Author's Note: So it's been about 3 weeks since I've last updated...really sorry for the long wait, I just got distracted by a bunch of different things...reading Gajeel x Levy fics, watching the first 3 seasons of Glee (RIP Cory Monteith) and other stuff. But this chapter is 17 pages long, so I hope you enjoy it! (Btw, the recommended song below is the theme song for Shinigami!Mari.)

Chapter 36: Ready To Hope

Recommended Song: "Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine

Tears slowly streamed down her cheeks as her body trembled. She didn't want to lose those closest to her like those in Xcution…

"No…" Mari whispered, before she screamed, "PLEASE, DON'T!"

The Visored, however, managed to remain calm. Each of them donned their Hollow masks on, knowing that they would need all of the strength they could get against this enemy.

"All right," Lisa said through her mask. Her mask was in the shape of a diamond, the only way she could see was through the slits that were cut across vertically and horizontally. "Smash, Haguro Tonbo!" she cried. The woman began to twirl the Zanpakutō over her head, and as she did so, it lengthened into an exceptionally long pole, with a large spade on one end, and a heavy ball on the other.

The others soon activated their Shikai as well. Mari's eyes widened and her heart clenched in feeling an overwhelming amount of spiritual pressure burst through the entire building. The force of it was even more magnificent due to the fact that Aizen had concealed the entire warehouse in a barrier that would keep all spiritual pressure on the inside, to temporarily hide his location in order to secure more time for his plan.

"Ugh…ahh…" Mari gasped, feeling lightheaded. Her entire body felt like it was being crushed from all of these tremendous spiritual pressures. Squeezing her eyes shut, she willed out some of her own spiritual to protect herself. Finally being able to breathe normally again, she opened her eyes, a light of hope within the azure blue orbs.

Her friends were powerful. They wouldn't crumble so easily, especially not against the man that had ruined their entire lives… He was the one who had them banished from Soul Society, branded as traitors for over a hundred years until they were finally forgiven by the Central 46, despite it never having been their fault in the first place.

Why? Why was he doing all of this? What reason and motivation could he possibly have for hurting so many innocent people? Destroying so many lives?

Hiyori glared at the Aizen through her mask, her yellow eyes lit with a fire that hadn't been there since the last time they had an encounter. She had acted recklessly by attacking him head-on, and suffered severe consequences. Her hand grazed over her stomach where the scar was, the memory and pain of that day still engraved into her mind, body, and soul.

She would never forgive that man, not for what he did to her, to all of them…and now, what he did to Shinji. While Hiyori was never too keen on Mari, finding her annoying and too pink and girly for her own good, Hiyori even despised Aizen for holding her and her mother captive here. Hiyori may have had the Visored of her family, but never knew what it felt to have her own blood (a mother at that) be endangered while being held captive, watching all of this helplessly…no one, not even someone like Mari deserved to go through something as horrible as that.

It was so silent in the room for a few moments, that the only thing Mari could hear was the loud pounding of her heart. She bit her lower lip hard, watching with frazzled eyes. She held in a breath in seeing Love make the first move.

He lifted his black bat, which was covered in spikes, high and prepared to hit Aizen, though the bound man merely flash stepped one step to the side, easily blocking the attack.

"What the hell?" Love growled, as his Zanpakutō hit the ground. Pieces of rock and debris flew everywhere. How did he move so fast?

"That's it!" Kensei roared, activating his Bankai. "I'm done playing games, Aizen. I'm gonna fuck you up so badly."

At this point, the other Visored were equally fired up, and all seven of them leapt forward, preparing to make an attack on Aizen.

Aizen, however, merely smiled and put his arm forth.

Mashiro's eyes widened. "What is he doing?" she questioned.

"He's activating a Kidō spell!" Hachi cried. "Everyone, move out of the way!"

Aizen chuckled at the large man's perceptiveness, but it was too late. Without even needing to recite an incantation, Aizen had summoned a spell in the 90s level. A black electric rope shout out and ensnared each of his opponents.

"GODDAMN IT!" Kensei yelled. They all writhed to break free, though the more they resisted, the tighter the black ropes wrapped around them, sending electric shocks.

Hachi, however, managed to evade the Kidō spell, blocking it effectively with one of his own. He continued to charge forward, but Aizen was not worried. Knowing he wasn't much of an offensive fighter, he turned to Rimen, who had been watching as though the scene were a movie from the sidelines. "Handle him," was all Aizen ordered.

"With pleasure," the Hollow cackled. He jumped up and brought his Zanpakutō down, slamming it against the large man. As Hachi struggled to get up, Rimen kicked him square in the gut, sending him flying into the ground.

Mari let out a scream as blood pooled from the gentle man's head. She struggled to break free from her own captivity, but a shock went through her. "AAAHHH!" she shrieked, the pain being close to unbearable. She fell back, letting out labored breaths as she watched with horror and tear-filled eyes.

Unable to hold back any longer, Mari began to scream. "YOU'RE A MONSTER!" she shrieked, shaking her head furiously as large tears began to roll down her cheek.

Aizen glanced back at her, though merely chuckled. "Round them up," he directed Rimen.

Rimen took hold of the black rope, the spell not affecting him as he brought all of the Visored in a circle, their backs facing the middle.

Mashiro let out a gasp as Aizen came up to her, placing his hand on her mask. "Don't touch me!" she cried. She then let out a bloodcurdling shriek, her head snapping back. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her entire body began to shake.

"Excellent," Aizen murmured. He moved from Visored to Visored, each time placing a hand on their mask, garnering the same effect as from the first one.

Mari wanted to turn away from the scene so badly, though Rimen had come behind her, placing his arms around her shoulders and holding her head so that she couldn't look away.

"Wh-What are you doing…?" she gasped, hating herself for her voice trembling. She didn't want to show that she had any fear, even though that was all she felt on the inside…she was petrified! Her friends…their bodies were beginning to transform. What was happening?

Aizen turned to her, placing his hands behind his back. "I am creating a new army," he explained. "One far greater and more powerful than the Espada. Their true forms are currently being released. Out of these Visored I will create an army of…Vasto Lorde."

Mari's eyes widened and she began to tremble. She remembered Orihime talking about Ichigo and how he once transformed into a terrible beast. She looked back at the Visored and saw that their transformation was beginning…their clothes were being ripped as their bodies grew, horrible black and red marks covering their bodies.

"Tha same fuckin' thing is gonna happen ta me, Goldie-chan," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down Mari's spine. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, his teeth grazing along her earlobe. "But I wanted ta have some fun with ya first," he chuckled darkly. "If I were ta change now, I'd probably kill ya tha moment I laid eyes on ya. And well, I ain't gonna let that happen…yet." He looked down at her, though she refused to look at him, her eyes instead on the horror before her. Rimen licked his lips lecherously, seeing her tied up, the ropes just beneath her breasts, making them stand out even more, was turning him on immensely…

The Hollow looked up in hearing Aizen's voice. "It will take a couple of hours for the transformation to completely take place," he explained softly. He went up to the circle of Visored, and over their screaming and writhing, he said in a velvety voice, "You are to obey and work for me now."

With that, he left, going to the room where Lucille was being kept. The warehouse was now established as his new Hueco Mundo. It was much more convenient since he was already in Karakura Town, and would need much less time to carry out his scheme.

"Alright, Goldie-chan," Rimen snorted. He grabbed the back of her chair and dragged her into a separate room.

As Mari was being pulled, she wanted to scream at him not to call her by that name. Her heart broke, thinking of Shinji, but she didn't have time to dwell or even respond.

Mari watched with wide eyes as Rimen grabbed one of the ropes binding her, easily pulling it back and ripping it off. The rest of the ropes fell from her as the Kidō spell wore off, and before she could even think to run, Rimen grabbed her by the wrist, throwing her roughly onto the bed.

"Ugh!" Mari cried as she landed on the mattress, her skirt rising up. She lifted her head and realized that she was in Shinji's old room, seeing some of his jazz records lying on the floor.

Rimen looked down at the girl, her golden curls standing out clearly against the dark sheets on the bed. His desire grew in seeing her tear-stained face, body trembling in fear, and the sight of her lacy pink panties.

He then growled deep in his throat, disgusted with himself. These feelings of lust for her weren't his own…they were just remnants of the former host. He felt nothing for her.

Marise was still clad in her school uniform. She slowly sat up, her body shaking. Rimen, smelling the fear off of her, pounced onto the bed, pushing her back down.

Mari gasped as he leaned in, taking a lock of her hair. "Seein' ya like this…makes me really wanna fuck ya," he snarled, mouth twisting into a feral grin. "Let's see what all tha fuckin' fuss is about if ya got Shinji ta be so damn infatuated with ya."

While Mari wanted to kick, cry, and scream, she somehow managed to maintain her composure. She knew she would have to in order to buy time. However, that didn't make her position or the situation any less frightening.

Rimen grabbed her face harshly, turning her head to whisper in her ear, "It's pointless ta try and fight me, babe."

Mari bit her lower lip, swallowing a lump in her throat. She knew he was right. Although Shinji would never do it, Mari knew that he could have his way with her by force if he wanted. He was stronger than her, and since Rimen was his other half, he possessed just as much strength.

She tried to will the tears away, though they pricked at her eyes, a few sliding down the side of her face. Her cheeks burned in a blush as Rimen lowered his lips from her ear to begin kissing her neck. One hand curled into her hair to angle her head, giving him more access to the skin on her neck, while the other slid down her waist, feeling the curve of her hip.

Mari's blush deepened as his hand went beneath her skirt. He began to roughly grope her supple backside, and before Mari could even think, a small moan escaped her pink lips.

Slightly surprised, Rimen looked at her, though then smirked. "Are ya excited, Mari-chan?" he chuckled darkly. "Ta be fucked by a Hollow?"

His eyes then widened in seeing Mari's large blue eyes soften, love in them. Her face turned peaceful as she cupped Rimen's face in between her hands, her thumbs rubbing small circles over his cheeks.

"It's okay…" she whispered, her voice cracking as she searched his hollow eyes. "I don't mind, because I know Shinjji is still in there…and that his love will come through."

Rimen paused for a minute, wary of what she just said. What was wrong with this girl? Wasn't she terrified of him? He had taken over Shinji's body, and yet she was acting forgiving? He didn't want Shinji to break through if he became lost in having sex with the blonde girl…that was the same way Rimen had managed to break free, even if just for a moment.

He then shook his head furiously. What the hell was he saying? He was not going to get lost in making love…fucking this stupid blonde bitch…! A growl rumbled deep in his throat, and Rimen slapped Mari hard across the face with the back of his hand.

Mari let out a gasp, her cheek stinging from the slap. She had no chance to respond though, as Rimen then immediately leaned forward, biting hard into Mari's neck. "Aaah…!" Mari let out a strangled cry, her fingernails digging hard into his shoulder blades.

Rimen hissed, though enjoyed the pain, his grin widening. Impatient, he began to remove all of her clothes. He was doing this, taking Mari, harming her, all to piss off his former master…Rimen knew that Shinji cherished his precious Mari.

What better way to fuck with his master's mind than to fuck his heart (Marise)?

Rimen wasn't dense or in-denial, he knew that Shinji wasn't gone completely. Just like how he was, Shinji was somewhere deep down in Rimen, though was trapped. Rimen felt a bitterness wash through him. He hoped the fucking bastard was rotting.

Mari just remained laid back on the bed, not resisting, but not responded to Rimen's touches. She couldn't make an escape…yet. He would definitely easily overpower her if she tried something. She would have her chance, but she had to catch him off guard.

Despite the Hollow being rough, nipping at her skin with harsh bites…Mari could have sworn she felt a feeling of gentleness behind it. Hope shone through her eyes…perhaps Shinji really was still in there, trying to make a breakthrough…

Even though Mari didn't respond to Rimen's kisses or try touching him…she felt slightly guilty in taking pleasure in his actions. She tried hard not to show it, though a gasp or a moan would escape now and then, encouraging Rimen…not that he cared if she was enjoying herself or not.

Mari could close her eyes though, and imagine that it was Shinji who was touching her…she would imagine the bites being soft kisses, the nails being a sweet caress…he was there, she just knew it.

"C'mon blondie," Rimen growled, forcing her to look at her. She was completely naked beneath him, but Rimen was fully clothed. He had been waiting for her to make some sort of move…after she had touched his face, he thought she was going to respond completely to him and give in…but it seemed she was a stubborn bitch. "I know ya like it, so why don't ya touch me?"

Mari just looked up at him, her blue eyes shining, and shook her head, remaining silent.

Rimen clenched his teeth in anger. He looked over her naked body. It was no wonder Shinji had fallen hard for her…she had an incredible body. Despite being rather short, she definitely had curves. Her breasts fit perfectly in his hands; she had nice, wide hips, and an ass to go with it. He had left her in her white thigh-high socks, making her all the more alluring and innocent, just begging to be taken.

Marise gasped as Rimen grabbed her supple mounds, squeezing them roughly in her hands. Tears came to her eyes as he twisted her nipples harshly, emitting a soft cry from her lips. This man…Hollow above her, was the exact opposite of Shinji…he was cold, rough, cruel…and yet in a way was so similar to the man she loved.

Rimen grabbed her face, placing his lips over hers in a rough, yet passionate kiss. He wasted no time in shoving his tongue in her mouth. Marise let out a small whimper, her heart beginning to be faster as her tongue slid against his.

Her entire body was on fire… Rimen was relentless in his touches, grabbing her, his lips and teeth grazing over every inch of skin he could find. Her head was spinning from all of the different feelings that took hold of her body.

Rimen's own mind was beginning to feel hazy, desire and lust spreading through him as his hands roamed over the woman beneath him…he didn't want this to happen…he wanted to be in complete control, damn it… He wanted her to scream his name, to admit that she would rather have him than that other bastard.

All his life, Rimen only knew bitterness, sadness, and emptiness. His entire existence was in a desolate wasteland. He knew he was a Hollow, hence all of the feelings, yet he always desired to find something, someone to fill that hole inside of him, where his heart was supposed to be. He looked down at Marise. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, she appeared as an angel sent from Heaven…and with him being a Hollow, he was seen as a demon who had escaped from the depths of Hell.

Growling, Rimen grabbed the back of Mari's head, his fingers digging into her curly blonde hair. Mari whimpered as he pulled her back, flipping her onto her stomach. Her face was buried into the pillow as Rimen pulled her up by her hips.

He bent over her, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "I'm gonna screw ya fuckin' senseless," he breathed. The action sent an excited shiver through Mari's body. Her eyes widened in feeling him enter her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

Shinji…Shinji…Shinji…she chanted silently to herself, in hopes that she would be able to imagine it really being him.

When Rimen finished, he rolled onto his side, immediately falling asleep. He began to snore loudly, surprising Mari. She turned over slightly and looked at him, seeing his peaceful face was unusual…there was no sadistic grin, no glint of cruelty in his eyes…he almost looked normal. Well, if you could consider pasty skin and long white hair as being normal.

Mari wanted to get up. She tried to do so, inching herself to the side of the bed, but let out a small squeak as Rimen laid his arm over her body, preventing her from moving. She was shocked when he pulled her closer to him, his arm gripping tighter over her…was it a possessive move or something else? Mari wasn't sure, but she didn't want to dwell on the thought too much.

He was the enemy…right? Mari bit her lower lip, wanting to believe that, but she never wanted to hurt Shinji…even if he had been taken over by the evil within him. This man was his other half, and would always be a part of him.

Mari remembered the night she and Shinji had revealed their secrets to one another…it was Christmas evening. She had told him about a Fullbringer, and him of being a Visored. She remembered crying about something so terrible never should have happened to him and the other Visored.

She also remembered, however, when he responded by saying he was glad in a way…had those events never happened, he would have never met her. He would have never become who he was.

As Mari looked over at Rimen, she realized more than ever that he was a vital part of who Shinji was. She looked down, his arm still secure over her form, and realized that escaping would be more difficult than she had initially anticipated.

She felt her eyelids getting heavy and laid back down, eventually falling asleep.

About forty-five minutes later, Mari opened her eyes slowly. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and then it all came flooding back to her. Aizen, her mother being captured, her friends were currently being changed into awful monsters…and… Mari looked over to see Rimen still asleep, her face turning red. She still felt a burning sensation down lower and she bit her lower lip.

Mari then shook her head furiously. Now was not the time to think about something like that! She finally had her chance! Marise wanted to squeal with glee when Rimen rolled over to the other side, his back facing her.

This was her golden opportunity…! She crawled out of the bed as quietly as she could and stood at the side of the bed. She began to pick up her clothes from the floor, though froze when she saw Rimen stir. Holding in her breath, she waited for him to fall back asleep.

Today just wasn't her lucky day.

Rimen turned around, looking at her with groggy eyes. Marise instantly dropped her clothes and quickly brought her hands together, forming a gun with her fingers. She had it pointed right at Rimen. "Don't move," she said quietly, her face void of any emotions, which was a rarity for the melodramatic girl.

Rimen became more awake and smirked. He couldn't help but think she looked sexy standing naked in front of him. His eyes lowered, lingering on her breasts for a few moments before landing on her hands, and he let out a chortle. "What tha fuck is that?" he asked incredulously. Was this girl delirious?

His eyes widened, however, in seeing that the gesture she made soon transformed into a real gun, her hands curled around the brown hilt, the silver of the barrel gleaming beneath the lights.

"Shit," he hissed. He had forgotten she was a fucking Fullbringer! Before he could even react, Mari had already activated Castles in the Air.

A gust of wind began to fly around them, blowing through her golden curls.

Mari would have normally felt humiliated being clad in nothing but her thigh-high socks, but she knew that was the least of her worries. Her focus was completely on the man before her, and how she was planning on taking him down.

This is my one shot, she thought to herself. She was going to prove that all of her training had paid off; both with her work with Ginjo and Xcution before they broke apart, and also the training she had done on her own, when she and Shinji had been separated.

She was no longer the weak, fragile woman she once was. She was stronger. Determined. Focused. And hell-bent on putting an end to all of this chaos.

During her time training, she had even learned the trick of being able to materialize her gun without even having it on hand, just by forming the shape of a gun with her hands. It definitely proved to be handy and a way of catching people off guard.

The corner of Mari's mouth twisted into a small smile. She had definitely used the element of surprise with Rimen.

Rimen whipped his head around them, the entire room was spinning and the gusts of wind had formed into a tornado…he didn't even think they were in the warehouse anymore…! He glared at Mari, frowning, revealing his upper teeth. What the fuck was her Fullbring…?

Rimen then grinned wickedly. This bitch thought she had the upper-hand? He closed his eyes momentarily, trying to search Shinji's memory to figure out what her Fullbring was.

Mari watched him, knowing what he was trying to do. It was now her turn to grin coyly. "Shinji has never seen my Fullbring before," she explained softly. "So you don't have that advantage."

Rimen grit his teeth and growled at her. "Doesn't fuckin' matter," he hissed. "I was plannin' on lettin' ya be my woman, but now that ya pulled this fuckin' stunt, I'll have even more fun rippin' ya apart piece by piece."

"You can try," Mari said quietly. She then took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, beginning her fairy tale:

"Once upon a time…there lived a gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin. He was considered the world's greatest thief, stealing valuable treasures, joined by his ally Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, and the femme fatale, Mine Fujiko. However, it became Inspector Zenigata Koichi's life work to arrest the man, chasing Lupin across the globe."

"What tha fuck…?" Rimen began, staring at the girl incredulously. Was it fucking story time? He was even more confused than before.

Mari finished and opened her eyes, the life drained from her azure eyes.

"This is fuckin' ridiculous," Rimen seethed. He pulled out his Zanpakutō, and was about to attack her, though before he could reach her, a vortex opened. Rimen let out a distressed cry, though Mari remained silent as they were both sucked into LaLa Land.

Welcome to my world, Rimen.

Meanwhile, Aizen was in the other room with Lucille, watching her with a careful eye. He hadn't tied her up or anything. She was quite a smart woman to know that there was no use in trying to escape. She was a mere human and he…a god.

For the past hour the man observed Lucille closely, while keeping a watchful ear out for the transformation process happening with the Visored. The process wasn't yet complete, but it would be soon…and then he could begin his plans to take over Soul Society.

His lips were pursed. He also had realized what was happening in the other room with Rimen and the girl… He didn't exactly prove of the Hollow's lust-driven initiative, but he wasn't going to say anything against it. It didn't matter to him, she wasn't important.

Then again…they both had the same mindset. Rimen had taken Mari to twist a knife into Shinji's wound, and Aizen had taken Lucille to do the same thing…to Soichiro.

Aizen couldn't deny that he was slightly surprised. Lucille had not said a single word this entire time, nor had she shown any emotions, no anger, no sadness…nothing. She just remained sitting on the ground, her legs pulled beneath her, hands rested one over the other in her lap.

Her clear blue eyes remained straight ahead of her. She didn't even flinch as Aizen paced around her. She never asked whether her daughter was safe, why he had taken her, or what he was planning to do. This woman puzzled him.

With a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, he said softly, "So…Lucille-san. What do you think about all of this?"

Silence.

"Do you know if Marise-san is even alive?"

No answer.

"And what about Soichiro?" he pressed. "I believe he betrayed you countess times, and this is no different. Do you believe that he'll even try to rescue you? Or will he leave your fate…to me?"

Still nothing.

Aizen's amused smile slowly faded, replaced by the smallest frown. His brown eyes turned hard as he looked at the woman. "Even if he wanted to…" he began, his voice darkening. "Your husband is too weak to come save you, after he lost his Shinigami capabilities."

Finally, Lucille turned her head up to look at Aizen for a long time, without any words still. She then looked back at her hands, which were still resting in her lap. Her eyes specifically went to the ring on her left hand. The diamond glistened as she moved her hand.

I have hope that Soichiro will come, she thought, not bothering to answer any of Aizen Sōsuke's questions. If not for me, to at least rescue his daughter.

Back in Karakura Town, Asahina Soichiro was losing his mind (to put it lightly) at the loss of losing both his daughter and wife to a sick fiend…

He was still in the Urahara Shoten alongside Kisuke and Isshin, currently formulating a plan of attack to address their current predicament.

"It's all my fault…!" he cried, burying his face in his hands. His dark brown hair fell over his coffee eyes and around his face. He just wanted to shield his shame and hide away from the world…he was disgusted with himself. How could he have let this happen?

He knew that his past would come back to haunt him…Aizen was a man full of vengeance and would not allow Soichiro's prying to slip by so easily.

"Stop it, Soichiro," Isshin chided, glaring down at the man beneath him. "You're mourning as though Mari and Lucille are already dead. Get a grip on yourself!"

"He's right," Kisuke agreed, looking away from his computer screens. "Moping around isn't going to help. It's good that you came here though, and revealed Aizen's true intentions. I never would have guessed he would go after the Visored again…"

Soichiro lifted his head from his hands, sighing deeply. His friends were right. He was acting even more pathetic by already losing hope like this… He just felt so damn useless though!

Half an hour ago, Soichiro had gotten off the phone with Coco. He had warned her that the town was unsafe and that she should take Taro somewhere else. He was surprised that she did just that with no questions asked.

From the moment Lucille had introduced Soichiro to her mother years ago, he knew she was a sharp woman, despite her foul tongue and perverted manner. Seeing that he hadn't aged since the day she met him probably sent red flags up, but Coco always had faith in her daughter and who she chose to love.

The three men heard the door to the shop open and closed, and they looked up.

Urahara knit his brows in slight confusion. "Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu are helping Yoruichi with preparations for the battle…none of them have been outside."

Soichiro and Isshin stood up immediately, going to the entrance. Isshin pulled out his sword, having it ready in case their unexpected visitor turned out to be an enemy.

However, when they saw the tall, glooming figure of Ryunosuke at the door, Soichiro's eyes widened. "Ryu.." he began, shaking his head. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to go with your grandmother and brother!"

Ryu shook his head, refusing adamantly. "No," he said, his voice cracking. His father looked at his face, surprised to see the tears escaping from his deep blue eyes. "I plan to help save Mari and Mama," he expressed. "I can help."

Isshin scratched the back of his neck, tilting his head in doubt. "No offense kid…but I don't think there is anything you can do. Don't worry though, we'll make sure your sister and your mom are safe."

"You don't understand," Ryu urged. "Like Marise, I too have supernatural abilities."

"What?" both Soichiro and Isshin gasped at the same time.

At that moment, Urahara appeared behind them, tilting his hat up, his grey eyes twinkling. "I knew it," he chuckled. "I knew there was something up with you the first time you walked into this shop."

Ryu nodded. The shopkeeper was an intelligent man, despite how much his sister would complain and whine about his goofy nature. The memory of that day played back in his mind…

Over Two Years Ago…

Kisuke then turned around in confusion when he heard screaming…that was coming from inside his own shop!

Ryunosuke wailed in agony, his hands immediately going to his head to try and block out the sound. He bent over and fell against one of the shelves, knocking over some of the items.

"Ryu!" Mari cried. "What's wrong?" She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him gently, but he continued to yell. By now Taro had whimpered and retreated into the back room where Jinta and Ururu were.

Kisuke rushed over and bent down to see what was wrong, and ignored the dirty look Marise had given him. Mari again asked her brother what was wrong, but even if she had screamed it, no one could hear it over the wailing of the chainsaws and Ryu.

After a few moments the sound had subsided, and with it, Ryu's scream, as he now began to breathe heavily, his face pale and beads of sweat forming at his forehead, his sleek black hair damp, clinging to his face and neck.

"Are you okay?" asked Mari softly, her hand on his shoulder. He just gulped and nodded, his eyes closed. T-they were…cutting down those trees…I could feel every bit of pain they felt…why? Why couldn't it have been me?

Back to Present

Ryunosuke had always known he was different. Since he was three years old he always just…felt different. When boys his age were playing with cars and pulling on girls' pigtails…he would tend to plants. At an early age he had already started a garden that Lucille helped him with, and would rebuild it every time they moved.

It was the one thing in his life that remained constant…his love for nature. He didn't exactly know why he felt for it. He didn't hold a particular talent for science; Ryu did pretty well in all his subjects. So why his obsession with the environment?

He became a vegan and an activist for protecting the environment, and Mari would always call him a hippie. But they didn't understand…

It wasn't until he was about six or seven did he come to terms with his connection to Mother Earth… When Ryu would walk down the street, if he saw a flower in bloom…a rushing sensation would sweep through him, a happiness that he had never felt before…

But if vegetation was harmed in any way, such as when they had heard chainsaws cutting the trees down back in Urahara's shop, he felt as though those same power tools were cutting through him. The pain he felt was nearly unbearable…

Ryu was never one to open up to people, or talk in general. He didn't really have anyone to talk to. He knew that feeling these things weren't normal, and he couldn't pass it off as an ailment.

For a long time he had ignored it…but when he began to see spirits and Hollows…that's when everything changed.

When Ryu was eight years old, he was playing in the backyard. There was a patch where no grass was growing, and when he placed his hand over it, willing for the grass to grow, well…it did. It was incredible, yet insane. He was afraid, and didn't know what to do. So…he did the only thing he knew how to do. He kept it to himself.

And he did that for six years…Ryu may have been sixteen, a young teenager, but he wasn't like other boys his age. He was much more poised and mature, and knew when he had to take responsibility.

Right now it was his responsibility to make sure his family was safe.

A Few Months Ago…

Ryunosuke and Kurosaki Yuzu were having lunch on the rooftop of their school. They had been going steady for about a year, and while Ryu rarely showed any emotions, he felt extremely content being by Yuzu's side.

She was…so refreshing, her smile brighter than the sun. With all the darkness that usually clouded his thoughts, she would be the one to lift his spirits with the mere tinkle of her laugh or the twinkle in her soft brown eyes.

Ryu trusted this girl so much, that it hurt him to keep his abilities a secret from her…he knew that her older brother had incredible powers, but that Yuzu was unaware. Since she seemed oblivious to the supernatural, Ryu was afraid to let her know of his own powers…he feared she wasn't going to understand, or worse…look at him with disgust. He didn't think he could handle rejection from her.

"Ryu-kun," Yuzu began, still calling him that even after they had begun dating. She took a sip from her juice box and then put it down, looking at Ryu with worried eyes. "Is something wrong? You've been acting strange lately…"

Ryu looked at her with his navy blue eyes. They were usually dull, though whenever he was around Yuzu there seemed to be a spark of life within them. He wanted to tell her that he was just feeling down about their upcoming exams, but…he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Instead, Ryunosuke looked down at his hands, which were entwined together over his knees. "Do you ever feel," he whispered hoarsely, "like some things are completely out of your control? That there are moments where you just want everything to be out in the open…?"

Yuzu's eyes widened slightly, though she nodded. "Yes…" she murmured in agreement. She didn't know exactly what Ryu was talking about, but she did feel that way often. Whenever Ichigo would leave the house without notice, and then come back at late hours of the night. She had no idea what he was doing and felt completely powerless, constantly worried about his well-being. She felt like the only one in the family who was out of the loop, and it wasn't a nice feeling at all.

She placed her hand over Ryu's, squeezing it gently. He looked up at her with wide eyes, though immediately relaxed in seeing her soft smile.

"You're so smart, Ryu-kun," she said sweetly. "You'll be able to tackle any challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem."

Back to Present

Ryu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He only hoped that Yuzu was right. He opened his eyes again and looked up at his father with hard and determined eyes.

Soichiro merely stared at his son for a few moments, shocked. "Son…" he croaked, his hands shaking as he placed one on Ryu's shoulder. "Show me," he whispered.

Ryunosuke nodded and went down the steps of the shop outside. Urahara and his father followed him and the two men stood over the boy as he knelt down next to some weeds.

He placed his hands over them and the weeds immediately began glowing. Ryu's own navy eyes went bright, the pupils shrinking into near nothingness as he began to use his powers. To the two men's shock and amazement, the weeds started to grow at a tremendous rate.

The roots tore through the ground, and Ryu was beginning to bring plants to life.

Urahara's eyebrows went up, impressed, though he soon put his hands up, waving them frantically. "All right, we get it! I don't want these weeds to overtake my entire shop!"

Ryu's lips cracked into a small smile and he stopped, standing up. "This is only a fraction of what I'm capable of doing," he explained. "I can turn any vegetation into monsters, create enormous thorns or have them spew out poison."

Urahara nodded. "It's an incredible gift, Ryu-san. I'm glad you came forward about this, as we'll need all the power we can get, right, Soichiro?"

"Hn," was all Soichiro could reply. Of course he was happy for his son and his capabilities, but…what did that say about him? Soichiro now felt even more useless than before. His son was able to do what he couldn't.

Urahara, sensing his friend's distress, turned to Ryunosuke. "Ryu-san, why don't you head downstairs and train a little with Yoruichi-san. You'll need to know the power you're up against."

Ryu nodded and went inside the shop.

"Soichiro," Kisuke began, looking at his friend with keen gray eyes.

"I don't know how many more times in my life I'm supposed to feel this way, Kisuke," Soichiro muttered, running a hand through his shaggy hair. He sighed heavily, shaking his head. "I'm supposed to protect my family…it's not supposed to be the other way around!" he shouted.

Kisuke placed a hand on Sou's shoulder, though he pulled away. "Don't try to cheer me up with words, Kisuke!" Soichiro growled. "I'm sick of it! I want to do something! I want to be of use somehow! I can't…I can't just sit around like this, and allow my sixteen-year old son to go into battle for me…!"

"I know," Kisuke replied, surprising Soichiro. "What I was going to suggest is that I might be able to revive your Shinigami abilities with a new invention I've been testing."

Soichiro's eyes widened. "Seriously…?"

"Yes, but…I've never tried it out before, and it's very risky. There could be a lot of complications involved…"

"I'll do it," Soichiro interjected. "Anything to save them."

Kisuke took Soichiro into his lab and pulled out a vial that contained a grayish-blue liquid. It contained the reishi of his, Yoruichi and Tessai's Shinigami powers, combined with some forbidden Kidō spells.

Kisuke pulled out a syringe from a drawer and stuck a needle in it, then placed it into the vial, withdrawing some of the liquid. He went over to Soichiro and had him pull his sleeve up, and then wiped a cool liquid over a patch of skin.

"Let's hope this works," Kisuke murmured. He injected the fluid into Soichiro's arm.

"Arrrggh…." Soichiro winced, cringing at the pain. A strange sensation flowed through his arm, spreading to the rest of his body. His eyes widened as he felt something awaken inside of him. He looked around him and suddenly felt…so much more.

"I feel it," Kisuke whispered, looking up at his friend. "Your spiritual pressure is back."

Soichiro nodded. "I feel yours…and Yoruichi's…and…everything around me. I haven't felt this in years…!"

Kisuke nodded, smiling, though it soon faded as his face went grim.

"What?" Soichiro asked, looking up at him. "It didn't work."

"It…sort of did…" Kisuke replied.

Soichiro looked down at himself and his eyes widened in seeing that he was in his old Shinigami uniform! Although it was more updated, as multiple guns were strapped all over his body, around his legs, his arms, beneath the shirt of his torso. "Incredible," he whispered. He then grinned widely. "This is even better than I imagined…I can definitely kick Aizen's ass like this!" He jumped up from his seat, and quirked a brow at Kisuke. "Why do you look so down?"

"Well," Kisuke explained. "I had been hoping that your powers would have been restored to where you would have to use a Gikon to allow your Shinigami form to come out. But it seems that you've become a complete Shinigami again…"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It's something to consider. But there's nothing we can do about that now. Come, you can now train with Yoruichi and your son to get a hold on these new powers."

Soichiro nodded and followed Kisuke downstairs. A flame was lit within him, a rush of power and excitement flowed through him like never before.

He was now determined to rescue both his daughter and the love of his life.

Marise had her eyes squeezed until she arrived in her LaLa Land…though she didn't use her Fullbring much, every time she did, she would get dizzy from all of the spinning and wind flying around her.

As she slowly opened her eyes, Marise looked around her. It looked like a normal town, similar to Karakura, though Mari recognized it as being the same setting as her favorite anime took place…she was in the world of Arsène Lupin III!

It had always been Mari's fantasy to enter this world, though when she thought about what it was she was here for…it seemed a lot less desirable.

There was no sign of Rimen around her, just…emptiness. Mari looked down at herself and her eyes widened. "Wha…?!" she cried in shock. She was dressed as…Inspector Koichi Zenigata? He was the investigator whose life was dedicated to tracking down and arresting Lupin.

Mari's lips pursed into a pout. "Hmph," she mumbled. She wished she could have been Fujiko Mine, the sultry anti-heroine of the show…she was sultry and sexy…and a woman! Mari didn't want to be dressed as a male character!

However, as Mari stood there and contemplated the current situation, it dawned on her that this all made sense…she was meant to play Zenigata. After all, her goal was to track down Rimen, and she had a feeling she knew what character he would be.

Marise tucked her long golden curls into her hat, and couldn't help but crack a smile. She looked very similar to how Shinji used to normally dress. As Inspector Zenigata, Mari wore a long tan trench coat, navy blue tie beneath a brown vest, and brown slacks. The only difference was that the attire was more form fitting to her body.

Though it wasn't the most fashion forward outfit Mari would choose to wear…she had to admit that she was just grateful to be wearing clothes again.

Mari reached into her pocket and felt a sigh of relief. Her original gun was still with her. However…her clothes felt pretty heavy, even more than they normally would. She opened her jacket, and her eyebrows went out, eyes bugging out as she saw the arsenal of weapons strapped to the inside of her jacket. There were several more hand guns, small knives, and even grenades…along with many handcuffs.

Marise bit her lower lip. She was incredibly nervous and even a bit terrified to be facing off against Rimen, but after seeing all of the weaponry she possessed, Mari felt a lot more confident now.

Taking a deep breath, Mari held her gun up, using it to tip her hat up as she looked ahead of her.

"Okay, Lupin," she murmured, azure eyes determined. "Today is the day you finally get caught."

Marise took off at an incredible speed, beginning her trek to track down Arsène Lupin III.

To Be Continued

: : : MY THANKS TO : : :

SymphonyDiva: I hope Mari came off as a kind of badass in this chapter! I definitely want to take her more in that direction. :D

Page-Mistress: Wow, great explanation! You know, I was planning on really cutting the Mari/Rimen scene short to where they wouldn't even have a sexual encounter, but after reading your review, I decided to just go for it! Your logic really makes sense after all.

cocoamilo: So glad you like it! This arc will unfortunately be short...only 4 chapters left. I finally realized where I'm taking this story, only I still keep changing things in the plot, haha. I'm just never satisfied I guess...!

MaryxCat36: Yep, these last few chapters are just all action-action-action! Yush, Aizen should be beaten with a stick. :I

Guest: I suppose I made it seem that way with not posting anything for 9 months...that's what college does to ya. But I am back! I'm pretty proud of myself for doing 4 chapters this summer, and I definitely plan on taking this story to the end. I'm so glad you like it!

And as always, thanks for anyone who added this to their favorites and/or are following this!

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I just wanted to make clear that Marise was NOT raped by Rimen, the sex was consesaul. I don't tolerate writing rape without doing proper research and I hope it wasn't portrayed as such. Who wouldn't want some of that sexy Rimen~? Mari just couldn't resist, haha. (He is just another side of Shinji, after all. :P)Hopefully the next chapter will be out next week! Leave a review please!