Chapter 14

"Are we there yet...?"

"No."

"..."

"Are we there yet?"

"No!!"

"Relax guys, we'll be out of here as soon as we found an exit out of this place."

Adam, Senka, Renji, and Rukia were still on the run trying to avoid capture from other Soul-Reapers, Adam wasn't sure where they were going once they got far but it had to be somewhere safe where no one can find Rukia and hurt her ever again. As they kept running and turned a corner since Adam had taken point, he stopped abruptly and the two Soul-Reapers behind him bumped into his back.

"Hey Adam, why did you just stop-" Senka stopped.

Senka, Renji, and Rukia peeked over Adam's shoulder to see a dark-skinned man wearing shades, Adam's eyes had widen from the shock, he narrowed his eyes at him before pulling out Koutei Tora in a fast motion and aiming at him.

"MUGEN HAKAI!!"

The energy tiger pounced at the person, making smoke rise from the air, Adam sighed in relief only to feel a chill down his spine, then Adam quickly pushed Senka and Renji back and before he knew it, a blade had pierced itself in through his chest, Adam looked down at himself before looking up weakly at the man with the shades.

"Captain Tosen!" stuttered Renji.

"Adam!!" shouted Rukia.

Adam had jumped away from the sword, wincing as it roughly came out of his body, Adam coughed up blood and glared weakly at the man, the man known as Tosen did not say anything, he simply pulled out a long white cloth and made the cloth spiraled around them all. Adam knew that something bad was about to happen, so he pushed Senka out and right before he went to get Renji and Rukia, it was too late and Adam, Renji, and Rukia were shrouded in the darkness.

Adam pulled out Koutei Tora just in case there was an attack in the darkness but the second it started, it was already over and the white cloth disappeared to reveal that they were back at the Sokyoku, only the place was wrecked up from where Ichigo and Byakuya were. But it was found empty, destroyed but empty, finally getting some attention, Adam looked back at the dark-skinned man.

"HEY! What did you do?!" Adam demanded.

"..." he didn't answer.

"Welcome, Renji." said another voice.

Adam, Renji, and Rukia look behind to see two people, Adam's eyes widen to see a familiar face with Gin Ichimaru, the very face thought to be dead and all Soul Society blamed Adam for , in front of him stood a well and alive Sosuke Aizen. He has a gentle smile across his face but Adam knew that behind that good smile, there was something wicked in his intentions and Adam knew there was no good from it.

Gin Ichimaru noticed Adam and gave him a creepy smile along with a small wave, Adam narrowed his eyes a bit but couldn't cover the shock that was presented on his face , it was unreal, the dead man was alive and standing before them.

"Captain Aizen ?! It can't be... You were presented dead!" Renji whispered in shock.

"Put down Rukia Kuchiki and step back." ordered the man named Aizen.

Meanwhile with everyone else

A message was broadcasted and everyone could only listen before the shock came over them, three captains had been declared at traitors, Central 46 had been massacred, Captain Hitsugaya had been defeated and Hinamori was found half-dead. A true shock, finally the message was over and everyone stood there for a moment, Ichigo was being helped by Ganju.

"Was that true, just now?" asked Ichigo. "Yeah, it could be an enemy trap."

"No... It seems it is true." Uryu whispered. "Don't you sense it, Ichigo? The spirit energy that just appeared on the Sokyoku?"

Ichigo gave a moment of pause and felt through the air before his eyes widen to feel three familiar reiatsu's, his head shot up towards the hill of Sokyoku.

"Rukia!! Adam!!"

Sokyoku

"What?" asked Aizen.

"You heard me... I refuse," Adam tells him "I refuse to let you do what you want with Rukia."

"I see..." he whispers, still smiling.

Adam narrowed his eyes as they flashed silver, his brows furrowed when Adam saw Gin put his hand on the hilt of his sword in a manner to fight him but instead, Aizen ordered him to stay and started to step forward, Adam gritted his teeth and aimed Koutei Tora towards the approaching captain, he could hear Renji getting ready to fight as well.

"You truly are a very stubborn ryoka, along with Renji. If you don't want to leave Rukia and step away, then I guess it can't be helped. We'll take your feelings into consideration, you won't have to let her go from your arms," he drew his sword "but everything else will be cut off."

Adam and Renji's eyes widen, Adam narrowed his eyes and crouched down slightly, preparing to take this monster who dared to harm Rukia, Adam knew he was going to give up and he also knew Renji would help him in case things got ugly... but Adam then knew there was one more option.

"Renji." Adam called for him.

"What?"

"Don't let Rukia go, no matter what happens, even if it kills you, do not let her go. If there's an opening you find... I want you to run away and don't look back."

"Renji, Adam..." Rukia whispered.

Adam suddenly felt something coming his way from in front of him, he tried to dodge by pulling Koutei up to block it but only ended up getting his arm cut deeply into his forearm and Adam was pouring from his entire arm, and Adam was even shocked to find that Renji was cut as well. Adam looked back from Renji to the smiling silver-haired loony, he gripped Koutei Tora and aimed him right at the bastard's head.

"You're really asking for it now!!" Adam snapped.

"So, you and Renji were able to dodged that, even though you're very fresh on this ryoka, you've grown so much I can tell, as well Renji. That makes me happy, but I really don't want to resort to this, please step down... Renji, Adam.

"Adam!" Rukia called.

"Be quiet." Adam told her.

"Heh, "I really don't want to resort to this" my ass! So why... why did you have to kill Hinamori?!" asked Renji.

"She couldn't live without me. I made her that way. Don't you think it's kind of me to kill her before I go?"

"Why you... You actually killed your own subordinate?!" you demanded.

"No... I did not want to kill her. I spent some time trying to let her die from Kira or from Toshiro. Unfortunately it did not go as planned, so I was forced to kill her myself." explained the brunette.

"Is that so?!" Renji snarled.

"So, those two... You had them play around in your hands like like they were some puppets huh?!" Adam gritted his teeth. "You're just as bad as they come!"

"You're not the Captain Aizen I knew anymore! I don't know what reason you got, but even if I die, I won't let you have Rukia!" shouted Renji.

"I'm not the Sosuke Aizen you knew anymore, huh? Sorry, but that's an illusion, Renji. The Sosuke Aizen you knew... never existed in the first place." Aizen made a wicked smile.

Adam could feel from the reiatsu that Renji was very intensely angry and felt betrayed by the man, Adam didn't know this man at all but he could tell he must've been a well respected Soul-Reaper in the Seireitei and that they looked up to him as a friend only to be back stabbed and fooled around in some sick game that the man had them playing them in the palm of his hand.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Adam shouted.

Adam charged, jumped high in the air and went for a strike, Rukia and Renji called out for him to stop but it was too late, Adam was in a fit of rage. Adam wasn't going to just stand by and this evil person stand there and telling Renji and the other Soul-Reapers how foolish they were, Adam was going to take the bastard down, Adam aimed Koutei Tora towards his head.

"MUGEN HAKAI!!!!"

Adam watched as the giant tiger pounced towards him, only to be grabbed by the head by Aizen and have it's neck snapped then dissapear, Adam gritted his teeth in anger,Adam now knew that this person could piss anybody off to the boiling point, Adam grinned making him cock a brow before they flashed behind him to see Zabimaru come his way but before Renji's zanpakuto could reach him, it was halted when Aizen simply blocked it... with his bare hand again.

Then, Zabimaru was cut to piece in a flash, Adam and Renji's eyes widen along with Rukia who could do nothing but watch what went on. But what was more shocking... Adam didn't even see Renji get hurt because out of nowhere, blood spurted from his back, and Renji had fallen down to his knees, Rukia had panicked from Renji's injury and low and behold, Aizen loomed over them.

"I shall tell you one last time Renji ... put Rukia down and step away." Aizen ordered.

"N-no! Aizen, I will-" Rukia starts.

"I refuse!" declared Renji.

'No Renji!'

Aizen the raised his zanpakuto to strike him, Adam quickly tried to run and stop the attack but before he could even make a move, Aizen's zanpakuto had clashed against a black blade, Adam's eyes widen to recognize the certain orange-haired teen.

"Ichigo!"

Adam, Renji, and Ichigo backed off from a good distance away from Aizen, they all kept eyes on him just case he tried to surprise them all with a shunpo, Adam then winced as the dull throb finally caught up to his chest when Tosen stabbed him and the throb on his arm from Aizen's attack.

"It's pretty obvious you two can't even run away, too much of a job is it?" teased Ichigo.

"What did you say?! We were doing just fine on our own, you bastard!" Renji snapped.

"Is that how you talk to someone who tried to rescue you two?" demanded Ichigo.

"Oh brother..."

Both stopped bickering and looked at Adam, he was panting and looking ahead with wide eyes, that's when Ichigo had noticed the blood and wounds and few burn marks on his body. Adam move his head towards Rukia who was standing on her own feet now. Worry had crossed her eyes when she eyed Adam's bloody form and torn up shihakushou, Adam knew he would always were be a mess every time someone caught up to him... every single time.

"Hey come on now, don't look at me like that." Adam grinned.

"Adam, step down on this, you look pretty tired." Ichigo tells him.

"Shut up... I don't care how tired I am, I don't care how much my body hurts, and I definitely don't care if I die! I told you before and I'll tell you again! I WILL NEVER RUN AWAY!!"

Ichigo, Renji, and Rukia watched, surprised that Adam was not one to be so easily brought down, even when wounded, he would still hold his head up high, even in the midst of danger, Adam could still make a smile like an idiot... Ichigo wondered and just had to ask...

"Are all Americans this crazy?"

"No....Only the really good Americans ." Adam grinned while facing Aizen. "Guys!"

"What's up Renji?"

"Listen, I'll use Zabimaru to make a big diversion, after that you and Ichigo run in and attack with everything you got."

"Alright!"

"Remember, we only get one shot at this so make it count!!"

Adam and Ichigo were gaining energy to make a full run in against Aizen, Aizen only stood there and waited patiently to see what they were planing, Ichigo stood next to Adam, his eyes moved away from the target then to Adam. He kept a stern face, not bothered by the wounds, the blood, it really was amazing even though Adam hadn't yet to gain Bankai, he had still manage to get this far and survived this long against all odds.

'Adam... Don't you dare die on me...'

"Higa Zekko!"
- Baboon Fang bite-

Ichigo looked back in time to see red glows come around scattered all over the ground and then rise into the air before striking down at Aizen, that was the signal. Adam dashed and Ichigo followed and the both of them ran towards the dust before swinging both swords only to be caught by the tip of Aizen's finger. Adam and Ichigo's eyes widen, both wondered how much strength one person had to catch both tips of two blades.

Aizen dully stared at them both for a moment before bending his finger over the blades, Adam was confused for a moment until pain swept across your chest and before you knew it... blood spurted out of Adam's chest but in Ichigo's case, it was much worse. He was split in half around the waist making the blood poor down and Adam could barely even see his intestines, he then lets go of both their blades and his hands dropped down. He then shunpo'd and Adam could hear from behind that Renji was hit too... Adam looked over his shoulder to see Renji fall.

Adam looked back at Ichigo's fallen form,Adam couldn't figure out why he wasn't as hurt as Ichigo. Adam's vision had blurred from everything around him and started to fall but instinctively Adam stabbed his sword into the ground to make sure he wouldn't go down.

'NO DAMMIT, I will not fall. Stay up, Stay up!!!' Adam screamed desperately in his mind.

"I can see you're still standing...Adam ." smiled Aizen.

Adam saw that Aizen had a good grip on Rukia's collar, she was just dangling, he narrowed his eyes weakly. Adam wondered what he was about to do to her, then he noticed that his zanpakuto had been sheathed... so he knew he wouldn't kill her but Adam still knew that it was something much worse.

"You've done your part of breaking into the Seireitei."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"That's right. I knew you children would invade Seireitei from West Rukongai, so I constantly kept watch over that neighborhood... and arrange the Squads in that area and let Gin take care of the problem. Then the Seke-Seke stone came down and inside the gate, the Captain-class roamed everywhere."

"Wha...?"

"... Which meant the remaining intrusion method was Kukaku Shiba's Kakaku Cannon, and a flashy intrusion it was." he answered.

'He knew about that too?!!'

"Plus, those intruders were powerful enough to escape the captains. Weather they wanted to or not, all of the Soul-Reapers had their eyes focused on you. I'm impressed really, your performance after getting inside was magnificent. Thanks to you call, one captain's murder did not raise much suspicion."

"N-no way..."

"That made it superbly to move..."

"W-wait... How did you knew that we would came through West Rukongai?!" asked Ichigo.

"Strange thing to ask me isn't it? West Rukongai is Kisuke Urahara's base of operations, the only place to enter through the Senkai Gate he creates was from West Rukongai."

Adam was shocked at this news, this guy knew everything from the start, since day one that Adam and everyone entered the Soul Society. Ever since stepping in this place, when Adam and everyone did this on they own, he end up playing up into the hands of a traitor of Seireitei. Adam's eyes were wide from the things that escaped the brunette's lips, he caught the look he was giving him.

"What's with that look Adam?" he asked.

"No... It's impossible... Me and everyone else... We started this rescue on our own! We started this mission on our own from the very beginning!! There's no way in hell could we have fallen into your hands!!"

Aizen only smiled, he then began to walk towards Adam and Ichigo while Rukia had no choice but to follow him. He began to explain the true intentions and methods of power that all Soul-Reapers had and that they had a limit they could not surpass... but there was only one way to do it... Hollowfication. He began to explain how times he tried to erase the line of the Soul-Reapers and Hollows and merge them together but he failed numerous times...

That was until Urahara created something he shouldn't have... it was called Hougyoku, Aizen described it as dangerous, Urahara felt it too so he tried to destroy only to fail to destroy the thing he himself had created. Out of desperation, Urahara was forced to choose another method, to hide it in a barrier and place it into a soul... Aizen turned to Rukia.

"So you understand don't you? The place he chose to hide it... was you, Rukia Kuchiki."

"Wha... what did you just say?!" Adam demanded.

Aizen continued on explaining hat-n-clogs intentions, it shocked Adam hard, he was planning on using Rukia to hide the Hougyoku inside Rukia and then turning her into a human where she would never regain the powers of a Soul-Reaper.

"But thankfully a few months later, you were finally found in the real world. I immediately went into the Central 46 room and-"

Before Aizen could continue, some giant beast with a wolf's head crashed down behind Aizen, surprising Adam and everyone else, Adam took one look and thought this person looked vicious.

"AIZEN!!"

A huge blade came outta nowhere and and explosion occurred, making Adam fall down on his knees and everything went black around him.

Adam slowly opened his eyes, only to see blurry things but everything was bright before it returned to normal. He could hear voices only to come out in echoes that Adam couldn't understand what they were saying, his Topaz eyes looked ahead to see something huge and white holding up a small white thing.

"Kill her, Gin." a voice echoed.

Adam couldn't understand what was going on, his head was very hazy, but all he knew was that something bad was about to happen to a small white little thing. Adam then saw something flash over him and everything was slow motion, Adam knew that it was sharp... he then realized that there was only one thing left to do and he knew after this, everything in his life would be gone forever.

'I must protect my friends!!'

'like Rukia...?'

'I promised them'

'that what?'

'THAT I WOULDN'T RUN NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!!!'

Ichigo watched in horror as Shinso was about to strike Rukia and kill her, but something had flashed ahead, Ichigo couldn't keep his eyes focused on what it was before Shinso got to Rukia and blood flew into the air.

Everyone was in shock, even Aizen and Gin included, there in front of Shinso, stood Adam. He was gripping the sword that was pierced through his chest and out his back and behind him was Byakuya holding Rukia while gripping Shinso as well. Even though they knew Byakuya would survive that hit, they weren't sure if Adam had would.

"AAADDDDAAAMMMM!!"

Shinso had retreated from both of the mens pierced bodies, Byakuya had fallen to his knees as Rukia held him up, and Adam was standing there with his arm clutching his chest, trying to breath but couldn't because the sword had pierced his left lung, Adam then looked up to see Aizen standing a few feet from him.

"I cannot understand what continues to keep you moving, either it's sheer bravery or complete stupidity." Aizen tells Adam as he looked at the ryoka's almost dead body.

"Huff.......Huff............Huff.....Huff."

"Why would risk your life for someone who you've only known for a month." wondered Aizen.

"Huff....I.....Huff.....Prom..Huff..ised..."

"What pathetic person did you promise to save this woman?"

"I PROMISED MY SOUL I WOULD PROTECT EVERYONE!!!!!!!"

With that final sentence, Adam sprinted towards Aizen while hearing everyone yelling and screaming for him to stop and give up, Adam knew that he would keep his promise even if it cost him his life, right when Adam reached Aizen. Koutei Tora lunged itself towards Adam and right when he caught it, he gripped it and swung it with all his might

"ADAM, DON'T!!" shouted Uryu.

SLASH!!

BOOOOM!!!

The entire place was covered with dust from the wave of spirit energy Adam had released, all held their breath and waited for the dust to clear. After it finally did and everyone looked at Adam, all their faces had the look of pure terror on it.

Adam blinked before looking down to see a sword sticking through his body again, only this time it had pierced straight through his heart , all he felt was numb. Every sound around him was drown and deaf to him, he looked back up over Aizen's shoulder to watch his friends looking utterly shocked and frozen in their spots. Adam looked back to see Rukia covering her mouth and her violet eyes wide and in horror, then finally he looked towards Aizen to see that he had blocked his attack with his finger but at the same time, he gave Aizen a small cut.

Adam then found himself lifted into the air over Aizen since the zanpakuto forced him to, Aizen looked up at Adam and smirked before tossing him over Byakuya and Rukia, Adam rolled over in the ground until he stopped at the very edge of cliff and his once bright, fiery Topaz eyes then turn dull and his world gone black.

His heart, it was growing faint, it slowed down until... it finally stopped.

It was sunset already, Squad four had already made it and already began to treat the wounded but mainly focused on Byakuya and Ichigo. It's been hour since Aizen, Gin, and Tosen had left to their hideout in Hueco Mundo to begin creating an army of their own with the power of the Hougyoku that Aizen had taken from the body of Rukia's that hid in her soul.

Shiraha had instructed everyone to be where they had to be, what to do and who had to be in treated, suddenly two Soul-Reapers had came behind him, asking what to do and his reply,

"Help treat the ryoka."

"Huh?" the Soul-Reapers asked.

"You two haven't realized it yet? These ryoka our the savior of the Soul Society."

"Yes sir! Should we also treat the one on the cliff?" the girl asked pointing at a body.

"... No... It's too late." he replied solemnly.

"... We'll be on our way."

Shiraha watched the two leave before making his way at the cliff, beside the limp body was Senka, she was crying loudly while she watched over the bloody corpse. Shiraha sighed and looked ahead to see Unohana coming in with the help of her zanpakuto.

"Why the hell did he have to die huh?!" cried Senka.

"... You know why he did it, the fool." Shiraha told her in a whisper.

"No, I don't!" Senka snapped.

"He said he wouldn't run, no matter what happened he said he wouldn't run."

"Why did he freakin' push me out when Tosen took them, I could've helped!"

"He probably knew what would happen and tried to save Renji and Rukia but only succeeding in saving you."

"... Tch... Stupid Idiot."

Senka blew her nose on a tissue, Shiraha watched the Pink-haired before moving his eyes towards Adam, Adam's eyes were closed thanks to Senka's help. Shiraha looked back only to be surprised when the ryoka, Ichigo Kurosaki, was standing there, or rather was doing all that he could to stand. The other ryoka behind him tried to help but he refused, he wobbled his way until he fell on all fours near the lifeless body.

"... C'mon Senka, lets go." Shiraha glanced at Senka.

"Please no..." she mumbled stubbornly.

"Lets go now." gritted Shiraha.

"Fine I'll go!" snapped Senka before getting up and following after Shiraha.

Ichigo, Orihime, Uryu, Chad, and Ganju gathered around Adam, from the distance Yoruichi watched with crossed arms and narrowed brows, they all were thinking of what was going to happen now with everyone, they didn't how they were going to tell Ajax or his aunt or uncle.

Such a poor, young soul had to be taken away like that, he even learned that he had a family back home... this was going to be hard. Ganju was having just a difficult time as well, Adam was like an incarnation of Kaien, not willing to give up no matter what.

"Dammit... We told you to stay back, didn't we?" Ichigo whispers to Adam.

Ichigo watched Adam, he wanted an answer from him, but he didn't hear anything and that Adam was never coming, he really was gone this time, he really wasn't coming back home with everyone like they should.

"What the hell is gonna happen now bastard? What about your aunt and uncle?! What about everyone at school huh?! How are they suppose to know...?" asked Uryu with the obvious hurt in his tone.

Still, Adam said nothing much to Uryu's unfortune. Everyone watched the once scowling, motivated orange-haired teen turn into a wreck as well as the Soul-Reaper-hater Quincy. They recalled the memories of Adam's arrival in Karakura High and how each of them had good or bad memories with him and their little adventures.