Chapter 47

Attack on Hino

Aaron couldn't believe it. Was he dreaming? The curly-haired brunette beaming at him had to be a hallucination, a byproduct of being on the brink of death.

"Hello? Anybody home? Earth to CT!" shouted Kana Mitarashi. Annoyed at being ignored, she pouted and wrapped her knuckles on Aaron's forehead.

"K-Kana…?"

"The one and only! I asked if you wanted me to help you out of this jam," she chimed. "Did you get your butt kicked so badly that you have a concussion? Besides that hole in your stomach, you look fine to me, crybaby."

She prodded him all over. Aaron smacked her hand away instinctively. He had nearly forgotten how much of a busybody she could be. That was when it finally hit him.

He really wasn't dreaming.

With that in mind, he suddenly embraced Kana, hugging her as hard as he could.

"C-Can't breathe! CAN'T BREATHE!"

Aaron wasn't listening. In light of how pathetic he already looked, he fought back his tears. He had missed her. He had really missed her. He simply had no idea until now.

Kana managed to pry herself free. "Jeez! Somebody sure is touchy-feely! Don't think you'd be the first guy I take out a restraining order on!"

Even her usual brand of insulting couldn't put a damper in Aaron's mood. He laughed like an idiot, regretting doing so once pain coursed through every fiber of his being. In light of the circumstances with Konoka, he was relieved to see Kana was the same as ever.

Save for one important detail.

"You...got your Shinigami powers back?"

Kana patted her chest proudly. "Of course! Nothing is impossible for the likes of me!"

This was Kana alright. She gave Sasune a run for his money when it came to brashness. Aaron, against his better judgement, chortled again.

"My body just needed some time to recover after being violated by that damn Kisuke Urahara!"

"I...erm...don't think you're using that word correctly."

"Speaking of time…" Kana finally paid mind to problem at hand—Luis Del Gato. "...looks like we'll have to catch up later, CT."

"You're a new face," said Luis. "Are you two done chatting now?"

"Yeah. Thanks for waiting. I thought all Arrancar would be jerks, but you seem alright."

Luis smirked. "And you are rather gracious for a Shinigami. That's why it's unfortunate you had to show your face before me tonight. Given my orders, I have no choice but to eliminate you as well."

"How scary." Kana winked. "What are you doing here anyway? You made a wrong left turn or something? Your other buddies are busy making a mess of Karakura Town."

"My fellow Fracción have likely already taken care of the team of Shinigami you came with. I was sent to this town on my lonesome not because I became lost but because I am the strongest of Lord Grimmjow's Fracción. My power alone is more than enough."

Luis exerted his spiritual pressure on the entire area to prove his point. Aaron grunted, feeling seconds away from passing out.

S-Seriously?! This guy makes a Menos Grande seem like chump change!

He thought it a miracle it didn't have the same effect on Kana.

"Yeah, yeah, Mister Show off," she muttered, blowing a bang out of her eyes. "Say it to someone who cares."

Aaron, using what little strength he had left, stumbled to his feet. If he and Kana ganged up on Luis, he felt they had a shot at victory. A small one, but a shot nonetheless.

Kana dashed those plans by suddenly kicking him back down.

"W-What the hell is your problem?!" he screeched. "What, I wasn't dying fast enough or something?!"

With confidence, Kana declared, "Let me handle this!"

"C-Can't you see how strong he is?! You have to let me…!"

"I don't have to do anything but let you be the damsel in distress this time." Kana patted his head, again making him feel all warm and fuzzy. "Just take it easy, CT. I know you're strong, but if you go and beat everyone up, I won't get a chance to show off. This guy is strong, but so am I."

She made her way over to Luis, leaving Aaron mesmerized.

"Was she...always that cool?"

"Forgive me, Shinigami. I didn't introduce myself. I am Luis Del Gato."

"Kana Mitarashi. Third Seat of the Tenth Division."

"Oh? You must be as strong as you say to have attained that rank."

"Maybe I just slept my way to the top," a giggling Kana replied. Once she saw how disgusted Aaron looked, she was quick to add, "That was a joke, CT! A joke! Sheesh, what kind of girl do you take me for?"

"Why the hell are you kidding around when that guy is still about to kill us?!" he demanded to know.

Kana stuck out her tongue and turned back to Luis. "He never did have a sense of humor. Anyway, while I appreciate the compliment, I'm afraid I'm still going to have to kill you, Luis. Just following order, you know?"

"Funny," Luis replied, removing his hands from his pockets, "I was thinking the same thing, Kana Mitarashi."

The two disappeared. Aaron spotted them high above. Clashing steel, neither were able to land so much as a scratch on the other.

"Wow," said Aaron, marveled at their speed. If he was anything less than a Shinigami, their attacks would have been nothing but a blur. "Right. I never could beat Kana when it came to swordplay."

He bitterly remembered all the times she handed him his behind. If she did the same to Luis, he would have a lot less to complain about.

The Arrancar aimed his sword for her heart, though Kana repelled it and took a swipe at his head. Rather than using his blade, he blocked with his arm. The mere sight of sparks flying surprised Kana enough that Luis was able to land a kick across her mouth.

"Ow!" she cried as she wiped a trail of blood from her lip. "Cheap shot! That wasn't fair!"

"I-Is she seriously saying that after boldly claiming she was going to kill him?" groaned Aaron. He was having second thoughts about sitting on the sidelines.

"What the heck is with your skin? It's like armor," Kana added.

"Correct." Luis held up his unharmed wrist. "All Arrancar are fitted with Hierro. Our skin is like armor. I'm afraid that sword of yours won't be of any use."

"T-That's doubly cheating!" Kana pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Then again, it's not like I wanna use my Zanpakutou. I'm more of a Kidou kind of girl."

"Sorry," Luis slashed at her neck, intending to slit it, "but after seeing you use it earlier, it's likely in my best interest to make you use that sword of yours."

Kana blocked at the last instant. "Ha! That's not a bad idea. After all, my Zanpakutou is a pain in the ass to use."

She pushed Luis off of her, enough to allow herself some breathing room to attempt a spell.

"Way of Binding Number…!"

But something hit her right shoulder, nearly blowing it to pieces. She clutched the now profusely bleeding spot.

"What...was that?"

"Bala," answered Luis. His hands were glowing red. "Can you keep up?"

He unleashed a torrent of Bala, ones Kana could hardly track, let alone dodge. Twisting her body about only got her so far. A few nailed her in the leg, and another in the chest.

"Bala, huh?" she said through heavy breaths. "It looks like Cero to me. Cero on crack, but…"

"Close. They are like Cero, albeit twenty times faster. But if it's a Cero you want…"

Kana regretted opening her big mouth once Luis fired a gargantuan, orange Cero. Ducking for dear life, her jaw hung open at a stretch of buildings being reduced to ashes.

"Wow…" Even worse in her opinion, the top of her hair was on fire. She yelped, extinguishing it in a hurry. "Okay, pal! You've crossed the line! You can mess with me, but no one messes with the curls!"

She was ranting to thin air. Her opponent sped behind, mere moments away from impaling her.

"KANA!"

Aaron got himself worked up for nothing. Kana, without even turning around, managed to parry the would-be surprise attack.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet, CT?! This guy has a few tricks up his sleeves, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the game yet!"

Luis understood why she sounded so confident when he took heed of a golden chain coiling around him.

"Way of Binding Number Sixty Three! Locking Bondage Strips!"

Though he expected as much, Luis couldn't move despite flexing his powerful muscles.

"Nice try! You can't break out of that spell with strength alone," Kana informed him.

"But it seems this isn't a spell that can defeat me either. Are you perhaps stalling?"

"For what? We already know who's going to win here, pal."

"Indeed. You weren't kidding when you claimed you were the Third Seat of the Tenth Division if you can muster a spell of this level without an incantation. Therefore, it would be a disservice if I didn't release my Zanpakutou."

Binding Luis was one thing. Kana realized she screwed up by not taking his sword.

"Accelerate," Luis said, "Guepardo."

Kana shielded her amber eyes from an explosion of light. Like Aaron watching from below, she hadn't the slightest clue what was going on.

"Um...m-maybe I should've paid more attention during the mission briefing."

An odd sight greeted her—Luis' skin being covered in orange, spotted fur. His already mane-like hair had gotten even longer, his hands and feet were clawed, and his bestial mask now covered his entire face. His appearance so was dramatically different that Aaron questioned if it was even Luis Del Gato his trembling eyes beheld.

"What the…?! H-How the hell does that count as 'releasing his sword?!'"

"Eh?" Kana scratched her head. "Well, that's...new. Still, I don't see how becoming all cute and cuddly is going to…"

She hadn't even finished her statement when blood burst from her chest. Screaming in anguish, she soon discovered a trio of claw marks on her robes. As her head darted all around, she couldn't find any trace of the culprit.

"Okay, now that wasn't fair!"

Luis crept up on her again in the midst of her complaining. Attempting to cut him off only lead her to slice at nothing. Her back was slashed instead. Stumbling forward, she swatted at where she spotted Luis for the briefest of moments. Again, she missed.

"Seriously! Is he using that Sonído crap or what?!"

Sensing danger all around her hardly helped when she couldn't see it. She held her arms up to shield her face as more gashes appeared all over her body. She endured the assault and wondered if Luis' release gave him invisibility powers. Besides being unable to track him down, she couldn't catch a whiff of his spiritual pressure.

"H-He's to your left!"

While curious at how Aaron could keep up with Luis, Kana wasn't going to complain. She attacked in the specified direction, only to hear someone speak from her right.

"Too slow."

A bone shattering kick sent her sailing toward the ground. As she fell, Luis launched another Cero.

"Way of Binding Number Eighty One! Splitting Void!"

A clear barrier managed to save her from certain doom. It did nothing to stop her fall, however, leading her to craft another spell.

"Way of Binding Number Thirty Seven! Suspending Star!"

A blue ball fired out six ropes of energy. They attached themselves to close-by buildings, and Kana landed in the center, her Kidou acting as a literal safety net.

She didn't even get a second to catch her breath. Luis had already caught up to her and was about to claw her life away.

It was a good thing another surprise attack was exactly what she expected.

"Chew on this, cat boy! Way of Destruction Number Twelve! Ambush Flare!"

Touching her Suspending Star, the strands started to glow. By the time Luis figured out what she was up to, the entire construct had already burst in a fiery explosion.

"KANA!" screamed Aaron as rubble rained all around him. He didn't see the point in her winning if she took Luis with her. "Answer me, Kana!"

Something did answer him, although it was raspy coughing. Kana, lying a broken mess on the ground, managed to stand. She tossed away the parts of her robes that had been burned to a crisp and made sure her limbs were where they were supposed to be.

"And fake eyebrows. Check! I'm okay…"

"So am I. Did something go wrong?"

Luis stood opposite of her. There wasn't a scratch on him. Hierro was one thing. Holding her breath, she feared the Arrancar was immortal.

"What the hell are you?!"

"So it was a failure then. Still, you gave me quite the fright casting three spells back to back like that. I doubt most Shinigami would be able to do that in the heat of battle."

Kana, struggling to see straight, didn't respond.

"It seems that display was your last gasp. Even a Third Seat of the Gotei Thirteen can only go so far by the looks of it."

"I...hate guys who...talk so damn much."

Luis slashed Kana across the chest again, leading her to stumble back. Aaron, horrified, knew another shot like that would put an end to the fight.

And yet, for some reason, Kana was grinning from ear to ear.

"You'd...really attack a girl while she's down? You're scum alright. No, you're even lower than that."

"My orders are absolute. The gender of my opponent doesn't matter," replied Luis.

"That's what I said—you're scum."

Aaron grabbed his Zanpakutou as he made a mad dash into the fray. "Hey, Arrancar! Try me on for size instead! I'll…!"

"Way of Binding Number Sixty One. ...Six Rods Prison of Light."

Kana's binding spell put a stop to his rescue operation.

"W-What the hell are you doing?!" he roared.

"Didn't I already tell you you're going to play the damsel in distress this time, CT?"

"Screw that! This isn't the time to be stubborn! Kana! Hey, Kana!"

"Sorry about that." Kana winked at Luis. "He can be a bit chatty at times. He's still cute though when he's throwing a tantrum."

"Is that so?"

"What's up with that Shikai of yours?"

"This is not Shikai. Though we Arrancar wield Zanpakutou like Shinigami, we release our swords in a completely different manner. What you see here is my Resurrección."

"Resurrección, huh? I really wish my superiors had bothered filling me in on such a neat trick. How does it work exactly?"

"We Arrancar seal our former powers into Zanpakutou and then release when necessary. Consider what you're seeing my true form before I became an Arrancar."

"Well...that's different. So, your Resurrección or whatever must be the reason why you're so fast all of a sudden. Either that, or you're into some weird fetishes."

"Your initial assessment was correct. Guepardo increases my agility one hundred fold. I am not only the strongest out of Lord Grimmjow's Fracción but the fastest."

"You keep going on and on about this Grimmjow guy. What, is he your boyfriend or something? I gotta admit that's my type of fetish…"

"She is a complete idiot," a mortified Aaron mumbled under his breath.

"Who is he anyway? Another Arrancar?"

"How insulting. Lord Grimmjow is anything but 'another Arrancar.' He is the Sexta Espada. You will give him the respect he deserves."

"Touchy, touchy. Espada. Okay, I've at least heard that before. Those guys are the strongest Arrancar around, right? And you're saying one of them is here in the living world?"

"Indeed, but I highly doubt he'll have joined in on the festivities himself. While not as strong as I am, my fellow Fracción will far too much for the Shinigami to handle."

"Confident, are we? Oh, well. When I go and kill this Grimmjow guy, I'll remember to mention you bragged about him"

"What was that? You won't have to worry about Lord Grimmjow because you'll be dying right here and now."

"You know, you're not the dick I assumed all Hollows were, though the fact you like hearing the sound of your own, stupid voice means you're pretty close. I guess it worked out in the end though. You gave me more than enough time, and I also got some pretty good information out of you. It's like killing two birds with one stone."

She laughed some more, much to her foe's confusion.

"What's this now? You make it sound like I've played right into your hands."

"I mean, duh. Not to sound like a jerk, but I'm afraid I've been holding back so far. I didn't do it on purpose though. I'm just following protocol."

Luis still didn't follow.

"Yeah, that's better. I like it when you're not running that mouth of yours, Luis Del Gato."

She pulled back her robes to reveal the image of a flower.

"It's not a tattoo," she clarified. "That's more of Akira's thing. It's actually a seal. When Shinigami with immense spiritual pressure travel to the living world, such as Captains and Vice-Captains, they have to wear one of these in order to not screw things up unintentionally. I'm not a Vice-Captain, but Soul Society deems my spiritual pressure on that level, so even I have to wear one of these things when I come here."

"...And you expect me to believe all of that? You could just be stalling for more time."

"Well, you're right about me tricking you into wasting some more time. As for if I'm bluffing…"

Suddenly, a tower of energy formed around her. Luis braced himself, only to find his right arm melting away.

"The energy alone…! What intensity!"

"Ah! Much better." The light faded, revealing Kana busy stretching her neck. "Okay, where we were, Mr. Kitty?"

"Is that...really Kana up there?" Aaron could hardly fathom it. Her claim of 'holding back' was anything but a bluff. "Her energy...it's incredible!"

Kana held up four fingers. "You see this? That's how much stronger I am!"

"Four times stronger? An interesting claim, but…"

Luis still wasn't buying it. He aimed his claws at her, intending to put an end to her foolish facade.

"Oh? Were you always this slow, or am I just that good?" said a smirking Kana. Blocking Luis' 'attack' was as easy as breathing. "Yeah, I'm just that good."

She brought her sword down in an instant, leaving a huge gash on his torso. Though rattled, Luis kept his eye on the prize and snuck up behind her yet again. However, she proved she was even faster by getting behind him. More blood streaked across the night sky when she cut him across the back.

"Payback's a bitch, eh?" she chimed.

"Impressive. You're even able to cut through my Hierro now."

"You bet. While I'm having a blast," Kana held out her Zanpakutou, "my Captain is going to chew me out if I don't hurry this up. Besides, I think she's just about ready to have some fun."

"Who?"

Kana smiled a bit harder. "My Zanpakutou, of course. Like I said earlier, she's a real pain in the ass to deal with, but when she's on, she's on. Wanna see?"

A chill shot down Luis' spine. He wasn't particularly interested.

"Play a trick," Kana muttered. "Kuzunoha."

Her sword transformed. It took the form of an oversized chakram. A red ribbon was tied onto the handle at the side.

"So, that's her Shikai," Aaron said in awe. He was so used to Kana being powerless that her every move left him astounded.

"Sorry it isn't as flashy as your Resurrección thingy," she stated. She shook her ring blade around like a tambourine, leading Luis' eyes to follow after it. "I'll try not to disappoint you after making you wait so long, okay?"

"As impressive as your release appears, when were you ever under the impression I would give you the opportunity to use it?"

Luis sped toward her, closing the distance between them in an instant.

"Eh? He can still speed up?" Kana remarked nonchalantly. She swung her chakram, shouting, "Onibi!"

A ball of pale, blue fire raced toward Luis. At first alarmed, the Arrancar avoided it with ease.

"So, your sword is a fire-type Zanpakutou then."

"Not quite…"

The fireball broke apart. The smaller pieces slammed into an unaware Luis, who felt the flesh literally melt off his bones.

"W-What in the world…?"

"Thought you dodged, didn't you?" Kana said. "Kuzunoha doesn't let me control fire—it let's me control fox fire. Fox fire has a mind of its own, I'm afraid. Once my little fireball locks onto an opponent, it'll do whatever it takes to nail them."

Luis had missed most of her explanation. A voice in his head busied informing him that one AM had come at long last.

"The operation is over," he muttered. "Time to go back."

Having seriously underestimated Kana, he raced toward his comrades and wasn't sure how to break the news of his defeat to his liege.

"And where do you think you're going?!"

Luis peered over his shoulder, his pupils shrinking at Kana following him. Rather than Flash Step, she surfed on a trail of foxfire, closing the gap between them.

"I-Impossible!" he cried. "She's...actually faster than me?"

"Game over, pal! This one's for ruining my perfect hair!"

In a single stroke, her Kuzunoha split him across the middle. The halves burst into blue flames. As the ashes fell around Aaron, he found himself lost for words. He hadn't been able to lay a finger on Luis Del Gato. Kana, meanwhile, made short work of the Arrancar. Now he understood why she insisted he do nothing but watch.

He would have done nothing more than get in her way.

"Whew! I think I worked up a sweat there." Kana made her way over to Aaron and extended a hand. "Come on, CT. As long as you promise not to do anything crazy, I'll undo the Kidou."

She did exactly that after he nodded.

"T-Thanks…"

Aaron needed a few moments to compose himself before taking her hand.

"So, was I incredible or what?"

Numbly, Aaron nodded again. Kana responded with haughty laughter.

"I knew it! My awesome power really is amazing! I'll be a Captain before long! Three spots opened up, you know."

Aaron had too many questions to settle on just one. "W-What the hell is going on?! Who was that guy?! Why…?!"

Kana placed her finger over his mouth. "Okay already! I'll answer anything you want, but one at a time. No offense, but you're giving me a headache."

"A-A little help here?" moaned Sasune Ishida. "I'm...kinda bleeding out here."

"Nah. If you can whine like a little girl, you're alright."

A shadow fell over him. Quite giddy at the sudden appearance of Izumi Higuchi, he also wished they could meet while he wasn't half dead.

"W-Wait…" he said, growing serious. "That was Hirenkyaku just now! How did you…?"

"No time to explain." Izumi helped him to his feet, grimacing at his blood staining her jacket. "Good. You're still in one piece too, little Bro. ...Well, more or less anyway. We need to go."

"Go?" Aaron replied in confusion. "Go where?"

"Mister Hat and Clogs is calling us. Don't ask me how I know. I...just do."

His sister often worked in mysterious ways, so he chose not to question her.

Not out loud anyway.

Urahara? What does he want? Does it have anything to do with what happened tonight?

He certainly hoped so. Getting his fair share of answers seemed like a fitting reward for the hell he had been put through that night.

"Wait. I'm lost," Kana admitted. "Where are we going again?"

#

"N-No! No! I already told you I'm perfectly fine! G-Get your hands off me already!"

It was no use. Sasune, no matter how much he scratched and clawed, couldn't escape the wrath of Tessai Tsukabishi.

"C-Can't Inoue heal me instead?!" he cried, shoving Tessai's face away from his. The man was far, far too close for comfort.

"Sit still," Tessai ordered. He squeezed a massive arm around Sasune's neck, inadvertently choking the life out of him."You're going to reopen your wounds at this rate."

Turning purple, Sasune shot back, "You're hurting me more than those damn Fullbringers! Let me go already!"

"My apologies, Mister Ishida," said Kisuke Urahara. It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn the shopkeeper was grinning. "But Miss Inoue is busy at the moment. Don't worry though. You're in perfectly capable hands with Tessai."

Sasune feared those 'capable hands' the most.

"I'm not interested in breaking your bones, so please sit still," Tessai advised.

Flailing his arms, Sasune cried, "H-Help me out already, CT!"

Aaron, resting in a corner of the room, paid the bizarre scene no mind. He busied sorting out the events of the night. It was a puzzle where none of the pieces fit. Arrancar. Fullbringers. Konoka. He reviled feeling so confused, so helpless. His instincts told him to go after Konoka as soon as possible. That required tracking down Kuugo Ginjou and Shuukurou Tsukishima. There was no telling where they had gotten off to. They would also likely be waiting for him.

"Konoka…"

On the other hand, the Arrancar menace seemed far more pressing. He knew they would attack again. The question was when, not if. Luis Del Gato made short work of him. Gripping his arm tightly, he wondered what sort of chance he had if the other Arrancar were just as powerful.

"O-Ow! Too tight! Too tight!"

"Sorry," said Kana. She busied wrapping bandages around his forehead. "You're pretty tenderheaded though. Why are you making such a long face anyway? We won, didn't we?"

"Barely," Aaron mumbled bitterly. "You did anyway. All I did tonight was get my ass handed to me."

Kana frowned. "Hey, you're still alive, right? I managed to heal your wounds. Mostly."

While Aaron was thankful for that, it didn't wipe away the shame.

"My Kidou is pretty good, huh?" Kana said cheerily, not noticing Aaron glaring a hole into the floor. "I'm a bit rusty, but it's still nothing to sneeze at!"

Aaron wasn't listening. She sighed.

"Hey! Don't touch that!" voiced Sasune, who was still struggling with Tessai. "Only the ladies are allowed to touch me there!"

"Okay, CT. Let's talk." Kana rested her hands on Aaron's shoulders. She then went to work massaging them. "Wow. You're pretty tense. No wonder you're so upset."

He grunted when she dug her elbow into his back. "Hey! Knock it off already!"

His anger subsided when his pain transformed into pleasure. For whatever reason, Kana's fingers felt like magic to his aching muscles. He slumped back into her lap.

Kana laughed. "Pretty great, huh? You should pay me for such good service."

"That looks nice. Do you mind treating me next, Miss Mitarashi?"

Kana dashed Urahara's hopes by staring at him hard enough to kill. It convinced him to take a few cautious steps back.

"Get any closer and I'll break your teeth in!" she warned.

Urahara, freaked out, nodded.

"Kick his ass later, Kana," said Aaron. "I've got some stuff I need to ask him."

"Um...couldn't you tell her not to 'kick my ass' at all?" said Urahara gingerly.

"Besides, he's already apologized to you. Dozens of times in fact."

"How about a dozen more?!" Kana grumbled.

Aaron readied to tell her off again when pain shot through his left shoulder. A glowing hand moved over it, erasing his anguish.

"I got it," said Izumi.

"Thanks…"

"Um…" Kana pointed at Izumi like she was a ghost. "I don't mean to sound rude, but...how in the world do you know healing Kidou?"

Izumi crossed her arms. "...I don't want to talk about it."

"Secretive as usual," an annoyed Aaron remarked. He stretched his now properly functioning arm and opted not to push his luck pissing his sister off.

Keeping a watchful eye on Kana, Urahara asked, "How are you feeling, Mister Higuchi?"

"...Better.".

"I didn't mean physically."

Aaron paused. "If I'm behind honest, I'm very confused. I was hoping you could shed some light on things."

Urahara held a fan in front of his face. "...I'm not sure how much help I can be to you. I have a few theories, but almost all of them are just that—baseless ideas.

"Bullshit," Izumi said at once. "I don't buy that for a second."

Urahara frowned. "You never seem to have much faith in me, Miss Higuchi."

"...Don't make me hurt you."

"Maybe this will calm you." Urahara held out a bag of candy. "It's tasty, and most importantly, free!"

"That won't work on me! You think you can just buy me off while being all mysterious?"

In spite of Izumi's brash words, she had already guzzled down a handful of sweets. Aaron palmed his hand over his face in embarrassment.

"Can you at least tell me about these Arrancar?" he asked.

"Oh! Oh!" Kana held her hand up. "I can do that much at least. They are beings that have Shinigami-like powers because they ripped off their masks. That's why they have Zanpakutou like we do and can even release them. Erm...though I didn't know about that last part until tonight."

"Why would ripping off their masks or whatever give them Shinigami powers?"

"Um…" Kana put her finger on her chin and scrunched her face in deep thought. "I actually don't have a clue. That's just how it works. That's not important though. What is is that there are way more of them than before for some reason. While natural born Arrancar have always been known to Soul Society, their numbers were always so low that we didn't pay them any mind. Now that the Hougyoku has been stolen, there are tons of them. The group that attacked tonight is likely only a sample of what's awaiting us."

"So, you're saying the person that stole the Hougyoku is using it to make more Arrancar." Aaron really didn't like the sound of that. "Just great…"

"Sorry, but it gets even worse. These Arrancar are way stronger than the old ones. That's probably the Hougyoku's doing. The Captain-Commander sent a handpicked team of Shinigami here to the living world just in case something like tonight happened. Of course, I was one of them. Even the Captain-Commander recognizes my awesome skills!"

Aaron couldn't help but be amused at Kana using the serious discussion to stroke her over inflated ego.

"Alright, let's go back to the Hougyoku for a sec," he said. "Did it really get stolen, Mister Hat and Clogs?"

"I'm afraid so." Urahara's tone was unusually grim. "Per Miss Mitarashi's words, our enemy is likely using it to bolster the Arrancar's ranks."

Aaron whistled. "You'd have to have balls of steels to march into Soul Society and steal something like that from right under their noses."

"We haven't figured out who the thief is," said Kana. "They managed to take down Captain Suì-Fēng, so whoever they are, they're no one to trifle with."

The thought of a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen losing made Aaron even more apprehensive. He was at last beginning to understand the magnitude of the situation.

"Sorry to gossip and then cut out, but," Kana stood, "I've got to report the night's events to my Captain. I probably should have gone back immediately. He's so gonna be pissed off at me for wasting time here…"

"Got it. Thanks for everything, Kana," said Aaron.

She winked. "Don't mention it! I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Until the Arrancar threat is dealt with, I'll be stationed in your world. No more crying into your pillow at night, okay?"

Turning a red as a beet, Aaron chose not to dignify that with a response.

"Goodbye, Miss Mitarashi! Drop by again soon," said Urahara jovially.

"...If you ever talk to me like that again," said Kana, her eyelid jerking, "I'll skewer you on the spot. We are not friends, got it?"

"G-Got it…"

"Good."

With that, Kana took her leave, slamming the door behind her.

Urahara fanned himself and muttered, "I didn't think she would hold such a grudge against me."

"Are you really all that surprised? Then again, you've never been all that bright when it comes to women, Kisuke."

Everyone followed the sound of tiny footsteps to discover a black cat slinking into the room.

"Yoruichi!" Aaron said in pleasant surprise. "It's been awhile."

"You're looking well, Aaron Higuchi. How was your first taste of the Arrancar?"

"...Not that great. If more really do show up, we might be in trouble."

"Perhaps. They were much stronger than even Kisuke and I estimated. You're lucky to be alive."

Aaron felt so too. "Can I ask you something? Kana and I went up against an Arrancar known as Luis Del Gato. He was strong, unbelievably strong. Are the rest of the Arrancar at that same level?"

"No," replied Yoruichi firmly. "The ones that attacked tonight are mere small fry compared to the ones we'll eventually have to go up against."

Aaron froze. He couldn't fathom such a ludicrous idea. Kana had been helpless until releasing her limiter. Even if he hadn't been seriously injured beforehand, Aaron wasn't sure how much better he would have fared.

"Most of the Arrancar that attacked were likely only Gillians," said Urahara. "Maybe Adjuchas-level at best. If they were all Vasto Lordes instead, we…"

He didn't finish his statement, though Aaron got the message loud and clear.

"What's a Vasto Lorde?" he managed to spit out. "Are you telling me there's actually a Hollow worse than one of those Menos Grande things?"

"You mean to tell me you were traveling with one and didn't realize?" asked Yoruichi.

"Who? Sharpscale? T-That can't be…"

No, it made perfect sense. Aaron always thought Sharpscale insanely powerful for a Hollow.

"So, what you're saying is if a bunch of these Vasto Lordes are turned into Arrancar…"

"Correct," said Yoruichi. "Soul Society is likely doomed."

"N-No way…!'

All the strength drained from Aaron's limbs. He recalled Luis mentioning the term 'Espada.' Whoever they were had to be what Urahara and Yoruichi were referring to.
"This...is nuts," he mumbled, finding his own words a massive understatement. "What are we…?"

"How many of these Arrancar are there?" said Izumi, having heard enough. "What exactly are we up against?"

"Who's to say?" answered Urahara. "It's probable that Aizen was already building up an army long before he betrayed Soul Society. I'd imagine whoever stole the Hougyoku is continuing where he left off."

"Okay, so what do we do?" Aaron inquired.

"Nothing," replied Yoruichi plainly. "Nothing but watch and wait."

Such a passive plan came as a shock to the Higuchi siblings.

"Is that...really alright?" said Aaron at once. "I mean, if our enemy really is building up such a grand army, shouldn't we do something to stop them?"

"We're already disadvantaged not knowing who exactly we're up against. Any premature moves will likely work out in said enemy's favor. I know it sounds foolish, but we're better off letting them continue to make the opening moves."

"B-But…!"

"Think about it like this—they lost a sizable portion of men tonight. They'll be hesitant to send anymore until they measure our strength."

"You needn't worry, Mister Higuchi," said Urahara. "While the enemy does indeed have the Hougyoku, it shouldn't have awakened yet. It needs more time. Until then, our Hougyoku thief won't be able to build up their forces as quickly as you must be imagining."

Aaron hardly called the explanation a cause for celebration. The fact remained that they would be doing nothing but sitting on their hands until they could ascertain things. Gritting his teeth, he thought that the same as being powerless.

"For a guy who claimed to be clueless, you sure seem to know a lot." Izumi narrowed her eyelids in suspicion. "Cut the crap, Urahara. You know exactly what's going on, don't you?"

Much to her surprise, the humble shopkeeper chuckled, waving his hand. "You really are too wary of me. As I've already stated, most of my ideas are only theories. Soul Society is currently investigating the matter. They'll likely be able to answer your questions better I can."

She wasn't buying that. Before she could press him any further, however, he changed the topic.

"How do you feel, Miss Higuchi?"

"Huh? What are you going on about now?"

"I've just been a bit worried about you. After all, your powers are advancing farther I anticipated. There aren't any harmful side effects, are there?"

The sudden question caught Izumi off guard. It also made her sweat bullets. For a number of moments, she merely stood there in shock.

"H-How could you…?"

"Come here, kitty kitty!" Clapping his hands, Urahara beckoned Yoruichi. "I need a favor from you."

Annoyed, Yoruichi replied, "Don't call me like that. And I already know what you're thinking. Surely, you can use someone else to…"

"No. It would be better if it was you. You know my skills aren't cut out for this sort of thing."

Yoruichi smacked her lips. "I suppose I've got no choice then."

Aaron wasn't given the chance to ask what they were discussing. A thick cloud of smoke filling the room was to thank.

"...What the hell is going on now?"

"Is this better, Kisuke?"

The voice came from amidst the haze. Aaron, squinting, made out a figure standing in the center of it. Though it made little sense, he could have sworn it was a woman.

A naked woman.

"I haven't even fully healed from what happened the other day. I hope your theory actually holds some water, Kisuke."

For having no clothes on, Izumi thought Yoruichi's tone far too serious.

Speaking of Izumi, she threw her hands over Aaron's eyes in a hurry. "T-This isn't something a little kid like you should look at!"

Her brother hadn't gotten a good glimpse of Yoruichi to begin. "Hey! What are you doing?! What's going on?!"

"Where in the world did you come from?!" Izumi asked the woman. "Where did that black cat go?!"

Yoruichi gave Izumi a toothy grin. "Ah. I'll never get tired of seeing people react to how I really look."

"W-Whatever! Just put something on already!"

Forgetting she was stark naked, Yoruichi looked down at herself before splitting her sides. This left Izumi unsure whether to yell some more or smack her upside the head.

"Wait! A naked girl?! Where?! Where?!"

A new burst of vigor came over Sasune. Not that it helped in breaking free from Tessai.

"The injured must rest," the man said, strangling his patient again. "Now rest."

#

"Sasune's dead I guess. Oh, well."

Already anxious, Aaron wasn't sure what to make of Urahara leading him and his sister outside of the shop. Being out there in the dead of night gave the Higuchi siblings the creeps. So did the way Yoruichi smirked at them.

"This isn't going to be good," Aaron mumbled as the pit of his stomach began to ache.

"Sorry for streaking around in the nude," said Yoruichi, who didn't sound apologetic whatsoever. "I've gotten rather comfortable wearing nothing, you see."

Izumi, while thankful the woman had gotten dressed, found herself muttering, "...Pervert."

"That was quite a shock. I knew you could transform, but that's the first time I've seen it in the flesh," Aaron said. "Changing into a cat and back must be pretty useful. Now, would someone bother explaining what we're doing out here? It's a little chilly…"

"Like I said earlier, I would like to test a theory of mine," said Urahara.

"And what does it have to do with me?" asked Izumi warily.

Urahara pointed his fan at her. "Nothing...other than your willing cooperation."

"You already dragged us out here, so I guess there's no point in saying no. I'm out though if you try to cut me open."

"Very good! I assure you what's about to happen will be quite painless. ...I think."

Aaron had to stop his sister from pounding Urahara black and blue.

"If you will, Yoruichi…"

Nodding, she said, "Izumi, was it? Watch closely."

Energy swelled around her being. Aaron planted his feet firmly to avoid being blown away by it. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"She was...seriously this strong…?"

Lightning-like energy tore apart the ground. A bolt nearly burned Aaron to a crisp. Yelping, he managed to duck in the knick of time.

"That's some light show," an impressed Izumi had to admit. "I think it mighta singed my eyebrows. But, what is it?"

"This," said Yoruichi as the back of her clothing shredded apart," is called Shunkou. Without getting into too complicated of an explanation, it is a combination of hand-to-hand fighting and Kidou. Something I whipped up a long time ago."

"Impressive as always," said Urahara, clapping. "Miss Higuchi, I would like you to try to emulate what you're seeing here. It doesn't have to be wholly accurate, but…"

"No way!" Aaron shouted. "I might not get what Yoruichi is doing, but I can tell it's only something a Shinigami would be able to accomplish! There's no way Izumi can…!"

"Fine," his sister muttered with a sigh. "I'll give it a shot."

Aaron shut his mouth, feeling his throat go dry. Despite his protests, Izumi managed to craft an aura that mirrored Yoruichi's down to the letter.

"...Okay, Kisuke. I thought you were full of crap before, but…" said Yoruichi, just as astonished.

"How in the hell…?!" Aaron wasn't sure where to begin. "Izumi, how are you…?"

"I don't know," Izumi spat out. "I...just can, alright?"

"Well done, Miss Higuchi!" exclaimed Urahara, who was in far too good of a mood for her liking. "It is just as I expected. No...even more than I predicted."

"Would somebody tell me what's going on already?!" Aaron cried, ready to pull his hair out.

"You may find this hard to believe, but whenever I'm around someone with any kind of spiritual abilities, I can...erm...copy them," Izumi clarified. She felt like an idiot in light of how nonsensical her explanation must have sounded. "I've been testing it out. It seems like I can only 'copy' people if they're close-by. The powers are also temporary. Erm...something like that."

"Power mimicry…" Urahara stroked his beard stubble, both mystified and intrigued. "I must admit that while I fully understand how your powers work, Miss Higuchi, I still find myself stumped on their origin. Still, there is no denying what we see before us."

The aura enveloping both Yoruichi and Izumi faded. Once it did so, the latter fell to her knees, seemingly unable to catch her breath.

"I-I'm...fine," she said when Aaron rushed over to check on her. "That's...something else I've figured out. While I can copy other people, I get really tired from doing it."

"Your body likely can't handle it," said Yoruichi. "While that really is an incredible power, you're still only human. Keep that in mind."

"Right…"

"I'm...going to quote Kana here and say that I am so lost," Aaron mumbled.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I have another request for you, Miss Higuchi," said Urahara.

Izumi groaned. "What, you wanna put me under a microscope now?"

"...It would seem both you and Miss Mitarashi have a rather poor opinion of me."

The others, blank-faced, leered at him in a manner that suggested, "Isn't it obvious why?"

"Yoruichi is right in saying you should use extreme caution when using your abilities. More than that though, I can't help but fear such 'intriguing' powers have the capacity to go out of control."

"...You really know how to kick a girl while she's down."

"I simply want to keep a closer eye on you to prevent such a thing from happening. Therefore, I want you to work at my shop."

Though she didn't mean to sound like a jerk, the offer made Izumi snort. "And why in the hell would I want to do something like that?"

"Because...I can pay you twice the salary of your current employer."

"Nice try, but that's not enough to…"

"I can also offer you all the free candy you can eat."

"How does that make the offer any more appealing?" wondered Aaron.

"When can I start?" Izumi said immediately, making her brother groan. She nearly tore Urahara's arm off while shaking his hand. "Alright, maybe you aren't as crazy as I figured."

"Excellent!" Urahara exclaimed. "Consider yourself a member of the legendary Urahara Shop from now on!"

Izumi wasn't sure what was so 'legendary' about a store with more cobwebs than a spider's den. "Whatever. Just don't force me down a shaft, alright?"

Aaron scratched at his face. The theme of the day seemed to be him being in a constant state of confusion.

END