I've made an entire playlist of songs to get me in the mood of writing the final chapter of YFS. And so far, it's working.
Thank you all for the amazing reviews for the past chapters. I've read all of the amazing comments before finishing up the chapter and it really left me breathless. And here I am again, feeling grateful to all of those who read, reviewed, fav'd, and followed my story. I thank those who read it since the beginning and those who recently found this work. I thank those who have patience and those who do not. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to finally wrap this thing up. Blame life. Lol.
To this person who relentlessly sent me PM's over the week: NO, I will not marry you. Lol. :P
If by some reason you don't find the ending satisfactory, you're free to hunt me down here in the Philippines and give me a piece of your mind. It gives me a great amount of satisfaction and pleasure that I've finished with this wonderful work which is a great testament to how I've transitioned as a writer. It saw me through the age of 17 all through 21 and I guess I improved a lot.
One thing that didn't change is my lack of patience and the ability to re-read or edit my works.
As a request, please check out my other stories. I'll be sure to update them regularly since I'm now done with the biggest project of all – YFS.
So, without further ado, here it is.
Chapter 35
Choosing the Truth
Kurosaki Orihime was unaware of what she was doing. Here they were, husband and wife, saying what possibly could be the last words they would ever utter to each other, and yet it seemed that there was still a part of her that didn't want him to leave. She wanted him to stay with her – safe and sound, where they could grow old and live for their children, grandchildren, and if heaven permitted, great-grandchildren. That sudden shift in mindset haunted her. and here she thought that she had resigned herself to her duties as the Crown Princess – to bid her husband farewell when duty, or even death, called. With every bit of composure and lightness she could muster.
Out of nowhere, she gripped Ichigo's hand as he was in the process of standing up.
"What is it?" Ichigo asked.
"That man… Aizen Sousuke. He's going to try to kill you."
Ichigo released a weary sigh. "I know. I believe he's the type of man who will die trying."
Orihime's normally gentle features contorted into agony. "He's desperate, Ichigo. Even though I truly want him to be stopped. Soi Fong said that he killed your mother."
"I know."
Something as cold as ice chilled Ichigo's core once more since he found out about the truth. He had read all of Aizen's journals. One entry spoke specifically of killing Masaki. If there was one theme that was often mentioned, then it was the desire to end her life and bring horror to her family in such strange and lewd ways that made Ichigo feel sick. He thought back then that all of those were incoherent ramblings of a madman and that the real threat that Aizen posed was against the kingdom and its colonies. He never realized how much the man loathed not the crown, but his mother and what she supposedly did to him. What Ichigo couldn't figure out for the life of him was how the banished prince managed to actually contact people to kill Masaki even in his obscure state.
"Aizen Sousuke had no real vendetta against England," Orihime said to him. "His real agenda has been your mother and her family all along."
"The crown mattered very little to him," Ichigo agreed, his voice barely above a whisper. "He said that in one of his journal entries. So what is he doing now? Why now and why all of this chaos in England and Japan?"
Orihime contemplated on the answer for a while before she spoke, "Because the two countries were and are the things that matter to your mother, father, and you, Ichigo. He wants to take away everything from you. That's why he, through Soi Fong, also went after me. I think the attack on Nel was just a mistake."
"That's what Grimmjow thought too."
A few seconds of silence drifted between them. None spoke and merely looked into each other's eyes. Ichigo could feel himself trembling, remembering his mother through Orihime. He remembered the way his father wasn't the same for years after her death. He remembered his own grief and he creeping insanity that followed that period. That insanity nearly ruined his relationships with everyone in his life. That insanity ruined Rukia and him. That insanity almost ruined Orihime and him. Fortunately, his wife was someone who accepted that madness and kept it at bay.
"What do you plan to do once you get there?" she asked.
"I have to find father first," he answered directly. "I'll leave the revolution to Grimmjow and Kaien for a while. Aizen won't be the only one after my father and he won't be so concerned about what happens to the people. His main target will be dad. He's practically the figurehead of England in Japan as its governor. Without him, the English settlement there will collapse."
Orihime nodded slowly. "I hope nothing terrible has happened yet. Who knows what has happened already in Japan?"
Ichigo nodded grimly.
"Kuchiki-san's brother… Kuchiki Byakuya. Is he the one leading the revolution?"
"As far as we can assume. The Kuchikis are the Japanese royal family. If there's something going on, they have to be at the forefront of it all."
"If you have to face him, will you kill him?"
Ichigo exhaled. "If I have to."
"What if Kuchiki-san was the one hindering you from your goals, will you kill her?"
That question. There was no point and purpose to it. It was childish and uncalled for. It was something totally out of character for someone like Orihime.
"If I have to," was what Ichigo repeated in response. "But there's no point, is there? She's already dead. I won't have to."
Orihime expelled a breath. "I'm sorry for that question. I don't know what came over me. And in this time of crisis too."
Ichigo nodded and kissed her forehead. "The Excalibur is leaving in three hours. I have to go. We still have a lot to prepare."
Orihime nodded as Ichigo finally left. Her eyes landed on her daughter and son, realizing that moments ago, she nearly lost them. Or it might be that they nearly lost her. Worst case scenario, Ichigo would have lost all three of them.
And then he could appear again.
It was something that bothered Orihime for the entire duration that she and Ichigo were together. She had encounters with insane people before, but not quite like Ichigo. He was as normal as anyone can be. His affliction seemed like it had a mind of its own. It seemed like it was always struggling for dominance and control over its original and apparent personality. No form of madness was as independent as Ichigo's was. And he himself was aware of this side of his, his behavior could be compared to a spectator watching a bull run amok as it killed people in its path, unable to do anything to stop it. Most cases that she knew of would always be unaware of the insanity they had.
She wondered if Aizen Sousuke had anything to do with this peculiarity.
A few minutes after Ichigo departed, Orihime proceeded to the throne room where she was sure the king was.
After the herald announced her presence, she immediately went before the king and bowed.
"What is it, child?" Barragan Luisenbarn asked.
When Orihime looked up, she could see the dynamic and powerful monarch look exactly his age. The lines ran deeper and more pronounced this time, no doubt the product of his anxiety at the resurfacing of this supposedly long-forgotten memory of a disgraced and banished son. His hair was more silver and was thinning. The scar that ran along his other eye seemed to become uglier than what she last saw.
"If Your Majesty permits, I wish to go to Japan with my husband," she spoke plainly, holding her head high and meeting the King's gaze evenly.
The King managed a chuckle, impressed at the fiery behavior of the Crown Princess. "That is a risky decision, Orihime. You know that if I allow you to go, your husband will most certainly object to it."
"I know that, but I have to go. I can't just sit idly by and worry."
"I realize that. But I'm sure that you know your duties as Crown Princess. Your first and foremost worry should be your issue with your husband. Your children are your primary priority."
Orihime was silent for a moment. "But what if there is no more future for them? What if everything collapses because I didn't fight hard enough with my husband?"
"There will most certainly be a future for them," Barragan responded sternly. "Don't be silly, child. This empire has endured for centuries despite troubles far worse than the threats Japan has imposed upon us. Mightier kingdoms have challenged us, their armies far greater in number than Japan. What do we have to fear now?"
"Your son," Orihime said. "This time, you are fighting someone close to you. You are fighting someone who knows all of your secrets and weaknesses. You are faced with someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his ends. He has nothing more to lose and he does not care what he gains from his vendetta. All he wants is the destruction of your line. If he is not stopped, then who's to say that he will not come after my son and daughter?"
Barragan frowned. "And do you think you, a woman, can stop him? Do you think your presence will make a difference in this war?"
"Do not underestimate women, Your Majesty. That was your greatest downfall. You underestimated your own wife, who sought to end Sousuke with all means necessary. You did not listen to her advice to give your son the punishment that was due to him because of your own pride. You underestimated Soi Fong, who only did her best to please you and was actually excellent in what she did. If only you loved her, she wouldn't have to fight and struggle so hard to be recognized. She would not have turned to the dark side and embraced her brother who only ever sought to use her as her father did. to her advice to give your son the punishment that was due to him because of your own pride. You underestimated Soi Fong, who only did her best to please you and was actually excellent in what she did. If only you loved her, she wouldn't have to fight and struggle so hard to be recognized. She would not have turned to the dark side and embraced her brother who only ever sought to use her as her father did. You underestimated Masaki-sama's ability to make her own decisions and fight for her rights. And it took you a great deal of pain and effort to reconcile with your own grandson by her. Now, have you not learned your lesson, Your Majesty? Never underestimate people based on their gender. Even Eve brought about the fall of Adam."
And with that she said, "I can certainly bring about the fall of one man if I set my mind to it."
The King's face was unreadable, but there was no mistaking the rage hidden behind his sharp eyes.
"So you are saying that if I listened to my wife then Sousuke would not have done such revolting things? So you are saying that I should not have shown mercy to my own son? So you are saying that if I gave credit to Soi Fong's efforts, she would not have strayed? So you are implying that Masaki's decisions should have been left alone in spite of her true duties? So what you are definitely meaning to say is that you can stop this war?"
The mocking cannot be mistaken behind the King's words. "Precisely," was all she said in response.
"You are too brave for your own good. Or maybe just plain stupid."
"Maybe."
"I must have been too hasty to favor you. History, in particular, does not favor women who are too wily and independent for their own good."
"History has always been proven wrong at some point in time. Or else, the lessons it wanted to serve will be rendered useless."
Barragan closed his eyes in frustration. "I could allow you. But you know that I cannot. Your first and foremost concern is the protection of your children. If you are killed in this war and if Ichigo is also harmed, your children will be parentless. If I die sooner, Youichi will rule in my place at such a tender age where he could be exploited."
"My son will be great and I am sure he shall be a monarch worthy of your pride. And I trust our family to look after him and guide him through his rule," Orihime said. "I cannot be selfish anymore. Living in this world without parents will be painful for them, but living in a world filled with war, chaos, deception, and danger is much worse. I'd rather die knowing that I have done everything in my power to assure a safer future for my children than to stand idly by awaiting for a death that is sure to befall me because of my cautiousness. The past has haunted you and your family because of its indecisiveness. Let us not make the same mistake again."
"Your husband is sure to argue about me against this."
"Let him be."
"He will not let you board the Excalibur."
"I know that."
"Then what insanity is this?! Why are you wasting my time when you know what my and the prince's decisions are?!" Barragan boomed in anger.
Orihime did not answer and merely curtsied as she removed herself from the King's presence.
A pair of legs ran as fast as they could along the forests, not daring to stray to the roads where its presence could be made known. Exhaustion burned her lungs but she pushed on, knowing that every second counted. She already wasted enough time arguing and making her point. She already wasted years of unconscious bliss, not knowing how much her own son suffered at the hands of a woman who plotted her own sister's demise because of mental illness.
Kuchiki Rukia has had enough of wasted time. All she could do now was run as fast as she could. Her efforts could make the difference between life and death for her son, Haru.
The destination was clear to her mind's eye. Her destination was the Kuchiki manor.
Explosions were heard from all around her, shaking the ground that she ran upon. She saw columns of fire billowing from a distance away, black smoke charring the clear night air. Shouts came, nearing her to her left as she promptly dodged out of their way, not wanting to be seen. Screams of women and children echoed like haunting ghosts in the turbulent air. Horses whinnied and chariots thundered. Cannons were blasted and houses were tumbling down.
Everything was an inferno. All around her she could see that her country was not the place she had grown up into. She could not recognize the streets in the chaos. She could not recognize the path of the river as it was soaked red in blood. She could not recognize the smell since it already reeked of death. She shuddered involuntarily. She never experienced a full-scale war before, even though she repeatedly declared that she was ready for it. Nothing could have ever prepared her for what she saw.
And to think, there's a possibility that her little boy would be amongst those who have already perished.
How will everything be once all of this is over and done with? Would she tell Ichigo that he fathered a child? Would she be the one to destroy his peace once more? Did he have the right to know?
She briefly closed her eyes and pictured Haru as Renji had described him. Hair that was of the same color as hers… and everything else belonged to Ichigo.
His personality – timid most of the time because of the way Hisana hid him from the world and the way she treated him all these years.
When she tried to picture him again, she could see another face. To be frank, from Renji's description of her son, Haru was the spitting image of another man entirely. A man who was related to Haru's father. A man who looked like Ichigo in so many ways except for his hair color. A man who was kind to her even though others were not. A man who showed her that first impressions weren't always true.
Ironically, that man was one of the princes of the enemy.
Kaien.
Why am I thinking of him now when my son is in danger?!
With a renewed sense of purpose, she ran faster, finally clearing her head. Because of the chaos, she forgot how to get to the manor. When she spotted its familiar red roofs and the imposing walls that surrounded it, she knew that she had succeeded.
When she finally arrived, she was surprised that the structure had no guards outside.
Where are they?! We're in a war!
Rukia shook her head and merely entered the gateway, katana ready. She was lucky that she came across a fallen soldier on her way here. She hastily picked up all the weapons that the man had and stored it for herself. She knew how to use weapons well, having trained directly under Kuchiki Byakuya.
As she cautiously stepped inside, she realized that there were no people in the compound. Everyone had deserted the entire Kuchiki manor. She understood why her brother would choose to do so. The English, if in case they ask for reinforcements, would target this building and all the Japanese officials and members of the family that lived within. They would certainly wipe out any traces of the resistance to crush any form of hope the Japanese will ever have. It was a wise move for her brother to remove everyone from harm's way.
But that only frustrated her chances of finding her son.
It would take her a very long time to find Haru, given the number of potential hideouts the Kuchiki family had. Her own brother would surely be in the front lines right now, not knowing that she was alive.
And no elder or other member of the Kuchiki clan knew that she had a son, which meant that he could be hidden in a sea of faces that never really understood his worth and his being.
She turned to leave when a voice called out,
"Rukia-sama?!"
She whipped her head around to the direction of the voice and saw Hinamori Momo, one of the manor keepers and also a very skilled guard herself.
When she removed her hood, pure happiness lit up the younger girl's face as she flew into her arms. "You're alive! You're alive! Wait 'til Byakuya-sama hears about this!"
"No!" Rukia exclaimed, startling the girl. "Don't tell him. Not yet. Where are the others?"
"They're scattered, princess," Momo said. "Even I don't know their specific location. Only Byakuya-sama knows."
"Where is nii-sama?"
"Near the walled city. He's heading the revolution as we speak. We have entered the final stages."
Silence came between them for a few seconds. "Do you wish to go there, Rukia-sama?"
"Go where?" Rukia asked, lost for a while.
"To the front lines. Byakuya-sama has to know that you're alive. Everything that has happened… your supposed death, they all led to the revolution."
"I know that. That's why I'm telling you now that this is a mistake. We should have waited."
Momo frowned. "Waited? Freedom shouldn't wait. This land belongs to us."
"And it will belong to us once more. If only we waited for Ichigo to become King. He will give us back our freedom."
Momo nearly scoffed but stopped herself at Rukia's gaze. "Do you really think he will keep his promise? He's a man of many inconsistencies. One day he hated the British and the next, he wants to be their King. I don't understand him."
"No one will ever truly one understand one another."
Momo sighed. "Why are you here, Rukia-sama? Why did you come back if you don't intend to help out in the revolution?"
Rukia's lips thinned, her mind going haywire. "My sister… she's alive. I know she is. And I know that you know."
Momo paled. With her reaction, Rukia knew that the girl was one of the few who were aware of Hisana's existence. "My lady… I'm sorry. Hisana-sama is… she's already dead."
"What? What do you mean she's already dead? I thought she was alive all these years!"
"She was," Momo spoke, her voice barely audible. "But she was killed. Byakuya-sama…"
"Nii-sama killed her?" Rukia said, her voice in a monotone.
"Hai."
"Why?"
"I do not know, Rukia-sama. I just heard it from the others. And I saw her body being removed from the premises."
"What about my son?" Rukia spat. "Since you know about my sister, I'm sure you know about my son."
"Son?" Momo repeated faintly. "But princess, Hisana-sama…"
"What?! WHAT ABOUT HISANA?!"
"She killed Haru."
Gin Luisenbarn.
Ichimaru Gin. The name he took up when he introduced himself to Matsumoto Rangiku. Their first meeting.
He was not afraid.
Rarely in Gin's life did the word 'fear' ever penetrate his mind or his heart. He was a man, like all else, prone to stress, doubt, and anxiety. But he seldom feared. For Gin, fear arises from one's self-consciousness. It means that one is only ever afraid if he is at a risk of harming or endangering himself. If the hurt was not directly towards his body, then it will be to the persons related to him who could still affect his own. Meaning to say, one is not able to feel fear under two simple circumstances.
One is if the cause for fear is non-existent because it is not related to one's own body (for example, the imminent death of your neighbor's spouse or an earthquake rattling a country on the other side of the planet). Two is if you abandon all forms of self-consciousness and accept that harm befalling oneself is inevitable and also that one's body is not worthier or more special than others.
Gin has already forsaken all forms of vanity, thus he is rarely afraid. The only times that he was ever afraid was when something that happened affects Rangiku, whom he loved and cherished above all others. That was the problem about love. You extend yourself and your entire being, projecting it to a separate human who is out of your control – with her own thoughts and ideas. Because you love, you put part of yourself unto that person, thus fearing for her when she is in danger. Because that part of you is out of your control, you fear for her since she has become one with you in some way.
And that is the sole reason why Gin feared. Because he loved Rangiku. The only part of him that was ever allowed to feel anything was attached to her. thus, whenever she is threatened, he becomes afraid.
But this time, Ichimaru Gin is not afraid.
He realized that his brother had already found out about treacherous acts. Aizen knew that he had been aiding Kuchiki Rukia, Shihouin Yoruichi, and Matsumoto Rangiku. All that remained now was how he played his cards when his brother explodes.
And he knew how many times his gambles had paid off against the madman.
Barragan Luisenbarn once said this of the Second Grand Duke – "I am glad that you are a part of my family, even only as a bastard. For I will never dersire you as my enemy nor will I ever want to be your subject if you were to be king." This was because of all the King's children, Gin was the one who struck the most doubt and fear into everyone's hearts and minds.
Masaki could be read like an open book. She was charming, carefree, exuberant, and opinionated.
Sousuke was a genius in his own right but was also insant. He had no regret for rules and was selfish as one could possibly be.
Halibel was the epitome of grace, prudence, and sophistication. She was obedient, therefore you always knew what she will do next.
Kuukaku was proud and forward. She was a liberal intent on proving herself and her ideas different from others.
Soi Fong was critical and uncompromising. Her only path was the one she saw best to take, no matter what the consequences.
Ukitake was kind and just. He never saw himself as a failure even with his station as a bastard and his poor health, thus making him a motivated and industrious man.
Lisa was the most studious, keen, and quick-witted. She picked up on little details and knew to speak her mind.
And that left him. Gin.
He was a mystery to all, even to Aizen Sousuke, the man he served. He played for people who could best serve his interests and yet, at the same time, it would seem that he had no interests at all. Most of the time, it would seem as though he were doing things just for the heck of it. Because he had nothing better to do. Even with his indifference to social functions and niceties, it seemed that he had a keen insight to the human psyche. He knew how to play with desires and emotions, making people bend their will to his. He knew how powerful words were – both to lift up and destroy someone. He was skilled in so many things yet is content on not letting people know too much of his capabilities. He would express his opinions on certain issues yet expects people to not believe him. He was an enigma and a walking contradiction that no one bothered to fully comprehend.
And that was why Aizen Sousuke chose him. Even with the risk of having someone as ambiguous as Gin on your side, Aizen risked it. He was the perfect balance to Soi Fong's radical ways and fanatical worship of the banished prince.
This time, he was about to face his half-brother in what he may say as the last time. Aizen never forgave traitors. He would willingly smite them down if he sees someone as a detriment to his plans.
But why wasn't Gin afraid?
He had a plan. It may not be his most brilliant one, but it was a plan to save Rangiku. It was a plan so that she could live out the remainder of her days in peace. He would do anything for her.
Anything.
And when he went inside that room where his half-brother sat as if the world wasn't ending all around him, he looked him straight in the eyes.
"Gin. Welcome back."
All Gin did was bow in response.
"Have you heard that Soi Fong died?"
No hint of emotion crossed his face. "No."
"Well, I'm not surprised that you didn't hear. You've been quite busy," Sousuke said, tilting his head to survey Gin.
"Yes."
"Aren't you interested in how she died?"
"Not particularly. No."
"Grimmjow killed her. That child could have been my favorite if I was still in the palace. He has a sense of ruthlessness about him that will make him a fine ruler. Much better than Masaki's brat, eh?"
Gin said nothing and merely watched as Sousuke's eyes travelled all around the room.
"But it seems that even that cold-hearted boy isn't immune to the ailment of love. Neliel tu Oderschvank, wasn't it? She made him fall from grace. Like what Masaki did to me. Not that I regret loving her in the least. I just don't understand why men love other women not of the same standard as Masaki, you know?"
"I'm sure we all have different tastes in women," Gin said with a slight laugh.
"Like you? Pray tell, brother. What is your taste in women?" Sousuke asked with a nasty edge in his voice.
"It's a funny topic you choose discuss in the middle of a war."
"Quite the contrary. It's the perfect time to discuss it. Don't you know how many times love affects the outcome of a battle? Don't you know how many times love is the reason for an argument? It's almost always love. Love for the country, love for oneself, love for power, love for a person… it never ends."
Gin's eyes were trained on Sousuke, never wavering. He knew that this would be brought up. "You know who the woman I love is. I don't think there's any point for us to discuss it. You know I aided her. You know I rescued her from the fire along with the Japanese representatives."
"You were never afraid of the truth, weren't you, Gin?"
"What's there to fear? Even if I try to deny the truth, you'd kill me anyway."
"Fair point. You know me too well. But you see, I'm quite unpredictable when it comes to you, just as you are unpredictable yourself. I don't quite know where you stand with me and why you even chose to pay allegiance to me in the first place."
"I was bored," Gin simply replied. "I never liked playing the good guy. And I'm good at following through."
"But not this time. Why did you rescue them? Tell me, Gin."
"I did it because it wasn't the right time to kill them."
The answer visibly surprised Sousuke. His eyes widened for a moment, regarding the man who responded with such simplicity and directness that he couldn't really tell if he was lying.
"Not the right time?"
"You didn't order their deaths. It was Soi Fong who did. She was brash, as usual. I never liked that about her."
"You're glad she's dead?"
"I don't care."
"She failed in killing Inoue Orihime."
"Like I said, I don't care."
Sousuke laughed. "You are one amazing man. But why did you hide them from me?"
"I did not hide them from you. I hid them from Soi Fong," Gin answered, choosing this moment to walk towards where Sousuke sat and flopped down the floor, his legs crossed in a relaxed manner. "She was tailing you and she knew everything that was going on with you. She ignores me most of the time. It's easier for you not to know."
"And? I feel that there's something more."
"There's something you never learned about prisoners. It's easier for them to fall prey to anything if you have their love, respect, and trust. That's why they willingly came to me and obeyed my every suggestion."
"Even your beloved? Matsumoto Rangiku?" Sousuke asked with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Yes," Gin replied. "Unfortunately for her, I don't love her the way I used to. I may want her body, but I have long abandoned my feelings for her. But it was easy to channel emotions for her so that I would be more believable."
Sousuke smiled. "You truly have a keen insight to the soul, Gin. I wonder, though."
"You wonder?"
"If you have a keen insight to this poor creature's soul."
With that, a burly man appeared out of nowhere, dragging a whimpering body behind him.
Gin recognized that form anywhere in the world.
Strawberry blonde hair that fell in waves, fair skin, a voluptuous body…
The clothes were familiar but were torn in all places, bruises and cuts covering any opening.
The woman lifted her face weakly, her sky blue eyes clashing with his crimson ones. Her eyes were filled with tears and confusion.
It was Rangiku.
"Gin…" she whispered weakly. In an instant, the hulking man put a dirty cloth around her mouth so that she won't be able to speak any further.
"I found this little vixen traipsing about our hideout a few hours before you came," Sousuke said. "You took so long to get here and she found out where I might be first. You know what she did, Gin?"
Gin fought to keep the expression on his face blank. He might be succeeding because Rangiku was weeping openly, looking at him in shock at the coldness that he was showing her.
"She begged me. She begged me to leave you alone. She begged me to leave Inoue Orihime alone. She begged me to leave Kurosaki Ichigo alone," Sousuke said. "And what for? What did she give to me in exchange?"
He felt his hands shaking, longing to reach for his sword and plunge it through the heart of the man who was laughing in front of him. But he couldn't. He couldn't afford to do anything that could further harm Rangiku. For the first time in a lone time, Gin was afraid.
"She gave me her body, Gin."
Aizen Sousuke was obviously waiting for Gin to pounce. He was waiting and it seemed that he was ready for it. Gin knew that the other man wasn't lying. Sousuke was perverse and had no conscience. And he knew that Rangiku never willingly offered her body. Sousuke asked for it as the price she would pay so that he would leave them alone. But she was so foolish if she thought that the banished prince had any sort of honor in his body to actually fulfill his promise.
"She satisfied me, for someone as filthy as her. I know of her reputation, Gin. Rangiku, the social butterfly. The great prostitute. Everyone knew the secrets of her body. Everyone knew how pleasant she could be given the right spirits. She has the body of a goddess, I give her that. But so spoiled and used… how did you love someone as sullied as her, Gin?"
A few seconds ticked by. "Why haven't you spoken a word?"
Gin felt the words come out of his mouth, but it was as if they didn't belong to him. "I don't see the need to say anything. You've done what you've chosen to do. I don't care."
"Well said," Sousuke commended him, grinning once more. "I have a fun fact for Rangiku-san as well. Did you know how I know that you were alive?"
Rangiku, who was still bound, gagged, and weeping, glared at him with open hatred. The man who dragged her into the room slapped her hard across the cheek.
"I never told you to hurt her," Sousuke said venomously, stopping the other man in his actions. "I'll make use of her. Perhaps make her my mistress. Perhaps even marry her if I become King of England. She is an Inoue after all. She has a massive fortune and everything that Orihime-chan owns will be given to her once she's dead from all this. Pity."
Rangiku began screaming in protest but everything fell on deaf ears as her voice was muffled by the cloth tied tightly around her mouth.
"You see, Rangiku-san," Sousuke continued, oblivious to her. "One man approached me a few days ago. He said he worked for you and that he saw you come back. He even followed you, finding out that the Kuchiki woman was alive after all."
He gestured again to the burly man who pulled in another person. This time, the new arrival wasn't gagged, bound, or anything of the sort. In fact, he was dressed in the same garb as Sousuke's cronies. However, it was clear that he was of Japanese descent?
"Shuuhei?!"
How Rangiku managed to remove the restraints on her mouth, Gin didn't know. All he could see was the utter bewilderment and betrayal in her eyes. It seemed that she knew who this man was. From what Gin understood, he might be one of the people working for her. But how…?
"Tell them, Hisagi Shuuhei-kun," Sousuke said. "Tell them why you betrayed your mistress."
Shuuhei was seemingly gritting his teeth before he answered. "I found out that she was in love with someone else."
Sousuke laughed once more, delighting at their despair. "See?! See how much love destroys everything, Gin? Hisagi-kun here finds out that the woman he has pined after for so long is in love with someone else. He knew why you left Rangiku, Gin. He found out all about that. It seems that he found it rather unforgivable that his fickle mistress managed to forgive you and reunite with you so easily. He chose to let me decide whether or not to kill you so that they could have their happily ever after."
"But seeing as I now decided to make her mine, I don't think you'll have her after all, Hisagi-kun."
That was what Sousuke said as he pulled the crossbow from under his chair and shot Hisagi Shuuhei through the chest.
Rangiku screamed.
"Where are the men of the fourth division?" Byakuya asked Sajin, who was riding towards him. He saw that his general had a hard time breaching the northern garrison of the walled city, evident in the charred appearance of his armor and the numerous burns and cuts across his face, arms, legs, and neck.
"They are out assisting the third division. Their medical supplies have run short," Sajin replied.
"Tell Kotetsu to get a move on and assign some of her soldiers to gather as many supplies as possible," Byakuya ordered. "The people of Haiyan already promised to aid us in medicine when needed."
He looked on as another tower in the walled city was engulfed in flames. "The fifth division is doing a good job in explosives. But they have to hold back a little bit. Their real mission is to remove all possible watchtowers and warning methods of the enemy. If a single word gets out to the homeland of what's going on here, we are certain to lose."
Sajin nodded and gestured towards a soldier of the fifth division to repeat the orders to his captain.
"The seventh division should start digging tunnels for the infiltration," Byakuya continued. "The second division will then send assassins inside. I will come with them since I need to get to the governor's house as quickly as possible."
"Isshin will be your hostage?"
"As long as he needs to be."
"Are you going to yield to any treaties?"
"Not this time. They never listened to my sister. They never even gave her the opportunity to speak. Why should I listen to them now?"
Sajin watched the fall to mercilessness of this man before him. He knew that Byakuya had lost all sense of sympathy in his body. He was once a fair and balanced leader. He knew when to go and when to stop. He knew how to show pity and when to show restraint. But this time, in those stormy gray eyes and his proud countenance, he was a different man.
From the moment Sajin heard that he had finally killed Hisana, he knew that the remnants of Byakuya's mercy were already gone. With Rukia dead too, he had no reason to show kindness to the people who invaded his nation. He only saw it fit to get everything back as a way to give justice to the senseless deaths of the two women he loved most in this world.
"The first division should coordinate the chain of command properly. The messengers to the second and ninth division are already dead. Find a replacement," Byakuya said, expecting Sajin to follow his endless rants without fail. "The second division should be ready for deployment. All weapons should be light and manageable from here on out. We can't afford slow men in its ranks. The third division should be ready to blow down all gates when the infiltration is over. Amagai Shuuhei should be ready to give the signal any time. The fourth division should replenish all supplies as quickly as possible. We don't know how many more will be wounded so we have to make sure. The fifth division should have finished blowing up all watch towers by now. Make sure that no form of message escapes from these units. The sixth division should wait out as back-up if in case the second division fails in its infiltration. In the meantime, have them prepare their archers at the very back of the line if in case the enemy sends out troops out once more. We have to keep the fighting way beyond our lines. AS for the seventh division, make sure that all of the dead are properly laid to one side and accounted for. We have to return the bodies to their respective families. Have most of their men repair all broken weapons and armors. The eighth and ninth division should hold out our fort with both short-range and mid-range attacks. They must cover for the sixth division once their initial long-range onslaught is over. Is the tenth division dispersed to all the locations that house the members of the Kuchiki clan?"
"Yes," Sajin replied. "They're properly distributed. Rest assured that no one will bring about the deaths of any of our elders and important men."
"Good," Byakuya said. "Have the eleventh division stand watch near the coasts. We don't know if anyone will attempt to escape or if any reinforcements will arrive. The twelfth and thirteenth division have scattered to all parts of Edo to hunt down all of the English nobility – full or half-blooded. Round them up as prisoners. We will use them for negotiation. If their country doesn't comply with our side, then they will all be put to death. The twelfth division will be in charge of the imprisonment while the thirteenth will be for the execution."
The plan was simple yet was grand in scale. There were 13 divisions of the Japanese army, recruited from all over the country and whose allegiance falls to their daimyo, who in turn, swore loyalty to the Kuchiki clan. These 13 clans were tasked to do specific duties that will be centered in the capital and around the walled city to eliminate all traces of English occupation. They each have a captain to be able to properly disseminate the command from the head clan, thus making Kuchiki Byakuya the commander-in-chief.
The first division captain was a straight-laced middle-aged man named Sasakibe Choujirou. He was the daimyo of Kochi, in the Shikoku region of Japan.
The second division captain was a huge and fat man named Ohmaeyda Marechiyo. He was the son of the daimyo of Yokohama, a region neighboring Edo.
The third division captain was a strange man named Amagai Shuusuke. He was a general serving alongside Komamura Sajin.
The fourth division captain was a reserved woman named Kotetsu Isane. She was a distant relative of the Kuchikis and served as a very famous doctor in Kyoto.
The fifth division captain was Hinamori Momo's father, Hinamori Momochiro. A loyal captain and guard of the Kuchiki family for decades, he was chosen for this spot precisely because Byakuya trusted him so much.
The sixth division captain was Minomiya Matsuoka, the youngest of all the captains and the son of the daimyo in Miyazaki of the Kyushu region of Japan.
The seventh division captain was Iba Tetsuzaemon, Sajin's right hand man who has also served the Kuchiki family for decades.
The eighth division captain was Kyoraku Shunsui, the Shogun of the Hokkaido region of Japan and the head of the second most powerful clan in the country, next to the Kuchiki family.
The ninth division captain was Yamamoto Kagura. She was the only female daimyo in the entire country and she was from Wakayama.
The tenth division captain was Himura Yousei. He was the youngest daimyo in Japan and ruled over the city of Kanazawa.
The eleventh division captain was Madarame Ikkaku. A soldier of fortune who rose to the rank of general for Kyoraku Shunsui, he was known to be fearless and a tad bit crazy.
The twelfth division captain was Nara Genji. A middle-aged daimyo with a passion for war, he presided over the city of Fukuoka.
The thirteenth division captain was Kotsubaki Sentaro, a rambunctious geezer who was also the powerful daimyo of the city of Nagoya.
For the first stage of their attack, they managed to deplete most of the forces of the English army stationed in Edo. Their offensive moves weren't entirely a surprise to the enemy since they know that the Japanese could attack anytime since the report of their princess' death. However, they didn't have enough time to recruit more officers from the homeland since it seemed that the King himself underestimated any threat that the locals could pose.
Some of the English noble families who lived outside the walled city or who were, at that time, outside, were either killed or imprisoned. Some tried foolishly to escape but they were caught in the end. It seemed that no one had the chance to relay any information to the homeland.
They have been holding the fort out for a week and a half now. By this time, the residents inside the walled city haven't given up yet. It was apparent that they have gathered enough resources to last them for a while, which meant that they weren't totally unprepared for any attack. But any resources they have will deplete in no time. Not to mention, Kuchiki Byakuya was getting more and more impatient as time wore on.
He also grew increasingly bloodthirsty.
He already dispatched the second division once the tunnels from their position to the walled city were already done. The assassins of Ohmaeda Marechiyo were already anxiously waiting to prove their mettle. They were known for underhanded combat and were feared throughout the land.
"Byakuya-sama," a messenger said, bowing as he approached. "The tunnels are already finished. It is time to infiltrate."
"Very well," Byakuya answered, dismounting. He quickly followed the boy and reached one of the second division's regiments.
"Alright men," Byakuya said. "We are going to enter into enemy territory. We have long dreamed of this time since the English seized our home and robbed it of its treasures. When we strike the inside, we have sent a deathly blow to the heart of the occupation! There is no room for hesitation now. We have come this far to avenge all those who have fallen in the name of our country and to free her from the bondage of slavery and defeat. We are here to reclaim our former glory and prove once and for all that we are a nation of independent minds and hearts!"
The men gloried in response, clapping each other's backs and raising their swords.
"Once we enter the vicinity, we are going to take down all guards who could alert the people to our presence," Byakuya added. "We go in groups of four. Five men will accompany me to the governor's house where we will eliminate all of the soldiers there. Once we give the signal, all those who are finished with their assigned tasks will go to the mansion to barricade it. Once we have the governor, we will signal for the rest of the troops led by General Komamura to attack. Do you understand?"
"Hai, Byakuya-sama," all the men responded.
"Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra Schiffer said as he arrived. He didn't care to look at the sobbing woman on the ground, clutching the body of a dead man with an arrow protruding from his chest. He didn't care to look at a stoic Gin, who was shooting a look from his half-brother and to the woman on the floor. He didn't care that Aizen Sousuke was hysterically laughing, his hand on the stitch of his stomach. "The Japanese have already started infiltrating the walled city."
Sousuke righted himself, straightening and looking at Ulquiorra. "Byakuya called?"
"General Sajin told me to inform you."
"Very well," Sousuke replied. "It's time for us to go, Gin."
Gin stared at Sousuke. His gamble had paid off. Sousuke trusted him. He did not dare look into Rangiku's condemning eyes, feeling the pain of his lies weigh down on him as they started coming back at him with a vengeance that promised no comfort. He did not have the time to explain. He did not have the luxury or the opportunity to say anything to her. She might have lost all trust for him, but she had to know. She had to realize, deep inside her heart, that he would never willingly do anything to hurt her.
"You stay here," Sousuke told Rangiku. He nodded to the guards, implying that they should watch over her. "I'll deal with you when I return. I may just follow through my promise to make you Queen. You look a bit like Masaki, after all. And I have to commend you for actually being what you really are. You see, my sister never openly admitted that she was truly a whore. Unlike her, you are true to your nature."
Sousuke chuckled as he walked out, followed by Gin and Ulquiorra.
"Gin," Rangiku then said, earning the attention of all three men who were about to leave.
Gin turned around and looked into her eyes.
"I hope you die."
"What's going to happen to us?"
Ururu's question had a point.
What would happen to them?
Renji didn't know the answer to that. He was never an expert in predicting the future. In fact, there wasn't a single person in this entire world who knew what the future had in store for them. The funny thing about him was that the future was forever his enemy, never his friend.
For instance, he didn't see the fact that as a young child who lived day to day with scraps of food and garbage would be taken in to the Kuchiki family and made into one of its principal soldiers. He also didn't know that he would fall in love with his snot-nosed, grime-infested, potty-mouthed, thief-companion Rukia, who also became the princess of Japan. He didn't predict that he would be wrongfully blamed and be removed from his duties in the most disgraceful manner possible. He didn't see that he would end up in the slums again, meeting four strangers who would later on become the closes thing he ever had to a family. He never realized that their most beautiful and gentlest companion turned out to be of noble birth, sold to the Crown Prince of England to be married and is now its future Queen.
No one would have said that he would work for a British household, a very race he abhorred for years out of duty and indoctrination. He didn't foresee falling in love once more to his best friend, Arisawa Tatsuki. He never sensed that in the months to come, she will be taken away from him, only to have fate tell you that your former love was actually alive and well and also that the burden fell on you to tell her that you were once saddled with the responsibility of caring for her child. And not just any child, but a son fathered by the husband of one of his closest friends, who also turned out to be the future King and Queen of England.
And now, he couldn't have said that he, Abarai Renji, would be running away from it all with two children in tow.
He knew now that the stars didn't dictate his future. Each of the things that happened in his future was a result of poorly directed choices.
If he chose not to fall in love with Rukia, he wouldn't have so much pain. He wouldn't have accepted the offer of the Kuchiki family. If he only chose to hold on to his own easygoing beliefs, then he wouldn't have been brainwashed to believe that the English are all terrible people and that fighting them was the only thing in this world worth living for. If only he didn't struggle so much to win Rukia over, then he wouldn't have been removed from his position of honor which he worked so hard for – for a woman who only used him and who didn't even love him. If he chose to stay with Tatsuki and protect her, she wouldn't be dead by now. If only he didn't accept Haru and see it as another one of his duties, maybe Tatsuki would still be alive right now.
If only he just remained alone, none of this would have happened.
But none of that mattered now. He no longer believed in love for one's nation, or of things bigger and higher than himself. He no longer urged himself to understand things that were beyond his comprehension and his power. The only thing he should be doing is protecting those nearest to him – to shelter the two people in this world who showed him that life could be happy even without prestige.
Ururu and Jinta.
They were the living legacies of Tatsuki and Orihime. Tatsuki was gone now. She had done everything to protect these two children who weren't even related to her. Orihime had sacrificed her happiness and freedom to let them live. Now, it was all up to Renji.
And he would revel and treasure this simple life. He didn't need to be a solider protecting a princess to be fulfilled. He didn't need to be anyone else. He didn't need anyone to tell him who he was.
He was simply Abarai Renji, a simple man of Inuzuri providing shelter, care, and food for his two siblings – Ururu and Jinta.
"We have to go back to Inuzuri," he replied. "When all of the fighting is done, we can finally live in peace."
"But what about Orihime-nee-san? We promised to stay in the mansion," Ururu said.
"There's no more mansion, you dolt," Jinta said, putting on a brave exterior once again. "And Orihime-nee-san is safe and happy where she is. We'll write to her when all this is over."
"Do you know how to write, Jinta?" Ururu asked.
"Shut up."
Renji chuckled, watching the two children argue as if nothing bad is happening all around them.
"I think we don't have to write anything to anyone," Renji said. "We have to say goodbye to Orihime. If Japan wins, she won't have a chance to come back here. She's supposed to become Queen of England, remember?"
"But we need to tell her about Tatsuki-nee-chan," Jinta said, gritting his teeth in anger. "She would want to know about it!"
"No. She'll find out when the time is right," Renji replied. "But right now, we must get away. I don't think Tatsuki would like it very much if we get caught in the battle and die there, eh? All her sacrifice would be for nothing."
"Get away? Only cowards do that!" Jinta yelled, breaking free from Renji's grasp as they walked down the road leading back to the farthest reaches of Edo. "Tatsuki-nee-chan… Orihime-nee-chan loves her. They were the best of friends. They were like sisters! She would want to know if anything bad happens to Tatsuki-nee-chan!"
Renji sighed. He knew that Orihime deserved to know the truth. But with all the chaos that was happening all over the country, there was simply no way to reach the Crown Princess of England without arousing any suspicion. No peasant from a colony could ever have his message read by the most important woman in the homeland.
"Soon," Renji promised. "But for now, we have to say goodbye. We have to let everything settle down before we can really mourn for people we've lost."
"But – " Jinta started to say, but was stopped by Renji's gaze.
"We have to go back to Inuzuri," Renji said once more. "We don't have anything to fear there. Our debts were already paid. We have enough money to support us for months thanks to Rangiku-sama. We'll get by for a while. In the mean time, we have to keep quiet."
The two children finally acquiesced and nodded. They followed Renji down the cobbled road knowing what place lies ahead but not quite knowing what changes will happen.
This was their destiny after all. They deserved simple lives. In the end, it wasn't the presence of food, clothing, and a mansion to offer happiness. All you need are the people who care for you and the will to survive.
And love.
So this is farewell.
"Ah, Byakuya, I was wondering when you'd show up."
Kurosaki Isshin sat on his chair, unshaven and unruly as ever. He was truly an oddity. The empire built all around him was crumbling down like matchsticks and yet there he was, relaxing on a high-backed oak seat, sipping what appeared to be rum.
"You knew I was coming?" Kuchiki Byakuya inquired, stepping into the light.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I? The siege is bound to succeed in the future. Supplies don't appear out of thin air, you know."
"Now's not the time to jest. All your guards are dead. You have nowhere to run."
"Quite the opposite, dear man. There is no greater time to laugh but in the face of death. I don't fear what you have in store for me, as I see now that negotiations with you will only result in disaster."
"I'm glad you realized that," Byakuya said.
"But that is the catch, isn't it, Byakuya? You never seem to be glad," Isshin quipped, laughing.
A nerve ticked in Byakuya's forehead. "Joke all you want, Kurosaki Isshin. You are now my prisoner. And you are right to say that I have no desire to negotiate with cheats and schemers."
"If you mean England, then by all means, don't negotiate with them. But I never lied to you, Kuchiki Byakuya."
"Now that adds to the list of it," Byakuya hissed, gesturing to his soldiers. The two men grabbed Isshin and tied him to his chair.
"This is a totally shocking and inappropriate treatment from you," Isshin said, sounding as if he was merely commenting on the weather. "What happened to you?"
"You know very well what happened."
"Kuchiki Rukia died."
Byakuya's lips thinned to a grim line.
"Are you sure that the Royal Family was the one who ordered her death?"
"Typical Isshin. Always trying to play the optimist. Playing the mediator now won't do you much good," Byakuya spat.
"I always have to try to protect both countries," Isshin said. "That is a hard job, especially since my own son is the future leader of England. Did you know that my boy has twins? Never really thought that he had it in him. And twins, no less. What a sperm, don't you think, Byakuya?"
With the level of intensity of the situation, no one expected Kuchiki Byakuya to redden. He sent Isshin a venomous gaze which the other man just laughed off.
"Come, come," Isshin teased. "No need to be so modest when you've already married."
That put a damper in Byakuya's already darkened mood. He turned away from the governor, facing the wide window where the soldiers were already signaling the attack on the walls by their fellowmen. "You are a great actor, Kurosaki. You and your wife's friendship to me was all a lie. I know. I've talked to the man who knows everything."
"The man who knows everything? You mean God? Have you already died, Byakuya?"
Byakuya scoffed. "You know who he is, Kurosaki. He told me that Masaki was sent here on a mission to subdue Japan. She married you for a reason. She was used by the Royal Family as a way of trapping Japan in its will for a long time. And it worked. I'm glad that I learned the truth or else I would have showed kindness to you right now."
Isshin looked perplexed. "What the hell are you blabbing about?"
"It was I who told him, Kurosaki Isshin. Remember me?"
A man stepped out of the shadows. Dressed in pure white, his brown eyes and hair stood out in heavy contrast, eyeing the bound man before him with such cold fury and menace that any other person would quail at the sight of him. But Isshin's face didn't give anything away. Apart from the evident surprise that he quickly concealed in his eyes, the governor of Japan said nothing.
"Aizen Sousuke," was all Isshin uttered.
"I'm glad you know me. Who told you?"
"Masaki, of course," Isshin said. Then he added with an edge, "my wife."
If Aizen Sousuke was angry, he did a marvelous job of hiding it. He merely ignored that statement and looked around the place. "Such a marvelous lifestyle you've built around yourself, Kurosaki. From the squalor that you've once lived in, this is a definite improvement."
"Can't complain," Isshin replied, chuckling. "But I still had to work hard."
"Of course you had to. Or else, what would be the use of all the fucking you and my sister did? Isn't it for the glory of both Japan and England?"
That statement warranted a reaction from Isshin that Byakuya had never seen before. His normally calm exterior contorted to that of pure rage and spite. He struggled out of his bindings, only to be punched in the face by one of the Japanese soldiers.
"You bastard!" Isshin growled. "What poison have you been feeding the Japanese people? That Masaki did all that she did because she was asked to do so? Don't make me laugh! Didn't you tell them, Sousuke-kun? Didn't you tell them how much you loved Masaki? How much you couldn't stand that she married someone else? You're a right twisted git, you know that?!"
Sousuke frowned this time, and Byakuya caught a glimpse of what this man was really like. The Japanese leader was confused. It seemed that right now, Isshin was the one saying the truth. And he was saying that Sousuke had a twisted sense of love for his own sister.
"Masaki was supposed to be the shining beacon of hope for England, didn't you know that?" Sousuke breathed, eyes sharp and alive with fury. "She was England's First Princess, until you corrupted her and used her. Until you sullied her by impregnating her with that half-breed mongrel! That monstrosity of a child that now seeks to gain the throne!"
Isshin laughed coldly. "Even though my son is a half-breed, he's ten times the man that you are! Whatever you do, Aizen, you will never succeed. You never got Masaki back then, how will you ever get anything for yourself now? You'll never win. Not in this life or the next."
"Really now? Because as I recall, you are the one tied up and I'm the one who succeeded in amassing a revolution enough to destroy you and your little country. Japan is destroying itself from the inside. Nothing will change that.
"What?!" Byakuya bellowed. "You said - !"
"I know what I said, Kuchiki Byakuya," Sousuke said mockingly. "Don't treat me like the simpleton that you are. That's what happens when you let emotions get the best of you. You stop investigating and you start trusting too much. Now that we're on to it, since I have your sister, I will just order Gin to kill her off when we find the time."
Before Byakuya could launch himself at Sousuke in an attack, his guards suddenly stopped him, restraining him.
"And by the way, did you know that all the members of your clan swore allegiance to me for years now?" Sousuke asked. "You have to thank your crazy wife for that. You see, Hisana and one of my closest friends became the very best of companions for some time now. He's been giving your beloved medicine that made her go insane."
Byakuya howled in his wrath, doing his best to break free of the three soldiers who were holding him down. Sousuke merely smirked and turned to Isshin, "And did you know that the same man poisoned your wife on my behalf? Masaki was already dying even before. I just had to make the torture slow and painful for her. I also administered the potion that made your son turn into a monster once in a while. Too bad that it didn't end up killing the Kuchiki bitch and the Inoue princess."
"Urahara?!" Isshin gasped. "No… n-no. He was our friend. He…"
"Notice that your friend has been nowhere in sight for a long time now," Sousuke said. "He was a good man, believe me. I just had to make threats here and there to make a genius like that bend to my will. And the reason why he's been missing for months now is that I ordered Soi Fong to get rid of him. His body is probably somewhere rotting in the ocean right now. Although I have to admit, without him, the pieces would have never fallen into place."
"Rukia…" Byakuya gasped after one of the guards bashed him in the head with the hilt of his katana. "Where is she?"
"Probably in the Kuchiki manor, by now," Sousuke answered. "If my calculations are correct, she should be running around looking for her son. Abarai Renji's conscience simply won't permit him to keep the secret for so long. Hisana had very specific instructions to give the boy to him when the time is ripe."
"Abarai?!" Byakuya gasped.
"Yes, the man you disgraced. His honor got the best of him. Don't worry, he didn't betray you. He just got fed up with everything, especially since one of my explosions killed that little dame of his. Courtesy of Hisana again, of course."
"You son of a bitch," Isshin cursed.
"The cursing doesn't become a governor of Japan, Isshin," Sousuke said with a cruel laugh. "But then again as they say, you may take a boy from the slums, but you can never take the slum out of a boy."
A gasp and a thud were suddenly heard from the shadows behind them. The three soldiers guarding the stairwell were down, which meant that the rest of the people guarding the governor's house were already killed. In a flash, the men holding Byakuya down were lifeless, slit in the throat by a shadow that flitted here and there, skillfully smiting down his enemies one by one.
In a second, the man was crouched before Aizen Sousuke, his sword pointing directly at his throat.
"Gin?!" Sousuke gasped.
The Grand Duke opened his smiling mouth. "That's the problem with intrigues, isn't it, brother? You never know who's on whose side 'til the game ends."
The haunting sound of bells alerted the entire Japanese army to the arrival of something that could potentially pose a threat to the revolution. They expected the eleventh division to point to the sea where they would spot an armada of England's best ships ready to lay waste to their armies. But there was none.
That would have been expected since there was no way that the homeland could have found out about the infiltration. They made sure that all the lines of communication were cut and that not one soul would ever breathe of the chaos that was going on in the entire country.
It was indeed true that there were no ships but the horror of a marine infantry was lost to the current fear that was instilled within the hearts of the Japanese men at what they were seeing.
There was an entire fleet of ships racing through the air, flying like birds and roaring like lions across the sky. Dawn caused its fearful silhouettes to emit a fiery glow that promised destruction. The insignia emblazoned on every ship was the indicator that the arriving party was in fact from the enemy. The mechanical birds seemed to have transported the English army in a matter of days from the rate it was sailing across the wind.
"LOOK TO THE SKIES!" many of the men yelled, trying hard to alert the people in the governor's house, not knowing that most of the guards stationed there were already dead by the hands of an Englishman.
Kuchiki Rukia was running once more, but this time with more effort than she could muster. A trail of blood followed her wherever she went, an indication of her earlier confrontation with Hinamori Momo and her band of traitorous miscreants. She had to inform her brother immediately. She had to inform him that nobody in the Kuchiki clan could be trusted anymore.
Luckily, she got out of the skirmish alive. She had to hand it to years of training. She had improved a lot. However, Momo managed to land a near deadly hit to the side of her torso. She had numerous cuts across her arms and an ugly gash across her face.
Her entire body was numb with shock, fear, and anger. With the knowledge that her son was already dead, she didn't know if she even had the right to live anymore. She didn't even get the chance to do anything for him, let alone hold him. Her heart ache for the son she never even had. But there was a part of her that thought that it was for the best. Haru's pain had to end and she didn't think she deserved to be a mother after all that happened.
At the shout she heard as she approached the Japanese encampment, she looked at the sky. Indeed, numerous ships were floating about, nearing the continent with a promise of destruction. It was rapidly lowering to the ground, surely about to unleash itself to the waiting mass below.
Hopelessly, the men tried shooting arrows at the humongous object to no avail. It seemed that the flying ship was made of a sturdy material which no arrow could pierce. A cannon blast was fired, but the thing was still high enough from the ground not to be reached by such heavy artillery.
"Don't stop firing!" Komamura Sajin yelled from a distance. She instantly recognized the man's imposing figure. The man was a military genius who served the Kuchiki family for years. Rukia didn't know where his allegiance lay, but the truth of the matter was if they don't stop firing, they won't be prepared for anything else that was going to come out of that ship.
Suddenly, two black shells were dropped from one of the ships.
Rukia barely had the time to hide behind a sturdy tree before a blast wiped out almost half of the Japanese army. Her ears rang with a sound that definitely caused her to be deaf. She stumbled, dazed as her head crashed against a stone jutting from the ground. Her vision temporarily blackened, blood pouring out from the side of her head. Smoke was everywhere, making her gag and cough.
When she found what little strength remained, she gingerly tried to get up, surveying the extent of damage. When she finally saw through the smoke, she gasped with horror.
Hundreds of bodies were strewn all around a gaping hole in the ground. Decapitated arms, legs, heads, and whatnot were scattered across, drenching the once grassy floor with red. The sea of blood and gore was sickening and Rukia didn't even notice herself vomit relentlessly.
This was the end.
"Is that really all we can unleash?" Grimmjow asked, sounding like a spoiled child complaining to his father.
"Yes, Grimmjow," Ichigo said with impatience. "You shouldn't go about destroying an entire country just because you feel like it. And my father is down there."
"Hai, hai," Grimmjow said, rolling his eyes. The relationship between the two princes have warmed up somehow, but their differences in beliefs could never be reconciled no matter how much they tried.
"We're going to land in a few moments," Ichigo continued. "Kaien, you lead the ground troops and clear out the rest of the insurgents. I will go to the governor's house and see if my father is alright. Grimmjow, you make sure that the Excalibur and the other ships are properly guarded."
"That's it?" Grimmjow asked. "Guard? Why can't I be the one killing people?"
"You have to – "
"I have a better idea, Your Highny," Grimmjow said mockingly. "Why don't I come with you? You and I with only a handful of guards. We can surely take down anyone there. We don't need a big force to invade such a crowded city with many civilians. We can end up hurting those we shouldn't."
Ichigo was rendered speechless by Grimmjow's suggestion. Then he remembered that, like it or not, his cousin had more wartime experience than he and was considered an excellent strategist.
"Fine."
And with that, the entire fleet managed to land on the ground without a hitch. For Grimmjow, he thought that the dropping of the bomb wasn't just a way of eliminating the enemies, but also a method of clearing out a landing space for the Excalibur. He was laughing at his little joke when the doors of the ship finally opened and the massacre of the Japanese army presented itself in front of their eyes.
Ichigo bit his lower lip, uncertain of his feelings towards what he was seeing. He heard Kaien give a low whistle from his right as he and his troops rushed down.
"Let's go," Grimmjow told him, his laughter already dying down. Ichigo nodded and led the way.
Kaien watched as he covered for his cousins. Ichigo and Grimmjow were already scouting out the area with their guards, looking for ways inside the walled city. It was later that they found out tunnels dug beneath the earth, apparently in a way to sneak into the place. He had to hand it to the Japanese. If they didn't arrive, they would surely have won.
As his troops continued slaughtering the remainder of the army, he spotted a figure far away from the battlefield. It was a woman, crouched behind a tree that was threatening to fall down at any moment.
Kaien rushed to where the girl was, overcome with a sense of dread and familiarity. When he finally reached the spot, his eyes widened at what he saw.
Kuchiki Rukia.
There was Kuchiki Rukia, her face barely recognizable as it was caked with blood, dirt, and grime. Her lips were swollen and bleeding freely, along with the side of her head. Her clothes were torn up, cuts showing fresh from it. There was an ugly bruise showing at the side of her neck as if someone attempted to send a hand chop to it. What's worse was the wound on her torso which was probably causing her the worst damage of all.
"Rukia!" Kaien gasped, crouching down. "Y-you're here. You're alive!"
"A wonderful observation, Kaien," Rukia said in gasps. The snarky comment didn't fail to make Kaien laugh.
"Here you are, all beaten up and bloody and you still find the time to be like that," Kaien said as he picked her up easily and walked across the field.
"Your Highness!" one of the soldiers said. "Is that…? But shouldn't we…?"
"No," Kaien retorted. "Hasn't chivalry taught you anything? You shouldn't hurt a fallen person, much less a fallen woman."
If Rukia could only roll her eyes, she would. But then, darkness claimed her entire being as she fell into a deep slumber.
Three men.
Three men had to fight me all at once.
Aizen Sousuke stared, looking at the bloodbath around him. The groans and the heavy breathing told him that they were all still alive. They were strong men, he would give them that. He always gave credit when it was due. But this time, it was a bloody nuisance.
Kurosaki Isshin lay across the table, bleeding from his limbs. Sousuke managed to pin him down using four daggers – two for his hands and two for his feet. It was a gruesome crucifixion of some sorts. Not that he minded. He wanted to torture this man the most.
Kuchiki Byakuya hung against the banister of the stairs, having managed to throw the Japanese down after a struggle. It seemed that he managed to break the wood because a huge splinter was jutting across his shoulder. Ah, so he was the one who was groaning endlessly like a child.
And then there was Gin.
His half-brother lay flat on the floor, impaled by his own sword. From what he could see, he was still breathing. But with the amount of blood lost, it would only be a matter time. Sousuke managed to riddle his body with so many cuts as a punishment for his treachery. But all of his wounds missed all major arteries and internal organs. Sousuke was very precise and intent of not killing him yet.
He was looking through the window, watching the blast and the fall of many men in the battlefield. He saw the ship and smirked to himself.
You impressed me this time, Father. You have outdone yourself.
The irony of this entire scenario was that he was the one who designed the Excalibur. It was deemed as an impossibility when he presented this idea to the King. But now, he made it come true and was actually using it.
"My father always had a thing for stealing things," he said as he heard rushed footsteps come and stop at the edge of the staircase. "That's why he made it his life's mission to take every country or land he could lay his hands on."
"Aizen Sousuke," a man growled from behind her.
He turned and faced the orange-haired young man he so longed to kill. "Kurosaki Ichigo."
From the way Ichigo was staring at Sousuke, the banished prince knew that the younger man already saw the situation that his father was in. Behind him was Grimmjow, who was unfazed by what he saw. For someone like the dauphin, seeing something like this was all in a day's work. He merely put a restraining hand on Ichigo's shoulders, cautioning him against making any sudden and careless movements.
"My nephew," Sousuke said, extending his arms. His white robes were soaked in blood and it seemed that he had taken some damage himself. Ichigo's eyes narrowed in derision and hatred. It was the first time that he encountered the man but he already hated him on sight. This was the man responsible for the unhappiness of many people. He was the one responsible for the murders of those close to him.
"Are you mentally listing down the things that I've done to you and your family?" Sousuke said, chuckling as he played with the sword in his hand. "Believe me, I've done more things that you don't know about. I think your father can explain that to you. When the two of you meet in the afterlife, that is."
Sousuke crouched down and suddenly, a dagger whizzed past Ichigo's temple, effectively cutting the side of his head. Ichigo gasped as Grimmjow rushed forward, sending deadly strikes to the attacker.
"You are an amazing swordsman!" Sousuke complimented Grimmjow as he parried his strikes with ease. "You could have definitely been someone I would have been proud to call as my nephew!"
"Shut up and fight!" Grimmjow growled, managing to cut the older man across the chest.
"So Soi Fong nearly managed to kill your little wife, eh?" Sousuke taunted. "You know, the crown would have been yours if I hadn't found a way to bring Ichigo back to the King's good graces. Let's say I found a way to bring them to England to stir up a little trouble."
With that, Ichigo rushed forward and aided Grimmjow, the two men taking on this seemingly immortal and untouchable man.
"You can't beat me," Sousuke said with a feral grin. "I have already destroyed your lives! And I will go on to do so! Your father is dying, Ichi-kun! See?!"
With that, Isshin coughed, blood spouting out of his mouth.
"Dad!" Ichigo yelled.
"Don't look away!" Sousuke bellowed, cutting Ichigo's wrist, making the sword fall from his hand.
Ichigo turned and saw Grimmjow fall as Sousuke stabbed him through the stomach.
"NO!"
"How weak!" Sousuke jovially exclaimed. "No one has ever bested me in battle, boy! I have the power! And you… you are nothing! You are nothing but the filthy product of your whore of a mother!"
"SHUT UP!"
"I'll enjoy watching you die. I promised to myself that I will drink you and your father's blood. How I've dreamt of this die. Oh how I wished, I prayed… I worshipped."
Sousuke sent another slash to Ichigo's legs, making him fall to the floor. His voice dropped an octave as he confessed, "Did you know that Urahara Kisuke was my slave all along? Until I had him killed, he was giving you poison to make you go insane. That's why you have that little monster inside of you. Beautiful piece of science, is it not?"
Ichigo's eyes widened as everything fell into place. He glimpsed a glint of a sword swinging down on him as someone said, "Long live the king!"
Surprisingly, the voice didn't belong to Aizen Sousuke.
The voice was feminine.
Ichigo's eyes turned upwards as he saw Sousuke's head fall of his shoulders, stumbling onto the ground with a thud.
And behind him, robed in the most elegant of clothes soaked with blood, looking very much like an angel born to avenge was his wife.
Orihime.
So I decided to make an epilogue. This is the last official chapter of YFS, don't worry. But there's an epilogue.
So I wrote about 26 pages in a day. First on paper, then on the computer. Someone needs to give me a cookie.
Love please… shower me with love.
Thanks once more! Once and always! :D