Chapter 12: Success


Disclaimer: Not mine. Kubo Tite's.

A/N: SO sorry I took so long to update! Sometimes (all the time) life just takes you and slaps you around. This time, it was my sister's wedding, and now I'm in Korea.

Warning: Hectic battle scene coming up.

Chapter 12

Success

Caballero, true to his word, had returned.

All hell broke loose. Toushirou immediately took action, shoving a Soul Candy into his mouth and bursting out of his gigai, shouting at the gikongan inside his body to take Yuzu to safety. He took out a black watch-like device and shouted into it, "Requesting permission for limit release! ASAP!"

Karin, on the other hand, with her hot temper and eagerness to prove herself, grit her teeth and headed right to the center of the cluster of arrancar in the sky, where Caballero stood. Realizing far too late what she had done, Toushirou jumped up after her. However, Karin had increased drastically in speed than before, from Yoruichi's training.

Time seemed to slow down as his arm reached out to grip the back of her gray jacket of her uniform.

He fell short and was shortly overwhelmed by the other four arrancar. 'No, it's too reckless…! Karin!' he thought desperately.

Meanwhile, Karin, standing in the air, crossed her arms to face the gentleman arrancar.

"So you've come back?" She said coolly, though her thoughts inside were in tumult. He had absolutely no regard for the humans in this vicinity, especially her sister. Glancing back at the other arrancar, she added, "With more lackeys, to boot."

"Though I do not appreciate the way you refer to my companions," unnecessarily pretending to adjust his monocle mask, Caballero continued, "Of course. A gentleman must always keep his word."

"We could all do with fewer gentlemen in this world." Karin muttered.

"Oh, now my feelings are hurt." Caballero returned, though the wide smile on his face indicated otherwise. Upon seeing this, Karin narrowed her eyes.

"I'm warning you… You're wrong if you think I'm the same as when you ambushed me before." Karin said, and in a blink, she had disappeared from Caballero's line of sight. Nonetheless, the arrancar knew where she was and the corners of his lips curled up in delight.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me." He blocked her attack from behind with a single hand. "Your improvements, in terms of speed, are vast indeed. It took you a tenth of the time than it took you last time to react. And you also got behind me." Smile growing wider, he sighed dramatically and said in mock woe, "But I'm afraid it's still not quite enough."

Following Aizen's explicit command not to return without the girl, Caballero didn't play around this time, and used sonido to take his place back behind Karin, who spun around too late to block his blow to her neck. The world turned dark.

All the while, Toushirou was continuing to face the four arrancar who had surrounded him, blocking his way to Caballero and thus, Karin. Gritting his teeth, Toushirou ground out, "Get out of my way."

A pale-faced female arrancar to Toushirou's left laughed softly. "That sounded like a command. But we do not follow your commands." In fact, she rather looked like the type that gave commands; she had a starburst-shaped mask nestled in her hime-cut black hair. It looked rather like a tiara.

Another arrancar, whose gray bangs were held back with remains of his mask in the curious form of many little overlapping bones, on Toushirou's right grinned nastily and said, "That's big talk for a single small shinigami who's outnumbered, ah?"

The one in front of Toushirou was bald and had a mask circling round his head leaving his dark face bare and illuminating eyes that looked like they had black eyeliner around them. This one held out an arm, signaling to the others to hold back from attacking.

"Fighting by numbers is not our way. Also, I have a bone to pick with this one. So I'll hope you'll leave this shinigami to me." Though he phrased this as a request, it looked like anything but, as he looked around with threatening eyes, emphasized by what first appeared to be eyeliner, which upon closer inspection, actually turned out to be black tattoos around the contours of his eyes.

Two of the arrancar backed off, straightening from their fighting poses without protest, albeit reluctantly.

'From how they're following his orders, seems like eyeliner is the strongest…' Thought the captain.

But one remaining arrancar with no visible mask, who had been standing behind Toushirou, sneered at the one who had challenged the young captain, "I'll watch from the sidelines for now, but if you show the faintest signs of weakness…" His face expression said the rest.

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Toushirou turned back around to question the arrancar whom he had dubbed 'Eyeliner,' "I've never seen you in my life. Who are you and what grudge do you bear against me?"

The one who had tattooed eyes replied, "I am Sarcofago, the Octavo Espada." He held out a forearm tattooed with the number eight.

Inwardly, Toushirou cursed to himself at having an espada between him and Karin, along with the Segundo Espada. But he still didn't know why the arrancar bore a grudge.

The Espada spoke again. "You remember Mirra? The one you fought and killed last time?"

'What does the arrancar with the bandages have to do with the arrancar in front of me?' Toushirou thought irritably. As if reading Toushirou's mind, Sarcofago followed up swiftly.

"My full name is Sarcofago Hablar. Does my surname ring a bell?"

Flashback

"I'm Mirra Hablar, numeros 36."

Flashback End

The shinigami captain realized that he was facing off with the brother of Mirra. As soon as he remembered, Toushirou immediately bent into a fighting stance, which was almost too late, because Sarcofago had already started charging towards him. Toushirou brought up his sword just in time to block the sword attack. Though he thrust Sarcofago's sword off, it took no small effort, and Toushirou had to bring his sword up almost immediately again to block another heavy blow, which was even harder to handle. With gravity added to Sarcofago's already powerful hits, Toushirou knew he was at a disadvantage. When his sword was pushed down to the point that the blade nearly touched his face, Toushirou finally released Hyourinmaru. Inwardly he cursed the sticklers who still insisted on placing the gentai-rerin* (Soul limiting Seal) on every captain-class shinigami. He desperately waited for the sign allowing the limit release, and his companions, to take on the other arrancar.

'Matsumoto… Get here soon!'

*Gentai rerin = Seal limiting 80% of captains' and lieutenants' powers

Because they couldn't find a place to sleep, Izuru and Shuuhei had ended up staying at Urahara's candy shop, though they'd had to camp out on the basement training ground along with Renji, on account of the 'lack of space.' At least, according to shop owner.

The attack had occurred during the period that Ururu and Jinta were still at school.

Izuru had already woken up long ago, eaten both breakfast and lunch, and was even helping out around the shop in the absence of the two kids when he felt the arrancar reiatsu drop heavily into the human world.

Renji and Shuuhei were sleeping like logs (albeit snoring ones) when their cellphones rang the alarm. Immediately bolting awake, they grabbed their phones and shot up the ladder. Stopping only to trade grim looks, the three ran out of the shop. Urahara and Yoruichi stayed behind; they knew that three captains and three lieutenants, not to mention three other shinigami, were enough to fight off five arrancar. But Urahara felt uneasy nonetheless. 'I feel as if something will happen...'

Shutting the front door of the apartment as he returned from a day of classes at the university, Asano Keigo sighed. Mizuiro had left with older (and hotter) women yet again. Life was unfair, he plaintively thought. But he had his own friends. Or guests, no matter how unwanted and dangerous they were. Temporary guest-friends, Keigo decided to dub them as he headed towards the guest room, poised to ask if they were up for a friendly (not to mention unfair, as the two had never encountered a game console) game on the Xbox.

As he reached for the handle of the door, he yelped and leapt back with surprise upon hearing several hideous screeching noises coming through the door, followed immediately by the two unwanted guests bursting forth from the room and blowing past him out the front door. Which left Keigo standing alone in the apartment.

Granted, the guests had been unwanted, but that's because they weren't girls. No matter how girly one looked. Just because the guests themselves were unwanted didn't mean Keigo didn't want their company. At least that was how Keigo thought about it, anyways – it made sense in his head.

So after they rushed out, he stood alone, talking to the air. "Wow… no 'welcome back?'"

Life really was unfair to Asano Keigo.

The two female shinigami, along with Ichigo, jumped out of the window as soon as they heard the alarm.

All of the shinigami's cellphones reacted at the same time, and though they themselves felt the immense spiritual pressure, their cellphones informed them that the attack this time consisted of not one, not two, but no less than five Espada.

Toushirou, not knowing that he was surrounded by Espada, was nonetheless having trouble fighting. 'Where's Matsumoto? Where's Kurosaki? Kuchiki? What happened to those reinforcements?' Though Toushirou was an acknowledged swordsmaster, he avoided fighting in close range when he faced a physically stronger opponent, preferring only to get in close to deal a finishing blow. However, the arrancar he was facing off against gave him no chance to get, much less maintain, the distance he desired. Sarcofago kept closing in, keeping the smaller shinigami at a perpetual disadvantage.

For the umpteenth time, Toushirou thought impatiently, 'When is that limit release coming…?' Until the limit on his powers was lifted, he could only fight at a fifth of his full strength, which would be nowhere near enough to defeat this Espada. Irritated, his thoughts were filled with bile. 'Fat lot of help the reinforcements are.'

To slow down his opponent's movements, Toushirou threw the crescent moon blade attached to the chain on his zanpakutou like a boomerang in the little time he had between the clash of their swords. With a rattle, the crescent blade swung back, capturing and freezing Sarcofago's arms and sword. But it didn't last for long. With a snarl, Sarcofago easily broke the ice, using his hierro (steel skin).

"Is this all you've got?" Sarcofago scoffed. He lunged and the two locked blades once again. "I'm surprised you beat my brother at all, little shinigami."

With an effort, Toushirou managed to ignore the jab at his size and held his ground. Suddenly jerking his sword away from the deadlock, he caused Sarcofago to stumble forward. Toushirou took this chance to swing Hyourinmaru in an attempt to freeze his opponent again. Though Sarcofago dodged, from a distance, the maskless arrancar shifted restlessly with an angry expression on his face.

Noticing this and becoming simultaneously angered and nervous for reasons unknown to Toushirou, Sarcofago shouted, "I'll finish this off once and for all!" He pointed his sword at Toushirou. "Entiérrelo*, Ataúd*!"

*Entiérrelo = bury him

*Ataúd = coffin

Though Toushirou leapt back instinctively, at first, it didn't seem as though anything was happening. Not made the youngest captain for nothing, however, Toushirou remained wary, which was just as well, because after a few moments, with a rumbling sound, countless rocks ranging from the size of pebbles to boulders rose in the air to surround their summoner. Too late, Toushirou realized that he should have attacked beforehand. He did so now, even as more rocks rose from the ground. As the arrancar pointed his sword straight towards Toushirou, the suspended rocks pelted in the shinigami's direction. Rushing in towards Sarcofago, it was the same as rushing in towards the attack, and as he couldn't change direction mid-motion, Toushirou had no way to avoid the maelstrom of rocks. He had time to glimpse what he recognized as Caballero's solitary figure in the distance over Sarcofago's shoulder before the rocks slammed into him. What had happened to Karin?

The rocks hurled Toushirou back into the wall of a building, burying him under the mass of boulders mixed with rocks and dirt. After a rain of dust and rocks, all was still.

Sarcofago eyed the unmoving mound with disdain. "This is all you amounted to, huh? I grieve for my brother, who lost to scum like this." He turned his back on the pile of rocks and said to his companions, "Let's go back."

"Stop!"

Ichigo had arrived at the scene of havoc first. He looked round, saw a pile of boulders, spied five arrancar – all of whom were Espada, he knew from Rukia's cellphone – and among them, the previously lone Caballero holding what looked like an unconscious Karin. The gentleman spared one hand to tip his white top hat in what seemed like a cordial manner towards him; except Ichigo knew better.

"Karin!" He cried out.

Rukia and Rangiku arrived moments later. They looked around and saw the same thing Ichigo did, though Rangiku focused on something else. She couldn't see her captain, but she could still feel his presence.

Sure enough, the crumbled pile of rocks shifted slightly; then a particularly large boulder froze and shattered, revealing an injured Hitsugaya Toushirou. He had frozen himself just in time, preventing the boulders from crushing him under their weight.

"Taichou!" Rangiku cried out. She ran out to him as he staggered out of the pile of rubble. His eyes frantically scanned for Karin's gray uniform, and saw it flicker into his sight in Caballero's arms. He could have sworn that before the rocks had crashed into him that Caballero had been alone. He gripped the transmitter that gave him contact to Soul Society. It crackled to life and he heard, 'Permission granted.'

He almost sagged with relief. His voice was faint as he said, "They finally… gave the permit..."

Rangiku realized immediately what her captain was talking about. Giving a weak smile to her captain despite her worry, she said, "You'd think they'd learn after the first time."

"It's been four years since Espada have set foot here. The Science Department's gotten soft." Toushirou reminded her with a grimace of pain.

The first time an Espada had led numeros to unexpected attack on Karakura, and 80% of the shinigami's powers had been sealed; it had taken ages for the Science Department to give the permission to the shinigami who had encountered arrancar for the first time. Because of the Science Department's late response, they had almost lost the battle then.

Now the 10th Division Captain pulled at the front of his hakama, opening it slightly, drawing a circular sign on his chest to release the seal. Rangiku and Rukia quickly followed suit. On the Toushirou and Matsumoto's chests the seal's light shined to briefly reveal a daffodil, the insignia of 10th division. On Rukia's, a snowdrop, the insignia of the 13th division, appeared.

"Limit release!" They all yelled.

The three shinigami heading from the Urahara premises felt the sudden release of spiritual power. They too drew a circular sign on their chests; marigolds shined on Renji and Izuru's chests, while a buttercup shined on Shuuhei's.

"Limit release!"

The female arrancar turned around sharply at the release of spiritual pressure, cocking an eyebrow at the shinigami now at full strength. "Sarcofago, it seems that your follow-through needs some work."

The man with gray hair said hungrily, "There are others now, ah?" He licked his lips and grinned. "Itadakimasu!" (thanks for the meal)

In an alarmingly short amount of time, he was crouching in front of Rangiku and Toushirou. Eying them both with a positively hungry look on his face, he tilted his head and drawled, "I guess I'll choose the fresher meat, ah? This one's too beat up, ah." He nodded towards Toushirou. He turned towards the uninjured Rangiku, whose hand immediately went to her zanpakutou. "With more meat to her, as well. I'll water you well, my rose, ah?" He leered.

Rangiku looked at him with disdain, and she pulled out Haineko and released her shikai. "Oh please. Don't you know that every rose has its thorns?"

Toushirou on the other hand, was searching in what was rapidly turning into a battlefield for other signs of Caballero. Last he had seen the arrancar, he had been holding Karin. Finally, Toushirou found the distinctive top hat, but Caballero was again alone. Had the rocks addled his brain and caused him to see things? Karin was nowhere in sight. Caballero stood by himself. Fighting back his panic, he tried to convince himself that she had somehow gotten away; he failed. He berated himself for being so weak as to want to believe something that he knew that Karin couldn't - no, wouldn't - do. Glancing at Rangiku, who nodded in return, he trusted his lieutenant to take care of the opponent before her, approached his opponent himself. He had been a fool for attempting to take on an Espada without using bankai in the first place, Toushirou thought bitterly. He remedied his mistake now, thrusting Hyourinmaru up towards the heavens and releasing his bankai.

"Daiguren Hyourinmaru!"

Water particles rapidly gathered around Toushirou's limbs and shoulder blades, solidifying and forming claws and wings that stretched into a tail of ice. Three ice flowers with four petals each also materialized behind him. Sarcofago greeted him with another clash of blades, and was dismayed to find Toushirou had become much faster and stronger, and that his hierro no longer worked.

The seemingly maskless arrancar took a single step forward and disappeared, reappearing in front of Ichigo.

"Orange hair. Large zanpakutou." His amber eyes closely examined the shinigami in question. "You're Kurosaki Ichigo." he stated.

Undeterred by the scrutiny, Ichigo wordlessly flash-stepped past the arrancar.

Eyes flashing dangerously, the spurned arrancar turn around, and performed sonido in return so he was back in front of Ichigo. Ignoring the arrancar again, Ichigo didn't only take one step, but sped forward. But amber eyes blocked his path all the way through.

Stopping, Ichigo said in a quiet voice, "Sorry, but I'll fight you later, after I get my sister back."

Stretching his neck in a rather serpentine way, the amber-eyed arrancar replied, "I don't think so." He added in with an ominous glint in his eyes, "Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo's patience gauge reached an all time low and his temper flared. "Move!"

Raising her eyebrows, the female arrancar too, used sonido and bent her head close to Ichigo's and whispered in his ear, "Why do you not force him to move with your sword?"

She smiled and easily dodged Ichigo's agitated horizontal sword swipe.

The maskless arrancar said in a warning tone, "Clara. He's mine."

She replied, "I was encouraging him to fight you, if you please. You should be thanking me." Having said that, she glided over to Rukia.

The two were of similar stature, but their poses were very different. Rukia's stance was firm and ready for fight; Sode no Shirayuki was out and released. Clara looked like the epitome of politeness, and her zanpakutou remained in its sheath as well. Clara smiled and bowed to Rukia, with only a hint of mocking in her movements. "Well, let us introduce ourselves, as is your shinigami custom, I believe. If I may be so rude to introduce myself first, I am Clara Luz, the Novena Espada."

Though Rukia had a strong personality, she got swept into her enemy's pace. "I am Kuchiki Rukia, lieutenant of the 13th Division."

Ikkaku and Yumichika were the second group to arrive. Ikkaku groaned when it seemed that all the arrancar were taken. Ichigo spotted him and shouted, "Ikkaku! Come help me out here! I need to get to Karin!"

Appeased in no time, Ikkaku cheerfully roared back, "Thought you'd never ask!"

At this, the arrancar hissed, revealing his mask at last, as pointy fangs. "You dare to relegate me to another shinigami like some boring task, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

But the shinigami he directed the tirade to had shot off towards Caballero; he found himself facing an entirely different shinigami. Landing in front of the arrancar lightly, Ikkaku grinned with anticipation of the upcoming battle. "Sorry, but you'll just have to settle for the best. I'm Madarame Ikkaku, 3rd seat of the 11th division."

All this time, Caballero had been watching the scene complacently. As Ichigo approached, his blood ran cold; Caballero no longer held Karin.

The trio from Urahara's house came at last, and by then it looked like the Winter War all over again.

"Shit. What's going on?"

Seeing Rukia hard-pressed up against her opponent, Renji went to help her.

Shuuhei spotted Rangiku facing off against an arrancar by herself, bleeding from a forehead wound, and shot off in her direction at once. Placing himself in between Rangiku and the enemy, he called out, "Are you alright, Rangiku-san?"

She shouted something back, but he couldn't hear. When he narrowly avoided being speared by the man with gray hair, Shuuhei realized that Rangiku had been trying to warn him. It had been his long-time dream of saving Rangiku, whom he imagined every time as a damsel in distress, but he'd never gotten the chance; she was too strong. Here his chance had come, but he was already embarrassing himself. Immediately he released his zanpakutou, shouting the shikai command he hated so much, "Kare (reap), Kazeshini!"

Holding the two double-ended scythes in both hands and examining his opponent, Shuuhei introduced himself. "I'm Hisagi Shuuhei, Captain of the 9th division. Who are you?"

The arrancar had a glint in his eye as he looked past the 9th division captain. Shuuhei didn't like it; he knew what – or who – the arrancar was looking at as he licked his lips. Without looking at Shuuhei, the arrancar asked, "What's it to you, ah?"

Snorting, Shuuhei replied, "Because it's polite to introduce yourself. But if you'd rather not -" he was interrupted by raucous laughter.

"According to the other Espada, I don't even have table manners! So why should I polite enough to introduce myself, ah?" He finally looked at Shuuhei and smirked. "But just so you'll know who killed you, I'm De-Pie Pescados, ah." As he finished his sentence, he attacked.

Meanwhile, Ichigo confronted Caballero. "What have you done with Karin?" Ichigo growled.

Shrugging, Caballero said in a nonchalant tone, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play fool with me! You were just holding her! What have you done with her?"

Caballero smiled underneath the brim of his hat. In truth, he had purposely let Ichigo glimpse his younger sister. Or to be precise, an afterimage of her. Oh, the delights of tormenting shinigami.

Karin woke to something cold dripping onto her face. She opened her eyes and it seemed like she was in a damp dungeon; which explained the cold dripping – it must have been water. Moving to wipe it off, a clanking noise and some force prevented her. She was chained to a wall. At this discovery, she sat up abruptly and regretted it immediately; her head and neck ached in a way that reminded her of the time she'd gotten whiplash. Except this felt a hundred times worse.

Where was she?

A/N: Sorry to end at such a cliffhanger ^^

To keep track of all the new characters I've created, I present to you, my readers… Cue drumroll…

The Arrancar Profiles!

...

Name: Caballero Sonriete Asesino (Gentleman Smiling Assassin)

Rank: 2nd Espada

Mask Remnant: Monocle

Zanpakutou: Unknown

Resurrecion: Unknown

...

Name: Unknown

Rank: Unknown (hint, the arrancar are in order of rank)

Mask Remnant: Fangs

Zanpakutou: Unknown

Resurrecion: Unknown

...

Name: Sarcofago Hablar (Sarcophagus Speaking)

Rank: 8th Espada

Mask Remnant: Around his face

Zanpakutou: Ataúd, (coffin)

Attacks: Entiérrelo (bury him)

Resurrecion: Unknown

...

Name: Clara Luz (Light) [Clara derived from Claro (clear)]

Rank: 9th Espada

Mask Remnant: Starburst-shaped tiara in her hair

Zanpakutou: Unknown

Resurrecion: Unknown

...

Name: De-Pie Pescados [Standing Fish]

Rank: 10th Espada

Mask Remnant: Headband of little overlapping bones

Zanpakutou: Unknown

Resurrecion: Unknown

...

Name: Mirra Hablar (Mummy Speaking) [deceased]

Rank: Numeros #36

Mask Remnant: Bones around his forehead

Zanpakutou: Vendajes (Bandages)

Resurrecion: Envolvió (Entwine)

Resurrecion effects: Bones stretch to make him look more mummy-like. Bones wrap around the opponent.