Candice Catnipp stood on the lip of a rooftop, tapping her foot. Battles were raging all around. It was exciting enough to get her blood really pumping. She itched to get into a tussle so bad she was popping with bursts of static. She couldn't do that, though. Not without stepping on someone's toes.

Every time someone really strong appeared, another Sternritter got to them first. It was like she was cursed. And it wasn't like she couldn't step in and lend a hand or anything. She didn't give two shits about glory or honor or whatever. No, the problem was that the Sternritter were a bunch of freakin' weirdoes!

If she simply leapt into the nearest battle she might end up rubbing shoulders with either a creep that made her want to puke, or a colossal dickbag with an ego the size of a cargo ship. She just couldn't win. She'd never say this out loud, but as powerful as His Majesty and Lord Haschwalth were, they were terrible judges of character. Sure, they'd struck gold with Candice, but the rest were a bunch of lunatics.

Even the ones Candice hesitantly called "friends" were way too out there for their own good. Bambi was the biggest blowhard she'd ever met, rest her soul, Gigi was the queen of the disgusting freaks, Lil was just straight up antisocial, and Meni . . . well, she was pretty bearable, but she had terrible taste in men. Honestly, it was a miracle the Wandenreich even managed to get organized enough to wage a war like this.

Well, whatever. No matter how much she whined, she'd still be here, twiddling her thumbs with nutjobs on all sides.

"Candi? Hey, Candi?" Speak of the devil. Gigi slunk up, carried by a small retinue of zombified grunts. As if Candice weren't in a bad enough mood. "C'mon Candi, sitting around like this is boring. Let's get out there and find some excitement!"

"Oh gee! Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius, Gigi!" The other woman's uncannily huge eyes brightened for a moment. Then she processed Candice's tone. "Yeah, this is boring and it sucks, but you know what? Mowing down randos like they're an overgrown lawn doesn't sound too exciting either."

Gigi retreated, sulking. Serves her right. This was partially her fault to begin with. If Bambi were still alive, she'd take the lead and sift through the chaff for them. But that wasn't an option anymore, so the responsibility fell to Candice.

Wait, why the hell did she get saddled with this burden? She turned, eyes shooting between her so-called friends.

They weren't doing shit!

Candice was this close to pulling her hair out by the handful. Honestly, if she wasn't such a charitable person she'd have ditched these weirdoes ages ago. Unfortunately, for now, she was stuck with them. "There a particular reason I'm the only one on lookout?" She tapped her foot to communicate her annoyance. They should have been grateful that she didn't explode at them, but they may as well have ignored her!

She was just about to tear into their lazy asses when Lil finally looked up at her. "You realize we don't actually need to see these guys to know they're coming, right? Like, we'll feel anyone worth going after from a mile away."

"I know that! It's just . . . you know!" Candice felt her face growing hot. "You all could be a little more vigilant is all."

"Don't sweat it, Candi. It's bad for your complexion. And for the record, straining your eyes watching the horizon like that isn't going to help those crow's feet you've got going." Meni smiled up at her before going back to tending her nails.

Candice couldn't even be mad. Meni was too much of an airhead to be mean on purpose. Didn't stop it from stinging, though. She really should just ditch these guys. All they ever did was make her feel like garbage.

A lungful of air blew away those worries . . . mostly. This wasn't the place to get all self conscious and sulky. "Listen up, you three," she said, crossing her arms and raising her chin. If they were going to foist the position of leader onto her, then she was going to show them just how authoritative she could be! "The Seireitei is a warzone. There's battles raging all over the place. Meanwhile, we're hanging out here like we're on vacation!"

"Hey, Candi-"

"Just a second, Meni. I'm going to say what I have to say. Now, what do you think the strongest Shinigami are gonna do? Are they going to go out of their way to harass a bunch of lazy bones who can't be bothered to cause trouble, or are they going to go where the fighting is?"

"Umm, Candi, that's-"

"Hold on, Meni. I'm almost done." Candice cleared her throat. She wanted to make sure her voice carried plenty of weight for this last part. "Obviously, they aren't going to waste their time patrolling this wasteland we've settled down in. If we want to get some action, then we need to take the initiative and look out for Shinigami that stray a little too far on their way to an actual battle. Get it? It's simple logic!" She aimed that last bit at Lil and Gigi in particular. Meni actually got up and moved to join her. At least she hadn't wasted her breath entirely. Meni reached her, then placed her hands on either side of Candice's head. "Uhh, Meni?"

Meni twisted sharply, and Candice heard a startling crack as her head was turned against her will. She tried to wriggle out of the other woman's grip, but she had better chances of lifting a mountain over her head.

"What the hell are you doing?! Let go! Seriously, I'm worried about my neck! Meni!"

"Candi. Look."

She blinked, but her spiritual sense caught up before her eyes could. There was a crazy powerful Spiritual Pressure heading their way. At this rate, it would pass within a stone's throw of where they were perched.

Meni finally let go, letting Candice make sure her neck was still in one piece. Carefully stretching, she smiled. "Well, what do you know. Looks like I was right!"

"You were the last to notice," Lil said. She and Gigi were already ready to go.

That was embarrassing. Her face grew hot, but she channeled that heat into fighting spirit! "Doesn't matter! We've got ourselves a live one, girls! Follow my lead!" Candice took to the skies, putting herself just outside of the Shinigami's path. As they approached, she rubbed her fingers together, letting the sparks jumping from her hands hype her up even more. Just before they came face to face, she unleashed a bolt of lightning right in front of them.

"Where do you think you're going, Shinigami?" Candice said, swaggering out into the air to face their new prey. No Captain's coat . . . that was a bummer. But with Reiatsu like that, it probably didn't matter.

The others lined up beside her. Meni let out a soft whistle, "Oh, he's not bad. Can I keep him, Candi?"

"Keep it in your pants, Meni!" Honestly, that woman would pursue a rock if it had good cheekbones. Besides, this guy barely looked old enough to drink. His apparent youth made the wise look in his eyes unsettling.

"Looks like we struck gold with this one. He's one of the Special War Potentials."

"What, really?! How can you tell?"

Lil tapped her head. "His hair. That orange color is pretty distinctive. That's Kurosaki Ichigo. Did you even listen to the briefings?"

Candice let her tone slide. A Special War Potential . . . That was huge! If they could take him down, they'd earn some choice commendations. She didn't care much about all that crap, but she wasn't about to ignore an opportunity that just dropped in her lap.

"Your name's Kurosaki, right? We're gonna-!"

He vanished. Just, poof, into thin air. It took Candice's mind a second to catch up and realize that his Reiatsu wasn't in front of her anymore. It was behind her. She turned, but he was already moving away. How the hell . . .

Gigi twisted the knife, "He ignored us, huh."

A storm raged inside of Candice. She took hold of it, bending it to her will. The Thunderbolt wasn't about to take that lying down, and neither was she! Hirenkyaku wasn't fast enough to catch up, so she became lighting and closed the gap in an instant. She reeled back, enough electricity contained in her fist to put down an elephant, and swung at Kurosaki's stupid jerk face!

Without skipping a beat he reached out and grabbed her arm. The next thing she knew, she was tumbling through the air. She slammed into a building. The wall collapsed on top of her. She laid there for what felt like minutes mulling over what she'd just experienced. He'd tossed her like it was nothing, but worse than that, he'd humiliated her in front of her friends!

She burst out of a small pile of bricks and aimed a deadly glare at the so-called Special War Potential. The others had joined the fight.

Meni threw devastating punches that created shockwaves by way of sheer force, but the Shinigami dipped and dodged like they were sparring. Lil's mouth stretched in that stomach churning way it did, extending out and growing large enough to swallow Kurosaki whole, but even then he managed to avoid the snapping of her jaws.

Lil's The Glutton could chew through anything, and Meni's The Power could shatter the earth's crust, but none of that meant jack shit if they couldn't land a hit!

In what looked like a stroke of luck, though, Lil finally made contact. Her jaws closed around a bit of the Shinigami's uniform, and that little snag stopped him just long enough for Gigi and Meni to move in. Candice pumped her fists and almost gave them a hearty cheer, but it was over before the sound could even start in her throat.

Kurosaki caught Meni's arm and twisted, catching Gigi in the gut with his heel. He spun them around and sent them flying straight at Candice. His robe ripped, freeing him from Lil's jaws, and he sent her flying behind them an instant later.

The three of them crashed down, burying Candice once again.

"Get off of me! How could all three of you get thrown around like that?" Candice kicked and struggled, but the others took their sweet time getting up. Whatever. It gave her a few extra seconds to come up with a plan. "Attacking up close isn't working. We should surround him and shoot him down with some good old fashioned Heilig Pfeil!"

"You're slow again, Candi." The others took off, bows already out, leaving Candice to catch up. They could have at least pretended to follow her lead. Instead, Lil took the lead, indicating where Gigi and Meni should position themselves with some quick hand signs. Where did she get off . . . there was a sign for Candice too. She took her position, but she made a point to look unhappy about it.

They released a hail of arrows on Lil's signal, circling around the Shinigami and trapping him in a deadly web of Quincy bread and butter. He dodged well . . . too damn well! They missed every shot, leaving their arrows to rain down on the Seireitei below. The complex under their feet was reduced to rubble in seconds. Fat lot of good that did them.

Kurosaki spun, letting his gaze sit on each of them for a few moments before turning again. He didn't even look stressed out or in a bind. If anything, he looked annoyed, like he was stuck in a long line at the grocers. "I get that this is a battlefield, but I'd really appreciate it if you guys buzzed off. I'm in a hurry," he said, holding out his hands. A pair of swords appeared in his grip. He swung them in a circle. That was it. He didn't release any sort of technique or Reishi, but he still managed to whip up a whirlwind that sent Candice and the others tumbling. At least they didn't crash into anything this time.

Damn it all. She wanted to fight someone strong, but this was ridiculous. They were Sternritter, elite Quincy soldiers. They possessed Schrift, something that only the most powerful Quincies could achieve. There were four of them attacking this one guy all at once! And yet they barely registered as a threat to him. Candice grit her teeth.

It was a load of crap. All of it. She got treated like crap by her so-called friends, and she couldn't even earn the respect of her enemies. Un-freakin-believable.

She took a deep breath, drawing in a tremendous amount of Reishi at the same time. A blue-white pillar of light enveloped her like a cocoon. This was a metamorphosis that only those strong enough to possess a Schrift could unleash. Vollständig.

She emerged, clad in the regalia of justice. Wings of crystallized lightning sprouted from her back, and a crown of sparks sat atop her cap. Electricity arced from every inch of her body, her eyes in particular dancing with little flashes of electromagnetic force. She had imagined using this technique as the final climax of a legendary battle; one where she and her opponent had pushed each other to their limits. She'd have pitted the ultimate Quincy ability against the Shinigami's Bankai and come out on top by the skin of her teeth.

What a nice dream that was. Too bad it was as dead as Bambi.

Candice reached back, gripping one of her many wings in each hand. The next moment, she was a bolt of lightning, striking at Shinigami's heart. In a flash, she was in front of him, swinging her wings like swords. The bastard brought his guard up in time to block, but the hit sent him sliding back in the air. Barely.

The impact sent a dull vibration up her arms. It was an insignificant sensation, but she marveled at it. She'd actually hit him! Even Lil could barely catch his clothes, but Candice forced him to block!

That got her blood pumping! She charged in again, swinging away. He didn't block this time, but he dodged. He was afraid! She drew back suddenly, joining her wing-blades into one supercharged bolt. Her power swelled as she hoisted that volatile weapon over her shoulder. With a mighty throw, she sent it cracking through the air, "Galvano Javelin!"

If Kurosaki thought those blades were fearsome individually, then he was in for a real shock! If he was smart, he'd have tried to dodge, but instead he held his ground. He drew one of his swords, the longer one, back as if he meant to swat her attack out of the air. Candice felt like laughing.

"Getsuga Tenshō." He cut the air with a swift swing and a large Reishi shockwave appeared along the blade's path. It slammed into the Javelin, shattering it.

Candice fumbled, panic gripping her as that wave of power raced towards her. She managed to draw another pair of wings from her back and held them out in front of her. The wave hit her, breaking through her guard like it was nothing, and that power exploded in her face.

She would have been blown away completely if Meni didn't catch her. "Are you alright, Candi?" The ditzy sweetheart actually sounded concerned. That was nice.

It did nothing to douse her rage, though. "Thanks for the save, Meni. Now stand back. I've got one more trick up my sleeve, and it doesn't care about friend and foe."

"Hold on. We need to regroup. You obviously can't take him alone." As usual, Lil had to challenge her. It wasn't like she was putting herself out there. Then again . . . she was standing between Candice and Kurosaki. Maybe she was being delusional, but that came across as incredibly sweet.

Candice took a deep breath, letting all of her frustration out. "I know you're right, Lil, but I can't back down now. Bambi always charged ahead, leading the way. I can't really call myself any sort of leader if I don't at least try to do the same."

The shorter woman looked back at her like she was a complete idiot, but she still stepped aside, shaking her head. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. "Just try not to die. The last thing we need is for another one of us to end up as one of Gigi's toys."

Candice nodded. The thought of Gigi looming over her with a gross smile gave her chills.

The others made space, letting Candice charge at full speed. She had to apply a little pressure to keep the Shinigami from simply leaving. He raised his guard, just as Candice wanted. She raised her arm, calling down a devastating bolt of lightning. It didn't strike her enemy, though. It struck her.

The Thunderbolt drew all of that power in, containing it inside her body. She was so positively full that her skin hummed. She lowered her arm, channeling all of that pent up power into it. The electricity pushed against her, trying to escape. She held out her hand, fingers opened wide, palm towards the Shinigami.

Then she let it go.

"Electrocution!" A sound like an entire forest being felled by one mighty storm erupted from her as every ounce of power rushed out of her arm. It didn't travel as fast as a natural lighting strike. It was too powerful. The very fabric of reality dragged it down. But it was still fast. And it was still unbelievably powerful.

Kurosaki pulled both of his swords back this time. If he thought that two of those wave-like attacks would be enough to stop this, then he had another thing coming . . . hopefully.

Candice bit her lip as she resisted the drained feeling launching her technique had left her. This had to work. It just had to.

"Getsuga . . ." Kurosaki growled. The sound made Candice shrink back. "Jūjishō!" He swung both swords, one at a time. They both created a large wave of power. They flew to meet Candice's Electrocution. She held her breath.

Then the two waves merged, forming a massive cross. The power of those two attacks fed into one another and grew exponentially. It wasn't just twice as powerful as the earlier blast, it was much, much stronger! Electrocution was consumed, and that devastating cross screamed towards Candice. She was too stunned to move.

"Move, Idiot!" Lil's voice reached her just in time to wake her from her stupor, and she threw herself out of the way. But she wasn't fast enough. The attack clipped her, and everything went white. She couldn't see or hear. All she knew was that she was moving very fast. Then she hit something soft and stopped. Her vision returned gradually, but her ears were still ringing.

Meni held her, her usually beautiful face scrunched up with worry. Why did she look like that? Lil was there too. She was shouting and waving her arm. She looked pretty mad.

Oh, yeah. Candice messed up. Again. That big wave hit her. And her own attack was useless.

Gigi appeared, enormous eyes opened wider than ever. She knelt down, hoisting something large over her shoulder. A dead body . . . gross. She dug into the corpse, getting blood all over her uniform. It almost looked like she was mixing something in a person-shaped bowl. It was kind of funny, actually. She lifted Candice's arm, and . . . Wait. Where was her arm?

The pain hit her like a bolt of lightning and she screamed, writhing on the ground where the others had set her. Meni pinned her down while Gigi worked. The queen of the creeps was doing something to Candice's arm and it hurt like hell. She mumbled apologies as something stabbed into the bleeding stump, causing even more intense agony.

"Lil!" Candice sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "I-I'm sorry, but . . . I don't want to be the leader anymore!" She screamed as Gigi did something truly excruciating to her smashed limb.

Then everything went dark.

+ Shift +

Liltotto wiped sweat from her brow and turned away. Gigi's work was gruesome, but it saved Candi from going through life with just one arm. Still, it wasn't the most disturbing thing she'd seen today. That Shinigami, for one, turned her stomach way more.

Kurosaki Ichigo, one of the Special War Potentials, seemed to be marveling at his own power. How could someone be that strong and not know it? Not that it mattered. His clash with Candi told Liltotto everything she needed to know.

Simply put, they didn't stand a chance.

He didn't just defeat a Sternritter in Vollständig, he defeated a Sternritter in Vollständig without breaking a sweat. There wasn't a single moment where he was truly on his back foot. They'd been nothing more than a measuring stick to him. That was a solid blow to her pride, but Liltotto saw a silver lining.

Kurosaki didn't see them as real opponents. That much was made clear in their brief fight. The more important detail was hidden in his fight with Candi. She went at him with all she had, but he didn't do much to stop her. In other words, he didn't try to kill her once even though she was gunning for him as hard as she could. They could use that.

No matter how much force they brought up against him, he wouldn't try to kill them. That gave them a valuable out. They could fight unfettered without worrying about dying. All they had to do was avoid grievous injuries like the one Candi suffered.

"Meni, Gigi," Liltotto said, picking a piece of fabric out of her teeth, "No matter what we do, we can't beat that guy. But we can hold him here. Can I count on you two to back me up?"

They looked down at Candi, then to each other. When they finally turned to Liltotto, they nodded. She could see a fire in their eyes. That was good.

Kurosaki Ichigo said he was in a hurry. That meant there was somewhere he needed to be. Which, in turn, meant that Liltotto and the others had a duty to stop him from getting wherever it was he needed to go.

Pillars of light enveloped them, and they emerged with the characteristic wings and ornamentation of Vollständig. The three of them couldn't defeat this foe, even with this grand power.

But they could be a real nuisance.

+ Break +

The barracks of the 13th Division were nothing special, as far as Quilge could tell. It didn't appear to include any special facilities and its size was far from noteworthy. It was possibly the most run of the mill base of operations he'd seen since arriving in the Seireitei. And yet, Lord Haschwalth had deemed it a potentially important location.

The commander of the Sternritter marched confidently ahead. He was focused. Driven. He sought the Captain's quarters in the deepest section of the grounds. Fortifications were light here, so it would be the most defensible location. If Ukitake Jūshirō was here, he would most likely be hiding there. That being said . . .

There wasn't anybody here.

They hadn't seen a single soul since they arrived. No defenders, no administrators, not even a janitor. The barracks were abandoned. It stank of a trap.

Quilge wiped sweat from his face, eyes darting from empty doorways to vacant halls. There wasn't a single thing the Shinigami could do to harm Lord Haschwalth, and Quilge himself was no easy prey either, but he wasn't exactly at one hundred percent. He was still recovering from his last run-in with a Captain, he couldn't lift his reformed arm over his head and he walked with a limp that was much worse than he let on.

He couldn't let his weakness show. Not now. He'd been given two vital duties in this conflict, and on both occasions he failed miserably. Judging by Lord Haschwalth's terse tone and aggressive pace, his patience with Quilge was wearing dangerously thin. He needed to succeed this time. He would succeed. The Jail would capture Captain Ukitake, and his contributions to the cause would usher in the new world.

Though, a part of him hoped that Ukitake was not here. He hoped that these abandoned barracks were a sign that the Captain had fled, hiding somewhere that would require more force than Quilge could contribute. Better to be left on the sidelines than to fail.

Lord Haschwalth stopped. They'd reached their destination. He pushed open the big double doors and strode in without any caution or concern. When Quilge caught up, he felt compelled to take a step back

The room was as spacious as Quilge expected from the Gotei's top brass, but the decor was unsettling. Totems and idols littered the space. The fetishes of some unknown religion lined the walls. Ominous looking sutras hung from the ceiling. Aside from those, the room was bare. No desks, chairs, or even a bed. Only one thing broke the occult atmosphere.

There was someone here, sitting in the middle of the room. But it was not Ukitake Jūshirō.

"Nimaiya Ōetsu. I believe this is our first meeting." Lord Haschwalth addressed the Shinigami with a measure of familiarity. He didn't show any unease aside from a slight narrowing of his eyes. How did he do it? If that was indeed Nimaiya Ōetsu, then they were faced with one of the 0 Division's leaders.

Quilge wasn't exactly familiar with the capabilities of the 0 Division, but their intervention was treated with a great deal of resentment, so this man's appearance could not be good.

The Shinigami raised his head, resting against a strange tank behind him. He smiled wide, but did not get up. "Looks like my reputation precedes me. Well, you got it, I'm Nimaiya. Now, don't think too poorly of me, but all I know of you is that you are Yhwach's right hand. Not sure about your name."

"My name is none of your concern. You will tell me where Ukitake Jūshirō is hiding."

Nimaiya clicked his tongue, but his grin never wavered. "Can't do that. Sorry. See, I was sent here specifically to stop folks like you from searching for our favorite Captain of the 13th Division."

Lord Haschwalth smirked, "You think you can stop me?" A suffocating pressure pushed Quilge back.

"Man, I don't think I'll ever get used to that; Quincies exerting so much Spiritual Pressure. I remember when you lot were just a bunch of hoodlums making trouble for respectable Enders. Times sure have changed." Nimaiya stood and leaned casually on the tank. "Did you know that, of the five members of the 0 Division, only two of us are really suited for combat? I'm one of them, by the way." He turned and started fiddling with that mysterious tank.

"That's funny, I wasn't aware that a blacksmith could be considered a warrior."

"We can't, for the most part. I'm certainly no soldier. The thing is, given the right weapon, anyone can stand on the battlefield. And it just so happens that I know a thing or two about weapons." He didn't turn around.

Lord Haschwalth did not take that show of disrespect particularly well. "This is growing tiresome. Quilge, hold him."

"Right away!" Quilge started, nearly fumbling over himself to comply. He drew his sword and pointed it at the distracted Shinigami. Energy built along its edge, coalescing at the tip. He released it, and the ball of power stretched, trapping Nimaiya and his blasted tank. Thick sunglasses covered the Shinigami's eyes, but he was obviously despairing as he inspected the stark white bars surrounding him.

Quilge laughed. He'd actually captured a member of the 0 Division! And with no help in sight. What a delicious turn of events. He was given an opportunity to prove his usefulness after all!

He had a chance to really show off! "Don't waste your time, Shinigami. You cannot break those bars. Be it Shinigami, Hollow, Human, or even Quincy, there exists no power in this world that can escape my Jail!"

Nimaiya nodded, as if in response to Quilge's boasts, but instead of giving up right then and there, he stepped up to the bars. He brought his face close, looking the faultless white surface up and down. He dragged a finger along its length, muttering something to himself. After knocking on his prison in several places he nodded again, probably deciding that The Jail was indeed impenetrable. With a grunt, he turned back to his tank, and for the first time, Quilge got a good look at its contents.

There was a sword inside, suspended in some kind of liquid. It seemed an odd way to transport a blade of any sort, especially with the blade exposed like that. Perhaps it was some sort of conditioner? Artisans were an odd sort indeed.

"Do either of you know what the most important aspect in forging a sword is? It's balance. I know, I know, 'the Balancer is preaching the virtues of balance.' Sounds like a bad cliché. But it's the way things are." He rolled up his sleeve and reached in slowly. "The importance of balance in length and weight is obvious, right? A sword that's too long or too short, or one that's way too heavy on one end is going to be a nightmare to wield. But there's more to it than that."

"Balance in usability is equally important. Doesn't matter how perfect the length and weight of your sword is if the hilt is too big around to hold in your hands, you dig? A blade like that could be considered a failure. This little troublemaker is one such blade." He removed the sword from the tank, holding it up in an almost reverent way. The air in the room grew still.

Quilge narrowed his eyes, inspecting the sword. Judging by its looks, it seemed like a perfectly usable weapon. He wasn't fond of the Japanese style, but a blade was a blade.

Nimaiya gave the sword a sharp twist, flicking the moisture off of its surface. "This is the first Zanpakuto I ever forged, in terms of the modern definition anyways. You could call it the mother of all Zanpakuto. A seemingly flawless specimen. Its dimensions are perfect, but the darn thing came out way too sharp. It's so unbelievably sharp that no sheath can contain it. In one sense, it is my magnum opus. In another, it is my greatest failure." He breathed a sigh as he held the blade straight up.

Did this fool think he could escape The Jail just because his sword was sharp? It was laughable. Hilarious, even. Quilge couldn't contain his amusement anymore. "Has the stress of your predicament damaged your brain, Shinigami? It doesn't matter how sharp your blade is, or how powerfully you strike. Nothing can escape from The Jail! It is the most impenetrable force in existence! Not even the Soul King himself could escape!"

"Care to test that out?"

"What was that?" Quilge's laughter died. This fool's persistent arrogance was starting to get on his nerves.

The Shinigami smirked. "I guess I wasn't clear enough. My bad. See, this sword in my hand is entirely too sharp. So much so that trivial matters like existence don't really factor. Dig?" His arm dropped.

A sharp noise, like scraping metal rang out and was quickly overpowered by the sound of air rushing to fill a void. That air blew the cap off of Quilge's head and ruffled his uniform. It was an oddity, wind inside a building. Of course, with that fissure splitting the structure, it made sense there'd be a little airflow. He looked down at the chasm that had opened near his feet and followed it up the wall, through the roof, and into the open sky. Cloud cover was light today, but there was a clear line of blue where there should have been fluffy whiteness.

Quilge's heart pounded in his ears. His breath came in shallow gasps. He wasn't sure he was breathing. Everything he understood about reality had been completely upended. He wasn't even sure if he was alive.

His mind waded through a fog, drawing his attention back to The Jail and the Shinigami casually strolling out. That terrible sword bounced innocently on his shoulder as he swaggered up to Quilge.

"Don't feel bad, guy," Nimaiya said, peeking over the rim of his glasses."I forged this sword out of a fragment of the Soul King's soul itself. The odds were stacked against you from the very start. Better luck next time." He patted Quilge on the shoulder and sauntered by.

"But-how-I don't . . ." There was no response. What did Quilge even ask? Nothing made sense anymore. There was no power great enough to defeat The Jail, and yet . . . There was a patch of red on his pristine white uniform. He dabbed at it, and another appeared. Then another and another. They were appearing all over.

He'd never get all of this red out.

+ Shift +

Unbelievable. To think the Balancers possessed such a weapon. Power like that approached the level of the Soul King's Arms. Just how many sins did these despots have hidden away? Haschwalth eyed the grinning fool approaching him, barely keeping his temper subdued.

Nimaiya stood in front of him, bouncing on his heels. "I don't know about you, but I like this place a lot more with a skylight." Jokes. These Shinigami was irritation personified.

"Tell me where Ukitake Jūshirō is hiding. This is your last chance." He was sick of their games.

"Man, you're no fun. Guess playtime's over." Nimaiya held that damnable sword at his side. "Your motives aren't as mysterious as you seem to think, so you can stop playing coy. We won't let you have Mimihagi."

Haschwalth could barely contain his fury. "I will take that as confirmation that he is not here. That would place him in the Central Great Underground Prison. I must hasten to assist His Majesty, then." He turned and started walking. Now that they knew exactly where their target was, he could afford to tune out other distractions.

"Whoa there, bud. I'm afraid I can't let you leave. I get the feeling you knew you were springing a trap, so be a good sport and let's play this out to the end, yeah?" Nimaiya raised the blade before him. A challenge.

The responsible thing to do would be to ignore this fop and rush to His Majesty's side. But that sword . . . it was powerful. Incredibly so. That power could become a threat. Furthermore, Haschwalth had to wonder. How did his own power compare?

It was foolish fancy, but an opportunity like this would never present itself to him again. Once the world was saved, these sorts of cursed powers would be lost forever.

The end was close at hand. What was one little distraction?

Jugram Haschwalth turned, a smile on his face. His fingers twitched as he reached for his own weapon. The sword made a satisfying whistle as it left its scabbard, and he held it at the ready, bathing in the tension between him and his foe.

They each took a step forward as Quilge's body fell to pieces.

+ Break +

Ichigo ducked behind a newly ruined wall and held his breath. The trick to suppress his Reiatsu was proving way too difficult to pull off consistently. At this point, he'd only managed to do it a handful of times, and not for very long. He needed more time to practice. Too bad he was in the middle of a fight.

The three Quincies circled overhead, sending volley after volley of arrows in seemingly random directions. Hopefully, that meant they'd lost him.

Taking them all out after they powered up wasn't completely impossible, but he wasn't sure he could do it without taking serious damage. He couldn't risk that now. He was needed for another battle. Ichigo peeked out from behind his shelter, trying to catch a glimpse of the Quincies. If he could figure out some kind of pattern to their movements and find an opening, he could get away clean.

There didn't seem to be a pattern, though. They flew every which way, firing off a salvo of arrows before moving to another spot. And they were all moving independently of one another.

What a pain! It was one distraction after another. Between these three and those ominous bursts of power he'd been feeling, there were too many things happening that demanded his attention. The 0 Division's training allowed him to grow exponentially in a short period of time, but it didn't enable him to be in two places at once.

He shut his eyes and breathed deep, blocking out the goings on he could sense around the Seireitei. Innumerable small skirmishes, the echoes of larger battles, and the pockets of action were important, but he'd been given a duty. He had to shut them out for now. He couldn't help them. Instead, his friends could lend a hand. Rukia and Renji were way stronger now- Ichigo thought they were at least as strong as most of the Captains-and the Captains were still around, too. He didn't have to fight every battle.

He could rely on his allies.

Ichigo opened his eyes and set his sights in the direction of the 13th Division's barracks. He needed to protect Captain Ukitake, and there was a big fight happening there. There wasn't time to sit and wait for an opening. He braced himself. He was going to make a break for it. Worst case, the Quincies see him and give chase, but even then he might be able to outrun them. That lightning-wielder was the fastest by far, but with her out of commission the others probably wouldn't be able to match his speed.

Keeping his head down, Ichigo stood from his hiding place. He dashed for more cover, hoping to get a lead before the Quincies noticed him. After a few steps, though, the air in front of him split. A pair of sliding doors blinked into existence, forcing him to stop. He barely managed, nearly crashing through the sudden Senkaimon. The doors opened and some familiar faces stepped through.

Inoue and Chad's shocked expressions mirrored Ichigo's own. For a moment, they stood there, blinking at each other. Then Inoue smiled, "Kurosaki-kun! It's good to see you!" She ran up to him, Chad following close behind.

This was a battlefield, but against Ichigo's better judgment, he smiled too. "It's good to see you too, but . . ." Urahara-san and Yoruichi stepped through the gate. It closed behind them. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"We're here to help. In any way we can!" Inoue absolutely glowed. Ichigo was taken aback. He knew she'd been getting stronger, but right now, he actually felt relieved. It wasn't so long ago that he would have been frustrated at her for stepping into danger like this.

I guess we've all been growing, he thought, exchanging a nod with Chad.

Urahara-san stepped up behind them, grinning like a creep. "How'd the training go, Ichigo? Wait, stupid question. It obviously went spectacularly." Why did he look so proud. It wasn't like he was the one who did the training.

"Your growth is impressive, but these two could give you a run for your money," Yoruichi said, slapping Inoue and Chad on the shoulder.

"It's true. These guys have grown about as much as possible in the time they were given. You'll be shocked when you see them in action."

Just looking at them, Ichigo knew they weren't exaggerating. "That's great!" He wanted to see how far they'd come right away. He wanted them to see how much he'd grown too. But there wasn't time. "Listen, I-"

Inoue pushed past him, raising her arms. Her barrier appeared a split second later, and a barrage of arrows exploded against it.

Ichigo's jaw fell open. This couldn't be the same Inoue he knew. She reacted so quickly, taking the initiative with confidence. There was a sharpness in her eyes. Nothing like the hardness he'd seen in the veteran Shinigami, but no less amazing. Chad stepped up next to her, his arms transforming. He had that same sharp look.

"The new Captain-Commander sent me a message, so I decided to lend a hand." Urahara-san eyed the Quincies. His usual goofy demeanor was gone. "I had to speculate a lot, but I think these two are more than capable of joining this fight."

Looking at them facing down those enemies that could push the Gotei Captains, Ichigo found himself agreeing. It seemed that his friends didn't need him the way they used to. Part of him felt a little lonely, but that feeling was drowned out by swelling pride. "I need to protect Captain Ukitake. Can I leave these guys to you?"

"Of course!" They didn't hesitate.

"I'm going, then." Ichigo turned and Urahara-san followed.

The odd man smiled at Ichigo's questioning glance. "I've got some things I want to look into, so I'll be coming with you." That was all he said, and Ichigo didn't argue.

Yoruichi stepped up beside Chad, cracking her knuckles. "I'll stay here, make it three on three."

Ichigo's chest fluttered. This wouldn't be the first time he relied on his friends in a fight, but this felt different. So often he felt like he needed to protect someone. Now, though, he knew he could rely on them to protect him. "Alright. Whenever you're ready, Inoue."

+ Shift +

"Go!" Orihime released Santen Kesshun and everybody burst into motion. The Quincies dove, trying to cut off Kurosaki-kun and Urahara-san. They weren't going to have such an easy time of it, though.

Yoruichi zipped into the air, appearing in front of the Quincy with long black hair, drawing her attention. Sado-kun backed up, intercepting another Quincy. Their clash shook the earth beneath Orihime's feet, almost causing her to stumble. Fortunately, her training had drastically improved her balance.

The third Quincy . . . where did she go?! Kurosaki-kun was getting away, so she was sure the last enemy would try to stop them. But there was no sign of her.

Gasping, Orihime spun, raising her hands. Her barrier appeared in an instant and something jagged clamped down around it. The weapon-no, those were teeth-clamped down. The Quincy's mouth had extended and warped, and now she was trying to bite through Orihime's shield. She seemed shocked that she couldn't make it through.

With a barely perceptible shift in stance, Santen Kesshun became Shiten Kōshun. The power trying to break through her barrier was sent back to its wielder. The Quincy's mouth retracted and she was blasted back.

She'd been warned that the foes they would be facing were exceptionally strong, so that enemy was likely still in the fight. But as long as she wasn't actively attacking, Orihime needed to support the others.

She turned to help Sado-kun. The Quincy he was fighting slammed her fists down on his arm. The paving stones around them cracked and the earth shook again, but Sado-kun held his ground. He pushed her back, attacking with his own punch that sent the wind howling. She rushed in again, drawing her fist back, but Orihime erected a small shield in her path. When her fist made contact, Orihime dropped the shield, allowing Sado-kun to land a solid hit.

Yoruichi was handling her opponent quite well. Quick, heavy strikes left the Quincy looking like a raggedy punching bag. The odd thing was, she didn't appear to be fighting back.

At all.

Orihime's mind raced. Over the last few years, she'd seen dozens of unusual powers. In her experience, these things were rarely as straightforward as Kurosaki-kun's abilities. There was a trick here somewhere, she was sure.

The Quincy smiled, wiping blood from her chin. With a sudden jerk she flicked her blood at Yoruichi. The oddly dark red liquid splattered against Orihime's barrier. Whatever this woman's power entailed, it likely had something to do with that blood.

Yoruichi didn't even flinch as she rushed past the shield. She did shout out her thanks, though, just before slamming her fist into the Quincy's face.

Orihime felt a chill. She'd forgotten about the first Quincy! She raised her hands, turning to intercept an attack she only had a feeling was coming. A hail of arrows rained down on her, but Sado-kun was already there, shield arm raised. She was going to thank him for watching her back, but then she felt another chill. Spinning back the other way, she erected a barrier just in time to stop a devastating punch from the other woman.

Without saying a word, Orihime and Sado-kun looked over their shoulders, eyes meeting. They smirked, understanding each other, perfectly in sync.

They lowered their defenses at the same time and switched places, charging to meet their opponents' attacks.

She couldn't speak for Sado-kun, but for Orihime, this was the first time she'd ever felt right on a battlefield. She knew what she could do and what she had to do with it.

She couldn't wait to show Kurosaki-kun!