Chapter 34 – Reanimation
The lieutenants stepped back slightly as Kiseki glared at them, smirking darkly. His presence chilled them to the core, and they couldn't move out of fear. His spiritual pressure held them to the ground as he slowly stepped forward, all six arms stretching out for their flesh.
Ai sighed and turned to walk away, bored with her prey. She suddenly flipped out of the way as Hihio Zabimaru crashed into the rock she was stood on, reducing it to rubble. She turned and saw a cocky Renji smirking at her, which she ignored.
"Kiseki..." she started. "Um, I mean, Master Kiryu, sir," she corrected, "please kill these fools for me. I can't bring myself to do it you see – too much hassle." Kiseki looked back at her, snarling, but turned back to the lieutenants and licked his lips.
"Just like it was my destiny to die," he chuckled, "it seems it was also my destiny to come back to kill you losers." He then pondered for a moment, before finishing. "Destiny is quite tricky, isn't it? One moment you think it works in your favour, and the next you find yourself on the wrong end of six bloodied blades." He gestured to his cleavers, which shimmered under the moon.
Ai was shocked. 'He can speak?' she asked herself. 'Does that mean his death was under abnormal conditions? Only then is the soul stuck to the body so tight that I cannot separate them...' Kiseki still stood, smirking. "Tough luck, losers," he laughed, exploding into grains of sand.
Rukia was taken aback at what he had done, and looked around instantly, expecting a sneak attack. She then spotted the sand behind Rangiku rising up slowly, and ran to grab her arm, pulling her back.
Kiseki rose up swiftly from the sand, scowling. "Clever girl," he complimented. "You obviously figured out that I can become sand, and integrate myself into other bodies of sand. But you never saw this coming..."
Under his uniform, a large tail shot out, piercing Rukia through the chest. She fell helplessly to her knees, a blank look on her face, blood dripping from her mouth. Rangiku looked at her, shock overcoming her. Renji growled and ran up to Kiseki, slashing down with his bankai, Hihio Zabimaru charging into Kiseki's body.
Kiseki took the shot, all six arms catching Hihio Zabimaru's jaws and holding them in place. Renji's eyes opened in shock. 'He took my attack?' he thought. 'How strong is this guy? This is impossible.'
Renji snapped back to reality and gestured back, his bankai following suit. He then readied his hilt and raised it, glaring at Kiseki. "Higa Zekko!" he yelled, the large snake splitting into its separate pieces and floating in the air. They slowly surrounded Kiseki, who stood watching, amused.
They suddenly sharpened and rushed in to skewer him, but he merely laughed it off. "Come now, I know you know you can't hurt me!" he chuckled, dissolving into the desert below, reforming behind Renji.
"And I know you fear me because of that!" He swiftly took all six cleavers and slashed them across Renji's chest, throwing blood over the desert and forcing Renji to his knees. Kiseki then kicked him squarely on the back of the neck, knocking him out instantly.
Ai sighed. "Well, I think that proves that you idiots have no chance against me," she said flatly. "I did say that your efforts were futile, but you didn't listen did you?" Naomi glared at her.
"Shut the hell up, would you?" she growled, making Ai turn her way. "You just love the sound of your own voice, don't you?" she yelled. "I bet you can't even back up your own words!"
Ai looked at her blankly. "Fine," she sighed. "I'll take you up on that offer." She raised her, Yuki's, fist and rushed at Naomi, energy forming in the palm. Naomi raised her sword and whispered "Bankai, Kozumikkikouken Seireitenshi..." As the twin-bladed bardiche formed, she swiftly blocked, but the energy pulsed from Ai's palm and forced Naomi back a fair distance.
She looked Ai, or rather Yuki, directly in the eye. She shuddered. All she saw was an abyss. 'Damn, this girl knows how to fight,' she thought. 'And her powers freak me out majorly. She's quite strong now... but that's going to work against her in the end."
Ai looked to be thinking to herself also, and then looked directly at Naomi, slightly surprised. "Ah I see," she said, "you can absorb energy from attacks and send it back to your opponent in one big blast, correct?"
Naomi was in shock. "What?" she stammered. "But how could you know what my power is?" Ai sighed. "Yet again, your pathetic mind cannot comprehend the unlimited powers I hold," she said snidely. "I am possessing Yuki, correct?" she asked, to which Naomi nodded. "And so I can enter his thoughts and gain any knowledge he had on him before his death, simple right?"
Naomi growled. 'She knows my power because I killed Yuki the exact same way...' she thought. 'Damn, she's good...' She was quickly brought back to the fight as Ai again thrust her palms towards her, the energy rippling through the air and tearing at Naomi's uniform.
Naomi quickly flipped back and raised her bardiche, two shadowy clones appearing either side of her. Ai looked at this with humour, but then flipped back as she sensed a large wave of energy coming her way.
The energy hit the desert, tossing sand into the air, crumbling to dust. She looked up, confused, to see Zeo hovering in midair, bony wings now growing from his back and a cleaver in each hand.
"Looks like your 'future transport system' ran out," he mocked. "And it looks like I got my sword back – and what a sword. Anything in the line of fire dies instantly. You know... organic stuff. The inorganic stuff just crumbles..." Ai looked at him, as if expecting something else. Zeo sighed. "Yeah, I still don't know why it does that..."
"Brilliant..." Ai replied, sarcastically. "I'm facing an arrancar pretending to be a soul reaper who doesn't even know how to use his zanpakuto properly. This day couldn't get better..."
"Shut it!" Zeo snapped, irritated, but Naomi hushed him. "Don't let her get on your nerves Zeo," she said. "This is exactly what she wants you to do. You'll lose focus this way."
"Oh I get it," Ai said, humoured. "You two have something going on, am I right?" she asked, curious. Zeo and Naomi glared at her. "So what if we are?" Zeo yelled. Naomi calmed down, but kept her glare.
"She's just trying to get to us again, Zeo," she reminded him. "Don't let her." Zeo glanced at her, then nodded. Ai glanced at them both, then at her sword. "Well," she started, "if you have the means, why not use them?"
She slashed her sword in the air, her blood splashing across the sand, being absorbed instantly. A bone covered hand rose up from the sand suddenly, grasping for the nearest object it could reach. Eventually, it pulled its form from the desert and dusted itself off.
Before her stood an arrancar, its mask being bony mandibles on either side of his jaw. His once-black hair was now blood red and his eyes were now blank. Naomi's eyes opened in shock. "That's... that's the arrancar we killed back in Soul Society..." she stammered. "But how can you bring him back..."
Ai sighed. "Who said I needed to be in proximity to bring them back?" she said. "This guy here is Kiseki's top clansman, our version of the previous generation's Fraccion. His genetic data was all over Kiseki when I took his genetic code from his uniform, so it makes sense I can bring him to life now doesn't it?"
Naomi glared at her. 'What more is she hiding? This bitch is starting to get on my nerves!' she cursed, sweating. 'What else does she have up her sleeve?' Ai pointed to Naomi, the newly-returned arrancar stepping forwards slightly.
"Now, I want you to kill her," she said. "Do you hear me? Or do I have to say your name to get your attention?" Naomi looked puzzled. Ai took notice of this. "Their souls have already left their bodies," she explained. "So I may need to call their names to bring them under my control."
She then turned back to the arrancar. "Yusuke Kumo, hear me, take her out for good!" she ordered, the arrancar, confirmed to be Yusuke, rushing towards Naomi, sword raised. He slashed down, missing as she dodged, and then was connected with a quick cut which opened him up, spraying blood everywhere. He fell to the desert in a heap.
"You're losing your touch if you thought he'd do much," Naomi taunted. "We beat him one time, we can do it again, easily." Ai sighed yet again. "Again you are wrong soul reaper," she said flatly. "I brought him back because he is extremely good at regenerating, and on top of that, Yusuke has quite a good hierro. You won't be getting through that too quickly."
As if to solidify her point, Yusuke stood up instantly, as if nothing had happened. The wound that was imprinted into his chest had now disappeared, having healed seconds ago. He turned back, smirking. Naomi started to sweat, as did Zeo, who landed next to her in a defensive stance.
They both heard a cry of pain and looked over to Kiseki, who had cut down both Rangiku and Shuhei without any injury whatsoever. They glared at their three enemies, both fear and desperation starting to cross them.
"Damn, looks like we're in trouble now huh?" Naomi said, a hint of humour in her voice. Zeo nodded. "Too bad Captain Ruhodesu couldn't be here, he'd think of a way out of this..." he added, waiting an attack from one of the three.
Ai cracked a smirk slightly, and looked to Yusuke, who held his sword intently. "Fine Yusuke, you have the honours," she offered, "but first, your resurrection please?" Yusuke nodded. "Crawl, Araña..." he whispered, his voice almost nonexistent. He was suddenly enveloped in an intense light as he morphed, his sword elongating into a yari, and his lower body becoming longer.
Another six legs grew from this new lower body, leaving him with the body of a spider as his lower torso. His mandibles had grown out, and now covered his cheeks to the bridge of his nose, three small holes in either one, to represent eyes.
He raised his front two legs and rushed at them, knocking them both over. He then raised his yari to strike, but was cut off by a timely sword block. He looked to his side to see Jushiro, shikai released and glaring at him.
Yusuke smirked and slashed at him, Jushiro merely flash-stepping to dodge. He reappeared behind all three arrancar, flanked by Ikkaku, Yumichika, Izuru, Nanao and Marechiyo. Ai stood back slightly, whilst Kiseki started to move forward.
Naomi and Zeo were in shock. "Captain Ukitake! How did you know where we were? Who told you we needed help?" Naomi managed to blurt out. Jushiro smiled slightly. "Naomi, it's fine," he reassured her. "Isane sent word that you may need some help after feeling Rukia's spiritual pressure fade slightly. She can really open a garganta quick."
Ikkaku laughed. "No kidding," he added, before staring at Yusuke. "Hey, who are you, punk?" he asked, sword raised. Yusuke didn't answer, so Ikkaku started to laugh again. "Heh, you think you're pretty tough don't you?"
He turned to Izuru and Nanao. "Hey, you two go check on the others," he said. "Me, Yumichika, Marechiyo and Captain Ukitake will handle things here, alright?" Nanao scowled slightly. "How dare you order me, a lieutenant, around, you 3rd seat!" she scolded him.
Jushiro quickly hushed them. "Quiet!" he yelled. "Do as he says Nanao. You are better than he is at healing, and he is better than you are at fighting. It is a simple calculation to consider. If you do not want to take the order from him, think of it as from me instead."
Nanao looked shocked, but nodded, flash-stepping towards the fallen with Izuru. Ikkaku and Yumichika stepped forward, swords at the ready. "So Yumichika, which one of these losers do you want to take out first?" he asked.
Yumichika looked around, displeased. "They all look so ugly, Ikkaku," he moaned. "Maybe we can kill them and brighten this place up a bit?" Ikkaku laughed. "I agree... for the most part," he replied. "I'm definitely in for a fight, that's for sure!"
Ai gestured, and Yusuke and Kiseki stepped forward. Ikkaku and Yumichika readied their weapons, but Jushiro stood in front of them. "No, you two," he ordered. "I will deal with their scorpion, he's the strongest of them all. Leave him to me."
Ikkaku was taken aback, but nodded, albeit resentfully. Jushiro flash-stepped away, followed by Kiseki using sonido, until they met in a clash of blades a few metres away. Ikkaku smirked as he looked at Yusuke. "So it's only you? How pathetic!" he taunted.
Ai started to sigh again, except much deeper. She was slowly enveloped in a coat of light before separating from Yuki, who had now returned to the previous colour scheme. "Yuki," she started. "Be a good slave and kill that bald freak for me. And you, Yusuke, kill that pansy too."
Yusuke and Yuki nodded, using sonido to rush at both Ikkaku and Yumichika, clashing blades with them, Yusuke with Yumichika and Yuki with Ikkaku. Ikkaku glanced over to Yumichika. "Split up?" he asked. Yumichika nodded. "The best way to fight is separately," he answered, both nodding to each other before flash-stepping off, their opponents following them.
Marechiyo was the only one left, and stepped forward to face Ai. Ai looked at him in wonder. Marechiyo was puzzled. "What are you thinking?" he asked, slightly nervous. Ai sighed. "Oh, I'm only wondering whether you're big and strong, or big and idiotic..." she replied, bluntly.
Marechiyo stood, jaw gaping in shock. "What did you say?" he roared in anger. "I am Marechiyo Yoshiamenosuke Nikkota-" Ai interrupted him. "Um, yeah, if I wanted your life story, I would have asked, idiot," she said, snidely.
Marechiyo snarled and drew his sword. "Crush, Gegetsuburi!" he yelled, his sword swelling into the spiked mace. He flash-stepped and slammed his mace down, Ai merely sidestepping out of the way with ease. Ai then raised her sword and slashed across Marechiyo's side, throwing him to the sand a few metres back.
She sighed as she slowly walked up to his fallen form, sword pointed to his neck. "Poor thing," she stated. "When you die, I'll bring you back to do my bidding. Won't that be a barrel of laughs?"
She was taken aback, however, as Marechiyo's eyes suddenly burst open. "Now, Zeo, do it now!" he yelled. Ai looked behind her swiftly, as a needle flew at her and lodged itself in the back of her neck.
Zeo chuckled. "And now that I have punctured your spinal cord, I can control you!" he exclaimed. "And the first thing I'll do is call off your slaves." Ai merely taunted him, however.
"You really think I mentally control my slaves?" she asked. "Of course I don't. I control them by the blood of mine that flows through their veins. As long as that stays, I can control them through my life. They will kill your allies, then they will come to finish you off."
Ikkaku dodged a claw slash, before parrying it and slashing upwards, cutting into Yuki's skin. He then backed off, raising his sword. "Extend, Hozukimaru!" He thrust his sword forward, slamming the sheath into the hilt, the newly formed naginata making contact with Yuki's side.
Blood spurted out, and Yuki backed off, intimidated. Ikkaku then laughed. "What? You think that's something? You've seen nothing yet!" he smirked, holding his naginata behind him.
He looked around to check if there was anyone watching him, then smirked. "I'll show you a weapon! Bankai, Ryumon Hozukimaru!" His naginata disappeared and was replaced with the large monk spades, connected with the large blade mounted on his back. A dragon crest was engraved on the middle blade, but was dull and lifeless.
"This is what you call power!" he yelled, ecstatic. He thrust his blades forward, Yuki trying his best to dodge. Ikkaku then sliced horizontally, attempting to catch Yuki's feet as he jumped.
Yuki flipped back and landed perfectly on the desert, claws raised. Ikkaku again thrust his weapon forward, but Yuki caught it, energy forming in his hands. Suddenly, one of Ikkaku's spades vanished, the connecting chain the only thing left of it.
"Huh..." Ikkaku pondered. "You can do something to do with space or time, but who cares?" he laughed, "Because I've got power and luck on my side!" He grabbed onto the connecting chain that would hold the missing piece and spun around, the opposite blade spinning quickly.
Yuki was caught off-guard, the attack coming so quickly, and was cut across the chest forcing him down to the desert. Ikkaku then jumped into the air and aimed his blades for Yuki, landing where he lay. The blade ripped through Yuki's shoulder, severing his arm on impact.
Yuki didn't seem to notice his dismemberment and rolled back into a fighting stance. Ikkaku looked vaguely humoured at this. "Damn, you don't give up do you?" he asked. "Just the way I like it!"
He quickly ran up and sliced, Yuki dodging once more, landing palm-down on the sand, energy gathering in it. He released the energy, a large cloud of sand kicking up around them both.
"Damn, a sandstorm!" Ikkaku yelled, "Tricky bastard!" His senses sparked suddenly, and he sliced to his left, and heard a muffled thud as something hit the ground. He then took his weapon and spun it around his head again, creating a wind strong enough to force the sand away.
Ikkaku smirked in triumph at who he had slashed at. Yuki lay on the ground, blood escaping the large gap between his other arm and shoulder. Ikkaku laughed. "Man, you weren't a challenge at all!" he taunted. "That was a lucky shot though, so I guess luck was on my side today, arrancar." He raised his weapon, the missing piece finally reappearing, before he stabbed it down onto the neck of Yuki.
Yumichika laughed as Yusuke slashed down with his yari, barely touching him. He then dodged again as Yusuke came in with another slash, clumsily running with his eight legs.
"You're obviously not experienced on those legs, are you?" he teased, Yusuke glaring at him. "What, something I said?" he continued laughing. Yusuke quickly shrugged it off and raised his yari, spinning it in the air.
A line of silk suddenly escaped from its tip, spinning a dome around them. "What?" Yumichika asked. "You're actually giving me an environment to use my shikai? Are you an idiot?"
He then glanced at Yusuke's face, and shuddered. "Well," he added. "You are ugly..." He then raised his sword and smiled. "Bloom, Riiro Fujaku!" he said, his sword blade splitting and growing into vines, which crawled on the ground, awaiting a victim.
Yumichika gestured, and the vines shot at Yusuke, who merely stood there. As they were about to hit, a line of silk shot out of the back of his thorax and flung him up to the top of the dome. Yumichika looked up in anger, only to see what Yusuke had done.
"Damn..." he said slowly. "This dome has multiple layers of silk acting as floors... He's got me trapped..." Yusuke suddenly flew out from the opposite wall, striking Yumichika in the side with his yari, drawing blood.
Yusuke swiftly jumped into the dome again, hiding in the layers. Yumichika got up slowly, coughing up blood. "Damn bastard got me..." he muttered, trying to get steady.
He raised his shikai, the vines looking for an opponent. Yusuke fell back down to ground level and stabbed at Yumichika again, who gestured, his vines wrapping themselves around two of Yusuke's legs.
They struggled, Yumichika holding onto Yusuke's yari, and Yusuke struggling with Yumichika's vines. Eventually, Yusuke jumped back up, but Yumichika didn't give up. He pulled with his vines, and two of Yusuke's legs snapped off, a sickening sound accompanying them.
Yumichika looked sick. "That... had to hurt..." he muttered, almost gagging. He panted, his wound now bleeding profusely. Yusuke jumped down again and raised his yari to attack, sneaking up behind Yumichika.
Suddenly, the vines erupted from underground, wrapping themselves around Yusuke's arms. He struggled with them, as they started to grow and tangle around his neck. Yumichika turned, now looking more radiant than when he started, his wound having disappeared.
"Thanks a lot, idiot," he said, taunting Yusuke, who still struggled. "I did say you gave me the advantage, but you didn't listen. Although congratulations are in order for not caring that you lost your legs. That takes guts..." he started to walk away, hacking at the web dome as he did. "Although you're still ugly..." Yusuke's body started to slowly shake until stiff, his last breath escaping his lungs as he died.
Jushiro blocked another of Kiseki's swords, and then another, as barrage upon barrage of cleaver blows attacked him. Kiseki smirked. "Come on, captain," he taunted. "Fight like a man!"
Jushiro glared at him, flash-stepping behind him. "Fine, if that is the way you want it..." he muttered. Kiseki glanced back at him, ready to strike, before he felt a blade stab through his front.
He looked ahead again, and saw Mayuri, blade through his abdomen. "Hmm..." he mused, annoyed. "I'm pretty sure I killed you, did I not?" Kiseki smirked and swung his tail at Mayuri, who was knocked to the desert in a heap.
He then attempted to walk towards him to finish him off, but Jushiro now had his sword's prongs gripping his shoulders from behind. Jushiro forced them back quickly, impaling Kiseki's shoulders, then releasing, blood spurting from them like taps.
Mayuri was now up, and had had his shikai released, staring Kiseki in the face. "I'm sure that I killed you before, arrancar..." he started. "Shame really, because now you'll have to die forever..."
He stabbed forward, Kiseki being impaled with his deformed trident. Then Jushiro placed his sword's prongs on either side of Kiseki's neck. Kiseki attempted to turn into sand, but couldn't.
"Huh?" he gasped. "Why can't I...?" Mayuri interrupted, "Turn into sand?" he asked, humoured. "Well, my paralysis happened to catch your spine just then, and by my theory, you use your central nervous system to separate into sand, am I correct?"
Kiseki was in shock. Jushiro closed his eyes. "I do this for the justice of the seireitei..." he muttered, solemnly, ripping into Kiseki's neck, beheading him instantly. Mayuri cackled. "Nice method of execution, Ukitake," he complimented, a dark smile etched on his face. "Very nice..."
Ai struggled, but couldn't escape from Zeo's control. Naomi joined Marechiyo to stand in front of her, observing her. She kneeled down to Ai's now-sitting height and looked her in the eye.
"You said before that life is worth nothing, right?" she said, her voice cold. Ai nodded, sternly. "Well then," Naomi continued, "let's see if your belief holds true as you die here today..."
She stepped back a few steps and raised her bardiche. "Kozumikkikouken Reitentei!" she yelled, more shadowy clones joining her already existing ones. Then, they all fused to form a large angelic spirit, blade in one hand.
It shimmered for a second before it rushed at Ai, sword brandished. It then disappeared as soon as it had appeared. Ai was in shock, and then suddenly, her head rolled off of her neck, blood erupting from the wound, reducing her to a pile of dust.
Marechiyo looked at Naomi in fear. "Woah," he started. "You really reminded me of Captain Ruhodesu just then..." he trailed off. Naomi looked at him, warmly. "What do you expect?" she replied. "We are siblings, after all..."
It seems that all of Kenji's soldiers have fallen in battle, and now the only chance he has of success is himself. Of course, whether he cares that they have all fallen or not is up for debate, but you have to feel he could have a nice side if he wanted to have one...
Next chapter: Terri and Kiyomi finally face Kenji in battle, and get him to reveal the reason behind his attacks on the seireitei. Whether they're justified or not is for you to decide, but either way, the final battle is now beginning. 'Desolation', next week.