I edited the hell out of these chapters from the French version. The French version can stand on its own, mind you. The story worked well. I believe that. Yet, it was taking me too long to install the additional elements of the universe needed to comprehend what's at stakes here, like the cosmic movements, the residual laws, and of course, everything that is related to the King. In this version, I started introducing a lot much sooner, and I'm much more transparent on the characters' backstory. Like this, I feel you are much more equipped in this version to understand where I'm going. I hope you will enjoy it.

-57-

Riding clouds

Rangiku Matsumoto

Vice-captain of the tenth division under the orders of Hitsugaya Tōshirō.

Friend of Kira Izuru, Shuhei Hisagi, Nanao Ise and Renji Abarai

Event Manager of the Shinigami Women's Association

Goddess of Gotei 13

She was always in control of her appearances and her exits; she had had a wonderful teacher.

Omaeda Fukutaicho had just died. Protecting her eyes from the blaring lights, Matsumoto gasped loudly as she fell on her knees. She was suddenly breathless. What's with the intensity in the air? Enzo had released her to go and fight against a shinigami she did not know. She should have been relieved. She knew she should have been. But when she recognized the Haori of the captain of the third division on that woman, dark thoughts started racing through her again. Did things change that much while she was asleep? She stood up groggily meanwhile pondering not for the first time how long she had slept? She retrieved Haineko from the floor and started to run, limping away as fast as she could.

"Hado no Hachijû Hachi, Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō."

Rangiku dared not turn around. She was propelled forward by the simple force of the blast, brutally crashing further. Who was that woman to launch Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raiho, the 88th way of destruction without any incantation with enough power to sweep the edge of the cliff and the left column of the old Sōkyoku? Finally, Rangiku turned around just as Enzo had materialized behind the new captain. Whoever she was? She was no match. That beast was already on her, stabbing her sadistically. Rangiku bolted again, trying to get to safe grounds. Failing miserably as she stumbled on the increasingly shaky grounds, her arms flailing in the air. She grabbed the feet of the pillar, steadying herself.

She wanted to cry at her own ineptness. She glided forward and fell again face first. She looked down at her seemingly twisted ankle with a grimace. Well, she did choose the perfect timing to play the newly awaken sleeping beauty. Good job, Rangiku! She looked behind her in horror. The Seireitei below was covered by a veil of flames and smoke. It looked nothing like the Seireitei she knew.

"Too slow."

With extreme savagery, Enzo impaled Dengeki on his spear and lifted her into the air like a trophy.

It was at this very moment that Rangiku realized that there was no way she could win this battle. She was so weak that she could not even call on her Shikai, so exhausted she wanted to lay down and go to sleep. Enzo was only having fun with her. He was only toying with her. It was as if that's all she ever did with that guy. Be his perfect little victim. When she was so much more… When she had been so much more… Her eyes filled with unwanted tears. It didn't matter now.

What good was it to flee? She would not go far in her condition. The Seireitei was succumbing to chaos. She looked up at the drawn gates in the sky. What about this thing? She was not even going to ask what that was all about. This problem was clearly out of her league. Everywhere she looked, she was met with a scene of chaos. Every particle in the air sizzled with electricity. A bead of sweat glued her uneven locks on her forehead. Hitsugaya-taicho. She couldn't feel him. They are dead. He is dead. She had to remind herself. Help wasn't coming, it seems. A chain broke in thousand pieces making such a racket, Rangiku had to cover her bleeding ears. She stared as it crashed on what was left of the third division. Kira. Was he okay?

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as it was raining where she stood. Gin's ghostly face appeared to her grinning mischievously. She remembered tiny insignificant details about his features. His eyes constantly narrowed to slits, rarely ever open enough to reveal their bright sky blue-color—his constant smirk. I honestly don't remember a time you were not in my life, Ran-chan. How long has it been? Come, Ran-chan. I'm disappointed. You should have held onto me a little longer. Rangiku-San, Shuhei-san helped you a lot. But you have to do it yourself. Iba-San is right. It is never good to rely too much on one's natural charms to advance in life. You can do a lot better. Start again. You love me, Rangiku. I love you, Gin. You want me. I want you, Gin. Come to me. I am so torn inside. Please come back! Please! Where are you? I'm right by your side. You left again! I will never leave you, I promise. Liar. Cause you live in my soul. I live in yours. Forever.

Bleach OST - On The Precipe Of Defeat

The noise that the captain of the third division had made upon hitting the ground was simply disgusting. She remembered Gin lying on the ground after Aizen tore his right arm, his life was already slipping away. Rangiku thought of the sickening noise her own body must have made in the past after they stripped her of reiatsu. After they stripped her of a part of her soul. She realized her chest was aching now because of how empty she suddenly felt. It all became clear then. What was missing… She turned toward Geren. Your lover is dead.

She watched the ghost of Gin fade and gasped.

Sweetheart, it's always going to be the two of us even when death does us apart. I won't ever let you rest in peace. You don't get to move on.

It was clear as crystal. He was gone. He really left. He really left her this time. She should have been prepared. But he didn't say goodbye. Trying to stifle her heavy moans with both hands, she howled in a silent cry. She wanted to crawl. She wanted to be buried. She wanted this pain to stop. She knew perfectly about this feeling. This emptiness… She knew how it felt when your inner world was imploding, trying to find its missing spark. She knew how it felt to be a victim of Fate. The chaos surrounding her now. This was nothing. She was empty. Her cries were hollow and silent. She wanted quiet. She wanted peace. She wanted him. She was silently crying.

Cause I live in your soul. You live in mine. Forever.

The rain stopped. Rangiku's sobs stopped just as abruptly as she recalled her time when they were both a bit more careless.

It was way past noon when Gin started to fidget on the porch.

"It's a beautiful day to ride the clouds. Let's go, I will teach you." He said, squeezing her puffy cheeks in the palms of his hand.

"What? You can do that? I can do that? We can do that?"

"Well, I'm not positive we can, but it will sure be fun to try. What's the worse that can happen, really?"

That wasn't exactly the reassurance she needed. Gin winked at her, looking every bit like someone desperate for trouble. She couldn't help giggling. He was so cute when he was conspiring to do something possibly forbidden.

"The clouds? In the sky?"

"Yup." He nodded again.

It's not like she didn't know he was crazy before. Since she met him, they did so many weird things together, including killing a hollow and pretending to be gods ruling over the realms. Her life hadn't known a second of respite ever since she met that little guy. She started to climb the mountain after him, following as he dashed through the forest.

"I fell from the sky once, Gin. I'm not really comfortable with the idea of doing it again. Sorry!" She said sweetly.

She positively killed him with all the sweetness in her voice. Yet, he wasn't about to let her get away, striking her forehead playfully twice with two fingers, eliciting a groan from her.

"Don't be a chicken. You never fell from the sky quite like this. It's going to be tons of fun. Not just anybody can ride the clouds. It takes special skills to do it. It takes courage! A certain amount of bravery!"

"You mean only crazy people do it!"

"Exactly!"

"Who taught you?"

"I taught myself, of course."

Gin shrugged proudly. Truth be told, he had no idea. That's why he seemed thoughtful for a minute trying to remember but then shrugged again, realizing it was answer enough he knew he was up to it. But if anything, all that didn't convince a young Rangiku to go and risk her sweet afterlife.

"I should have known not to take you seriously." She pouted.

"Rangiku…"

"I'm not going to blindly trust you and jump off a cliff. People can't ride clouds. I don't wanna die doing something silly I was not created to do." Ran said and waved goodbye, finishing her last piece of onigiri in one gulp. She headed toward their hut. He was quick to grab her.

"You were created for me. Didn't you say you would do anything for me?" He said.

She nodded reluctantly.

"Didn't you promise to be my one and only sweet little partner-in-crime till the end of times? Didn't you say we will always be together?"

She stood defiantly one hand on her hips.

"How long is that gonna be? When I said yes, I didn't imagine you will always pull that card and corner me into doing your bidding." She grumbled.

"Well, you should have seen it coming, I'm devious. Everybody knows I'm devious. I'm the Son of One big bad man, the God of Mischiefs, who once proclaims by Royal Decree that it's never too late in the day to do something he wants."

"Do something you want? By Royal Decree? What a joke! Gin, you're not even the King!"

"King is dead! Long live the King! Don't you know this saying? I could be the King if I wanted to. Anybody could be the King. You could be, but you will have to beat me first to it. You're so pretty. You could be my Queen, though. I will cherish you till the end of time."

"No way! The King is not dead! I heard he lives in a palace far away!"

"Who told you that lie?"

"Some women at the market. They say the shinigami work for him. They wouldn't work for him if he was dead, right?"

Gin crossed his arm over his chest, a bit irritated when she countered one of his most outlandish claims with pure logic.

"Like I said before I was rudely interrupted, it's never too late in the day to do something I want! Come, I will show you." He simply said.

Moments later, Rangiku was staring at the precipice, unconvinced. They were so high she could actually see some heavy curtains of clouds draping the mountain's flanks. Why did she always listen to that guy?

"Riding clouds, you say? Sounds like a death wish to me." She noted.

He grinned even more. She was so clever.

"Precisely. How did you know?"

"Will it be dangerous?"

"Extremely. That could be it… The end. Yet, I feel you need to know about this in case we got separated. Plus, someone told me once you always need a contingency plan. That's our contingency plan, Ran-chan."

"Contingency plan? Why would we need one?"

"Aren't we asking a lot of questions today?"

Two new chains gave way, a wave of reiatsu rushed into the Seireitei. The air sizzled around her. Rangiku stepped back. Geren, still prostrated on the ground, staring at his work with bulging eyes, looking every bit like a mad man.

Rangiku blinked slowly, trying to remember more.

This battle would not be won without sacrifice. She turned again. The ghost of Gin nodded beside her. He smiled faintly.

Sacrifice? How dare you even ask? You don't understand, Ran-chan. There is nothing I am unprepared to sacrifice for your sake, including you. The truth is I will sacrifice you in a heartbeat if it means saving your smile. How is that me being selfish? How is that me being bad? How is the world going to judge me for it? And even if they are, I don't care for the world. I just care about you. No, the question is… What are you willing to sacrifice for me?"

Enzo looked for her anxiously. When he finally spotted her standing next to the ten-foot pole, he grinned from ear to ear.

"Here you are at last! I was looking for you!"

Rangiku stepped closer to the edge and peeked. Centuries ago, a very young Rangiku looked at the precipice before her just as worriedly.

"What are we doing?"

"Remember what I taught you about the three basic movements."

She nodded.

"I will ask again, Sensei. What are we doing? I'm scared."

"It's basically the same principle. It's like a displacement technique but on another level. We call it a Transition of the Soul. Denshi is the Displacement technique used to move your body across dimensions. It's better than shunpo, which only used gravity and reiatsu to move your body. But a Transition technique is you moving your consciousness. It's you moving your soul. It's a way to move it against the Current, against the Tide, against the big turning wheel. If you do it efficiently, you can go back into your body before its disintegration."

Rangiku shook her head stubbornly.

"I know I can do it. I made a few calculations considering your soul morphology. I guess it can be achieved, but it will be sensibly different for you. Your soul is programmed to die. You have to give it what it wants."

"Sounds complicated already. I give up."

Gin slapped his face in mock annoyance. She was that type of bad students.

"Listen, carefully… Souls follow the cycle. Most of them unaware of the invisible wheel turning in that cold empty place called…"

"Called…"

"Let's say the Factory."

"Gin!" She snapped, offended. He was pulling details out of his head again. What a liar!

"This doesn't make any sense…"

"Except it does. Inside the cycle, there is the current. It is like a wave, compulsion, a metaphysical injunction for the souls to go a certain way at a certain pace."

"Did you just made that up?"

" I can see the wheel Ran."

She said nothing and watched the clouds, trying to focus, trying to see that stupid wheel he was talking about.

"Huh? I can't see anything. I can't even see past the clouds. I think it's not a good idea."

" Ran, I could always see the wheel for as long as I could remember, and the tiny souls going forward in the veiny tunnels of light, the flow uninterrupted. It is almost alive. It feeds off the energy of all those tiny souls. It uses that energy to engineer every little thing surrounding us. The trees and the leaves on the tree, the stars in the sky, the rain, the snow you see. Everything wanes and dies and goes back into the cycle."

He said, his eyes gleaming gold.

"Gin… " She whispered.

"There are a couple more dimensions like this one. Some places…are worse than here. Some places are better. Each are like sockets of new lives for the tiny souls transitioning… "

"Transitioning…"

"Like I said, we also call it dying."

"You're scaring me."

"But it's not dying, really… Death is a very manageable condition if you think about it, for you at least. Isn't that wonderful news? I mean, if you know what I know, you can totally cheat the mechanism behind it."

"The mechanism…"

"Yes, a fail-safe… so the wheel never stops turning…So the cycle can be pushed. I mean, it would be bad if it stops turning…"

"Bad…"

"Like the 'end of this universe' bad, I mean."

"You sound crazy. Can we go down now?"

" Souls… Mortals souls…. They die… They go there, unaware they got a previous life, unaware they lived and loved people and settled… Unaware that all these sections and all these dimensions are just training fields for the Elysium."

"The Elysium…"

"The real deal. Every soul are programmed to wish for it."

"Programmed?"

"Yes, like when something is ingrained in you, and you are mostly unaware of it. You are compelled by some invisible power to do something, the same way you're compelled to breathe."

"Who did that? Who is forcing these people?"

"Don't know! Somebody with a lot of time on their hands obviously."

"Why would somebody do that?"

"Don't know. Don't care. Focus. I was saying the Elysium fields. The world you come from… The living world. It's the first world. The world you are all dying to go back to. It's the starting point and the ending at the same time. The best time of your life."

"I come from the…"

"You were born, and you died once. You remember?" He said, looking at her.

"I died…"

"Maybe you don't remember. It's better not to remember. I don't remember my own story. I can relate. But one day, you will probably go back there, trapped in the current."

Rangiku frowned.

"Do you know what happened to me?"

Gin looked at her and then avoided her gaze.

"You were burned alive as a child with your cat. Killed by your father, who was a waste of a human being, you haunted the whole village for a century. You took the life of every man that ventured too close to the ruins of your house. You became like a goddess of vengeance… almost turning into a rare Menos Clara, a class 5 baby hollow. You would have been magnificent in your primitive form. A shinigami had to ruin it all. But, that's how I met you again."

He grinned in amusement before seeing the frown on her face. She stared wide-eyed at him.

"I mean, obviously, that's cruel a fate. "

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did I die?"

Sobering up a little, he pointed at her heart.

"Your soul keeps asking why. That is what immature souls do. They questioned everything. Your soul is pure. Newly created souls usually are. They are rare too… Not yet washed away by destiny. Not yet neutralized by Fate. That's what… makes it precious… That's why your soul has so much potential to it." He trailed off, frowning in concentration.

"Huh? You know this because…"

"I can see you at… all the time… I think I saw you when I didn't even know you. I know it doesn't make sense. But it's like I saw your birth. Your true birth."

"My birth…"

"Yes, it's like you were made for me. It feels like that. Even with my eyes closed, I can see every bit of you, and it is beautiful and complexed and layered, molded to perfection, Rangiku. That is why you are mine. You have this default ability. Your spiritual pressure is increased tenfold by your anger and your sufferings. That is so rare. You have so much of it inside of you. You have this big, tender, fluffy heart. It melts under my tongue like the seven letters of your name. The fearless me is actually scared that one day you will be swept in the current, and I can't find you, my jewel."

Rangiku blushed again. Gin grabbed her moist palm in his hand again.

"Cloud riding. This is something you need to learn. If we do get separated, if you find yourself in mortal danger, and you know I can't come to you in time, you need to know you can cheat death. You need to know you can push back against the wheel. I mean, avoid the most horrible aspect of it, the dispossession of your memory integrity, the cleansing of your will, "the rebooting" part. You can do that and deceive the spinning wheel of destiny. So, the current doesn't have any effect on you. It's the fourth movement. The most important of all. The most difficult to learn. You remember I taught you about the three other movements."

"Falling, Landing, and Strolling… and now… Riding…"

"Good girl, if you do that, it will take me some time, maybe an eternity, but I'm confident I can find you… I can find you in the Factory, for example. In the Factory, time doesn't matter. It will be different, you see. That's perfect, actually. It's decided. It will be our meeting point. Every time you get lost, you have to wait for me there."

Rangiku sighed.

"It's not something you just invented, is it?"

He shook his head.

"How do you know all that? The truth?"

"I don't recall completely, but I think I've seen it already… I've seen the Factory. I know how it all works."

"But if I do that, if it's like you said and I can't see you anymore, it's no good." Big fat tears were obscuring her view. She sobbed.

"It's only if we get separated…"

"But I don't want that."

"Don't cry, Ran-chan. If anything happens, I will find you… I will always find you wherever you are. It's just in case… I need you to be brave. I need you to do this for me. Are you ready to learn? I need you to learn and never forget, Ran-chan. Write it in soul if you must. Never forget the fourth movement. "

She took a moment to wipe her tears, sniffed loudly, then nodded reluctantly.

Back in the present, Rangiku faced Enzo, her eyes gleaming gold for a quick second. From time to time, she would peek over her shoulder at the precipice behind her.

"What have you ever won, Mao Enzoraki? Do you think Aizen respected you so much he turned you into a monster? You are a buffoon. You were always a clown. You could say he even had a sense of humor making sure you had a buffoon face, didn't he?! Aizen only turned you into a monster because you were convenient and now you're following obediently like a good pet."

"You think Aizen did this to me? You think he turned me like that?! You are so naive, sweetheart! No, the one who did this to me... The one who made me a monster. It's Gin Ichimaru!"

Rangiku blinked in surprise, she remained silent.

"Your dear lover is a murderer. The worst murderer I know without faith or law. He does not know pity. He is ruthless. He is the King of monsters! Aizen doesn't hold a candle to him in the realm of making other people's life miserable!"

Rangiku clasped the pendant of his necklace in one hand.

"Gin?"

"Gin?"

"Shortly after our little meeting ... Shortly… That's a point of view. Twenty-five years after we met. He's a patient one. Someone who can definitely hold a grudge… Gin Ichimaru set a trap for a whole unit of the fifth division. The monster ... The real monster is him. I'm telling you! He tortured my men and me until daybreak. Aizen… Aizen saved us. He kept us alive with his first version of the Hōgyoku. Of course, the result was not perfect. I lost much of my charm, Barruk too. Rigor, there was not much going on before then, there was even less after. Nevertheless, we survived. Without Aizen, we would have died like dogs at the hands of a little cherub.

" Gin did that… He killed you."

"The Gin you love so much, little doll. He abandoned you and betrayed you. He did things that I can't even repeat. He had his tongue so far up Aizen's ass that we were forbidden to touch him or take revenge for almost a century. You should hate him as much as I do ..."

"Hate Gin …"

Enzo savored the hesitation on the young woman's face for a few seconds. Finally, Rangiku looked up, unable to keep up the charade any longer and laughed wholeheartedly.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Why are you making this so easy, you punk!"

"He is a Monster !" Enzo growled.

"So you were that guy he killed. I have to ask again. So what? I was still at the academy when it happened. I never knew why he did that. I resented him for years. I truly thought he was a heartless monster, and I was so ashamed. So, I'm not going to gloat. Must have been awful dying by his hands. He was always very meticulous. Was he meticulous that day? Did he take his time? Oh, sorry, that's me gloating a little! Sorry!"

"You think this is funny, you stupid bitch?"

"I don't think this is funny. I think this is freaking hilarious! That you think I don't know all that. That you think I don't know Gin. Don't make me laugh. I married the man. Not once. But twice. I would marry him again and again like it's an afterthought like I am possessed. So I know him. I know him better than anyone."

Enzo's eyes widened.

"You think that I did not see the blood on his clothes all those years or that I did not distinguish the lies in his promises. Gin. He stepped on so many lives because of his strong beliefs. He was always so stubborn. My Gin was an early genius. He knew everything about everything. At least he was convinced he did. And he knew how to take advantage of the flaws of this world better than anyone I know. I'm telling you. He had never been content to just understand the world, he harnessed it in his strong, fierce grip to make it work as he pleased like he was born to rule. He could hold grudges for centuries. So true! I'm not surprised. We once got into an argument. It took me an eternity to apologize. Despite his easy grin, I'm sure he is still holding it against me. I also remember he always hated authority. That's why I could never believe his allegiance for Aizen. It was so weird! Gin was a liar. He always promised that he would never abandon me, and the minute I did not pay attention, he would disappear. Just like now… I close my eyes just a minute, and when I wake up, that frustrated man is nowhere in sight. Gin is mostly an assassin. He always managed to kill my one and only hope. He shot me point blank so many times, left me on the road to find help. Never got back. Ask Kira Izuru. He shot all the people who loved him and who he loved back, point-blank. But Hey! He also did incredible things like killing vermins like you… so slow, you guys, would remember the name of the person whose life you ruined in your next life. My name. My name, you whisper when you're scared, isn't that right? My recognition you seek! Fool! You will own neither. Your life means nothing. You threw it all away because of the way you lived it."

She finished, breathless, slashing both her wrists with Haineko. She was suddenly so exhausted.

"Of course, you don't understand what that means, monster. It means… It means my husband deserves my undying love and freaking loyalty. He deserves a fucking medal! It means ... It simply means: Get lost!"

Gin. Think. I'm coming. I live in your soul. You live in mine. Think harder. Focus. Find. Him. Focus. Let go. Believe. Master. Conquer. Ride. Rangiku opened her slashed arms spraying the ground with her blood. Anchor yourself in the place you will leave your body. Sanctify the ground beneath your feet. Nothing should grow from it. Not even Despair. Nothing shall grow on this unholy ground. She closed her eyes. Focus. She took one deep breath before releasing it, her blood forming her dark circle around her. A tornado of spiritual pressure rocked the edge where she stood. The earth collapsed beneath her feet. She backed into the void.

Enzo remained frozen. What?

What would Gin have said? If the only pleasure of the enemy is in the crushing of your spirit, to win the battle, it is enough to remove your heart from the equation. If you take your heart out of the equation, its gain will be zero. Rangiku let out a little sneer. The reason Gin Ichimaru never lost a fight was probably that he never put his heart in the balance. What irony!

At soon as she backed away into space, her heart was enveloped with levity. She didn't even feel the rush of blood toward her wrists. She simply soared with invisible wings, jumping into the unknown, welcoming the darkness, embracing it.

She opened her eyes suddenly.

Her mind went bland.

Everything went white.

So many clouds. It was a congregation of clouds compact, full, and cottony. It felt like she was just gliding through it. As if her soul was just being gently held by them, sliding through them. It felt like a shot of adrenaline directly in her heart. It felt so good. So sensationally good.

She smiled.

She smiled just before impact.

Shaking like a leaf, Enzo approached the edge slowly. He half expected her to not be there. But she was down the hills, her body slammed into a deadly pile of rocks. It all exploded on impact. A cloud of smoke rose in the air where she laid. Enzo took a very much unneeded breath. He blinked slowly. She wasn't moving, her chest was still, her eyes were glazed over, her mouth was slightly open. Thoughts were racing in Enzo's brain. The chaos became internal. She couldn't. She didn't. This couldn't be the end. He didn't get his revenge. He didn't get to see them begged for their lives. He lost everything. This wasn't fair. He frowned, trying to concentrate. His hands were shaking despite him. That bitch!

Enzo kept staring. He kept hoping this was all a sick joke, and she would stop playing dead, despite the fact he couldn't feel her reiatsu anymore. It took another broken chain, the thunder rolling above his head, and the sickening sight of her still corpse to pull him out of the trance he was.

Nanao Ise

Vice-captain of the eight Division under Shunsui Kyouraku

Vice-President of the Shinigami Women Association
Head of the Ise Clan

Rangiku Matsumoto's best friend

She imagined her reunion with Rangiku would have involved Saké, Fundoshi, and drunkard tears, not a mini apocalypse to serve as background.

"Get back, idiot! Run! Run! Evacuate now!"

She was doing her best to shunpo her way through the collapsing Seireitei. She would be lying if she said she knew where she was.

A broken chain atomized the building before her forcing her to brake and almost crash in a wall. As she got back on her feet, she heard a moan. She jumped on the last standing pillar to see if there were any survivors inside the building.

Nanao was surprised to see her president, Yachiru Kusajishi, trying to move one of the giant rings of chains who just collapsed. The iron was still seemingly hot and steamy from their fall in the atmosphere. But Yachiru didn't care, and she was trying with all her might to move the chain away.

"Yachiru-chan?"

Yachiru grunted with teary eyes, her hands scorched and bloodied.

"He's under… I need to… I will… Ah!"

"Who's under…"

"Who?!"

Yachiru snapped almost incensed, her eyes flashing pink.

"Ken-chan, who else? Damn it! Damn it! I can't move it! I didn't have time to move him when that thing collapse on us. What the hell is happening?"

"You shouldn't curse, Yachiru-chan?"

"Why are you still standing, lazy bum?"

Nanao nodded, realizing she was right. Rolling her sleeves, she jumped on the pile of debris carefully and try to search for Kenpachi-taicho.

"We got to evacuate. When that door opens, the difference in spiritual pressure will be unbearable."

"Hello! It's already a disaster! Looks like Omaeda didn't make it!"

Nanao nodded. She also felt that. She started to dig and push the rocks and debris away.

"It's okay. We're gonna find Kenpachi."

"I know that. I'm not leaving without him."

"What happened?"

"He lost against that treacherous coward. That Primeros used his dirty tricks. Ken-chan didn't see it coming. I told him to be careful. You know him. He's never reasonable when he finds a worthy opponent."

The little girl bit her lips sadly.

"Come on, help. Let's use kido. We're going to levitate those blocks away."

Nanao clapped her hands at once and started binding her fingers together.

"Bakudo no ni-jū, Kuma no Ashi."

The chain slowly started to rise along with all the rocks. Nanao groaned and grimaced in pain as she tried to lift that thing. But despite its size, the chain seemed to weigh a ton. Yachiru didn't waste any time and started to dig harder until she screamed with joy.

"I found him."

"Quick! I'm not gonna be able to hold this thing up for long!" She grunted, gritting her teeth.

Yachiru pulled with all her strength, holding Kenpachi by his collar. She pulled so much she went crashing in the nearest pile with an unconscious Kenpachi rolling on her.

Nanao let go with a heavy sigh. The chain crashed back on the ground at once. Nanao stumbled backward, holding herself against a broken wall. She tried to catch her breath.

"You need to take him to the back-up site, you will find Unohana."

Without a word, Yachiru nodded. The little girl lifted her captain above her head and disappeared in a shunpo. Nanao gasped as she moved. She realized she was bleeding. A flying wooden nail had pierced her left flank when she let go of that boulder. She was wiping away the blood when she heard a strange familiar noise in the air. It wasn't the creek of another ring falling. It was like a singular quick laugh. She turned toward the Sokyoku hill.

Noticing a familiar curvy figure, strawberry hair flying in disarray, standing on the edge, she gasped. Ran.

No.

Who's that with you? She recognized the leader of the Primeros. Ran yelled something to him before spreading her arms, the hills seemingly collapsed under her feet, or she backed away. Nanao never really knew. If she was asked, she could only report that an angel took flight. Nanao teleported as fast as she could, but it was still too late. She walked slowly as the smoke cleared, and Rangiku's body laid in full view, her hair spilled about under her like a crown, blood tainting her beautiful mane and dripping on the floor.

The earth shook again. Nanao stood to watch over her friend, uncaring another piece of Muken had fallen into their backyard. Shakily, she brushed Rangiku's forehead ever so slowly, probably thinking she may not be real, being sadly disappointed that she was touching cold skin. She gasped again like a wounded beast. She looked up and stared straight into Enzo's cold eyes with hate. She lowered her eyes, staring at Haineko's fading form. She finally collapsed on her knees as the level of spiritual pressure rose in the air. She grabbed Rangiku's cold hand in hers.

Her eyes welled up with sadness, the type that was sudden and overbearing. It was as if she was suddenly drowning in it. It aged her soul to hold her best friend's hand like this. It scorched her flesh raw. What was wrong with this world, really?

The earth was steadily shaking beneath her, but Nanao was so numb. She just stared at Rangiku's beautiful face frozen for eternity. She was smiling. How could she smile when she was abandoning her post? Matsumoto Fukutaicho, how could you do that?

She suddenly snapped out of it. It's not like crying was going to help the situation. She took a deep breath. She needed to get her shit together. She was a soldier—another earthquake. The air sizzled with electricity behind her. Thunder rolled over and over. Nanao slowly gathered her bearings and stood up again, squeezing Rangiku's hand hard. She was kissing her forehead when she heard the footsteps. She was slowly getting up when she noticed a white silhouette hidden behind a curtain of smoke.

She immediately unsheathed her zanpakutō, shaking.

The silhouette approached nonchalantly. She froze in recognition and silently stepped away.

"What an awful wife! You must be the worst wife in the universe, Ran-chan? You always let go way too soon. What did I tell you last time? You hold onto your man. That's what you must do."

He said, playing with Shinso. Gin stepped carefully, locking eyes with Nanao for a bare second in acknowledgment before he leaned over Rangiku's body, brushing her blond hair away from her face, wiping the blood on her pallid skin.

Nanao stared ahead, completely shocked. Behind Gin, Rangiku stood wearing her white dress, holding her hands behind her playfully like a child. The ghost was wearing white just like him. She blinked in horror and jumped back startled.

"See, you got your friend worried, sweetheart. That's not nice."

Rangiku nodded silently before fading. Meanwhile, Gin leaned and boldly kiss her corpse. He hugged fiercely seemingly without a care in this chaotic world. Her body immediately arched as soon as their lips touched. His lips brushed hers softly, not innocent but teasing. She exhaled, and her chest started rising and falling normally. Then he held onto her face again, and this time, he started kissing her in earnest, passionate, and demanding.

"Whose fault is it, you Wandering Mongrel? You always take so long to come home, you idiot. Next time, I'm leaving you behind!"

His face split from his usual smirk before he shut her up with another lingering kiss.

Nanao turned away quickly, flustered. She coughed comically, fanning her reddened face frantically.

"Excuse me… I don't wanna bother you. I don't wanna interrupt what looks like a nice reunion between two presumed dead people. But Muken's doors are about to open, and hell is upon us. The enemy is still over there, kicking it as we speak. Although, I will need an explanation soon for all this because I planned to faint later from the shock. I do. But the first order of business, Gin… I mean, Sir. I mean, Ichimaru-Taicho. I mean… Oh, you know what I mean! I don't know which side you're on today. But it would be super nice if it was our side. I'm just saying."