Chapter 23
The Two Captains
"N-No way! Even Akiyama?!" said an aghast Izuru Kira as he stared at the unconscious form of his fellow Third Division Vice Captain. This was not how he envisioned his hunt for Akira ending. "This is becoming a nightmare!"
Shaken, he got a grip of himself and ordered the search party accompanying him to quickly get Akira to the medical wing for treatment. They loaded her battered and bloodied form onto a stretcher ahead of taking her away. Observing them go, Izuru palmed his hand over his wrinkled features and sighed. Afterward, he glanced over the area, perturbed to find no one else around.
"Strange. I could have sworn I felt an incredible spiritual pressure near Akiyama before we got here. It rocked the whole Seireitei. ...Does it belong to the one that was able to defeat her? Dammit! Just what in the world is going on?! First Abarai was defeated, and now even Akiyama! How could two Vice-Captains lose to the Ryoka?"
"Sir, should we go after them?" asked a Shinigami beside him.
He shook his head. "For now, let's just worry about tending to the injured. The Seireitei is in shambles, so for the time being, it would be best if we licked our wounds and prepare to counterattack. These Ryoka might be strong, but they can't hold out forever!"
His attention was drawn back to Akira, who had awoken and was making a fuss. The men carrying her were forced to hold her down.
"L-Let me go, you bastards! I said LET ME GO!" she roared. She bit someone's arm, yet even then her wish was not granted. "H-He's still out there! Higuchi is still out there! I-I have to finish him! I have to do it for Heishiro! Do you idiots here me?! H-He has to pay! All of them have to pay! K-Kana…!"
The others were thankful when she ran out of steam and passed out again. Despite the disturbance, Izuru found himself relieved.
"Well, if she had enough energy left for all that, she'll probably be just fine."
#
The dimly lit sewers beneath the Seireitei were just as damp, smelly, and revolting as Mayu Shiba anticipated. She pinched her nose and made a sour face while keeping pace behind Arashi Mitarashi.
"T-This place stinks!" she declared, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Y-Yeah. You're not kidding," replied Arashi. "Guess the Fourth Division hasn't been down here to clean up the place in a while. Considering all the craziness that's been going on the past couple of days, I guess I can understand why. Just...try to bear with it for the time being, alright?"
"D-Do I have to?"
"You do. There's no way we can go back to the surface, not with Aaron out of commission for the time being."
The dark-skinned teenager murmured at the sound of his name.
"I-I just can't believe he's still alive after all that!" proclaimed Mayu.
"Yeah, he took quite a pounding in that last fight. Anyway, without him, going back up top is suicide. After all the trouble he and his friends have been causing, the Shinigami up there are bound to be gunning for them with everything they've got to avenge their comrades. Fortunately, no one really comes down into these tunnels, so we should be safe."
Mayu gulped. "D-Do you think you can heal him?"
"Aaron? Of course!" said Arashi with confidence. "It'll probably take all night, but injuries of his extent are nothing for me! Unlike some of my other patients in the past, he still has all his limbs intact!"
Arashi chuckled but piped down when Mayu became as pale as a ghost.
"Er...t-that was a joke," he stated. He then cleared his throat. "A-Anyway, it seems I don't have as much of a workload as I first presumed. While it's true that Akira did a number on him, some of his wounds have already healed."
"Eh?! How can that be?!" questioned Mayu.
"I honestly have no idea either." Arashi paused. "...Perhaps it has something do with that strange mask from before."
"D-Do we have to talk about that thing? That and the voice that came with it were so creepy! I'm just glad whatever it was didn't try to kill us too! I hope it never shows up again!"
"You can say that again."
"Boy, I sure wish my brother was here! Even if that mask thingy did come back, he would beat it to a pulp!"
"Your brother? Who…?"
The two made a right down another corridor but froze. They were not as alone as they presumed they were.
"H-Hold on a sec! Mayu?!" cried Ganju Shiba in disbelief.
Mayu, just as astonished, replied, "G-Ganju?! Is that really you?!"
Once the two confirmed the other's identity, the ran at each other and embraced.
"I-I can't believe this! I was so worried about you, Mayu!" said a weeping Ganju.
"Yeah, I was worried about you too, big bro!" said Mayu, crying as well. Letting him go, she was appalled to see her brown kimono sullied by his blood. "H-Hey! How come you're all injured?! Were you going around and starting fights again?! You know big sis doesn't like when you do that!"
"Hey, I didn't start anything!" argued Ganju. "The damn Shinigami here are the ones who've been asking for trouble! I've just been defending myself!"
"Knowing you, you probably ran like a chicken!"
Mayu giggled, whereas Ganju sniffled.
He shouted, "T-That's no way to talk to your older brother! Hmph! Maybe I shouldn't have wasted my time getting on edge over a brat like you after all!"
"I see. This must be the brother she was talking about," mumbled Arashi to himself.
"Um...excuse me, but are you Arashi Mitarashi?" asked a meek voice close-by.
Arashi faced it and answered, "Er...yes. I'm sorry, but do I know you?"
"No, you don't," replied the diminutive, unassuming Shinigami speaking. His black hair was chin length, and his eyes a dull blue. "But I certainly know you! Everyone in the Fourth Division does!"
"I see. And you are?"
"Oh! My name is Hanatarou Yamada, sir! It's an honor to meet you!"
Hanatarou bowed, garnering a weak chortle out of Arashi.
"Y-You don't have to do all that," he assured Hanatarou. "I don't know why everyone from that squad always speaks so highly of me. I'm nothing special."
"T-That's not true! During your time in the Fourth Division, you received numerous awards and recognition from the rest of the Gotei 13! Even though everyone else always picks on our squad as a whole, even guys from the Eleventh Division get quiet whenever your name is mentioned!"
"Wow! I didn't know you were that good, Arashi!" said Mayu.
"Forget about that! Who the hell is this guy?!" asked Ganju in a less than cordial intonation. He made his way over to Arashi prior to yanking him close by the collar of his shirt. "What's another stinking Shinigami doing here, sis?!"
"C-Calm down, Ganju! He's on our side!"
"Y-Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you! My name is Arashi Mitarashi!" said Arashi anxiously.
"I don't care! I'm gonna…!" Ganju might have punched Arashi's block off if it were not for him taking heed of Aaron. "That punk is still alive? Man, it looks like he got hit by a truck!"
"So does that guy!" said Mayu. She pointed at a heavily wounded and sleeping Ichigo Kurosaki, who was lying on the ground. "Guess we weren't the only ones who ran into trouble!"
"So, that's another one of the Ryoka? Judging from the extent of his injuries, it appears we don't have time for small talk." Arashi went over and inspected Ichigo. "Yamada, I'll leave this one to you. Healing both him and Aaron would admittedly be too much for me alone."
"O-Of course! You can count on me!" replied Hanatarou.
Ganju inched closer to his sister and whispered, "Are you sure we can trust this guy?"
"Yeah! Arashi's been helping us out ever since we bumped into him! That dumb Shinigami on his back would have died if it weren't for him!" retorted Mayu.
"I can vouch for him as well," added Hanatarou.
Frowning, Ganju shrugged. "Well, as much as being surrounded by so many Shinigami pisses me off, I guess I'll just have to bear with it for a little while longer! Just hurry up and heal those idiots so we can move on already! These tunnels reek!"
"They smell like you when you don't take a bath for a couple of days!" said Mayu.
"W-Why you! Quit making fun of me already! W-Weren't you taught to respect your elders?! For your information, I've taken down a number of Shinigami while I've been here, so you should be paying me my dues!"
"Wow! Really?! Weren't you scared?"
"O-Of course not! Those idiots were no match for me!"
"Wow, Ganju! I take it all back! You're a lot cooler than I thought!"
As Ganju soaked up the limelight, Arashi's mood was spoiled some. Seeing the Shiba siblings interact reminded him of his own sister.
"I sure hope Kana is doing alright."
"Did you say Kana? Are you talking about one of the prisoners locked up in the Repentance Tower?" inquired Hanatarou. "Oh! That's right! Kana Mitarashi is your sister!"
"Yes, that is correct. Do you know her?"
"N-Not very well. I've seen her once or twice in the past, but we've never talked. I do know the other person in that tower though."
"Miss Rukia Kuchiki?"
"That's right!" Hanatarou brightened up at the mention of Rukia. "She's very kind."
"She's a member of the Kuchiki family isn't she? I...don't mean to be rude, but how did a person like you get the opportunity to speak with her?"
"It was during the time I was tasked with cleaning the Sixth Division's barracks. Miss Rukia was still being housed there at the time. Even though I'm just a lowly member of the Fourth Division, she still took the time out of her day to speak with me about anything that came to mind!"
Arashi leered at Ichigo.
"So, he's trying to save someone like her, huh?" he mused.
"Y-Yeah. I really hope he can do it! Someone like Miss Rukia doesn't deserve to die!"
"And neither does my sister, Yamada. I feel like we're quite alike. I know this is rather sudden, but I hope we can work together to accomplish our goals!"
The sight of Arashi's outstretched hand left Hanatarou speechless. Nevertheless, he shook it and sheepishly nodded.
"Whoa! This guy is going to save someone too?!" said Mayu in reference to Ichigo. "T-This goes even deeper than I thought!"
"What are you talking about, sis?" asked Ganju, his eyebrow heightening.
"Don't you get it, big bro? This story just got a whole lot better! Now there are two people chasing after the women they love! W-We have to see this thing through until the end, Ganju! We have to make sure these dumb Shinigami are reunited with their girlfriends!"
"Uh...sis? I think you've got the wrong idea."
"Yeah. I agree," added Arashi. "Heh. It's nice someone here is upbeat though."
"Um...I-I don't mean to interrupt, but we had best start healing Ichigo and that other guy. They're liable to bleed out and die if we don't," said Hanatarou.
"Oh! S-Sorry! You're right, Yamada! Let's do it!"
"Make it quick!" barked Ganju. "I don't care if it takes all night, but works as fast as you can! You never know what can happen in a place like this!"
Arashi and Hanatarou nodded and straightaway got to work.
"I just hope we have one night," stated Mayu somberly.
"Don't worry about it, sis! If worse comes to worse, the two of us will haul ass to that Repentance Tower and save everyone there ourselves!" proclaimed Ganju.
"Y-Yeah! We'll beat all the Shinigami up in the process! They won't stand a chance against the Shiba family!"
"I really hope they aren't serious," said Arashi, rolling his eyes. "Looks like we'd better hurry and heal these guys before we end up having even more patients, Yamada."
A sweating Hanatarou nodded but found himself pondering if fixing up Ichigo and Aaron was too big a task for the two to carry out in a single night.
#
Akira, wracked with pain, groaned as she came to. The ceiling above greeted her, leading her to speculate on her location. Before she could, someone lunged their face over hers and scared the living daylight out of her.
"Hi! How ya doin', Akiyama?"
"C-Captain?!" she shouted at Gin Ichimaru. "D-Don't do that, you bastard!"
"Hmm? They said you were badly hurt, so I came here to check up on you, but you seem just fine to me!"
She really was not, even more so because of his surprise arrival though kept this a secret and just sighed.
"...I don't mean to be rude, Captain, but can I help you with something? In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to recuperate here."
"Sheesh! You're always ask something like that every time you see me. You talk like I'm plottin' something. Then again, maybe you aren't off."
His claim fascinated Akira. "I knew it. Well, go on. What's going on?"
"Before that, I heard ya had a run in with one of the Ryoka, Akiyama. Judging from what I've read in the reports, you broke quite a few rules when ya ran off like that. Since I'm your Captain, I guess it's only right I come up with some kind of punishment."
Akira did not fear anything he or the Gotei 13 had in store. Regardless of what befell her, she would have done everything all over again in a heartbeat.
"So, you aren't gonna defend yourself? Yeah, that sounds about right." Gin grinned from ear to ear. "Well then, did ya have fun?"
"'Fun?'" echoed Akira. "What do you mean?"
"I'm just askin' if Aaron Higuchi was all he's been cracked up to be."
"...I guess. He wasn't anything special." Akira paused prior to adding, "...He did have these strange powers. They were...sorta like a Hollow's. Do you know anything about it, Captain?"
"'Like a Hollow's, huh? How scary."
He could feign ignorance as long as he desired for all Akira cared because she could tell he knew something thanks to his far too pleased expression. She did not think it possible, but she became even more on edge in his presence.
"So, are you gonna throw me in jail or not?" she asked.
"Nah," replied Gin casually. "You'd miss out on all the fun if I did that."
"...Looks like you're finally getting to the point."
"My, my. You're even grumpier than usual. Just sit tight for the time being, Akiyama. I'll have some guys from the Fourth Division come and heal ya soon enough. After that, it'll be time to speed things along. My Captain is gettin' impatient, ya see."
"'Your...Captain?'"
His cryptic talk only made sense once another person stepped into the room, one that elicited Akira's blood to run ice cold.
"Y-You…!" she uttered.
"Hello there, Vice-Captain Akiyama. Congratulations on your promotion, by the way. You've certainly earned it," said the cool and collected voice of Sousuke Aizen, Captain of the Fifth Division. "It is good to see you unharmed. I began to worry once I heard you and Abarai had gone missing. I can understand your motives for running off, but I'm afraid Gin and I are going to have to ask you to remain on your best behavior from now on. I hope that is alright with you, Akiyama."
Sweating like she was in the middle of a desert, Akira could do nothing more than slowly nod. Aizen's mannerisms might have been friendly, yet she got the sensation he would rip her apart if she so much as flashed a hint of disobedience.
"Welp, guess I better go check up on Abarai," said Gin, waving and walking away.
"Wait, what happened to him? If he's in the hospital tool, does that mean…?"
"Yeah. Looks like you weren't the only one who got trashed by the Ryoka."
"Be careful, Gin. You know what you have to do," stated Aizen.
"Of course. Leave it to me, Captain Aizen. I'm not the greatest actor though, so let's just hope I can plant some seeds of mistrust without giving myself away."
He departed, leaving Akira in an even worse situation than being alone with him. Now, she was all by herself with Sousuke Aizen. She slapped her legs in order to get them to stop quivering. It did not work.
"Get some rest, Akiyama," Aizen informed her. "You've got a big day tomorrow."
"I...do?"
"That's right. Until then..."
He left her on that note, much to her relief. With her heart pounding, she sought to process all she had learned from the two Captains.
"J-Just what in the world do they have in store? ...Have I gotten in over my head by joining them? What would you want me to do if you were here, Heishiro? ...Dammit. I just don't know anymore."
#
Kana marveled at the glittering stars in the heavens, thinking their quantity innumerable to count.
"Man, I can't believe it's night already. Seems like the day just started."
The sun would return again in a few hours, which meant the day she and Rukia would be executed would arrive even sooner. She lamented this fact while she turned her head and spotted Rukia serenely snoozing in the distance. The guards keeping watch over the Repentance Tower were quiet too, leaving things a bit too lifeless for Kana's liking. She missed the thrills, sights, and sounds of the Human World. She missed her job at the maid café in downtown Hino, having memorized the names of the customers by heart.
"Let's see. There was Mister Toshi, Mister Hiro, Tommy Q., the Shizuma brothers..."
She stopped since all she was doing was making herself more depressed. She would never see them or anyone from the Human World ever again.
"Captain Hitsugaya never came back. I hope everything's alright."
She feared him being so late had something to do with the strange spiritual pressure she detected earlier in the day.
"Well, if he's not here yet, maybe that's a good thing! Maybe it means Aaron and the others haven't been captured yet."
Even now, she was clinging to any shred of hope that her friends were in one piece despite the odds being horribly stacked against them. How she longed to join them on the battlefield to personally assure their safety. Ogling her pale hands, she knew this was nothing but a dream in her present state.
"No, even if I had my powers..."
An abrupt yawn escaped her. Sleep was calling out to her, so she laid her weary head down on her pillow, shut her eyes, and attempted to get some rest.
"All this worrying sure takes a toll on a girl, and I still need my beauty sleep!"
Nevertheless, her chest ached, prompting her to clutch it. Whether it was from heartache or indigestion, she was not sure. She sat right back up and curled her lips.
"...D-Damn my razor-sharp intuition! Something bad is gonna happen! I just know it! I don't know when or where, but it's gonna go down! I-I just hope Aaron doesn't have anything to do with it."
The anguish in the pit of her torso increased just then.
"Ugh! I need an antacid! That's the last time I eat the mystery meat for lunch! Since Arashi hasn't been around, they've practically been feeding us dog food! You'd think since they're going to kill us anyway, they'd be serving us five course meals! Where's the complaint box around here?! And speaking of Arashi, where has that lazy bum been?! How dare he leave his sweet, older sister to rot in this place?!"
Her irate yelling inadvertently roused Rukia from a deep slumber.
"W-What's going on, Mitarashi? Is everything alright?" she asked in a daze.
"Oh! Rukia! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you!"
"No, it's...alright. I can hardly rest for long nowadays."
"Yeah, I feel the same. Honestly, I feel guilty relaxing here when I know our friends are out there somewhere and risking their lives for us. If only there was something we could do for them from here."
"I've been thinking about that, Mitarashi. Before our execution, I'm going to ask the Captain-Commander to allow Ichigo and the others to safely return to their world."
"Whoa! I would have never cooked up something like that! You're really amazing, Rukia! Do you believe it'll work though? Old man Yamamoto is pretty darn bullheaded."
"I can't say for sure. What else can we do for the others at this point?"
"Sheesh. Who knew the truth could be so depressing?"
"I'm going to get some shut eye, Mitarashi. You should try to do the same."
Rukia rested her head back on her pillow, whereas Kana coiled her lips. She did not get it. She could not fathom how anyone could just go quietly into the night when faced with their demise. That may have suited others but not her. She refused to give in until the last second, and she would find a way to escape her fate even if it killed her. She felt she owed Aaron and his friends that much for going so far out of their way to help her.
"Uh...goodnight, Rukia! Sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs bite!"
"What in the world are bedbugs?!" asked Rukia, wincing at the mention of insects.
"No clue! Everyone in the Human World used to tell me that before I went to sleep!"
"...I don't mean to be rude, but you are quite...strange, Mitarashi."
"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment!"
#
Morning came in due time. Akira, littered in bandages, was not exactly jumping in joy having to face a new day. She just hoped this one would be better than the last.
"Ugh. Places that I didn't even know could be in pain are aching. Someone just kill me."
Yawning and grimacing, she limped her way down a corridor with Izuru Kira at her side.
"Try not to overdo it, Akiyama," he warned.
"Yeah, yeah. I-I'm perfectly fine over here. You don't have to worry about me. Those losers from the Fourth Division aren't good for much, but I'll give them credit for healing me as much as they "
He wanted to believe her yet could not after she nearly collapsed from exhaustion. He helped her up, and they continued their journey.
"You really shouldn't be out of the hospital yet. To be honest, I'm shocked you're even conscious," he said. "What are you trying to prove by pushing yourself like this?"
"Do you really think I could lie in bed under the circumstances?" she answered.
"You've got a point, but you really shouldn't push your luck. I still can't believe Captain Ichimaru didn't punish you for running off like that yesterday. Captain Kuchiki didn't hesitate to throw Abarai in jail for what he did."
"Do you think I give a shit what happens in some other squad?!" decried Akira. "...S-Sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just a little cranky from all this pain. I also get what you're trying to say. You're right. Look, you don't have to worry about me pulling any stunts or disobeying orders anymore. It's not like I'm in the state to try anything anyway."
"What's this? You're being surprisingly reasonable today, Akiyama."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I'm always reasonable, you ass!"
Izuru sighed and felt her outburst proved his point.
"Have there been any sign of those Ryoka?" asked Akira, changing the subject.
Izuru answered, "No. None at all. Maybe their inactivity is a good things. Perhaps like us, they're licking their wounds. Then again, the longer it takes for us to eliminate them, the more time they'll have to cause more trouble."
"Trouble, eh?"
That was a gross simplification in Akira's opinion. She learned firsthand how much damage just one of the intruders could cause.
"By the way, where are we going so early in the morning?" she inquired.
"We need to meet up with the other Vice-Captains again," said Izuru.
Akira rolled her eyes. "Fa-aaa-antastic."
Izuru faintly smiled. "You don't have to sound that excited."
"Oh, go to hell."
Akira piped down and found her gaze drawn to the Repentance Tower.
"Don't even think about it," remarked Izuru.
"What?! I'm not even doing anything! I'm just...looking at it!" she replied. "...The executions will be coming up soon, right?"
"Yeah. It won't be much longer until it's all over. Come on. We don't want to be late."
"Whatever you say, Dad."
Frowning at the jape, Izuru replied, "Sorry. I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but you're evidently the kind of person that doesn't understand something unless you're told dozens of times. Maybe you're skull is just too thick."
"W-What's was that?!" Akira's visage reddened like a ripe tomato. "You better put a sock in it, Kira, before I lay you out right here!"
"What good what would that do? Then we'd both be in the hospital."
"Say that again, you jerk! I dare you to…!"
She cut herself off only because of the snickering coming from around the corner. She and Izuru ventured to the spot to find Vice-Captains Rangiku Matsumoto, Shuuhei Hisagi, and Tetsuzaemon Iba awaiting them. The three promptly ceased their chortling.
"Well, well, well! Look who it is! You seem to be in a pleasant mood like always, Akiyama!" teased Rangiku.
"Blow me, Matsumoto," responded Akira in kind. "Unless you want a taste of my blade, I suggest you shut that fat mouth of yours. It's the only thing bigger than your chest."
Suddenly, Rangiku was not smiling. She put a hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutou and retorted, "Oh yeah?! I'm almost tempted to take you up on that offer! Ever since you got that promotion of yours, you've been starting nothing but trouble! It's about time someone put you in your place!"
"Bring it on, bitch! I highly doubt the Gotei 13 will miss one more Vice-Captain!"
Before any sparks could fly, Hisagi got in between the two.
"Relax, both of you. While we've been allowed to carry our Zanpakutou on a full time basis, that doesn't mean we should be using them to decrease our own ranks. If you two want to fight, I really don't care, but settle your grudge after we take care of the Ryoka. Got it?"
Grudgingly, the ladies nodded and backed off for the time being.
"If it was me, I would've let you go at it," said a smirking Iba. "Working off a bit of steam under these stressful times isn't such a bad idea!"
Hisagi frowned. "You aren't really helping, Iba."
"Leave it to a former member of the Eleventh Division to say something like that," stated Izuru, shaking his head.
Without warning, someone far off let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"W-Who was that?! I think it came from the east wall!" said Rangiku.
"T-That sounded like Hinamori!" said Izuru, who grew as pale as a sheet. He did not hesitate to scramble toward the source of the disruption.
"Wait up, Kira!" Akira made a hasty pursuit. "Dammit! It's just one thing after another around here!"
She and the rest of the Vice-Captains did not have to trek long. Upon reaching Momo Hinamori and the enormous wall Rangiku mention, they froze like statues and stared blankly at the dead body pinned to the partition by a sword. Dried up blood was everywhere, indicating the individual had been deceased for some time. However, that was not remotely the most startling aspect to the discovery.
"W-What in the world?! T-That's Captain Aizen!" exclaimed Izuru.
"'Aizen…?" repeated Akira numbly. "N-No, it can't be! H-How…?!"
Neither Gin nor the man now hanging high above the Seireitei had said anything about this, leading her to believe her Captain had taken matters into his own hands. His reasoning eluded her however.
"CAPTAIN AIZEN! CAPTAIN AIZEN! N-No, t-this can't be real! H-He can't be…!"
Momo, beside herself with grief, slumped to her knees and sobbed into her hands. Meanwhile, those behind her were left lost for words, under the impression they were stuck in a nightmare they had yet to wake up from.
"Oh? What's going on here? Who is that making so much noise this early in the day?"
Like being drawn by a magnet, everyone rotated themselves to an approaching Gin Ichimaru. Other than momentarily glancing at Aizen's corpse, he grinned from ear to ear like nothing was amiss. His demeanor basically confirmed Akira's fears.
"Y-You…!" Momo trained her tear-stained eyes on the man. Afterward, she worked out something in her mind, something that led her to suddenly proclaim, "IT WAS YO-OOOO-OU!"
She drew her Zanpakutou and made a beeline for Gin. The Captain did little to defend himself, practically inviting her to try something. Momo's rage snapped Akira out of her trance, and she and Akira retrieved their own blades before repelling the attack meant for Gin.
"K-Kira! Akiyama! W-Why are you two getting in my way?!" asked a dumbfounded Momo.
"Because we are the Vice-Captains of the Third Division! Regardless of your reasons, we cannot allow you to point your sword at our Captain!" declared Izuru.
Akira added, "Calm down, Hinamori! What the hell has gotten into you?!"
Truthfully, she could hardly argue with anyone attempting to take Gin Ichimaru down, yet her duty as his subordinate came before her personal opinion.
"Move aside!" roared Momo.
"I cannot!" replied Izuru.
"You idiot! You'll get court martialed if you keep this shit up!" stated Akira.
Momo cried, "I don't care! Get out of my way!"
"I cannot!" repeated Izuru firmly.
"What part of 'move aside' do you not understand?!"
"What part of 'I cannot' do you not understand?!"
"This is your last warning, Hinamori! Cool your head or else!" warned Akira.
Momo took this as an ultimatum. With diplomacy no longer on the table, she resorted to warfare by shouting, "Snap, Tobiume!"
Izuru's and Akira's eyes enlarged at her sword straightening and sprouting prongs at various intervals on the blade. Seconds later, Tobiume ignited, and an explosion rocked the area, shrouding the three in a cloud of smoke.
Izuru slid out of the miasma and remarked, "You have some nerve releasing your Zanpakutou like that! How shallow!"
Akira, close behind him, chuckled. "This is a pleasant surprise! I didn't think that crybaby had something like this in her!"
"Get serious, Akiyama! There's nothing at all funny about the present situation!"
"Yeah, yeah. Spare me another one of your speech's, will ya?"
"Yes, now isn't the time for us to argue." Izuru turned to Momo and added, "Think about what you're doing! Don't mix your personal feelings with your job as Vice-Captain, Hinamori!"
Momo said nothing. Talk was the last thing on her mind. Lifting Tobiume, she created another fireball ahead of casting it at her enemies. Izura and Akira moved their heads and dodged, letting it destroy a building in the background instead.
Akira whistled. "That one might have actually killed us. She really isn't holding back. What should we do, Kira? I don't mind roughing her up, but I know she's a friend of yours, so..."
"Friend or not, if she is going to continue acting like a petulant child, we have no choice but to treat her as an enemy!" replied Izuru. He went skyward with his Zanpakutou in hand. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!"
His sword became a square-shaped hook.
"So, that's how it's gotta be, eh?" Akira muttered. "Erode, Tatsumaki!"
Activating her Shikai as well, she and Izuru readied to pounce on Momo. However, both, along with their target, were visibly startled when their strikes were parried by a lone man.
"Nobody move," said Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya.
"W-What the…?! Where the hell did he come from?!" questioned Akira.
"T-Toushirou…?" mumbled Momo, convinced she was merely hallucinating.
Without glancing at her, Hitsugaya told the other Vice-Captains, "Restrain these three."
Izuru and Momo let themselves be captured without much of a fight. Akira, on the other hand, began punching and kicking as Tetsuzaemon Iba wrapped his arms around her.
"W-What's the big idea?! What the hell did Kira and I do wrong?! We were just doing our jobs! If you're going to punish anyone, take that crazy bitch over there!"
She shut her trap after Hitsugaya gave her the nastiest, sharpest glare she could recall receiving in her whole life.
"...Shut your mouth, Akiyama," he said in a calm tone that did not remotely match his expression. "Take her and the other two and lock them away! I'll have to report to the Captain-Commander on what happened here. All of it."
"T-That short, son of a bitch!" snarled Akira while Iba dragged her away. "He's gonna pay for this!"
She forgot about him almost straightaway thanks to Gin waving she and Izuru goodbye, still smirking like the world's funniest joke had been told. Instinctively gulping, she shifted her shaky eyes over to the remains of Sousuke Aizen. She still struggled accepting he was really dead.
"J-Just what is the Captain planning? Why kill Aizen?"
#
Aaron awoke to a foreign ceiling leering back at him. It did not even faze him; he was more than accustomed to waking up in strange places by now. He could not say the same thing for the smell, which made him pinch his nose in disgust.
"Where am I? Are these...sewers?"
A hairy rat scurried past him as if giving him a reply. The creature and his surroundings were troubling, but not nearly as much as whatever was weighing down his chest. Even without looking, he grew pasty and just knew it was a person. Nonetheless, he could not resist the temptation to peer down to confirm.
"...Goddammit."
Mayu Shiba, using his ribcage as a pillow, snored gently as she napped. Although Aaron craved to scream, he brought it down to a whimper while cautiously sitting up.
"Y-You can't be serious! What am I, a magnet for sleeping girls?!"
He took a deep breath and properly assessed the situation. So long as he could get Mayu off of him before she woke up, everything would be fine. Thankfully, there seemed to be no one around to stumble on the scene like usual.
"Alright, Aaron. Easy does it."
He gingerly went to shove the girl off, yet the second he did, she wrapped onto him even tighter. This was not a good sign of things to come, but again, Aaron did not panic.
"Good thing she's a heavy sleeper. Wait, how did she end up down here with me in the first place? How did I end up down here? Wasn't I fighting someone before this? Fighting...someone?"
Everything was a total blur, prompting him to shrug his shoulders. He guessed the reason did not matter in the end; both he and Mayu were safe. On top of that, he was totally healed.
"Wow! This is great!"
"What's great, you son of a bitch?! And what the hell are you doing to my sister?!"
Aaron habitually faced whoever was speaking but immediately regretted the decision because of the balled fist flying his way. Shrieking, he ducked it at the last second and inched himself away from his assailant.
"Hey! What's the big idea, you…!" he began. However, he paused, recognizing the burly man before him. "Wait, you're Ganju Shiba, right?"
"That's right! And you're that other stinking Shinigami! Messing with me is one thing, but you've got a lot of nerve trying to do something funny with my little sister while she's sleeping!"
"I-I wasn't doing anything of the sort! I don't know how she got there! Besides, if your intent was to pick a fight with me, it's working!"
"Oh yeah?! Bring it on!"
The two would have bumped heads if not for the arrival of three people coming to find out what all the commotion was about.
"Oh! Aaron! You're up!" exclaimed Arashi Mitarashi. "How are you feeling?"
"We tried to heal you the best we could, so I hope you're alright," sheepishly said Hanatarou Yamada.
"Uh...yeah. I'm okay. Thanks for taking care of me, you two. I don't mean to be rude, but...who are you?" asked Aaron.
"Don't worry, Higuchi. Hanatarou's on our side," stated Ichigo Kurosaki.
"Kurosaki?! You're here too, huh? Heh. It's a small world." Aaron smirked. "Well, if you say this guy is alright, I guess I'll have to take your word for it."
The two Shinigami exchanged a firm handshake.
"I had a feeling a guy like you wouldn't have any problems making it this far," Ichigo informed him.
"Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you," replied Aaron. "Hope you didn't run into too much trouble out there."
"I'll admit it was tough, but I managed thanks to Hanatarou here. I couldn't have gotten this far without him."
"Yes, his healing Kidou is some of the best I've ever seen!" said Arashi.
Hanatarou, blushing, replied, "Y-You guys are just saying that..."
"Mayu and Arashi helped me out a bunch too," said Aaron. "It's a good thing we brought such good help along for the ride, Kurosaki."
"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?!" growled Ganju. The others paid his remark no mind, enraging him even more.
"Well, since we're all up..." Arashi paused and glanced at Mayu drooling on Aaron's black robes. "Uh...well, almost all of us. Anyway, I say we get on a move on for the Repentance Tower. It shouldn't be too far from our current location."
"Do you think we'll run into any trouble?" inquired Aaron.
"Maybe, but there's no point in us staying down here forever," replied Hanatarou.
"I wanna rescue Rukia and your friend as soon as possible, Higuchi!" added Ichigo.
Aaron still had his doubts, though he nodded and agreed that inaction would get them nowhere. He had come to Soul Society for a reason, and it had nothing to do with hiding out in some smelly sewers.
"Is something wrong, Arashi?" he said, catching his friend's attentive gaze.
"N-No. Nothing at all. Sorry," the younger Mitarashi answered.
It seemed like a lot more than 'nothing' to Aaron, but he opted not to press the issue.
"Hey, Mayu! Come on! Wake up already!" cried Ganju, poking his sister in the forehead. She stirred some but remained fast asleep. "Sheesh! She's like an old lady!"
"Don't worry about it. I got her." Aaron readjusted her onto his back. "She had a long day yesterday, so let's just leave her alone for the time being."
"Hmph! I wouldn't recommend spoiling her like that, kid. She'll get attached."
"More...than this? That's rather hard to believe!"
#
With the aid of a ladder, the group ventured to the surface and were blinded by the light of the sun.
Aaron inhaled deeply and said, "Ah! It doesn't smell like ass out here!"
"Tell me about it. All this light sure hurts though. I was sorta getting used to the depressing darkness," joked Arashi.
"Good. There's nobody out here," said Ichigo. "Weird. You'd think that since a fight took place so close to here just yesterday, they'd have guards patrolling the area."
"Maybe they just didn't think we'd be stupid enough to come back," said Ganju.
"Maybe..."
"We shouldn't assume the enemy is that careless," warned Aaron. "Let's just stay frosty, guys. We might be walking into a trap."
"I don't feel anyone's spiritual pressure around though," stated Arashi.
Aaron did not dare wonder if that was a good thing or not. Besides, he could hardly concentrate with Mayu snoring into his ears.
"Man, even if someone attacked us, she would probably sleep right through it," he said.
"At least we won't have to hear her whining," remarked Ganju. "Say, what do you think that glasses guy, the orange-haired hottie, and that other skinny guy are doing right now?"
"Are you...talking about Uryuu, Inoue, and Sasune?" asked Aaron, raising an eyebrow. "Beats me."
"They're alright," said Ichigo. "Uryuu and Orihime are one hundred times smarter than me, so they'll avoid fighting if they can."
"They sound dependable, unlike the other guy with them." Aaron sighed. "Knowing Sasune, he's causing them more trouble than the enemy."
"What about that Chad guy?" asked Ganju.
"Oh yeah. Mitsumi was with him," added Aaron. "I hope they're alright."
"Chad? We can worry about him even less than the others," said Ichigo with certainty.
"H-How can you be so sure he's even still alive?" inquired Ganju.
"There's no doubt about it. I can feel his spiritual pressure. Ever since we landed here in the Seireitei, I've been able to sense it as clear as day."
"Wow. Seriously? How? I can barely feel a thing because there are so many people around. For you to be able to pinpoint one guy..." commented Aaron. "Well, if you know where he is, do you want to go looking for Mitsumi and him?"
"There's no need. It's completely unimaginable that Chad could lose to anyone."
#
Chad sent a Shinigami flying with his right arm, impressing Konoka, who whistled.
"I think that was a home run, Sado!" she said. "Nice one!"
He shot her a thumbs up, just as his victim impacted the ground with a thud. Battered and bloodied, he began crawling away from the two.
"D-Damn you both! H-How could Ryoka be so strong?!"
"Say, where do you think you're goin'?" asked Konoka. The Shinigami did not know how or when, but she was now standing above him. "We've got somethin' to ask you, pal. Sado, do you mind?"
Chad did not, so she scooped the trembling Shinigami up. "What is the fastest way to get to the Repentance Tower?"
The man, confused, blinked a few times. "'T-The Repentance Tower?'"
"Did he stutter?!" hollered Konoka. The Shinigami cried out in terror. "Tell us before we break every bone in your body, creep!"
"Mitsumi, let me handle this," said Chad, pushing her back some. She crossed her arms but otherwise complied with his request. "A Shinigami named Emi Otomi told us to follow this direction if we wanted to reach that white tower, but we want to know if there are any shortcuts."
"'S-Shortcuts?'" the Shinigami answered.
"Are you a freakin' parrot?!" roared Konoka, seconds away from socking the man in the mouth. Chad held her arm back however. "Quit screwin' around! We're on a tight schedule and don't have time to waste on you! On top of that, I'm not feelin' too well this morning, so forgive me if I'm not in the best of moods!"
The Shinigami got the hunch she was often 'not in the best of moods.'
"O-Okay, okay! J-Just follow the path on the right! I-It's a shortcut everyone around here knows about, I swear!"
Chad mulled his statement over ahead of releasing him. "...I see. Thanks."
"Y-You're welcome!"
"Good boy." Konoka patted him on the head. "Alright, Sado. Let's get goin'. I need to find some more of these losers to beat up so I can loosen myself up."
"Be careful, Mitsumi. We managed to find a Shinigami to heal you a little, but there's no way you've fully recovered after your fight with that Emi Otomi," advised Chad.
Konoka, covered in more dressings than she could count, replied, "Save your breath. I've never felt better actually. I think I needed to get my ass kicked to get my butt in gear. We're close to that Repentance Tower thingy, so it's not like we're gonna have to fight much longer, right? I'm pretty sure I can hold up until then. Besides, that wimpy Shinigami didn't do the job properly!"
"That's because you knocked him out before he could."
"...W-Well, that guy was pissin' me off! Let's just move on already!"
She put on a brave face, but in reality, she could hardly move, let alone fight. Her limbs felt seconds away from breaking, and she figured she would need a blood transfusion after everything was said and done.
Pale, she forced to herself to move forward, saying, "That guy said to the right, yeah? Our damsels in distress are waiting. Watch my back."
Chad nodded and followed after her. What he and Konoka did not notice was the Shinigami from before snickering and making his way to his feet. With his sword in hand, he made a mad dash toward them out of the blue.
"Idiots! They should know better than to turn their back on an enemy! Die!"
Casually and without turning her head, Konoka smacked him across the sky.
"I guess that one was a home run too," she remarked.
"You might have actually killed that man, Mitsusmi," said Chad.
"Don't care." Konoka stretched her fingers and added, "Looks like we're enterin' the barracks that green-haired tramp mentioned."
"Yeah. She said something about it being the headquarters of some Eighth Division."
The entrance to said base of operations was left wide open and unguarded, though Chad and Konoka saw that it was solely because there was no one left to protect it. They had knocked everyone around out for the count. Unhindered, they dashed inside.
#
Little did they know they were being watched.
"They're coming, Captain. Two Ryoka," said Nanao Ise, Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division, observing the two from a window.
Stretched out on the floor and taking it easy was a rugged Shinigami wearing a gaudy, pink kimono over his black robes. Captain Shunsui Kyouraku lifted the straw hat from over his eyes and frowned. "...They're here already? Bummer."
#
Chad carved an opening through a group of Shinigami using an energy blast, leaving burning debris and groaning bodies in his wake. Konoka patted him on the back.
"You're just full of tricks, aren't ya?" she stated. "You didn't have to go so easy on 'em though."
"Even if they're the enemy, I don't want to kill anyone," replied Chad. He trained his eyes on his black gauntlet and added, "...Strange. I used to get tired just firing off two of those blasts a day, but now, I can do more than five without breaking a sweat. I'll have to thank Yoruichi for training me when I get a chance."
"That black cat, huh? I still don't get how it could train anybody, but I guess the results speak for themselves. Speakin' of which, I wonder how Yoruichi and everyone else is doin'? We haven't seen hide nor hair of them since we crashed here."
"I hope they're alright."
"Yeah, me too. Least we don't have to worry about that Ichigo guy. He seems like the kinda guy who knows how to take care of himself. I don't know about everyone else though."
"I know you're worried, but we should just focus on getting to that tower."
Konoka, stretching her neck, answered, "Fair enough."
"Hold it!" said someone in the background, interrupting their conversation. They looked forward and beheld a beefy Shinigami possessing two black braids and tan skin. Because of the way his black robes were customized, the left side of his chest was bare. "This is the end of the line, foolish Ryoka! You may have defeated the others, but you will not get past me! My name is Tatsufusa Enouji, and I'm the Third Seat of the Ninth Division! You fools picked the wrong path! Since I'm the one stationed here, I'm afraid this way is a dead end!"
He pulled out his Zanpakutou and began whipping it around like a pair of nunchucks. He was so fast in fact that his movements were a total blur.
"Hahaha! Are you two scared? Yes, you must be! You're clearly paralyzed by fear! I do not blame you! My Dance of the Avalanche Blade has never once been bested! I'm afraid…!"
Without warning, Chad's fist impacted his jaw and wheeled him into a wall.
"...Sorry, but you left too many openings in your stance," the giant said.
"Thank God." Konoka sighed in relief. "That asshole talks better than he fights by the looks of it. I didn't even see you move, Sado. You're a lot faster than you look."
She might not have been at her very best, but she felt comfortable nonetheless thanks to Chad. If worse came to worse, she could leave things in his capable hands.
"Whoa! That was mighty impressive!"
The Red-Haired Beast grumbled at yet another person entering the fray. As cherry blossom fluttered from above, Shunsui Kyouraku dropped down to where Chad and Konoka were with a huge smile plastered on his face.
Lifting his straw hat, he said, "Why, hello there, you two! My name is Shunsui Kyouraku! I'm the Captain of the Ninth Division. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"'Captain of the Ninth Division?'" echoed Chad.
"Wait, this guy's a Captain?" Konoka had a hard time believing this, mostly because of Kyouraku's tacky, pink kimono. "D-Didn't Yoruichi say we should run if we bumped into one of these guys?"
"My, my! What a lovely young lady I have in my presence here!" said Kyouraku, swooning over Konoka. She responded by recoiling. "No one told me there was such a beauty among the Ryoka!"
"Uh...t-thanks for the compliment, I guess. I'm really not into geezers like you though."
Kyouraku curled his lips. "I had a feeling you would say something like that."
The flower petals raining down on him suddenly increased, leading up to glance up.
"Hey, Nanao! You can stop with the flowers now!" he cheerily said.
His Vice-Captain, stern-faced, acted like she had not heard him.
"Nanao? Nanao? Lovely Nanao!"
The extra adjective attached to her name struck a nerve; she dumped the remaining contents of her bowl onto him without a second though, burying him in sweet-smelling petals.
Chad said, "...Sorry, but we don't have time to mess around. Please move aside."
Konoka cracked her knuckles. "My butler always told me to treat my elders with respect, so I really don't wanna have to rough you up, gramps. I'm not gonna hold back though if you decide to get in our way."
Kyouraku, saddened, retorted, "Don't be so mean! My, you certainly are a stoic bunch."
"We're in a hurry, so please move," said Chad. "You don't seem like a bad guy, so if possible, we would prefer not to fight you."
"How problematic! None of us want to fight."
"Uh...actually, I don't mind takin' you on at all," interjected Konoka.
"Ah, but you see, I have a strict policy not to engage lovely ladies like you in combat, so that still leaves us in a bind. How about you both just turn back?"
"We can't do that," said Chad firmly.
"That's too bad." Kyouraku closed his eyes and sighed again. "I guess it can't be helped."
His remark led Chad and Konoka to prepare themselves for battle. However, the item Kyouraku retrieved was no weapon but a jug of liquor. Holding up three plates, he grinned and said, "How about we all share a drink together, my new friends?"
A awestruck Chad simply uttered, "Huh?"
"I-Is this guy serious?" asked Konoka, just as lost for words.
"I'm dead serious!" chimed Kyouraku. "Since none of us are willing to back down, I say we have a drink to kill some time!"
"A drink, eh? Alright, count me in!" said Konoka. The situation might have taken a strange turn, yet she was not going to argue with Kyouraku's hospitality. "Give me some of that, old timer!"
Elated, Kyouraku mumbled, "How lucky am I? I get to drink with a pretty, young girl! Say, are you even old enough to drink, miss?"
"Forget about that!" Konoka chugged down the warm sake. "Nice! You've got some good stuff here, gramps! Lemme get some more!"
Kyouraku chuckled and happily gave her what she requested. Chad, meanwhile, felt something was not quite right.
"...What did you mean when you said 'kill some time?'" he queried.
"All the other Captains should have made their moves by now. This battle will be over soon," explained Kyouraku, pouring himself some alcohol. "So, until then, I want the two of you to stay here and drink to your heart's content!"
Konoka polished off another helping of sake and exhaled. "Man, that hits the spot! Say, you aren't going to have any, Sado? Wait, why are you so pale? Don't tell me you're the kinda guy that gets drunk just from smellin' this kind of stuff?"
"...Are you saying the other Captains are fighting Ichigo and the others right now?" asked Chad, who looked horrified. "Things are different now. I need you to move aside immediately, Kyouraku."
"Darn. Maybe I said too much," mused Kyouraku. He turned to Konoka and said, "Well, at least you'll keep my company, right?"
The Red-Haired Beast shattered her dish on the ground just then.
"W-Why did you have to do something like that, miss? Those were some of my best dishes!" said Kyouraku.
Konoka wiped her mouth and replied, "Thanks for the drink, old man, but it's like Sado said earlier. We don't have time to play around with you! I promised Higuchi I'd help save his girlfriend, so while stayin' here and drinkin' some more sounds swell, I've got better shit to do. If your pals really are after our friends, then I guess we'll just have to stop 'em! So, what's it gonna be? You gonna get the hell outta our way, or is this gonna have to get ugly?"
The Captain of the Ninth Division calmly took another sip of his sake. "...And what if I refuse?"
"You won't get a chance too!" exclaimed Chad. He closed the gap between himself and Kyouraku and unleashed a gigantic surge of white energy. However, it failed to finish the job. Its target swatted the beam away and into a building behind him with his bare hand, all while partaking on some more liquor.
"W-What the…?! How'd he do that?!" said Konoka.
"My, my. Things really are getting ugly!" remarked Kyouraku. "Let's not..."
It was Konoka's turn to attack. She called upon her Fullbring ahead of throwing it at Kyouraku like a spear. It seemed as if it would make a direct hit until the Captain lifted his hand and halted the weapon between his fingertips. Casually, he tossed it back at its owner, who jumped back as it stabbed the ground.
"You two are pretty good!" said Kyouraku. "To think Ryoka would have such interesting powers. You wouldn't mind sitting down with me and clarifying a few things, would you?"
"Maybe you forgot to put in your hearin' aid! We ain't got time for that sort of crap!" barked Konoka. "Still, if you're so damn curious, how about I give you an up close and personal look at my Maternal Gift!"
Chad declared, "W-Wait, Mitsumi! We don't know what he's capable of of, so…!"
He was too late. Konoka employed Bringer Light and got behind Kyouraku. She then lifted her golden glaive, intending to slice her foe right down the middle. Before she could finish the job, Kyouraku lifted his hand without facing her.
"Way of Binding: White Crawl."
Konoka paused. Purple flower petals were falling all around her.
"Eh? This shit again? You already made a dramatic enough entrance, so..." Her sentence trailed off as her consciousness became muddled and disoriented. "H-Huh? What's...going on?"
Grasping her skull, she wobbled all over before blacking out into the dirt.
"Whoa there! We wouldn't want that beautiful face getting mucked up by the mud." Kyouraku hoisted her into his arms. " There. That's better. Just rest a little while, miss. It'll all be over soon enough."
"What did you just do to Mitsumi?!" inquired Chad.
"No need to get so upset! I just put her to sleep with a magic spell! It didn't hurt a bit!"
Chad, rattled, did not believe this. He quietly rushed at Kyouraku and threw a flurry of punches.
"Missed!" Kyouraku said every time he adjusted his head and dodged. "My, my! You really are fast, young man! I haven't had this much exercise in quite awhile!"
"W-Why can't I hit him?" pondered Chad. He unleashed another energy blast, yet even this was avoided by his foe.
"Missed yet again!"
None of this made a lick of sense to Chad. Tatsufusa Enouji claimed to be the Third Seat of Kyouraku's squad. That would make Kyouraku only two spots higher than him. Therefore, if he could handle Tatsufusa without difficulty, the man before him should not have been that much harder. Nevertheless, he was the one out of breath, whereas Kyouraku was casually passing the time by drinking.
"...If he's really this strong, Ichigo and the others are in more danger than I thought."
"You know, you really should just give up already," stated Kyouraku. "You and your friend here are very good! Not to mention strong and fast for humans! However, neither one of you would be able to strike me, let alone defeat me, so I suggest you turn back now."
Chad paused and then strangely smiled as he gathered power into his right arm. "I appreciate the advice, but I can't do that."
"Yeah, givin' up ain't exactly in our vocabulary," said a voice behind Kyouraku. Konoka, arising, shook her head until she could see straight. "Man, that liquor must've hit me like a truck. Sorry about that, Sado. Didn't mean to nap on the job."
"Whoa! Incredible! I've never seen someone awake from White Crawl so fast!" said Kyouraku.
"Eh? What are you goin' on about?" Konoka grasped her emerald necklace and called upon her Fullbring behind a green flash. "Whatever. I think the time for talk is over, gramps! If you won't move, that's fine! We'll just force you outta the way!"
Chad had the exact same thing in mind. Unfortunately, he forgot to tell Konoka to get out of the way while he loosed yet another burst of spirit energy. Both she and Kyouraku ducked it in the nick of time.
"H-Hey! What's the big idea, Sado?!"
He simply replied, "...Sorry."
Konoka growled and debated on socking him in mouth. However, both she and Chad were more alarmed by Kyouraku disappearing all of a sudden. The Captain made his way behind Chad, gently pressing his fingertips against the giant's back.
"Normally, an individual can't perform spirit attacks once they exhaust all their energy. However, if they put their life on the line, they're able to squeeze out a little more. That's what you two are doing, aren't you?"
He flicked Chad away and into the side of a building.
"Y-You bastard! You'll pay for that!" declared Konoka. She came at him with a downward thrust of her Maternal Gift, yet Kyouraku easily parried it and sent her spinning back like she were in the middle of a cyclone. "U-Ugh! I'm think I'm gonna be sick. Y-You're pretty spry for someone so old! You kinda remind me of my annoyin' butler!"
"H-Hey, I'm not nearly as old as you keep suggesting," said Kyouraku with a frown. "How about the two of you just stay down? You'll really end up dying at this rate."
Chad and Konoka paid his warning no mind and stood once more.
"Oh brother." Kyouraku sighed for the third time today. "This whole thing is starting to become a pain. Why are you both so persistent in wanting to get past me? Why have you come to Soul Society? What are you fighting for?"
"We came to rescue Rukia Kuchiki and Kana Mitarashi," clarified Chad.
"The prisoners in the Repentance Tower? Nonsense. Those two weren't even in the Human World for that long a time. You both couldn't have possibly been such good friends with them to come this far to save them."
"You've got a point. I don't know much about Kuchiki and even less about this Mitarashi" replied Chad. "Even so, Ichigo wants to save Kuchiki, so that's a good enough reason for me."
"It's more or less the same for me," added Konoka. "In fact, I don't think I've even seen this Mitarashi that Higuchi won't shut up about. Still, he saved my life way back when, so I sorta owe him one. Our reasons for fightin' might seem dumb to you, old man, but it's good enough for us."
"Our friends put everything on the line to come here, so it's only right we fight beside them with everything we've got, Kyouraku."
All of this was not what Kyoraku anticipated or even desired to hear. He draped his straw hat over his features, obscuring how disappointed he was. Just then, he washed his grief away and actually smirked.
"I see. I apologize then for trying to dissuade you two. If you are so determined, it seems I have no choice but to take your lives."
He drew a pair of Zanpakutou to show just how serious his claim was.
"Say, what happened to you being unable to fight a woman?" asked Konoka. "Tsk. Whatever. You ready for this, Sado? This guy acts like a clown, but he's stronger than he looks."
Chad answered her not with words but by heading toward Kyouraku recklessly.
"S-Someone's fired up, I guess," she said, keeping close behind him. She leered down at her legs, which were shaking. "Eh? N-No way I'm nervous! It's...just that damn sake in my system! I ain't afraid of anyone, especially a perverted, old man! Tsk! You're gonna owe me big time for this one, Higuchi!"
There was only one thing occupying Chad's and Konoka's thoughts: victory. No matter the cost, they had to be the ones to come out on top. That was why in spite of their fears, they kept forward with that single goal in mind.
#
"...Why did you save me back then, Higuchi?"
Aaron looked up from a bountiful feast and peered back at Konoka, who was sitting on the other side of her lengthy dining room table. "Eh? What do you mean? I can barely hear you from all the way down there. Couldn't we...have just sat a little closer to each other?"
"I-I bet you'd like that, huh?!" replied Konoka. She blushed some and broke eye contact with her guest. "It's bad enough you came to my house unannounced, idiot, so just be happy I'm lettin' you sit here at all!"
"Yeah, sorry about that." Aaron wiped his mouth clean. "I just wanted to check up on you before we make the trip to Soul Society."
Becoming even more flustered, Konoka retorted, "W-Who the hell asked you to do that, stupid?! For your information, I'm fine! You still didn't answer my question! Why did you bother savin' me, Higuchi?"
"Are you talking about that one bully from school, or the Hollow that nearly killed you?"
"...Both, I guess."
"Huh? I seriously don't get what you're asking. Isn't it only common sense for someone to help someone out of jams like those?"
"Maybe. If that's true, I wouldn't know." Konoka coiled her mouth as she gazed down at her cold, untouched meal. "All my life, I've been doin' nothin' but fighting. It's all I'm good at. Sometimes it's assholes at school, and other times, it's people trying to take over my father's company. It doesn't matter; no one is ever on my side besides Jives. What I'm tryin' to say is that there haven't been many to stick their neck out for me like you did, Higuchi. That's why I don't get it. Why did you do it? Why did you put your life on the line to help me? Do you want somethin' from me? That's all that anyone seems to need me for. If they can't exploit me, they don't want anythin' to do with me. If it's money, I'll give to you. Then you can consider my debt to you repaid."
It took Aaron some time to formulate a reply. "I-It's nothing like that, Mitsumi. I don't want anything from you. Honestly. I can't say I know much about your past, so I won't even comment on that. I'm just not the type of person who could sit by while someone is in trouble. It doesn't really matter who it is. I mean, thinking like this has gotten me into a lot of trouble over the years, but I just can't help myself. Heh. I guess that's why I'm in the sticky situation I'm in now. Things would have been a lot easier if I had just minded my own business and not got caught up in Kana's mess."
"...Do you ever regret helpin' that chick?"
"...No. It might sound dumb, but I'd probably do it again in a heartbeat! Even if she's caused me nothing but headaches, she's still my friend. It's the same for you, Mitsumi."
"'The same for me?' What the hell does that mean?"
"You heard me. There are...erm...a lot of people at our school that are afraid of you. I was one of them. I always thought you were nothing more than a heartless bully who'd steal someone's lunch money in a heartbeat."
"Tsk! Gee, thanks a lot, Higuchi! You're lucky you're on the other side of the table! Otherwise, I'd smack the shit outta you!"
"Y-You don't have to get violent..." Aaron sunk his head under the table some. "D-Despite all that, you're not so bad, Mitsumi! In fact, I'd say you're pretty great! Thanks, by the way, for agreeing to help me save Kana! There's no way a heartless bully would do something like that!"
Konoka was tempted to argue. She had garnered the nickname 'Red-Haired Beast' for a reason, after all. However, she was far too busy trying to calm her now pounding heart. Blood rushed to her face, making it bright red. She opened her mouth to speak yet just stammered like an idiot.
Aaron mixed up her embarrassment with anger and shook in his boots.
"Uh...j-just forget I said anything!"
"Oh, put a sock in it, you creep!" roared the Red-Haired Beast as she began chucking the contents of her plate toward him. "Get the hell outta here already! You're so annoying!"
"S-Seriously?! Cut it out! What did I do?!" said Aaron, holding up his plate like a shield.
"Just die already, creep!"
#
Konoka swung her golden glaive with all of her might. However, her scarlet eyes became as wide as saucers. Her Fullbring never came close to hitting Kyouraku. In fact, the emerald blade had been sliced off long beforehand. By the time she realized this, Kyouraku had already delivered slashes to both hers and Chad's torsos. Blood gushed from her wound, and the strength in her legs vanished.
"I'm sorry," she heard Kyouraku mutter.
"D-Dammit! I-I...lost? How could...I lose?" she murmured, dropping like a brick. "...Sorry, Higuchi. Looks like...I wasn't able to return the favor...in the end."
The dust settled as a melancholy Kyouraku sheathed his blades and stared at the fallen Ryoka.
"It was already quite impressive for mere humans to come to Soul Society, but for the two of them to have such incredible strength is very admirable. On top of that..."
He was wowed by the giant, simmering crater standing before him, a byproduct of Chad's final, desperate assault.
"That would've hurt quite a bit!"
"C-Captain!" said an approaching Nanao Ise.
"Oh? Nanao? What's the matter? It's not like you to sound so agitated. I happened to catch a glimpse of you speaking with one of the messengers. What did he say?"
Nanao reluctantly replied, "I-It's Captain Aizen, sir. He's...passed away. No, saying he was murdered is more appropriate."
The news came as a bombshell to Kyouraku, who for once had nothing to say.
He collected himself enough to ask, "...How can you say for sure or not if he was killed?"
"The cause of death was impalement of the heart via a sword and total removal of the soul chain. There's no doubt it was a homicide, Captain. However, there are no suspects yet. This news came straight from the office of the Captain-Commander, so there is no doubting its validity, sir. T-That isn't all though."
"No? You're saying things are worse than losing one of our finest men?"
"I'm afraid so, Captain. Captain Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division has gone missing. He was the one who originally submitted the report on Captain Aizen's death. He disappeared shortly after that."
"Toushirou has?" Kyouraku, both concerned and confused, scratched at his beard stubble. "I wonder what he's up to. He's not the sort of person to do something like this without a good reason. Well, I suppose we shouldn't worry about him for now. He's a responsible young man, so he should be able to handle himself. Shall we go pay our respects to Sousuke, Nanao?"
"Yes, sir." Nanao trailed after her Captain but halted in her tracks while leering at Konoka and Chad. "...What is your problem, Captain? Both Ryoka are still alive."
She coated one of her hands in white Kidou and hovered over the humans with heinous intentions.
"Shall I finish them off?"
Kyouraku seized her arm before she could do any harm.
"It's not ladylike for you to do something like that, Nanao."
"B-But Captain, it's likely either they or the other Ryoka are responsible for Captain Aizen's death!"
"That may well be the case, but they may also be innocent. We are basically guessing without any proof, so I think it would be best if we avoided the possibility of spilling any innocent blood. Nanao, call for the medics and then have these two locked up in the detention area. If they do have something to do with the killing, don't you think it would be better to take them back alive for questioning? I'm sure you understand what I mean, Nanao."
His Vice-Captain still had her doubts. Nevertheless, she nodded.
"O-Of course, sir. I will attend to that immediately. My apologies for speaking out of line."
Nanao left the scene using Shunpo. Kyouraku, meanwhile, began admiring the clear, blue skyline.
"It seems...things are starting to get out of hand," he wearily murmured. "Is it foolish to hope for no more bloodshed?"
END
