Review Time:

gamma2015 - Nice avatar ;)

silveruzu44 - Hehehehe...well, the latter won't be happening, although we'll see something of note when I introduce Orihime's zan. The former is the answer. Can you guess which (3) characters?


Chapter 28 - Dominoes (Part 3)

"W-What on earth was that…..?"

Even the giants across the Seireitei had felt the blast, but when Higonyudo, the former guard to the South Gate, picked himself up, he saw quite a significant number of people running into the compound.

"It has to be a message from God herself! She knows we're here!"

"Hurry, everyone!"

"What?!" He looked by his two feet. "Stop! Who are you people? You can't just enter the Seireitei without telling your identities!"

The hooded giant spotted an equally hooded figure (Seinosuke) run into the compound as well, but before he could press the button for the alarm, he felt cool steel pierce his arm.

"Hgn-!"

"Ah, ah….can't have a snitch now." A second hooded figure (Ginjou) smirked and removed his new zanpakutou as he handed on the edge of the wall. "Care to tussle?"

But the giant was in no mood to be foiled again. He stepped back, and as the blood dripped down his arm, he swung his massive axe down at the intruder.

Hmm….might as well try out my new power, see if I've still got it.

Under the hood, Ginjou gave a cool smile and met Higonyudo's attack.


"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Grimmjow asked, getting both irritated at yet another distraction and excited at a challenge.

"Hmm….."

"Well spit it out!"

"Forget his name!" Ichigo shouted. "What is that monster you called?!" He spotted Rukia trying to freeze the beast as more 13th Division Shinigami filed in. "Call it off!"

"El Rampante is a beast operating on pure instinct. Simple words won't do anything to it," Arturo replied, casually drawing his zanpakutou. "Or are you concerned for this town?"

"Oh screw this!" Grimmjow cackled and zoomed towards the Arrancar, releasing his own Shikai. "You're mine, you bastard!" But Arturo effortlessly dodged the slash, slipping past him.

"You're not like him...human. The two of you wear Shinigami robes, but you feel much more genuine." Ichigo jumped to attack as well, but once again, Arturo had the upper hand: blocking before Zangetsu could connect. "State your name."

"Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"Ah…you may address me as Arturo." He sonidoed to dodge Grimmjow's blades, reappearing behind him. He kicked him into Ichigo, sending the two into a telephone pole. "Is that it?"

"Oh you SON of a-!"

"Grimmjow, stop it!" Ichigo shouted. "He's clearly a Vasto Lorde, so now's not the time to screw around!"

"Why are you telling ME that?! Bust out the Bankai, Kurosaki!"

Arturo scoffed. "Neither of you hardly seem like Captain material."

"Damn you…." Ichigo pointed his zanpakutou at the intruder. "Why did you come here?! You're getting revenge for Aizen, or something like that?!"

"Nothing of the sort. I was not created by Sosuke Aizen. I would gladly tell you more, but only if you two idiots stop boring me."

As two fighters with equal (lack of) temper, Ichigo and Grimmjow rushed into action once more.

XXXXX

"Vasto Lorde…!" Shino quickly dialed the Seireitei on her soul phone. "Hello, this is Ketsura! Request to spatially freeze the entirety of Karakura Town!"

"We're sorry, your call cannot be completed at this time. Please hang up and try again later."

"WHAT?! That's impossible!" She held up the phone. "How could the lines be not working?!"


"Ugh…." Hiyori coughed and slowly sat up. "Give me the number of that truuuuOH ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

In front of her was the ruined bathroom – and a missing Kageroza Inaba.

XXXXX

"Yo, idiots! Get up!" Hiyori slammed the door as she ran into the main laboratory. "We've got a huge fucking problem right now!"

The others wearily picked themselves up, but the short Vizard noticed several warning signals on the computer screen.

"What the-who was monitoring this?!"

"T-Third Seat Akon, ma'am! Where did he go?"

Akon?! Hiyori sat down and typed as fast as she could. "The soul phone connection is down?! What did that horned bastard even do?! Look at all of these Hollows!"

Takeshi spoke up. "B-But he told me he was-"

There's a HUGE concentration of Hollow bait thrown into the Living World's sky. I've got to find Kirio-san and Nemu-san to fix this! "All of you, tell every Captain and Vice-Captain what happened, including Kirio Hikifune!"

"Yes ma'am!" While a few hopped back to whatever computers were still working, the rest got into the stance to use a Tenteikura.

Hiyori ran out of the room.


"What the….." Yoruichi, having been knocked into the wall, was a little dizzy when she picked herself up, but her inverted view saw her brother, frantic, the manor ready to come down, and a large hole in the opposite wall.

Only 3 Shihouins were remaining: herself, her brother, and her mother.

No…..NO!


"NO!" Soi pulled her groggy vice-captain to his feet. "They've escaped, Tsumiko! All those who are gone…they're part of the group! After them!"

The asauchi girl wasn't listening. She looked to the sky, where several cracks had opened up.

Then another explosion hit.


"Kiyone! Kiyone, are you okay?!" Nemu looked down; the younger Kotetsu was conscious but even more dizzy.

"Owwww….what's goin' on…."

Nemu slung Kiyone over her shoulder yet again, hurrying as fast as she could….with her now sprained ankle. Lucky for her-

"Nemu-chan!"

"Yachiru!"

-her president had crossed paths with a dizzy Orihime over her shoulder.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know…but I think I have a feeling of who's behind this!" Ah, where's Uryu-san? Was he still delivering some other forms?

"The other patients!" Orihime realized. "W-We can't just leave them!" Yachiru set her down. "The top priority is to make sure they're safe!"

Attention, Vice-Captains and Captains of the Gotei 13! An explosion has been set off by Kageroza Inaba of the 12th! It is recommended escape from the Seireitei be closed off to apprehend him!

XXXXX

Kirio didn't need any other instructions. She clapped her hands together.

He escaped Hiyori….but how? What triggered that explosion across the Seireitei?!

Additionally, Karakura Town needs support immediately! Vasto Lorde-level Arrancar have attacked and the 13th cannot handle it alone!


Toshiro cursed under his breath. "That's their game….everyone can't stand still if the Living World is under attack! Matsumoto, let's go!"

"Wait sir! Are you saying he caused those Hollows to appear?"


"Heck if I know Hinamori, but Ichigo and Rukia-chan are on cleanup duty today." Shinji picked his fallen desk off his body. "This place is a wreck…."

"Captain Hirako, I didn't…." Momo coughed. Several pieces of glass had cut her skin. "…see Rurichiyo come in this morning."

"Here's the problem, Hinamori."


"These explosions….were felt by everyone," Shunsui said. "But since we're in the middle of lockdowns, everyone's on edge. Until we fix the situation….it'd be difficult to track what everyone is doing…"

Lisa narrowed her eyes. "The SSS's perfect chance….wait, what are you-" she caught his kimono. "You're going to Karakura?"

"Yep. Better it's one less thing Jushiro worries about it. I know you and Nanao will do a good job. There's certainly no need for all of us to leave-"


"-the classroom?! No!" Isshin picked himself up. "Everyone stay put until we receive orders from the Head-Captain!"

"But Shiba-sensei-"

"Something's happened in the compound, but there's no reason to add to the panic! Okay?"

Karin pointed. "…Mareyo cut herself badly from that last quake."

Without missing a beat, the seasoned veteran of the Shiba clan flash-stepped over to the young girl and kneed to her level.

"S-Shiba….sensei…."

"Don't worry. I was a doctor!"


Liltotto and Sun-Sun were almost to the 7th. Tokie had allowed them to leave (knowing their role in the NSWA), and Byakuya insisted, claiming it was better he made sure his subordinates were not harmed. The black-haired captain had realized the same thing they had.

"L-Look! All of the buildings….they've fallen!"

Sun-Sun squinted, stopping in place. "Someone is emerging from the rubble."

But instead of tensing for battle, the two of them were shocked at the sight. One bloodied mod-soul, whose face was about to peel off, trembled as he held the other figure in his arms…..who looked much, much worse, but not just in a physical sense – splotches of energy were pulsated across her slender form.

"H-He….." blood was even leaking out of Kon's mouth "..lp….her…."

In his hand was the zanpakutou of Nozomi Kujo, only the hilt was remaining. But before Neliel and Sun-Sun could connect the dots….

BOOM


-another quake forced the Head-Captain to his knees, and worst of all, his old illness was starting to flare up.

"C-Captain! Don't move! I'll get your medicine!"

"No, Sen…taro!" Jushiro coughed, covering his mouth. "There's a crisis in the Seireitei. See what our….comrades need!"

Suddenly, his sharp senses noticed something….and it left him wide eyed and slack jawed.

"S-Sir?"

"That reiatsu…..!"

XXXXX

Indeed, it was the reiatsu of a certain zanpakutou release. Candice Catnipp was none the wiser as she groaned and picked herself off the grass, thanking the heavens Kaiser II was not harmed.

"K-Kaiser….I think you need to hide..."

She also was not as quick to sense danger, so when the kitten yelped and ran for its dear life, the lime-haired girl was genuinely confused.

"Consider this….the first of many, Candice Catnipp," came a voice.

"Wha-?"

But the front of the nearby building had suddenly flew off and smashed into her.


Back in Karakura Town, the 13th was in serious danger. There wasn't nearly enough Shinigami to handle all of the Hollows, but the main problem was the massive beast in the sky.

"Second Dance!" Rukia got into her stance and tried again to freeze El Rampante. However, two buzzes of static graced her ears when the monster was encased.

"Well well, sister, a little midget is the one trying to curb his hunger. And she's got a Vice-Captain badge!"

"Do they just hand those out, Yin?"

Rukia kept one eye on the frozen monster, already seeing cracks starting to form. Damn it! We need these limiters removed! "So. Some Arrancar actually survived Kurotsuchi's bomb?" She kept her cool, but inwardly she was panicking; Arturo was easily handling Ichigo above her.

"Oh that's so cute, Shinigami," Yin sneered. "You think we're of Aizen's ilk. It's amazing what can happen in only four years."

Are they…..survivors? Or did the air mutate them? "What business do you have with this town?!"

"Well it's such a dinky little town," Yang began, moving around the vice-captain. "and Master thought it'd be a nice little….warning shot."

"Of a fortified Hueco Mundo?"

"Oh you stupid girl, there's no way the Arrancar just regenerated themselves after your kind's stunt." Now the twins pulled both of their zanpakutou's out of their sheathe. "But imagine this….one Hollow being worth ten."

"What?"

"Or twenty! Or a HUNDRED!"

Rukia saw Ichigo get smashed into the ground, leaving Grimmjow to attack. He didn't have a limiter, which meant he had a better chance, but the ex-Espada wasn't known for his carefulness. Ah, that idiot! He should've stopped that cero!

"Are you listening, Shinigami?!" Yang shouted. She began to charge up a cero from her finger, and her sister did the same. Just in time for El Rampante to break free and charge up itself.

"VICE-CAPTAIN!"

Rukia felt Ryunosuke grab her and quickly flash-step away.

XXXXX

Ichigo picked himself and began running as fast as his (limiter) Bankai body could allow. Some humans were pondering what non-existent earthquake was causing the commotion of the day, but to his surprise, some of them were looking up, mouth agape.

They can see Hollows?!

"Ichigo!"

"K-Keigo?!"

His high school friend nearly crashed into him, in the middle of his work list. "Why are so many Hollows attacking?!"

"I don't know, but you HAVE to find shelter! Got it?! Don't you dare offer to help, or something stupid like that!"

"You got it, pal, this is all you!"

Ichigo deadpanned. "…..right. Just protect your folks." He cut down several Gillians with ease, rising back into the air, but he gasped when a stray cero zoomed past him…..and into the cemetery.

XXXXXXX

"Stop with the fucking games!" Grimmjow snarled. "You could level this whole entire town right now, so why are you having your flunkies do it?"

Again his zan clashed against Arturo's, and again his opponent either dodged or batted away his blades with ease. "Are you daring me? Because I don't feel like spending more time in this place than I have to."

"Where did you come from?! Aizen's secret cloning chamber? Kurotsuchi whip up somethin'?"

"….."

"ANSWER me! I've never seen an Arrancar like you in Hueco Mundo!"

Arturo looked intrigued. "You speak as if you once existed there, Shinigami."

To answer, Grimmjow ripped off a piece of his uniform, revealing the special "6" tattoo he had commissioned (at the same place Renji got his). "Why don't you beat me if you want me to talk?"

"Hahaha…." the amusement continued. "I guess we both have questions." Arturo looked ahead, and Grimmjow was once feeling the blunt of his rather dense reiatsu. "Although….do you have anything beyond that Shikai of yours?"

"Well why didn't you ask sooner?!" Rather than being uneasy, Grimmjow was in the mood to kill. "Ban-"

"GETSUGA TENSHOU!" Suddenly, a blue wave of energy crashed into Arturo, and Ichigo appeared, now pissed. "You're gonna pay Arrancar!"

Huh?! What the hell happened to him?! "Oi, Kurosaki, stop getting in my way!"


"Brother Yamada! You know the way to Inoue-sama?"

Having been an active Shinigami for decades, Seinosuke Yamada knew the entire compound, in and out. For the best way to avoid detection, he had led the worshippers into the Seireitei sewers. Considering it was a 10 day walk from each end to the other-

"Yes. She works at the 4th Division, which is where I'm headed right now. I'll be able to flash step you all there, but in moderate boosts. Each distance we must survey our surroundings."

He peeked his head out of the corner, where he spotted some members of the Fon clan whizz by.

Members of the 2nd? Even with this reiatsu seal….they should've been able to spot me. I know there's a rebellion in the works…..if one were to come my way….

And as luck would have it, Benin stopped.

"…..who are you? And who are these people?"

Seinosuke gave the gesture for them to not speak up. "That doesn't matter. You're with them, evading Captain Fon I presume?"

"….you're Seinosuke Yamada. You idiot, why come back to the Seireitei?"

"I have my reasons. Would you be able to retrieve my zanpakutou for me?"

The purple-haired assassin looked the group over. Yes, yes…if he's down here, he's trying to avoid suspicion. More chaos ensures we all can escape. Father would be pleased! "Only if these souls stay beyond." This immediately got a reaction.

"How dare you! We-!"

"Deal," Seinosuke cut in. "I'll be heading to the 4th."

"Stay in the sewers for now. With any luck, Captain Fon has left the scene of the crime."


Said captain was jumping through the rooftops. Xen, Harribel, and Marechiyo were entrusted with their own missions, for she no longer cared about her division.

All of my clan members…..they all disappeared! Kageroza was in league with all of them! Goddamn it!

She spotted a trail of smoke in one direction, and she quickly moved.

XXXXX

"What the-!"

In front of her was the wall, on fire. She moved her eyes and spotted Ururu picking up a piece of rubble to help Jinta get out.

"You two! What happened here?!"

"Ugh…." Jinta made a face. "Boss told us to watch the wall all night! Then those explosions happened, and then we saw a bright light!"

"Are you okay, Captain Fon?" Ururu asked politely. "I'm sorry we couldn't-"

"Stop! There's no time for apologizing! Just fetch Urahara!"

The two ran off, but suddenly, Yoruichi's student felt something being thrown at her. She turned and caught it….a lit firecracker.

Why is….. her eyes narrowed. These are Shiba brand!

But when she looked up, a barrage of explosions and other Shiba-grade items were coming towards her, at all angles.


Meanwhile, Toshiro had reached the Senkaimon just as Shunsui did.

"Captain Hitsugaya."

"Kyoraku! You're coming for Karakura?"

"Not without me!" Kenpachi shouted, kicking down a wall. "There's Hollows, and I'm gonna fight them!"

"How the hell did you get here if you already can't see anything?!"

"What did you say, Hitsugaya?!"

Shunsui sighed. "Gentlemen, please. Let's just hurry."

XXXXXXX

"Everything is going all wrong at once….this had to be planned."

The three were running through the Dangai's passage, although Shunsui and Toshiro occasionally had stop Kenpachi from hitting the edges of the strip.

"Hmm….something tells me Kageroza isn't the only one responsible."

"What, you have another guess?"

"Not exactly, but we also don't know how many members this SSS even has," Shunsui replied. "Suppose they have members in…every division."

"But the lockdown-"

"-means nothing if they know about it. Maybe when Jidanbo's brother got caught, their higher-ups told him to keep everything out of sight until the right time."

Toshiro scoffed. "Where the hell are they even going to go? There's more of us than are of them."

"OI! How long is this damn passage?!" Kenpachi shouted. "It feels like we've been running forever!"

"Come to think of it…." Shunsui stopped. "...it is taking longer than usual."

"Do we really have the time to wonder about this?" the Captain of the 10th snapped. "Karakura Town could be in ruin for all we know!"

"Calm down, Captain. You see that?" Shunsui's pointer finger was directed at a faint trail of energy into the wall. "Someone's been tampering with this place."

XXXXX

The new space looked identical to the usual Dangai passage, but it led the trio immediately to a large hole. And it was the blind Kenpachi-

"Someone's down there…." -that had heard it first. A clacking sound accomplished by what seemed to be pained grunts.

"Hello!" Shunsui called down, moving his hat upward. "Is anyone down there?"

Beat.

"...if you're here to arrest me, Captain Kyoraku, then I can prove my innocence," came a voice. "In fact, you being here means he's already done whatever plan."

"….?"

But the answer became clear; Akon, heavily wounded, was trying to climb out of the hole. He couldn't use flash-step, use kido, or use his zanpakutou. He had been stabbed through his saketsu and hakusui.


Where the hell is that son of a bitch hiding?! Hiyori was nearly about to don her Hollow mask and start leveling everything. I'm going to slice his throat! Akon too!

"Hiyori!" Shinji called out, meeting her on the same rooftop. "You're looking for Kirio-san, aren't you?"

"Yeah, and I DON'T have time for you to start chatting me up! The bastard was MY responsibility! And he escaped! Out of my way, Shinji!"

"Calm down, squirt," he drawled. "-and look into the sky."

"What the-?!"

There was more than one crack now, and despite Kirio's translucent barrier across the Seireitei, it was certainly visible.

"These….look exactly like the ones in the false world! How did he set it off? Why did he set it off?! Does he just want to be the next Kurotsuchi that badly?!"

Shinji looked past her shoulder. "….Hiyori, ain't that your cute new subordinate? In his hands?"

He was pointing to Nozomi and Kon, but the marks on her form had generated another burst of light/explosion, startling both Vizards. And Hiyori realized the problem.

SHE'S the one exploding AND it's making the cracks worse?

XXXXXX

"Nozomi….I'll…..get you…help….!"

"Kon!" Hiyori and Shinji appeared before the duo. "You're the one who's...n-never mind! How did this start?! Did Kageroza come to you?!"

"Oi, Hiyori, can't you see they're both not in the mood to talk?! Take them to the 4th right now!"

"And have them explode on patients?!"

"Kirio-san is your best chance to reverse it!" Shinji pointed to the glows on her body. "Any longer and she'll decompose completely." He caught the zanpakutou hilt thrown to him. "Huh?"

"Th….." Kon's vision was starting to blur. "….was it…."

AUGH, of course! We checked everything BUT her own weapon that HE made! Hiyori grit her teeth. How did that bastard do all of this, even with the lockdown?!

"Hiyori….we got company," Shinji muttered, putting a hand to his zanpakutou.

Around them were members of the SSS, all wearing their skull masks. One of them pointed to Nozomi just as another pointed his/her weapon at her.

"Grab them both and run that way!"

"That's not the right-"

"Collapse, Sakanade!"

Hiyori understood immediately. As directions reversed themselves, her running the opposite way translated into running towards the 4th, with Nozomi and Kon on her shoulders. She dodged a few sword strikes and flash-stepped onward, leaving Shinji to take care of it.

Hang on Nozomi! You too, Kon!


(Back in Karakura)

"Hmmm? Kaoru-kun, what's wrong?" Saya asked. "Why are you looking out the window?"

Shaking, the boy crossed out his drawing and began to make the monsters he was currently witnessing whizz past the window. For every one that even tried to get in, an orange-tinted blur put it down in its tracks.

"You're seeing….h-huh?!"

The close exposure of all of these spiritual entities was taking its toll, and now she was seeing the same things.

M-Monsters….the ones that Rika talks about….!

XXXXX

"You're wasting your time, trying to stop them all, Ichigo Kurosaki. I thought you were rushing me?"

Indeed Ichigo was trying to do so, but when even the smallest or weakest Hollow moved near him, his senses moved into hyperdrive; without the limiter lifting however, he wouldn't last forever.

"Shut up!"

"Why the sudden anger, Shinigami?" Arturo asked.

"Her grave…..!"

"Grave?"

But he charged forward without elaborating. Arturo smacked Ichigo down, and with his superior speed, smashed him into the ground.

"All the Seireitei can afford is you? I was certain I'd be clashing swords with a Captain. Do they not care if this town gets destroyed?"

"You won't, you bastard….!" Ichigo glared at the Arrancar as he stood up. "Karakura Town will never fall!"

Arturo scoffed and charged up another cero. "You're becoming annoying."

"Same to you…Getsuga...!" Ichigo charged up his zanpakutou and met the doom blast head on with his signature attack, throwing up the dust all around them.


"Vice-Captain, we've checked all of the patients on this floor!"

"Move to the next one!"

The members of the 4th were running back and forth, checking on every patient and securing what they could from the continuous explosions across the Seireitei, and they couldn't stop until they know it would stop. Everyone was hard at work: Retsu, Isane, Iemura, Hanataro, Orihime, and so on.

"Hikifune-sama! We've got trouble!"

The five asauchi girls jumped through the window and quickly found the former Captain, who had just finished her barrier.

"Girls, why did you leave your divisions?"

"That light and the explosions…..it disrupted our containment! Shinigami left and right slipped away!"

"But that's not the worst of it!" Mera exclaimed. "The sky! It's-"


"-cracked?! Blast….!"

Jushiro jumped onward, following the source of the reiatsu closely. He spotted buildings in rubble, but it was when one suddenly flew up – and smashed against the barrier.

What? Is he trying to break it?!

"UKITAKE!"

One building moved horizontally to crush the Head-Captain, but one familiar face had flash-stepped him out of the way; Kukaku Shiba.

"Look at you, you've got blood coming of your mouth! What the hell are you going?!"

"Head-Captain, you're pale," Kira replied, next to her. "Just let us to handle this!"

"You don't understand, Kira! Kageroza isn't behind everything! There's one zanpakutou that manipulates gravity….*cough* and it belongs to-" he growled and flash-stepped away. Kukaku followed, but she was intercepted by a sinister face.

"You…!"

"Hello, hello, Kukaku. Shall we have a chat?" Ganryu asked, as if he had all of the time in the world. "I think our precious Head-Captain needs to meet up with his subordinate alone."

"….hahahaha."

"Something funny?"

Kukaku's reiatsu crashed down, and Kira drew his zanpakutou. "You're the ringleader of this, ain't you, Ganryu?"

"Actually…if only you knew…" he replied, drawing his own zan.


"Kageroza trapped us?!"

Now the group of the four continued their path back to the worlds we knew of, with Toshiro and Kenpachi keeping the wounded Akon on his feet.

"Yeah, his zanpakutou deals with space like this. I had interrogated him and demanded to see whatever he was plotting, but….that only gave him the chance to catch me off guard."

"How long were you in there?!" Toshiro asked, incredulous.

"Hell if I know, Captain Hitsugaya. Time is relative in this passage. Either way, his little clone managed to masquerade as me just fine….if no one noticed anything. I can't even imagine what's going on up there…"

Now it makes sense, Shunsui thought. His Akon clone probably hijacked the 12th to disrupt communication, and if he were get us to leave….to find him…..we'd go into his trap…

"Damn it, Akon, you can't think of a way for us to get out of here?!" Kenpachi snapped, bloodlust rising.

"….I can't do anything now, Captain Zaraki," he replied somberly.

"That seems to be the theme with today's Gotei," came a mocking voice. "One string of a planned move and none of you seem to do anything right."

"….!" The group followed the voice, right into the range of Reiku's portals.

SHOOM

"As much as Head-Captain Yamamoto was a traditionist old fool, he had at least a better idea of how to run things. You want to install fear, you don't want to promote the opposite."

SHOOM

"Because when people don't fear you, they become bold. Why bother listening to a chain of command if there's nothing warning them of the consequences?"

SHOOM

"It becomes a test to see how much you can truly get away with. The SSS liked this idea, but none of them….none of them seem to realize its implications."

SHOOM

"He's taunting us," Akon said bluntly. "And he's clearly leading us to him. His voice is getting louder."

"Very perceptive, Akon-kun. Even with your powers gone….hahaha….your mind is sharp."

SHOOM

At least the four had cornered Kageroza, at what was (not) a dead end.

"You're not getting anywhere now," Toshiro growled. "So don't even try."

"Is that a bet, Captain Hitsugaya? All of you Captains and Vice-Captains have grown so lackluster in these years of peacetime. You all thought Aizen and Juha Bach were the only threats?"

"That's it, I'm cutting his fucking head off."

"Wait, Zaraki." Shunsui stared the scientist down. "You're smart, Kageroza. What exactly do you even want out all of this? You're not making the same claims the rest of the SSS is."

"Because my interests lie elsewhere, Captain. I want to create. I want to build! But the rules of the 12th has limited its own potential."

"For a damned reason!" Akon shouted. "How many times must I explain this?"

"Too many to count. But don't worry, you won't need to see me for much longer."

The three Captains readied their zanpakutous.

"For the next time you see me…..you will understand the true concept of fear. Why, I'm sure darling little Nozomi has."

"What? The copy of Kusamiya you made?" Kenpachi stepped forward. "What's she got to do with this?"

"You'll find out….if she's still around. Ta-ta!"

"Wait!"

But when they jumped forward to attack, they passed through another portal, right into the Living World.


"KIRIO-SAN!" Hiyori raced through the infirmary, passing by the nurses. "Where are you?!"

"Hiyori! What happened to Nozomi and Kon?" Retsu asked, coming out of a room.

"No time to explain! Just tell me where she is now!"

"Fifth floor…."

As she raced past the healer captain, Retsu spotted Yachiru running down the stairs.

"Yachiru, you're still here?"

"Yep! I was checking on patients too, Re-chan! Hime-chan asked."

"….where's your mother?"

"Her?" Yachiru pouted. "She's not my mommy, Re-chan. I ditched her before that quake hit. Raggy's probably hiding or something. It's too much for a regular soul like her."

I want to ask more, but no, this isn't the time. And she is Iemura's patient, first and foremost. "Well then, perhaps you can-"

"V-Vice-Captain Kusajishi!"

"Huh?" Yachiru looked ahead, and saw a bloodied Kenryu and Enryu crawl towards the two of them; both of them were fighting to stay conscious.

"You….you have to find her!"

"Hey, you're Chiyo-chan's servants! Why aren't you with her?"

Kenryu coughed up more of his own blood. "The clan….betrayed us! Rurichiyo-sama….she's in danger!"

"…!"


"Sis, slow down!"

"I'm NOT slowing down, Yushiro! Either speed up or stop following me!" Yoruichi shouted. The two Shihouins blitzed acrossed the Seireitei, but before they could catch one of their own, the Goddess of Flash spotted something.

What the….?

She flashed over to the entrance of the Maggot's Nest.

XXXXXX

"No…Yoruichi…..h-how did…."

Every locked prisoner (few of them as there were) was gone.

They went THIS far?! Yoruichi seethed. Soi! I have to tell Soi!


But her student was focusing on other matters. Members of the Shiba clan continued their attacks, and while she was much faster, every firework or bomb in her path made it difficult to focus on her vantage point.

Did the news of our relationship really bring it to this level? No….the SSS, maybe my own family brought them to this level… Suddenly, a burst of lightning cleared away the dust.

"Captain Fon," Nanao's voice rang out, "you seem to be having some difficulties."

"Nothing too unusual, Nanao. Help me detain these traitors."

Soi! Listen to me!

Yoruichi-sama?! What have you found?

The Maggot's Nest is cleared out, and my family went rogue!

WHAT?! You've got be kidding me!


"You've got to be kidding me." Ginjou stepped into the pool of blood and pulled his zanpakutou from the giant's severed head. "That wasn't even a challenge…..hm?"

He turned his head, and saw one quiet figure staring him down.

"Ah, hello. Sorry to say, but your big giant friend here is rather pathetic. Think you can make it more fun for me?"

"…."

"What? Are you going to rage, or something? People die, kid."

"My name isn't kid, Kugo Ginjou."

"Eh? You know who I am?"

His opponent nodded, brown eyes unflinching. "My name is Yasutora Sado. But my friends call me Chad."

"Hey, that's a neat nickname! Maybe you and I can be pals, Chad!" Ginjou sneered.

"….no. Just….no."


"Come out, damn it! This game of hide and seek has gone on long e-enough!"

Jushiro had cornered his opponent on Sokyoku Hill, where once there used to be a mighty altar for its titular weapon. But Ichigo had destroyed it four years prior, and Yamamoto's fire had incinerated it mere weeks after that. All that there was the NSWA resort.

"I see….I suppose my old age has caught up to me."

The man's back was to the Head-Captain, and he was looking over the chaos in the compound; smoke and fire was visible all around.

"I can't believe it was you, Okikiba. After all of these years serving Yama-ji and the 1st, you lead this march into insanity. And for what?"

"For what, you ask?" the third seat asked, turning to face Jushiro, who, despite being sick, had the darkest scowl on his face – the same when questioning Aizen when he departed the Seireitei.

"Yes. I can't believe you would spit on your Captain's death like this."

"Don't you dare," Okikiba snarled, "don't you dare bring Head-Captain Yamamoto into this! He and Vice-Captain Sasakibe perished through trickery! And yet, they fought until their end!"

"Do you think I don't know that?! Why do you think all of this effort has been made to strengthening the Gotei?!"

"If it was so strong, Head-Captain, then why was it so easy to cause this? Because its soul has grown soft under your command."


At first I didn't mind you taking over the position, because very few Shinigami could ever hope to take up the task. Hitsugaya was too young. Zaraki was too much of a savage. Kuchiki was too bound to his clan.

The escaped prisoners of the Maggot's Nest ran through the streets, promoting some confused Shinigami (including Ganju) to try to stop them.

Captain Unohana was a healer and Kyoraku was too lax. Stealth and assassination is what Fon knew, for she would be overshadowed by her mentor.

Candice pulled herself from the rubble, wounded. Across the Seireitei, an equally wounded Liltotto was picked up by Renji, while Iba grabbed Sun-Sun. Both men were bleeding.

And try as hard as they might, but Urahara, Hirako, and Muguruma would never be able to escape the scars from a century ago.

Shizuku and Homura were scared but Byakuya had refused to leave their side.

So it was to up to you. You had experienced loss. You knew the job had sacrifice.

In Karakura, Shunsui, Toshiro, and Kenpachi jumped to the aid of the 13th.

But your mistake was giving people the room for amnesty.

Gin and Isshin continued to watch over their students, while the 11th Division members were just trying to make sense of the chaos. Both of their commanding officers were gone. Tatsuki ran off to find Orihime.

The soldiers of the Arrancar, and the Vandenreich? Even rich and poor Shinigami alike has reason to hate them. Why should the people of our enemies – those who almost killed us and doomed the worlds to oblivion! – serve in our ranks as if nothing has happened?!

Hiyori found Kirio and hurried to escape the situation. The portly former Captain of the 12th quickly formed a seal around the decaying Nozomi.

Try as hard as you like, Jushiro Ukitake, but…..you cannot reassure our people's fears and hatred away. All of them need to suffer in the same way they made us suffer, with their destruction, murder, and callous disregard for the natural order.

Yachiru hopped from rooftop to rooftop, mind focusing on one clear thing.

In fact, as we stand here now….there exists the proof of the group that has normalized this despicable situation. A group that treats them as equals and friends.

And under the Kasumioji manor, Rurichiyo was locked under in a pool of water, legs chained to a heavy steel ball. With every second, the air was fading from her lungs and her strength was weakening. She wanted to cry, but it was foolish, for it was impossible. One of Ganryu's children stood guard over the pool.

The NSWA. If the Gotei is the parent that has fostered both groups, then we – the SSS – are its opposite twin. And it will be destroyed with the rest of you.

FIN

Ending notes: The last scene is supposed to be Okikiba narrating through various events. It's actually a good way for me to highlight different events while keeping the lights on one parent scene. I'm really sorry this chapter is a bit of a clusterfuck, though.

Next Time - The aftermath. Also I hope you didn't forget about Tsukishima, because hahahaha...