Chapter 25

Battle On The Bridge

"Yeah, I know her alright!" Ganju Shiba proclaimed as he pointed a austere finger at Rukia Kuchiki. "She's the Shinigami that killed my brother!"

His claim was nothing short of jarring to the others within the Repentance Tower. None of them could fathom the person in question committing such a heinous crime. Nevertheless, Rukia stood silent and didn't bother to defend herself.

"A-Are you sure about that Ganju? That doesn't sound right," said Arashi Mitarashi hesitantly. The last thing he desired to do was rile Ganju up even more, so he chose his words cautiously. "Perhaps you have her confused with someone else."

"Y-Yeah! That must be it!" exclaimed Hanatarou Yamada. He didn't want it to be true. It couldn't be, he thought. He didn't wish for a woman he held so much respect for to be a killer. "R-Rukia would never do something like that!"

Kana nodded frantically and added, "T-That's right! You've got a lot of nerve coming in here and making up stories, pal! I've got half a mind to knock you out for speaking ill of my best friend!"

As much as Mayu craved to believe them and place some faith in this Rukia Kuchiki, a small part of her couldn't make sense of things. Her older brother liked to joke around, yet this was taking things too far. Her breathing quickened, and she couldn't help but feel Ganju's abrupt outburst was for a good reason.

"A-Are you sure this is the Shinigami that killed him? Our older brother?"

"There's no doubt about it!" Ganju told her through clenched teeth. "Our older brother's body was littered with sword wounds. He was cut on the neck and stabbed right through the chest! If he was fighting a Hollow, how could he have died from a blade?! On top of that, this woman here said it herself when she brought Kaien's body back! She said she was the one who killed him!"

Again, everyone was stunned, and again, Rukia did nothing to deflect the accusations against her.

"T-That can't be…! R-Rukia, she...she wouldn't!" stammered Kana.

"Please, calm down, Mitarashi," said Rukia in a remarkably calm tone. "Everyone, what this man here is saying is true. The eldest son of the Shiba family. Yes, Kaien Shiba was indeed killed by my hands."

The fact that she said this without any fear or indecision sapped the strength from Mayu's legs. The girl slumped to her knees and was unable to stop a stream of tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"W-Why…?" she asked in almost a whisper. "K-Kaien was…?"

Arashi knelt down to her. "I-I know this is hard for you to hear, Mayu, but..."

"Y-You bitch!" Mayu hollered as if she sought to spew venom at Rukia. "H-How could you do something like that?! Why would you take one of my family members away?! I-I didn't even get the chance to know him because of you! Just tell me why?!"

Rukia opened her mouth and seemed like she would finally speak. However, she gathered that nothing she said or did would reduce the amount of anguish in Mayu's heart.

On spur of the moment, Ganju lunged out and snatched Rukia by the collar ahead of wrenching her close. The others had a good idea what he plotted to do, but he restrained himself for the time being. He wasn't done chatting with his brother's killer just yet.

"Do you see that?! That girl back there you've got crying is my little sister!"

"You're...younger sister?" repeated Rukia.

"That's right! Thanks to you, Mayu will never get to see why Kaien made our family so damn proud! Y-You took him away from her before she could even say a word, before she could even lay eyes on him! You did all that!"

A visibly shaken Rukia wavered before retorting, "...I see. Very well. If you two have come here to take your revenge, I don't mind. If it is you two, I will have no regrets about losing my life."

That wasn't the answer Ganju longed to hear, nor was it the one he anticipated upon encountering Kaien's killer once more. Enraged, he cocked his hand back and intended to shut Rukia up once and for all.

"P-Please don't, Ganju!" cried Hanatarou while holding him back. "T-This is not the reason we came here! Aren't we here to rescue her?! Didn't Ichigo entrust us with that task?!"

A teary-eyed Kana held onto Ganju's other arm for dear life. "L-Listen to your friend, mister! I-I know I've got no right to say whether what Rukia did was right or wrong, but I know from personal experience that adding onto the bloodshed won't accomplish anything!"

"Wait, what are you talking about, Mitarashi?" asked Rukia. "You mentioned something like this before, but..."

"I-If at all possible...we'd...prefer not to talk about it," muttered Arashi, dipping his head at the floor.

Thanks to the craziness of things, those present had mostly forgotten about Sharpscale, who had been as quiet as a mouse. All that changed the instant the Hollow moaned in anguish. It clutched its skull with both hands and dropped down to one knee, unable to take or drive off the intense pain.

Kana rushed to its side and asked, "Whoa there! Are you alright? You didn't eat too much ice cream, did you? You can get headaches from that, you know! I learned that the hard way back in the Human World!"

Sharpscale leered up at her and for a rather long time, said nothing while scrutinizing her every detail. Kana was naturally weirded out but kept this to herself in order not to be rude.

"You...I know you," the Hollow stated. "B-Brat…?"

"Uh...come again?" replied Kana. "That's not a very nice thing to call someone!"

She was tempted to gleam some more information out of him, yet she and the others were suddenly aroused by an immense spiritual pressure nearing the Repentance Tower.

"W-What in the world is that?!" asked a perspiring Ganju.

"S-Someone's coming!" announced Hanatarou.

"I-Incredible! I can hardly breathe!" stated Arashi. "T-This energy...it's gotta belong to a Captain!"

"I-I don't feel so good..." Mayu collapsed and discovered her body mysteriously paralyzed. "I-Is that really a person?! It's way too strong! There have to be like hundreds of Shinigami coming here!"

Arashi helped her up and replied, "...I certainly wish that were true. Maybe we'd stand a chance then."

Although Mayu was in no position to see, the others clearly made out a single individual trekking down the bridge leading to the tower.

"Oh...my...god! It's him!" exclaimed Kana. The others might have been terrified out of their wits end, but she was thrilled beyond belief. "It's Byakuya Kuchiki!"

"B-Brother?!" uttered Rukia. Byakuya was the absolute last person she expected to see today, and despite their relationship, she wasn't nearly as happy as Kana by his presence. "N-No…! This is bad! You all have to get out of here now!"

"T-The Captain of the Sixth Division?! G-God dammit!" snarled Arashi. "W-Why did I trick myself into believing Zaraki would be the only Captain we'd run into?!"

"Dammit! He sure picked a swell time to show up! This isn't good!" said Ganju. He was grinning though, mostly to hide his fear. "Even with me, Hanatarou, Arashi, and that stinking Hollow over there, we probably don't have a shot at winning. Maybe...we should just beg him to spare our lives."

"W-What are you talking about, Ganju?! We should just take Rukia and Miss Mitarashi and run while we have the chance!" declared Hanatarou.

"Y-Yes. That may be the best plan of action," stated Arashi.

"Idiots!" hollered Ganju, making the two flinch. "Where could we possibly run to?! That bastard is already on the bridge, and that's the only way outta here! The only way we could do that is to defeat him and put our lives on the line! You want me to throw my life away for her?!"

He aimed a trembling finger at Rukia, whose head sank.

"M-Maybe it won't be so bad, you guys!" said Kana cheerily. "Someone as cool and suave and handsome and dreamy and…!"

"Get to the point already, sweet cheeks!" yelled Ganju.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh! Anyway, a guy like Byakuya Kuchiki probably won't chop you all to bits! Uh...right, Rukia?"

Rukia gave no reply, although her morbid expression did all the talking for her.

Kana grew pale and mumbled, "...Yeah, you should...probably do that begging thing you were talking about before..."

Palming his hand over his face, Ganju stopped himself from socking the brunette in the mouth, being more troubled that he and the others were back at square one.

"Ganju. ...You have to save that girl. You have to do it," said Mayu just then, speaking in a low, melancholy fashion.

"What?! Are you serious, sis?! You want me to save the woman that killed our brother?! I can't do it! I won't do it! No one here should be stupid enough to even try it!"

"J-Just be quiet!" she boomed. Everyone else realized how hard she was trying to speak and even remain conscious under the crushing weight of Byakuya's energy. "Listen to me for once, Ganju! E-Even if this woman here did kill Kaien, we have to put our hatred aside for q short while so we can get outta this mess alive! I didn't come to Soul Society so I could be killed by some super strong Shinigami! I came because I wanted to learn more about Kaien! Then, I kept going because that stupid Shinigami asked me to save his friend! I owe him one, so I don't want to let him down! That Hanatarou guy was right! We didn't come here to start a fight but to do what was asked of us! It's...it's taking everything in my power not to rip this Rukia apart for what she did, but for the time being, I'm willing to put my personal feelings aside, so I need you to do the same, Ganju! I'm not asking you to do it for Rukia, but do it for me, Kuukaku, and Kaien!"

Ganju was stupefied to hear such conviction coming from his younger sister. He balled his fists and chewed her speech over, all while attempting to keep a cool head.

"E-Even if we do decide to run with my sister and Miss Kuchiki, we'll still have Captain Kuchiki to deal with," voiced Arashi. "...There's no point in all of us dying, so I suggest one of us stay behind to...do what must be done. I volunteer."

"Please, don't! H-He'll kill you in an instant!" said Hanatarou.

"T-That's right! If anyone should go out there, let it be me!" said Rukia. She took a step forward and added, "I will...try to talk to my brother and see if he will show some mercy here. I cannot allow any of you to die on my behalf."

Kana blocked her path. "Not so fast! Let me do the talking! It's my strong suit, after all!"

"Mitarashi..."

"D-Don't worry, Rukia! M-My legs are only shaking because of your brother's spiritual pressure! I-I'm not scared one bit! I'll just...uh...go out there and throw around some of my irresistible, feminine charm! At worst, I can at least buy you guys some time to run! I don't want anyone dying because of me either!"

"Sister, that's crazy! You'll do nothing more than die yourself!" proclaimed Arashi.

Kana nodded and forced herself to smile. "P-Probably! Then again, I'm going to die at this rate anyway, right? At least I can do some good going out this way!"

"J-Just listen to yourself! The whole point in us coming here was to save you! All of this will have been for nothing if you just throw your life away! Don't do it, sister!"

Ignoring her brother's desperate pleas, Kana walked over to Ganju and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Uh...while I probably I have no right to say this, I can...sorta understand what you're going through. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't wish to save Rukia either. Even so, you have a really smart sister and should listen to what she has to say! You can go ahead and kill Rukia right now if you want and die by her brother's hand, or, you could take this opportunity to live another day!"

Ganju smacked his lips and got the gist of what she and Mayu were conveying. Still, he found it hard pressed to simply ignore all the pain and hardship Rukia Kuchiki had put his family through over the years. He wasn't sure if he was ready to forgive her.

"T-That's okay, Ganju. You don't have to do a thing. I know...this is hard for you, so I will go with Miss Mitarashi," said Hanatarou meekly. "...No one should have to force you to do something you don't want to. C-Could you at least take Rukia with you when you go? Miss Mitarashi and I will do whatever we can to give you guys some time."

Ganju couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hanatarou was shaking like he was in the middle of a snowstorm, yet he was boldly stating he would go out and confront Byakuya. It was the exact same thing with Kana. Even though they knew the truth about Rukia, they were still ready and willing to toss their lives away. All of this made Ganju sick to his stomach, yet it also caused him to grasp he couldn't allow things to go on like this.

"J-Just what in the hell are you both talking about?! That guy's spiritual pressure is as strong or even stronger than that Zaraki guy's! I-I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but I'll…!"

"I believe I have a simple solution to our predicament," said Sharpscale out of the blue. "If you need someone to distract that Shinigami for a short while, I should be able to do so. In fact, I would be more than happy to."

Everyone blankly peered at the Hollow and were convinced it had gone insane.

"Y-You wanna repeat that?" remarked Ganju slowly.

"My spiritual pressure is more or less on the level of a Captain of the Gotei 13. I am by no means saying I can beat this Byakuya Kuchiki, but I should be able to draw his attention long enough for you lot to flee from here."

"W-We cannot ask you to do something like that!" said Rukia.

"Y-Yeah! We don't even know you!" added Kana.

"...Yes. That much is true. Even so, I promised Aaron Higuchi I would come to your aid," replied Sharpscale. "Now that I've gotten the chance to meet you both, I can understand why everyone else was so desperate to save you. You...are good people. Now then, do not concern yourselves over me. The moment you seen an opening, run...you brats."

Sharpscale dashed outside. Kana, meanwhile, stood taken aback.

"Why...is his presence so familiar?" she mumbled.

"I guess we'll have to place our faith in that guy for the time being," said Arashi.

"Y-Yeah. It's a little strange to rely on a Hollow though," said Hanatarou.

"Tsk! This is so stupid..." grumbled Ganju. "This is way more than I signed up for!"

"Y-You better be ready to run, lady!" Mayu barked toward Rukia. "We'll save you only because we were asked to, but if you slow us down, we're gonna ditch you for sure!"

"O-Okay," replied Rukia, who did not know what else to say. Everything was happening way too fast for her fragile mind to keep up with. "...We should have stopped that Hollow."

#

Sharpscale met Byakuya Kuchiki halfway on the bridge, where they both halted.

"So, you're the man that has everyone back there so worked up. My, my. I can see why they were making such a fuss now," stated Sharpscale. "Anyhow, allow me to introduce myself, Shinigami. My name is Sharpscale. Although I'm probably not what you were anticipating, I'm afraid you're going to have to settle for me as your opponent."

One of Byakuya's eyebrows heightened while he asked, "...A Hollow? Are you one of the Ryoka then?"

"Indeed. Judging from the look of things, I take it only one of us will leave here alive."

To back up its claim, Sharpscale proceeded to emit its own spiritual pressure. It was so intense that it prompted someone of Byakuya's standing to grunt in shock.

"Well then, shall we get started?" asked Sharpscale.

#

To say that Aaron was in a sour mood would have been an understatement. Sitting against a wall with his sheathed Zanpakutou at his side, he gazed dejectedly at the floor before shifting his brown eyes up at someone snoozing in a bed.

"Tsk. I don't know how he could sleep at a time like this," he said, referencing Ichigo Kurosaki. The orange-haired teenager had not so much as stirred since he got there.

"Quit your brooding already," stated another individual close-by. The black cat known as Yoruichi slinked over to Aaron and added, "Just be thankful things worked out for the best. I still don't know how, but you two managed to survive thus far."

Aaron took little solace in this as his head slumped again. Being alive was great and all, but he was disheartened at having to be bailed out of yet another fight. His own strength wasn't amounting to anything thus far despite all the blood, sweat, and tears he shed training with Urahara and Ichigo.

"...Thanks for saving us, Yoruichi," he mumbled, feeling obligated to say so.

"Don't mention. Just do me a favor and listen when I tell you something. The same goes for Ichigo here. Both of you might be confident in your strength, but a Captain of the Gotei 13 is far beyond your capabilities. That is the reason I told you all to run in the first place."

"S-Sorry. Me bumping into Hitsugaya back there just kinda...happened."

"Really now?" Yoruichi didn't sound all that convinced. "Well, I guess there's no point beating you two up about it."

Aaron was grateful for that, though he mostly cheered up thanks to Ichigo waking up. The orange-haired Shinigami glanced all over the cave he and the others were in for answers.

"Looks like you're up at long last," said Yoruichi.

"Yoruichi! Higuchi! What a relief! You two are alright!" exclaimed Ichigo.

"Yeah, it's good to see you're mostly okay too, Kurosaki," said Aaron. "The both of us made it here safely thanks to Yoruichi."

"Thanks for that then, Yoruichi!" said Ichigo.

"Hmph. You should thank your stubbornness that kept you alive with such injuries."

"Yeah, I'm honestly shocked you're still in one piece. You must have been fighting one hell of an opponent, Kurosaki," stated Aaron. "Looks like I got off easy. The guy I went up against wasn't even trying to kill me."

All this talk of combat led Ichigo to recount something of the utmost importance.

"T-That's right! Chad is in danger! I've got to go and help him!"

He sat up, but soon after, blood spurted out of a wound he reopened.

"Idiot! You can't get up yet!" screamed Yoruichi. "Don't you realize how bad your injuries are?! What were you thinking?"

"No, he's right!" said Aaron, making the black cat groan. "Sorry, Yoruichi, but Kurosaki and I really don't have time to sit around here! Mitsumi and Sado still need our help!"

Yoruichi was having none of that. She pounced on both of their faces, silencing and inflicting a world of hurt on them.

"W-Why?!" hollered Aaron, grasping his nose.

"I can assure you that Sado and Mitsumi are fine," the black cat stated. "I'm also confident both Ishidas and Inoue are fine too. Fortunately for Sado and Mitsumi, they ran into a rather generous guy, so even if they're heavily injured, they should be alive. As for the other three, they've smartly avoided confrontation and aren't hurt whatsoever. As for that Hollow, I sent him to help those traveling to the Repentance Tower. Get it now? There's no one to save at the moment, so, I want both of you to just stay here and rest awhile. You won't be able to help anyone if you both are half dead yourselves."

"F-Fair enough," admitted Aaron. "...Sorry. Guess we overreacted there."

"Oh, by the way, Ichigo, one of your possessions got smashed during your fight. If it wasn't for this thing, your torso would have been cut in two. I'm a bit surprised you would carry something like this with you."

Yoruichi was holding up a white, ominous, and cracked mask that without a doubt resembled a Hollow's. In fact, it was almost identical to the one Aaron wore save for it having red markings instead of blue and no horn. The sight of it made Ichigo and Aaron freeze on the spot.

"I-I had something like that on me…?" asked Ichigo in utter confusion.

"Hmm? You don't carry it with you?" asked Yoruichi.

"No. Actually, whatever that thing is saved me when I fought Renji yesterday. I wanted to keep it as a lucky charm, but Hanatarou insisted I throw it away. That's why I tossed it away in the sewers."

His remark made Yoruichi's yellow eyes widen like saucers. Aaron, meanwhile, abruptly stood.

"Kurosaki! Did anything strange happened when that mask appeared?! Anything at all?!"

"N-No. I didn't even know it was there until Hanatarou told me. Why do you ask?"

Aaron calmed down and had a seat. "N-Nothing. Just...forget I said anything."

Yoruichi glanced at the dark-skinned teenager ahead of moving his attention back to Ichigo. "Ichigo, I'll hold onto it for safekeeping."

"Huh? I want to keep it though..."

Scowling hard enough to kill, Yoruichi replied, "Hand it over. End of discussion."

Without delay, Ichigo did as requested. "Y-Yes! Please take it!"

Aaron gulped. "H-How come Yoruichi got so serious just now? Scary..."

Yoruichi keenly inspected Ichigo's mask and hoped his worst fears weren't coming true.

"Oh yeah. You sure are strong, Yoruichi," remarked Ichigo.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Running around without getting hurt is pretty impressive, not to mention you were able to carry me and Higuchi here by yourself and with such a small body."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," said Aaron. "Honestly, I didn't even notice you rescue me from Hitsugaya until we were already here! Man, you're really fast too!"

Yoruichi casually said, "Oh, that. Doing such a thing is easy when I return to my original form."

"Ah! Of course! Your original form!" said Ichigo.

Aaron added, "Right! How could we have forgotten about that! Your..."

The two paused and noticed they had no clue what they were talking about.

"O-Original...form?" they asked at the same time.

"Ah. Come to think of it, I suppose I haven't show you guys before. Alright. I guess there's no point in hiding it anymore." Suddenly, Yoruichi started to shine brightly. "I'll show it to you. My original form."

Aaron and Ichigo braced themselves for anything as the black cat's transformation finished. However, they soon realized they hadn't done a good enough job. Then again, the last thing they were expecting was to be face-to-face with a beautiful, buxom, and brown-skinned woman with flowing, black hair. On top of that, she was completely naked, only covered slightly by white smoke. The two craved to say something, anything yet could do nothing more than stammer like idiots.

"Heh. You two sure look shocked," Yoruichi said with a grin. "I guess I can understand why. You probably thought I was a guy because my voice was so deep. Your faces are blue too. I really love turning back into my true form. Everyone gets so surprised by that. Now then, I'll tell you two how I managed to get you here."

"P-PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" screamed Ichigo.

Aaron, blushing profusely and shielding his eyes, added, "Why the hell are you naked?!"

Though legitimately miffed at why they were taking things so seriously, Yoruichi did as they asked and found something to slip into.

"Sorry," she said. "I haven't worn clothes in so long, so I just forgot."

"...Sure you did," said Aaron sarcastically.

"Heh. You know, you two are surprisingly innocent for guys your age. Was this your first time seeing a girl naked?"

"...S-Shut up," an embarrassed Ichigo grumbled.

"I admit that it is, though Kana has given me some near misses," said Aaron. "...You're having a bit too much fun teasing us like this, aren't you?"

Yoruichi playfully stuck out her tongue. "Are you sure you two don't want to get in a good look before it's too late? You probably won't be able to see such a delicate figure again."

"I-I said shut up! Don't worry about our future and just finish dressing already!" proclaimed Ichigo.

"Even if we did look, you'd probably just kick our asses," stated Aaron meekly.

"Tsk. Neither one of you have a sense of humor." Yoruichi shrugged. "Anyway, I used this artifact to get you two here."

She presented a rather strange item. It resembled a wand with a bird-shaped skull attached to it. On the bottom stood the bones of some creature's foot.

"What in the world is that thing?" asked Aaron.

"Basically, you put your spiritual energy into it, and you can fly," explained Yoruichi as she handed it to Ichigo for inspection. "It's a very rare artifact here in Soul Society. You should feel honored you're even touching it."

"...How did someone like you end up with such a thing?" inquired Ichigo. "You can treat wounds, turn into a cat, and even know all about Soul Society. Just who are you, Yoruichi?"

Before Yoruichi could explain herself, rumbling from a pair of spiritual pressures hit the cave.

"H-Holy…! Who the hell do those belong to?!" asked Aaron, now sweating.

"I-I recognize one of those! It belongs to that Byakuya Kuchiki!" declared Ichigo.

"And the other one…! There's no doubt about it! It's Sharpscale's!"

"That Hollow you brought along?! Seriously?! He's almost as strong as Byakuya!"

"Tsk! Those energies are coming from the direction of the Repentance Tower!" said Yoruichi. "I guess Hollow boy and the others made it there alright, though at this rate…!"

"We gotta do something!" proclaimed Aaron. "I don't care how strong Sharpscale is! He's going to die if we don't go and help him! That goes for the others too!"

Ichigo more or less thought the same thing. That was why he hurried to his feet, grabbed his Zanpakutou, and headed for the cave's entrance.

"Hold it, Ichigo! Just where do you think you're going?!" asked Yoruichi.

"Didn't you hear Higuchi just now?! Everyone at that tower is going to die! If I don't go, who's going to save them?!"

His determination left Yoruichi lost for words.

"L-Let me go, Kurosaki!" said Aaron. "You're more injured than me, so…!"

"I appreciate the offer, Higuchi, but this is something I have to do myself!"

Ichigo clutched Yoruichi's artifact and poured his energy into it. The wand sprouted bat-like wings and propelled him into the air.

"G-Goddammit!" Aaron, feeling he had no other choice, darted over to him and grabbed him by the leg. "If you're going, I'm going, Kurosaki!"

The two got farther and farther out of sight. Yoruichi made her way outside but saw that she was too late to stop them.

"Those stupid punks!" she said, gritting her teeth.

#

Back at the Repentance Tower, the fierce stare down between Sharpscale and Byakuya Kuchiki continued. The tension in the air was palpable.

"...A mere Hollow has no chance at defeating me," said Byakuya calmly. "A Shinigami's job is to exercise you creatures. This is nothing more than routine work."

"My. You certainly talk like someone of your standing should," replied Sharpscale. "Nonetheless, I would advise that you not underestimate me."

"Nonsense. You and everyone else here forfeited your lives the moment you appeared here."

"...Clearly, you aren't in the mood to talk."

That suited the Hollow just fine. Using Sonído, it caught Byakuya off guard by popping up behind him.

"I too prefer action." Sharpscale pointed two fingers at the Captain and charged blue energy into them. "I suppose we are more alike than you realize, Shinigami."

It fired a blue Cero, one that appeared to make point blank contact with his target. At the very least, it annihilated the encompassing area, destroying a portion of the bridge.

"Oh, great!" said Ganju Shiba. "That was our only way outta here! Now our only hope is that maniac managing to beat the Byakuya guy!"

"I might have overdone it," said Sharpscale, inspecting the mayhem. "...I managed to blow everything to smithereens but my foe. Hmph."

Byakuya, more or less unhurt, spun out of the smoke and spotted Sharpscale about to pounce on him. He didn't panic, aiming his index finger at the Hollow.

"Way of Destruction Number 4: White Lightning."

The concentrated bolt of electricity missed Sharpscale by a hair; it adjusted its body in midair enough to only receive a glancing blow on the cheek. Still, the distraction enabled Byakuya to close the distance and prepare his Zanpakutou. Sharpscale shielded himself with his arm, leaving a heavy gash on one of them. The two then landed.

"Well, I was at least able to prevent a fatal blow," said the Hollow. Even so, blood was pouring out of his wound at an alarming rate. "What ferocity behind his blows. My skin should be harder than iron, yet..."

"I see now. You're at least an Adjuchas-class Hollow," said Byakuya. "That explains your strength. Still, all of this is pointless. I will end things now."

Byakuya held up his Zanpakutou close to his face and closed his eyes.

"Eh? What's he gonna do now?" wondered Kana.

"N-No! You have to tell that Hollow to get out of there!" cried Rukia.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura," said Byakuya. At the sound of his voice, his blade disintegrated into thousands of fragments. They swarmed around Sharpscale, resembling cherry blossoms fluttering in a gentle breeze. As beautiful as the display was, the Hollow couldn't help but become wary. The blades closed in, and Sharpscale was powerless to stop them from lacerating every inch of its body. It slumped to its knees as blood dripped out of its cuts. Its anguish was so powerful, it could hardly even think straight. Byakuya's blade reformed, and he stated, "I commend you for not perishing on the spot, Hollow. Not many can claim to have done so."

"So, that's his Shikai?" murmured Kana, who was a bit pale. "O-Oh man..."

"I-I didn't even see the blades after he released his sword!" exclaimed Arashi.

"Tsk! That poor bastard never stood a chance! What the hell are we supposed to do now?! If that damn Hollow couldn't stop that guy, what chance do we have?!" declared Ganju, shaking in fear and anger.

Kana grabbed at her chest, which was aching for some reason. She quickly deduced that it had something to do with Sharpscale's plight. Deep down inside, she couldn't stand to see the Hollow suffer so.

"A-Are you alright, sister?" asked Arashi.

Kana nodded. "J-Just a little indigestion!"

In spite of its grievous injuries, Sharpscale found a way to its feet. "My, my. Things are getting rather ugly, aren't they? Yes, I may have to end things sooner than I thought. This clearly isn't a foe I can play around with."

Byakuya, overhearing the remark, replied, "You speak as if you a chance of defeating me in the first place. The only thing left for you to do, Hollow, is die by my hand."

"...Unfortunately, dying without discovering my heart is not an option for me. I feel that I am closer to it than ever before. Also, I promised Aaron Higuchi I would rescue Kana Mitarashi. I promised him I would put my life on the line to do so." Sharpscale leered back at Kana, finding her presence calming despite the dire mess it found itself in. "...For some reason, the mere idea of her being harmed right now is disconcerting to me. Yes, it's clear to me now, Shinigami. In order to protect her and everyone else here, I have no choice but to defeat you. Despite my wishes, I will have to gamble my very life to do so by the looks of it."

Sharpscaled placed its palms together and began channeling azure-colored energy into them. Consequently, the whole area started to quake.

"N-No way! H-He's actually getting stronger!" voiced Arashi.

"Yeah, it'd probably be a good idea if we all take cover!" warned Ganju.

Sharpscale's body began to illuminate. "I must admit that I've yet to perfect this technique. There is a high probability I may kill myself as well as you, Shinigami. You see, this particular move uses my own life energy to strengthen itself. As such, you can imagine what happens if I go too far." The Hollow again set its sights on Kana. "...On the other hand, I do not mind the idea of putting my life on the line for her. Tell me, Shinigami. Rukia Kuchiki is your sister, no? Why then are you doing this, trying to stop us? ...Are you telling me it is your honest wish for her to die?"

All Byakuya had to say was, "...I have no reason to explain myself to a mere Hollow."

"I see. ...You are an intriguing man. I almost have regrets for what I'm about to do." The energy in Sharpscale's grasp crackled like electricity as it shouted, "CERO ALMA!"

The colossal beam ripped off of its fingertips and headed for a collision course toward Byakuya. The Captain of the Sixth Division, either petrified by the Cero or believing it was nothing to fear, did nothing to prevent it from landing. The Cero Alma continued past him and up into the heavens, where it vanished alongside a twinkle and parted the clouds.

A worn out Sharpscale let its arms slump to its sides and labored to catch its breath. "...D-Damn. That one really did take a lot out of me. If I had charged it for a few seconds longer..."

Kana couldn't explain it, but viewing the Hollow in so much pain spurred her to go to its side. She would have anyway if it weren't for Arashi tugging on her arm.

"Where are you going, sister?!" he asked. "It's still dangerous out there!"

Kana broke free from him. "That Hollow risked its life to save us, so the least I could do is make sure it's alright!"

"It's more than alright!" said Ganju ecstatically. "That bastard actually did it!"

Rukia wasn't so jubilant. Even if Byakuya was actively striving to kill her friends just moments ago, the idea of her brother being no more rattled her to her very core.

The blue smoke from Sharpscale's Cero was blown away by a strong wind. What it uncovered left everyone lost for words.

"Way of Binding Number 81: Splitting Void," said Byakuya from behind the shelter of a clear, rectangular barrier.

"N-No way! A binding spell?!" said Arashi in utter disbelief.

"God dammit!" Ganju punched the wall beside him. "We're right back where we started!" He moved over to Rukia, seething like a rabid dog. "This is all your fault! That's your damn brother up there causing this mess!"

"Leave her alone already!" Kana formed a brick wall in front of Rukia using her body. "You can sit here and point fingers until you're blue in the face! It still won't change the fact you're nothing more than an insensitive jerk!"

"You wanna repeat that?!"

"Yeah, you stupid bimbo!" hollered Mayu. "Don't talk to my big bro like that!"

Kana's eyelid twitched. "W-Why you little…!"

"It's alright, Mitarashi. Please, don't strain yourself for my sake," stated Rukia somberly.

"No, I think I will!" shouted Kana with vigor. Rukia simply nodded and stepped back. "I understand that you guys are upset considering what Rukia did to your brother! Even so, neither of you have even once considered her feelings right now! You're damn right that's her brother up there! If it were me, I wouldn't know who's side to be on! The very decision would be agonizing beyond belief!" She pointed a severe finger at Ganju and Mayu. They winced. "You two care about each other, right?! Rukia feels the exact same way about Byakuya!"

"B-But...but…!" was all Mayu could get out.

Ganju, on the other hand, merely growled.

"It's...alright, Mitarashi. Please...just...stop," muttered Rukia. This time, Kana nodded and backed off the Shiba siblings.

"T-That's stupid!" whispered Mayu. "I might not have known Kaien, but something tells me that if it were me, Ganju, and Kuukaku locked up in here, he wouldn't be trying to hurt the people trying to save us!"

Outside the tower, Sharpscale said to Byakuya, "...Well done, Shinigami. I warned you not to take me lightly, but clearly, it was I who underestimated you."

Byakuya glowered down at the Hollow. "Enough of this pointless struggling. Whether it be Hollow or Shinigami, anyone caught breaking the laws of Soul Society will be punished by my hand."

With his blade in hand, Byakuya soared toward Sharpscale. The Hollow couldn't move a muscle, and it held its head low, ready to face its inevitable demise.

"...How ironic," it mumbled. "Though I am about to be struck down by a Shinigami, the mortal enemies of Hollows such as myself, I find myself more upset I was unable to fulfill Aaron Higuchi's wishes in the end. Hmph. Can he forgive a creature such as myself?"

The Hollow felt a presence nearby and looked up to find Kana standing before it with her arms outstretched. Byakuya, a nanosecond away from cutting Sharpscale down, stayed his hand.

Shuddering, Kana cried, "I-I can't allow you to go around butchering whoever you please, e-even if you're the hottest guy in Soul Society!"

"Are you insane, sister?! Come back!" said Arashi, heading toward her.

"Stay where you are, Arashi!"

"S-Sister..."

"...Why are you going so far for a mere Hollow, Kana Mitarashi?" asked Byakuya. "Have you lost your wits while being imprisoned?"

"H-Honestly, I don't have a clue! I just...don't want this guy to die for some reason!"

"...Nonsense. Stand aside."

Kana shook her head tensely. "I won't!"

"I will not say it again. Stand aside."

"I already told you that I can't! Please, Captain Kuchiki! Stand down!"

Byakuya didn't plan to do anything of the sort. He rose his sword hand and decided he would eliminate Kana as well as the Hollow if she truly refused to move.

"Brother, please, stop this!" shouted Rukia.

"Kana!" Arashi made a mad dash for his sister. "D-Dammit! I'm not gonna make it!"

Everyone held their breaths and foresaw the absolute worst. However, Byakuya's arm was halted just then when a person behind him latched onto it.

"Whoa there! That was rather dangerous, don't you think?" said a Shinigami with long, white hair and pale skin. A white coat, similar to Byakuya's, hung over his black robes. With a smile, he added, "I think you've done quite enough, Captain Kuchiki. Don't you agree?"

Byakuya glared back at the man, whereas Rukia was certain she was hallucinating.

"C-Captain Ukitake?!" she proclaimed.

Juushirou Ukitake chuckled. "Hello there, Kuchiki! You've lost weight."

"Damn! More trouble!" growled Ganju.

"No way! That's Captain Ukitake!" said Arashi happily. "Besides Aaron or Ichigo, he's probably the best guy who could've come along! We might just get outta this in one piece after all!"

Kana blinked and asked, "Wait, who's this guy again?"

Rukia and Arashi nearly fell on their heads.

"You can't be serious!" they both exclaimed.

"Haha! I can't blame you for not knowing me, Miss Mitarashi! After all, I've been absent as of late thanks to my illness. My name is Juushirou Ukitake. I am the Captain of the Thirteenth Division. Kuchiki over there is one of my subordinates. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance!" Ukitake peered behind Kana and at Sharpscale. "Well, there's a face I don't know. And who are all these other people? Just what have I stumbled upon here?"

"...Ukitake, what is the meaning of this?" asked Byakuya testily.

"That's my line! Need I remind you, Captain Kuchiki, that releasing your Zanpakutou is a first class offense, even if you had to do so to fight the Ryoka! What were you thinking?"

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto declared the circumstances a war-time situation. The ban on Zanpakutou was lifted."

Ukitake looked bewildered. "'A-A war-time situation?!' How could the invasion of a few Ryoka have caused things to end up this way?! ...Is this related to Aizen's murder?"

Mayu tugged on Ganju's robes, leading her older brother to shout, "W-What?!"

"Uh...don't you think now would be a good time for us to get outta here?" she asked.

"What the hell are you going on about?! That other guy said he's a Captain too, so now there's two of them out there!"

"Dummy! Arashi just said other guy won't try to hurt us! Besides, he's too busy talking to that Kuchiki guy! I say we run while they're paying us no mind!"

"I-It's a long shot but...maybe it would work," mumbled Hanatarou. "...I still have some rope on me, so maybe we could use it to scale down from here."

"That would never work!" declared Rukia. "Such a plan would take far too long! Both Captain Ukitake and my brother would no doubt realize what you're up to!"

"I-I know. That's why...that's why I'm going to distract the two of them while the rest of you escape from here!"

It took the others a number of moments to process Hanatarou's words.

"Man, you really have lost your mind, haven't you?!" exclaimed Ganju. "Have you already forgotten what happened to that Hollow?! He was the strongest one here, and that Byakuya guy took care of him like it was nothing! What the hell do you think will happen if someone like you steps out there?! You'll be walking into your own grave!"

"You chicken! At least he's trying to come up with something other than pissing his pants!" said an irate and exasperated Mayu. "What's it gonna be, big bro?! We can either sit here and wait to be killed, or we can go with this guy's plan and get outta here while we're still breathing!"

"Listen to me! None of you need to do anything! Captain Ukitake will make sure all of you survive! I'm sure of it!" pleaded Rukia.

"Sorry, lady! I just can't trust advice from a stinkin' Shinigami like you!"

"Please, no more arguing!" said Hanatarou. He endeavored to hide it, yet his legs were shaking so violently, the others could actually hear them clattering against each other. "Y-You guys had better get a move on! I-I can't promise I'll be able to distract Captain Kuchiki and Captain Ukitake for long! And Ganju, I...know you and your sister aren't fond of Miss Kuchiki, but please take her with you when you go! Promise me you'll keep her safe!"

Anger rose in Ganju. He could hardly stand such a skinny, pathetic excuse for a Shinigami saying something so bold, so daring.

"...I can't believe I'm gonna do this." Ganju took a deep breath. "Save it, Hanatarou! I'll distract those bastards outside! With that damn Hollow out of the way, that makes me the strongest here, so I don't wanna hear any complaints!"

"B-But…!"

"What the hell did I just say?! Go on, Hanatarou! You too, Mayu!"

"F-Fine!" Mayu snapped. "You're as stubborn as those darn boars you and your gang ride, so I won't bother trying to convince you to come with us! I'll look after everyone! Just make sure you don't die, alright?! If you do, I'm the one that's gonna have to go home and explain what happened to Kuukaku!"

"Heh! You stupid brat! Since when have you started sounding like an adult?"

"Well, one of us has to act the part, right?" Mayu smiled and hastily wiped the tears from her eyes. Afterward, she scowled Rukia's way. "Did you hear that, lady?! Although I don't really want to watch after the likes of you, my big bro entrusted me with your safety, so you better stay close behind me, alright?!"

"R-Right..." replied Rukia, who had honestly lost track of the situation awhile ago.

Ganju declared, "Alright, when I move, you three had better…!"

He lost his train of thought just then. That wasn't surprising; so did everyone else thanks to a pair of approaching spiritual pressures.

"W-What's with these energies?! They're no doubt on the level of a Captain!" exclaimed Ukitake. "But...I don't recognize who they belong to!"

Kana did, at least, she knew one of them without a doubt. Her heart half near skipped a beat. "N-No way! It can't be...can it?!"

"Heh. It appears the calvary has finally arrived, Miss Mitarashi," uttered a smirking Sharpscale.

"'C-Calvary?'" Rukia, like Kana, didn't dare let herself believe what she was sensing was real. "T-This spiritual pressure…! Can it really be?"

Her conscience told her to stop and not to glance up to the sky. She disregarded it and glimpsed something dart up from the bottom of the bridge at an incredible speed. A large, bat-like wing then came into view. Attached to it was none other than Ichigo Kurosaki. The orange-haired Shinigami locked eyes with Rukia, and the two gazed at one another like the other was nothing more than a mirage.

"Bingo," said Aaron, holding onto Ichigo's leg for dear life. "Looks like everyone's here, Kurosaki. Can we land now? I'm honestly getting sick up here."

Ichigo nodded and touched down right in front of Rukia with a thud. The giant wing from the wand that enabled him to fly receded into the artifact, sending a rush of air past all those staring at the teenager in stunned silence.

"Sheesh. It's like we crashed someone's funeral," joked Aaron. "Good. It looks like everyone's in one piece save for Sharpscale. You alright over there, buddy?"

Sharpscale nodded. "No need to fret over me, Aaron Higuchi. I am simply relieved you are here at last. ...I never took you as one to make a dramatic entrance though."

"You'd be right then. Stuff like this happens though when you're with a guy like Kurosaki. It's miracle we didn't crash into anything on the way here. Anyway, what now, Kurosaki? Looks like our friends aren't the only ones who are here."

Ichigo surveyed Byakuya and Ukitake as well, though he was more concerned with something else. He walked right past Rukia, who couldn't quite get his name out, and up to Hanatarou and Ganju.

"Are you two alright?" he asked. "Sorry. I didn't think you two would run into so much trouble when I sent you to go ahead."

"Y-Yeah!" replied Hanatarou. He was laughing and crying simultaneously. "W-We're alright!"

"Tsk! No thanks to you!" snapped Ganju though he grinned seconds later. "...What the hell took you so long, you stinkin' Shinigami?"

Ichigo smiled himself. "I got held up by a really annoying guy."

"That Zaraki guy, right? Heh! You might as well have stayed wherever the hell you were! I had everything under control here!"

"Really now? I've got a hard time believing that!"

"You trying to pick a fight or something?!"

"Normally, I wouldn't back down from the challenge! ...Right now though, I've got bigger fish to fry."

The fish in question, Rukia, winced some when Ichigo finally acknowledged her.

"...Rukia. I came to save you," he casually said without looking at her. Thinking she was still in some sort of bizarre dream, Rukia didn't say a word. "Quit looking at me like that! Higuchi and I came to rescue you, so you should be happy!"

His remark seemed to snap her back into reality. Tears welled in her eyelids, and she suddenly said, "...Dummy! I-I told you not to come! I told you! I forbade you to come after me!" Her head drooped, and she began to speak in almost a whisper. "...And now you're wounded all over. You...had to go through so much just to get here. You dummy!"

"Well, this isn't going like I expected," said Aaron, rubbing the back of his head. His ear then twitched. "Wait, is someone...screaming?"

The clamor got louder and louder until he came to the conclusion the source was drawing closer.

"What in the…?" he said as he turned to whatever it was. A tightly balled fist found its way right into the bridge of his nose. "Agh! W-What the hell was that for?!"

His rage at being blindsided was quickly replaced by overwhelming horror. Kana, with her hands on her sides, was glaring a hole right through him.

"Y-You retard!" she sobbed. "Retard! Retard! Retard! Retard!"

She clobbered him left and right as she spoke. The most he could do was hold up his arms to defend himself.

"C-Calm down already!" he said, narrowly dodging a right hook. "What's your problem?!"

"'What's my problem?!' It's bad enough Ichigo over there was stupid enough to come here for just one girl, but you should know better, CT!"

CT, or Chocolate Thunder. That was a nickname Aaron hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity. He always disliked it for how ludicrous it sounded, yet now, the name was like a badge of honor. He didn't know how much he missed Kana calling him that until now.

"Actually, wouldn't that make us the same?" he said in response to her irate declaration. He received a swift punch to the gut for his smart mouth, and his knees buckled. In a high-pitched voice, he wheezed, "A-Alright, I honestly deserved that one..."

"G-Go home already! That goes for Ichigo too! Rukia and I don't…!"

The way Aaron leered at and gave her a goofy grin made her sentence trail off. "Well, I honestly didn't see all of this coming either! Still, it looks like you haven't changed a bit, Kana! You still have way too much energy for your own good! Anyway, I might sound like a broken record since Kurosaki already said it, but...we're here to save you and Kuchiki."

That was it. Kana couldn't hold back any longer. Warm tears poured down her scarlet cheeks, and she bawled like a little girl.

"R-Retard! Since when did you get so cool, CT?!" she cried.

Aaron patted her brown hair and replied, "Come on now. Save that kind of stuff for later when you're safe and sound."

"Speaking of which, we still have some business to attend to," remarked Ichigo. He and Aaron shifted their focus to Byakuya Kuchiki, who hadn't so much as moved since they arrived.

"Right. That guy," muttered Aaron. "Out for a little revenge, Kurosaki?"

"It's nothing like that, Higuchi," said Ichigo honestly. "...That guy is just an obstacle in our path."

Aaron put a hand on the hilt of his wakizashi. "...Right. Kana. Sharpscale. You two might want to stand back for the time being. I've got a feeling this is going to get ugly."

"W-Wait a second! Y-You two aren't seriously thinking about fighting Captain Kuchiki, are you?! He'll wipe the floor with you!" cried Kana.

"J-Just who's side are you on here?!"

"Ichigo..." began Rukia.

"What? You're not going to tell me to run, are you?" he replied. "I'll never do that. Don't make me laugh. It wasn't easy for Higuchi and I to come this far, you know. No matter what you or Mitarashi over there say, we aren't listening! We're going to drag you both outta here if we have to!" He thrust his finger at Rukia and loudly added, "I'm not going to listen to anything you have to say, so don't bother, idiot!"

Rukia's entire body jerked in annoyance, and she legitimately wondered if Ichigo had lost his marbles. "W-What's that supposed to mean?! What kind of strange rescue attempt is this?!"

"Yeah! You can't just ignore our opinions! We're the ones you're trying to save for crying out loud!" voiced Kana, flailing her arms about.

"Honestly, I'm with Kurosaki. You two are getting saved whether you like it or not," said Aaron nonchalantly as he cleaned out one of his ears with his pinky.

"Don't make me hit you again, CT!"

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try when you don't sneak up on me like before!"

Kana rolled up her sleeves. "Oh, you are so gonna regret saying that!"

"Enough already!" boomed Ichigo. "Put a sock in it, Mitarashi! As for you, Rukia, you're being rescued, so stop babbling! You should just go find a corner to crouch in, shiver in fear, and scream, 'Help! Help!'"

Rukia was tempted to protest again. Instead, she weakly smiled. "...You never change, do you? You're just the same as before, ignoring everything I have to say."

"Of course! You're always nagging or worrying about me. ...For once, worry about yourself more." Ichigo faced her with a huge grin spread over his mouth. "Don't worry! I won't die just yet! Don't look at me like that. I've gotten stronger while you were away, you know."

Rukia certainly couldn't deny that.

"...What? Are you gonna brag too, CT?!" said Kana. She crossed her arms and sharply stared at Aaron. "...Well, I guess you've got every right. I-I still can't believe this! Not only do you have your powers again, but your spiritual pressure is off the charts!"

"T-Thanks," said Aaron, blushing a bit. "I...gave it everything I had during my training so I could make it here today."

"Wow! I'm impressed! You deserve a reward!"

"Don't worry about it, Kana. You don't have to..." Blood spurted from Aaron's nostrils when Kana began undoing her white robe. "T-That's okay! Y-You don't have to do that! Y-Your words are more than good enough!"

"Ha! You haven't changed either, CT! You're just as easy to tease!"

Aaron, beet red, leered away from her. "G-Give me a break..."

"Aaron Higuchi..." said Sharpscale, straining itself to speak. "You've...indeed gotten more powerful. Not just from your training in your world but ever since you arrived in the Seireitei. If there's anyone who can defeat Byakuya Kuchiki, it is you and Ichigo Kurosaki."

Aaron was hardly flattered by the Hollow's words. "...I wish I could say I was only using my own strength like Kurosaki."

"Did you say something, CT?" asked Kana.

"...No. Nothing at all." Forcing himself to smile, Aaron walked over to Ichigo and placed a hand on the latter's shoulder. "Well then, I guess that's enough small talk. You ready for this?"

"Of course!"

Ukitake, still dazed by Ichigo's and Aaron's unforeseen entrance, asked, "...Byakuya, just who are those two?"

"...They are no one important. They are just Ryoka that I will destroy. End of story. I will put an end to this meaningless fighting."

Aaron whistled and remarked, "Man, that Kuchiki guy sure looks pissed. I wonder if he overheard us talking about kicking his ass. Then again, that guy always looks pissed off."

He was startled when Mayu abruptly shouted, "You better not lose, dumb Shinigami!"

"Yeah! Give 'em hell, CT!" added Kana. "Fight, fight, fight! Win, win, win!"

"...She certainly changed her tune in a hurry," mumbled Rukia with a sigh.

With a nod, Aaron steeled his resolve and reminded himself this wasn't a fight either he or Ichigo could afford to lose.

"Heh. You sure are popular, Higuchi," said Ichigo.

"...Is that what you call it? I guess it is nice having my own, personal cheerleading section."

"...Well, this should be interesting," said Arashi out of earshot. Though the others paid him no mind, he was bizarrely smirking like the world's funniest joke had been told. "Show me what you two have got, Aaron."

END