Things weren't going so well.
Kyōraku Shunsui rose slowly, arms outstretched and ready for whatever the Quincy would throw at him next. Frankly, it was hard to determine what that would be. The old man was a statue, barely giving away his intentions and hardly emoting after that initial crack. A truly bothersome opponent.
The situation across the Seireitei wasn't much better as far as he could tell. The surging powers of the Quincy and Shinigami forces ebbed and flowed in concert, yet more often than not, the Quincies were coming out on top. But the news wasn't all bad. It was subtle, bizarrely so, but one of the Quincy captains had fallen. That certainly made the losses more bearable.
Another great help, Shunsui thought, was that he'd figured some things out by observing his opponent here. First and foremost, he wasn't fighting just one opponent. There was a power, distinct from the old man's own, that peeked its head out every once in a while. Then there was this "Vollständig" technique the guy was so proud of; the Reishi wings it granted him greatly increased his speed and his power received a hefty boost too, but it made the gap between his own power and the seemingly borrowed power more apparent. Finally, although this Quincy was a stone-faced wall when taunted, his civil demeanor slipped when he thought he was winning.
In summary, Robert Accutrone was a weakling who relied too heavily on borrowed power that he couldn't properly control, yet failed to see as much. This fight was as good as Shunsui's as long as he didn't make any major errors.
Any more major errors, that is.
A throbbing pain radiated out from the right side of his face where a couple of well-placed Reishi bullets took off part of his ear and pulverized his eye. Shots to the head really were the worst.
Accutrone smirked, "I am happy to see you still standing, Captain. I was hesitant to use this technique at first, assuming it might be too powerful, but you've proven a worthy enemy. You have my thanks." He tilted his head back and looked down his nose. The light from his Reishi wings threw shadows over face, the darkness catching in his shallow wrinkles and making him seem quite sinister.
"Don't mention it, old man. I'm grateful to you as well. Playing games like this can't be good for the joints, right?" Poking at his apparent age was the only taunt that got a reaction, but it was losing its effect fast. A shame, really. "I'll need you to put up with this child's whims a little longer, alright?" Shunsui started spinning, sending blades of wind hurtling towards Accutrone.
"Is that the only trick you know, Shinigami?" The Quincy took to the air on wings of light, easily slipping through Shunsui's attack. He dove, the barrel of his gun surely lined up with the Shinigami's remaining eye.
But those same blades of wind doubled back, circling around to intercept. They collided in the air, feeding into each other and growing stronger. Accutrone was enveloped in a cutting whirlwind before he could change course.
"Well would you look at that," Shunsui chuckled, "Looks like I don't need any other tricks." He leapt and slashed the Quincy with a swipe from each of his swords. The hits were solid, but the sensation was that of a shallow graze. He was more hardy than he looked. Even Bushōgoma could do little more than hold him in place. Shunsui raised his guard.
Accutrone crashed through the torrent of air. His pistol flashed. Four shots in quick succession. The bullets nearly struck true, drawing blood from the Shinigami Captain's arms and legs. Another discovery. Despite that weapon's appearance, it didn't need to be reloaded. Not surprising, but important to know.
No doubt about it, this is his limit, Shunsui decided. The speed of the Quincy's attacks and that likely borrowed power were the only things going for the guy. He could win without resorting to Bankai. It'll be a little tight, though. Oh well, as long as my lovely sword cooperates, I should be able to manage.
"I'll give this to you, old man, you guys really took us by surprise," he called down from above, "Unfortunately, the longer this goes on, the slimmer your chances of grasping victory become."
"That's rich! Quite so!" Accutrone laughed outright, "You must know that your words sound like those of a desperate loser. Is your intention to scare me off before I kill you? Or perhaps you want to try and negotiate. Either way, your attempts to sway me are futile." The emotion drained away from the Quincy's face. The borrowed power within him surged.
"You can probably tell that I'm quite fond of games, but I'm being serious here. Take my words as you will, one thing will not change; you aren't leaving this courtyard." Shunsui shrugged at the Quincy's stony expression, "And you know, if things keep progressing the way they have been, our old man is sure to take the field."
"You mean your Captain-Commander, I presume? Hardly a concern. If he should make an appearance, then His Majesty will rise to meet him. And I regret to inform you that, in such an event, our victory would be assured."
Shunsui shook his head. It really was impossible to deal with guys like this. They had powerful leaders and they acted like that power is their own. Their overconfidence was exhausting.
"Yeah, Irooni should work. I'm thinking we should get this over with though, so let's go with 'White' right off the bat." He dropped in an instant, landing an arm's length away from Accutrone, and swung his sword. The blade passed through the Quincy's arm, a strike that should have severed his hand, yet only left a deep gash. Strange.
"That's impossible!" Accutrone shrieked as he leapt away. "You could barely scratch my Blut Vene before!"
"That's how this game goes. You call out a color you want to attack, and you can only attack that color. Go on, give it a try."
The Quincy merely grunted and fired his pistol. Shunsui stood still and took the shots without fear. Katen Kyōkotsu's power was already in effect. Accutrone shuddered with rage. "What is the meaning of this?" As if consumed by frustration, he raised his gun once more and pulled the trigger again and again. The wrinkles on his face became increasingly more severe with every bullet that dissipated harmlessly.
"What, not even going to try and figure it out? You're no fun." Shunsui stepped forward through the ineffective barrage of Reishi bullets, "This power of mine has a few different variations that force those in its area of effect to follow specific sets of rules. If you refuse to abide, then I guess you'll die."
"Fine," Accutrone growled, "Black!" He fired another barrage of bullets, but once again they evaporated harmlessly. "Why?! I know for a fact that the Shinigami uniform is all black, so why won't my bullets do anything?!"
"Oops, I guess I left out some important details. Sorry about that. The color you call out is the only one you can hit, but the damage you deal is related to how much of that color you have on you. It's a risk versus reward sort of game." It was easy to approach the Quincy in his current state, "White." Another slash opened a new gash in the invader's side. Much closer to the severity than the last one.
"Then I'll call 'White' as well!" The Quincy took aim with a wild look in his eye. Shunsui didn't give him the chance to fire though.
Before Accutrone's finger could squeeze the trigger, Shunsui planted a light kick in his gut. Blood burst from the Quincy's mouth and his eyes bulged. That weak strike sent his white-clad body bouncing violently across the courtyard.
"You are an awful listener, aren't you?" Shunsui called after him. "I told you this was risk versus reward. The more of the called color you are wearing, the more damage you will inflict, but you'll take more damage as well. An old guy like you should have been able to figure out that much."
"Damn you!" Accutrone screamed, propelling himself across the courtyard with enough force to shake the walls.
Shunsui prepared to counterattack with a smirk on his face. It was only a matter of time now.
+ Break +
"I'm sorry! I just can't do it!" Yuki Ryūnosuke ran as quickly as he could, screaming all the way.
He couldn't stop. If he did, that would be the end. He'd collapse, fear and despair sapping the strength from his legs. Then it would only be a matter of time before he was found and killed by a Quincy, or worse, by Shino-san.
The tears wouldn't stop. He was scared and the pain in his legs was excruciating, but it was the shame that kept his sobs going and his legs moving. Why was he such a coward? The Shinigami of the Gotei 13 were meant to be brave guardians of balance, right? He couldn't even call himself a Shinigami in that case.
It was all a huge mistake. He was never cut out for this work, not like Shino-san and the others. All he ever wanted was to laze about and just exist. Was that so wrong? Was becoming the kind of weakling that couldn't even stand beside his allies as they fought for their lives some kind of punishment?
Ryūnosuke wailed, tripping on chunks of road that had been dug up by a passing battle. His lungs burned worse than they had during his training at the academy. They burned worse than when he was attacked by Hollows. His chest hurt, worse than anything, but he kept going. He'd keep going until exhaustion killed him. That was the least he deserved. He shut his eyes and pushed himself forward, holding as much air in his lungs that they could take.
Then he ran into someone. All of that air escaped at once as he fell to the ground.
He opened his eyes slowly, blinking away the stars, and shrieked. The person standing in front of him was clad in all white. No Shinigami dressed that way. It was a Quincy. He was doomed. He'd abandoned his comrades and now he was going to be cut down, all alone. Who knew how long it would take to find his body. Would there even be a corpse left?
Ryūnosuke opened his mouth, trying desperately to cry out, but the sound wouldn't come out. Mouth agape, he slowly raised his clearing vision. He had to at least see the face of the one that would end his pathetic life. He could at least manage to scrape up that piddling bit of dignity in the end.
He took in the sharp features, the jet black hair, the piercing, icy gaze behind a pair of smart looking glasses . . . and his jaw nearly hit the ground. He recognized that face! He nearly fell on his face scrambling to stand up. Relief made his chest shake and pushed whatever tears he had left out of his eyes.
"Ishida-san! You're Ishida-san, right?" He could barely contain himself. "Are Ichigo and the others here too? Oh man!" Ichigo and his friends were all super strong, or so he'd heard. He hadn't had many opportunities to see Ishida-san fight, but if he was one of Ichigo's companions, then he must be strong too.
This could be it! With reinforcements like this they could turn the tide of battle and push the Quincies back. They could bring the fighting to an end!
"Ah! Ishida-san, since you're here, I need your help, I mean, my comrades need your help! I'll show you the way, so follow me. Hurry!" Ryūnosuke turned and practically skipped a few steps. He stumbled and flashed Ishida-san an embarrassed smile. Relief almost made him forget what was happening all over the Seireitei at that moment. "Ishida-san?"
Ichigo's friend hadn't moved. His expression hadn't even shifted. He could definitely see Ryūnosuke; those piercing eyes were locked on him sure enough, but he made no other motion to acknowledge him.
"Ishida-san? Is something the matter?" He started jogging back towards Ishida-san to check, but a terrible shout rooted him to the ground.
"Ryūnosuke!" He had to force himself, as if against a powerful current, to turn his head and see Shino-san sprinting up to him. There was death in those sharp eyes of hers. Who would have thought that in the midst of a war, he'd be killed by one of his closest allies? The universe had a tragic sense of humor, that was for sure.
Unable to run, Ryūnosuke resigned himself to his fate. Dying by Shino-san's hand wouldn't be so bad. It was much better than being taken out by a random Reishi arrow fired from who knows where. He was ready, and accepted the doom barreling towards him.
He was shocked, then, when she didn't immediately run him through for desertion, and instead ran past him, stepping between him and Ishida-san. "Are you alright, Ryūnosuke? Can you move?"
"H-huh?" Ryūnosuke faltered for a moment. She was concerned about him? He was fine, clearly. She would see that if she just turned around and gave him a look, but she didn't. Her eyes were fixed on Ishida-san. And her sword was raised threateningly. "Whoa, wait, Shino-san! That's Ishida-san, remember? He's one of Ichigo's friends!"
"Do you know where you are right now?" She didn't take her eyes off Ishida-san for a second, but that soft, trembling voice was definitely meant for Ryūnosuke. "This is a battlefield. We're at war with the Quincies, and he's one of them." She was bleeding. There was a thick red streak running down the back of her neck, and there was blood dripping slowly from her sleeve.
"Yeah, but . . ." That was crazy talk. There was no way that could be true, "He's part of Ichigo's group, and they aren't our enemies."
"Do you see Ichigo anywhere around here? Can you feel his spiritual pressure?" It felt like the words were leaving her lips in slow motion. How was he supposed to process this? "Wherever his allegiances laid before, he's here now, and that makes him our enemy."
Ryūnosuke's eyes slid from Shino-san's back. He looked past the glare on Ishida-san's glasses and peered into his eyes.
And he felt cold.
+ Shift +
Another annoying one showed up.
"Get out of here, Ryūnosuke! I'll hold him off, so go!" She was Ikkaku's sister, wasn't she? Shino . . . that was her name. What a nuisance.
Ishida sighed. He went through all that trouble, sneaking around to avoid running into anyone he knew, and still he runs into these two buffoons. What a horrible joke.
"No! Shino-san, I can't just leave you like this. Not again!" Ryūnosuke kept arguing as if he wouldn't just get in Shino's way. Not that she'd put up much of a fight either. "If we both make a break for it, we might be able to find help!"
"You said it yourself, this guy is one of Ichigo's friends. If both of us go then he'll pick us off one at a time. If I stay, then maybe you can get away!"
They were ignoring him entirely at this point. What kind of imbeciles let fear blind them to the threat in front of them? These two were nothing more than weaklings, so why should he have to waste his time dealing with them? Enough was enough.
Ishida raised the hilt of his seele schneider and poured Reishi into it, igniting the soul-cutting blade. It was an outdated tool, one that would bring him shame in the Wandenreich, but for these two, anything more would be a waste.
"Shino-san!" Ryūnosuke's cry forced Shino's attention back onto Ishida just in time for her to raise her guard, for all the good it did. Her unawakened Zanpakuto folded like paper against his attack, and both of them were sent bouncing down the road.
He could have been on them before they came to a stop, but in all honesty, he couldn't be bothered. Ishida Uryu was a man that had faced a Shinigami Captain and won. He'd fought powerful Arrancar and achieved victory with little effort. He wasn't about to make more of an effort than absolutely necessary to deal with these two.
By the time he was upon them, it was clear that Shino was out of the fight. A large gash crossed her chest, dwarfing the injuries that she had before. She was as good as dead. No need to waste time finishing her off, then. Ryūnosuke though . . .
"S-Stay back!" The young Shinigami had been all but uninjured before, but that one attack left him riddled with cuts and bruises. Blood dampened the side of his face, and he was putting a disproportionate amount of weight on one leg. "I won't let you hurt Shino-san anymore. I won't!" Tears streaking his cheeks, coupled with the violent trembling of his hands-he could barely hold his sword upright-gave Ishida pause.
In this situation, Ryūnosuke was basically sacrificing himself for nothing. Ishida could strike him down with little more than a flick of his wrist, but he couldn't deny how much he admired the boy in that moment.
Ishida's face was stone as he swung his glowing blade. With a light spray of blood, Ryūnosuke's eyes rolled back and he collapsed beside Shino.
He probably should have killed them outright, but doing so would not have gotten him any closer to a position in the Sternritter. If he wanted a place in the upper echelons of the Wandenreich, then he had only one option: Find the Captain of Division 13.
The why of the matter was beyond him. This was the mission that Lord Haschwalth gave to him. This was the will of His Majesty. The reasons mattered not as long as it lead to a Quincy victory. Finding Ukitake Jūshirō was the key to the world's salvation.
Ryūnosuke and Shino were members of the 13th Division, if memory served, so he must be close to the barracks. Part of Ishida wished that he had committed more of the layout of the Soul Society to memory. Another part recoiled at the idea. This place was the home of the dreaded Shinigami. It should be wiped from existence, not memorized.
Powerful waves of Reiatsu washed over him, echoes of distant battles reminding him of the urgency of his task. The Sternritter were strong, as strong as the Captains at least, but if there was one thing he'd learned in his dealings with the Gotei 13, it was that the Shinigami leaders had more than strength going for them. The could be cunning and resourceful. Combined with the advantage of fighting on their home turf, that gave them the most options, which was bad news for the Quincy.
The faster he found Captain Ukitake, the sooner His Majesty could put an end to the fighting. He couldn't explain it, but he knew it to be true.
Peeking around corners and darting from shadow to shadow generated an almost genuine nostalgia. Once, he'd infiltrated this same place to help a friend. He'd run out in the open then. Let the Shinigami see him. The life of his friend, a Shinigami herself, was more important.
That was then. Now, he had a mission that was greater than his personal attachments. He had every reason to skulk around. He couldn't afford any delay. Still, he hoped he would not encounter Rukia here. He didn't want to undo the effort he'd made back then.
Though, if His Majesty succeeded, she and the rest of the Shinigami would disappear anyways. Why did that bother him so much? His Majesty was going to save the world from the false balance of the Shinigami. Sacrifices had to be made. The greater good was what mattered most.
Ishida turned a corner and locked eyes with one of the people he least wanted to see. He was frozen in place. He had to attack! He had to strike and end the fight before it could begin. But his feet were rooted. Kurotsuchi Mayuri's face split in a truly repulsive smile.
"Now this is a surprise," The Captain of the 12th Division's voice was like slime oozing into Ishida's ears. Why was he here? This should have been around the Division 13 barracks! "Based on our previous encounters, I would never have expected to run into you here. Congratulations, you've surprised me."
Ishida held out his hand, materializing his bow and nocking the hilt of his seele schneider in one motion. The soul-cutting sword ignited and he let it fly. He aimed for the Captain's heart, though he wasn't sure if the man actually had one. Unsurprisingly, the sword-arrow came to a sudden stop well before reaching its target.
"My, my. Yet more surprises." Kurotsuchi snatched the glowing sword out of the air and turned it over in his hand. "First, you hesitate to engage. Then, you out yourself as my enemy. This recklessness is rather intriguing. I hope you don't mind if I examine you thoroughly."
Drawing the string of his bow, Ishida charged his Reiatsu to its limit. He could fire thousands of arrows at once, but he doubted they would be effective against this opponent. Still, it couldn't hurt to try. The power being directed to his bow reached its peak. Even if he could not defeat the Captain this way, he could at least do some damage. He loosened his grip on the string and all of the power he had stored vanished.
He didn't have any time to be shocked before his vision blurred and the ground seemed to rush up at him.
"I am honestly bewildered," Kurotsuchi said, walking up casually. He didn't look the least bit concerned about approaching an enemy so openly. "You are the same Quincy that was stuck to Kurosaki Ichigo's side, aren't you? You're so careless I can't be sure. I guess I'll just have to dissect you to find out who you really are."
Ishida tried to move. Anything would have done; his arms, his legs, just a finger. His body wouldn't respond. Slowly, his eyelids slid shut. The last thing he saw as darkness took him was that utterly revolting smile.
+ Break +
Rose let the report slip from his fingers, allowing a light breeze to take the pages away with the dust. It was hard information to process. Surely the worst since his reinstatement as Captain of the 3rd Division. Losing a subordinate was never easy, of course, but to lose so many, all at once, was simply heartbreaking.
Gori and Katakura never saw eye to eye, Gori with his utter lack of tact and Katakura with his sharp, impatient tongue. But they pushed each other harder than almost any other members of the 3rd. Given more time, they could have risen through the officer's seats. It wouldn't have been a surprise to see one of them wearing the Lieutenant's badge one day.
Togakushi had always been a bit too by-the-book for Rose's tastes, but he was a diligent worker and a reliable comrade. If ever there was a need to determine the best course of action for the 3rd Division, Togakushi could be trusted to make the right choice. If not for his rigidity, the man would have made for a strong Captain candidate in the future.
The barracks were thoroughly decimated, leaving dozens dead, and countless more missing in action. Rose had taken the time to memorize most of their faces. It was like a game, comparing each member to a song that could remind him of their names. Each and every face he'd never see again pained him, but even that feeling was dwarfed.
It felt wrong to admit, even as a thought, but out of all of the losses suffered by the 3rd Division, the one that hit him hardest, the one most tragic, was the loss of his Lieutenant. Kira Izuru was a gloomy man at the best of times. At times, it seemed, he would lose himself in the pain of his past and the harshness of reality, and fade away. And yet he always bounced back. Through the toughest of times, Kira Izuru held the 3rd Division together.
He was an inspiration.
"What's the matter, Captain? Bad news?" The drawn-out sound of the Quincy's voice barely reached Rose's ears. In truth, everything seemed distant. He was almost too withdrawn to react to the obvious taunt.
Almost. "It would appear that many of my subordinates have been killed. So yes. Very bad news." Despair was quickly boiling over into rage, but it wouldn't do to lash out now. The reports noted the presence of powerful Quincies that could stand up to the Captains. This man was clearly one of them.
Even at a distance, Rose could see himself reflected in the Quincy's enormous sunglasses. With so much of his face covered it would be hard to read his expressions, if not for the big, toothy grin pushing his cheeks up. The strange coloring of his teeth, like rows of piano keys, greatly enhanced the irritation factor. "That's a shame," he said, still smiling, "but hey, that's war for you."
"It certainly is." Rose loosened his grip on his Zanpakuto, allowing the long, cord-like length of it to settle on the ground at his feet. He'd released it as soon as the invasion began. Perhaps it was time for Bankai . . . No. If this turned into a protracted conflict, he'd need to keep the full extent of his abilities a secret. Shikai would suffice.
The Quincy shifted, raising his hands in a defensive stance. Strange. For Quincies, the bow was akin to the Shinigami's Zanpakuto, so why did he not pull his out? And would he not attack? The reports suggested that the more powerful Quincies were extremely aggressive. Did that make this man an exception, or was he not a member of their elite forces after all?
Rose twitched his hand to the side and the glimmering cord of Kinshara sprang to life, jumping into the air in front of him. If his opponent would not take the initiative, then he would. A quick flick sent the flowery tip of his sword shooting towards the grinning Quincy. In this form, Kinshara could not cut, but it could pierce as well as any blade.
The sudden attack almost struck true. Almost. The Quincy had all but watched the tip of Rose's blade run him through before dodging at the last possible second. In the blink of an eye he leaned, avoiding the attack with absolutely minimal movement.
There was no mistaking it now. This man was one of the elite. Which meant there was no reason at all to take things slow.
Waving his arm in wide arcs, Rose enveloped the Quincy in a flurry of whipping strikes. Each time Kinshara struck the ground, it tore through the paving and added sharp shards of rock into the mix. The seemingly wild flailing of the cord-like Zanpakuto created a zone of death, trapping the Quincy within and threatening to pulverize him.
But the Quincy made minute adjustments, leaned this way and that, and deftly stepped between the cracking whip until he was free of the onslaught. "Whoa now! Those are some crazy dangerous moves. A guy could die if he was hit by something like that." His toothy smile never faded as he aired his grievances, "I gotta say, I'm not down with the whole 'honorable fight to the death' thing. So bye." The Quincy's body flickered and he was gone.
A movement technique similar to Shunpo, was it? It was foolish to believe that would be enough to escape a Captain of the Gotei 13. Rose followed the obvious trail of Reiatsu the Quincy was leaving behind. He tracked the man with the keyboard smile to an intersection crowded with large buildings that looked as though they were pulled straight out of the Rukongai. So he was near the 9th Division barracks.
The trail ending was a troubling matter. The Quincy was definitely there, but he'd managed to disperse his presence in such a way that Rose could not pin down his exact location. And with all these multi story buildings with windows all along the sides, there was no shortage of hiding places.
"What's the matter, Captain? You lost or something?" The Quincy's voice echoed through the street, seeming to come from every direction at once.
"Come out and fight me, Quincy," Rose called up to the air, allowing his voice to carry to all of the buildings, "that is why you led me here, isn't it? Nobody leaving such an obvious trail does so by accident."
"Bingo!" The Quincy laughed, "Saw right through me, didn't ya? I led you here, all right, but make no mistake, I ain't fighting you. Not yet, anyway."
"Do you intend to keep running then? You may be well hidden now, but it would not take me long at all to ferret you out. If you're intention is to wear me down, then you'd best give up now. I'm in no mood for games."
"I'm shaking in my boots over here! You're a real scary guy, Captain!" The echoing voice bounced off the walls, creating a mess of noise. It was not undecipherable, however. The echo was the same every time the Quincy spoke. It was all a matter of working back from there. "I don't have any plans to wear you out, though. See, I don't need to fight or stay away from you. All I have to do is watch you to win. So go ahead, search to your heart's content! But you better hope you find me quick, otherwise you're dead!"
That final laugh was all Rose needed. He traced the sound back along the walls and street. Back to its source. He didn't hesitate once he knew where the Quincy was. A quick flick of his wrist sent Kinshara's tip shooting into a window over his shoulder. A solid jerk denoted a hit, and with a tug, the cord was pulled taut.
The Quincy wasn't smiling anymore. A red flower was blooming around Kinshara's bulb, staining his stark white vest. "That's . . . not fair . . . man." He moved to remove the tip of the blade from his chest, desperately grabbing the cord, but . . .
"Too late." Rose rapped his knuckles across the cord-like length of his Zanpakuto like an extra thick guitar string. The light vibration traveled along the now glowing cord, growing more and more intense until it reached the tip embedded in the Quincy's chest. An explosive shockwave demolished the room the Quincy was hiding in. The destruction spread as the weight of those walls coming down brought down the neighboring walls, which then caused the floor to cave. In the end, the entire building was demolished
For a brief moment, Rose considered offering his foe a mournful tune. The man was not a Hollow; not a mindless creature consumed by emptiness and fueled by a hunger for souls. Yet, he was a monster of another sort, as far as Rose was concerned.
He got what he deserved. No, better. To be slain by a Shinigami was to be guaranteed rebirth. Could this man's victims say the same?
No, they couldn't.