(I've said this on my profile and at the beginning of Chapter 20, I don't normally do these little writer's notes. But I felt this needs to be said.
This is where the story really begins. Everything leading up to know has been important true, so if you're coming in now, I strongly suggest you go back and start from the begining. No spoilers but I will let you in on this. The dark figure from Chapter 8 is brought back soon and this times has a bigger part.
For those who think that maybe Jen, Blast and Mac have fallen by the wayside, dont fear. They may not be around as much but all three are still very important and will appear again.
Now that that's out of the way you all should know that there will be no more group chapters being posted at once. I will be posting one to two chapters from now on at a time. I needed to get to this point and wanted to get to this point as soon as I could. Now enjoy and please review.)
Chapter 21: Talking it Out. An Old Enemies Frightening Return.
Rellik paced outside the tall building still steaming from seeing the man he blamed for everything he'd lost. Rellik knew he shouldnt have attacked Captain Kurotsuchi, he may have just caused a war between the two soul societies. If he had he knew what was waiting for him back home.
If he had indeed started a war he had nothing but the Sokyoku to look forward. The weapon used in the execution of Soul Reapers. Like most souls, Rellik feared the Kikoou. He knew nothing that he would be able to do would save his life from the giant flaming spear. Rellik continued to pace thinking of the spear that would pierce his body. The spear of the Sokuyoku held the power of a million zanpku-tos. Rellik shuddered and held one arm to his chest.
'You're fucked.' Rellik thought to himself finally resting against the wall. 'They're still in there talking. Hell for all I know Captain Gonzales could have been killed for my stupidity.'
As Rellik thought this the door of the building opened and Captain Gonzales stepped out. He looked over at Rellik and motioned for him to follow him. As the two started walking Gonzales never looked in Rellik's direction once. They were on the outer area of the Seireitei before Gonzales finally spoke.
"Well the peace talks were successful." He stated sharply. "Though it took a while to come up with the bullshit I had to tell them all to save your ass."
"Captain..." Rellik started to say.
"Unless you wanna tell me the truth to why you struck a captain," Gonzales said pushing Rellik, "I suggest you start praying our friendship can handle the pain I'm going to put you through Lieutenant Wade." Gonzales drew his sword and pointed at Rellik's face.
"captain Kurotsuchi is the one who slashed my eye!" Rellik yelled as the Gonzales stepped forward with his sword extended. "He's the one who blinded me!"
Gonzales stared at Rellik for a long minute before lowering his zanpaku-to. "Explain Lieutenant."
"It was during a good will mission. Former Captains Urahara and Shihoin were accompanied by Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The Captains saved Blast Hermit, Mac Kosner, Jen White, my sister and myself from a crime lord." Rellik explained. "I gave Captain Urahara a cross eyed look, and after I did Kurotsuchi slashed me with a poisoned dagger blinding my left eye. He said he did to show me some manners."
Gonzales sheathed his zanpaku-to and turned from Rellik. "Rellik. If any of that is true then you should have reported it. Instead you lied. You've lied for decades!" Gonzales screamed. He turned around fast and punched Rellik hard in the face sending him back against the wall. He stood over Rellik and picked him by the top of his shihakusho and continued to ram his fast into Rellik's face. "How could you be so fucking stupid?"
Rellik layed on the ground and just stared up at his captain. He could feel his face begin to swell from the punches inflicted by Captain Gonzales.
"I'm sorry Captain." Rellik said sitting up against the wall staring over at Gonzales who had sat down in the middle of the road.
Gonzales rubbed his knuckles and fist looking down. He finally looked up at Rellik and just laughed smiling.
"Asesino!" He said falling back laying down on the ground. "You would never have let me beat the crap out of you if you had been lying to me." He sat back up and stood up walking to Rellik holding his hand out towards him. "Get up. Dont worry about what happened. I told them that you were just shocked by Kurotsuchi's appearence. Thought him a monster."
"He is a monster Captain." Rellik said taking his captain's hand standing up. "He blinded me and stopped me from protecting Winry."
"Forgiveness can save all monsters Asesino." Gonzales said patting his lieutenant on the shoulder. "All monsters are simply beings who were never forgiven for their sins."
"What are you a forutne cookie?" Rellik asked laughing.
As Gonzaels joined in the laughter a moving shadow knocked both men down to the ground. Before Rellik could react a kido known as rikujokoro seized Rellik and kept him from moving. Gonzales held up his hand and began to chant a kido spell to release Rellik from his restraints, before he could finish however a dark figure moved in and kicked him into the wall behind the captain.
The dark figure pulled out a katana and turned to face Rellik. As it did Rellik could see that whoever the person was they were dressed in a nearly black ninja outfit. The clothing was so loose that Rellik could not tell if it was a man or a woman, their face hidden behind a traditional ninja mask and their eyes were guarded by a dark visor. Rellik could see that the reishi around them was such a dark color that it seemed almost of that of a hollow.
Rellik had seen this person before. This was the same figure that had stolen the smoke canisters during the final survival test of the academy, and the same figure that had attacked Class D.
The Ninja held up the sword and postioned it over Rellik's chest. As he drove it down Rellik rolled slightly having the blade drive into his shoulder instead. The pain made Rellik shout out in pain and grunt when Ninja removed its blade from his shoulder. Instead of driving the blade for a second attack Ninja picked Rellik up and turned its head just slightly to the right, as if studying Rellik.
Ninja took a step back moving its head to the left while still looking over Rellik. Ninja slowly began to turn from Rellik until its back was to him. Suddenly he jumped into the air and kicked Rellik with both feet sending back against the opposite wall it had sent Gonzales into.
As Rellik slid down the wall he saw Ninja hop up from the hand stand that he had landed in and again pull its katana out and twirl it once. It turned towards Rellik and rushed towards him fast bringing the katana down by its side gripping with both hands.
"Stalk the frozen land! Bufula Gato!" Screamed Gonzales as he appeared next to Ninja. His zanpaku-to had quickly became its shikai form that looked like an ice spear coming from his arm. He drove it towards Ninja's face who used its katana to protect from the attack.
"Bufu Wind!" Gonzales screamed as he slashed horizontally with his zanpaku-to sending a storm of ice particles flying towards Ninja. "Hang in there Asesino!"
Rellik watched with blurry eyes as Ninja protect itself from the ice, slashing them as they came close to it. It stood opposite Gonzales holding its katana out in front it. Ninja rushed towards Gonzales holding up one hand holdling the katana by it's side. It began firing kidos towards Gonzales who just used his free hand to cancell them out just as quickly as the Ninja was firing them.
'Whoever this person is,' Rellik thought feeling himself grow weaker from blood lose from his shoulder injury, 'They have soul reaper powers.'
Gonzales faught with Ninja for sometime before sending it flying back with a strong wind generated from his zanpaku-to.
"Enough of this game!" He screamed loud. "Bankai!" Gonzales' zanpaku-to burst from his arm and the ice particles began to fall like snow forming the shape of large white lion. The lion was nearly as tall as Captain Gonzales, and a faint blue cloth wrapped around it's neck to Gonzales' arm where it wrapped around just his hand. "Bufula Gato Varna."
The lion roared loud, causing the air temperature to drop so low the water in the air froze causing small flakes of ice to fall to the ground. Rellik had never seen his Captain's bankai until now. The beauty he had heard of the "White Lion" was nothing compared to seeing it in person. The lion looked as though it was a regular lion covered in snow, the fangs looked like large icles hanging from its jaws. The mane that covered it was blue color that had small icles hanging from the tips of each hair.
Ninja just croutched low to the ground bringing its katana up to the side fo his face. Gonzales held up his hand that was covered in the cloth, and the lion roard again sending a barrage of icicles flying towards Ninja. The Ninja leaped and slashed but couldnt block all of the icicles. One drove into its shoulder as another scracthed its side causing them to douple over in pain.
"Bufulago." Gonzales said sofly letting go of the cloth that held the lion at bay. As he did the cloth and the lion began to vanish. Soon Gonazles stood there as the air began to grow even colder.
Rellik noticed that the ground in certain spots were starting freeze. The lion had become invisible and where it stepped caused the ground to freeze under it. As Ninja noticed this also it started charging forward. The ground began to freeze more as the invisible lion also rushed Ninja. The ground around where the lion last stepped sent out a large icey wind freezing the ground and walls around it. Ninja was forced to the ground by the invisible force and where the lion had it pinned down it bagan to freeze.
Ninja grabbed it's katana and shoved up into the air. Gonzales stepped back and stared forward as though he had been stapped. The lion appeared above Ninja and began to slowly vanish leaving only Gonzales' sword broken in half, to fall to the ground.
As Gonzales stood there he looked over to Rellik and gave him a small smile. "Remember, Asesino, monsters."
"Forgiveness..." Rellik stated as Ninja appeared before Gonzales it's hand held out straight.
Ninja fired a such a strong electical kido through Gonzales it burst through his chest and his back. Rellik watched in pure horror as Captain Gonzales' body fell to the ground, his eyes pure white as the last of the pure white reishi around him vanished. He stared at his fallen captain, his scar sending small shots of pain through his skull.
Off in the distance Rellik heard a loud siren begin to go off. Ninja heard it too and dragged Rellik over in front of his captain's body. It then grabbed the broken remains of Bufula Gato and placed them by Gonzales' right hand. Ninja looked at Rellik once more before releasing him from his kido. Before Rellik could do anything however it kicked him hard in the side of the head. Knocking Rellik out.
Rellik awoke in a hospital bed surrounded by bars. He leaned up slowly his head and shoulder throbbing. As he looked up he could see Head Captain Yamamoto and Captain Xezon standing on the opposite side of the cell. Yamamoto didnt show any emotions on his face, he just stood there his wooden cane held in his hands. Xezon glared at Rellik his hand placed securely on the hilt of his zanpaku-to.
"Lieutenant Wade." Yamamoto said softly. "Now that you are awake, it is my duty to inform you that your actions have placed you in a very unfortunate situation."
"Captian Gonzales.." Rellik said as he tried sitting up further. "Gonzales and I were..."
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH TRAITOR!" Xezon said grasping hold of the cage. His out burst caused Rellik to try and reach for Ragnok but his zanpaku-to was no where to be seen. "Looking for this?" Xezon asked pulling back the other side of his shihakusho revealing Ragnok placed squarely on his hip. "You think we'd leave a prisoner a weapon?"
"Prisoner?" Rellik asked never taking his eyes off Ragnok. "What do you think happened?"
"We found you on the ground nearly on death's door." Yamamoto said. "Your injuries were caused by hand to hand combat and your shoulder injury was caused by that of a sword. Your Captain Gonzales was found deceased by you. His zanpaku-to broken in half and the tip had blood that matched yours.
"It was determined that the two of you had argued over your actions during the peace hearing. Then you two began to fight. You somehow managed to break you're Captain's zanpaku-to and before you passed out from your own injuries you struck down the captain by sending a strong electrical kido through his chest." Yamamoto finished never showing emotions. His husky voice burning deep into Rellik's heart.
"No." Rellik said shaking his head hard. "No! That's not what happend! We were attacked!" He screamed rushing the bars. "I was constrained and couldnt save him! I couldnt save Gonzales! A person dressed as a ninja attacked us!"
"Save it Rellik." Xezon said hitting the cage causing Rellik to back away. "Central Forty-Seven are on their way here with a small group of U.S.A's captains." He smiled holding up Ragnok. "We going to try you." He unsheathed Ragnok staring at the blade. "Judge you." He held Ragnok up the edge of the cage. "Then execute you, traitor." He said ramming Ragnok into the tiled floor
Xezon and Yamamoto walked away from the cell leaving Rellik standing up holding the bars. Ragnok sticking from the ground just feet from him. Rellik looked over at his zanpaku-to and started to cry.
'Couldn't save Captain Gonzales.' A small yet familiar voice said in Rellik's skull. 'Couldn't save Winry, your own sister.' Ragnok's voice echoed in Rellik's mind. 'Yet you still wonder why I refuse to show you my true power. Pathetic.'
Rellik fell to his knees the cage seeming to shrink in around him. When he looked up he could see that he dwealed into his zanpaku-to's mind once again.
"Tell me what I should do Ragnok." Rellik pleaded as the viking clothed man approached him. The two axes dangling from his chest the chain wrapped around him tightly, slightly clinking together.
"What do you want me to say Rellik?" Ragnok asked grabbing one axe holding against Rellik's neck. "I told you if you came here again you wouldnt survive."
"I have no one else!" Rellik screamed causing the boat to shake. "You're my zanpaku-to! My partner!" Rellik screamed again standing up. "You're suppose to be there when I need you!"
Ragnok lowered his axe and stared at Rellik with a confused look. "You expect me to fight your battles for you." He said walking around Rellik. "You say we're partners yet you treat me as nothing more then a weapon!"
"A zanpaku-to is a weapon." Rellik stated staring forward as Ragnok walked around him.
Ragnok swung his axe towards Relliks neck and stopped before his blade touched Rellik's skin. Rellik never moved as Ragnok did the same with the other axe, it stopping at his throat.
"You'll never get my powers at this rate kid." Ragnok said holding the axes right up against Rellik. "Shame. There for a while I actually believed you were going to fight for your friends. God knows I would if I was you."
"I always fight for my friends." Rellik says matter-factly. "Jen, Blast, Mac, Joesph, Jason, and even Alexis. I fight for them all."
"No." Ragnok said lowering both axes. "You faught WITH them. Never FOR them. You never even faught for Winry, you couldn't even fight for Captain Gonzales, and for that," Ragnok took a deep breath and turned away from Rellik walking to towards the ship's cabin, "Is why I'm ashamed to say you're my soul reaper. You lose sight of your own will." Ragnok opened the door and stepped inside the cabin letting the door close behind him. "For that Rellik Wade, you will never be able to control me."
Rellik opened his eyes and again he was in the cell. He stood up and layed back down in the bed. He stared up at the ceiling and saw the reishi swirl around the room. His own reishi had turned fully into the dark grey color he had noticed before.
'Forewarning huh?' Rellik thought holding up his left arm seeing the green bow still tied to his arm. Their was a dark stain that had worked its way from the top to a swirling patern to the bow he had it tied in. 'My blood ruined something dear. Captain Gonzales was right.' Rellik thought again closing his eyes. 'Monsters are nothing but creatures that were never forgiven. And now.. I'm the monste