending her crashing through a few buildings.

'SHARPSHOOTER! STOP THIS! I DON'T WANT TO HURT HER!'

'I'm trying my best here! You have to fight too! Don't give up Keiko!'

"Why do you continue in refusing to give in?" Kaede said with a sickening smile as I leapt over to his side and genuflected in the direction of my sister, awaiting my next set of orders.

"Because….because," Soi Fon taichou said as she spat out some blood as a result of some internal bleeding and got up from the rubble. "I know she's…she's inside there somewhere…"

"You're never going to get her back, that, I can promise you."

"Either way I'm not going to stop trying….you bastard…."

"Hmm…..resistance is futile. I'll play…..SAJIN!"

Just as he said that, Komamura taichou landed behind Soi Fon taichou on the ground with such force that cracks formed where he landed.

"Komamura….."

"I'm going to enjoy watching you suffer. Both of you, attack!"

Once again, upon command, I executed Kaede's order. But this time, Lomamura taichou was alongside me. we tirelessly went on the attack, trying our best to kill my captain. It was a miracle she lasted this long….Strike after strike and attack after attack, she was able to dodge most of it but it was inevitable that she took a few hits. I could tell though, she wasn't going to last much longer. She limped with every step she took and she was coughing out more blood as time passed. Obvious bruises surrounded her body and her movements had slowed dramatically.

'Sharpshooter….please….I don't want to hurt her! She's going to die…..why doesn't she fight back?'

'She loves you and doesn't want to hurt you….Keiko you've got to try too! Don't let Puppeteer control you!'

'I'm trying….it's just so hard…aaaahhhhhhhh!'

"Time to switch it up…"

"What did you say?" Kaede asked Soi Fon taichou.

"I….I wasn't talking to you…"

"HAHAHA. You've gone mental if you're talking to yourself…"

As both I and Komamura taichou rushed in on her, Soi Fon taichou stopped in her tracks. We were going in for the kill, when my sister gracefully made a corkscrew flip in mid-air. Even with numerous injuries, she was still as elegant as ever when she was still in the air and gently nudged me out of the way before she made a precise strike on Komamura taichou's neck, knocking him out cold in one swift move. That took years of practice as a master assassin, and even though I wasn't in control of myself, I could still admire the movement in my mind.

"Impressive," commended Kaede as Soi Fon taichou landed. "Even with so many hits taken you still managed to pull of such a manuever. Desperate times call for desperate measures eh? You could have been killed right there and then…..AHAHAHAHA!"

"You…..you give me too little credit….where….where there's a will, there's a way….." my sister struggled to reply as she gasped for air…..she really wasn't going to last much longer…..

'Taichou….don't do this…end me if you have to! I…..I can't bear to see you like this….'

'Keiko! Don't you dare say that! She's fighting for you…..why aren't you doing the same thing for her?'

'Sharpshooter…..I….I just can't….the pain of seeing her like this….it's just too much!'

"Well, I'm just about done playing. Keiko, finish her!"

"Yes Sir…."

I went on the attack once more and was my sister the easiest of targets. She was too injured to even put up a decent fight back. I leaned in with a series of rapid punches, but Soi Fon taichou continued to amaze me as she raised her forearms in quick succession to block the blows. Then, I tried to chain a few kicks together but once again, my sister managed to avoid getting hit as she raised her knees and covered I had targeted with her hands to shield herself from a direct hit. Then, she found an opening as she grabbed one of my legs in mid-motion, before using both of her hands to flip me quite a distance over as I landed hard on the ground, belly first. But, I had recovered quickly and before she knew it, I was up and ready for another round. This time, I tried a different approach. Running at Soi Fon taichou, I slid at the last moment to ram the base of my foot against her shin. This time, she didn't anticipate the move and she jumped as her shin broke upon contact and yelled in agony before she crashed to the floor.

"This is it….," Kaede said.

"Keiko…," Soi Fon taichou said as she lay in pain on the side of her body and covered her shin. Her face showed nothing but pure suffering as she cringed her body not knowing what form of torture Kaede was going to put her through next. "Don't do this! It's me! Your sister!"

"Why don't you give it up already? I told you, there's not a chance that she can hear you!"

"No! No! I don't believe it! I know you're in there somewhere Keiko! Fight back!"

Her screams for me to resist Puppeteer's control over were in vain. I was still a submissive servant of Kaede and I was unable to do a thing. I approached Soi Fon taichou and lifted her off the floor by grabbing her throat with a single hand as I tightened my grip.

"Kei…Kei….Keiko…..st….stop this…." my sister said as I continued to choke her with her hands staying by her side not having the energy to resist.

"HAHAHA. Your time is up!"

With that, I threw my sister up in the air before I timed a jumping roundhouse kick to perfection as I striked her ribs. I could hear the bones crack upon impact and Soi Fon taichou flew back as the blood flew from her mouth before she crashed into a building that was about ten or so metres back. There was no way that she was going to get up from this. I approached her ever so slowly only to find that she was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"I'm going to kill you now," I said like Kaede commanded me to through Sharpshooter.

"Too bad that I do not have a medic with me. Otherwise, I would have made you a slave of mine too. AHAHAHAHA!" Kaede said.

"You…..son….of a bitch….."

"Keiko, finish her."

"Yes Sir."

I approached my sister and placed Sharpshooyer's muzzle against the middle of her forehead. This was it. I witnessed that Soi Fon taichou had closed her eyes as tears fell down the side of her cheek, waiting for the end to come. Taichou…..I'm so sorry…

"Goodbye….Keiko….," my sister said ever so softly.

"Finish her now!"

'Keiko! Don't you dare pull that trigger!'

'I…..can't resist!'

'So that's it? You're not going to even out up a fight?'

'I'm trying my best here!'

'Soi Fon taichou has been fighting so that you would have the time to snap out of this. And here you are going to kill her? What's the matter with you!?'

'It's just so hard…no matter how much effort I put into it, Puppeteer won't budge!'

'Then try harder! So long as you have the will to do it then you can! You've been there for her before and does she ever need you now. And she did say that if you have the will then surely there will be a way. She's encouraging you to fight back…..show to her that all the faith she's placed in you wasn't in vain!'

'You're right…..Soi Fon taichou has always been there for me and likewise…..I have been and will always be there for her!'

'That's the spirit! I've seen you overcome the odds time and time again and I believe you can do it again. It's not the size of the girl in the fight but the size of the fight in the girl! Now go and expel Puppeteer from your body and finish Kaede off!'

'You can count on me Sharpshooter! And Soi Fon taichou…..I'll make him regret all that he's done to us! Just wait a little while longer….I'm coming…."

At this, I felt a tremendous surge in energy as the memories of the times I've shared with my sister began to flow through my head.

'Ah….AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

"Keiko, what are you doing!? Finish her now!"

"Kei…..ko?"

"Kaede…" I said as I slowly turned around and pointed Sharpshooter at him.

"Wha…how is this possible!?" he screamed in shock.

"You said that, Puppeteer's ability would make the target lose all of his or her five senses…."

"So what?"

"That's the thing. You didn't kill the person….so you can't take over the target's body entirely…..Neither did you take away the target's spirit of fight and willpower….You underestimate us…..I heard Soi Fon taichou calling for me….."

"Keiko…"

"And my weapon spirit calling for me too...reminding me that I still had to fight and never give up…So long as we are still conscious, we will fight back! Even if it's through oblivion!"

"You bitch…"

"Bakudo 61, Rikujokoro!" I yelled as I fired the rods of light to trap Kaede in position.

"What the…..let me go you bitch!"

"A pity….a strong bankai but a weak shinigami…"

"What did you say!?"

"Weak…."

"How dare you!?"

"Soi Fon taichou," I said as I turned around to face her.

"I'm sorry….for hurting you…..please forgive me," I bowed my head in shame and in apology as I spoke.

"It's….quite alright…." Soi Fon taichou replied. "I knew you'd make it through."

"Th…..thanks," I said as I teared a little in joy before I stuck a hand out to help my sister up. "Can you stand?"

"Barely…." she said as she grabbed my arm to pull herself up. "You'd better finish him off…..before he breaks free."

"Don't worry. I will. But taichou, hold on tight."

"Alright….."

"Get ready and rbace yourself…..BANKAI!"

My reiatsu swirled around me ever so violently as my bankai formed and I could feel Soi Fon taichou grabbing onto me with all her might. The pressure from my bankai was so intense that it had actually formed a crater that was at least a hundred metres deep with a radius of another kilometre or so, crippling the very foundation of many buildings.

"Wow…..that's strong….." Soi Fon taichou commended me.

"Sorry….and thanks…..ma'am….."

"It's fine."

"Ahhhhhh!" Kaede screamed as he tried his best to struggle and break free. He wasn't going anywhere though…..there was no way he could escape…..His eyes seemed to dart around all over the place, making him look as if he'd gone insane.

"Bye bye…you…." I stopped mid –sentence. "Taichou…..would you like to join me?"

"Haha," she struggled to smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Can you do it though?"

"Don't look down on me," she said in a rather cocky fashion as she smiled at me again.

"Haha, alright," I said as I reciprocated the smile with one of my own.

"Bankai!" my sister screamed as her reiatsu levels surged and her bankai formed. "Jakuho Raikoben!"

"Let's end this," she said.

"Yes ma'am!"

Goodbye, you bastard!" we said in unison.

Now that Kaede was a sitting duck, we fired our bankais simultaneously and damn was our combined power overwhelming. Not only was Kaede reduced to ashes upon contact, but our powers had destroyed about half of the entire of Seireitei, reducing it to a bareen wasteland that was void of any life at all.

"So long bitch…." I was about to hug my sister when I realized something.

"Taichou! Kaede's dead now and all…..but did we go overboard? I mean….those that were under his control….did we kill them as well?"

"Look at you looking all worried and all!" Soi Fon taichou laughed. "Don't worry…..I got a read of the place before we fired and I didn't sense anyone's presence in the area that was destroyed. I would have stopped you if I did."

"Oh…..alright then…." I said as I stood shocked.

"You're so cute when you do that," she said as she came over to tussle my hair. "It's all over now….so relax okay? Let's report back and await new orders."

"Yes ma'am!" I said with a wide smile on my face.

And just like that, it was all over. We powered down from pour bankais and with Soi Fon taichou barely able to walk now, she placed an arm over my shoulder as I supported her and we made our way ever so slowly back to makeshift headquarters to make our report. It was only a mtter of time now before the shinigamis would return home to Seireitei and I just couldn't wait for things to return to normal. I could finally return to a state of peace but I couldn't help but wonder….I"ve only been a shinigami for a rather short while yet I've done so much already…what was in store for me in the future? Well, I guess it didn't matter for as long as Soi Fon taIchou was at my side, I knew that no matter how rought the road ahead might be, I would always be the champion of my own future.

Thanks guys for reading this latest chapter! I know that it took quite a while to post this so apologies yeah? Been rather busy. Anyways, it's been fun writing so I hope you'll stay tuned for the final chapter in the story of Yagami Keiko's life so far! Once again, thanks for reading and let me know what you guys feel of the story!