I'm really sorry that this took so long to do. I was busy with homework, exam studies and working off a bad leg from a soccer accident. Now that school's out, I'll be able to work on this a lot more. Enjoy the long-overdue chapter!
Chapter Twenty-eight: A Proposition
At some hidden signal, Chad and Gantenbein leapt forward and threw a punch at each other. Gantenbein's missed altogether while Chad did not miss. A resounding explosion rang out through the hall as the former espada was rocketed out of the resulting dust cloud, now sporting a large bruise across the face.
What?! But he couldn't match my speed before! How did he get this powerful in such a short time?
He had no more time to ponder as a blast of energy raced out of the dust cloud at him. He dodged and then raced at Chad and readied a kick from the side. Chad simply raised the shield on his arm and stopped the attack cold.
"Is that it? Hm, too bad."
Gantenbein was blasted away as blue energy exploded from the contact point.
Damn it! I can't land a blow, and his strength shot up through the roof. At least he can't jump up here-
His musings were cut off as Chad leapt up to meet him with a hard upper cut that arched him backward. Chad then gathered energy in his fist in preparation for the blow.
"El Directo."
Gantenbein was smashed into the ground from the downward punch and the energy blast. Chad landed and began walking toward him.
"It's over."
Gantenbein rose from the crater. "Oh no, it is far from over. Right, Dragula?"
Energy erupted and surrounded the Privaron Espada while Chad stopped and looked on. When the swirling energy cleared, his arms were covered in a ridiculously large armor that bore great resemblance to an armadillo, and he had gained a tail with the same armor. His fist claws had changed to become skull mouths that were smoking ominously.
"Do not get cocky, boy. If you wield the power of a giant, then I command the power of a demon. Let us see if you can handle this!" Gantenbein lowered his headpiece, locked his fists together in front of him and brought his tail up where it began to pour energy into a large swirling ball in front of his fists. "May god forgive us."
The ball fired and exploded when it crashed into Chad, throwing up a large dust cloud. Gantenbein raised his eyeshield in disbelief as the dust cleared.
"Sorry, but I forgot to tell you something. My abuelo taught me how to protect, not to attack. My right arm is a defensive power. It is my left arm that I use for attack," The arrancar stared at said arm, now white with a red line running down the center, and with a spike protruding from the shoulder. "Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo."
The arrancar glanced at it once more, before his mouth curved into a smirk. "Diablo? That's quite a name. I hope you can live up to it, Sado Yasutora!" He began to pour energy into a second much larger ball between his fists before he fired it at Chad with a punch from his right arm. Chad simply grabbed the ball with his left hand and crushed it out of existence before he dashed forward and reappeared in front of the stunned Gantenbein. His left hand was raised behind him and energy began to gather at his fingertips before he formed a closed fist.
"La Muerte."
The punch blew him into the wall where a massive array of cracks formed a skull on the wall before it shattered, opening to the inside of the large dome. Gantenbein's released form shattered and he lay, barely conscious, on the ground. Chad walked over and knelt beside him.
"Thank you, Gantenbein Mosqueda. Because of you, I was able to unlock my full potential. For that, I will spare your life, and pray for your good fortune."
He then got up, but only took two steps before-
"Heh, so you're the first one to get here?"
Chad whirled around and smashed his left fist into Nnoitra's chest.
"What? That was it? Psch."
Nnoitra simply grabbed the huge, circlet blade on his back and ripped Chad a huge bloody streak down his chest.
"…wow. The insect survived that."
"So it seems, Nnoitra-sama," Tesla replied.
"Looks like we'll have to fix that."
Nnoitra rasied his weapon again, but before he could bring it down, it abruptly vanished.
"The fuck?"
"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to kill him yet," Sayu called from several yards away as she balanced the huge staff weapon on her finger.
"The crazy-ass bitch? Why are you here?" Nnoitra growled.
Sayu ignored the insult. "I have an offer to make with you, insect, and I wouldn't be doing this except for the fact my captain ordered me to do this."
Nnoitra was puzzeled. This didn't seem like that ditsy captain from before. Instead of a singsong voice, she spoke with little emotion at all, and her posture dictated that she was all business.
"Yeah yeah, so what?"
"I serve someone greater than Aizen, and it will be due to him that Aizen ultimately fails. I am offering you a place on the winning side-"
"Like hell, bitch! You think I'm going to be working under you-"
Nnoitra was cut off as Sayu blurred into view behind him, holding her blade at his throat. "If you interrupt me once more, your arms will part company with your shoulders, and your head will follow suit with respect to your neck. Be silent."
"I ain't gonna listen! I'm not working with you even if hell freezes over!"
"I see…" she replied. "In that case, Hitoya Arashi (Storm Prison)."
Lightning flashed and linked together to form a cage while a freezing cold wind gusted around both Tesla and Nnoitra.
"I will not allow you to remain here. Daikaze Taihou (Great wind cannon)."
"DAMN YOU BIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitch……….." Nnoitra's curse faded as the prison was blasted into the far distance.
***
Szayel turned when he heard a sound behind him in his lab.
"Hmm, I don't know how you got in here, but you will regret-"
"Save the speech for someone within the realm of possibility for you to defeat," Enishi cut him off. "Besides, I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to make you an offer."
Szayel glared at him. "And is there any reason I should consider your offer?"
"One, you're lucky I'm making this offer. Two, in the time it takes you to reach for that alarm button, I could slice you into molecules if I want. Three, whilst you serve Aizen, I represent someone greater than he."
"Let me guess," Szayel spoke silkily. "you are here to see if I am willing to join forces with you, correct?"
Enishi nodded.
"I refuse. I will not have my research toward perfection disrupted when I am so close to achieving it. I remain on Aizen-sama's side."
Enishi inclined his head. "Very well. In that case, I won't detain you from your research toward perfection" he spoke the word with the slightest hint of utter disgust. "any longer."
"Ah, but I cannot allow you to leave," Szayel called as several twisted and deformed creatures emerged from the walls and surrounded Enishi. "Aizen-sama delegated to the Espada the task of killing all intruders."
The mutated hollows suddenly crystallized before shattering in the wake of a halo of bluish energy. "And what" Enishi calmly replied. "gives you the false idea that you can actually stop me, let alone finish me?" And the short former captain turned to an ice sculpture, the real one having vacated ten seconds before.
***
Aaroniero Arrurueire stood on the apex of the roof of his chambers, awaiting the arrival of one emotionally fragile Kuchiki, when a ring of flame erupted on the roof behind him. Rising from it as though from a gate to hell, Raiden emerged bearing no sign of the contained inferno as the ninth Espada turned in surprise.
"Who are you-" "-and what are you doing here?"
"The name's Raiden, and I'm here to offer you a place on the winning side."
"Winning-" "-side?"
"My captain is stronger that Aizen will ever be, with his mentality that is," Raiden muttered the last part to himself. "I am giving you a chance on his behalf to join us."
"You ask us-" "-to betray Aizen-sama," "the one who-" "-gave life to us?"
"I guess I can add 'slow upstairs' to your file, along with 'multiple-personality disorder,' " Raiden growled. "Should I just assume, for the sake of brevity, that you will not join us? And I can't believe I just said that word..." he muttered.
"We owe him-" "-our life."
Raiden sighed. "Figures. Oh well, I guess it ws too much to hope for for one of Aizen's creations." And then he turned to leave, but Aaroniero stepped in front of him.
"We cannot-" "-allow you to leave." "You are an intruder-" "-and a threat to Aizen-sama."
A wave of fire blasted him away was Raiden stepped into a circular pyre. "Instead of stating the obvious, focus on something of more immediate concern, like that violet-haired midget coming to your doorstep. I am done here, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."
With that, Aaroniero could only watch as the ex-captain disappeared. Cursing mentally, he turned back to see that Rukia was at his doorstep. Well, he could dispose of this annoyance first before he let Aizen-sama know of the intruder. Yes, that would be proper.
***
Rukia was increasingly on guard as she crossed the huge walkway. The building ahead was obviously the home of a powerful being, and she wasn't sure she could deal with it. Something drew here there, however. Something faint, yet disturbingly familiar. She closed the distance and approached the door, tentatively sliding it open. The room inside was dark, and became even more so when the door slammed shut of its own accord. She made it to the center of the room before she was stopped by a hauntingly familiar voice.
"So you came. How nice to see you again, Rukia."
Rukia whirled in disbelief and horror. "Kaien-dono-!"
Yeah, I know that this is different from the canon, but I just couldn't resist this kind of a shocker for poor Rukia. My OCs start taking a more active role now. You'll see more of them later on. Review Please!
