Chapter 37

The Moon In The Rain-cleansed Sky

It was here at last.

And it was no farce.

Arashi peered at Aaron's Bankai, Seinaru Seigetsu, in stunned silence, leaving only the sound of Aaron flapping his energy wings. Sweat drizzled down his forehead, and waves of spirit energy were sweeping past him, all stemming from the person before him, someone that had come farther than he or anyone had predicted. Arashi's body moved on its own, taking a cautious step back. Not once did he take his amber eyes off the pair of white swords in Aaron's grasp.

"I-Impressive, Aaron," he said after finally managing to close his agape mouth. It settled into a shaky smile. "Well done indeed. That's an honest to goodness Bankai alright. You've accomplished something even those from the Four Great Noble Families are hard pressed to except once in a few generations."

"Thanks," replied Aaron, smirking like someone who had already won. "I don't really know who you're talking about, but it took a lot of hard work to achieve this form. I barely finished my training in time."

"Is that so? And you did it all while both pressed for time and being under some misguided notion you were going to rescue my sister. How noble."

Aaron wasn't smirking anymore.

"Yes, you've managed to achieve Bankai alright," said a glowering Arashi, pointing a stern finger at the young Shinigami. "But you're still nothing more than a human. No matter what you've done, that remains the same, meaning you have no hope of defeating me."

"You just keep on saying the same crap." Aaron sighed and shook his head. "All that means is you're about to lose to a human. There's a first time for everything, you know."

Arashi curled his lips. "…You're just letting all that confidence swell to your head. How about we test the form you have so much faith in."

With a wave of his hand, well over a hundred water clones appeared at his side. Having to go up against so many opponents wasn't new for Aaron, but it also wasn't something that made him happy. He firmly grasped both his blades.

It was time to go to work.

The army of duplicates couldn't attack all at once due to their staggering numbers. Aaron was grateful. It meant he could whittle them down as they came at him in tens and twenties. He deflected sword strikes from everywhere, knocking a number of clones off balance ahead of finishing them with a slash here and there. Within seconds, he managed to dispatch what he estimated was thirty. Of course, others were ready and eager to take their place.

"What's this?" muttered Arashi as Aaron went back on the offensive. Color him unimpressed by what he was watching. "He doesn't seem all that faster."

Aaron stabbed a pair of water clones right between the eyes and then turned the other way, cutting in half two Arashis that would have sunk their blades into his flesh. He chopped a fifth, one that was about to pounce on him from above, into tiny pieces.

"He doesn't seem that much stronger either," added Arashi, now crossing his arms and frowning even harder. "The only thing that really happened was his spiritual pressure jumping up so dramatically, but still…"

Yelling with vigor, Aaron charged forward and mowed down anyone unfortunate enough to be in his path. Taking out the water clones really was a cinch for him with his newfound power. As he caught his breath, however, he weakly laughed and saw that it hardly mattered.

The remaining eighty or ninety clones glared as they encircled him.

"C-Cut me a break already…"

"Come now, Aaron," said the genuine Arashi. "Is that really a Bankai you have there? Certainly, it must do something more than give you an extra weapon."

Had he jumped the gun in praising Aaron for his unlikely achievement? Of course it was impossible for a mere human to attain the level of Bankai. Just the idea was laughable.

He wasn't sure why he had gotten his hopes up.

"Sorry about that," replied Aaron. "Seigetsu is usually ready to go right off the bat, but it seems she takes some time to warm up when I use my Bankai. I'll show you what I can really do."

"…Is that so?"

Arashi, confident he was hearing nothing more than more false bravado, was truthfully baffled to see a portion of the black storm clouds generated by his own Bankai part enough to reveal the moon. He grunted and shot his hand over his face, blocking out a deluge of light hitting him all of a sudden.

"W-What…is this?"

The moon was far larger and brighter than he had ever seen before, taking precedence over the sun despite it still being in the middle of the day. More moonlight seeped in through the cracks in the rest of the cloud, all somehow training itself on a single person.

"Well, this is a weird feeling," said Aaron. He shut his eyes, letting newfound power swell into his being. "Guess I'll just have to trust that Seigetsu knows what she's doing."

"What is this?" repeated Arashi breathlessly. "What have you done?"

A strange, gray energy was radiating around the Shinigami from Hino like a raging fire. Unnerved, Arashi didn't dare move.

"But his energy still hasn't changed. Is he just messing with me?"

Waving both swords forward, Aaron shouted, "Getsuga Shokushou!"

The giant, crescent-shaped blast tearing up the ground as it raced toward him stirred Arashi's tense form into action. He took to the skies to avoid the danger, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end.

"Strange. That wasn't at all like the technique he used against Akira. Maybe…"

His eyes bulged out of their sockets. He could have sworn he just dodged whatever Aaron had thrown at him, yet the very same attack was about to hit him. Though thrown for a loop, Arashi calmed himself, converted his many water clones back into liquid and put a wall of water between himself and the Getsuga Shokushou. It absorbed much of the blast, though he was still thrown halfway across the sky.

"H-He hid another blast behind the last one?"

Arashi steered himself up right and came to a skidding stop against the ground.

"That was quite tricky," he conceded. His heart was still pounding madly in his chest. "I'd better not give him the chance to use something like that again."

He lifted his arms, and Aaron readied himself to face another onslaught of clones. He soon discovered more fakes were the last thing he had to worry about.

"Shit!" he declared, rolling to the right to dodge a massive vortex of liquid. It ripped apart everything in its path, turning on a dime to go after Aaron again. "Oh, great. He can make tornadoes too. Of course."

"I'm stealing a page out of Akira's book here, but…"

The sight of another water tornado nearly made Aaron wail at the top of his lungs, though he figured his energy was better spent avoiding the two after him. With the wings on his back, he took the skies, soaring every which way. He was more than content on letting the buildings around be mowed down in his stead, but no matter where he flew, Arashi's water constructs remained hot on his tail.

"Oh, screw this," he groaned. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

While Aaron's Getsuga Shokusou was tricky, Arashi had thought it was at least modest. He couldn't say the same for the white wave of energy that shadowed the entire area with its immensity. It swept through his water vortexes and would no doubt a lot more if nothing was done to stop it.

"Oh boy. That's a new one, Aaron. You've forced me to use this."

Arashi spurned his ocean of water to converge above him. It slowly took the shape of a hammerhead shark of mammoth proportions, enough to match Aaron's Getsuga Tenshou. The two forces collided and canceled one another out. The Getsuga went up in smoke, whereas the hammerhead shark burst apart, raining liquid back onto the ground.

"I'm gonna catch a cold at this rate," said Aaron dryly as his whole body became soaking wet.

"Where is he getting this much power from?" said Arashi with the slightest hint of anxiousness. "His spiritual pressure still hasn't changed."

"I think it's about time you paid me more attention over there!"

Arashi did exactly that, shooting his head down as the ground beneath him started to glow. He was thankful he had sat back and spectated Aaron fighting Akira way back when; he was privy to the pillar of energy erupting from where he once stood and jumped back before it could do any harm.

Aaron decried, "You're not getting away! Getsuga Jigokushou!"

He stabbed his twin swords in the ground once, twice and then three times. Each time, Arashi narrowly avoided the columns of energy sprouting everywhere by sight alone.

Why can't I sense where they're coming from?

Yet another Getsuga Jigokushou nearly ended him, erupting dangerously close to his face. He grit his teeth, tired of being on the defensive, and summoned five water clones to go after Aaron. The young Shinigami was wide open, being far too busy reading another Getsuga.

Or so Arashi foolishly presumed. Aaron grinned from ear to ear and aimed one of his blades straight ahead.

"First Phase: Hangetsu."

Gray energy enveloped his blade and then extended like a snake. It first pierced through the water clones, reducing them to puddles, before impaling its way into Arashi's left shoulder.

"W-What…?"

The shock from being hit at all dulled Arashi's pain in spite of all the blood running down his arm. Aaron's energy sword receded from his shoulder, and he doubled over, grasping at the wound as if were some kind of hallucination.

"Y-You're really opening my eyes here, Aaron," he stated, forcing himself to stand straight. "I continue to underestimate you, and you continue to make me pay dearly." His amber eyes settled themselves on the moon, which was still unusually luminous. "Okay. I think I see now. That's the trick to your strength, isn't it?"

If it was, Aaron chose to remain mum on the subject.

Arashi chuckled. "Fair enough. I'll just have to determine how your Bankai operates myself."

"You do that then. I'll beat you before that though."

"…Confident indeed, aren't we? Alright then, Aaron. I'm not going to say something asinine like 'I've been holding back this entire time,' but I will say that it's about time I treated you as someone worthy of dying by my hand. If I don't crush you personally, you're just going to keep coming back and continue being a thorn in my side."

"A thorn, huh?"

Aaron liked the sound of that. He also agreed that he didn't plan on going anywhere until Kana was safe, and more importantly, Arashi was no longer around to threaten her.

Speaking of which, the younger Mitarashi came at him without warning. Aaron blocked Arashi's sword with his own, and sparks flew as they clashed.

Why is he just coming at me straight on now?

Aaron didn't get it. He ducked a strike meant to slice of his head and countered with a dual thrust at Arashi's heart. His intended target sidestepped both swords and held his palm out.

"Way of Destruction Number Thirty-Three: Blue Fire, Crash Down."

It was only a level thirty destruction spell. Aaron, though caught off guard that Arashi would attempt to use Kidou at such close range, never imagined such a simple spell would sent such a massive surge of blue energy sweeping past him. Much of the battlefield was reduced to smoldering rubble, but Aaron managed to hold his white swords in front of him and block the brunt of the blast, sparing him from the same fate.

"I guess being good at Kidou just runs in his family. H-Huh? Wait, he's...gone…"

Arashi might have been nowhere in sight, but his Bankai hadn't gone away. In fact, it was raining harder than ever. Aaron grimaced with every painful drop that hit his skin. The sea encompassing him had already risen to his knees; it seemed Arashi was intent on flooding everything.

"And everyone. I need to stop this guy before it's too late."

"I think I'm catching on to that Bankai of yours, Aaron. It's quite intriguing."

Aaron finally spotted Arashi hovering high above him. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Arashi echoed. "But I still need to put something to the test."

He darted downward, streaking toward Aaron like a bullet out of a gun. Aaron matched his speed by flapping his wings as hard as he could. For a guy who could do almost anything with water, Arashi was content on attacking with only his Zanpakutou. His behavior left Aaron unsure what to think, though he at least wouldn't have to worry about his foe's Bankai.

Thunder roared from the heavens as the two crossed blades. Aaron had the advantage when it came to weapons. He even estimated himself a good twenty pounds heavier than Arashi. Why then was he the one sent flying like a feather in the wind? The look on his face was priceless. Crashing into the vast sea below told him he wasn't just imagining things, and he took a deep breath as his head surfaced.

"I-I put everything I had into that last attack. How…?"

To make matters worse, Arashi was gone yet again.

"…This isn't funny anymore."

Aaron's first thought was not to freak out. Arashi's Bankai was still active, meaning its master couldn't have strayed that far. It was a sound theory…save for Aaron being unable to pick up on even a smidgen of Arashi's spiritual pressure. There shouldn't have been any way for someone as strong as him to completely mask his presence.

It would be like an elephant attempting to stomp along undetected.

"He can't turn invisible too, can he?"

Aaron was eager to find out though was distracted by the water around him bubbling violently.

Then came the all too familiar sound of Arashi's voice.

"Devour, Kansui Ekitai Ouji."

Dealing with clones was a pain. Dealing with hundreds of watery, hammerhead sharks, on the other hand, was likely going to be dozens of times worse. Aaron slowly moved his head all around at snarling creatures gazing at him hungrily and wondered if it was too late to ask for the clones instead.

They didn't have rows of razor sharp teeth at least.

"Screw that," he said without delay, taking to the skies and away from the circling carnivores below. Water and him didn't mix in the first place; adding a bunch of bloodthirsty sharks was basically his worst nightmare come to life. "I mean, I guess they could be flying sharks."

They may as well have been for how high they jumped. Aaron, under the assumption he was safe from harm at his altitude, was proven wrong in the worst way when one of the sharks soared up to him and sunk its teeth into his right arm. Suppressing a scream, Aaron also ignored the torrent of blood spewing out of his wound as he stabbed the shark out of existence.

The damage had been done though.

One of his wings slackened, enough to lower him dangerously close to the pit of remaining sharks. A group of them powered themselves into the air and snapped their jaws at him, ready to take the limb their fallen comrade had failed to.

Aaron had other plans. "First Phase: Hangetsu!"

He hadn't meant to craft an energy sword twice as tall as he was.

It worked out in the end, however.

He spun in a complete circle, carving through each and every greedy shark over a half mile radius. As impressive as that was, that wasn't even a third of their number. The survivors, undaunted by his show of strength, charged in after their brethren.

"Oh, just go away already!" said Aaron in exasperation, swinging both his Zanpakutou. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

He let rip enough white energy to destroy two battlefields, not mention all of the sharks. The effort left him winded though, and the pain from his lacerated arm finally kicked in.

"D-Dammit," he muttered. Everything around him was already beginning to spin. "I've burned through a lot of spirit energy too…"

And he still hadn't any idea where Arashi was.

"What the hell kind of a Bankai does he have if he can do all this?"

"It's not too shabby, right? Of course, yours isn't half bad either."

Hearing Arashi speak again would have been comforting if Aaron could seriously figure out where he was. He couldn't track down his voice; it sounded like it was coming from everywhere and speaking through a megaphone.

"Water is the sustainer of all life," said Arashi. "It's funny: It can also take away life in the blink of an eye."

Aaron got a hunch he wasn't just saying that to sound philosophical. The sky grew even darker, inducing him to turn around and find out why.

His pupils shrank.

"…I really hate it when I'm right."

A wave of water dwarfing even the one that destroyed the Soukyoku was moments away from laying waste to everything in sight, Aaron included. He didn't know how, but he willed his body to stop standing there like a gaping idiot fast enough to act.

"Well, I was hoping to save this one for a rainy day, no pun intended."

He connected the ends of his sword to form a single weapon, but an attack wasn't what he had planned. He spun his weapon until it was nothing more than a blur.

"Second Phase: Shingetsu!"

He could feel the water pressing against his skin. He wasn't sure he had made it. All he could do was shut his eyes.

And wait.

Aaron wasn't sure how much time ended up passing by. It felt like ages before he finally felt confident enough to stop twirling his swords and lower the silver shield in front of him. He took stock in all the chaos, all the destruction.

It was unbelievable.

There hadn't been much left standing in the first place thanks to the intensity of the battle, but the only thing that remained around Aaron now was a vast sea.

He couldn't even tell he was still in Soul Society.

He was speechless. For one sole man to be capable of such raw destruction rattled him to the core.

"See what I mean, Aaron? Your Bankai is nothing to laugh at."

Aaron would have never found Arashi on his own. He understood that perfectly clear now. No matter what the younger Mitarashi claimed, it was his Bankai that went beyond all comprehension.

Arashi had hidden himself in his own water. Holding his breath, Aaron watched him slowly form out of it, taking a humanoid shape before solidifying.

"Are you really human, Aaron Higuchi?"

Funny. Aaron was tempted to ask him if he was actually a Shinigami.

He was more like some kind of deity.

H-How could he want more power?

Perhaps just to get his mind on something else, Aaron suddenly remembered he and Arashi weren't the sole ones there on the battlefield.

They might have been the only ones still alive, however.

"Kana! Renji! Hell, Akira! Is anyone still out there?!" Aaron cupped his hands around his mouth to heighten his voice and maybe even drown out the morbid thoughts creeping into his mind.

How could his friends be alive?

How could anything have survived?

"Don't fret, Aaron," said Arashi casually. "Look there."

Daring himself to move his head to where Arashi was pointing, Aaron didn't regret it.

"We're fine!" said Renji Abarai. "We're…alright, I guess."

Most people wouldn't curl their lips over being alive, but Renji couldn't help himself. Akira projecting a Kidou barrier over him and having been the one to save him left a sour taste in his mouth.

If she was expecting a 'thank you,' she would be waiting a long time.

That was the last thing on her mind though. She was too busy staring daggers at Arashi.

"What's the big idea?!" she asked, unable to hide the irritation teeming in her words. "You trying to kill us as well as that asshole over there?!"

"Of course not. I apologize though. I guess I got a bit carried away."

"A bit?" said Aaron in disbelief.

Arashi paid him no mind. "I'm well aware of how capable you are, Akira. You would have sensed the danger and made sure everyone was alright. And that's exactly what you did. I must thank you. You even went as far as saving my dear sister."

The way Akira's expression crooked would have led one to believe she had moments ago witnessed a ghost. She did an about-face, half expecting and half hoping no one was really there.

But Arashi wasn't just teasing her.

"H-Huh? What's going on? Ow! M-My head…"

"Rise and shine," Renji told Kana. He too wasn't all that thrilled the brunette was up and moving again.

"Good morning," said Kana sleepily, rubbing her eyelids. "What's for breakfast?"

Her stomach turned, but not on account of her hunger. It had more to do with Akira giving her a look of the utmost loathing.

"I didn't mean to save her," Akira grumbled. "It was…just coincidence."

"Was you healing Abarai's arm 'coincidence' as well?"

To that, Akira didn't—or rather couldn't—protest. Renji's arm was as good as new alright, good enough for him to pay Akira back by strangling the life out of her if he desired.

Aaron didn't get it. He also knew there was no way Akira hadn't know Kana was there. His friends should have been dead long before that wave of water hit, but they were still alive.

Thanks to Akira.

"I want you to keep that barrier up as long as you can, Akira," said Arashi.

"And why should I?"

"Because like it or not, this battle is far from over. Isn't that right, Aaron?"

Aaron nodded. None of this would end until either one or both of them couldn't go on any longer. But perhaps that was being optimistic.

In all likelihood, this fight wouldn't conclude until someone was dead.

Aaron simply had to make sure he wasn't the one that ended up with such a fate. There was too much riding on his survival.

"S-Stop telling me what to do already," mumbled Akira. Her annoyance with Arashi didn't prevent her from following his order. She strengthened her barrier, having no wish to get swept up in whatever he was plotting.

"Do you really trust her to look after your sister?" said Aaron.

The observation humored Arashi. "You may have a point, but Akira won't try anything funny in this type of situation. You have my assurance. As obstinate as she is, even she would be hard pressed to incur your wrath while you're still using your Bankai. She can no doubt feel the weight of your spiritual pressure. You would kill her before she even knew what hit her."

That was true. As much as Aaron felt trusting the likes of Akira and even Arashi was poor judgment, it wasn't like he had much of a choice.

"Now then," said Arashi, "let's get back to the matter at hand. While I was underwater doing a bit of contemplation, I'd wager I've finally figured out the trick to your Bankai. Firstly, tell me something: Those things you're holding…they aren't actually swords, are they?"

Aaron thought it wise not to say yes or no. His uneasy silence, however, was as good a response as any for Arashi.

"They don't have any real power behind them. That was how I managed to push you back with ease and why you were barely able to fend off my Kidou.

"That takes us back to the strange light from earlier, the light stemming from the moon. It seemed strangely attracted to you in particular, Aaron, and it only changed form after you began using your Bankai. You are using those swords to draw in moonlight, correct? That would explain why I can sense no change in your spiritual pressure despite you unleashing such awe inspiring attacks; naturally, I have no clue how to pick up on moonlight, but you've somehow found a way to use it as a weapon. What a peculiar Bankai. Manipulating the weather is one thing; you're somehow exerting your will on a celestial object. That's why I was asking if you were actually just a plain, old human being. Forgive me. I believe the scientist in me is overtaking my sense of reason."

It was evident that Arashi had weighed on Seinaru Seigetsu longer than he Aaron had ever thought to. He didn't care how or why his Bankai worked so long as it did. The details weren't important.

Would his lack of interest end up being his downfall?

"H-How could he have figured out how it works so fast? That's…"

Arashi Mitarashi wasn't frightening because of his sheer strength.

No, the reason he instilled fear in others was because he always thought two steps ahead of everyone else. The biggest mistake Aaron had committed today was letting this fight drag on as long as it did and give his opponent the chance to dissect him like an experiment.

"No need to look so alarmed, Aaron," said Arashi with a wide, satisfied smile. "Now we both know how each other's Bankai works, meaning we can fight without any restraint. Knowledge is power, but even it isn't absolute."

Aaron couldn't comprehend why Arashi was so elated at the prospect of them going at it some more. He rubbed the back of his head and was reminded of someone else.

"So, I guess Kurosaki isn't the only nutcase around who gets his kicks from beating the crap out of someone and getting beat up in return. …I seriously don't get it."

He did agree with Arashi on there being no point in hiding anything any longer.

"He's already seen most of my moves anyway."

He did have one technique that remained known to him alone, yet it was one he was hesitant to use even if things became their grimmest.

He would more than likely kill himself along with Arashi.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind, Aaron. Don't be so tense. Remember: I'm the last obstacle preventing your from 'rescuing' Kana. It would be in your best interest to come at me with everything you've got."

"Tsk. Save your lectures. You're the last person I want to hear them from."

"You're right. The time for conversation has passed, hasn't it?"

"If you're going to throw more clones or sharks at me, just…"

"It's strange," Arashi interjected with such force, Aaron instantly fell silent. "My clouds should be able to block out your moonlight, but they can't. Let's try something different then."

The sea sprang to life once more, dancing while Arashi moved his arms to and fro. Aaron might not have had any idea what was coming, but he knew it would be different.

Different enough to spell his doom? He wasn't going to hazard a guess, not when his confidence was already as brittle as glass.

"I haven't had a chance to try this next technique on anyone worthwhile other that Sousuke Aizen," said Arashi. "I'm curious to see how you fair, Aaron.

"Liquidus Phantasm, Kansui Ekitai Ouji."

Aaron wasn't used to Arashi's' water passing by him harmlessly.

He also wasn't accustomed to it rising into the air as if being pulled by strings. It did more than that though, gradually wrapping itself around himself and Arashi. By the time he got what was happening, it was too late to do anything about it. The water covered the last crack of light.

"W-What the…?!" said Renji, gazing at the giant orb of liquid floating in midair. "What the hell did that guy just do?!"

"B-Beats me," said Akira honestly. She was too lost for words to give out anything more concerning her opinion.

"Uh oh…" uttered Kana, putting her hands over her mouth. She of all people shouldn't have been thinking it, yet… "Aaron is so screwed…"

#

"I am so screwed," was the first thing Aaron could think of about his new surroundings. Water. There was nothing but water for as far as the eye could see. Water and people tended not to go well together, and he instinctively grabbed at his throat, waiting for his lungs to swell with liquid. However, he was fine, absolutely fine. "I'm…not dying?"

"Of course not," said Arashi, barely visible. There wasn't much Aaron could see honestly. The dimmest of blue light was all he had to even make out Arashi's figure. "If one could drown here, I would be in trouble as well. Believe it or not, I'm not immune Ekitai Ouji's effects. No, I created this place so the two of us could fight to our heart's content and without anyone getting in our way. More importantly, we won't unintentionally harm the others outside."

That was music to Aaron's ears. "You're rather thoughtful."

"Am I now?"

Maybe he wasn't. He clearly hadn't considered Aaron's feelings when summoning a mixture of water clones and sharks.

"You shouldn't look so surprised, Aaron. This is my world, after all. It's therefore only natural I get to do whatever I please. Anyway, I said it before, but I really don't have much experience using this technique, so I can't say whether or not I'll be able to stop myself from completely annihilating you."

Aaron really wanted to counter with a snide remark of his own, but he felt like his mouth was glued shut.

Besides, his time was better spent reckoning a way to fight the army before him. That wasn't so complicated; he already had a proven method.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

His blast tore through his enemies with ease, yet, something was off. The Getsuga hadn't been nearly as large as the others. He wasn't holding back; there wasn't any reason to at the moment.

But there was no time for him to dwell on it. Arashi, taking advantage of his confusion to sneak up behind him, took a swipe at Aaron with his Zanpakutou. Though he was able to turn around in time to block, Aaron's twin swords were knocked right out of his hands.

"Got you," declared Arashi, bringing down his blade a second time.

"S-Shit!"

Unarmed, there wasn't much Aaron could do this time other than watch as blood sprayed out of a freshly made gash on his chest.

"D-Dammit!" he snarled, getting his wits about him and hopping away before Arashi could land another devastating blow. His body creaked in agony, and he slumped over, breathing hard.

"Oh, you jumped back just enough to avoid a fatal blow," said Arashi. "You're rather astute."

It was strange. He took a huge shot just now, true, but Aaron was under the impression his body was being weighed down by something other than his pain. His arms and even his legs felt like lead.

Is it…because of all this water? I can breathe, but maybe…

"Let's stay on guard, shall we," advised Arashi, coming in for another attack.

"Tsk!"

And so, Aaron began to dodge lightning quick sword strikes he could hardly even see. Only the glint of Arashi's blade gave him some hint as to how to jerk his head. A cut formed on his cheek, then a slash on his right shoulder, and finally a long cut on his left leg. He cringed.

He would end up losing one of his limbs if this kept up any longer.

T-There…!

His swords weren't that far. If he could only get the chance to pounce on them…

"You still don't seem to be paying me much attention," remarked Arashi, slicing open Aaron's right arm this time. "Is something on your mind? You worry quite a lot for someone so young, Aaron."

Aaron's body was slowing down even more. He knew he wouldn't be about to avoid the next hit, so he went into desperation mode, reaching out and stopping Arashi's sword with his bare hands. They were lacerated in the process, but he beamed, accomplishing his goal of getting his opponent to sit still for a moment.

"Way of Destruction Number Eleven: Bound Lighting!"

Electricity surged through Arashi's blade. He recognized the danger and Flash Stepped away before Aaron's Kidou could do him any harm. Him running away, however, was yet another part of Aaron's plan. It meant he was free to go after his swords, which he did post haste.

He tried to anyhow.

"Sorry," said Arashi, outpacing him with another burst of Flash Step. "Did you want these?" He not only kicked Aaron swords away, but held his palm out, ready to unleash some Kidou of his own. "Way of Binding Number Sixty-Three: Locking Bondage Stripes."

A golden chain coiled its way around Aaron faster than he could get out of the way.

No, that wasn't it. He couldn't have gotten out the way even if he yearned to. He was moving in like a tortoise at this point.

"Y-You've gotta be kidding me!" he griped as he strove to fight his way out of his restraints. He was strong, but not strong enough to break a level Sixty binding spell with brute force alone. "Why couldn't I dodge?"

"Yes, an excellent question," said Arashi, placing a hand on his chin. "You've been getting slower for awhile now actually. Tell me something: Do you believe it a byproduct of my water cage?"

That was the obvious answer, so much so that Aaron didn't get why a smart guy like Arashi Mitarashi was inquiring such a thing.

"You're wrong," said the genius, much to Aaron's amazement. "Haven't you noticed that I've been able to move without issue? I already stated that I am not immune to the effects of my own Zanpakutou."

But that didn't make a lick of sense. Aaron shook his head feverishly.

"It's your Bankai, Aaron. I'm slightly concerned I noticed something was amiss before you. You should be keener than this."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've lost your power source, haven't you? Your body was no doubt straining to keep your bones from snapping like twigs from the sheer force of your spiritual pressure. The only thing keeping you up was the moon, but now that's gone."

So it was. Aaron, alarmed, looked up and around, but of course, there was nothing in the sky to comfort him. There wasn't even a sky to begin with, just water.

Nothing but water.

"G-Goddammit…" he hissed, recounting how weak he thought his previous Getsuga Tenshou was. Now everything made sense. "How could I be such an idiot?"

"There's no reason to beat yourself up, Aaron," said Arashi. "You're rather green when it comes to battle, and even more so when it comes to that Bankai of yours. While it is impressive, you used it a good twenty years too early. It helps to know your strengths and weaknesses because any mistake in a battle like this is rather…fatal."

Aaron felt his limbs growing weaker with every second. He toppled over.

"But I was merely fortunate my hunch was right. Luck can sometimes play a factor in battle as well, even for the most hardened of combatants."
"Just…shut up already!"

But Arashi kept going. "You pushed me to my limit, Aaron Higuchi. Make no mistake about that. You may very well be a mere human, but you possess true strength. You are worthy of the name 'Shinigami.'"

Listening to all this drivel was grating, yet it at least gave Aaron the chance to act.

Let's go, stupid body! Move it already! Come on! MOVE!

Had he always been this dependent on Seigetsu? Couldn't he do just this one thing on his own?

It was pathetic.

Arashi, standing over Aaron, lifted his Zanpakutou. "This is nothing personal. You're just in my way. I honestly would have preferred it if we could have worked together, but that ship has no doubt sailed. Goodbye, Aaron Higuchi."

He brought his blade down. It moved in slow, agonizing motion to Aaron.

It was the seconds hand of a clock, ticking down to his doom.

It seemed inconceivable. How could he die here? What would happen to Kana and the rest of his friends? He worked so hard to get this far, shed so much blood…

It wasn't fair.

He wasn't a prideful sort of person; even if he fell, he knew there would be others to take his place, but still…everyone was riding on him winning here. This was a fight he couldn't afford to saddle on someone else's shoulders. It was his burden to bear.

So, again he begged, even pleaded, for his worthless form to stir.

Something answered him. It just wasn't the 'something' he ever anticipated.

Look at what sort of sorry state you've gotten yourself in, you rotten punk. Don't you know that if you die, I die too? Tsk. Worthless. That's all you are. Stand aside. If you're not gonna use your body properly, I will!

Aaron's eyes shrank. A well-known but wholly unwanted power began to surge from deep within him. His heart felt like it was pounding inside of his skull. Grasping at his skull, he hollered at the top of his lungs. An anguish that had nothing to do with his various injuries was overwhelming him.

"GO AWAY!" he cried. "I DON'T NEED YOU!"

The hell you don't! You need me now more than ever! Just let me out! Do it!

"S-STOP IT! THIS IS MY BODY! YOU DON'T JUST GET TO SHOW UP WHENEVER THE HELL YOU PLEASE AND TAKE IT!"

You talk like you have a choice anymore. I'll handle this punk!

"I-I don't want to win…like that! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!"

"W-What in the…?" said Arashi, so thrown off by Aaron's abrupt tantrum that he stopped his arm short of finishing the teenager off. More than that though, his every muscle was telling him to back as far away from Aaron as humanly possibly. He obliged, just as black energy began to swirl around his foe. "T-This spiritual pressure…! Can it be?"

Aaron drove his head into the ground over and over. He had to get the monster within his thoughts out. He didn't care what it took.

In his weakened state, however, he offered up little resistance. He stopped suddenly. Arashi held his breath, having forgotten all about the fight and letting his curiosity take control. "There's no doubt about it. Yes, just when I think you've shown me everything you have to offer, Aaron, you sweep me off my feet again. If I could just get a closer look…"

A white mask. Blue markings. Piercing, yellow eyes.

It was everything Arashi longed for and more.

"Hollowfication. It truly is…"

He lost his train of thought on account of the scarlet light blinding him. His brain moved quickly, and so did his body as he darted out of the way just in time to avoid the gigantic, red beam of energy that would have reduced him to ash.

"C-Cero? Did Aaron really just do a…?"

He soon discovered it was no longer Aaron Higuchi he was dealing with.

"Just what the hell is going on?" said the creature controlling the dark-skinned Shinigami, speaking in a dual layered voice. It placed fingers on the still forming white mask on his face before snickering, snickering like a demon. "Man, it's been too long! That kid had been under wraps so badly, I couldn't even tell what was happening out here. And just who the hell are you? Are you the one giving this punk such a hard time?"

"Are you the…Inner Hollow?" asked Arashi slowly, unable to contain the excitement in his tone. Seeing this once before when Aaron went up against Akira hadn't been enough. He wanted more. He needed more. "I see. You were able to slip to the surface due to Aaron being on the verge of death. And look at this. High speed regeneration."

Aaron wounds were closing up rapidly, smoking as they did so. His adversary being at one hundred percent again didn't upset Arashi in the slightest.

He grinned even harder.

"Yeah, that's right," Hollow Aaron answered. "I've gotta hand it to you, whoever you are. If it wasn't for you beating the shit out of this punk, I might have disappeared forever! Now then, how about we play for a while? I'm in need of a little exercise!"

The Hollow eagerly licked its lips before they vanished behind its mask.

"With pleasure," replied Arashi. "To think you would be willing to display your power. I must be the luckiest man alive."

"Eh? What are you, some sort of weird Hollow junkie?"

"…That's rather accurate. I would be lying if said otherwise."

"Ha! You really are a freak, aren't you, maybe even more of one than me! Well, that's fine! The two of us are going to have a grand, old…!"

Without warning, the white mask broke apart like glass. As its pieces spilled to the ground, Arashi once again found himself standing there in utter vexation. He couldn't detect even a hint of the Hollow's energy anymore, instead being greeted by Aaron's wrinkled visage.

"I really hate it when that thing does that," he said casually, stretching his neck. His voice, like his spiritual pressure, was back to normal. "I can't lower my guard for even a second without that son of a bitch pulling a fast one."

Arashi blinked, gradually piecing together his thoughts. "You…w-what did you just…?"

"I suppressed it is all. I still don't get what Kagami shot me with, but I can easily make that…thing you just saw go away thanks to him. Still, it's a pain not knowing when it'll pop up again."

"I…don't really understand what you're saying, but…no, it doesn't matter."

"No, it doesn't."

"…Indeed. Fine then. Though I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing a Hollowfied Shinigami up close and personal again, I suppose I can settle with regular, old you, Aaron. I think you not only having an Inner Hollow, but being able to subjugate it at will, is honestly just as great."

"…You know what? That thing was right. You are some kind of Hollow junkie."

"Again, guilty as charged. What's say we finish this?"

Aaron could move again. That was a start. Unfortunately, his spirit energy was just as low as it had been before his Inner Hollow's rude interruption. He retrieved his white swords at last, estimating he had enough moonlight stored in his body for one final attack.

He would have to make it count.

Arashi had a similar line of thinking, saying, "Against someone like you, Aaron, and after everything that's transpired, I would be a fool if I didn't use this against you. This is all I have left."

He couldn't possibly have another technique at his disposal. Aaron felt it impossible.

On the other hand, there was no point in trying to predict what Arashi Mitarashi was hiding behind his hand. Aaron swallowed hard, accepting that like usual, he would simply have to wait and see if it would be another royal flush.

"I really fucking hate water."

Arashi, holding his arms high, said, "Twin Goddesses, Kansui Ekitai Ouji."

The water near its master didn't take his exact shape and multiply into hundreds. It didn't become a shark, a wave of water or even a raging twister.

No, as Aaron's head eased its way upward to the pair of literal giants staring back down at him, Arashi's water transformed into something entirely different.

Though clearly made of liquid, the giant on the right was the spitting image of Kana.

Meanwhile, the one on its left was a perfect replica of Akira.

They were Arashi's goddesses.

"I think it's only fitting my family and I be the ones to finish you, Aaron. Yes, I wouldn't have it any other way."

He pointed, and the giants marched their way toward their prey, quaking the ground with every step they took. Aaron kept both his balance and his composure. The idea of hurting even an imitation of Kana made him hesitant to act.

There was also the thought of him inevitably killing himself with his counterattack.

"Beggars can't be choosers. Just try to hang on a little longer, Seigetsu. It's almost over."

He turned his blades on the ground rather than the water goddesses. For a fleeting moment, Arashi wondered if he were giving up.

He couldn't have been further from the truth.

Aaron shouted, "Last Phase: Mangetsu!"

Everything happened too swiftly for Arashi to take proper stock of. White pillars of light, moonlight, sprouted everywhere like newborn plants. They enveloped everything: Arashi, the goddesses…and even Aaron, who closed his eyes.

He had no regrets.

It had to be this way. There was nothing else I could do, Kana…

#

"So, do you…think they're still in there?"

No one answered Kana. She frowned. She hated being ignored, especially when she had a plethora of questions.

Not that Renji nor Akira could answer them. They were transfixed by Arashi's water orb, waiting for something, anything, to occur. Aaron and Arashi had disappeared within it it for what seemed like hours.

"I can't even feel their spiritual pressure anymore," growled Renji, growing annoyed.

Akira knew the feeling. "Dammit! This is crazy. Maybe they both killed each other or something."

"Wouldn't…whatever that is up there go away then?"

"How the hell would I know? I ain't ever seen it before either."

Renji eyed her cautiously. "You sure there ain't more you're not telling us?"

Akira snarled. "You calling me a liar, Abarai?"

"You talk like you've given us a reason to trust you after everything you've done!"

"I saved your lives, didn't I?"

"You didn't sound to eager to gloat earlier, Akiyama."

"Tsk! That's it! I'm gonna…!"

"Are you two seriously arguing right now?"

Akira and Renji turned to Kana, who was pouting and crossing her arms. Her words hit them with the bluntness of a baseball bat. If she was being the voice of reason, all hell really had broken loose.

"W-Why don't we just go up there?" suggested Renji reluctantly.

"Fuck that," replied Akira pointedly. "I ain't getting caught up in whatever's going on."

Renji agreed. So, the two went back to absentmindedly ogling the sphere of liquid. Something would happen eventually. Probably. Maybe.

"Ugh! This is so boring!" whined Kana. "Can't you control wind, Akira? Just…go blow that thing away or something! And what about you, Renji? You have a Bankai for crying out loud! What are you even scared of?"

Again, she was making far too much sense. Renji sensed a headache coming on.

"Look, you," he began, somehow suppressing his ire, "if you wanna go up there, be our guest, but until we figure out what's going on…"

"Which you totally aren't by the way…"

"…Just let me kill her," said Akira, her fingers twitching. "I'll make it quick."

It was tempting. Renji resisted his dark thoughts, however. "…Screw it. Akiyama, let's go…"

The water sphere suddenly exploded, leading to a downpour of heavy rain. Akira was glad she hadn't stopped projecting her barrier, wincing with each rain drop that hammered against it. She felt it was probably a good idea to strength it. Just in case.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" cried Kana, both startled and happy to see something was finally happening. "What was that?"

"We don't know, alright!" voiced Renji in anger. "Stop asking so many stupid questions!"

"That's all she's good at," said Akira, shaking her head.

Kana was too busy chatting up a storm to hear their complaints. "What was up with CT earlier, huh? Why was his hair blue? Is he going through a phase? Well, I guess he is around that rebellious age. I don't think his mom would approve though. When did he learn Bankai anyway? It's like a bargain sale on Bankai or something! Maybe I can do Bankai too and just don't know it!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!"

Renji hadn't meant to yell at the same time as Akira or even say the same thing. They glared at Kana, who began bawling like a newborn baby, before leering at one another and squinting.

"…You're alright, Abarai," said Akira.

"Yeah, you're…not too bad either, Akiyama. Well, other than trying to kill us before."

"You guys are worse than bad! You're mean!" voiced Kana, hiccuping. "Why don't the two of you just get married if you like each other so much!"

Would Aaron get upset if Renji went back on his promise of ensuring nothing sinister happened to Kana? More than likely. Did Renji care anymore? Not really. With that in mind, he cracked his knuckles, prompting Kana to quiet down by any means necessary.

"Y-You wouldn't…!" she dared herself to say as he inched closer and closer. "I-I mean, Akira would, but you…"

"W-What the hell…?!"

Akira's exclamation curbed Renji's blood lust, while also giving Kana the chance to scurry to safety.

She shouldn't have been able to do that.

"Huh? What happened to the barrier?" she said. That wasn't the sole thing gone. "W-Wasn't there an ocean here before I…blinked?"

There wasn't any water. The area was as dry as a bone, and the sky was blue and clear. The sight of the sun left Kana perplexed. She had nearly forgotten it existed.

And then to top things off, two figures were falling toward the ground like meteors, figures that didn't show any signs of life.

Aaron and Arashi slammed down with force, their bodies crafting well-sized punctures in the ground. If they hadn't been dead before the fall, Kana was sure they were now as she gasped sharply.

"Don't just stand there!" hollered Renji, rushing to where the fallen Shinigami were. "Come on!"

"R-Right!"

Kana got her wits about her and followed after him and Akira. No matter what common sense was telling her, Aaron couldn't be dead.

He just couldn't be.

She would kill him herself if that were the case.

But everyone stopped in their tracks. Aaron and Arashi really were still alive and kicking. In fact, as the two of them used their swords swords as makeshift crutches and got to their feet, it was clear they were ready to go at it some more.

"T-That was a good one, Aaron," wheezed Arashi, teeming with bleeding cuts and bruises. One or maybe dozens of his bones were broken; he wasn't going to hazard a guess as to which ones in particular. "Y-You really are one…hell of a guy."

Aaron, looking even worse with his swollen eye and right arm dangling worthlessly at his side, replied, "G-Go to hell. That should've…"

At nearly the same time, the two toppled over face first. This spurred the others back into action, with Kana flying to Aaron's side, and Akira to Arashi's. Renji, meanwhile, gawked at both battered and beaten warriors, not sure which one to check on first.

"Come on! Stay with me, CT!" whispered Kana in a panic. She lifted Aaron's head, cradling it in her arms. Her skin grew a bit pale; she had never seen someone so bloody. "Uh…say something! Say something so I know you're alright!"

"Everything huuuuuuurts," moaned Aaron.

It was a less than stellar response, but Kana seriously started to laugh, grateful he could say anything at all. She hugged him tightly, disregarding his cries of pain and the fact was pressing against his shattered rib cage.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, CT! I-I don't know what I would do without you!"

"Heh. That…almost sounds like a confession. A-And please…let me go. I really will die."

But Kana was too busy sobbing and thanking the stars above her Chocolate Thunder was still in one piece.

She never wanted to let him ago again.

"It's a…touching sight, isn't it?" said Arashi, staring at Aaron and his sister before forcing himself away. "I wonder, would she show that same kind of emotion for me, a brother who has failed her on every count?"

"…You don't owe her a damn thing," said Akira, resting Arashi's head on her lap and fighting the urge to cry like Kana. She was stronger than that. Rather, she waved her trembling, glowing hands over Arashi's grievous injuries. "And shut the hell up already. I can't concentrate."

She could heal him.

She had to heal him. She couldn't lose him, not like…

"…Thank you, Akira," said Arashi, solemnly enough that Akira momentarily paused. "Thank you for…everything. I would have been lost a long time ago if it weren't for you. Yes, my real goddess is right before me, isn't she?"

"…I thought I told you to shut up."

Akira lowered her head slightly, hiding her blushing visage.

"How could the likes of him push you so far?" she added, shooting Aaron a dirty glance.

"Oh, shut up," said the individual in question. Talking hurt so much that he was tempted to simply let Akira say whatever she liked for the time being. "You make it sound like he lost. It…was a draw if anything."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Aaron, however, you're exactly the sort who would say such a thing. You know, I quite like you. You've grown on me," said Arashi, persuading his mouth into a smile. "Akira, once you're done with me, heal him as well."

"…What?" replied Akira so acutely, everyone else winced. "Why the hell should I, especially after…?!"

"There isn't time for any of us to be sore losers. Our fight has no doubt attracted the attention of some…unwanted guests."

"Oh, I'm unwanted, am I?"

Everyone shot their heads up so quickly, they half near broke their necks. When Arashi stated someone would show up to scope things out, they never imagined it would be so soon.

Nodding back at everyone, Sharpscale said, "It seems I missed quite the battle. Aaron Higuchi, I am relieved to see you are still alive."

"J-Just barely. You're certainly a sight for sore eyes, big guy."

"And Kana Mitarashi is with you as well. Good."

"Y-Yeah, g-good…" muttered Kana, not in the least pleased with a Hollow of all things remembering her name.

"W-What the hell am I looking at here?" said Akira, raising an eyebrow.

"That must be the rumored Hollow traveling around with the Ryoka," Arashi elucidated. He sat up despite his body protesting. "My, what a fine specimen. It almost looks quite similar to…"

And he suddenly stopped. Saying he 'froze' was more like it, froze as if witnessing a specter from his past coming back to haunt him.

That wasn't too far off the mark.

Aaron, speaking to Sharpscale, didn't notice his odd conduct. "Say, what are you even doing here?"

The Hollow using an abrupt use of Sonído to get uncomfortably close to Kana wasn't what he expected for an answer, though it was still a pretty good one.

"O-Oh my," said Kana as Sharpscale stared down at her intently. She gulped. "CT, can a…Hollow get a crush on you? I-I mean, I know I'm practically irresistible, but…"

She broke off like her brother had, her face even matching his horror-stricken shock. Akira joined in on the fun, and she felt her heart thumping painfully in her chest.

"B-But that's…!"

Aaron was the lone one out of the loop, waiting for anyone to give him some type of explanation.

Was having a Hollow in your midst really that strange?

Or was there something else he wasn't getting?

Kana faltered before putting her hands on Sharpscale's face. Her fingers prodded every portion of it, whereas her red, quivering eyes gleaned its even minute details.

She didn't desire to trick herself into believing in something so foolish, but…

"I-It's…you," said uttered, ignoring what her mind was telling her and taking stock in what her heart had to say. "I-I can't believe I didn't notice it back at the Repentance Tower."

"Yes, I should've known it the second I felt his energy," remarked Arashi. Aaron was lost for words. The man he had only minutes ago been fighting to death was crying.

Arashi Mitarashi was actually shedding tears of joy.

And so was Akira. She dropped down to her knees, her tears staining the ground beneath her. Emotions, ones that hadn't washed over her in years, overpowered her.

Aaron might not have had a clue what was going on with these people, but he knew better than to intrude.

Whatever was happening, they needed this.

"It is strange," said Sharpscale. "Being with you three is strangely familiar." It pointed at the left side of its chest. "Something here…yes, it feels like something that was missing here has finally returned. I wonder, do I…know you?"

All speaking at once, the family that had been broken apart by so much strife dared themselves to say just one thing…

"Heishiro."

END