A/N: To Midnightscar17, I hope these last chapters cleared any confusion. If it really persists, you can ask your questions in PM. I will be glad to assist. To Soi Yo, I kinda like the intensity of it. I was surprised too when this Jushiro/Retsu worked in my head. It made sense that they could be both moody, brooding and intense people in private. They have a few things in common. I mean how to cope after being in the Gotei for so long, without any family that we know of, without attaches, devoted to their work, and being sick. Sure, I love my tender-hearted Jushiro. But there's a limit to his candidness, even he struggled with knowing right from wrong. He struggled with his duty. I wanted to show that. I adore these intensely mature moments you guys may have noticed. I pictured Unohana as a feminist in my head, strong, free, a deeply troubled one. One can argue she exhibit a strong case of dissociative personality. She is rather in sync with all the sides of her that are definitely too dark to be left in plain sight. Yes, she does indulge now and then with Shunsui, Jushiro or Zaraki (non-exhaustive list) and that's quite avant-garde but you would too if you had an always ready buffet and you were thirsty and hungry. Or maybe that's just me. My mind may be in the gutter. ^^
- 39 -
Mr. Ice & Mr. Nice
Tōshirō Hitsugaya
Captain of the tenth division
He did not disobey any direct orders. Ichimaru did die several times on the road that connected hell to heaven.
He was dragging behind some dead weight, and it was not by cruelty. He had tried earlier to lift Gin up and carry him on his back. But it had proved extremely difficult to cross planes of existence with him on his back.
In the meantime, his wounds had reopened to push Shinsō's pieces out of his body, leaving him with no choice than to drag that extra luggage behind him. That was either that or dying of exhaustion before he even reached his destination. He had been wary all the way, especially while crossing the forest of Menos. Gin had been conscious enough to guide him through a couple of secret passageways in the desert and under the palace. Toshiro had never been to the Hueco Mundo even less at Las Noches.
Tōshirō had never been in the hollow fortress without reinforcements. He knew that the trip would be full of twists. Everything could go sour fast. Because who honestly could tell it was a good idea to build a giant maze of a palace on moving sand dunes no less? Ah yes, Aizen. Little did he know that was quite incorrect a statement.
He hesitated between five armored doors. There were no inscriptions, nothing that could help him get situated.
"Ichimaru?"
He got no answer.
" Oi, Ichimaru! We don't have time for that! It's not your time yet!"
He crouched over Gin, pausing at how awful he looked, his skin as pale and grey as a cadaver. Gin slowly opened a bloodshot eyelid; he turned his head to the right. Toshiro looked up, just a wall. That wasn't an answer.
"Over there?"
He pointed to one door to the right. But for all answers, Gin only closed his eyes again. He exhaled and went still.
"No, no, no ... It's still too early to die. I'm not done with you yet! You put us in this mess! You will clean it up!"
He pulled Gin halfway up and shook him quickly to get him out of his torpor.
"Teme Ichimaru, you have to wake up! We passed the Garganta ... the forest… and then the passageway under the dune that never moves ... We went through the Silver west Gate. We're in. What do we do after?"
No reaction. He put him down the floor again. Although it seemed impossible after going through all this, crossing two dimensions, Gin was still bleeding, covering the marble floor with blood. Massaging his chest rapidly in circle, he focused on transferring some reiatsu to his worst enemy.
Only it wasn't working. Shit! He was so tired by his own regeneration process; he could barely maintain himself. Toshiro completely kneeled in defeat. Then in a last surge of rebellion, he punched Gin's chest once then twice.
"Come on. We're not done yet! Stay with me!"
No reaction.
"If you don't snap out of it, I can't save her. Come on, asshole! You can do it!"
Nothing. He checked his pulse again. He had none. Gin was no longer breathing. Toshiro sat down in defeat. He grabbed his head harshly, trying to catch his breath in vain. What the hell did he do wrong? He bit his lips not to start crying just out of sheer desperation and exhaustion. He stared at the five doors. How was he supposed to find his way in this giant labyrinth? How was he supposed to know which door to go through now? How? Gin was…
He expected him to fade anytime. Toshiro felt the tears blurred his vision. He wasn't crying for Gin, though. That guy deserved to feel every inch of the pain he inflicted on Toshiro's lieutenant. Still, he wondered if he could find Rangiku without Shinsō, without Gin. He was trying to remember how he got there anyway. How he could really think that would have worked.
Gin released Shinsō again and let a skeletal hand close around Hitsugaya's left ankle.
"Go ahead ... Go ahead, kill me. But I beg you. Save Rangiku."
You could judge him all you want; Toshiro was in shock after that. Behind him, attached to his own scabbard, Rangiku's zanpakutō radiated an ultimate sparkle.
Hidden Citizens - I (Just) Died In Your Arms (Epic Powerful Vocal)
Back then, Toshiro understood that he had fulfilled his mission. Gin was out of order. The world was safe. He could leave it there and go on his merry way.
Except he could not.
Leave it there, in fact.
As if the story was going to stop here …
"How? How to save her? How am I supposed to find her? I don't even know where they took her."
"Shinsō ..."
Tōshirō frowned. Gin's grip loosened on his ankle as he was fighting against slipping in an out of consciousness. He stooped to free himself from the former captain's grasp.
"What did you just say? About Shinsō? About your zanpakutō?"
Gin fought back to stay awake. He took a deep breath.
"The gift..."
"What?"
"Necklace ..."
"Her necklace?"
"Shinsō…"
"The necklace ... Shinsō ..."
Was Gin talking about the necklace that Rangiku constantly wore around her neck? It made perfect sense. Tōshirō had never seen Rangiku without. Was it a gift?
He froze. It had been made in Shinsō's blade? His eyes grew wide in realization.
"She's in ... Hueco Mundo." Gin finished breathlessly.
Tōshirō looked up at the sky.
"All right, I know what I have to do. I don't have time to lose! But how to open a Garganta? They will never allow the transfer. Urahara might. How to contact Urahara?"
Drawing on his resources he didn't have, Gin grabbed Shinsō back. Startled by his sudden move, Toshiro jumped out of the way, drawing on his zanpakutō. Gin opened his eyes weakly. Black ink leaked in his left pupil. He closed his eyes again. His hand shaky, he broke Shinso's blade, blood dripping on the ground. The ground started shaking. His lips were moving in a silent incantation, but he was too far away to hear. Toshiro was suddenly trying to maintain his balance. Failing miserably, he stumbled on his knees. He felt sick. He was nauseous.
"What are you doing? Stop that."
"I'm calling them."
Tōshirō's eyes widened in surprise. Who was he talking about? Who was he talking to?
"You mean ... You mean you planned that! Teme, Ichimaru ... You bastard!"
His lips scarlet, Gin smirked.
"Nice pets! That's it! Come to daddy!"
He whispered to no one in particular, his eyes unfocused and glazed. In a sound of glass, the gray sky crackled. Tōshirō felt an uncomfortable shiver run down his neck. He frowned, suddenly fidgeting nervously on his feet. The ground kept shaking. The sky of the Soul Society cracked open in an obscene creak. He stared at it in shock. A yellowish light enveloped them suddenly. Tōshirō felt alternately hoisted in the air and nailed to the ground. The claw of a first Menos Grande widens the crack. Another put his nose out playfully. One of them pushed the others and spread open the tear with one hand.
"Good boys…" Gin muttered, his eyes closed.
"Gin…"
"They don't bite."
Another Menos passed his head out of the crack. Then, they swarmed around the opening, widening their bony legs. Tōshirō saw the ground moving away as the square of land on which they stood was hoisted towards the portal with Negación.
"Not that I can't be sure. To tell the truth, it was Tōsen, the specialist! I guess they are relatively pleasant creatures when you get to know them." He sneered.
Toshiro blinked as he looked at their surroundings. He was surrounded by thousands of Menos Grande in a giant cavern with white glittery stalactites. Even with his short stature, he never really experienced more feeling like an ant than at this moment.
"This is…"
He only heard about the place where the Menos gather at the academy, even if It was more a rumor and a legend back then than anything else. Nobody had seen it. It wasn't well documented.
"The place called the forest of Menos. It's where they're born."
Toshiro grabbed Gin's collar, shoving him hard.
"Teme, you brought us into a trap. How are we supposed to go through them?"
"I wouldn't do that… If I were you…" Gin said. He looked almost entirely out of it.
Something was heavy in the air, and Toshiro froze. It was suddenly scorching hot around him, temperature reaching a sudden extreme. He looked up, a shiver traveling down his spine.
He realized with horror that all the Menos were all arming their Cero above his head. Toshiro's eyes widened.
"Though Kaname is the one who actually fed them, for some reason, they like me more. What can I say! They have good taste!" Gin said. Toshiro took a step back.
"We need to move." He started to hoist Gin on his back, and he was heavier than he thought. When he lifted him, he was surprised to see the Menos's attitudes shift automatically. They were all bowing down, parting, getting out of his path. What Madness! He froze.
"There's a quick way into the palace…There's a place when you follow the invisible stream… The Menos will lead you… when the moon… naps…There's a leafless tree. There, the dune won't move. Knock twice. I will just rest for a while. Don't wake me up till you make it there…." He said just before falling unconscious again.
Thus, Toshiro found himself walking the corridors of Las Noches. He blinked as he witnessed a strange phenomenon. One can argue that everything about this mission had been strange and disturbing. Yet, as he sat there, hopeless. He realized Gin's blood was pouring in one odd direction. It was streaming toward the far-right door. He rechecked Gin, but he still looked dead. He followed the stream of blood and faced the door. He heard a locket being pulled, and the door open in front of him. Picking up Gin again, he started to cross a high-rise interior courtyard. He pushed the second door on his left on instinct and resumed his journey. He soon found himself facing a massive staircase. He watched its thousand steps with a grimace. What demented architect had conceived the plans of this palace? Aizen, yes ...
He glanced at his burden. Gin. Staircase. Rangiku.
He was tired, but he did not have time to rest. He lifted Gin on his shoulders and climbed the steps four by four. When he reached the top, he laid the body on the ground and started dragging it again. He looked at the room he was in. Part of the walls and the roof were missing. Familiar reiatsu residues were still floating in the air. Ichigo Kurosaki. Ichigo had left his spiritual imprint on all the ruined walls. Through a crack in the bluish dome, he could see the morbid sky of Hueco Mundo. Tōshirō felt a brief relief. He was probably in the right direction if the damage of the last war was visible. He hastened, Gin behind him.
The air became more and more toxic, signaling the proximity of several Arrancars. He did not really have time for a detour. If he could, he would have even dropped Gin there. Moreover, leaving him behind was dangerous. Even in that sad state, he could be of use to their common enemy. Ignoring the potential danger, Tōshirō hastened. In the distance, Tōshirō began to distinguish the silhouettes of two medium-sized arrancars. He grabbed Hyourinmaru's guard with one hand and dragged Ichimaru away with the other, his determination renewed ferociously.
He did not have a choice. He had to win. He did not have time for small fry. Defeat. In one try. Electricity sizzling against the walls. Shadows multiplied on the walls. Tōshirō froze in full swing. The two arrancars were not alone ... There were met by two Espadas. He frowned as a sign of determination. Normally, he would say he needed backup ... a lot of back-ups. But we were not in normal times, and he could only rely on himself.
" Grimmjow JeaggerJacques ..." Tōshirō grumbled. Great! That animal!
The little captain resumed his journey while dragging his cargo.
Grimmjow let out a fierce roar. The two arrancars departed from his path eagerly. As he scratched his ear with a certain morbid nonchalance, he moved quickly towards Tōshirō before finally stopping his hands in his pocket.
"Who's asking for him?"
The other Espada stopped behind him. One soft hand was circling his waist protectively.
"Hitsugaya. Toshiro. Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro."
Toshiro observed curiously Grimmjow's left hand was on the guard of the zanpakutō behind him. What was he going to unsheathe that girl's sword? With a smirk, Grimmjow gripped the weapon harder. When Toshiro realized that it was precisely what he was going to do, he almost gasped. Something changed. The tension shifted in the air.
"Nope. Don't ring a bell. I have a terrible memory with names." Grimmjow teased.
His reiatsu was suddenly crushing. What the fuck? His eyes fell on the Espada behind Grimmjow. The crazy reiatsu was emanating from him, sure, but it was her distinct signature, and that was odd. Nel remained oddly motionless.
"I have something to refresh your memory, Espada," Tōshirō shouted, unsheathing his zanpakutō.
The arrancars were kneeling while Grimmjow's eyes turned black with yellow pupils.
"You make one more step, Shinigami. You're dead, wanker."
"Out of my way! I don't have time for this! Bankai! "
"That's my line, asshole!"
Grimmjow smirked, his fangs out. He let out a cynical laugh. He turned to Nelliel.
"Oh! What's it again, Pet?! Oh yeah! Kishire... Gamuza."
When Grimmjow unsheathed Gamuza with the same release command as his zanpakutō Pantera, and Toshiro released Hyourinmaru free from its restraints, everything disappeared under the sheer impact of their colliding spiritual pressure. From walls to columns to "ants and cockroaches," the world turned a blinding white. Toshiro blinked, sensing a presence behind him. Grimmjow hadn't budged from the spot where he stood. But Nelliel… The other one… Wasn't she supposed to be an inoffensive kid? He read all the reports and… Well, needless to say, those reports vastly underestimated the potential of destruction of those two. He was going to pay a hefty price for that mistake.
She was gone from his field of vision in a blink. Toshiro froze. Something metallic was scraping his throat. Blood dripped on his chin for the second time. Nelliel Tu Odelswank was tickling his throat with Grimmjow's Zanpakutō, Pantera. Did she use Sonido? How did she make it past him? How did she make it behind him? She was ten times faster than he was used to. That spiritual pressure…was...
"My mate did warn you. Newlywed and all. He can be quite territorial. You are lucky. I am more reasonable than that. You have ten seconds more to live, Shinigami. Speak fast. Make every second count." She whispered in his ear calmly, her eyes black and her fangs just as sharp.
Toshiro immediately dropped his sword with a sigh. He stared at Gin's body on the ground. Well, that went well, Gin! Thanks!
Genryūsai Shikeguni Yamamoto
Commander of Gotei 13
Captain of the first division
For more than a thousand years, he was the one who made the difficult decisions, the painful decisions, the unjust decisions, the arbitrary decisions ... He had seen many soldiers perish at the dawn of their life. He had accompanied many from their birth to their death. Nevertheless, he always remained animated by the sole conviction that the good of the greatest number sometimes passed through the misfortune of just one poor soul.
"It's been confirmed by my sensors. Hitsugaya has entered the Hueco Mundo. He didn't use a Garganta. He didn't call for backup. It seems more than plausible he received outside help." Mayuri Kurotsuchi said, a bit embarrassed.
He wasn't accustomed to failure.
"Urahara? "
"Said it wasn't him."
Yamamoto was silent at the twelve captain's news. So, his first plan had failed. Eleven Captains of Goteijūsantai were gathered in the huge dining room of the new headquarters. Uncluttered from the cumbersome human furniture, the room was almost as comfortable as the hall of the first division.
"How can you be sure? They could be dead? Have you ever heard of mutual destruction? The blood we found on-site could give strength to that theory." Soi Fon said, her arms crossed
"Do you often bask in the glow of your own stupidity in the morning?"
"Can you answer a damn question for once, Mister I-spent- several- hours- painting-my- face-do-you-not-find-it-cute?" Soi Fon snapped back, testily.
"Can someone do us all a favor and slit that woman's throat!"
"Kurotsuchi, that's not nice. We are trying to cooperate here. We're on the same side." Shunsui groaned, his eyes closed. He was already nursing a headache. He was definitely not drunk enough for this. Jūshirō seemed to agree wholeheartedly. They should have swallowed that fourth bottle just to make sure.
"Well…" Jūshirō sighed. He was having an embarrassing case of Asian flush, his face turning red. "It was a predictable turn of events." He said tiredly, even a bit defiant. So many secrets to keep... Not enough saké to swallow all the lies... Predictable indeed. He winced.
Kyouraku took over and asked gravely.
"For Rangiku, is there still hope? Her condition has not improved in 100 days. But maybe Toshiro thought he could go after the Primeros himself. Maybe he thought he could save her? If there was hope, Toshiro's action could be understood. It could change things."
After a short silent exchange with Yamamoto, she responded by mincing her words like a doctor about to announce bad news to the family of a terminally ill patient.
"I fear the worst. In the absence of care ... It's been 24hours."
""Unohana-taicho?"
"She's been separated from her zanpakutō a long time. It's been unheard of that someone should survive this long in such a case scenario."
Shunsui stared at his commander. The latter barely bat an eyelash. He only shook his head. There goes your answer. The old man sent Hitsugaya to his death, knowing he was the only one who had a chance to get under Gin's skin, given their history. He had a chance in one million to crush Gin. He may have done it. But did he really believe Toshiro wouldn't try to save his lieutenant? It would make sense to join him in his efforts now and hunt them down in Hueco Mundo. Except that wasn't the easier road, the old man may favor.
Jūshirō sighed, following the same trail of thoughts as Shunsui.
"Well, it was predictable a turn of events. Now what?"
Emotional Bleach OST Collection: Torn Apart
Shunsui turned to Retsu for confirmation. It seemed more than likely that there was no rescue plan for Rangiku-chan. With a sigh, she lowered her head to confirm. All of the captains observed then a spontaneous minute of silence in honor of Hitsugaya or his lieutenant, everyone but Mayuri Kurotsuchi, of course.
"Somebody should have let me do an autopsy! Now it's too late! You people are a waste of time!"
Retsu sighed again. Keikosuki winced. Byakuya scowled in Mayuri's direction. Komamura growled low. Soi Fon wanted to choke him to death and make it look like an accident. Kenpachi hadn't understood one word of the entire conversation. Dengeki was surprised everyone seemed so attached to that girl when she was just a lieutenant. Shunsui and Jūshirō shook their head in disapproval. Yamamoto was simply scratching the side of his face, uninterested by all their shenanigans.
Byakuya asked at last.
"Can we confirm that Hitsugaya was alive when he passed the Garganta?"
That was also a theory.
"Well, there were several traces of blood on the battlefield. Some belonged to Hitsugaya and others to Ichimaru. The probability is 87.8%, I would say. Ichimaru could have detained him, yes." Soi Fon said.
"Nonsense, there was too much blood on the scene of their duel belonging to Ichimaru. Even if he was still alive, Ichimaru would be the one with the most after-effects of the duel."
Like Byakuya, Yamamoto was concerned that it may have been Gin's deception. That could change the situation entirely. In case, it would be unclear to some. At this point, he couldn't exclude an intervention in Hueco Mundo. Strategically speaking, it would make the most sense. It would be expected. A rescue team could follow in Hitsugaya's steps, and they will take care of the rest from their end. That was a possibility. But honestly, if Gin Ichimaru was already dead, the survival of Rangiku Matsumoto wouldn't be essential to the overall success of the mission. They could just focus on eradicating the Primeros, stopping those thugs for good from trying to free Aizen.
From his wide armchair, Genryūsai nodded absentmindedly before reviewing his troops. Well, he never expected this to all play out like he wanted to anyway. It had been a gamble. True, Hitsugaya Toshiro was the perfect candidate. He made the most sense. He was close enough to the object of affection of the target to unsettle him and take advantage. He had enough potential. Maybe he underestimated his own attachment to Matsumoto. Maybe he didn't. True, he knew there was a possibility Hitsugaya would try to go and rescue his lieutenant himself. Perhaps he even counted on it at some point. Nothing could motivate a soldier more than a desperate situation. It worked for him either way. It's not like he had a perfect scenario in his head where Matsumoto survived this without damage. He saw the bigger pictures, and he foresaw an outcome satisfying enough that it cancels all the risks. He had a war to win. With Gin dead, he had a clear road to victory. Yet, without Hitsugaya here, he couldn't confirm Gin was actually dead. It was a problem. The uncertainty factor was always something to be wary off when on campaign.
He surveyed the room again. Two were missing the call. Abarai Renji was still bedridden. Hitsugaya had deserted. There were also wounded. This was the case of Kuchiki-Taicho. He thought he was so smooth with it, but he could see that Byakuya was slightly dragging his left leg. He also avoided using his right hand. Did he believe he could deceive him? These kids!
Yamamoto suppressed a grunt of impatience. Dengeki-Taicho seemed preoccupied. He stroked his beard slowly. He did not know her enough to get an idea of her daily concerns. However, children must remain children. So, she shouldn't fool herself too. He knew that Izuru-fukutaicho was still in surgery after his foolish but brave attempt to stop Ichimaru. It seemed to be a source of distraction enough that she would longingly stare at the door at times, reaching she was anywhere but there. Her years in the Kido Corps had cultivated her individuality, he knew. The "Necromancers." That's how the Kido Corps member call themselves were people of a different kind. Mostly pragmatic people, cold-blooded people, disciplined people, eager to serve people, focused on their craft, and harnessing power. It was a fiercely competitive place, especially since Hachigen Ushôda's departure. It was easy to see why the young woman had all the trouble in the world to insert herself into the Gotei, which formed even with their dissensions, a great dysfunctional family.
Jūshirō was tired. Usually, he was the one who showed the most enthusiasm in the discussions, but the dark circles under his eyes betrayed him. He hadn't slept last night, which meant that Shunsui and Unohana were probably also worried by his side.
The old man turned his head towards Shunsui. They exchanged a knowing look. Shunsui was the only one who could follow his trail of thinking. He was the only one among them who genuinely realize that to lead tough decisions needed to be made, corners were to be cut, life could be sacrificed. It was the exercise of power. He was accepting. He was going to do the right thing to make up for the weaknesses of his best friend beside him.
Yet the situation was worrying to Yamamoto. Jūshirō did not rest since the beginning of this whole debacle… He realized burdening Jūshirō with the Secret of Ichinose's father's death wasn't the most generous thing he could have done. It weighed on him to have to keep a secret. He avoided looking at Byakuya. Unohana was also preoccupied... He couldn't tell if it was the death of one of the originals that made her sad, or the memories this death invokes in her. He knew that, like Jūshirō, she would never admit it. She was exhausted. Like Jūshirō, she was somewhat fragile.
Kurotsuchi was upset about a situation he did not control. You would have thought it was a good thing. But an upset Kurotsuchi was as dangerous as a happy and fulfilled Kurotsuchi. Displeased, he let himself go to arrogance. Arrogance would lead him to make mistakes. Errors were not acceptable.
Komamura was always in the mood for a just fight. He could thank his faithful friend for making it so easy for him.
With the discovery of the traitor in the ranks of the second division, Soi Fon was in the mood to start a bonfire. Yes, that was probably a good thing.
The conversation refocused around Dengeki, Ukitake, and Kyouraku.
Zaraki Kenpachi scratched his ear, showing the first signs of impatience. Ah! Yes, the impatience of this man was a double-edged knife. It could pacify him as much as it could trigger him. Genryūsai decided to ignore it because the battle would start soon enough.
She was missing. Where was the captain of the fifth? Had she disobeyed a gathering order? No, Suki-chan was there. Hidden between Shunsui and Komamura, Keikosuki Ichinose gesticulated nervously from one foot to the other. By isolating the other sounds in the room, Yamamoto could hear her little heart beating and each intake of breath. Furiously, it banged in her chest, and her reiatsu spread from her in jerky inconsistent flow. Keikosuki-chan! She never changed. What could he do with her?
"We have to find a new strategy. Now that Hitsugaya has deserted our ranks ..."
"What is the procedure?" Dengeki asked. "Should Captain Hitsugaya be considered a traitor?"
A few grimaces in the audience and several raised eyebrows. Dengeki asked the question with no doubt her lieutenant in mind. He had disobeyed the rules by going against Gin Ichimaru and suffered a stinging defeat. What was the attitude towards this type of behavior?
Of course, Hitsugaya still had the confidence of most present. The question was taboo. Yamamoto understood it well. Since they all preferred to wait for his verdict before pronouncing themselves, he took the floor.
"Any breach of the rules and non-respect of the hierarchy will not be tolerated. Nevertheless, the past has taught us that in times of crisis, the decision-making could not suffer the slowness of the administration. It should be noted that it was I, who asked Captain Hitsugaya to confront Ichimaru. We will, therefore, wait for him to observe the development of events. Finally, it seems to me imperative to change strategy."
They all exchanged a surprised look. Shunsui and Jūshirō nodded approvingly. Kuchiki Byakuya frowned. Yamamoto looked around the room before getting up. The reactions were not slow to burst on all sides.
"Sotaicho, we are almost ready!" Komamura wondered. "Is it wise?"
"As wise as the prophetic words of a mad man. " He replied whimsically.
"It is clear that the actions undertaken by Hitsugaya have changed the game a little. But changing strategy at the last minute?" Shunsui said.
"We will join Hitsugaya in the Hueco Mundo?" Kurotsuchi asked, suddenly very interested.
" I volunteer!" Zaraki exclaimed. That's all he ever heard of this conversation.
"We lost in the past. We were defeated because the enemy knew how we work so intimately it was easy for them to predict our next move. Aizen was an extraordinary foe to beat. But we did… His Primeros are less calculating. Their name almost gives away how primitive, savage, and brutal they are. Their strike was swift and direct. It was spontaneous. They don't follow a plan. They follow something more dangerous than that. Their heart. Their instinct. Repeating past actions will only lead us to failure, trust me."
He walked between his lines of captain for dramatic effect.
"This is their weakness. The enemy is as vulnerable as us now. This is why the second phase of their operation has not started. At first, I thought we should take this time to rebuild and get our strength back. But then I thought long about it. We are both vulnerable at the time. It means we must seize this moment. It is important that we hit hard. We must put pressure on their neck."
He hit the ground with his cane the first time. Suki jumped at once and stepped back behind Shunsui.
"Quickly end this."
Jūshirō and Shunsui nodded. It made sense. They expected this kind of reaction from the Sotaicho. He hit the ground again with his cane and stood in front of Keikosuki. He smirked like the devil.
"How will we do that, you ask?"
He leaned forward as if he was having an apparté with just the captain of the fifth division.
"We are going to get these pests out of their hole, set a trap and we will exterminate them one by one. Captain Ichinose, you will be on the front line. You will lead the assault."
Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight It must've been something you said I just died in your arms tonight
The response from all the captains was not long in coming. There was an immediate rumor rising in the room, filled by their unanimous protests. Byakuya's face was closed off. He looked about ready to secede from the union. Zaraki thought how the hell did Suki make it to the frontline before him. How did that happen? What were they discussing earlier? Soi Fon was shaking a head in disbelief. No way she was gonna take orders from this newcomer. Dengeki and Mayuri were protesting loudly. They did most of the work. Why must the laziest profit? Komamura and Unohana remained stoic. Jūshirō and Shunsui were chuckling, trying to stifle their laughter in the middle of the protest, like two teenagers in the back of the classroom. They drank their ass off earlier with Nanao in prevision of such nonsense. They were glad it finally worked and they were fully prepared for the Sotaicho's bout of dementia. It was just like Shunsui said. There was zero chance in hell they were going to approve of Yamamoto's plan. Wasn't that funny?
Keikosuki Ichinose, alone, was too shocked to speak. She only opened her eyes wide with terror and hiccupped.
Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight It must been some kind of kiss I should have walked away, I should have walked away
Next chapter = Inception or The Dreamcatcher