Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Chapter 11: The Magician's Tricks

Soifon appeared in front of the training arena in the Seireitei. She then took a deep breath, getting ready for the upcoming fight. Lady Yoruichi give me strength. She thought.

As soon as she thought this, Adalberto Ahogarse appeared in front of her. "You've got some nerve, dragging your killer across the Seireitei. And just to get to an area with more space?" Adalberto said, annoyed.

Soifon smirked. "I did it to give me an advantage, the more space I have, the better my flash step is."

Soifon drew her Zanpakutō. "And let me tell you something, Arrancar: Combining flash step with my Zanpakutō...lets just say that it's quite the deadly combination."

Adalberto drew his Zanpakutō. "Then prove it." He said, challengingly.

Soifon then called out. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

The till-now unreleased Zanpakutō started to glow and shrink in size. It eventually stopped glowing and took the shape of a gauntlet with what looked like a hornet's stinger on the front. "Now then, come at me!" She shouted, threateningly.

Ichigo and Gabriel stared at each other, with Gabriel looking at him in shock and disbelief, while Ichigo looked at him with a murderous intent. "Well?" Ichigo inquired.

"Well what?" Gabriel asked, annoyed.

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" Ichigo asked.

Ichigo raised his spiritual pressure to emphasize how angry he was. "I said: What...the hell...are you doing...to my lieutenant?" He repeated.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" He replied. "I was going to kill her."

Ichigo increased his spiritual pressure even more, due to his anger increasing. "Really? Then I hope you understand that I'm not gonna let you do that!"

Gabriel smirked. "Oh, I see. You're one of those incredibly protective captain's that put their subordinates safety above their own."

Ichigo screamed in anger and swung again. Gabriel simply jumped backwards. "She's not just a subordinate." Ichigo said angrily. "She's a friend that I just so happen to owe a lot dating back to the day I became a Soul Reaper."

Rukia gasped at this. Did Ichigo really think he was still indebted to her? Gabriel just chuckled. "This should be fun."

At that moment, Byakuya and Renji appeared on both sides of the wounded Rukia. "Ichigo!" Renji called out.

Ichigo turned and grinned. "Don't worry, I got this one. Just take Rukia to safety, both of you."

Byakuya nodded. "Lets go Renji."

The two took the bleeding body of Rukia and used flash step to get away. Ichigo looked at Gabriel, who was smiling. "Wipe that smile off your face, or I'm going to make your death even more painful." Ichigo said angrily.

Gabriel chuckled. "Such anger, you should really calm down otherwise, you're never going to have a chance against me. Not that I mind, of course."

"Shut up!" Ichigo screamed, charging Gabriel.

Akio Yamamoto's expression instantly changed from worried to serious the minute he felt the increase in spiritual pressure in two different areas. He had been in outside of the Squad 13 Barracks and had only recently learned from a messenger of the progress being made against the invaders. He recognized one of the spiritual pressures. "That's Ichigo," he said to himself. "He should be fine."

The other one was a unrecognizable. It was definitely on the level of a captain, but he wasn't sure. That's where I'll go. He thought. Where there's an increase in spiritual pressure, there's a powerful enemy that's being fought.

"Akio!"

Akio turned to see Captain Ukitake standing behind him. The worry on his face was evident. "Where are you going?" He asked.

Akio had a look about him that Ukitake had never seen before. The kindness that radiated in his eyes seemed to disappear. When Ukitake gazed at them, he did not see anything happy in a soul that he thought was joyful by nature. He was instantly reminded of Squad 10 Captain Hitsugaya, and the serious face he had in his eyes whenever he was in battle (of course, he had that face all time, but that was beside the point). "Don't you sense it? Ichigo's fighting someone. Someone else is fighting another intruder. I'm going to the latter." He said, his voice no longer pertaining in kindness, but rather a dark seriousness.

Ukitake couldn't help but feel scared. The complete 180 degree shift in Akio's personality was surprising. "You don't think that the other person can win?" Ukitake asked.

Akio shook his head. "It's not that," he said flatly. "I know Ichigo can win. However, I don't know the fighting ability of the other. I'm going that way."

With that, Akio used flash step and disappeared, leaving a frightened Ukitake behind. Was that really Akio? Ukitake thought.

Head Captain Yamamoto stood in his office, watching as the last of the Menos Grande was destroyed. And now, all we can do is hope that the leaders are being dealt with. He thought.

A hell butterfly then flew into the office. "State your business." Yamamoto ordered.

"Sir this is the Punishment Force. We have a serious situation!" Came a frantic voice.

"What might that be?" Yamamoto asked, slightly surprised.

"Sir, we discovered the hell butterfly that accompanies Captain Soifon in Northeast section of the Seireitei without Captain Soifon!" The frantic voice shouted again.

Yamamoto sighed in annoyance. This man had to have been a new recruit. A veteran member of the Punishment Force would know that Captain Soifon can handle herself and that nobody from either Squad 2 or the Punishment Force has to worry about her. Nevertheless, Yamamoto had to reassure the young man. However, he heard another voice on the other end. This one was much fainter and seemed to be scolding the man. "Idiot!" The other voice shouted. "I told you but not to contact him!"

"But Hayate..." Began the other voice.

"Captain Soifon is fine Katashi!" Shouted the man named Hayate.

Katashi grumbled a bit before speaking again. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Head Captain."

"Your concern is understandable, boy." Yamamoto said. "However, it would be in your best interest to discover Captain Soifon's whereabouts."

"Yes Head Captain." Katashi replied.

With that, the hell butterfly flew off. Yamamoto sighed sadly. "Captain Kurosaki was right, we cannot get a moment of peace here." He said to himself, remembering what Ichigo had said to him during the shapeshifter incident.

Ichigo swung Zangetsu, screaming out: "Getsuga Tenshō!"

A burst of blue spirit energy was fired at Gabriel. Gabriel, knowing he could not defend such an attack, simply used sonido to move out of the way. He then saw Ichigo move in from behind with flash step and was barely able to block the large blade. "Guess you're not as strong as some of the others I've fought." Ichigo said confidently. "Most guys I fight actually defend themselves from that attack!"

Gabriel glared at him. "I'll show you how strong I am!"

Gabriel jumped back and fired a cero. Ichigo simply cut it. "You see what I mean, buddy?" Ichigo asked.

Gabriel was infuriated. True, he had indeed underestimated the orange-haired Soul Reaper's ability. But he had no right to call him weak. Especially when he hasn't even seen his Resurrección yet. Oh well, that's about to change. He thought.

Gabriel started to twirl his Zanpakutō. "Very well, Captain Kurosaki, since you've mocked my abilities, I say this: I run the show, and I'm going to end it right now." He said angrily.

He then shouted out. "Enter, Mágico!"

With that, he was covered in smoke. Ichigo instantly noted that it was similar to how a magician would appear on stage. He instantly realized what the guy was going to look like and it took all his willpower not to laugh as Gabriel emerged in his Resurrección. He looked like a cross between a jester and a magician. The outfit was pure silver, he had his own magic wand, and he was grinning confidently at Ichigo. As soon as he saw the grin, Ichigo completely lost it. He laughed so hard he started to cry. If Gabriel wasn't mad before, then he was certainly mad now. "Don't you dare laugh at my Resurrección!" He shouted angrily. "It's much more powerful then you think!"

Ichigo just laughed. "Oh yeah!" He managed to say. "I'm sure it is!"

Gabriel decided to act at that moment. With a wave of his hand, several daggers materialized and floated in the air. With another wave of his hand, they flew at Ichigo. Ichigo stopped laughing and started to block the daggers. However, one managed to get past his defense and cut him across the arm. Ichigo cried out briefly and then clutched his left arm. Gabriel laughed. "See, Captain? You totally underestimated me!"

Ichigo shook his head. "The cuts not that deep, so don't get all high and mighty on me Houdini." He said mockingly.

Ichigo charged Gabriel. Gabriel smirked and disappeared. Ichigo looked around to see several different Gabriel's appearing. "Now then, Captain, answer this question. Which one of us is the real Gabriel Fortunato and which one is an illusion?" The copies asked in unison.

Ichigo smirked. "That's easy, I'll just cut you all down until I find the real one!"

With that, Ichigo started doing exactly what he said he'd do. However, after destroying the tenth, he found himself being encased in a box. The copies then started to disappear until the real Gabriel was revealed. "Thank you, Captain, for falling into my trap."

He then gestured to the Seireitei and spoke as if he were giving a performance. "Ladies and gentleman, for my next trick, I am going to make Captain Ichigo Kurosaki disappear permanently!"

Gabriel pointed to the box Ichigo was trapped in. "What Captain Kurosaki is trapped in at the moment is something I'd like to call: Cuadro de la Quema. And yes, it is highly flammable."

Gabriel then pointed his wand at the box and started to twirl it in a circle. "Captain Kurosaki has until the count of three to escape. If he does not, he burns."

Ichigo's eyes widened upon hearing this. Crap. He thought. I've got to get out of here.

Gabriel started the count. "One..."

Ichigo sighed. Do I really have to do it? He thought.

Gabriel continued the count. "Two..."

Ichigo nodded silently. Yep, no choice, I just hope I don't lose control. He thought.

Gabriel smirked. "Three..."

Gabriel's wand created fire. However, the box exploded before the fire reached it. In fact, the fire was quickly blown away. Gabriel's eyes widened. Ichigo Kurosaki was standing there, his Zanpakutō no longer a giant blade, but instead it was... "Tensa Zangetsu." Ichigo said, introducing the black blade.

Gabriel looked at it. So that's his Bankai? Surprising, yes. A threat, hopefully no. He thought.

"You know something Houdini?" Ichigo asked.

Gabriel glared at him. "What?" He replied.

Ichigo smirked. "I honestly hate your guts. First, you've got the nerve to come here and hurt Rukia. Then you try and use a pretty low strategy try and kill me."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. What strategy could that possibly be? He thought.

Ichigo pointed at him. "You think you're an amazing showman. But you know what I think? I think you're a cowardly, pathetic loser, who's too gutless to fight his opponents head on."

Ichigo played back Gabriel's attacks in his mind. "The reason you've been using illusions and long-ranged attacks, is so you don't have to fight me directly Something I can tell you hate doing. Especially when you know how strong your opponent is."

Gabriel grimaced upon hearing this. "For that reason," Ichigo said, bringing his hand to his face. "I'm not going to show you any mercy, for Rukia and every other Soul Reaper who's had the misfortune of facing someone as pathetic and annoying as you."

Ichigo ran his hand across his face and what happened next surprised Gabriel. A Hollow mask materialized over his face. What kind of power is that? It's like the mask that Quincy that comes to Las Noches wears. Gabriel thought.

Ichigo then fired a cero at Gabriel, who barely had enough time to dodge. Dammit, he even has the power of a Hollow. Gabriel thought, his fear starting to increase.

Ichigo then screamed out in a Hollow-like voice. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

A burst of spiritual energy was fired from Ichigo's blade. Gabriel instantly noticed that it was more powerful then the last and dodged it with sonido. "That's it, forget the king's orders, I've got to get out of here before it's curtains for me!" He shouted.

With that, Gabriel started to flee from the fight by flying out of the Seireitei. He looked back and smiled when he didn't see Ichigo. Looks like I'm coming out of this alive. He thought happily.

He then looked back ahead and was met with a horrifying surprise. The masked Ichigo was right in front of him. Gabriel froze in fear and at that moment, Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu at him. Gabriel was cut so deep he was nearly cut in two. "Sorry Houdini," Ichigo said. "But there will be no disappearing act today."

Gabriel Fortunato started to fall back down to the ground below. As he fell and slowly lost consciousness, one thought crossed his mind. I guess the show's over...

Ichigo watched as Gabriel hit the ground. He then saw his spiritual pressure fade to nothing. He removed his mask and couldn't help but smile. "I guess I don't have to start at square one with this mask."

Ichigo took one last look at the body and said disdainfully. "Show's over."

Adalberto Ahogarse stood victoriously as Soifon laid before him, severely wounded. "I've done it!" He exclaimed. "I defeated a captain!"

Adalberto then noticed something else. "Gabriel's spiritual pressure is gone." He observed.

Adalberto couldn't help the smile that passed his lips. "That's good. I'm glad someone finally shut that idiot up."

Adalberto started walking towards the wounded captain. "Now then, it's time to finish you off, Squad 2 Captain."

Adalberto then felt a new spiritual pressure. He then took a quick glance behind him. "I can sense you, you know."

Akio Yamamoto was sitting on the floor of the training arena. "You can, eh?" He inquired, grinning. "And I thought I did a good job masking it."

Akio got up. Adalberto studied him for a moment. He then noticed the lieutenant's badge he wore. "You're a lieutenant?" He asked.

Akio nodded. "Yes, I am."

Akio gestured to himself. "I am Squad 13 Lieutenant Akio Yamamoto. Nice to meet you."

A.N: And now Akio enters the fray. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.