SailorStar9: Chapter 47 is up, this is Chapter 48. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.
Chapter 48: Gather Together! Army of the Strongest Shinigami!
"It's been quite some time since I last saw your face." Aizen remarked, catching Komamura's blade. "What's with the change of heart, Komamura?"
"How can you still smile like that, Aizen?" Komamura growled. "You betrayed us all! I will not forgive you! You too…" he looked over at Tōsen. "Tōsen! Explain yourself if you can!" he demanded, Aizen dodging his fist. "Or can't you?" he hissed, the blind Shinigami remaining silent. "How regrettable, Tōsen. Bankai!" impossible… he was stunned when Aizen suddenly appeared before him. Aizen is still standing next to Tōsen.
"Hadō 90: Kurohitsugi." Aizen cast the black coffin spell. "Kyoukasuigetsu's perfect hypnosis is flawless." He declared, taking out the oversized Captain. "There's no way to escape it even if you know it's coming."
"Hadō 90 without the chant." Ichimaru remarked. "How scary. When did you learn how to do that?"
"No, it was a failure." Aizen corrected. "I didn't even get a third of its true destructive force. 90 is truly hard to control. Now then…" he grabbed Rukia by the collar. "Sorry, I haven't finished explaining, had I?" he looked over at the awakened Ichigo.
"Kurosaki!" Uryū called, the rest of the group arriving.
"Stay back!" Ichigo warned.
"Oh no." Ichimaru chided. "You shouldn't be moving." And immobilized the group with his Spiritual Pressure.
"Kuchiki Rukia," Aizen started. Once you were found in the real world, I immediately did this; I massacred Room 46. You probably heard this from Isane; 'Aizen Sōsuke massacred death in order to hide his whereabouts. Shortly afterwards, he killed Room 46. But that is incorrect. As soon as you were found, I immediately killed Room 46 and cast Kyōkasuigetsu on all the Central Underground's Senate I made it look like Room 46 was still alive and continuing its meetings. And then, one of us was always in the Underground Senate. From then until now, we have continued to act as Room 46 and control all of the orders. In order to assure your capture, I changed who was supposed to capture you to those two from the 6th Squad. To keep you away from the humans, I put out the order for the immediate return of your gigai. In order to totally vaporize your soul and remove Hōgyoku from inside of you, I decided to use Sōkyoku to execute you. We completely vacated the senate for only a few hours, including during the Second Captains' Meeting. Directly after that, I faked my death and hid in the Underground Conference Hall, because I figured that there was a possibility that the execution would fail due to your efforts. There are two ways to pull out something which has been intertwined and buried within a soul. Have the outer layer, the soul, vaporized by something like the extremely hot destructive powers of Sōkyoku and then remove it. Or, forcefully separate it by some method that directly interferes with the soul's composition. If in the one-in-million chance that the execution by Sōkyoku failed, I had to find that other method. In order to do that, I needed the information in the Underground Conference Room's Repository of Great Spiritual Books. I carefully went over Urahara Kisuke's past research. Since he was the one who devised that technique to combine and bury matter within a soul, I figured that the technique to remove it would definitely be hidden within his research. Yes, this is that technique." Pulling out a small capsule and, as he opened it, six green spikes broke out of the ground around him and Rukia. Aizen's right hand was covered by the same matter as the spikes, and while a pale pink lightning passed between the spikes, Aizen pushed his left hand through Rukia's chest. Quickly finding the Hōgyoku, he then removed it. Rukia's body fell to the ground, the gaping hole in her chest slowly closing and she appeared unharmed. "This is a surprise." he looked at his prize. "It's something this small. This is Hōgyoku. This soul itself is uninjured? Such a wonderful technique. But this is unfortunate. I no longer need you." he pulled Rukia up. "Kill her, Gin." he instructed.
"There's no helping it." Ichimaru turned. "Shoot her down, Shinso."
"I thought we've gone through this already, Ichimaru." Hitsugaya stated coldly, as both mother and son stood before Rukia, Hyōrinmaru blocking off Shinso's extended tip. "You didn't have any success last time, either."
Rukia, however, had been taken from where she was held. Byakuya stood a fair distance away from the blonde and brunette captains, Rukia in his arms as Ichimaru's blade retracted.
"But regardless," Aizen drew his sword. "I don't have the time to fight the both of you right now, so I have to make this quick. Kudakero, Kyōkasuigetsu."
Hitsugaya's eyes went wide as the world skidded to a stop, the earth growing black and the skies turned crimson.
Aizen frozen and frowned, "Impossible," the traitorous Captain muttered, Holy Mercury had donned on her Kamui Robe, his illusion scattering like glass. "I thought this power was a myth."
"Know this, Aizen." Athene turned towards the betrayer. "The powers of your Zanpakutō are useless before this Kamui Robe. No illusion shall deceive it, and no trickery shall go unseen."
"Let's go, Jidanbō!" Kūkaku declared, both Shinigami coming down from the sky. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hadō 63: Raikōhō!"
"This is quite another face I haven't seen for quite some time." Aizen noted, dodging the spell, only to be cornered by Yoruichi and Suì-Fēng.
"Don't move." Yoruichi warned. "If you move a single muscle,"
"I'll immediately cut off your head." Suì-Fēng finished.
"Kūkaku." Yoruichi looked over at the late arrival.
"Hey, Yoruichi!" Kūkaku greeted. "I had too much free time. I took a walk to check on you."
"My, they are flashy." Ichimaru mused "What should I do?"
"Don't move." Matsumoto warned, her blade pressed against his neck.
"This is as far as you go." Yoruichi informed her captive.
"What did you say?" Aizen was unfazed.
"Can't you tell, Aizen?" Yoruichi questioned. "You no longer have a place to run away to."
"Aizen..." Ukitake trailed, as many other Shinigami poured to the scene, including Captains and Lieutenants, the group surrounding the Cleanser
"Captain Aizen..." Iba added as Tōsen was caught by Hisagi.
"It's over, Aizen." Yoruichi declared. "What's funny?" she glared, seeing Aizen's smirk.
"I'm sorry." Aizen's smirk widened. "It's time."
"Get away from him, Suì-Fēng!" Yoruichi barked. The two leapt apart just as a column of Negación ascended from the sky, enveloping Aizen.
"Impossible" Ukitake gasped.
"Menos Grande." Suì-Fēng was stunned as a huge Garganta opened in the sky above the Sōkyoku, and two Menos Grande peered out of it, many more were seen behind them, and soon they poured into Soul Society.
"Matsumoto, Hisagi, dodge them!" Hitsugaya roared when two more Negación ascended upon Ichimaru and Tōsen, both Lieutenants forced to release their captives.
"Trying to run away?" Iba raised his blade.
"Enough." Athene raised a hand to stop him. "That light is called Negación." She explained. "Menos use it when they are saving one of their own. It's over once they're engulfed in the light. The inside of the light is its own impenetrable completely solitary world. Everyone who has fought with a Menos knows this. The moment the light was brought down, it became impossible to even touch Aizen."
"Tōsen!" Komamura roared. "Come down here, Tōsen! I won't let you go! Why did you become a Shinigami? Wasn't it for your friends who perished? Wasn't it to fight for justice? Where did your justice disappear to?"
"I've told you, Komamura." Tōsen replied. "All that is reflected in these eyes is a path covered in more blood. That is where justice already is. The path I walk is justice."
"He's even joined up with the Menos?" Ukitake blinked. "For what purpose?"
"To search for greatness." Aizen replied.
"Have you fallen so low, Aizen?" Ukitake questioned.
"You're too proud, Ukitake." Aizen corrected. "From the very start, no one was standing in Heaven. Not you, not me, not even God. However, that emptiness in Heaven which is very hard to endure, shall end." he removed his spectacles. "From here on," he scattered his eyeglasses and combed his hair back, revealing his real look. "I will stand in Heaven. Farewell, Shinigami. And farewell, human ryoka boy. For a human, you were truly interesting. We will meet again, Athene, on the battlefield."
"You're wrong, Aizen." Athene corrected. "There is someone on the throne. And as one of her Four Pillars, I will kill you; this I swear."
With Aizen and his conspirators gone, the recovery work started with Iemura barking out orders. "Help with treating the ryoka." he dispatched a group over. "You should understand this already." he reminded. "They are Soul Society's saviours. Hurry! Even so..." he looked over at Orihime who was healing Ichigo. "That ryoka woman... just what are her powers? Well done!" he greeted the arriving Unohana. "What is the condition of Lieutenant Hinamori?"
"For now, she's escaped death." Unohana replied. "The rest is up to her. Right now, Isane is taking over the rest of the procedures. Who's remaining?"
"Captain Kuchiki and the ryoka boy." Iemura replied.
"It seems that the ryoka doesn't need our help." Unohana noted. "You've really pushed yourself too far, haven't you?" she knelt beside Byakuya. "Captain Kuchiki. Kuchiki Rukia, come here." she called Rukia over. "Captain Kuchiki is calling for you."
"Rukia," Byakuya took his adopted sister's hand, having mentally thanked Ichigo for setting his objectives straight after explaining the reason why he took her into the Kuchiki family in the first place. "I'm sorry…"
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.
