Finale

Please read the Author's Note before you read this chapter. Otherwise this, and the next two chapters, will make no sense.

This chapter contains spoilers for those who only watch the anime and do not read the manga. You have been warned.

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"It is finished," Soifon whispered under her breath. When the skies had ripped open twice that afternoon, she and the remaining Captains had feared that Aizen had summoned more minions to his aid. She took in a sharp breath when Ichigo and Unohana emerged from one Garganta and Urahara Kisuke and Isshin Kurosaki from another – the Karakura Town defenders were in sharp need of relief forces.

The fight against the Espada had worn out the Gotei 13 captains badly. Ukitake lay bleeding, a near-fatal wound to his chest, as Kira Izuru desperately exerted his healing kido to staunch the flow of blood. He could not close the wound, however; all he could do was prevent further damage to Ukitake. Shunsui looked on silent and pained, hunched over his friend. Lisa put a comforting arm around her former Captain, but she herself was grieving the loss of Mashiro and Hiyori. Kensei had gone mad with rage, but had summoned sufficient composure to defeat that creature of pure destruction, Wonderweiss.

Soifon was unsure what redemption would truly mean for one such as Tosen. When the gigantic hollow had dissipated the ring of fire that Ryujin Jakka had wrought, he had fought with Shuhei and Komamura, but many words were also exchanged during that time. When it seemed apparent that Tosen was wavering, Aizen had cut him down mercilessly, only to be blocked at the last minute by Komamura, who suffered a deep gash to his head. That wound finally opened Tosen's eyes – he had been blind in thinking that Aizen's path was the way of least bloodshed. He finally saw what true comrades did in the face of bloodshed – they stood side by side against bloodshed, and did not turn away. He cradled Komamura's head in his hands, apologizing profusely, desperately using his robe to staunch the bleeding. Aizen would have attacked a second time, but Unohana's timely intervention saved them all.

That part of the battle was much a blur for Soifon. She recalled a massive wave of reiatsu being unleashed as Unohana stepped into the foray. Did she even fight? I… I cannot remember what happened. When her mind and senses had cleared, Unohana was already tending to Komamura, and Aizen had fallen back. It was the first time Soifon had seen him unsure of himself. Omaeda had fallen over, overwhelmed by the sheer force of the release. When questioned later, all he could remember was Unohana's smile, then nothingness.

Ichigo Kuroksaki and his father took on the ever-grinning Gin Ichimaru. Ichigo did a double take when his father emerged from the garganta, decked out in shinigami robes. Looking at his father's masterful swordplay and powerful kido, he felt ashamed for having thought him a fool all these years. Yet he could not resist cursing him internally for his deception. He had so many questions, but he knew these would have to wait.

When Ichigo turned his attention to Gin, he had yelled "This is for Rukia and Byakuya, you bastard!" Soifon recalled Ichimaru's merciless Shinsou, which would surely have killed Rukia Kuchiki if Byakuya had not taken her place at the last minute.

If Ichimaru feared his opponents, he did not show it. He kept on smiling. The only time he ceased to smile was when Zangetsu pierced through his heart – and even then, it was not the physical pain that caused him to balk, but that piercing cry from Rangiku Matsumoto. "No! Gin!" His eyes opened and he looked at her, his mouth open in an unspoken apology that her ears never heard.

Soifon looked at Shinji, who was bent over the broken body of Hiyori. "Idiot. I told you to wait," he muttered, before a single tear betrayed the depth of his emotions. Their quarrels and Hiyori's lack of respect for the former 5th Squad Captain had been legendary a hundred years ago; even now, Soifon could recall Hiyori yelling streams of vulgarities at Shinji in total defiance of his position. No other Captain and Vice-Captain shared such a relationship, one could say. No other Captain had to fight so great an adversary as Shinji did for revenge – but he had accomplished it. Aizen lay dead, by the combined efforts Urahara, Yamamoto and himself. He had longed for this day, but the cost of victory had been great. The ever cheerful Urahra finally ceased to smile. He took off his hat and knelt somberly before Hiyori and the grieving Shinji when the battle was done. She had been his Vice-Captain after all. He went after her that night 100 years ago, and he regretted being too late this day just as he did that night. Soifon decided there and then that she would not hold Hachigen to his promise to put Urahara in his barriers for a month – there is a shred of decency in the man after all, she reasoned.

It is finally over. All that we have been warring for these years, the root of all misunderstandings and hatred and vengeance – it is finished.

Several other garganta ripped open, bringing Nemu, Isane, Renji, Rukia and the captains of the 6th, 11th and 12th Squads with them. There was a joyous reunion with Ichigo.

Urahara Kisuke stood up. He took out a device from within the voluminous folds of his sleeve and pressed a number of buttons on it. The pillars of the Tenkai Kecchu disintegrated, and the real Karakura Town began phasing back into the real world.

The real Urahara Shop phased into view, and Yoruichi Shihoin stepped out and surveyed the bodies and the survivors. She found Soifon and gave her a big grin and a thumbs-up.

"Yoruichi-sama! You are safe!" Soifon smiled back and finally collapsed from her wounds.

I can finally rest now…