On a roll, on a roll! This will be the second part of the double update I've been promising for so long! And of course, featuring Cloud Link Zero as the betareader.
Chapter 038 - Evanescence! Sacrifice of Twin Souls
"Konoka!" Seigen quickly rushed to his sister's side and lifted her head, but she didn't show any signs of life. Desperate, the Captain turned to the one who could help him the most. "Tessai! Please, heal…What's with that face? C'mon! Do something!"
"Suzunami-dono…" Tessai started to speak, only to be interrupted by the sound of the Shisuikyō, which had been floating until then, falling to the ground. That only made Tessai, Yoruichi and Urahara's expressions to become even more dejected. Fujimaru even noticed a look of disgust in Suì-Fēng's eyes, before she looked away from the twins. "The truth is that Konoka…"
"Eheheheh…AHAHAHAHAHAH!" Tessai was once again interrupted, this time by a hysterical laugh combined with a familiar Reiatsu which was increasing very slowly, but increasing nonetheless. As the smoke raised by the last Shiden Raikō started to clear away a bit more, Arturo stepped forward with a crazed look in his eyes. Covered in burn marks, his clothes ripped to shreds after the last explosion and parts of his broken mask missing, all that mattered was that he was still alive nevertheless. "It appears I'm victorious after all...YOU LOSE, SHINIGAMI!"
"What are you talking about?" Kensei demanded to know. "It's over for you, Arturo! You can't fight in the state you're in!"
"Yes, it's over alright…For that woman, that is!" Arturo pointed in Konoka's direction, as he laughed maniacally once again. "You should have known there would be a price to pay if you chose to use that little toy! I can feel it…The strength of that woman is waning like the light of the moon before dawn. It's too late for her already!"
"You guys…You guys knew that this would happen, didn't you?" Seigen questioned slowly, before he exploded in anger. "You guys knew and did nothing to stop her?"
"There was no point." Yamamoto bluntly answered, causing Seigen's eyes to widen. "She knew of the risks, but accepted to be the Shisuikyō's wielder anyway. She even insisted to help."
"Ahahah! Victory is mine! I can feel it right now…" Arturo said as he closed his right hand into a fist. "The power that is leaking from the mirror is slowly returning to me. In fact, it's because the woman lost control of the mirror that this is happening and it's also the reason as to why I was able to survive your last attack! All I have to do is to destroy it and all the stolen power will come back to me! And then, you won't have any way to stop me! It will be all over!"
"ARTUROOOO!" Seigen charged towards Arturo in a blind rage, being unable to realize that the Arrancar was quickly charging a Cero. The blast of energy nailed Seigen, sending him flying back towards the other Shinigami.
"Seigen-sama!" The twins shouted, before Fujimaru ran to the side of his father, who now also supported some burn marks. "Are you alright?"
"Konoka…" He called for his sister in a pained way. Meanwhile, Arturo started to charge a new Cero, this one more powerful.
"Move aside! I'll…Guh!" Ukitake was about to step in front of everyone, so that he could redirect the incoming Cero, when he suddenly started to cough blood. "Of all times for this to happen…"
"Just help the injured and move away!" Kyōraku shouted, while he took Ukitake away with a Shunpo. Arturo unleashed the Cero, with the blast forcing the Shinigami group to spread into opposite ways: the Suzunami family, Urahara, Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng moved farther away from the gate, while everyone else moved to a closer position.
"J-Just…Just a little bit more…" Arturo panted, as he was about to reach his limit. By then, the energy that had been slowly leaking away from the Shisuikyō started to flow more intensely, causing the fabric of the space surrounding the mirror and the group of the twins to tear open in multiple places. That led to the arrival to the battlefield of many Gillian, all of them attracted by the Shisuikyō going out of control. "Yes! Luck is on my side!"
"Fujimaru, Matsuri…" Seigen called for his children, as he saw Arturo walking in their direction, while everyone else who could still fight tried to get rid of all the Gillian as fast as they could. "Take Konoka to safety!"
"But, Seigen-sama..."
"Please…" Seigen interrupted Fujimaru immediately, causing the twins' eyes to widen greatly. They were unable to see the expression on their father's face, but his voice sounded like he was actually pleading to them, instead of simply asking.
"You're the fastest of us two, Fujimaru. You go and take Konoka-sama…" Matsuri asked him, before drawing her sword. "I'll help Seigen-sama in the best way I possibly can."
"There's no point in arguing with you, right sis?" Fujimaru asked with a sad smile, to which Matsuri answered with one of her own. "Just make sure you two return!"
"Of course!" Matsuri answered, while Fujimaru picked up his aunt, leaving the Shisuikyō behind at the same time. Putting her hopes on her brother, the girl turned to the opposite side, where Seigen and Arturo were once again clashing swords.
"Get out of my way!" Arturo demanded, as he only cared about destroying the mirror at that time. He parried Shiden away and brought Fénix down on Seigen, with the latter struggling to block the blow. "Just roll over and die, you lowly worm!"
"I won't! I'll defeat you here once and for all, Arturo!" Seigen claimed as he pushed Fénix away with his own blade, before stabbing Shiden to the ground. Seigen's Shigasumi quickly reached Arturo, as he was very close from his opponent, but he was able to dodge when the barrier of violet lightning was raised. "I won't let you kill anyone else!"
"You won't let me? Why? Isn't it fair, Shinigami? You're allowed to kill me, but I'm not allowed to kill you? Is that it?" The frustrated Arrancar demanded for an answer. "Then answer me this…Who gave you permission to kill Hollows? We don't have the need to mess with you, but you always come to hunt us nonetheless. Is it because we feed on humans? Is it? Because that's the worst excuse ever! It's like killing a bird just because he was preying on a fish!" Arturo then lifted his sword and showed it to Seigen. "But if that's your excuse, then who can blame me for hunting Shinigami? No one! That's what I'll do with my Fénix! I'll feed on all of you!"
"I knew it…" Seigen frowned as he was correct about his earlier assumption. "So that's your real motive after all, Arturo…Then I gave you my answer already. It's all about balance."
"Balance? About balance? You…Don't you dare to mock me!" Arturo furiously swung Fénix in Seigen's direction, only for it to be blocked by the combined efforts of Seigen's Shiden and Matsuri's Kotōmaru.
"Matsuri! Is that…?" The surprised Seigen questioned.
"Yes. My Shikai…" Matsuri confirmed Seigen's suspicions, before both pushed the Arrancar's Zanpakutō away.
"I can't feel her life force! She…No, she can't be! Hold on a little longer, Konoka-sama!" Fujimaru silently prayed for Konoka's safety, without noticing the Kūmon opening in front of him. Another Gillian got out of the spatial distortion and blocked Fujimaru's path. "Oh damn! Talk about bad luck!"
"Fujimaru!"Suì-Fēng realized that her friend was in danger and rushed to help him, getting the attention of Yoruichi, who had to quickly finish the Hollow in front of her with a powerful chop.
"Damn it,Suì-Fēng! How are you going to destroy a Gillian without your Zanpakutō?" Yoruichi turned around and prepared to follow her subordinate. However, before both could reach the Gillian who stood in front of Fujimaru, the Shisuikyō started to release large amounts of dark Reiatsu, which surrounded the ones closer to it.
"What the-?" The shocked Seigen looked around and watched the dark energy blocking every path that could lead to the remaining Shinigami forces. The same happened on the opposite side, with Fujimaru, Konoka and the Gillian.
"Fujimaru! Grab my hand!" Suì-Fēng shouted, as she extended her left hand to the blond boy, but they both knew it was too late. With a sad expression on his face, Fujimaru threw Konoka over the rising energy, before being covered by it. Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi caught Konoka and carefully laid her on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Konoka-sama…Sui-Feng…Yoruichi-sama…I wasn't fast enough." Those were the last words that they would hear from Fujimaru in a long, long time.
"I never saw it acting like this before! What is this?" Arturo started to get quite worried as well and rightfully so. The mirror started to act like a dark hole by pulling all the energy into one point, before expelling it all in the form of a very tall pillar of dark energy. As the energy started to disappear, there was no sign of the ones who had been trapped inside the pillar.
"What happened?" Kyōraku questioned, as he didn't knew how to interpret what just happened. Close to him, Tessai slammed his right palm into the ground.
"Kakushitsuijaku!" A bright blue circle appeared under Tessai's palm, as he started to track the missing people's spiritual force, but to no avail. They had completely vanished. "I can't sense them at all. I'm afraid that…"
"No…NOOOOOOO!" Suì-Fēng let herself fall to her knees in despair, as she couldn't believe that to be true.
Flashback
"Okay, here's the thing, Fujimaru and Matsuri…" Yoruichi spoke, while Suì-Fēng seemed very confused. "I would like you to consider being friends with Suì-Fēng."
"Friends?" The three asked at the same time, shock coming to them in various forms. The most notable one was the blush in Suì-Fēng's face, who opened her mouth various times, unable to utter a word.
(…)
"You've got to say it and mean it!" Yoruichi appeared behind Suì-Fēng and shouted that in her ears, causing her to blush and jump forward.
"Yoruichi-sama!" The upset Suì-Fēng groaned, causing the twins to chuckle.
"We're all ears!" They told her, while they supported large grins on their faces. Suì-Fēng looked away from them and chewed on her lower lip, while she tried to decide on what to do about the situation.
"Uh, um…B-Be…Be my friends! If you don't, I'll arrest you!" She threatened them, but bowed at the same time, which made it impossible for the twins to not laugh. Feeling embarrassed, Suì-Fēng turned beet red and ran away from them.
End of Flashback
"Why?" Suì-Fēng asked, just as tears started to roll down her face. Yoruichi laid a hand on her shoulder for support, but that only caused her to cry even more, with Yoruichi pulling her into a hug eventually. "Yoruichi-sama! Why?"
"What just happened, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked to her friend, while he went to check on Konoka. "Kisuke?"
"Yamamoto-sōtaichō!" Unohana made her presence known, as she landed in a Shunpo by the Captain Commander's side. "I'm sorry for the delay. Only now was I able to leave the Sōgō Kyūgo Tsumesho."
"That's not a major problem. The Kidō Corps have started the healing procedures on the survivors." Yamamoto told her, before he lowered his voice. "I believe you should look into a…specific situation."
"What is that…situation?" Unohana delayed the last word, as her eyes locked on Urahara and the woman who laid on the ground in front of him. The Captain of the 4th Division immediately left Yamamoto's side with a Shunpo and landed by the side of the scientist. "Urahara-taichō?"
"I'm sorry, Unohana-taichō." Urahara looked away from her, even though his apology was sincere. Unohana stared to her friend who rested dead in front of her, only to find out that she had died with a smile on her face. "I think not even you could've saved her."
"I see…" The master healer prayed for Konoka for a while, before she stared in the crying Suì-Fēng's direction. "What about the children and Suzunami-taichō?"
"They disappeared without a trace and Arturo also vanished along with them." Urahara quickly answered, before he went to pick the Shisuikyō from the ground. "I thought things would go bad if we used this…They just went worse."
At the improvised relief station…
"Arturo has been defeated! There's no trace of him left!" A Shinigami loudly announced, causing pretty much everyone to cheer and clap.
"Finally! I'm sick of being here." Hitsugaya complained, as he had been forced into the improvised relief station after being evacuated from his home along with his grandmother, who remained quiet by his side. "I wonder where Bedwetter-Momo is…"
" Defeated?" On the other side of the station, Aizen received the news with shock for once. "How? I was only going to activate the illusion now, so… no, I find it hard to believe that they defeated him on their own." Discreetly, Aizen punched the nearby wall, making a considerable hole on it. "All for nothing! Just what happened in there?"
Back in North Rukongai…
"Tsk! I lost that good feeling from earlier. There's no point in continuing." The man from Zaraki complained for a while, after he stopped walking towards south. "However…It may be interesting to go to that Seireitei once in a nearby future. It seems interesting things happen there. Don't you agree, Yachiru?"
"Gu-gah!" Yachiru seemingly agreed, by showing a happy smile. However, the smile could've also been an indication that she had found a new toy, as she started to pull the man's ears.
In South Rukongai…
"Rukia! Hey, Rukia! Wake up!" Renji shouted until she opened her eyes. She found herself surrounded by all the children that had been hiding in Renji's place. In fact, she was in Renji's place. "Are you okay?"
"I…My head hurts." She tried to sit up, but the sudden movement caused her a huge headache, so she decided to lie down once again. "What happened?"
"You tell me! I was worried, so I decided to search for you. I ended up finding you unconscious in the Akitori cliff." Renji revealed. "How did you end up in such a far away place?"
"I…don't know." Rukia honestly answered, while she rubbed her head. "Why do I have the feeling I'm forgetting something important?"
In Hueco Mundo…
"Your majesty, Baraggan-sama…" An Adjuchas knelt in front of the throne of the King of Hueco Mundo to address him. "Arturo has disappeared without a trace. It seems he has been eradicated by the Shinigami."
"Ahahah! Is that so?" Baraggan asked, with the Adjuchas nodding to answer. "Then order an all-out retreat of the forces in both Soul Society and the Living World. There's nothing else for them to do there."
"Hai. Please, excuse me." The Adjuchas stood, bowed and disappeared to follow his orders. For a long time, the only thing that could be heard in all of Hueco Mundo was Baraggan's victorious laughter.
The next morning…
"Shall we go?" A woman asked to Kyōraku, as soon as she reached him on top of the roof of the 8th Division's barracks. Lifting his straw hat, Kyōraku stared to Lisa, who still wore some bandages following the long battle in the Living World. "You're not forced to go, you know?"
"Yeah, I know…" Kyōraku sighed, before he stared back to the sky. It was grey, as sad-looking as the day itself. "I liked them too much, to be honest." The Captain admitted, before he brought his sake bottle to his mouth. He found himself unable to drink though, so he rested it once again. "Even if it's just for today, I guess I should behave myself…"
"Please, let me talk to him!" Miyako pleaded to Seinosuke, who wasn't sure of what to do. "It's the least I can do."
"I don't know… I think it's better to let him grieve on his own for a while." Seinosuke gave his opinion. "The wound in his heart is still too fresh."
"I understand that, but mine was as well and he healed it. So…at least let me try." Miyako insisted a bit more, until Seinosuke finally conceded with a sigh.
"Fine. Do what you must…" The Vice-Captain moved away, allowing her to reach for the door's knob. "Just remember that it's almost time for the funeral."
"I know…" She answered with a nod, before Seinosuke walked away. Taking a deep breath, Miyako knocked on the door and opened it. The room was badly illuminated at the request of the patient who rested there. At the other end of the room, staring blankly to the window, Kaien Shiba laid on his bed with bandages all over his body and a cast on his right arm. "Kaien? Can I come in?"
"I would say no, but considering you're already inside, why bother?" He answered dryly, without looking at her. Miyako walked slowly to his side and stared to him in silence. His face was filled with tears, even though he wasn't crying anymore. Always in silence, Miyako picked up some tissues and carefully cleaned Kaien's face. "What are you here for?"
"I came to see how you were and…to try to understand the madness that went through your head for you to say you're giving up on being a Shinigami." Miyako confronted him, causing him to finally meet her eyes with his own. "What's wrong with you? Kotsubaki-fukutaichō has to retire, but that's against his will. If it wasn't for that injury, he would continue no matter what. And you…you're healthy Kaien. You can continue to be a Shinigami, after you're fully recovered from your arm."
"I have my motives, Miyako." Kaien turned back to the window, with a frown quickly forming on his face. "Just let me be and go away."
"Won't you get up from that bed?" She continued to question him. "Not even…to their funeral, Kaien?"
"What's the point? The only body they recovered was from Konoka-sama! Just a wake won't make them justice!" Kaien nearly shouted, as he was quickly becoming furious about Miyako's insistence.
"Ah! So that's from where all that frustration is coming." Miyako stated, as if she only now was able to understand what was going on with Kaien. "A Shinigami's life is at risk everyday because of our line of work. We may die at any moment. You know that and they knew it as well."
"Don't talk like you know what I'm feeling!" Kaien shouted, as finally had the much anticipated outburst. "Fujimaru was like Ganju! I considered him as being a second younger brother of mine! And Matsuri…Matsuri…"
"You liked her, right? Or was it that you loved her?" Miyako said what he had never been able to say. Kaien's eyes became wet in an instant and he brought both hands to his head.
Flashback
"You never answered me earlier." Matsuri insisted, while a blush appeared on her face.
"About what?" He asked, before drinking the ramen soup directly from the bowl. He rested the bowl back in the table and clapped both hands together. "Gochisōsama!"
"Why did you come?" She insisted, hoping for his answer to be the one she wanted. His expression suddenly became a whole lot more serious. Her heart was beating much faster and she bit her lip while she waited for his words.
"The way you were this morning…I can't stand to see that." He admitted, causing her to open her mouth in surprise. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was already too good to be true. Kaien cared about her more deeply than he let on. Feeling embarrassed, Kaien looked away and rubbed the back of his head.
(…)
" Suì-Fēng told me you delayed some instructors, by the way! Thanks!" Fujimaru thanked both Matsuri and Kaien for their earlier help.
"Oh, that was nothing!" Kaien laughed as he answered, much because he didn't notice Matsuri's reaction at first.
"Oh yes, it was! I've never been so embarrassed in my life!" Matsuri sulked, by crossing both arms over her chest and looking away from Kaien, whose jaw hit the ground.
"C'mon, Matsuri! It was for a good cause!" He reminded her, but that only made her turn her back on him. "Oh damn! Don't tell me I screwed things already!" He thought.
End of Flashback
"I was starting to like her…Really like her…" Kaien slowly admitted, as his voice failed him a couple of times. "They were two of the most important people I had, but now… A Shinigami…a Shinigami has to be someone reliable as the lives of other people are in his hands. I failed them and I failed myself, so…how will I be able to take care of everyone. I don't deserve to…"
"Have you said everything you wanted to say?" Miyako patiently asked, causing a confused look to appear on Kaien's face. "Then, I'll just tell you this…Honor your comrades by keeping yourself alive!"
Flashback
"What's your name, girl?" Kaien asked, while he pushed two Hollows away, before slashing them with his sword.
"Mi-Miyako…" The 4th Seat answered, with tears running down her face.
"I'm Kaien Shiba. Could you do me a favor, Miyako?" He asked, while he twirled his sword in his right hand. Seeing as she didn't answer, he looked to her over his shoulder and continued to speak. "Honor your comrades by keeping yourself alive!"
End of Flashback
"That's…that's what I said…" Kaien realized, but didn't show much more reaction, so Miyako forced him to look at her.
"Were those just empty words, Kaien? Are you all talk?" Miyako continued to provoke him. The depressed Shinigami tried to move his head away from her, but she was somehow able to restrain him from doing so. "I'm going to tell you what Matsuri said to me after that!"
Flashback
"They wouldn't want to see you down like that, Miyako-san…" Matsuri told her, while she held her opponent off with her sword. Miyako turned in her direction just in time to see her driving a Shakkahō into the Hollow's torso, opening a clean hole in it. "Live! Fight for your life, as they don't want you to join them yet!"
End of Flashback
"Living is not just breathing and heartbeating!" Miyako shouted, as she completely forgot that she was in a hospital. "It's something that has to be done in a way to match the expectations of those who sacrificed themselves for us! What would they expect from you now, Kaien?"
Flashback
"So what means most to you?" The interested Fujimaru asked.
"Living the way I want!" Kaien swiftly answered, with his face showing the most fierce expression they had ever seen.
End of Flashback
"Gaaah!" Suddenly, Kaien quickly stood with his eyes wide open, shocking Miyako who wasn't expecting such a reaction. After a long moment of silence, Kaien slowly turned to Miyako and stared at her for a while. "The funeral…how much time do I have?"
About an hour later…
"All of those that have died in this last, decisive battle should be honored but, while it isn't correct to single out particular sacrifices, there was one in specific that was crucial for this victory." Yamamoto quickly went through his speech. "Captain Seigen Suzunami of the 5th Division, along with his adopted children Fujimaru and Matsuri Kudō, who were also Shinigami of the 5th Division, and his sister Konoka Suzunami…In the end, they were the ones who terminated our enemy's existence, which is the reason I asked all who could find the disposition to come to this first of many ceremonies."
Behind Yamamoto was a wide pedestal, where portraits of the three Shinigami whose bodies were never found rested: Seigen's at the center, with Fujimaru's at the left of those who were watching and Matsuri's to the right. Behind that pedestal and on a higher platform meant to be the funeral pyre, rested an open white coffin with Konoka's body inside.
"I wish for a representant of each of the Divisions to come and pay the respects to these four. Then, anyone else who wishes to do the same may come as well and I'll finally proceed to the cremation." Yamamoto informed, before he turned to face the pedestal. Bringing both palms together, the Captain Commander prayed twice, before clapping two times and praying once more. Then, he backed away to allow the next representants to pass.
The first one was a surprise to many, as Tessai Tsukabishi was someone who rarely made public appearances. All in attendance wore their regular Shinigami attires, except for the Kidō Corps Commander who wore a black version of his usual flashier blue coat. Tessai repeated the same process as Yamamoto and, after praying the third time, raised his shakujō into the sky. A soft white glow enveloped the staff's rings, before white cherry blossoms started to fall from the sky, landing on top of Konoka's body and on the platforms prepared for the ceremony. As Tessai backed away, Ukitake advanced.
Flashback
"I actually wanted to tell you a story. Have you ever heard of the gunyōchō?" Ukitake asked to the twins.
"What's a gun...thing?" Fujimaru asked without being able to say the word.
"It's a bird of legend. It had one body and two heads." Ukitake started to describe. "In other words, the two heads shared the same body."
"So they shared the same life, literally." Fujimaru concluded, with Ukitake nodding in approval for Fujimaru's reasoning.
"The thing is, the two heads didn't get along at all." Ukitake continued. "Eventually, an argument got out of hand, and one head killed the other."
"T-then what happened?" A still bit hesitant Matsuri asked.
"Because they shared a life, the remaining bird soon died too. But in the moments before its death, the bird realized something." Ukitake took a sip of his tea, before resuming the story. "The reason it had been able to live all along...was because of its other half."
(…)
"The guny...gunyōchō, right?" Fujimaru struggled to say the word again. "I don't want to be like that."
"I can't even imagine being like that." Matsuri further stated.
End of Flashback
"I guess none of you could live without the other, after all…" Ukitake thought, before he started the last prayer. As soon as he finished, he walked back to where he came from, crossing paths with Urahara midway. "In a way, it may have been better for both of you to vanish together."
Flashback
"Geez, you're such a drag!" Young Fujimaru complained, while he tried to take the last apple away from his sister's hands. "Don't you know you can't eat much?"
"WHAT? Are you calling me fat, Fujimaru?"
"Hey now, kids! Can't you solve it wi..." At that moment, Fujimaru and Matsuri's struggle sent the apple flying high-speed ahead towards Urahara, who had the unfortunate luck of having his mouth open. The apple got inside his mouth and the impact knocked him to the floor.
"Hey! Our apple!" The twins shouted in unison. Urahara inadvertently swallowed the entire apple at once and started to suffocate, waving for help. "Oh no! We killed Urahara-sama!"
"Don't worry. This can be solved." Seigen calmly walked towards the struggling Urahara, with his arms crossed and resting inside the sleeves of his Captain's Haori. Seigen raised his right foot to his own chest's height, before letting it come down, stomping Urahara hard in the gut. Urahara quickly sat up and spat the apple like a cannon bullet, which passed through the opened window at high speed.
End of Flashback
"Those were some funny times we spent, huh kids? Well, now that I think of it, I was kind of your Shinigami godfather, wasn't I? And a damn proud one too…" Urahara returned to his place without looking up. The 11th, 10th and 9th Divisions followed, until it was time for the 8th's representant.
"My, my…Here were two young ones I wouldn't mind to change places with." Kyōraku spoke his thoughts, until he stopped in front of the pedestal, where he started to lower his voice. "Even Lisa-chan, who doesn't like people very much, used to talk about you two."
Flashback
"You have to stop now!" Matsuri told him.
"No way!" Kyōraku shook his head a bit too fast, causing him a slight dizziness. "If you won't pour me a drink, I'm going to have thirty more!"
"Guess you'd better pour him a drink, sis..." Fujimaru advised his twin sister in a whisper.
"Grrrrr...All right, fine!" Matsuri rolled her eyes and reluctantly took two steps forward, so she could pick up one of the bottles.
"Oooh boy, oh boy! A drink poured by the hand of a beautiful young lady!" The Captain seemed very excited by that idea. As Matsuri was about to fill the cup, a scared young boy ran across the street, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Hollows! Hollows over there!"
"Remarkably good timing, don't you think?" Fujimaru asked to his sister, who immediately nodded, before both disappeared in Shunpo.
"Of all the confounded..." Kyōraku mumbled, while his eyes searched the surrounding area. His mouth remained open, his arm remained extended and his cup remained empty. "What about my drink?"
End of Flashback
"See ya around somewhere, someday…Let's have a drink when we meet again." Kyōraku wished in a whisper, before he lowered his straw hat and walked back to his waiting place. The next representant was supposed to be Love, but that wasn't possible due to him still be going under a dangerous surgery at the 4th Division's barracks. Instead, the one to represent the 7th Division was the now blind Jin'emon Kotsubaki, in his last act as Vice-Captain of that Division. "They were unable to save his eyesight, after all…"
"Healing Kidō, as powerful as it is, can't do miracles. The damage was irreversible and dealing with blindness after being able to see for hundreds of years is something completely different from being born blind." Kensei explained, while they watched Jin'emon being led to the pedestal by his son Sentarō and the boy's mother. "Jin'emon will never be a Shinigami again, I'm afraid."
After Jin'emon paid homage to the Suzunami family, it was time for Ginrei who represented both the 6th Division and the Kuchiki Clan, an allied clan of the Suzunami house. After some offerings were made, Ginrei walked back to his place, with Aizen ready to step forward for his turn.
"Wait!" Someone interrupted the ceremony, causing everyone to look back. Panting and with his right arm against his chest, Kaien continued to run until he reached his Vice-Captain. "Please, Aizen-fukutaichō! Let me be the one!"
"Of course, Shiba. Please, go." Aizen walked a step back, allowing Kaien to proceed towards the pedestal. There, Kaien bowed and prayed for the entire Suzunami family, more specifically for the two younger ones. "Thanks for everything, guys! I now know what I have to do to keep on moving forward!"
Flashback
"I like it when people rely on me! It means I seem dependable." Kaien told them. "But you two should still set your sights higher and work to make yourselves better!"
"So you're finally setting your sights on becoming Vice-Captain or Captain?" Fujimaru questioned.
"Meh, I don't know if I'm cut out to be one." Kaien shrugged.
"Why not? I think you would make a great Captain." Matsuri gave her opinion, causing Fujimaru and Kaien to stare at her suspiciously, since her opinions of Kaien were usually pretty one-sided. "Seriously. You're great at looking out for people."
"Perhaps, but there's not much point in debating it now, is there?" Kaien asked, but his question got no answer from neither of the twins, who weren't sure of what he meant. "Results stem from actions. Also, actions speak louder than words. So I've just got to do whatever I can now."
End of Flashback
"That's how it's going to be from now on." Kaien promised, before he walked back to the side of the other representants. "I won't blame myself for not being able to save you, Fujimaru. And I won't regret never having found the guts to tell you how I felt, Matsuri. I'll just focus on living like I want and make you two proud! So, for whatever it is worth, I'm sorry for leaving you two alone when you needed me the most and may both of you find peace with your family."
"Are you alright, Shiba?" Aizen questioned his subordinate, who suddenly bowed to him.
"Sir, I'm hereby resigning from my position in the 5th Division." Kaien informed him, before he raised his head back up with a grin. "I think you're aware that Ukitake-taichō has offered me the position of 3rd Seat in the 13th Division. I decided to accept it, so…this was my last act as a Shinigami of the 5th Division. I hope you understand."
"Well, you'll be missed, especially at this point…but I think I can understand your motives." Aizen said, causing him to bow once again and turn in Ukitake's direction to address the situation. At the moment, a visibly very sad Unohana ended her prayers and gave her place to Chikane who represented the 3rd Division, while Rose continued to recover from his severe head trauma. During the time of that exchange, Aizen approached Yamamoto. "Sir…There's something I need to speak to you about."
"Can't it wait, Aizen-fukutaichō?" Yamamoto didn't seem happy by having someone taking his attention away from the ceremony.
"Well, I believe that for the sake of not only the 5th Division but the entire Gotei 13 as well, we should quickly nominate a new Captain for the 5th Division." Aizen explained his problem, before taking a quick peek over his shoulder. "Just now, we lost Kaien Shiba to the 13th Division and the Division itself suffered many casualties, so we need to have a leader to reorganize the men and boost their confidence levels."
"Any suggestions?" Yamamoto asked, eager to have the issue cleared away for the moment. Aizen was about to suggest himself for the position, when someone cut him off before he could even answer.
"Me, of course!" Aizen couldn't believe what he had just heard, so he had to look in Shinji Hirako's direction to confirm what happened. "I guess a former Captain doesn't even need to go through the Captain Proficiency Test, right?"
"Personal recommendation should be sufficient and I guess even that won't be a problem." Yamamoto quickly agreed, before turning back towards the pedestal. "Shinji Hirako will once again be the Captain of the 5th Division."
"Seems we'll be working together again, Aizen." Shinji smirked to his once again Vice-Captain, before walking away from him. While furious at first, a nearly undetectable smile appeared on Aizen's face. As the 2nd Division had finished paying homage to the Suzunami home, Shinji decided to pay his respects as well, passing by Suì-Fēng while he walked towards the pedestals.
Flashback
"Yoruichi-sama told me to forget about it, but I just can't. I can't forgive myself." Suì-Fēng sniffed, before all the disgust she felt for herself caused those last tears to fall down her face. But they didn't come alone though, they brought back many new ones. "W-What should I do? I r-really wish I knew!"
"Oh, Suì-Fēng…" Matsuri was about to say something in order to console the girl, but she was quickly interrupted by her brother.
"How do you think Yoruichi-sama felt when she defended you?" Fujimaru questioned the member of the Executive Militia, while he remained behind her. Suì-Fēng stopped crying and her eyes widened, while she repeated the question in her head.
"I…I have no idea." Suì-Fēng admitted, since she didn't know the answer. She finally lifted her head to face Fujimaru, so he could give her one. The male Shinigami frowned when he saw how terrible she looked like. "Why would she save me, the one who was supposed to die for her?"
"Yoruichi-sama said it herself…What we're trying to defend here is too big for one person alone." Fujimaru told her, while he offered a hand to help her stand. "The strong must be a shield for the weak, protecting them and giving them time to grow."
"Really?" The shocked Suì-Fēng asked, before staring from Fujimaru to Matsuri.
"Those were her exact words." Matsuri nodded to the girl, both to support her own words and to convince her to accept Fujimaru's help. Suì-Fēng pondered for a bit and finally accepted Fujimaru's hand.
"I think the best way to respond to such a sentiment is to be the best that you can be." He continued to speak and smiled to her, causing her to blush. She quickly retrieved her hand from his and looked away.
(…)
"Stop that!" Suì-Fēng nearly yelled, before looking away once more, confusing Fujimaru with her actions. "You're embarrassing me…"
"What are you talking about, Suì-Fēng?" Matsuri asked, before draping her arm over the guard's shoulders. The girl of the twins pulled Suì-Fēng closer to her, causing the latter's eyes to widen. "Aren't we supposed to be friends? There's no reason for that!"
(…)
"I'm Suì-Fēng, member of the Executive Militia, 1st Division of the Onmi…"
"Yeah, we know that. What we want to know is what you like, what you dislike, your dreams…stuff like that!" Matsuri clarified what Fujimaru asked earlier.
"That's personal!" Suì-Fēng angrily spoke to them, causing them to chuckle.
"C'mon now, Suì-Fēng…" Matsuri quickly reached the girl and started to tickle her, causing her to laugh in front of them for the first time. "Tell us Suì-Fēng, what dirty little secrets do you have?"
"Ahahah! Stop! Stop! Sss-Ahahahah!" Suì-Fēng tried to get away from Matsuri but was unable to do so.
(…)
"Of all the spells you could've used, you used Sekienton?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Huh? Well, since Hollows are creatures that act mainly on instinct, negating their senses causes an even bigger effect than when it happens on us." Fujimaru explained his motives. "And since you've been trained to be an assassin, I thought…I knew you could take it to your advantage."
"Why were you sure?" The confused Suì-Fēng asked.
"Hmm, well…" Fujimaru rubbed the back of his head, before he smiled in his usual silly way. "It may sound silly to you, but...we're friends! And friends trust each other!"
"Friends…" Suì-Fēng whispered, as she stared down.
(…)
"Are you sure you're okay, Suì-Fēng?" Fujimaru worriedly asked, before she stared back up, revealing a smile. Not a smirk, but a true, pure smile. Somewhat, that seemed to worry Fujimaru even more. Her smile then became a little bit wider and she raised her left thumb up, like what Fujimaru had done earlier.
"I think…we make great partners!" Suì-Fēng told him, causing his eyes to widen. After the initial shock, he smiled widely as well.
(…)
"What about Matsuri? Won't she come?"
"She'll stay the night here with Rangiku." He answered shortly, creating another moment of silence. They walked around the streets of Seireitei, with no definite goal to be reached. "Where do you live?"
"Huh?" Suì-Fēng was startled by the question and found herself blushing a bit, not understanding why. "I…I live in Yoruichi-sama's manor. She gave me a room there when I started working as her personal guard."
"I'll take you there then." Fujimaru offered, without taking his eyes from the street. He kept walking with his hands on his pockets, without noticing that Suì-Fēng had stopped.
"N-No, there's no need for that!" Her answer finally made Fujimaru stop and look over his shoulder. His expression was empty and Suì-Fēng didn't know how to interpret it. "I can go by myself. T-There's no need for you to go so far away from your…"
"Please."
"F-Fujimaru…" At first, Suì-Fēng had an urge to continue refusing Fujimaru's offer, but when he grabbed her hand, she was unable to do so. Even as she told herself to get free from his grip, her hand didn't obey her. "I…Thank you, I'll accept."
"Nope, I must be the one thanking you." Fujimaru told her, before releasing her hand. Without realizing why, Suì-Fēng found herself regretting that he had done so.
"What a shameful excuse of an assassin I am! What's wrong with me?" Suì-Fēng silently cursed herself, while she walked by Fujimaru's side. He had returned his hands to his pockets and stared to the sky while he walked.
(…)
"F-Fujimaru…"
"Hm? What is it?" The male Shinigami asked, while he looked over his shoulder. Suì-Fēng felt a sudden urge to start fidgeting, but was somehow able to remain quiet. She then decided to bow deeply, so she could let all out at once.
"If…If you need something, please ask me! I'm not much of a talker, but I can listen to you! Please, consider it!" She offered, causing Fujimaru's eyes to widen in surprise, before he gave her a wide smile.
End of Flashback
"Are you alright, Suì-Fēng?" Yoruichi passed her hand over the girl's head, who kept her eyes fixed on the ground. "You don't have to stay any longer. You can go home if you want to."
"Do you remember the promise we made…Yoruichi-sama?" Suì-Fēng asked, before raising her head. Her eyes were red from all the crying. "That we'll be always by each other's side…protecting each other?"
"Yes, of course I do." Yoruichi assured, before pulling the girl into a hug. "It's a promise."
"D-Don't…Don't leave me alone...P-Please!" Suì-Fēng sobbed, before she started to cry once again. At the same time, Rangiku was going through her final prayer, when she noticed a boy joining her at her right side.
"In the end, they really weren't able to keep their promise." Gin spoke, but without showing any kind of bitterness. "It's a shame."
"Gin…" Rangiku whispered, with her eyes sore as well. She finished her prayer and stared at him, watching him praying as well.
Flashback
"Hmm… Onmitsukidō-san is about to reach us. She isn't too fond of me, so I guess I'll take my leave." Gin lied, as his motive for leaving resided on the person who was with Suì-Fēng. "You're not as bad as I initially thought. Perhaps, I may use your strength in the future."
"So, you're still not going to tell me what your goal is?" Fujimaru asked, as he saw Gin turning his back on him. The question made him stop and look over his shoulder, revealing a softer smile that surprised Fujimaru.
"Not today...onii-san." He answered, before he disappeared in a Shunpo.
End of Flashback
"Such a shame, indeed. Now, who is going to keep me in line…nii-san? Nee-san? Wherever you are, wish me luck…" Gin finished his prayers and turned to leave. "Bye, Rangiku. See ya around!"
"You always have to leave without saying a thing. Isn't that right, Gin?" Rangiku spoke, while she saw him walk away.
Flashback
"Are you okay, Fujimaru?" Suì-Fēng asked, as she and Rangiku reached Fujimaru. "Did it work? Did you…win?"
"Did I win?" Fujimaru pondered on the question for a while. Rangiku locked eyes with him and he apparently realized that she already knew who he had been fighting with. He warmly smiled and laid a hand on the girl's head to lessen her worries. "I think…we both won actually."
"Both?" Rangiku questioned him. He nodded with that same smile, causing a wetness to form in Rangiku's eyes. "Thank you…Fujimaru…"
End of Flashback
The wake took only a few more minutes, the time it took for all the people who wanted to pay their respects to do so. Then, Yamamoto released his own Ryūjin Jakka and unleashed a stream of flames, which consumed Konoka's casket, the portraits, the flowers and the offerings. The ashes would be gathered and placed together in an urn, which would be buried in the Suzunami family grave.
Two years later…
"Aizen!" The injured Shinji stood and attempted to slash his Vice-Captain, only for a sticky white substance to come out of his mouth and left eye in large amounts. The substance started to close in on the left side of Shinji's face, slowly forming a mask. "Damn it! Me, too?"
"Here's one last thing for you to learn…There is no fear when one expects to be betrayed." Aizen told Shinji, while he drew his Kyōka Suigetsu from its sheath and raised it above his head. "What's truly terrifying is when betrayal is unexpected, Hirako-taichō. Farewell…You made wonderful test samples."
"DAMN IT!"
Next Chapter: Time Flies! End of the Past Track
(Which will also be the last chapter of this arc.)