Oh My Gigai!
By Uchiha Xairylle

Chapter Twenty-Five: It's Called Bankai

"Did you just say…"

But Ichigo was unable to finish.

A yellowish white light shot down from the sky and Ichigo backed some more. He could not see what was going on. A blanket of shadow had eaten Kouken who had been sitting. Ichigo's arm covered part of his face to protect against some of the flying debris.

Where had he seen this scene before?

Kyoichi was grinning like had hit the jackpot. Byakuya slightly pushed himself off from his seat and his eyes were wide. Rukia had sank in, hands to her mouth as she tried hard not to blink. She was searching her memories. Where had she seen this kind of scenario? She knew she had. Where? When? Naoko was not looking calm either. She was gripping her kimono, her eyes darting to the left and right of the arena.

"Sorry for the wait." Naruhiko's voice emerged faintly from the scene that was coming to a close. The light was dying down and the dust, dirt and rubble were beginning to clear out and settle. The wind blew but it wasn't what made Ichigo shiver.

It was this new reiatsu Ichigo was sensing.

And the new Naruhiko that was standing atop a broken white pillar!

"N-Na…" Ichigo began.

Naruhiko was wearing something that was pure white. It had a closed collar and long sleeves that had slits up to the elbow. He had gauntlets that looked like someone else's spine jammed together. The back looked like much a captain's robe except that the prints were red and not black. He wore a white hakama and white sandals.

But the whiteness wasn't the shocking part.

He was wearing a helmet.

Was that a helmet?

No, it was a mask.

"ARRANCAR!" Rukia exclaimed, surprise taking her as she grabbed her brother's arm as if to drag him and jump into the arena.
"Rukia. No." Byakuya pulled her back with ease and put her back on the chair.
"But Niisama!"

It may not look like it but it was an Arrancar mask that did not cover his face that sported a black triangular marking on his left cheek. It was pure white and looked like a pair of headsets. There was a round bone-looking thing on either of his ears and they were connected by what seemed to be a backbone at the back of his head. From the sides of his head, white devil wings seem to protrude and as well as two arches looking like unfinished eyeglasses.

"Negation." Byakuya said seriously, eyeing Naruhiko from head to foot, "What we saw ago, that Bankai transformation of his, that was Negation, wasn't it?"
"I don't really know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Rukia blasted, her palms slamming on the sides of her chair, "You own him, don't you? That light is the same thing that saved Aizen Sousuke! It's the light coming from Hueco Mundo to save one of their own! This is not Bankai! It's—"

"When we bought Naruhiko from Aizen Sousuke, he did not come with an instruction manual." Kyoichi replied and shrugged casually.
"Aizen… Souske?"
"Yes, and for something that Aizen-san called a failure, Naruhiko was too expensive." Kyoichi answered.

"NARUHIKO!" Naoko shrieked and the said Arrancar looked up before smiling at the teary-eyed girl who was at the edge of her chair, gripping her kimono like hell and saying his name in gasps.

"I'm okay, Naoko-sama." Naruhiko bowed and she smiled, nodding at him.

"What is the matter, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Naruhiko turned to Ichigo, "Are you not going to use the Bankai you've been bragging about?"
"I will." Ichigo replied and he held Zangetsu firmly.

Naruhiko was an Arrancar? Why did he look like Shinigami? Wasn't he supposed to look like a Hollow first?

That could be answered later.

"Bankai." Ichigo declared.

In an instant, reiatsu drew out of Ichigo and surrounded him, ate him as Naruhiko watched unfazed. Ichigo stood all clad in black. What used to be a massive sword was now a slender black weapon with a manji handguard and a broken chain in the end.

"Tensa Zangetsu." Ichigo said again.

"Black and red." Naruhiko said, "Death and blood. I like it."

Ichigo did not answer.

"I'm sorry it took so long before I could go Bankai." Naruhiko said.
"You call that a Bankai?" Ichigo nodded, "That's a transformation. You're an Arrancar."
"And you? What are you?" Naruhiko shot back, "I'm disappointed. I don't see you wearing your mask."
"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"Ah, sou?" Naruhiko's head tilted and one of his hands came up. Small spirit threads began to come out from his hand. From there it extended, forming something long and slender and from it materialized a transparent red sword.

"Listen up, you midget and you, Byaku-brat!" Ichigo turned to look at the siblings, "Do not interfere! Even if he is Arrancar, if you get your butts involved, I can't assure you that you won't get minced up in the middle of the blood bath!"

"But, Ichigo!"
"Don't 'But Ichigo' me, you midget!"

"I'm sorry I had you put up with him." Naruhiko lifted his sword and eyed it as he spoke, "He had you quite worn out back there, Kouken. Don't worry. We will kill him."

"Like I'd just stand here and let you do that."
"Exactly."

Naruhiko was first to disappear towards the right. Ichigo disappeared towards the left. Swords met immediately and sparks flew from the collision.

"Add Shinigami to strengthen the barrier." Byakuya ordered and the servant, whose knees were shaking due to the seeping reiatsu, hurriedly walked off to carry out the order.

"Show me your mask." Naruhiko demanded.
"Shut up." Ichigo grunted and pushed off Naruhiko with his sword. The Arrancar leapt and pivoted.

Ichigo could feel it. He was going to blast him with something!

"Getsuga—" Ichigo prepared but as soon as Zangetsu was in place, Naruhiko disappeared.

What the hell!

Naruhiko reappeared behind Ichigo and tapped him on the shoulder before whispering in his ear, "Hyakuken."

Ichigo had heard that command earlier and the Shinigami jerked away before leaping right before the swords shot up on the spot where he used to be. And as Ichigo stared, Naruhiko was suddenly behind him.

Get out. NOW!

"Bala."

No time!

From's Naruhiko's two fingers, a blast was released towards Ichigo's back. Ichigo's body arched as he plunged and all of a sudden, Naruhiko was in front of him. And his two fingers pointed at him like a locked-on gun.

NOT AGAIN!

"Bala."

The same energy fired at Ichigo's midsection, launching him higher and forcing him to stay in mid air a bit longer. He could see Naruhiko grasp Kouken and in swiftness, the Arrancar struck. Ichigo was able to react just in time and blocked the red blade with his black sword.

"You still have your reflexes." Naruhiko spoke and Ichigo pushed against his sword. Naruhiko pushed back. They were descending now and Ichigo could feel the wind speeding through his hair. Ichigo sent a knee to Naruhiko's midsection but the Arrancar pushed Ichigo off him and landed feet first on the ground. Ichigo landed not long after.

"I see yours have improved." Ichigo nodded at Naruhiko.

Rukia was clasping her hands together. She had experienced killing one Arrancar before — all on her own. Although Ichigo was very capable of beating normal Arrancar, Rukia could not help but worry. After all, Maeda Naruhiko was Aizen's creation. And if it's Aizen in the picture, you never know until you see it.

First off, Naruhiko looked like a Shinigami to begin with. Among all the Hollows Aizen had experimented with, it started off looking like a Hollow or anything resembling that. Second, Naruhiko had a Zanpakutou and could release it in an entirely different way. It turned into something tangible and not just pure spirit and is able to battle on its own with its wielder unseen. And he was able to go into Bankai. And his Bankai was not actually a sword transformation. It was his transformation from Shinigami to Arrancar.

Kyoichi did say Naruhiko was a failure.

Was something so intricate worthy to be called a failure or was he a failure because he was so intricate?

Naruhiko sped towards Ichigo. Ichigo met him sword-to-sword. Their robes flapped behind them and their reiatsu exploded. The Shinigami strengthened the barrier, which was cracking, and some of the nobles were fainting from the strong reiatsu that was seeping through the barrier faults.

"Wear your mask!" Naruhiko demanded, his arm swinging to bring down his sword against Ichigo who countered with his own.
"I'll wear it when I want to!"

The blades met again as if shouting at each other. The two men would disappear and reappear with swords meeting. Naruhiko appeared on the ground, down on one knee but not injured as he looked up. As soon as Naruhiko disappeared, the spot was then occupied by Ichigo who was also kneeling on one knee, his black tattered-ended robe flapping from the landing he had made. His sword was down, indicating that he had just slashed and missed. Ichigo looked up and disappeared again.

Ichigo sped by a broken bust lying around before he disappeared again. The bust exploded to smithereens. For whatever reason, no one knew and no one wanted to find out.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo swung Zangetsu.
"Cero!" Naruhiko retaliated and signaled with his fingers.

Both projectiles stormed towards each other in full speed and mind-blowing power. Like a beast hungry for prey. Naruhiko disappeared and Ichigo, sensing that the Arrancar was for his direction, sped off as well. But the sound of the colliding projectiles did not occur. Instead, the Cero hit a large pillar and pulverized that instead. Getsuga Tenshou was redirected and headed diagonally upwards. A startled Naruhiko appeared just when the black blast was coming his way and even before the projectile could harm him, Naruhiko's fingers pointed at it, "CERO!"

As soon as Naruhiko's Cero and Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou collided, Ichigo appeared to strike Naruhiko's side but the Arrancar was quick and he blocked with Kouken.

"So you can control your blast when in Bankai." Naruhiko murmured. Ichigo just grinned and drew back his sword before charging with another hit. Blades clamored again and sparks flew with excessive reiatsu.

"Bakudou Shichi Ju Go!" Naruhiko declared right in Ichigo's face. The orange haired Shinigami decided to keep a good distance before Naruhiko could say what comes next. But although Ichigo disappeared, Naruhiko continued, "Gochuu Tekan!"

Ichigo reappeared, his limbs bound all of a sudden and he was sent crashing down.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia got up.

Rukia was not going to sit down and watch any longer. No matter what Ichigo said, no matter what he was fighting for — life or honor — no matter what others thought, she was going to go down there and help him, if not save him. Rukia immediately summoned out her Zanpakutou, Sode No Shirayuki, if Byakuya had not held her back.

"Niisama!"
"Let him do this alone." Byakuya said sternly.
"But, Niisama!"
"Would you put him to shame by interfering?" Byakuya pulled her back and forced her back on her seat, "Look at you. You are Kuchiki. Now act like one."
"I don't care!" She was suppressing the shout in her throat, "What sense is there in being Kuchiki if…"
"What would Ichigo tell you? Can't you trust him enough to at least stay here?"

I've had it to my eyeballs with you. Stop thinking that I'm going to lose. I've gambled more than what I could bargain back then so why can't you at least respect me enough and stop worrying like my grandmother?

Naoko was already at the edge of her seat. She was clutching onto her kimono as if for dear life. Her eyebrows were furrowed in worry. Her lips were dry already and the color on her face had nearly left her. Her eyes were fixed on the arena, trying to desperately follow the movements of each fighter, no, perhaps just Naruhiko. Naruhiko and Naoko did not have any mutual connection. Naoko was Naruhiko's mistress and yet, the girl was worried for her servant. But in spite of that, she was still sitting there, watching and waiting.

Waiting.

Trusting.

How shameful for a Kuchiki.

Ichigo was not her servant and yet she could not provide enough trust for him after all this time.

Rukia grinned to herself despite the shaking her body was undergoing. A trembling hand clutched her sword to her body.

You better not lose Ichigo. I still have to kick your ass for denying us a while ago.

Ichigo was lying on his back, grunting and struggling. Unlike the previous kidou he had encountered, it was hard freeing his body from this one. Ichigo looked up, Naruhiko was plunging down towards him but what was more important was the blade he was holding. It was pointing at him, aiming for him, wanting to cut him and…

"AAAAAAAUGH!" Ichigo bellowed when the red blade pierced through his right arm that was extended from his body. Naruhiko was kneeling to his right, looking at his facial expression as his body writhed in pain, struggling helplessly under the influence of the binding technique.

"It's no use trying to get out of my kidou." Naruhiko said, his hand still pushing on his sword's handle, "It's like being bound by my Cero except that this time, the kidou that binds you adjusts to the amount of reiatsu you release to free yourself."

Ichigo squirmed, ignoring Naruhiko. The Arrancar pushed on the sword, "Resistance is futile."

"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed but Ichigo only heard her faintly.

Naruhiko sighed and twisted the blade that was still penetrating Ichigo's flesh. The Shinigami roared in pain, releasing reiatsu to free him but was countered with the Arrancar's own reiatsu.

"You haven't been listening." Naruhiko drew the sword swiftly and stabbed through Ichigo's shoulder, "Resistance is futile."

"Futile my shit!" Ichigo grunted and Naruhiko groaned before spitting at Ichigo's face. Ichigo glared back and spit back at Naruhiko. The Arrancar paused, his free hand wiping the dribble on his cheek and slapped Ichigo with it.

"Bad." Naruhiko's free hand traced over Ichigo's left arm and with the sudden widening of his eyes, his fingers protruded, penetrating Ichigo's flesh.

"It's a shame you won't be able to wear your mask." Naruhiko spoke casually, "And it's a shame that a failure like me was able to beat you to what you are now."

"F-failure…?" Ichigo groaned.

"Yes, what are you so surprised for?" Naruhiko's head tilted, "Well, since you're going to die anyway, I guess I can tell you… and everyone else."

"I was created by Aizen Sousuke." Naruhiko began, "After the incident with Shiba Kaien, his curiosity was piqued and decided to play with Shinigami for a change. He wanted a Shinigami who could immediately use Bankai. Guess who that Shinigami is?"

"Y-you?"

"Riiiight." Naruhiko grinned, burying his fingers even more and Ichigo squirmed.

"Yes, me. He infused me with a Hollow's makings but I turned out to be something that was just Shinigami. He thought he used very little Hollow material on me and allowed me to join the Gotei 13, in his squad. My Zanpakutou was nothing more but a large shield and could not really attack. I was a failure. I was a mess. I was useless."

"But it turned out that the Hollow in me grew and Kouken began to materialize." Naruhiko continued, twisting the sword randomly as Ichigo winced, "However, just like me, Kouken started out as a little girl who knew nothing. So I had a Zanpakutou with no ability whatsoever. But something was different. For a Zanpakutou to materialize itself into something that others can actually see and communicate with, it was new. So what Aizen did, he kept me and reported that I had died."

"I trained and I met Naoko-sama. Her father and brother wanted to buy a Shinigami servant for her and they happened to talk to Aizen about it. Aizen offered me to them and promised that I was special. If in a few years they return for me, I would be something useful."

"As my powers grew, Kouken grew as well, resembling much of Naoko-sama as she did. And it turned out that Kouken was a very special kind of Shikai. Do you know why?"

"No."

Naruhiko drew his fingers out.

"One day, when I released Kouken, I was transported to another place. Until now, I don't know where it is or what it is but I only know one thing." Naruhiko sneered and his fingers shrank back, wiping Ichigo's blood on Ichigo's face, "I was taken there to prepare for Bankai."

"Whenever I call Kouken out, her purpose is to buy me time so that I could grow go into Bankai. She is my stepping stone towards my final form. When I am ready, she offers her blood and turns back into a sword. And my Bankai is this. I turn into this, this Arrancar you speak of. I was of use then. I had a special Shikai and I had special Bankai."

"But Aizen thought he did not need the likes of me and that it was not reasonable for me to take so long before I could eventually go into Bankai. And he sold me to the Uesugi family."

"So am I this, Maeda Naruhiko." Naruhiko pulled out Kouken and watched the blood drop off its tips, "And now that I have finished telling you everything, it's time for you to die."

"It was good while it lasted, Kurosaki Ichigo." Naruhiko lifted the red sword to bestow the killing strike.

"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed.

Sixth Event: Kaihou

"Ichigo!" Rukia again.

Kaihou? That was the signal. Ichigo's arms were bound. He could not pull out his Hollow mask. Ichigo's black Bankai attire wore off and was replaced with his mere Shinigami robes.

"Good bye, Kuchiki pet."

"Don't die, you god damn idiot!" Rukia wailed, clutching onto the railing, "I still have so much to tell you!"

Naruhiko brought the sword down, followed by a holler and an explosion echoed through the arena.

No.

"ICHIGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And Rukia sank to her knees.

- End of Chapter 25 -

Author: Okay, so before anything, please allow me to say SORRY TO ALL THOSE WHO SENT ME PM'S! I had no idea that if someone PM'ed me, it'd reflect in my E-MAIL. I thought had those inboxes or message archives like the ones on DA. Who says what you don't know won't hurt you? It just plunged me into a well of embarrassment! voice echoes So, again, sorry!

As for the story, omg… ! What'll happen next! Don't kill me yet! I won't tell you what happened to Ichigo or to anyone. What I'm going to tell you is that there's still going to be a next chapter. For now, I leave you with a cliffhanger as I creep into my bomb shelter to write Chapter 26.