Chapter 14

"To what do I owe the honor, Captain Urahara, Commander Tsukabishi?" Aizen stated calmly.

Gin hummed cheerfully.

"Oh my, guess they found us," he said.

Kaname made to draw his zanpakuto once more.

"I'll kill them," he said.

"No, don't," Aizen said.

Kaname paused.

"But sir..."

Aizen glanced at him.

"Kaname, I think I made myself clear," he said.

Kaname released his zanpakuto, a tinge of fear clear in his expression, and bowed.

"Yes sir; please forgive my insolence," he said.

"Kisuke..."

Kisuke blinked and looked over. Shinji was stumbling towards him.

"Why'd you come here? You're such an idiot," Shinji said faintly.

"Shinji, what is up with that mask?" Kisuke asked.

Shinji managed to huff in laughter.

"You don't know the half of it," he said.

Kisuke glanced around, his gaze landing on the motionless body of Hiyori for a brief moment. Then he turned back to Aizen.

"So, Lieutenant Aizen," Kisuke said. "What have you done?"

"Nothing," Aizen replied. "As you can see, I happened among the members of the soul investigation unit. They seemed to have been injured in battle. I was merely trying to save their lives."

"You bastard...they'll never buy that!" Shinji exclaimed.

"Tell me, why are you lying to us?" Kisuke asked calmly.

"Lying? Is there a problem with a lieutenant helping his captain?" Aizen asked just as calmly.

"No, but that's not what I meant," Kisuke said, gesturing to everyone. "Injured in battle? You call these injuries? You're dancing around the truth. This is Hollowfication."

Shinji frowned at Kisuke.

"First, it's the vanishing souls. Squad members disappearing like they were erased from existence. And now this," Kisuke said. "It can only be one thing: Hollowfication experiments. We both know who's responsible for this, Aizen."

"I see," Aizen said. "Your reputation surely proceeds you, Captain Urahara."

Kisuke frowned at that, feeling something foreboding. Something wasn't right about the way Aizen said those words.

Aizen sheathed his zanpakuto.

"To tell the truth," he said, "I'm glad you came tonight. Gin, Kaname, we fulfilled our objective. Let's go."

The two followed Aizen to the forest. Kisuke stepped forward.

"Stop, Aizen! We're not done!" he exclaimed.

"Clear out of the way, Captain Urahara!" Tessai suddenly shouted.

Kisuke's eyes widened.

"Hado #88: Hiryugekizokukushintenraiho!"

Kisuke lunged to the side just before a massive blast of blue electrical spiritual energy could hit him. The powerful kido spell flew at the three traitors.

"Bakudo #81: Danku."

The electrical blast hit the suddenly appearing wall and there was a huge explosion, rocking the ground underneath them. When the rumbling stopped, Tessai looked at the wall.

"It can't be...my kido was stopped by a lieutenant, and with a Danku with no incantation," he said.

As the fire dissipated, the wall shattered. Aizen and his two followers were gone.

"Forgive me; I let them get away," Tessai said.

Kisuke stood up from where he had fallen after throwing himself to the side before Tessai's kido could hit him.

"Tessai, just who is he?" he asked.

Suddenly, Shinji cried out in pain and collapsed. The mask was beginning to cover the right side of his face.

"Shinji!" Kisuke exclaimed.

He and Tessai rushed to the squad 5 captain's side.

"We have to deal with Aizen and the others later. Right now, we need to treat Captain Hirako and the others," Tessai said.

"I know, but with the Hollowfication process so far along, we can't treat him here," Kisuke said.

"Captain Urahara, forgive me for bringing this up now, but it appears you know more about this situation than I thought," Tessai said. "You are very familiar with Hollowfication. If that is the case, then I assume you also know how to undo it."

Kisuke bit his lip before nodding slightly.

"Yes, I know," he said. "But the technique is risky."

"I see. Even so, it is better than nothing," Tessai said, standing up. "We'll have to transport all eight in their current condition. We can take them to the squad 12 barracks."

"But in their current condition, they can't move!" Kisuke exclaimed.

"We will use Time Stop and Teleportation techniques."

Kisuke's eyes widened.

"But those are-!"

"I am well aware both techniques are strictly forbidden," Tessai cut him off, glancing at him. "But right now, we don't have a choice. If we want to save them, we must use these techniques. We can deal with the consequences later."

A green pillar of light materialized in his hands. It glowed brighter and a second later, all eight of the injured soul reapers began glowing green as well. A dome of bright white light covered them. Kisuke winced and shielded his eyes from the sheer brightness.

When the light faded, Kisuke opened his eyes. He looked around and immediately recognized his lab. The injured soul reapers were here as well, collapsed on the floor. Beside him, Tessai groaned, feeling the toll of the powerful kido.

"I owe you one, Tessai," Kisuke said.

Tessai nodded weakly in acknowledgement.

"It is nothing, Captain Urahara. Now it is your turn; you must save them from this Hollowfication," he replied, gesturing at the injured soul reapers.

"And I will," Kisuke said, walking over to a container and punching in a code.

"Captain Urahara, what are you planning?" Tessai asked. "What is in that container?"

"Hollowfication is one of the discoveries I made when I was studying how to strengthen a soul reaper's soul." Kisuke said as he opened the door of the container and reached in. "In the process, I created a peculiar substance that can break down the boundaries between Hollows and soul reapers. It is this substance that I will use to treat Shinji and the others."

"What is this substance of yours?" Tessai asked.

Kisuke turned around with something in his hand, covered in a white cloth. He pulled the cloth covering off, revealing a clear container with a glowing orb within.

"I call it the Hogyoku," Kisuke said.

Tessai frowned. He could sense something from the Hogyoku. Spiritual pressure? Tessai shook his head mentally. It felt different from spiritual pressure. The Hogyoku felt...alive.

"This Hogyoku will save Captain Hirako and the others?" Tessai asked.

"Who knows?" Kisuke muttered. "Like I told you, this will be very risky. The odds that the Hogyoku will return them to their original states is...only by about 20%."

"That's all?" Tessai frowned.

"If Aizen was really behind the vanishing souls incident, I doubted he even considered the possibility of a treatment for Hollowfication existing," Kisuke said, staring down at the glowing Hogyoku. "This is our only option. There is no other way."

Tessai sighed.

"Then we'll just have to take that risk," he said. "Do what you have to do, Captain Urahara."

Kisuke nodded.

"Very well then."


It was morning when Kisuke woke up. He was at his desk. He could hear birds chirping outside. Suddenly, he gasped and whirled around and was met by the sight of the eight soul reapers he had treated. They all still wore masks and Kisuke sighed. He stood up and walked towards the door. Tessai looked up from where he had been meditating by the door.

"Captain Urahara?" he asked.

"Tessai...I'm sorry. I'm afraid it didn't work." Kisuke muttered. "I need to step outside and get some fresh air."

Tessai let him go. Kisuke walked out of the dark lab. He opened the doors and stepped into the courtyard. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"What do I do now?" he muttered to himself.

Suddenly, he tensed as several soul reapers appeared, surrounding him.

"Squad 12 Captain Kisuke Urahara," one said. "And Kido Commander Tessai Tsukabishi."

Kisuke looked over to see other soul reapers leading Tessai out of the barracks.

"We are here to inform you that Central 46 has issued warrants for your arrest. Come with us now!"

Kisuke's eyes widened. What was going on?!


Kisuke and Tessai had their hands bound. A light shown down at them. They could only see the outlines of each member of Central 46.

"Will someone tell us what's going on here?" Kisuke asked, breaking the silence.

"No one granted you permission to speak. You have been summoned here for an inquest. You will only speak in response to questioning," one member said in a harsh tone. "Is that understood, squad 12 captain?"

Kisuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He bowed his head.

"Pardon me," he said.

"Can you tell us your whereabouts last night, shortly after midnight?"

"The District 6 forest in West Fugai," Kisuke replied.

"Conducting Hollowfication experiments?" a voice asked from behind him.

Kisuke whipped around.

"Now hold on a minute; who told you such a thing?!" he exclaimed.

"As part of your evil research, you tested Hollowfication on four captains and three lieutenants."

Kisuke could feel his heart beating fast from horror now.

"You don't deny it?"

Kisuke inhaled sharply as those strange and foreboding words Aizen had said came to mind.

"Your reputation surely proceeds you."

"No..." Kisuke breathed.

Kisuke clenched his fists and struggled against the cuffs.

"Who told you that?" he demanded.

"You have no right to ask questions!"

"It was Lieutenant Aizen, right?" Kisuke could barely keep his anger restrained.

"This is your second warning, captain! Speak again and we will add to your charges!"

"He's the one behind this entire mess! Listen to me! Tessai and I only went out there to rescue Shinji and the others!" Kisuke shouted.

"When you push your lies that far, they become comical. The lieutenant of squad 5 never left the Seireitei last night."

Kisuke stepped back in disbelief.

"Impossible. He was right there..." he breathed.

"We have the sworn statements of over 124 squad members and one captain class member. That leaves very little room for doubt."

"But that's impossible!" Kisuke exclaimed.

"I have new information," someone from behind him suddenly said.

Kisuke turned his head to see a messenger.

"We searched through the squad 12 barracks and found evidence of Hollowfication experiments." the messenger said.

Kisuke felt his heart fall. There was no hope for him now.

"I have heard enough."

There was a bang of a gavel somewhere.

"It is time to pass judgement. Commander Tessai Tsukabishi, for the crime of using forbidden techniques, you will be imprisoned in underground penitentiary 3, Shugo. Kisuke Urahara, captain of squad 12, for conducting research on banned phenomena and using it to cause injury to fellow squad members, you are sentenced to eternal banishment to the world of the living and will be stripped of all spiritual energy. Furthermore, the captain of squad 5 and the others that were victim to your cruel experiments will be disposed of as Hollows."

Kisuke's eyes widened in horror.

"You can't do that!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, the doors to Central 46 slammed open. Kisuke looked over to see a cloaked figure standing in the doorway.

"Who are you?! You do not have permission to enter while there is a trial in process! Leave immediately, you insolent fool!"

"Where are the guards?!"

The cloaked person lunged forward with a lightning fast flash step, appearing behind Kisuke and Tessai. The messenger attacked, but was quickly beaten. Kisuke and Tessai were freed from the cuffs and then, within a split second, they were gone, leaving behind a confused and angry Central 46.


Kisuke sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Yoruichi," he said.

Yoruichi took off the white cloak and mask she had been using to disguise herself. They were in the underground training area that nobody knew about except them.

"I don't need your thanks," Yoruichi said. "I'll even hold off on kicking your ass for not asking for my help last night."

Kisuke saw the eight members that had been the victims of Hollowfication.

"I went ahead and brought all eight of them here," Yoruichi said. "Oh, and the new gigai prototype you were working on as well."

Yoruichi brushed a couple strands of her purple hair out of her face.

"Well, go on, have at it. I bet that from the very first moment when Shinji told you about this incident, you imagined the worst case scenario, and I bet you also came up with the best solution to overcome it." she said.

Kisuke looked at her before huffing in amusement.

"So you saw right through me, didn't you?" he stated.

"Did you expect anything less from me?" Yoruichi replied.

"No," Kisuke said before turning to Tessai. "Tessai, I'm going to need you to put a Time Stop on Shinji and the others. Then I think you should put up a double, or even a triple barrier around this area. In the next 24 hours, we will need to construct ten stealth gigai. Two for us and the rest will be for Shinji and the others."

Tessai nodded. He looked at Yoruichi.

"What about you, Yoruichi?" he asked.

Yoruichi smirked.

"Don't worry about me. I always stay out of trouble," she said.

"For now, we have to lay low," Kisuke said. "We'll find a way to undo the Hollowfication."

Yoruichi nodded in understanding.

"Kisuke," she said suddenly.

"What is it?" Kisuke looked at her.

"You and Tessai will need to stay hidden from everyone in the Soul Society," Yoruichi said. "That includes Ichigo."

Kisuke clenched his fists tightly.

"She is right," Tessai said. "I know you love her, but Aizen knows about you two just like everyone else does. He will be keeping a close eye on her to see if you contact her. He knows she is your weakness and he will exploit it to get to you. If you wish to protect Ichigo, you must stay away from her."

Kisuke looked down, his nails digging into the soft flesh of his palm. There was a pained look in his eyes.

"By now, she's probably heard about my crimes," he said. "I won't even get the chance to explain what really happened to her."

"Kisuke, everything will work out," Yoruichi said. "You'll see her again one day, but for now, we have to move."

Kisuke reluctantly nodded. He reached into his shikakusho and pulled out the fan. He gripped it tightly in his hand.

I'm sorry, Ichigo. I swear I'll find my way back to you one day.