-47-
Save Her /Him/ Them
Byakuya Kuchiki
Captain of the Sixth Division
28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan
Brother of Kuchiki Rukia
Widower
Except for his ever-expanding feelings for this woman, he could fight fearlessly against a number of things.
If Kyouraku and Ukitake, like two gossips, had continued to scrutinize Ichinose's preparation, Byakuya had quickly abandoned his observation post to talk with his vice-captain. He was still shocked to have raised his voice in the captain council. Perhaps shocked was the wrong word. It was not the first time that he had publicly disavowed the captain. But maybe he never did it quite so publicly before! He was a bit embarrassed at his outburst. Yet, what's with this idea of throwing this particular woman on the front line? He could cope to her fighting as a backup, but this… It was way too extreme. It was way too risky.
He refused to be distracted this time around. It was Yamamoto's decision. He will deal with the consequences. The only good thing was that Karakura was out of reach in Yamamoto's new plan. It meant Rukia, who was still recovering there, would also be out of reach. So, it's not like he couldn't be objective and open-minded about this. Attracting the enemy to the Seireitei in a trap was quite brilliant. Counting on Keikosuki to do this was the only thing he disagreed with.
He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, remembering the bruises on her neck from her first battle. He clutched his fist. He had to clear his mind.
"I don't like war. I hate fighting. I didn't want to be a captain. My father made me do it. It's complicated…"
He hadn't let her finish then. It was already clear in his mind that she didn't belong on the battlefield. But she said she was doing this for her father. Her father made her do this. What kind of tyrannical father would put his daughter in that kind of position all for the sake of a promise?! What kind of man would leave this place, commit the irreparable, abandon his daughter, at the dawn of a pivotal moment in her life?! She was going to lose everything because of an empty promise to her presumed dead man. How stupid! Except! Byakuya froze. Except he did exactly the same thing once. He tried to fulfill a promise even if it was killing him inside. The captain of the sixth division turned his attention once more toward Keikosuki Ichinose. He hesitated. Should he tell her the truth now?
A boiling warm reiatsu was approaching. He spun around in astonishment because he almost failed to recognize the Vice-Captain Hinamori. The girl handed Shane two ceramic amphoras.
Hard to believe that this girl was the same who was just recovering out of a long coma a couple of weeks earlier? Has it been that long?
Hinamori seemed focused and determined.
She...
Wore ...
A black Kimono ...
Just...
like...
Her…
Captain…
Byakuya scanned his surroundings. All female members of the Fifth Division had swapped the standard shinigami uniform for a simple black kimono. The men pushed large tubs of viscous liquids onto carts.
Shunsui and Jūshirō exchanged a questioning look.
"Kyouraku-Taicho, Ukitake-Taicho, Kuchiki-Taicho, I must help you prepare according to the orders of the Sōtaicho and Ichinose-Taicho. You should coat yourself as much as possible with this ointment."
Ukitake dipped his fingers in the black ointment and smelled it. He winced.
"What's that?"
Momo just smiled enigmatically. Hinamori Momo knew how to be scary.
"It smells dreadful, Momo-chan."
"It's called Dorīmukyasuto. It has a terrible smell, it's true. I think you get used to it after a while. Sōtaicho nevertheless ordered all the soldiers to coat themselves with it. It is a powerful natural anti-poison."
"An anti-poison? Why would we need an anti-poison?"
Jūshirō exchanged another look with Shunsui. The latter raised an eyebrow. Don't ask him.
"I simply meant that this will reduce the effects of Captain Ichinose's bankai greatly."
"Suki-chan's bankai, is that impressive? Right, last time was..."
"An honest disaster." Shunsui finished.
Byakuya turned. Did he hear them, right? Did they know about this? But Jūshirō and Shunsui barely shrugged, rubbing the ointment tentatively on their skin. It smelled like spoiled fish and trash in general. It was pure torture for the senses.
"That's not the question. Is this supposed to spare us the countereffects?"
"Jūshirō…"
"I don't like taking medications I don't need," Jūshirō whispered.
Kyouraku sniffed the strange ointment in turn and grunted. He grabbed the amphora with both hands.
"I'm way to sober for this. What do you say we're going to fetch that last bottle in my office? We can make it back before it starts." Shunsui said, throwing the bottle over his head.
"So not reasonable but so necessary…"
Both captains disappeared in a shunpo, living behind an even more puzzled Byakuya. Shane put his hands in the tub and rubbed his arms, face, and legs without hesitation. He and Momo exchanged a knowing wink. Shane extended the infamous mixture to his captain. Byakuya smelled the thing. That woman must have been joking. He knew she couldn't be serious for one minute. She was pranking everyone. There was no way he could rub this on his skin. It was a prank. There was no other way.
But Momo Hinamori was waiting expectantly, so Byakuya slowly took off his gloves and pretended to start rubbing some on his left arm to please the vice-captain. Now, that devilish woman turned sweet Momo Hinamori into her personal evil henchmen. It was almost hilarious if it wasn't so disturbing. Byakuya wanted to laugh in his confusion. He wanted to cry. He was always oscillating between his desire to choke her to death or fucking applaud her cunningness. She made him crazy with all her antics.
Momo turned on her heels, satisfied, and went to join her captain, who had taken up quarters on a patch of lawn. Without taking his eyes off the two young women, Byakuya took off his gloves and plunged his hands into the tank. When Shane suggested that he get rid of his scarf and his haori in order to coat himself properly with the pestilential substance, Byakuya sent his vice-captain a vicious, murderous glare in answer and left him there. They shouldn't push it!
Momo approached Suki, still sprawled in the garden.
"Suki-Taicho, it's time. Everybody is just waiting for you."
Suki sighed before getting up. She dusted her long black kimono thoroughly. Momo helped her clean a couple of leaves in her hair.
"Momo did you ..."
"I bathe myself in it. I trust you, Taicho."
Keikosuki took her lieutenant's hands in hers. She sniffed them gently with an awful grimace.
"I hate that smell."
They burst out laughing.
"It's quite ... terrible indeed!" Momo said with a smile.
Keikosuki opened her eyes wide at the realization.
"Momo-chan, it's really an ideal day to wear a kimono."
Momo smiled.
"Of course, captain. It's Friday."
Suki nodded gently.
"Are you scared, captain?" Momo asked as she realized Suki's hands were shivering in hers.
There was an awkward pause.
"Momo, I'm terrified. But you know what? Knowing I have such a brave vice-captain by my side… It makes me a little bit brave too. I think. I think daddy will like it… that I can do this. He will like it."
Letting go of her vice-captain, Suki Ichinose took a deep breath.
Both women froze. In one swift motion, the fifth squad shifted in march position. They all stood behind their captain as one. 75 soldiers. Not one more. Not one less. Suki almost recoiled at the suddenness of their movement. She was surprised when Hinamori took over for her.
"Fifth squad! Today is a grand day for us! A glorious day for us! Today we show the Seireitei, our dedication, our love, our willingness to sacrifice it all to protect all the wonderful things it stands for! I don't wanna hear tomorrow that we weren't here today! I don't wanna hear there was even one doubt we were standing today! We are a family! We will show everyone there is no doubt we are standing as one! So March now! March! To your position!"
The fifth division moved as one cohesive unit. Their legs moved in perfect timing, synchronized by an unheard beat. With each step, the quiet regular sound of the shoes on the cemented floor was like the warning thunder of a coming storm.
Momo turned to Suki with a wink.
"Thank you, Momo! That was great!"
They walked slowly up the great alley toward the Senkaimon, making their way around the crowd of soldiers present.
"Please…Stand aside for Captain Ichinose." Momo said.
The soldiers respectfully deviated from her path. The captains arrived one after the other. Jūshirō and Shunsui were first, looking extremely tense. Soi Fon, Komamura, Dengeki, and Zaraki were next. At last, Yamamoto and his Vice-captain shunpoed in the center. Genryūsai encouraged Suki-Chan to take her place with a gentle nod.
"Did you all put on Dorīmukyasuto? If not, you still have a couple of minutes to do so!" Momo yelled. "May I remind you that this ointment is entirely organic and hypoallergenic! It does wonder for the complexion afterward! So don't hesitate! Okay? Thank you for your help! Captain? You can go!"
Byakuya reluctantly joined the others. He should have volunteered to monitor Karakura with Unohana and Kurotsuchi. Instead, he was forced to attend this sham ... It couldn't be called a strategy. She was going to get herself killed.
He unintentionally met her eyes and looked away almost immediately. She was going to get killed today. Keikosuki waited until Byakuya found a place between Zaraki Kenpachi and Shane Terashima.
"Captain ..."
"I'm not ready, Momo," Suki muttered.
Of course, Kuchiki-sama avoided her gaze. He knew better than anyone that she made a poor soldier in general.
"I believe in you. Captain, you can do it because you walked to the scaffold every day ... You survived. You tried. My Captain is fearless." Momo said. "Together, we will put Aizen and his henchmen out of harm's way. I know you can do it."
Suki hesitated. A hesitant glow also cast a shadow in Momo's eyes.
"I believe in you, Captain." She repeated.
She moved backward. Suki pushed a strand of rebellious hair over her face and silently pleaded with the Commander-General one last time.
"We are waiting." He simply said.
" I ... "
She faced all the captains present.
"I've never used Persephone like this. You understand ... Sōtaicho ..."
"That isn't quite true, is it? You already did once Keikosuki. You can do it again."
"Sōtaicho ..."
"Everything will be fine this time ... Ichinose-Taicho. Go ahead."
"If I couldn't wake up…"
After a short silence, Yamamoto replied.
"Hopefully, we don't have to get there, my dear. Persephone is today the most powerful of the illusionist zanpakutō in the entire sanctuary. Your zanpakutō is the only one who can manipulate dreams and sensations on such a scale of space and time. Furthermore, once it latched on his prey, I recall it never let go. The ultimate weapon."
Byakuya held his breath. Suki was afraid of not being able to wake up. She was scared... of not waking up. She turned toward him. He knew he was going to regret what he was about to do because it was tearing him apart to have to watch her stand there, in a place she didn't belong. They stared at each other. He nodded, encouraging her. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth open. He nodded firmly again. Do your best, Keikosuki. She nodded.
"Very well. I beg your pardon all of you. The experience will be very unpleasant, Sōtaicho, even for you."
"I can handle it, little girl." He grinned like an old fox.
Most Epic Music Ever: Lacrimosa
Suddenly, Suki grabbed her fan. She snapped open the tessen in the air. A gust of wind swept the place. She snapped it open once more. Another gust of wind swept the area like a storm. She looked at the sky and opened the Tessen once more.
"Taberu Perusepone."
Another gust blew into the audience, and each time the storm was growing in intensity. Hair in his eyes, Byakuya frowned. Soi Fon covered her face with one hand. Dengeki bowed her head to protect herself from the dust. Wielding the growing fan in her hand expertly, she started to dance with it in the middle of the courtyard, much like she did during her proficiency exam.
Electricity sizzled in the air. The earth was shaking, each step she took. The Senkaimon was undulating in front of her, its door closed. Suki spun around gracefully on tiptoe, concentrating on the door. The fan whipped back and forth. She suddenly stood still, her eyes staring at the Senkaimon. People were starting to faint in the back, soldiers without a seat mostly. Like a massive wall of silence fell over the Seireitei as they waited with bated breath. Black ink flooded her left eye for the space of a second. The grounds shook and cracked open underneath her feet. She let go of all restraints. A green reiatsu blast swept over the entire Seireitei. Byakuya looked at Shane. He was feeling the weight of her reiatsu, crushing his neck, invading his brain like venom, just like that time when she fed him just a teaspoon of it. True, his vice-captain looked just about to faint.
The soldiers with a seat immediately backed off, put off by one massively powerful reiatsu.
In an obscene commotion, the ground cracked on both sides of the square. The soldiers began to fidget behind them in earnest. Ukitake turned to reassure his men but asked them to back away as much they could. Shunsui helped an unbalanced Dengeki not fall into a crack in the ground. The Tessen had grown to mesmerizing proportion above their head. She kept twirling on herself. Mirroring her dance, the tessen spun in the air, Byakuya made no move as Shane tried to calm the sixth division. He turned to Byakuya. He needed to back off with the squad, but he was hesitating to leave his captain behind. Gritting his teeth to stand through the pressure, Byakuya nodded. Shane disappeared.
"Hold your positions, Captains ! Be enduring!" The Sōtaicho howled, leaning on his cane.
The ranks of captains re-formed behind him. That insane reiatsu! It was sizzling in the air. It reminded Byakuya. He frowned. It reminded him of Ichigo in its instability. The electric charge exploded like a firework. Slowing down, she stood like a dancer with grace, staring with dead empty eyes at the Senkaimon.
She stood there, motionless, staring at the senkaimon with absent eyes. Byakuya clenched his fists when he realized he knew that look. His heart skipped a beat. He could see Suki topple over the breakfast table again. She ... wasn't going. It was impossible. A carrier could not lose consciousness without it affecting its zanpakutō. Suki spun around again, in the opposite direction, like a broken ballerina on a music box. She whirled and whirled on herself. There was indeed an effect on Persephone. That's why she refused to sleep.
The young woman's gaze continued to empty of all its substance. Suki-chan was on the verge of falling asleep. Byakuya's mouth was dry.
As if crossed by a shock wave, the universe rippled in front of them ... The gray sky turned sepia and yellow. Each movement of her Tessen painted their reality with the colors of despair. Lightning streaked across the sky. Holding his sakkat with one hand, Shunsui gripped his zanpakutō firmly.
"What is happening?"
"She's ... She's getting there! It's extraordinary! He is coming out! We're in it! A bankai!" Sasakibe shouted, totally elated by what he was seeing. "Like when she was a little girl ... Sōtaicho? She can really do it."
Yamamoto said nothing in return.
"Suki!"
"No, I won't calm down! I want to play, have fun chasing butterflies, talk about cute boys, count the clouds. I don't want to work. I don't want to prepare for a stupid fight! I don't want to fight!"
"Suki?"
"My friend told me I don't have to if I don't want to."
"Your friend? Which friend? Suki, what are you saying?"
"Persephone told me not to say anything."
"How could you hide that from me? It's me, Natsuki."
"I didn't say anything to Natsuki-chan because she always tells the grown-ups on me. She's never on my side."
The blonde's eyes widened in horror as she realized.
"You know the name of your zanpakutō, Keikosuki. That's… huge. That's…"
Keikosuki shrugged.
"Well, yes, we are friends! He likes a lot of things like Suki-chan! He is very kind like Suki-chan. He doesn't mean to hurt people on purpose like Suki-chan. He just likes playing and eating…He wouldn't hurt people if he was left alone! He just changes things when ...people are mean… when Suki-chan is sad. He just makes things better for everyone. He makes everything nice and fun."
" Suki ... With your reiatsu ... You don't control anything, do you? I'm going to call Sensei!"
" No! I said, no ! Persephone also says no! He's hungry. You make him angry! And he says no! We both say no!"
Natsuki stepped back, hands trembling. She watched black ink spilled in the eyes of her younger sister.
" Suki, you are scaring me."
"Don't be scared. It will be like a dream. We change things like in a dream. It will be like a dream. You will see. You like this. You don't remember. Nobody remembers it but ... But Natsuki loves it when I change things because Natsuki-chan can finally be herself in those dreams. She doesn't have to watch over Suki anymore. She doesn't have to worry."
"You use your Zanpakutō on me?!"
"You won't remember a thing. It's gonna be perfect again."
"Suki, drop your weapon."
"Persephone and I, we get along well. He is my best friend in the whole world. We made a pact."
Suki nodded.
"Oh, my God! Suki, I hurt Sen and Ayaka-san because of you. I thought I was in love. What did you do?"
" It was an accident. Wait, I'll fix everything, Natsuki. I don't know how it works, but… Don't cry! BANKAI ..."
Before the little girl went further, she found herself engulfed in a circle of fire, the flames of Ryujin Jakka. She could only scream at the pain.
Yamamoto looked up at the sky, which took on yellowish tones. From its refuge inside his Mistress' Tessen, Persephone roared angrily. The pillars of the square tremble. Its reiatsu sweeping everything in its path, the gigantic doors of the Senkaimon vibrated loudly. Thousands of ghosts escaped from her fan and rushed to the sky to form a macabre circle above her. Suki's eyelids grew heavier as she slowed her movements, the fan picked up speed. Soon, it was the only visible sphere in the sky as if it replaced the sun.
One of the ghosts caught Yamamoto's attention. Of course, if the antidote made them safe from certain death. It did not prevent the hallucinogenic effects of Keikosuki Ichinose's Bankai. She remained one of his most gifted students. Yamamoto frowned when he recognized one of the Seireitei's worst enemies, the man who had attempted to murder him once, Keikosuki Ichinose's first husband.
Like a shooting star as soon as he saw him, he disappeared in the crowd of soldiers. The old man's eyes filled with unshed tears.
"What are you seeing, Kuchiki? I can't see shit in this weather." Zaraki groaned.
Byakuya frowned, conflicted.
"You don't see, Zaraki."
"What?"
Byakuya couldn't find the words. He, therefore, chooses to remain silent. With shaky legs, Suki began to seriously rock back and forth. The ghost hovered in all directions, like afterthoughts, they stopped next to each soldier and captains. Their number was proportional to the number of soldiers gathered in front of the Senkaimon. A few seconds later, there was nothing proportionate in their tenfold increase.
Her heartbeat was slowing down. Several soldiers immediately fell, paralyzed by this overpowering reiatsu. The right pillar which supported the arch of the door growled before coming off. The Senkaimon opened, bathing the courtyard in scarlet light. The Seireitei sirens sounded immediately. Another earthquake and the door threatened to collapse directly on Suki. Byakuya left his position in a shunpo and called Senbonzakura. The ensuing explosion added to the surrounding confusion. Thousands of Senbonzakura petals floated in the air, reducing the debris to dust.
"Ku ... chiki-sama ..."
Suki opened her eyes. He saw relief flood her olive-colored pupils.
"Kuchiki-Sama ..."
She yawned. She was suddenly so exhausted. Her eyes were closing. Byakuya tried to take a step towards her but was violently propelled back by an invisible barrier. He remained prostrate on the ground, dizzy. What the others had not been able to see, he had seen. In the eyes of Suki-chan paraded the dreams and nightmares of all the soldiers present. Fear ... Their fear ... He had seen it all in her eyes. She was going to digest all their worries.
"I'm sorry ... Persephone… is ready now…" Suki mumbled before closing her eyes again.
"Don't fall asleep!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Ichinose-Taicho!"
A sincere tear swept across her face. She was collapsing, the ground approaching rapidly. A cruel voice, an inhuman voice with sadistic tonality sounded in all the Seireitei.
"Bankai. Saigo sankō [1]. »
Unbalanced, Byakuya knelt on one knee while the monster's tail came out of the fan to embrace his mistress tightly.
" What...in the hell is this thing?!"
Dengeki looked up to the sky, horrified.
"The fuck is that?" Soi Fon said.
"Is this the real power of Suki-chan?" Shunsui muttered.
"I'm going to be sick," Jūshirō said.
"Fuck me! That's not a bankai! That's a fucking monster!" Madarame hissed while Zaraki Kenpachi burst out with a mad laugh.
" Fucking Reiatsu! I love that crazy woman!"
Frozen on the spot, Byakuya could not take his eyes off the young woman, ensnared by her monster's tail. It was like watching a disaster unfold. A gust of wind brought down an already weakened pillar. Komamura broke it with his fist, preventing five men from ending crushed underneath.
The metallic roar of the second door of the Senkaimon preceded its forced opening. The energy there was in this woman. Byakuya kneeled before it in defeat. I'm not a very good soldier. My father made me do it. I was so hungry when I woke up…
Tearing the imaginary canvas of the fan, Persephone finally showed the tip of his muzzle. It had nothing to do with what he had caught a glimpse off during his duel with the Primeros. The Monitor Lizard was as tall as a skyscraper, and each step he took outside her fan shook the ground.
Momo backed away from Shane.
"Per ... sephone ... It's Persephone. Ichinose-Taicho is doing this?"
Shane was forced to agree even if he was just as shocked. She was the same person who had prepared their breakfast on a mission and who was packing bento for her soldiers.
Byakuya stared at the sky in turn, frozen. The world ... The Seireitei had changed color ... Where were they? They were in her bankai ... Suki's bankai. Her reiatsu has such a magnitude. He was swallowing his last words. He had never seen such a large bankai. She had plunged the Seireitei into her bankai.
With a new growl, the monitor lizard pulled entirely out of the fan. He was ten times taller than what he only caught a glimpse of. He was also more threatening. With one movement of one of its three tails, the beast sharply cut all the pillars halfway up. The second tail lifted Suki into the air and placed her lifeless body on a patch of fur around his neck. The third tail, fitted with scorpion hooks, grazed the ground in search of prey without hesitation. Put off by the smell of Dorīmukyasuto, she went straight toward the only other stubborn person in the assembly. Senbonzakura immediately blocked the tail in a clash of reiatsu. Byakuya looked up at the monster, angrily. Persephone scrutinized the crowd swarming between his paws with greed.
"This time, you could say that she has outdone herself, my lovely Suki-chan. All of this for me."
The creature showed his golden fangs to the captains.
Between two roars, he licked his muzzle. Unveiling a row of sharp golden canines, Persephone suddenly leaned toward Byakuya and sniffed him. Byakuya did not move a millimeter behind Senbonzakura. Meanwhile, its third tail still forced the petal wall.
"Kuchiki Byakuya. We finally meet. Suki-chan told me so much about you."
This thing could speak. He couldn't get over how this thing could talk like it had a mind of its own. Byakuya continued to look condescendingly at the creature.
"What a delicious fragrance you give off! Delicious!"
The animal took another step towards him. He left a footprint in the ground the size of a soccer field with each step. The corpulence of the animal offered them intimacy from the battlefield.
"Let her wake up."
"It was she who called me. She knows the deal."
"A zanpakutō should be controlled by its master. Not the other way around."
The lizard snickered.
"I have no master, Kuchiki Byakuya."
Senbonzakura alerted him first, forming an instinctive barrier around him. There was another explosion of reiatsu. The ground shook again. Attracted by the waves of Persephone, hundreds of Hollows came through the door; at the same time, and with a single movement of its ravenous mouth, Persephone devoured nearly a third in one mouthful. Senbonzakura cut just as much. Byakuya moved quickly like the other captains joining the fight.
It was at this time that hundreds of Barruk passed the door of the Seireitei in search of a certain Suki.
"Where are you, you whore? I'm going to destroy you!" Enzo's brother growled.
"They are here. It worked. "Sasakibe breathed. "General! They took the bait!"
Yamamoto remained on his guard. He counted mainly on the presence of the leader of the Primeros. But this would do… Persephone's preys always remains at his mercy despite the distance as long as its poison ran through their veins.
Persephone licked his lips before the enemy. The monitor lizard roared again with a deep voice.
"Suki-chan is absent for the moment. Please leave a message. I will take care of the rest."
One of the Barruk stepped forward.
"You!"
"I hadn't finished supper last time. So, let's have a toast again."
Persephone said as he gobbled Barruk in one swift go.
A chill running down his spine, Byakuya turned back to face a ghost. The threat looked familiar to him. Her brown hair waved in the wind. Senbonzakura petals fell apart in front of her. Hisana smiled.
"It's been a long time, Byakuya-sama."
This Ghost from the past... Impossible…
Without realizing, he bridged the distance between them.
"Hisana."
"I want a life. I did not deserve to die so young. I deserve to have a life, Byakuya-sama with you and my sister."
Byakuya let the creature snuggle into his half-open arms.
"Hisana."
Grimmjow Jeaggerjacques
Espada n ° 6 "Sexta."
Proud Director of the "Ant, Cockroach, and Midge" Circus
He was always the ultimate contender. He was the unexpected champion.
Tōshirō crashed into the Espadas' banquet table so hard that he ricocheted off the marble surface to knock against one of the walls. The captain fell face down on the ground, breathless, his face swollen.
"Look who I found snooping in the west wing," Grimmjow said.
Archer jumped from his perch and crossed the room.
"A shinigami. So it was him that I felt earlier."
" A captain." Grimmjow corrected. "Where's Enzo? He should be warned ..."
" I'm here."
Enzo pushed open the door with one of his disproportionate hands and appeared on the threshold of the great hall. He studied Grimmjow carefully before turning to his most loyal acolytes.
"Are we ready, Moon?"
"Absolutely. Only one thing is missing. A Donor... I don't propose myself, of course."
"Where are Barruk and Mortis?"
Moon turned to Archer. He shrugged back. Enzo winced comically.
"Go and tell them we're ready to go!"
The two Primeros hesitated. They headed for the exit at the same time.
"You don't need to be two to do this. Are you kidding me? Do you ever think?"
Archer remained frozen in his tracks, and Moon continued on her way.
"So you have a package for me, Grimmjow?
Grimmjow shrugged and pointed to the limp body beneath the marble debris. Enzo took a few steps around the room before coming to rest above Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He did not hide his absolute disappointment.
"I see."
"Man, hide your enthusiasm."
"It's not Ichimaru. Why is it not Ichimaru?" He said, raising one eyebrow.
"Why this obsession with Ichimaru? I'm bringing you a captain on a platter ..."
"I don't care about this type of distraction. I want Ichimaru."
"Gin Ichimaru won't come. He is dead."
Enzo winced even more.
"It's impossible!"
"The runt told me right before I kicked his teeth in. His commander ordered him to execute Ichimaru. You have before you the captain of the tenth division, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. In-person!"
In a sudden gesture that Grimmjow had not predicted, Enzo had picked up a block of marble and crushed it on the body of the mosquito that had ruined his plans in a savage move. Grimmjow pulled away abruptly before catching Enzo by the arm before he knocked Hitsugaya down again. Enzo raised a second eyebrow and let out a groan.
"He came for the blonde. It's his lieutenant!"
He didn't know why he said that. It was the first thing that came to his mind.
The annoyance gave way to fascination. Enzo got rid of the block of stone and broke free from Grimmjow's grip with a demented smile.
"No way! Tōshirō Hitsugaya here?!"
Enzo turned to Geren Koshinko, who had just entered the room. The ex-third seat of the second division confirmed Grimmjow's words unwittingly.
" Go get the blonde!"
"He's probably here for her!"
"Good, go get her."
Geren immediately set off for Barragan's suite. Enzo grinned.
"Yes, I guess if Captain-san wants to see his protégé, I can only oblige. [MR1] Maybe he will be kind enough to describe the last moments of Ichimaru ... yes ... yes ... that's it!"
Grimmjow grabbed Tōshirō by the arm and made him sit on a chair. The captain of the tenth division tipped forward, still unconscious.
" Enzo, if I understand correctly, in the absence of Ichimaru or Ulquiorra, we are in need of a donor." Archer intervened.
"It's not that important."
"Of course, it is important. The whole operation is based on ... opening the door ... And to open the door, we need the key ... The key needs someone strong to wield it… We can't ... Enzo, I'm talking to you."
The Primeros no longer seemed to listen to them.
"Enzo, I think ..."
"You want a Donor?"
Enzo crossed the room in two strides. Grabbing the little shinigami by his mop of hair, he lifted him into the air without the slightest effort.
"There's your donor! You are going to piss me off for a long with details nobody gives a fuck about! All those who take the side of this blonde skank will be my bloody donors! If you interrupt me again, I risk making a confusion, Archer!"
Archer wisely backed away.
"Grimmjow, did he say where I could find Ichimaru's remains? I would like to pay for my last tributes to my dear friend."
Grimmjow frowned. He was spared the trouble of responding when Moon appeared again in the room, distressed.
" He left. They left. A bunch of level 1 hollows and twenty arrancars ... Our entire army ... He is gone. Barruk is no longer in his room."
Enzo let go, and Tōshirō fell limply back into his seat. Lolly and Menoly entered in turn at a run.
"Something is happening ! A Garganta is open! Why Barruk left in such a hurry?"
Enzo frowned.
"He left?"
Tōshirō could hear them speaking above him as he regained consciousness. But he continued to play dead. Geren reappeared with Rangiku in his arms.
"What is going on? Where did Mortis go? I just met him. He was in a hurry as if he was called somewhere."
"Barruk? He left? Impossible. My plan ! Is there no one to care about my plan?"
Using Sonido, Enzo left the room immediately. Geren hesitated before placing his burden on the table. He rushed after Enzo. Archer and Moon did the same a few seconds later, leaving Grimmjow and Tōshirō alone in the dining room.
Grimmjow made a face.
" Hey!"
Tōshirō straightened up, rubbing his swollen face. He replaced his dislocated shoulder with a grimace of pain before standing up.
" You didn't pull any punch, Espada."
"I had to put some conviction into it. Don't blame me!"
"For that, I believed you."
"Yeah, I'm a good actor. I have it in my blood. Midge's plan worked like clockwork. I don't know what she did ... But the diversion came at the right time."
At his words, Tōshirō looked up, then turned his head towards the table with an air of realization.
Rangiku.
Lying on the table, her hair scattered like a crown, she was so close. He had managed to find her. Gin, I found her! He eagerly drew Haineko. He just hoped it will be enough. He just hoped he made it in time.
The relief was short-lived. Tōshirō looked down. The blade of a dagger protruded from his chest. He had not felt it come in ... He had not felt the point of impact, but it was clear that the foreign body which was absolutely not there five seconds earlier was indeed there.
"Grimmjow! Traitor..."
Blood rushed down his throat. He felt the ground slip under his feet and barely had time to see Grimmjow fly across the room to hit the double doors. The Sixth Espada crashed back against the wall.
The blade left his refuge at the same time. Tōshirō fell face down.
"I really deserved to be a captain myself!" Geren snapped.
Geren stared at his two victims with contempt. He had only pretended to leave, erasing his spiritual imprint in the air, blurring their senses. There was no better assassin in the Seireitei than the members of the Onmitsukidō. They had learned from the best ... With the same ease as Shihouin Yoruichi leaned on Byakuya Kuchiki's arm, he had concealed his presence by perching with one hand on Grimmjow shoulder. The latter had only realized his presence at the last moment.
"I knew there was something going on here. I never trusted none of you not to complicate things. In other circumstances ... I would have been in the clan of the good guys, but I just choose to be in the clan of the winners because I have nothing more to lose. If Enzo-Sama doesn't have what he wants, neither can Geren. It's nothing personal."
" Motherfucker!" Grimmjow growled as he tried to stand.
He got hit from behind, that bastard! That is why he had taken part in Midge's plan without protesting too much. More than the shinigami, the Primeros and their allies represented a thorn in his foot. They have no standard! No battle or bloodshed was worth getting bothered by these treacherous blisters! Grimmjow tried to get up in vain. An opaque film veiled his pupils.
"Let me introduce to you my zanpakutō, Caîn. Its Shikai has the power to paralyze and kill any enemy ... Hollow or shinigami ... It distills the most perfect poison."
With a hoarse grunt, Grimmjow stopped fighting and started to convulse on the ground, foam in the mouth. Tōshirō kept his eyes trained on Rangiku. An opaque film sought to obscure his view. Or maybe he was losing consciousness? He was so out of it; he did not understand the phenomenon at the time. She was so still she did not look like the Rangiku he knew at all. Rangiku had always been exuberance ... and generosity ... Her giggles ... Her mischievous winks… She could pack the sun in a box, she was that powerful. A tear slid down his cheek. Haineko shone brightly before disappearing. He began to convulse in turn, with foam obstructing his throat.
[1] Saigo sankō: Last meal / Last massacre
Next chapter = Rising Dead
[MR1]
