Alright, moving right along.... Once again, I'm not so good at battle sequences, do forgive me... And don't worry, everyone meets up in the next chapter! (Which I plan to post fairly soon... !!) I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 11
"Bankai."
Flames exploded. Grimmjow howled in pain as they crawled up his arms faster than he could leap away, frantically trying to put out the fire. Sora looked up in shock at his older twin, his teal eyes wide as he stared up at him.
But… how?.! Yoru never reached bankai at home! We always trained together! Is it possible that he kept this from me? But… why would he do that?
The flames whirled up into the distant ceiling, and then spun out and away from the center. Sora looked in awe upon the form of his twin, his eyes shimmering in the faint reflection of the flames.
Yoru stood confident and straight in the center of the depression in the floor, his hand easily holding the huge scythe aloft. Looks wise, Kogasu hadn't changed much at all, the only addition was the chain at the end of the staff, a spiked ball hanging from the chain that Yoru held in his hands. Yoru himself was only a little different as well, his top extending to resemble their father's coat when he used bankai, Yoru's sleeves missing and a gleam in his eyes.
"Hinote no Oni. This is it, Grimmjow. Now I'm ready to fight for real."
Sora blinked as his sibling said the name of his bankai. Kogasu isn't in the words… a bankai that has an entirely different name from that of it's shikai. That's not something that I've ever seen…
Grimmjow grinned evilly, clenching his claws. "About time, whelp. I've been waiting for a good fight like this for decades."
Yoru frowned at that, clutching the staff of Hinote no Oni a little tighter. He glanced towards Sora, his eyes softening a little as he noticed that his twin was alright, but then his vision went back to Grimmjow.
The orange-head held Hinote no Oni out in front of him, the blade pointed towards Grimmjow. "Come, Grimmjow. It's time to finish this."
The panther Hollow needed no encouragement; he leapt forward on all fours, running towards the boy with his claws extended. Yoru began to spin the chain mace he held lightly in his left hand, swinging it in front of him and then behind. Grimmjow dodged to the as the mace passed dangerously close to his side, and then leapt forward.
Yoru easily anticipated the move, swinging the curved blade of Hinote no Oni back towards the Hollow, the tip gouging it's way across Grimmjow's back. The Hollow howled in pain, pointing his elbow towards Yoru and shooting off the spines hidden there. The boy let out a gasp, leaping backwards and barely avoiding them, one hitting him solidly in the right shoulder.
The shockwave from the spine sent shudders through the boy's body, and he nearly lost his grip on the staff of his zanpaktou. He held on tightly, whipping Hinote no Oni around to throw the mace in Grimmjow's direction again.
Sora watched in shock from his spot on the floor, not wanting to get up and get in the way. He was in awe as he watched his twin fight back the powerful Espada, his bankai whirling around him. He could feel Koorimasu purring in delight at the feel of Hinote no Oni's power, and he also heard his twin's zanpaktou reveling in the fight.
It was quite the sight to see.
A wave of energy from some other part of the castle made Sora look up in shock. I know that reiatsu... 'Gichi! The power receded shortly after, and then Sora looked up to meet Yoru's teal eyes. Understanding passed between them, and Yoru turned back to the battle.
He raised Hinote no Oni, whirling the weapon above his head in a circle. Fire started to gather around the zanpaktou, spiraling up and into the ceiling. Sora's eyes widened as a tornado of fire began to appear, thundering towards Grimmjow.
The Hollow had no time; the flames consumed him.
Yoru was panting heavily as he leaned against the staff of his zanpaktou, the end of it lodged against the cracked ground. The fire began to clear, and Yoru felt relief flood him as he saw the collapsed form of Grimmjow, his released form gone.
Hinote no Oni evaporated, and Yoru sheathed the sealed Kogasu, slouching back towards his brother. "Are you okay?'
Sora blinked, and then smiled. "Yea. I'm fine. Just a little scratch, nothing I can't handle."
Yoru felt the tension drain out of him, and Sora ran forward to catch him as he faltered, an arm wrapped up under his twin's arms. "Yoru, are you okay?'
"Yea..." Yoru murmured. "I'm okay. I just need a little rest. That's the first real time I've used my bankai in battle."
"When did you get that?" Sora asked, his teal eyes narrowed. "I don't remember you telling me that."
Yoru chuckled. "I wanted to surprise you."
Sora sighed, rolling his eyes. "Idiot. Now come on, something's happening, and I think that Papa and Dad need us. You felt that, right?'
"'Gichi? Yea, I felt it. It just..." Yoru frowned, walking with Sora.
"Yea..." Sora finished. "I know what you mean. It felt... wrong."
Yoru straightened, carefully breathing out. "Come on, let's get going."
Sora looked back towards where Grimmjow was crumpled against the ground. "What about him?"
"I didn't kill him." Yoru said. "He'll be fine after some healing and a long rest. At this point it's the most we can do; I don't want to kill him. It just... doesn't feel right. Now come on, we need to get going."
The younger twin nodded, following his brother as they headed away from the destruction of the area. He felt his body growing cold as he focused onto the faint star of what was now Ogichi's reiatsu and not his father's, a shiver running through him.
"I really don't like this..." Sora whispered as they walked through the dark halls. "I've never felt 'Gichi like this before. It's all wrong, too dark and too... too..." He faded off in frustration, unable to figure out what to call it.
Yoru supplied it for him, his voice dark. "Animal."
Sora shivered again, but said nothing, only reached out to grip his twin's hand.
Hinote no Oni means "Flames of the Demon" I translated it online, so if it's totally awful, forgive me! It sounds cool though.... I figured that since Yoru's zanpaktou is named Kogasu, which means "to burn" that this would be a good step up.
