Chapter 37: A Glorious End
*The climactic battle is coming to a close but it'll be a surprising one at that. Trust me folks this story is FAR from over.
Seirin: So sit back, relax and enjoy. All we ask...
Naoko: Is for you to review as payment.
Gin: EmpressSaix does not own Bleach in any manner nor does she own Ayame or Seirin. Although she does claim ownership over a lot of OCs in this story.
"But why do you even need her here?" Uryu questioned.
Erhard moved his hand from her head to her shoulder, "A little discord and mayhem can be a good thing when used sparingly and in the right places."
"So you just used her as a distraction," the immobile prince growled.
"Precisely and she did a good job by stabbing your mother in the stomach." Erhard spat with a touch of taunting venom.
Hinamori turned around and placed her hands on the man's chest, "But I only did that so that Captain Aizen could become a captain again."
Erhard smiled warmly at her, "I know my dear and he'll be very pleased by your work."
"So I'll get to see him soon right? Just like you said?" Hinamori said with a touch of pleading and begging.
"Of course, of course my dear. You'll get to see him quite soon," The sinister man said gently. "In fact..."
He gripped his sword and in an upward swoop his sword left a deep bloody trail up Hinamori's front.
"Hinamori!" Kira screamed in shock.
Erhard's sword came down again cutting her diagonally. Her body fell in a messy heap of black cloth, limbs and blood.
"Such a stupid girl," Erhard hissed. "But she was useful and fun to play with for awhile."
"You bastard!" Kira screamed in anger as he charged towards Erhard who stood passively.
In his anger Kira wasn't thinking straight and left himself open for attack which the older man took great advantage of. Erhard's sword slipped deeply down Kira's chest. He then swung his foot and kicked the lieutenant to the side. The blonde hit against a marble pillar and crumpled to the floor.
Seeing a helpless girl being killed and her friend being injured and kicked aside sparked something angry and violent in Ichigo. That spark gave his Hollow a chance to wrap his fingers around Ichigo's grip on his sanity.
C'mon King. It would be so much easier if you would just let go and let me handle everything. Don't you want this guy to pay for everything he's done? His Hollow coaxed.
Of course...but not with your help, Ichigo retorted, trying to push his demon back.
But despite his unwillingness the bone mask still continued to creep along his face. Feeling slowly came back to his muscles despite Erhard's Bankai still being active.
"Now that that those little annoyances were taken care of..." Erhard directed his attention back to Uryu.
"So trying to kill of our family was so you could get a hold of whatever this secret is right? You killed the current King and Queen well over sixty years ago, so why are you trying to take the secret now?" Uryu asked, partially trying to stall for time.
Wilter smirked at his helpless prey, "It took so long because the Head Captain was so hot on my heels so to speak. She knew what I was doing and yet her hands were painfully tied so she couldn't do a thing. So I had to be very careful, though I had plenty of time."
"Unfortunately for you, your time is up due to a careless mistake you finally made," Spoke a firm female voice.
Suddenly a large deep ocean blue two-handed great sword shot out from Erhard's chest. Behind him, gripping the sword was the red haired Head Captain, Victoria Aqualius. Her ocean eyes ablaze with hatred and loathing, all directed at Erhard who could only gasp and gape at her in shock then fury.
"It's humorous isn't it? How you are now at my mercy. Pity for you that I have none for you," She hissed pleasantly as she ripped her blue fish scaled sword out from him.
"Victoria...I see you've finally gained...a backbone...You back stabbing bitch..." But he couldn't finish as he fell to his knees and then onto his back. Victoria twirled her sword once and ran in through the front of his bleeding chest.
"That was for my son," She spat coldly without batting an eye. Over two centuries of being held under his thumb...and this was all it took to get out...The simplest answers are truly the hardest to see. The female Head Captain mused to herself.
Ichigo and Uryu both collapsed to the floor having been released from the now dead man's Bankai. The enemy may have been defeated but Ichigo's Hollow was becoming relentless. He could feel the shadowy blackness crawling over his sclera and the hard bone mask consuming his face.
Screw the silver haired bastard; let's take down the broad instead! Shirosaki cackled.
No! I won't let...you take...control! Ichigo bellowed struggling to keep his Hollow back.
But it was a losing battle. Ichigo's mind was slowly being swallowed up by the Hollow's darkness. His limb, shakily, started moving on their own. The Hollow was taking control and Ichigo couldn't find Zangetsu anywhere for help.
Trust me you'll be seeing that old man soon...in history! The albino roared with glee.
Before the almost completely hollowfied captain could charge at the Head Captain he suddenly felt a pair of small arms wrap around his neck. Angelica wasn't the only one who was absolutely stunned to see Rukia run up to Ichigo and throw her arms around him.
"Ichigo...please. I know you're in there. Fight back, show that Hollow whose boss," Rukia quietly pleaded.
"Rukia..." Ichigo half growled and half rasped.
"That's right...you're not alone when it comes to fighting back that kind of darkness and insanity," She reassured him.
The tangerine haired teen's mask slowly crumbled away, the black shadows in his eyes disappeared. He shakily brought his arms up and wrapped them around her small white clad frame.
In his inner world Shirosaki was being pinned down by two sword spirits. A black and white sword each leaning against the sides of his neck.
"I thank you for the help Shirayuki," Zangetsu said.
The yuki-onna smiled softly, "I had a feeling you could use some assistance."
"Damn midget...your arms are pretty damn cold..." Ichigo half joked.
Rukia let out a nervous laugh, "Fool...making such a stupid joke...at a time like this..."
"Yeah...but that's why you love me right?" Ichigo asked gently prying from her chilly embrace.
Rukia pressed her forehead onto his, her violet eyes gleaming and she sounded breathless, "Of course."
Ichigo threaded his fingers into Rukia's silky hair and gently pressed his lips against hers. To his surprise Rukia was a fierce kisser, not that Ichigo minded in the least.
"My, my, I came here to dispose of an enemy and I also get a...unorthodox romantic display," Aqualius murmured aloud.
"Believe me ma'am more peculiar things have happened to us on a battlefield," Uryu remarked as Angelica helped him up.
"What the bloody Hell happened?" Bellowed Oliver.
The group turned to see him and Renji walking in, Naoko was draped over Renji's back. She was conscious and looking just as stunned and shocked as the two men.
"Jesus...we got dead bodies, blood everywhere and where in the Hell did all that ice come from? And...Head Captain what are you doing here?" Oliver questioned rather panicky.
Victoria smiled sweetly and waved him off, "Don't worry Captain Twitterson, all of this will be cleaned up and fixed in no time."
"By God I hope you have some miracle workers on hand Victoria," Captain Robbinsdale interjected as he seemed it appear out of nowhere beside the red head.
"Ah, there you are Albert. I trust you and Amanda took care of my 'favor'?" She asked kindly.
"Oh yes, yes we did. Now for these fine folks, my God I'm surprised you're all still standing," The blonde Brit sighed.
"Trust us, we've had a lot worse than this," Renji said with a smirk.
"Uryu," Nemu said causing the prince to turn to her.
In a fit of happiness to see him alive Nemu threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. In a state of stunned shock staggered but regained his balance. He wrapped his sore arms around her in a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad you're alive," Nemu murmured.
Uryu smiled and blushed, "I'm glad you are too. I'm sorry you had to get hurt like this because of me."
A little shocked Nemu leaned back a bit and looked him right in the eye and gently laid a hand on his cheek. "Uryu, these wounds mean nothing to me. As long as it's for you I don't care how hurt I get, so long as you can live."
Uryu pulled her back into a tight hug, "You shouldn't have to take on any wounds for me. Besides it's a prince's job to protect his lady."
Nemu could only smile and blush as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Oliver meanwhile was fretting over Angelica and still trying to grasp the fact that she had achieved Bankai. The lieutenant merely stood and accepted his fretting while trying to suppress a smile at the relief that he was still alive and well.
"Are you even listening to me?" Oliver wearily asked.
"Yes but all I hear is nonsensical warbling. Honestly, my cardinals make more sense through their chirping then you do at all," She lightly scoffed.
"But seriously Angie...you sure do come up with some seriously unexpected surprises. Red really suits you and you look really...sexy with your hair down and..." Oliver didn't know how hard and awkward this would be. He's known her for decades and yet this is the first time he's had to express such...feelings for her.
"Oh bloody Hell," Oliver sighed aggravated. He seized Angelica and crashed his lips onto hers. In complete shock Angelica didn't move but soon the heat from Oliver's body and lips seeped into her and her arms slowly wrapped around him.
When they broke apart the blonde girl half-heartedly smacked Oliver, "That's for taking so bloody long."
"What the Hell...? Did we just stumble upon some sort of make-out session?" Naoko asked Renji.
"I don't know looks that way though..." Renji mumbled. He looked at each of his friends and was glad to see them alive but then he saw Hinamori's body, unmoving and saturated in blood.
Naoko saw the body too; she gently squeezed Renji's shoulder, "I'm sorry..."
The red head closed his eyes to regain himself. His friend, a sweet innocent girl who was always so eager to help or please others was now dead. Her bright brown eyes were now dim, her smile faded and her cheerful voice silenced. Captain Hitsuguya is going to be nothing short of devastated by this...Renji thought solemnly. But then he thought, wait a minute...Where's Kira?
"Hey Ichigo, did Kira appear here at all?"
Ichigo perked up remembering that Hinamori hadn't been alone. But when he and the others looked at where he was last seen, he was gone there was just a puddle of blood.
"Where'd he go? He couldn't have just walked off his wounds were too grave," Rukia said.
"Head Captain have you seen a tall thin blonde haired young man?" Oliver asked.
The regal woman looked at him kindly but knowingly, "I can't say that I have."
Naoko signaled Renji to put her down which he did and she hobbled over to the stately female, "Head Captain may I...make a request. I know this is probably not the most opportune time but..."
Victoria nodded and leaned down so Naoko could whisper her request in her ear. The older woman's face went slack with shock and disbelief.
"Are you certain? No one has ever given such an honor to someone of his kind before," She whispered.
Naoko gave her a firm nod, "I'm certain. He of all people deserves it."
Then the Head Captain did something no one saw coming. She tightly wrapped her arms around Naoko in an emotional hug. The others could hear her whispering 'thank you' over and over again. When they broke apart Naoko looked out the windows and saw the soft streaks of pink, orange, and yellow slowly painting the night sky, the sun was rising.
"Nature's most beautiful daily gift to all. Her constant promise of the hope of a new day, a better tomorrow and the distancing of a painful past. The sunrise shows how life moves on like it always has and always will." James's words echoed in her head. If this isn't the most ironic and symbolic thing I've ever seen then I don't know what is.
The glowing symbol of rising hope rose slowly into the sky as the teens were treated for their wounds and the mansion ballroom was repaired.
Since the coronation wouldn't be until tomorrow the teens had the rest of the day to rest, sleep and well just sleep. After they had all been cleaned up and their wounds treated the group hobbled to their respective bedrooms and crashed onto their beds.
The first to wake after a deep sleep was Naoko at about two in the afternoon. She moseyed to the kitchen and fixed herself a light lunch. When she finished she sat at the table, nursing a steaming cup of tea when Ichigo walked in, yawning and scratching his head.
"Good afternoon carrot-top," Naoko said with a bit of cheer.
Ichigo regarded her sleepily and yawned, "Oh that's right it's the afternoon isn't it? Feels more like morning."
"Yeah it kind of does. It's hard to believe that this morning and last night we were fighting for our lives and now...feels kind of anticlimactic," Naoko said as she sipped at her tea.
"Well what'd you expect?" Ichigo asked as he rummaged through the refrigerator.
Naoko shrugged, "I don't know I guess a big bang for such a big baddie. Oh well, at least he's dead."
"True," Ichigo agreed as he sat across from Naoko with a large thickly built sandwich. "At least the coronation isn't till tomorrow. You get some time to rest."
"Yes, my brother and I get a full twenty-four hours to freak out about this," Naoko paused to sip her sweet tea. "God this place is going to be a mad house tomorrow."
Ichigo nodded since his mouth was full of sandwich. He chewed and swallowed before speaking, "Yeah, all the captains and lieutenants from both the Asian and European Gotei."
"And some choice seated officers," Naoko added.
Ichigo could tell quickly from her tone just who exactly she was referencing. But he didn't want to cross over into that kind of territory. He has to tread lightly enough when he was around his sisters' when they used that tone. Thank God, that's not often.
"Not to mention both of our families are coming here too," Naoko finished off handedly.
Oh joy, Ichigo thought as he bit into his sandwich.
*So...yeah. I know you're all wondering what happened to Kira and all but just be patient on that. As to how all the captains and lieutenants are going to react to seeing their European counterparts, that's going to be... interesting. Plus there'll be some surprise guests there too.
I guess you could say that most of the story is done but there's still a bit left to do, it's mostly falling action stuff, you know that takes place after the climax. So things are going to be wrapped up as the rest of the story goes along.
Seirin-taichou I know you're probably disappointed that Ichigo didn't go full Hollow but I hope the Ichiruki scene made up for it.
Seirin: Yeah I guess it did.
Ayame: That was cute. So now that the big baddie is gone...does that mean it's coronation time?
Me: Just about, still have a few things to attend to first. And...wait a minute...where's Naoko?
Gin: Said something about going to a happy place. The girl looked like she was on the verge of a major panic attack.
Ayame: Does that mean I can take her place?
Me: ... Just review people while I try and drag the soon to be princess out.