Chapter 29: Sokyoku Hill Finale
AN- Hey. Sorry for the long wait. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the chapter. PLEASE READ THE ENDING AN! Its very important... and stuff.
Disclaimer: I own nothing... ever!
Daichi ran in silence alongside me as we quickly jogged up the grand and spiralling staircase leading towards the execution grounds. No flying up there for me today... I couldn't really bring myself to care about that though. I was too busy checking on Daichi, albeit silently.
As we ran I had quickly and concisely told him everything I knew. I told him about the meeting with M and Hayato's death. I told him of my training with Z. Daichi didn't take it very well. Hayato was Daichi's friend and room mate for six years, they were close even before I moved in with them. Best friends... inseparable, trusting, incapable of betraying one another, or deceiving another. Heck, in comparison to my reaction to Hayato's death, I was a sociopath. He cried. And cried. And cried.
He bloody cried!
I could do nothing but wearily help him along, since he was incapable of walking properly. I didn't offer any words of wisdom or emotion, no apologies or grievances. There were none to give.
Hayato's dead. I might have been able to shovel it aside for awhile, so I could train with Z with my sanity intact. Daichi's reaction reminded me of it though. He was dead.
I wonder if Z would have killed Hayato if he never knew me?
Enough what ifs. Lets just get this out of the way. The announcement concerning Aizen's betrayal was vocalised, so we began to speed up to try and catch up in time to see him leave, or maybe help in the battle or something. I don't think Daichi would be much good as he is now. Let's count our blessings that Aizen will uncountably run away to Hueco Mundo, so he won't have to fight.
Eventually, we reached the battleground where Ichigo and Byakuya had once fought, the field now filled with various Shinigami Captain's, Lieutenant's, Ryoka, as well as Kasumi and Akimi. It seems like I came here at a good time, considering Aizen had not left yet, although Soi Fon and Yoruchi held a blade to his throat. It wont last long though, he'll escape soon. I know it.
"Oh, I see you have shown up in time for the finale, Marcus D Solus." Smiled my ex-Captain.
"Afternoon Aizen." I nodded once to him while the other Captains glared at him. It seems like my place here isn't enough to be noticed in the current situation. I limped over to my friends with Daichi. Kasumi numbly nodded, then began to heal me up while Akimi took Daichi over to one side. I returned my attention to the three traitors.
FLASH! A golden pillar of light slammed down onto Aizen, throwing the two speed specialists to one side.
"It can't be!" It could. The sky cracked open like an egg ready to hatch. A Dark tear wrenched itself through reality, a ghostly, bony, white hand forcing it open. I saw a mask. The too. Then three. Then oh so BLOODY many red eyes. I remember seeing a Menos once before back in Karakura. Now, things felt different. Beyond that tear was impossible darkness, a realm filled to the brim with shadows of former people, shadows of former souls scrunched together to forge towering monoliths of bestial aggression. It was like looking into the eyes of a devil, like looking through a window into a morbid showing of hell.
That realm between Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society, the realm which was no part of the Dangai... truly it must be the void, the void you must not gaze into lest it gaze into your own soul.
"Menos Grandes." Snarled Soi Fon in amazement. I quite agreed. When I watched the anime, I though nothing of this. But now that I was aware of all the info concerning Menos, now that I had seen what was quite possibly the 666 beasts, I could see why people feared Aizen. If he could control them, then truly he must be a special sort of demon. A Satan.
Two more golden lights drew down, swallowing the other two traitors inside its yellow maw of protection. Wow, I'm being metaphorical today. Something about seeing a friend beat themselves up over another friends death really brings the poetic emo out in you.
"That light is called the Negacion. Meno use it when helping their own." Stated the Head Captain solemnly. "Inside that light is a completely isolated, unaffectable world."
Komamura pounded his hands down into the ground, Yamamoto scowled, Gin grinned and Aizen stared resolutely. Cocky bastard.
"You've even joined forces with Menos." Stated the Thirteenth Squads Captain harshly, disliking the obvious feeling of betrayal he was experiencing. "For what reason?"
"To seek new heights." Retorted Aizen.
"Have you fallen to the ground, Aizen?"
"You are arrogant to the end, Ukitake. Surely you know that no one was ever standing in Heaven to begin with. Not you, not me, not even God." Cue the removal of the glasses and the epic evil transformations scene. Seriously cocky bastard. He has class though. I can sort of respect that. "However, this shallow vacancy will soon end. From now on I shall sit upon the throne of Heaven."
"Seriously arrogant." I muttered, turning to my friends to see their reaction. Kasumi was ignoring Aizen in favour of healing me up some more, Daichi was still oblivious, while Akimi was rather angry.
"No shit."
"Shut up Javan. No one asked you." I still hadn't forgiven the douche. I was going to ignore him for as long as possible; I was getting along fine without his assistance.
Then, Gin and Tousen were in the hands of the Menos Grande. Only Aizen remained in the golden, beam light of doom. He stopped ascending, to gaze at his audience. A smug smile was plastered on his face. Then he turned to me. "What of you, Marc?" Now the eyes of the Gotei 13 fell on me. It was pretty damn awkward.
"Wait... what?" What the hell do I have to do with anything?
"Firstly, I am curious to know if you won your little fight."
I shrugged. "Yeah, I beat Chojiro's Bankai, but I never got to finish him off. Daichi knocked him out with a sheathed sword of all things before we got to brawl it out macho a macho, mano a mano."
Aizen titled his head. "Interesting. Now then, are you ready to decide?"
"Decide what?" I asked tiredly.
"Surely you never forgot our last conversation? You too are dissatisfied with the current Heavenly management employed. You could join me, you know. Join Team Aizen and all that."
"Seriously?" I dead panned him while the Gotei 13 continued to glare.
"Yes. You know, I consider you almost an apprentice. Almost. Admittedly you learned more from training with my former Captain and your own arch enemy, but I still like to think that I influenced your growth. I saw potential in you, so I ensured you escaped persecution during the academy incident. Now I left you to spread your wings. I'm glad that I did. In the month or two, to you, since you left my Squad for training, look at all you have managed to accomplish. I mean, you defeated a Captain class fighter without Bankai." Aizen offered a metaphorical and physical hand to me, asking me to join the Dark Side for some cookies. "So join me and see your true potential come to light! I shall train you personally, and you will become equal to any Shinigami or Hollow out there. I shall assist you in locating Z, something the Gotei 13 will never assist you in. I shall even let you kill him yourself. That's your greatest desire, isn't it? To kill the ones who butchered your friends. Join me and their blood shall spill!"
It was tempting, certainly tempting. And flattering. Scary too. Aizen wanted me to join him... interesting idea. That would certainly give canon the middle finger.
"Don't do it!" Warned Javan bluntly. "For the love of everything, don't. Do. It! If our friendship ever meant anything, don't join Aizen!"
'Join or don't join?', that is the question. If I assisted Aizen, he would most definitely give me Z. that's what I want, so joining him is logical. Speaking of which, why aren't any of the Captains moving to stop me or...
Never mind, Anime Logic. Anyway, join or don't join. Abandon my childish ideas of being a hero and help the bad guys kill the baddies in order to accomplish the goal I have set for myself, or stay true to myself and pursue Z on my own, as a good guy. What's the best choice? What benefits me? What will change my destiny for the better?
…...
I have a damned headache.
There's only one obvious, logical choice. I selected it.
"Sorry Aizen, but I don't fancy becoming one of your minions. For one thing, my friends would kick my ass if I did. For another, shady bar room deals get old. Have fun with your evil army, I'm sure Ichigo will come over and massacre it sometime."
Aizen looked disappointed but not shocked. Clearly he expected this answer. "What a shame, I had looked forward to shaping you into one who would someday rival me in power. Oh well, it was naïve to offer you a place. Heaven only has a single seat."
"I'll just have to kick you off it, or get Ichigo to do it for me." I told my old Captain. "Sayanara butt head. Tell Darth Sidious I said hi!"
With that Aizen betrayed the Soul Society, and I was left in a very awkward position. Namely being surrounded by a bunch of overpowered Shinigami who had just listened in on a potentially traitorous conversation. I was so gonna get interrogated.
XXXXXXXXXX
I so did get interrogated. I was immediately locked up in one of the Second Squad's cells and forced back into my 'proper' Human body. Alas, I had no cell mates. My friends were shepherded off to other cells (Daichi kicking and screaming all the way) while I have no idea what happened to Team Ryoka. If the anime showed them getting locked up in a prison cell, I can't remember it. Its been too many damned years since I watched the show; its been too many damned years since I first arrived in the Soul Society.
Finally, after a few days in the cramped holding cell, I was led by two Seated Shinigami it a dark room, where I was quickly bound to a chair and left for awhile.
Eventually, my inquisitor was revealed. Luckily, it wasn't Miss Nuke-attached-to-a-stick. It was a random Second Squad member, that began to ask me questions. Naturally, I ignored him, instead opting to make a Monty Python reference, since I had just been locked up in a cell for three days; I needed a good laugh.
"What is this, some sort of Spanish Inquisition?" I joked.
The door to the room flew open, Soi Fon burst in with her Lieutenant. "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition... I mean, the Ryoka Inquisition!"
"What about any Ryoka locked up in a cell for three days?"
"Shut up!" Snapped the fat Lieutenant.
"I repeat, nobody expects the Ryoka Inquisition!"
"And I'm guessing that your chief weapons include: the element of surprise, fear, ruthless efficiency and an almost fanatical devotion to the Head Captain?"
"Shut up!"
"I am unaware of just what this jest you are employing is for, but this is an interrogation!" Soi Fon snorted indignantly. "I could have you tortured for this disrespect towards a Captain!"
"Bring on the comfy chair!"
"Enough." A stern voice filtered through the room from the doorway. Captain Unohana stepped into the room, a pleasant smile upon her face. "Captain Soi Fon, perhaps I should handle this interrogation, it requires a certain amount of subtlety."
"I still don't see how or why I have to listen to you when this is my interrogation room!"
"Isn't it because we're scared stiff of her." Reminded fatman.
"Oh yeah." Soi Fon paled. "Come, we're leaving." The Captain left alongside her two subordinates, slamming the door shut as they did so. Thus, it was just me and Unohana.
"Good morning, Mr Solus." The Captain in question greeted me.
"What's good about it?" I responded rhetorically. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? You didn't come here for pleasantries. You didn't rescue me from Soi Fon out of the good of your heart."
"Quite." The healer pulled out the chair across from me on the other side of the thick table and sat down. "We have a lot to talk about, but it can be abridged to a rather troublesome situation." I motioned with my head for her to carry on, since my body was bound. "Let's just say that you've caused quite a few problems."
"Blah, blah, blah!" I told her. "Look, I joined Team Ryoka because I owed Urahara a favour, because it was the right thing, because that damned shopkeeper told me Aizen was a traitor, because Rukia didn't deserve to be executed, etcetera, etcetera. I was on your side the entire time, totally wasn't betraying the Seiretei. I'm a good little Shinigami! Marcus wouldn't hurt a fly!"
The leader of the Fourth Squad didn't look amused. "Let me tell you a story, Mr Solus. Did you know that you aren't the first living human to employ the powers of a Shinigami? One other person is currently on active service to the Gotei 13 with this ability."
My jaw dropped right open; a small colony of invisible flies flew into my mouth. "Seriously?"
"Yes, about fifteen years before you appeared, someone else was found. Suffice to say, it was a blasphemy. She was a Ryoka, surely she must have stolen a Shinigami's powers?" Unohana smiled bitterly. "The Twelfth Squad got its hands on her; they had a field day experimenting on her still alive body to see where her powers originated from, and I was the one left to deal with the scars and the psychological trauma." She sighed. "In the end, they found nothing. It was decided that they would discover more if she was to join the ranks of the Shinigami; so she was allowed to leave, her life intact, despite being a Ryoka."
"Who was this girl?" I asked. Perhaps she was like me, perhaps she too had originated from my world? I had to know, I might not be actively looking for a way home (Since I need to kill Z first) but I am still curious as to how the hell I got to this world. Perhaps this girl knew the answer?
"If she has not told you, then it is for good reason. Moving on, she was allowed to leave, but she was still classed as a Ryoka. She could only continue existing if she was a model Shinigami, not a single black dash on her records." I think I see where this is going. "Then you showed up, luckily Hitsugya got to you first. He sent you directly to the Academy, then sought aid from Central 46 and the Captains to not allow you to go to be executed or experimented on, therefore preventing the Twelfth Squad from getting its hands on you."
"Wow... Hitsugya really did bail me out all those years ago." I vocalised. I never realised that the little midget had ever done something like that for me.
"Yes, he did. Central 46 handed the matter off to all the Captains, since it was Shinigami business. Then, with a vote of seven to six, you were allowed to live, but only on the same terms that the girl was... an untarnished, unblemished record."
"And now here I am, involved in academy murders and assisting Ryoka in trying to defeat the Gotei 13." I sighed. I really didn't think my plan of assisting Team Ichigo through.
"Quite." Unohana offered me a sympathetic smile. "Now, you are in quite a bit of hot water. Kurosaki and his Ryoka friends are excluded from punishment, since they were fighting Aizen in the end and are not part of our organisation, while Renji and Ichigo both have Bankai, so are too valuable to punish."
"How am I any different then?"
"You're different because you incited open rebellion. Four of your friends betrayed the Gotei 13, without knowing of Aizen's schemes; one of whom was a Noble. Matters could not simply be ignored- you stirred up trouble, you led an open rebellion, no matter how small... this is no measly matter."
"So what is my punishment." I looked my interrogator in the eyes. "So what's my punishment for doing the right thing?"
"That depends. This matter was raised during a Captain's meeting, since the Central 46 are no more, and the instigator toothis rebellion was voted for punishment, with six to four votes against you. Unfortunately, Kurotsuchi was the tie breaker... and you really pissed him off when you blew him up with that bomb."
"...Oops?"
"So the leader of the rebellion must be punished." She stated strictly.
"There goes my freedom." I sighed.
"Not necessarily. They said that 'the leader of the rebels' must be punished, not that 'Marcus D Solus' must be punished."
"What's the difference? Marcus D Solus is the leader of the rebels!"
"That is the wonderful thing about lying and technical loopholes." Unohana sighed once more. "Your friends have already been interrogated. They refused to name you as the leader; all we got from them was that your other friend, Hayato, had been killed."
"What're you getting at?" A sinking feeling in my stomach emerged. I knew that I was not going to like where this topic was going.
"Hayato is dead, and I feel for your loss. But his death can work for you. You took down a Captain Class fighter, while Chojiro informed the Captains that you had been working on Bankai, and had gotten pretty close to it. We have no wish to lose you, we need every Shinigami we have in the upcoming conflict."
"Get... on... with... it!" I snapped.
"Its simple; Hayato is dead. Allow him to take the blame for leading the rebellion." I blinked rapidly, then my fists began to tremble. "One of you must take the fall for this; and if you and your friends testify that Hayato was the leader, then you will be excluded form punishment; Kurotsuchi would have nothing on you, the leader of the rebels would have already died."
"I refuse." I told her plain and simply. "Hayato's death was my fault! He betrayed the Gotei 13 because he wanted to help me... so I killed him. He was my friend, the best damned friend anyone could ever have! He was loyal, and awesome, and always there for me! I refuse to just tarnish his memory like that! I refuse!"
"If you don't accept the blame, then you will be punished." Unohana pointed out the facts matter of factly. "Too many people have been harmed by the events incited by Aizen, I do not desire to see another wrongfully punished, nor do I want to see his friends suffer. Or Kasumi; she is my Third Seat, I do not wish to see her sad."
"Give me the god DAMNED punishment!" I insisted. Like HELL would Hayato be taking the blame for this. Like Persona 3 once taught me; you must take responsibility for your own actions. I rebelled, so I must accept the consequences. I allowed Hayato to die, therefore I must accept the consequences, whatever they might be.
"Very well then." The woman looked mournful. "I was not sent here to interrogate you, but rather to deliver your sentence, if you did not provide testimony that showed Hayato was guilty of your crimes." She cleared her throat. "On behalf of the Gotei 13, you, Marcus D Solus, have been exiled. Not to the Human World, but rather to the outer areas of the Rukon District. You shall perform penance by investigating a certain series of events occurring in the Northern Districts, and may only return when you have obtained Bankai, completed the mission, or if we have called you for the final battle. That is all."
Unohana left me, then I was dragged back to my cell, to think and to brood.
XXXXXXXXXX
Two days later, I was released. It felt good to be out of that damned cell, although a random Second Squad member had been assigned to keep an eye on me until me exile was finalised.
Oh well. He was only a Fifth Seat. I'm sure I could outrun him if I had to.
Either way, I decided to head off to the Fifth Squad barracks. Then, I'd grab some stuff and try to find my friends before I visit the First Squad to get the specifics of the mission that I had been assigned. Personally, I think that its bull shit. Then again, that's politics for you- a pain in the arse.
Along the way, I saw Momo, my good ol' Lieutenant.
"Oh, hey Momo." I told her as I walked past. She seemed to be sitting in the Fifth Squad's training room that I was passing by. She certainly wasn't training.
"Oh, Marc." The bun haired girl responded unenthusiastically. "How are you?"
"Accused of treason and being exiled. But apart form that, pretty good. You?"
"My Captain has abandoned me. I still can't believe that he's gone and I refuse to accept that Captain Aizen didn't have a reason for doing what he did."
"Look." I sighed at the depressed girl. "Aizen was your whole world, and I should really be sympathetic to you, but I really don't give a shit at the moment. My best friend is dead and I'm going to be forced to leave my other friends for god knows how long. So I'm gonna give it to you nice and simple; Aizen's motivations."
Momo cheered up. "Really? He's always spoken fondly of you, so has he told you why he left? I mean, he must have had a good reason."
"It was a pretty good reason." I told her. "I mean, power hunger has never been looked down upon. And as far as this hunger goes, Aizen is starving."
"What do you mean?" Momo had rose from her seat and was angrily approaching me. "Captain Aizen wasn't... no, isn't power hungry!"
"Yes he is." I told her plain and simply. "He is as strong as he is ever going to possibly ever be, and he was sick of it. His motivation is that he wants to become even greater than before, so great that he could even be considered God himself. He wants to be God!" I told her tiresomely. "That's about as power hungry as you can get."
"Shut up!" Momo snapped. Her hands were clenched by her sides. "I don't believe you! You're jealous of him, stop disrespecting Captai-"
SLAP!
"Get a hold of yourself woman!" I told her. Occasionally, people need a good slap to get back on course. Momo is one of these people. She was really asking for a bitch slap, and I was happy to provide. Still angry by the way; Hooray for stress relief through slapping women! On second thoughts, that doesn't sound very cool.
"Did you just slap me?" Demanded Momo angrily.
"Why yes, yes I did." I cleared my throat. "You were getting hysterical. Before you rant and rave, you should hear the full story from the horses mouth. I confronted him while he was supposedly 'dead'. I asked him some questions as a reward for being able to cut him. His motivation is to surpass GOD! I am not lying, joking, or kidding with you. GOD! He is dissatisfied with the world and wishes to rule over it instead, and while our heavenly rulers currently sort of suck, and he probably has some sympathetic back story or something, but that doesn't change that he nearly killed you and Hitsugya. It doesn't change that he attempted to kill Rukia. It doesn't change the fact that he forcibly Hollowified half of the Gotei 13's Captains and Lieutenants over a hundred years ago, simply as an experiment."
"No, no, NO!"
"Yes, yes, YES! We can like Aizen all we like, but he is still a villain. You CHOSE to be part of the Gotei 13, so you must stand by your decision to be a hero. Shinigami good, Hollow is bad. He controls MENOS GRANDE! We are heroes, we must set aside our emotions and act as the blade for the good of the world! So unless you are willing to abandon the Gotei 13 and potentially maim and KILL all your friends, even Hitsugya, on the orders of Aizen, since there will definitely be war, then shut up! Unless you're willing to KILL your friends out of unspoken loyalty to the Captain that left you for dead and abandoned you and the rest, then shut the HELL up!" I panted quickly, having marched up to her during my rant and began to grab her robes in anger.
Say what you will about me, but my friends matter to me, no matter how cliché this might seem. I can't accept someone that is capable of killing a friend.
"You just..." Momo wrenched my hands from her robe. Her complaint was left unfinished.
"Why yes, yes I did." I told her sternly. "My best friend is dead and its all my fault; don't repeat my mistake. Think about what really matters to you, then come back to yell at me about manhandling you. Just think." I nodded once to her solemnly, then walked off to collect my things.
XXXXXXXXXX
I packed my old school bag with some spare clothes and supplies, as well as an old text book on Zanpakuto's and the envelope containing all my saved up pay-checks, then visited Hayato's room. I let the nostalgia and sad feeling of loss envelope me. It was strange, not having his reassuring silence by my side. Giving the room filled with old and half finished painting's a final once over, I selected a single drawn picture of a group shot of Hayato and all of his friends (Found in a picture frame on his desk) and inserted it into the wallet I picked up in the land of the living.
I left. Mourning could be left until the funeral.
Eventually, I started to head to the Fifth Squad barracks (Since Akimi would probably be there) when a sudden appearance to one side alerted me that a familiar face had arrived.
"Hey Daichi." I greeted the scarf wearing male. He appraised my rucksack disconcertingly. "Oh this? The damn higher up's are going to force me to exile. I planned to find you and the others first and arrange Hayato's funeral before I left."
"No need." He sighed sullenly, a sharp contrast to his usual perverted and cheerful self. "Akimi has already sorted it. I was coming after you to tell you that the funeral was planned for this afternoon."
I looked at my wrist forgetting that I had no watch. "We might as well go now." I told him. "I am sure as hell not getting my mission briefing without going to his funeral first." I glared at the Spiritual Presence hiding around the corner. "Come and out and take me you douche bag!"
Suffice to say, he took me (After much persuasion and blackmail). Along the way, the nameless man also handed me an unsealed envelope from unknown recipient. Clearly, they had already looked at it prior to delivering it to me. As such, I read it once, then stored it in my rucksack to be read later.
Akimi and Kasumi met us there, at a beautiful cherry blossom tree in the South Rukon District, where Mika was buried. Unfortunately, we had no body to bury, since M is a god damned body snatcher. Instead, we made a simple cross and hammered into the ground. Then, we carved a simple message into the tree, adding a line to the message we had wrote for Mika.
'Like sunlight you warmed our world, now darkness covers the land.
But perhaps sunrise shall come again.'
It seemed like an apt message for Mika at the time. It seemed equally apt that the following verse represent Hayato.
'Loyal and brave, a perception of the world which was forever grand.
Your presence at our side, never again will we obtain.'
"I'll miss him." Stated Daichi, mirroring all of our thoughts and emotions. "I wish I could say more, but we have already cried our eyes out and said all that needs to be said."
"Hear, hear." Agreed Akimi. "He was a great person, a good friend. I didn't speak to him as much as you and Marc did, but his quiet loyalty was always appreciated."
"I admit, he was my best friend." I admitted. "You're all amazing friends too, but I spent the most time with him, since he was in my Squad."
Daichi laughed bitterly. "I want to go home, I really do. Hell, I want to got to that bar we always used to go to; together again. What I wouldn't give for Mika and Hayato to be here with us once more."
"I'd sell my soul, my liver, kidneys, lungs and two hearts to the Devil for that chance." I stated mournfully. "Hell, I don't even have the two hearts to give, but I'd find a way."
"M-m-mark my words." Began Kasumi quietly, finally finding her voice. Resolute in her opinion, she continued. "Z-Z-Z and M w-will pay! I swear on it! I t-try to help people, but he will never deserve to be saved."
"I promise that when the time comes, he will die." I swore then that the deed would be done. Enough people would die, vengeance would be ours. "This is probably the least time we'll all be together, since the higher up's want me gone as soon as possible, so I'll tell you my plans now. I shall not waste my time away. I'll train and train and train! Hell, while I'm at it I'll search for any leads on Z's location. I have one or two ideas." I pressed a palm to my rucksack, where that wonderful letter was kept. "Mark my words, he shan't stay out of the spotlight forever. When he takes centre stage, we'll be waiting... with a whole lot of pain to dish out."
"I won't waste my time either." Declared Daichi. "I've been thinking... I was useless in this conflict so far, I never helped anyone! If I had been stronger, perhaps I could have helped Hayato..." He shook off negative thoughts. "So I'll train! I have a plan in mind, I won't be useless."
"S-s-s-same here!" Kasumi chirped into the conversation, giving out her own desire to get stronger. "I'm a T-third Seat! But I can get stronger, I-I'll try to get some help t-to get stronger. I won't be a burden! I b-beat a Lieutenant, next time I'll s-slay a monster!" Wow, Kasumi's badass boast was pretty cool, save for the stuttering. Then again, Kasumi equals stuttering. It wouldn't be the same if she didn't have that endearing quality.
"Let's just say I won't be alone in my training regime." Akimi patted her nose knowingly and in a suspicious fashion. "I'll leave it that."
"I propose that we make a pledge, here and now. Lets leave one another right now. Then, when we all come together again after our mega training, much stronger than before, I say we go after Z and M. Those douche bags need to go down, so we'll fight them as a pack, like the Wolves we jokingly nicknamed ourselves as. We'll find out chance during the war against Aizen... then we'll strike, and both Z and M alike will die."
I summoned my Zanpakuto (Very quickly, for my stalker might get pissed off if I had a weapon out for too long) then cut my hand. I held it out, then motioned for everyone else to repeat. One by one, everyone else cut their hands and placed it on top of mine. We held it like that for almost a minute, then we separated.
"When we meet again, let us be ready to hunt."
XXXXXXXXXX
We separated, I Shunpoed as quickly as possible (Stalker be damned) to the First Squad. It took some time, but without the entire Gotei 13 on your tail, it was much easier and quicker to navigate. I was ushered into a small briefing room, where Unohana awaited me with two cups of tea.
"Good day, Mr Solus. I managed to persuade your briefer to allow me to take his place."
"Thank you ma'am." I nodded gratefully and chose to ignore the odd facial expression on Unohana's face. "Let's get to business, the mission."
"Right." Unohana pulled out a map of the Soul Society, which included the Seireitei as a smallish speck in the centre and all the Rukon Districts around it. "I told you before that your mission was based in the Rukon District; I shall elaborate on that." She pointed to the Northern Districts with one finger, while sipping her tea with the other hand. I chose to take a quick gulp of my own. Plotting was very thirsty business. "You know of the structure of the Rukon District correct? Well, the Soul Society includes a bit more in it than just that." Unohana admitted to me.
"Explain." I sat forwards in my chair.
"Yes, there are 80 districts at each polar point... but that would never be enough to hold every single soul in the afterlife." Unohana's gaze narrowed. "What I am telling you is confidential, so I expect secrecy on your end. The Soul Society is merely a small nation in the vast world which is the afterlife. There is a similar organisation to our own that governs the Souls of America, North and South; an army ruled by the departed King Arthur himself protects Britain and Europe; some spiritual nomads command Australia and its surrounding areas; while a bunch of smaller tribes usher in the souls of Africa. We merely run most of Asia. We're small in the overall scheme of things."
"Wow... talk about revelations." Seriously... this is big! An entire world of superpowers running the world and most people never even realise it! I mean, this is REALLY big! The anime never covered this, which is a shame, for this is cool stuff. I'm pretty sure Unohana mentioned that KING ARTHUR ruled over Britain. I'm sort of wishing that my obvious Britishness had landed me there now.
"Quite. As such, Souls live beyond the edges of the Rukon Districts. One such location, is nestled in the mountains just at the edges of North Rukon 80. Around this area of North Rukon, Shinigami have been going missing and strange lights have been reported in the mountains, where that settlement is assumed to be. Your job is to go there and check it out. It might be the work of Aizen... or it might not. The Seireitei is preparing for war, so we can't provide any men to go there, especially since it would mean disclosing this secret; so you'll go in alone. Are you up for the task?"
I grinned slightly, my woes temporarily forgotten n amazement. "This sounds awesome. I'm going somewhere that nearly no Shinigami has ever gone before. Even if I didn't want to go, you'd simply exile me somewhere more boring anyway... so I'll go." I left out my more personal reason for going to the North Rukon District. Unohana didn't need to know.
"Very well then." Unohana finished off her tea, so took my still mostly untouched cup and began to sip cheerfully from it. I didn't dare try and take it back. "Off you go... your 'shadow' will leave you be when you get to the Northern Gate. By the way," She added pleasantly. "you will be killed if you come back without one of the prior conditions having been met. Got it?"
"Hai." I responded. "I'll be off then." I got up form my chair, bowed politely to the Captain, then left the barracks. I began to Shunpo... I had a long journey ahead of me, my goodbyes had been said, my business with this place concluded. When I returned, it would be when it was time to hunt down Z like the dog that he was.
XXXXXXXXXX
(Third Person POV)
Kasumi walked up to the First Squad's barracks with false confidence. She knew what she wanted, but she was still a bit too scared to ask for it. She would try to take it anyway, since it as what she needed to get stronger, for Marc and her friends sake. Maintaining her false confidence, she marched (i.e stumbled) over to the training hall, acting as if she had the authority to be there (Which she didn't).
"Y-Y-YOU!" She practically screeched at her target. The man in question lowered the ornate rapier that he was performing kata's with and turned to the distraction.
"You're Solus' ally." Remarked Chojiro, the Lieutenant of the First Squad with some amusement. "What business do you have with me? I am training."
"T-THAT'S IT!" She stumbled.
"...What?" He looked at his uniform. Had someone stashed a pen that belonged to this woman into his front pocket while he wasn't looking or something?
"Training!" She vocalised. "I want you to train me!"
"No." The lightning user turned her back on the Third Seat and returned to performing his cold and methodical thrusts. He needed to sharpen up again in time for his rematch against Marc, for he was certain that he would have one. Chojiro was not a barbarian, or one that lived and breathed to fight; but he did have his pride. Pride in his sword, in his abilities, in his skills, in his position. Marcus D Solus had rekindled something he had long since thought extinguished. A desire to fight that surpassed his usual loyalty to his Head Captain.
As such, he needed to train. He was rusty when he last clashed with the Shinigami in human clothing. He had nearly lost... but in the end there match had been interrupted by a third party. There was no winner, so Chojiro could not accept that Marc might have possibly won against him, despite all of his greater experience. When Chojiro decided to one day challenge the Solus boy again, he would be victorious.
"Y-YES!" She demanded.
"No." Chojiro wordlessly released a lightning bolt and fried an innocent tree.
"SEE! You use an e-electric type Zanpakuto!" Kasumi pointed out. "T-the only other strong person I know to do so. I-I want to be stronger! So train me! I'll do anything... just train me!"
"I have my own training to perform. You are the ally to my sworn rival; I would refuse to teach you out of principle anyway, even if I wanted to."
"Teach me."
"No."
"Teach... me."
"No." Another tree exploded. Another demand turned down.
Kasumi glared resolutely at her target. She had sworn to get strong, so strong she would be! "Well then, I-I'll just have t-to persuade you before Marc comes back... won't I?"
XXXXXXXXXX
While Kasumi sought training, Daichi had his own power to earn. For too long he had been a coward, a weak one at that. Once passion had blossomed from him like a searing sun. He wanted to be as powerful as his friends, to not be let down. This led to him playing the Russian Roulette equivalent Zanpakuto Training that had led to him gaining Shikai in the first place. This animistic desire to be equal to his 'pack' slowly waned under the oppressive boot of his Squad. They were so much stronger than him, and he was frequently told so. Again and again he fought to be accepted. Again and again he failed. Bloody and bruised, his pride in tattered, Daichi had quickly burnt out like a candle, far too early in his career.
While this was going on, his friends achievements surpassed his own by far. He was being left behind, so he had abandoned the race of power.
Now he wanted to catch up again. It wouldn't be easy. His Zanpakuto Spirit refused to even talk to him any more; that tiger was disgusted by his cowardice... so he'd show that beast! He'd train himself, he'd strip himself of his cowardice. Even after everything that he'd done, redemption for failing Hayato could still be found in striking down his killers... M and Z.
He would gain power, prove himself to his Zanpakuto, himself and his friends, then he'd kick those masked freak's arses! They deserved it... and he owed Hayato for everything.
"PLEASE! TRAIN ME IN YOUR AWESOMENESS!" Daichi threw himself before his object of desire. "PLEASE! IKKAKU! TRAIN ME TO BE AS AWESOME AS YOURSELF!"
"What the hell is this dude hugging my leg for!" Ikkaku promptly used his sheathed Zanpakuto to slice the desperate claw user from him. Daichi rolled away, but immediately leapt back at one of the strongest people he knew (That were saner than Kenpachi, since he would never be insane enough to throw himself at that bastards feet for training).
"Train me! I'm fed up off royally sucking!"
"No damn it!" Another sheathed slam and Daichi was knocked off. Daichi would be stubborn and strong just this once though. He needed to get strong, so if he had to take a beating to prove his dedication to getting trained, then so be it. "I'll just keep bothering you until eventually you'll train me!"
"FUCK NO!"
Kick!
Daichi ignored the pain and staggered to his feet. "I'm sick and TIRED of being the weak man in the group, so if I have to go up to Kenpachi himself and call him a pussy to get you to train me then so be it!" Suffice to say, Daichi hoped he wouldn't have to go that far. He liked living, thank you very much.
XXXXXXXXXX
At the same time, Akimi was encountering her Noble family. Matters needed to be discussed, gauntlets needed to be thrown... regulations ignored and reason disallowed. She had a goal in mind when she went to see her family, and by the SOUL KING HIMSELF she would get it!
XXXXXXXXXX
A group of masked figures wrapped themselves up in their dark cloaks and tried to ignore the cold.
"Soon." The leader claimed. "Change shall come soon... chaos will soon follow it. I for one look forwards to it... after all, I still have my rat scurrying about. Marcus D Solus will certainly experience a great deal of problems in the future."
XXXXXXXXXX
A figure sat at a lonely bar and drunk the glass that was filled with the most powerful brand of alcohol that the establishment sold. He drunk and he drunk, the alcohol filled his being. He wanted to enjoy a drink of two before he set out on the mission that his leader had assigned him.
"Damn... I hate retrieval missions. That bastard never should have run..."
XXXXXXXXXX
Inevitable change was approaching the world and Destiny wasn't happy. A single path marks that which shall and must happen; divergences have always been sough out and squashed. Destiny was cruel and petty, if things didn't go exactly as she wanted them to go, then she would happily screw the entire world over in her own sick brand of justice. If they wanted a happier ending, then why should she give it to them?
Let them work and bleed and struggle... they'd never get it. An ant may never stop the foot of a giant from crushing them. A sun may not stop its own inevitable end when its time to die has come. Similarly, humanity may not dictate when the Reaper comes for their soul; its destined.
So it was justified. Change may not be allowed. If change gets too out of hand, then burn the board and all of its pieces. If the player's wont follow the rules, then neither would she. Demand a happy ending from Destiny, and all she would give you is an end far more tragic than if you had simply accepted your fate.
Marcus D Solus' fate, and that of all those that surrounded him, were particularly offensive. Yes, for what they had done and would later do; their fate would be the most tragic of all.
AN- Hello all, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and all that, blah blah blah- the usual. I decided to finish off the current story arc in one fell swoop. Today though, I have a more serious issue to ask you, the readers.
PLEASE READ THIS!
Recently, I have been going over my older chapters for this fanfic, back at the start of my career, and marvelling over the sheer crap of it. Its not bad, but its not good. This fic started off as a sort of crack fic to throw my humorous side at while working on anther fanfic, so was rather simple in story and stuff. Eventually, once I had figured out what I wanted to do with my fic, and had inserted Z... it was too late. My fic REALLY got off to a bad start, many plot points and ideas I have thoguht of now can not be implanted due to lack of foreshadowing earleir on, other original plot points have been discarded, canon characters have little screen time,while my own OC's seem to be a bit lacking.
'Where is this self dislike rant going?' you ask? Well, I have recently been thinking of rewriting the entirety of A New Reaper as a new fanfiction, with more focus on character, plot and badass moments. In a nutshell, I was thinking that it would be cool to rewrite this, only do a better job with it, with stronger characters and stuff; to make a story that I oculd actually be proud of.
Before you start throwing tomatoes at me, hear me out.
In the end, I have three choices. I can continue as I currently am, and merely try to write in a convenient amount of bullshit to pull a rug over the earlier crap that has no relevance to plot.
I can instead focus on rewriting all my early chapters for greater quality, without changing plot so you don't need to reread it all.
Or I can rewrite, implement new content and change some key plot points to ultimately make a better story. Admittedly we might be stuck on covering some of the same stuff for a few months, but I have the basic here already, so my updates should be quicker, and we'll quickly spiral into new territory.
Ultimately, the decision is mine, but I REALLY want to hear your opinions. I know that a lot of people read this and don't review. I don't mind, I do it myself sometimes. This one time though, please just leave a Guest review or something telling me your opinion.
Hell, I've even set up a poll for if you don't want to review. So for your sakes, since this will impact your reading experience, please tell me what you think. Undying Soul out.
