So then, this is it... With this chapter, we've come to a major turning point with the main story, with the following chapters effectively serving as something of an extended epilogue (seeing as how there's still a lot to wrap up). And so, with all of that in mind, I'd like to take this moment to once again express my thanks to my regular reviewers RG-Guest, Ie-maru, TheBretonBookDragon, and the more recent contributor Redhood001. Thank you all so much!
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter XCVIII:
"The Dawn, Part 2"
Soul Society, Division Twelve HQ...
"By my authority as a Captain of one of the Elite Court Guard Divisions," Byakuya declared, as more Shinigami appeared. "I have come to collect Ichigo Kurosaki."
Orihime, Ulquiorra, along with the Present and Former Captains of the Twelfth, could only look on in silence as the team of Shinigami encircled the unconscious youth- clamping restraints on his wrists and an inhibiting collar around his neck. Normally, such actions against an incapacitated individual would have seemed like overkill, but experience had taught them not to underestimate him...
The raven-haired Arrancar spared a brief glance to the red-haired woman standing beside him, noting the uncommonly stoic look on her face, wordlessly taking her her in a comforting gesture. Right away, he observed (with a degree of relief) as her posture seemed to ease slightly as the contact.
"Inoue-san, Schiffer-san," Byakuya started, looking to them. "Given everything that has transpired so far, the two of you may be required to provide statements regarding what you experienced."
"Yes, of course." Orihime replied with a polite no to the man.
"As for the you, Captain Grantz, Urahara-san," the nobleman continued, casting his gaze over to the two men. "The two of you, you've accomplished nothing short of a modern miracle of science, you've accomplished, in a matter of years, what others spend a life time working towards."
"That fact, alone, in my estimation," the Captain continued. "Sets the two of you on par with the other greats in the various fields of modern science." He informed them as the teen was subdued and readied for transport. "Under different circumstances, I'm certain you would be awarded Nobel Prizes."
"Thank you, Captain..." Szayel responded. "Hearing you say that, it means a lot."
"Yes, Kuchiki-san," Urahara added. "I'm humbled to be spoken of in such a way."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Living Realm, Karakura City...
Ryuken looked on as his son, along with Tatsuki and Ingrid Hofstadtr, arrived on the scene, seemingly no worse for wear for their troubles- save for the bandage on the Dane's head.
"Are you alright, Ingrid?" The bespectacled man asked the female Quincy.
"Don't worry, Ryuken," Ingrid replied with a smile. "This is nothing, I'm fine."
With that brief exchange out of the way, the silver-haired Doctor observed as the Shinigami Lieutenant and the Arrancar he'd met up with earlier appeared to be conversing.
The Arrancar was remarking to the other man about how much he was looking forward to returning to the Soul Realm and seeing his partner and their new-born daughter...
New-born daughter? This caught his attention.
"Ggio-sama," Shenkai had inquired. "Tell me, how fares your family?"
"Oh, they're both doing great!" The cat-like Fraccion replied bashfully. "To tell you the truth, I think Soifon was really bothered at having to sit out this battle." Ggio admitted. "But, I think she understands that it's too early for her to be away from our daughter- I mean, she'll still be nursing for a bit."
As a Doctor, this little detail had earned his interest, even more so in the respectful tone with which the Soul Reaper had addressed him. "Your daughter, you say?"
Both of them looked to the Quincy. "Oh, yeah, I was talking about my Daughter, Meiling."
"I don't mean to overstep any boundaries," the elder Ishida began. "But I just happen to be the Senior Administrator for Karakura Hospital." The silver-haired man explained. "As such, keeping up with the latest medical knowledge is an interest of mine." Ryuken adjusted his glassed. "For scientific reasons, would you perhaps be willing to tell me who the mother is?"
Shenkai regarded the man, not saying anything, while Ggio blushed...
"The mother, is none other than my illustrious Captain," the Chinese Shinigami interjected, fixing the Doctor with a narrow look. "Lady Soifon, Commander of the Second Division."
This time, Ggio looked confused, while Ryuken merely smiled. "Truly, I harbor no ulterior motives in asking such questions." He responded amiably. "As I stated, I don't identify as merely a Quincy, as first and foremost, I am a Doctor, and a parent myself... So, neither of you need worry."
"And, Vega-san, as the father of the first known Arrancar-Shinigami child," the bespectacled Doctor went on to say. "You must appreciate the significance of such an unprecedented birth."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Elsewhere in the Soul Realm...
Ozzy, with his hands restrained behind his back, was lead into a holding area, where he opted to take a seat and observe as things continued to play out...
Not far away from the make-shift detainment area, others were being brought in- both those who were alive and who were those laid out and wheeled in on gurneys. Amongst the 'living' that were coming in, was Captain Kensei Muguruma along with his Lieutenant Mashiro Kuna.
A member of the Fourth had checked the two of them over. "Well, aside from some minor superficial injuries, you both appear to otherwise unharmed." He remarked. "So, I see no reason to detain either of you here any longer... Captain, Lieutenant, you're both free to go."
"You two, you were in Huecco Mundo." A voice called out to them.
The unmistakable figure of the Byronic Vizard, Rose, appeared. "We're is Lieutenant Izuru, I haven't been able to locate him- is he hurt?"
"Rose, I..." The white-haired Vizard tried to say. "I don't know what to say, other than I..."
Before he could say any more, someone else took the opportunity to speak up.
"Captain Ōtoribashi." Shuhei Hisagi began wearily, standing up nearby. "My own Captain wasn't there to see what happened, but I was, along with Lieutenant Kuna..."
Rose turned to face him as he continued. "Kira Izuru is a hero," the dour-looking Officer revealed to the long-haired Captain. "He died in the line of duty, saving others."
"Captain Ōtoribashi," Mashiro implored the man with with an urgent look. "I was there, right up till the very end," the smallish woman went on. "Kira was so brave and he was determined, and he saved a lot of people, I know this... because I was one of those people that he saved!"
Rose didn't respond at first, simply folding his arms and giving a hard look, before briefly closing his eyes for a moment. "Thank you," he resumed. "Both of you."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Gotei Council Facilities...
"There's no need to feel on edge," Jushiro spoke. "You're here in a purely informal manner."
Orihime nodded, relaxing in her seat. "Don't worry, I trust you, Jushiro-san."
The older white-haired man couldn't help but smile on hearing this. "I must say, it's very heartening for me to hear you say that." He resumed in a charismatic tone. "Please relax, this isn't an interrogation, it's simply an informal debriefing." The Captain commented calmly. "And, you needn't worry about your partner, as Schiffer-san is undergoing a similar debriefing."
With that, he reached over to the nearby recording device. "Don't mind this, it's purely for posterity."
"Now, we're curious about what you experienced." He went on to explain. "Is there anything that you can tell us about what you experienced- both in the transition and regarding the other realm?"
She gave a thoughtful look. "The process of being sent... It was incredible, like nothing else I've ever experienced before." Orihime tried to explain. "It's really hard to describe... How exactly does a person even begin to relay what it's like to move at the speed of light?"
"It's like, for a secant, you become... energy." The young woman remarked with a thoughtful look on her face. "In that instance, you become something... different. And then, in the next moment, when you reach the other end, you're yourself again." Orihime offered. "Sorry, if that doesn't really help."
The man smiled. "Well then, in that case..."
In another room inside the Facility...
"What can you tell me about this 'destination' you were sent to?" Lieutenant Sasakibe asked.
Ulquiorra took a moment as he regarded the man before him. He had short white hair, which appeared to be slicked back, and a well-kept mustache. Aside from that, the only other thing that stuck out to the Espada was that he wore some sort of scarf around his neck tucked into the layers of his robes.
"Much like I said earlier," Ulquiorra started in a steady voice. "It was unlike anything else I've seen... Nothing made any logical sense. We were in an empty void, yet it was somehow illuminated, and there was oxygen- despite the absence of light or a breathable atmosphere."
"I see, interesting." Chojiro responded. "What else can you recall that stuck out to you?"
The Arrancar appeared to give the matter some thought. "For starters, it defied the laws of gravity... There was no rhyme or reason to how it worked, almost as if it was only applicable when it suited the physics of some specific aspect of the void or a particular section of the structure."
The Lieutenant nodded. "Tell me more about this 'structure' you mentioned?"
"It's not something that can be easily described." The Cuatro Espada retorted. "First off, there was a large long main structure- perhaps six meters wide and around half a kilometer in length," Ulquiorra recalled for the man across the table from him. "And at the mid-point, the structure projected outwards in a horizontal fashion, like the intersection of a crossroads- about half as long."
"Aside from the main structure, there were other structures floating around it- identical in design, but smaller in scale- set at varying elevations- just floating in place," the green-eyed Arrancar explained to the Shinigami presently in front of him. "It was... almost like they were being held in place by the pull of some sort of gravity-like force exerted by the main structure."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Elsewhere in the Treatment Center...
Renji had found himself being the recipient of unpleasant news...
"They're... all gone." Renji recounted in a deflated tone. "The Captain... Yumichika... Watase-san..." The tattooed Soul Reaper recalled under his breath to himself. "I can't believe it..." He wondered aloud to himself as Arachne rested her hand on his shoulder in comforting gesture.
Byakuya maintained his usual stoic facade, but did allow himself to give a subtly sympathetic look to his Second Officer, given the circumstances. "It is not my intent to attempt to rationalize whatever you are feeling at the moment," he spoke to the illustrated Shinigami. "And so, I will not bother with platitudes, as every person's pain is their own, and so everyone must grieve in their own way."
"When you are sufficiently composed," the Captain continued. "There is a matter of some importance, one that I would speak with you about." Byakuya added. "In your own time, of course."
The entire time, as the exchange had played out between her mate and his Commander, Arachne had been covertly observing the subtle tells in the tonality and body language of the nobleman. It was only thanks to the refined predatory skills of observation that came with being an Arrancar that she was able to pick up on the myriad of unspoken details that lay beneath the public face he put forth.
"Thank you, Captain." Renji offered with a salute.
Over the course of the almost three years they'd been together, the female Arrancar had been covertly observing her partner's Alpha, all the time watching the noble with the eye of a trained hunter. In many ways, he seemed to exemplify all that Renji admired- he was powerful, dutiful, and unwavering in his dedication to both his duty as Captain and to the well-being of those serving under him.
Yet somehow, she could tell there was something more to him... Something deeper. That hidden behind all those layers of refinement and civility, there was a vast untapped reservoir of feeling. And Arachne's instincts told her that he was a man of action and not someone to be trifled with...
The pristinely-dressed man, with his flowing black hair, then departed, along with his entourage...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Back with Orihime and Jushiro...
"You mentioned that there was a large machine, situated at the heart of the main structure?"
The sunset-haired girl nodded. "They- er, mainly Darkwood- referred to it as the 'Magnus Machina'."
"Ah yes, that's Latin, if I'm not mistaken," Jushiro interjected. "It seems somehow appropriate... But, goodness me, I'm rambling like some university boffin!" He went on. "Don't mind me, continue."
The young woman smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, Jushiro-san, you've lived such an interesting life, and it's far from over, given what's to come." Orihime offered. "But anyway, where was I... Right, it seemed to me that it was some kind of power source... I got the impression it was linked to the pulses you guys told us about- maybe even the source- and also to those 'Shadows' that were everywhere."
"You mentioned Darkwood a moment ago," the white-haired man recalled. "Given that he came back with you, I have to assume that Ichigo was there well."
Orihime gave a quick nod. "Again, the impression I got was that the Machine was close to full power, and Ichigo's role was to keep us busy until it was ready." She reasoned. "So, while her and Ulquiorra fought, I took it upon myself to do whatever I could to prevent Darkwood from interfering in the fight, and hopefully buy us more time." She continued. "The whole experience was... surreal."
"Ichigo just suddenly manifested this sword out of nowhere, made up of pure energy, and then he and Ulquiorra were fighting all over the place." Orihime continued. "Ulquiorra had the weapon he got from Urahara-san, what he called a 'Light-Sword'... It was like something from a Star Wars movie."
In the other room, with Ulquiorra and Sasakibe...
"Wait, you're saying he formed a sword?" Chojiro spoke in amazement. "That he willed a weapon into existence, plucked from the ether, and made of pure energy?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Ulquiorra replied coolly as he relaxed in his chair as he hitched one leg over the other, all while smiling confidently. "I fail to see what is so unusual about this?"
The Lieutenant exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Moving on... So, Ichigo attacked you?"
"Not quite." Ulquiorra responded smoothly. "It would be more accurate to say that he got in the way when I moved to attack Darkwood." The Arrancar explained. "From that moment on, we were fighting one another in a battle that likely would have decided the outcome of everything."
"But that wasn't what was driving me." He revealed, a devilish look on his face. "I was motivated by something more." Ulquiorra intoned with a dark smile. "For me... it was personal."
"Personal?" Chojiro inquired, raising a brow. "In what way do you mean?"
"You must understand, I'm not simply speaking from the perspective of a fighter," he explained to the Shinigami. "Rather, I'm speaking as a man." Ulquiorra continued. "In that moment, Ichigo Kurosaki wasn't just my enemy, he was competition." The Arrancar revealed. "As soon as we crossed swords, I held nothing back- he'd have be to ready to kill me, because I was fully prepared to kill him."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Now then, Yasutora-san, perhaps you'd care to introduce your friends?"
Chad gave an awkward look as Captain Hitsugaya now stood before him...
"Yeah, so about that..." The dark-complected teen started. "As soon as everything kicked off, I could tell immediately that something was seriously wrong, so I set out to see if there was anything I could do to help." Chad recounted to the Shinigami. "Not long after that, I ran into Jinx..."
Toshiro looked over to the tattooed woman. "I take it then that you're Jinx?"
"You know of me?" Jinx asked, perking up.
"You're reputation proceeds you, madam." Toshiro replied drolly. "We've been aware of you since the 'incident' with the Sternritter." He explained. "You even have your own file back in the Seireitei."
Jinx smiled. "You flatter me, sir."
"But getting back to the matter at hand," the Captain resumed. "Am I too take it then, that you and you little assembled posse have sought us out in the hopes of pleading your cases?"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"What of Darkwood?" Ukitake asked. "What was he doing in the midst of all this?"
"Like I said, I kept him busy, and he didn't try to fight me." She revealed. "To be honest, from all of what Darkwood said to me," Orihime paused, looking into his eyes. "I never got the impression that his intentions were truly hostile." The curvy redhead went on. "And I believe he was being genuine."
"He told me about the 'Void' where they came from, and the way he described... as nothingness, just an endless unreality set between dimensions." The young woman recounted. "And more than anything, his people wanted to be free of it, that's why they wanted a way to get into our reality. They just wanted to experience existence in some meaningful way- in other words, they wanted to live."
"Fascinating..." Jushiro managed, at a loss. "Tell me, what ultimately happened?"
"These strange powers of mine, they'd fully manifested, stronger than before." Orihime started, briefly glancing down at her hands. "I can't really explain how I did this, there's still so much about it all that I don't understand... but I was somehow able to slow down the Machine."
"This was even more apparent when I... intercepted Ulquiorra."
"That's something of an understatement."
Orihime and Jushiro turned to see as Ulquiorra stepped into the room.
"As I explained to the Lieutenant, I was ready to kill Ichigo." The Espada explained in an unusually charismatic tone, moving to rest against the wall, close to Orihime. "But then, just like that, she was at my side, like an angel, and suddenly I felt a sort of peace that I've never known before."
"Captain, I'm sorry," Chojiro spoke as he appeared in the doorway. "But he insisted on this."
"Don't worry, my friend." Jushiro offered with a sympathetic smile. "But as long as you're here, could you do us a favor and bring another chair- one our guest, that is."
Sasakibe nodded, leaving the room, as Jushiro looked to Orihime. "My, but it appears Schiffer-san happens to be in a particularly good mood." He continued. "But, getting back on topic, if your accounts are congruent, then that leaves us with a final point to discuss... the resolution."
Lieutenant Sasakibe returned to deposit a chair beside Orihime, which Ulquiorra was quick to occupy.
"A light was seen shooting across the sky, headed directly towards the distortion." Jushiro told the couple across from him, with a knowing smile. "The fact that it vanished into it leads me to suspect that
it's connected in some way with what ultimately happened on the other side."
Orihime appeared briefly surprised. "Of course, the light must have been Clarence."
The Shinigami looked confused, leading Ulquiorra to speak up. "That's the name the 'Man in White' asked us to call him, before we departed from the void."
"It was incredible." Orihime spoke up. "Clarence brought something with him, something that he said would transform the void." She paused, taking a moment collect herself. "That's the reason we couldn't stay, because a new universe was about to be created." The young woman said enthusiastically.
"My goodness..." Jushiro murmured, genuinely in awe.
"I was witnessing the beginning of a new universe... Amazing, right?" The redhead continued, a light visible in her brown eyes. "It's just too bad... that I could be there to see what it was like."
"Maybe you will see it some day." Jushiro offered reassuringly. "And with that, I can now confidently say that I believe this marks the end of this discussion." He finished, turning off the recorder.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Uriah looked on, in dumbfounded amazement, at the bank of monitors before him...
"It's over..." The dark-haired man murmured as he removed his glasses. "After all this time, and all of the lengths that we went to," he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Just like that, in a matter of minutes, all of it just ends up amounting to nothing." Uriah remarked. "What the fuck happens now?"
Just then, he received an alert on the central monitor!
Placing his distinctive rectangular glasses back on, the bespectacled man clicked on the notification in the upper right corner of the screen, automatically opening an old-fashioned chat box...
A message appeared: "Uriah, are you seeing this?"
Getting over his initial surprise, he was quick to respond with "WTF is going on?!"
Admin-Dario: Darkwood's gone.
Admin-Dario: Need to make sure everything is ready.
Uriah watched as the messages appear- plain white text, set against a black background...
User-Uriah: What are you talking about? Ready for what?
Admin-Dario: Situation is complicated. …...We have to be ready for the event.
User-Uriah: WHAT event?
Admin-Dario: THE event.
Admin-Dario: Right now... Back up all databases, encrypt information.
User-Uriah: What the hell? You're talking like you expect to die, but we know that's BS! Be straight with me, tell me what you want me to do... Data is good to go, but what about you?
As soon as he saw the response, the technician exhaled, leaning back in his chair...
Admin-Dario: Can't talk now... Secure for now, will be monitoring things from my end.
Admin-Dario: Big things are happening. Expect a visit from SS Agents. Not sure when we can speak again...Will continue monitoring, may make contact at a later point.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Anything that you can tell us about the 'Brethren' would be extremely useful to us..."
Captain Hitsugaya had uttered those words, as a he sat at one end of a table. Across from him was the tattooed, leather-clad woman known as "Jinx". At the moment, the boyish white-haired Shinigami was seated opposite from her, at a plain-looking table, inside of a hastily set up debriefing room.
There was small silver device present on the table, actively recording them...
"I get the impression, based on what you've told me so far," Jinx began calmly, offering a fleetingly knowing glance to the Shinigami. "That you people- you Shinigami, and all your allies- appear to view us as if we were nothing more than some sort of cult." She remarked. "Well, am I wrong?"
"The way we view you and others like you," Toshiro sniped back. "How we view you, Madame, and others like you, is the same way we view any other potential threat... in a word, dangerous."
"Well the, at the very least, you and I know where we stand." The illustrate woman responded, as the smile on her face become more noticeable. "You previously mention I have my own dedicated file, but what do you you really know about me?" Jinx asked. "Because we know things about you."
"Is that mean to be a threat?"
"No," Jinx fired back brusquely. "It's just a statement of fact."
"The thing is..." The woman explained. "The real reason why we refer to ourselves as 'Brethren' isn't because we're trying to seem cool," Jinx added. "No, the actual reason is because we're more than just a group of like-minded people." She revealed to the Captain. "We had a common belief, and true belief is powerful, because it makes it possible for people to accomplish great things."
"Of course," Hitsugaya countered affably. "There's countless instances, set all throughout history," he continued in an almost-casual manner, with a smile. "Moments, when people's beliefs made it possible for them to accomplish great things." The young man remarked. "But, there's just one thing..."
"The word 'Great' can mean different things." And just like that, his smile and the friendly expression vanished from as his face just as suddenly as it had appeared, with the same sudden swiftness that came instantly with the flip of a switch. "It's the context that matters." Now, his tone was cold and detached, and his expression unreadable yet with a penetrating gaze. "Need I elaborate?"
Jinx merely shook her head as the 'boy' seated across from her held her gaze with the unshakable look of a hardened veteran detective, his expression never wavering even as secants passed...
"Now, like I said, what matters is context." He resumed, as his entire presentation changed yet again, just as effortlessly as it had previously. "Keep what I've said in mind," Toshiro stated. "Otherwise, you might mistake our willingness to cooperate as weakness or naivete." The young Shinigami cautioned the woman. "So then, what can you tell me about the makeup and hierarchy of the Brethren?"
Jinx smirked, chucking lightly. "You," she began. "I think I'm going to like you, Captain."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Night would soon be at hand in the Soul Realm. Two figures were conspicuously seated on the rooftop of one the structures the comprised the Twelfth Division, watching as purple started bleeding down into what remained of the blue, situated above a dwindling fiery orange hue...
"I can't believe it, we did it..." Szayel commented, grinning as he held up the bottle of Bourbon and poured a drink for himself and the man situated beside him. "Here y'go!" The Octavio announced as he handed a glass to the disheveled man beside him. "We'll have'ta deal with the fallout of everything in the mornin'... But for now, I say that we get properly drunk!"
The former Shinigami accepted the glass. "Well said, m' friend, well said," he replied as he drank from the glass. "Couldn'ta put it better m'self." Urahara added. "So... Cheers!"
"Cheers!" Szayel replied, clinking his own glass against his. "Y'know, all thin's considered... I've had a pretty great life- ya know, what with me bein' a Hollow an' everything." He added, laughing crazily as he drank from his glass. "I mean, think about it... I go from being thiz asshole workin' for this fuckin' guy who thinks he'z such hot-shit that he c'n juz waltz in and sit down on the throne of god!"
"Ah, fuck that guy!" Urahara chimed in. "If he really wuz the greates' thing since sliced bread, then why the hell'z his undead ass rotting in the bowels of the Mukin?!"
The pink-haired Arrancar smiled. "See, you get it." He spoke. "An, iz like I said, I go from being this evil bastard, workin' for king shit, to being Captain of Twelfth Division." Szayel recounted to the other man. "And, all I had to do was kill the dipshit who ran the place, so iz all win win, for everyone!"
"Damn right!" The former Shinigami exclaimed, taking a drink. "He was an asshole, anyway!"
"And what did I do after taking over? Not be an asshole!" The bespectacled Espada declared, taking another drink from his glass, smiling goofily as he processed it. "It's not hard, juz don' be an asshole... Look at me! I'm nice, and do you know why I'm so nice? Cuz I care!"
"An', along the way," Szayel continued, while the they somehow were able to top off the contents of their glasses and both men took a hard pull of the liqueur. "I've met an amazing woman, who'z become my perfect mate, an' the man that'd end up becoming the bess friend I could ever ask for."
"You really think of me az your best friend?" Urahara asked, straightening himself up.
The Captain didn't answer right away, instead taking a moment to refill both of their cups, then setting the bottle down as he looked to the other man. "So what if I do?"
"You don' know how much that means t'hear you say that." Urahara replied. "Cuz, ya know, I've had a lot of time to think it over, an' I gotta say... you've become a really great friend."
"To bess friends!" Szayel toasted, holding up his glass. "Cheers!"
"Cheers!" Urahara exclaimed with a goofy grin as they clinked their glasses together, before both of them proceeded to take a drink from their respective glasses.
"Am I interrupting your date, boys?"
The two intoxicated men looked to see Yoruichi standing before them, a noticeable smile dominating her exotic features as her ponytail moved faintly in the slight breeze now rolling in.
"Lady Shihoin!" Szayel started, setting his drink down as he made a futile attempt to get to his feet, only to end up toppling back down into a seated position immediately. "Pleashe pardon m' inability to stand at attention in the presence of such a splendid noblewoman az yourself!"
His friend, now having failed in his exertions, Urahara could only look on as the pink-haired Arrancar flashed the woman a goofy smile as he haphazardly saluted her...
The former Captain, heedlessly of the other man's failure, struggled to get to his feet!
"Yoruichi, babe!" The disheveled man entreated his long-time partner, tripping over his own feet and similarly falling back, exclaiming: "You don' know how much I've missed you!"
The golden-eyed, dusky-skinned woman could only shake her head at their antics, following this up by giving a smile of her own. "Honestly, Kisuke, what am I gonna do with you- both of you?"
Nemu appeared at her side. "Shihoin-san, I apologize for the inconvenience." She commented in her usual inscrutable manner, though with a faint blush. "To see Szayel-sama like this..."
Yoruichi clapped a hand on the woman's shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Relax," the shape-shifting woman replied in a sociable tone. "This sort of thing is nothing... I could tell you a story or two about dealing with Kisuke after he's been on a bender or out on some other tare!"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Sure, I'm happy to tell you what I know..."
No sooner had Ozzy uttered those words, did Lieutenant Shenkai activate a small recording on the table that they were arranged at- looking across from each other.
"Before we start," the Chinese Shinigami spoke. "I'll tell you right now that I would prefer to conduct things in a civil, orderly manner." Shenkai explained. "Remember that, and all of this will go smoother for the both of us." There was a pause. "After all, we can be civilized."
Ozzy nodded after a moment. "I... suppose that's fair."
"Now then, what, if any, specifics can you offer on the Brethren?"
"First off, let me think..." The man, in his ankle-length black leather jacket and his long flowing red hair, replied in a surprising upbeat tone, considering the situation. "Where to even start... Well, first off, you have to understand that I really wasn't that high up in the pecking order."
"Still, with that said, I'll tell you what I can." He continued. "The Brethren go way back... At leas that was the impression I got." Ozzy revealed. "I doubt they were always called that, and no one seems sure about the details of when or why they gained that particular name."
"Maybe all that mystery is part the appeal..." He joked. "But that's the funny thing, you know, when I look back... The truth is that there were certain things that were never really explained to me."
"Such as?" Shenkai prompted.
"For starters, it was never really all that clear on how things worked, and you'd think that would be a serious problem for us, considering the size of the Brethren and how long they'd been around."
"You almost sound like you're talking about a... company."
"Like I said, that's the funny thing about it." The other countered. "In some ways, the operation really seemed like it actually was some kind of company." Ozzy elaborated. "Except... it was like a company that didn't sell anything, it just existed- almost just for it's own sake. And, again, in spite of what I just said, it's not like the Brethren was some kind of tennis club, because it was doing things."
Shenkai rubbed his chin in thought. "Can't you be any more specif than that?"
Ozzy shook his head. "I was a 'foot soldier', so things like the 'fine print' were... well, let's just say they were above my pay grade, if that makes any sense." He reasoned. "Listen, I'll be honest, you guys kind of drew the short straw with me." The man admitted. "Most of the people who could've done a better job of explaining things are gone... Like Darkwood, or Crowley, or Dario."
"Hell, at this point, there's- what?- like three or four of the legitimate Manifested left?" He went on to remark with a shrug of his shoulders. "Lenny, Ronnie, Slash, they're dead... And the other ones like me that are still around, they don't know all that much either." Ozzy continued. "And with Darkwood gone and Dario fucking off to who knows where, plus Hawke being a mess..."
Ozzy trailed off briefly, as if lost in thought, before perking back up. "Yeah, at this point, the only real option you guys have left- at least, that I can think of- is Jinx... oh, and maybe Uriah."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Ichigo was sitting quietly at the far wall of the holding cell he'd been 'imprisoned' inside of...
He closed his eyes, taking a breath as he centered himself, before he was alerted to the sound of a fist knocking on the reinforced metal door of the room, looking up at it opened.
"Kurosaki," the nameless Shinigami spoke. "Hop to it, you've got visitors."
Rising up to his feet, he merely nodded, wordlessly holding out his hands to allow the Soul Reaper guards to come into the room and move in to place specialized restraints on his wrists. With the young man no fully restrained, the guards gestured for him to follow them out of the room...
The teen was brought into a simple unadorned room, looking to be the same measurement in all three dimensions, with the far wall being of a thick transparent material and a chair in the center.
Sitting down in the chair provided, he registered the sound of the door closing behind him. After that, he squinted at the area on the other side of the see-through wall lighting up...
With this, a figure was revealed, siting in a similar chair, facing him from the other side. Ichigo's eyes widened a bit, taken aback as he realized who it was. "Nell?!"
The woman was unmistakable, with her voluminous mint-green hair and her gray eyes, triggering a moment of remembrance in the young man. Even now, clad in the elaborate black robes and the white Captain's haori, complete with the signature badge of her office, gave him pause.
"So, you still recognize me, even in this form?" The Arrancar asked.
"How could I possibly forget you?" Ichigo countered. "When we first met, you were a kid, you looked so young... But now," he paused. "Well, now, you've grown up, you've become... a woman."
Nelliel gave a melancholy smile as she looked back to the teen. "When I was a child... I thought and acted and spoke as a child." She went on. "But when I became an adult, I put aside childish things."
"Oh Ichigo, what happened?" She implored, pressing her hand against the 'glass'. "You were the one who stood beside me, you protected me, you reminded me about what was right... And more than anything, you inspired me- and so many others..." The former Espada paused. "You, of all people, you should have been part of this new world, that started when you defeated Aizen."
"Nell-chan- no, Nelliel," Ichigo corrected himself. "It's not right, the way you lionize me... When, the truth is that I wasn't up to realizing what you and others saw in me." The teenager tried to explain, as he bore a conflicted look as he placed the palm of his hand to the glass-like surface, across from her own hand, only the barrier standing between them. "I'm afraid... that the truth is that I've been very bad."
She composed herself, while easing back into her chair. "Ichigo... I'm sure that you had your own valid reasons for doing what you did." Nelliel reasoned, looking to him. "Tell me then, why?"
Ichigo averted his gaze, looking to the floor of his cell. "Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of what really mattered." He replied, looking up- into her gray eyes- once again. "I know that that's not much of an answer, but it's the best I can offer for now." The teen admitted. "Maybe, with time, I can provide you and everyone else with something like a proper explanation."
"Aside from that, things could be a lot worse." The young man went on. "Ulquiorra... He really did a number on me." He looked down at himself, his hand on his chest. "Just an ich or two, and his last strike might have cleaved me in two." Ichigo remarked. "Orihime did a good job fixing me up, but even so, my gut tells me that I'm gonna be stuck with a pretty nasty scar."
"Don't be too hard on yourself." Nelliel replied reassuringly. "I mean, I'm stuck with this nasty little piece of work up here," she said as he gestured to her head. "From my hairline, right down my forehead and between my eyes, until stopping just above the bridge of my nose." The female Arrancar Captain recounted, before looking back to him with a smirk. "Not really something a girl wants."
"Is this... a bad time?" A familiar feminine voice spoke up.
Both of them looked over to the side, but it was the teen who reacted most visibly. "Rukia?"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"It all sounds so incredible." Tatsuki remarked, somewhat wide-eyed as she looked to the busty young woman and the dark-haired man standing beside her. "But then, I also met him."
The dark-haired sporty teenager was seated at a table, inside the sprawling grounds of the expansive western-style house that also happened to belong to the family of her bespectacled boyfriend. Situated across from Tatsuki and the younger Ishida, were Orihime and Ulquiorra...
"So then, Ulquiorra-san," Uryu remarked slyly, adjusting his glassed. "Your encounter with Kurosaki-san, it must have been quite the ordeal, for both of you?"
For his part, the disguised Arrancar simply smiled. "It's rare, when you're faced with an opponent that represents everything you're opposed to." Ulquiorra remarked calmly. "There really is something to be said about prevailing over an adversary at the end of a long journey, wouldn't you say?"
Both woman looked to the young Quincy, expecting him to offer some sort of rebuke. However, Uryu merely grinned in response to the comment. "Combat is one thing," he replied. "But even I can see that beyond mere professionalism, it's more a matter of personal pride."
Ulquiorra chuckled on hearing this!
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Rukia?"
Ichigo looked on, as the petite woman appeared in the entryway of the room on the other side of the boundary between the room housing himself and the other side.
Nelliel rose to her feet, as the younger woman greeted her. "Captain Obberschank, I apologize," the dark-haired Soul Reaper went on. "But, may I have some time, alone, to speak with Ichigo?"
The green-haired Arrancar nodded politely. "Of course." Nelliel went on to say, smoothing out the fabric of her robes as she got to her feet. "Goodbye, Ichigo, for now." She offered as she looked to the teen with a small smile. "Take care of yourself, we can talk more later."
That said, the two women exchanged knowing looks, before the taller more curvaceous one stepped back and excused herself, leaving Rukia alone as she looked to Ichigo.
"So then," Rukia started, slightly awkward. "What happened, Ichigo?"
"Where do I even start..." Ichigo began, glancing downward. "Thinking back on all that's happened... I wonder, heh, what it is people say: that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?"
"I was so lost, as a person." He went on to remark. "For one thing, there's still a part of me that wishes that I'd been more honest with my feelings, about a lot of things." Ichigo admitted, looking back to the woman across from him. "I regret a lot of the things I said and did... and didn't."
Rukia closed her eyes, nodding to herself. "Well, in that regard, I'm not totally innocent either." The female Shinigami admitted with a slight sad smile. "The truth is, I've also been doing a lot of thinking about a lot of things, and in the process, I've realized that I have to forge my own path in life and be able to stand on my own." She continued. "We have to let go of our regrets, both of us."
A moment passed between. "Still, I'm sorry... I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"We can't let ourselves be defined by the past." Rukia countered. "We all have to be our own person, and go find what makes us happy... no matter what or who that might be."
"You always were pretty sharp." Ichigo replied with a smirk. "Hearing you, it just reminds me of that, and the fact that I'm going to have a lot explaining to do... if I survive all this."
"Don't be like that." Rukia replied, relaxing a bit. "After all, if the rumor mill is to be believed," she continued in a subtly playful tone. "It would seem you've met someone."
He blushed, instantly confirming her suspicions. "Just thinking about it... it's nuts." Ichigo started, still blushing faintly as he went on. "I wasn't looking for a relationship- hell, I'm not even sure what exactly I was looking for- other than something to fill all the time since I lost my powers."
"Where do I even start?" The young man asked rhetorically. "Ikumi- I mean, Unagiya-san- just rolled into my life and upended everything, like a bulldozer."
The dark-haired Soul Reaper raised a perfectly manicured brow. "Really now? Well, she sounds to me like she must be a particularly formidable woman."
"She is!" The teen replied, a bit too quickly. "But there's also a certain... loneliness about her." Ichigo confessed to the slender woman. "Maybe I'm just being sexist, but I can't shake this... strange feeling of wanting to protect her." He elaborated. "Before I knew it, there was something between us."
"I'm happy for you, Ichigo," Rukia responded. "I mean that, I'm happy, for both of you."
"You're... a good person, Rukia." Ichigo responded as he rallied himself. "So then, what about you?" The orange-haired youth asked. "Is there anyone in your life?"
She blushed at the question, before smiling wistfully. "Um, well... there might be."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Retsu Ukitake wordlessly raised her arms as Mitsuki effortlessly finished securing the white obi sash around the waist of the elaborate black formal kimono that she was dressed in.
Turning to her retainer, the female Captain smiled gently at the other woman. "Thank you."
Mitsuki nodded. "Of course, Milady."
There was a slight knock at the door, prompting the two women to look as the shoji door opened in a fluid motion, revealing Retsu's husband, Jushiro Ukitake. The dark-haired Captain and Matriarch of the family she'd married into smiled at her husband and fellow Captain (similarly clothed).
"Mitsuki-san." He spoke, giving a polite nod to the woman as he stepped inside.
"Dear, I just left Kiyoshiro's room, he's asleep." Jushiro continued in a familiar tone, briefly pausing to give his wife a quick kiss. "We should be good for a while." He revealed, offering his arm to her, which she happily accepted, the two of them exiting the room and making their way down the corridor...
They arrived at the front of the Estate, where they were met by Stark and Lillynette...
The larger male half of the Primera Espada was sporting his normal attire, with the only noticeable difference being that his clothes appeared to have been freshly pressed. Beyond that, Stark happened to be sporting a black armband on the left sleeve of his white jacket.
By comparison, the smaller female half of the Primera was outfitted in a full-length female Shinigami robe, complete with a pair of tabi and sandals. Retsu assumed the clothes would most likely have been provided to her by the outfitters from the Fourth Division- in lieu of a formal kimono.
They exchanged greetings, Lillynette basking in the attention of the two older Shinigami, very much in spite of the somber atmosphere that hung over them.
Now having been joined by the two Arrancar, the quartet continued on down the paved walkway, down to the front gateway of the of the parameter wall that opened out onto the outside.
There, they were met by Captain Shunsui Kyoraku of the Eighth Division, along with his Lieutenant at his side, both of them dressed appropriately for the 'occasion'.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Orihime sported a focused expression as she worked...
"There we are." The curvy redhead commented with a smile. "For my money, that checks out!"
"Thank you." Ulquiorra replied flatly, a beet passing between them, before he spared a covert glance down at his necktie. "It would appear that your efforts have indeed paid off."
The disguised Arrancar was presently dressed up in a modest-looking ensemble- comprised of a pair of dark gray slacks and a matching blazer, along with a black tie.
For her part, Orihime sported a ruffled white blouse and a black vest, along with a long black skirt that reached below her knees, and a pair of dark leggings and shoes.
"Look at the two of you!" Rangiku called out. "So are you two lovebirds ready, or what?"
Beside the impossibly buxom woman, Toshiro Hitsugaya shook his head, "For now, let's try and stay focused on the matter at hand." The Captain remarked. "Besides, we have a schedule to keep."
Ulquiorra looked to the two Shinigami. "Will any of the others from this Realm be attending?"
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Szayel adjusted the collar of his black robes, then turned to retrieve his Captain's jacket, customized to look more like a lab-coat than a Japanese haori. Having donned the garment, he adjusted the lapels and turned to exit the room, stepping out into a gleaming metallic hallway.
Adjusting his glasses, the Octavio Espada was met by his Lieutenant. Rather than her usual skirt-style kimono- that showed off her legs- she was dressed in a traditional female uniform that reached down to her ankles, while her purple hair was done up into an elaborate bun in the back.
"Lovely as ever, my darling Nemu." He offered, smiling as he spoke in a charismatic tone.
"Thank you, Szayel-sama." The woman replied demurely with a slight nod.
The couple arrived at the doors of an elevator, where the bespectacled Arrancar pressed a button on a nearby control panel, summoning the lift. A moment passed, in which inspected the black band and his left arm, before the doors silently parted and they stepped inside...
Arriving at the ground floor of the Twelfth Division, the Captain and his Lieutenant made their way across the front area, until they arrived at the forward entrance, where there were others waiting there to meet them as they stepped outside, into the front courtyard.
"Kisuke, Lady Shihoin." The pink-haired man called out, gaining the couple's attention.
Yoruichi exchanged a knowing look with Szayel and Nemu. "It's good to see you up and about," the dusky-skinned woman remarked. "Especially in the wake of our last meeting, Captain Grantz."
"I see... Indeed." He responded. "And you, my friend, you've even shaved for the occasion."
"Yes, well," Urahara started, almost bashfully, before reaching up to adjust his memorable black and white striped hat. "I had to make some effort, given what's happening.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Elsewhere, within the grounds of the Seireitei, a growing number of people gathered, coming together as part of an outdoor assembly, in anticipation of the forthcoming events.
Hanataro turned to see as a group of people arrived, spotting Lillynette amongst them...
The young Third-Seat Officer of the Fourth Division happened to be dressed in a simple black formal kimono, with his hair parted on the side and combed back.
Retsu and Jushiro exchanged knowing looks as he moved to address the female Arrancar. However, he quickly caught himself and took a moment to great the two Captains, along with Stark.
"Yamada-san," Retsu began softly. "Can you tell me, how is the elder Lieutenant Kotetsu fairing?"
He didn't respond immediately, instead looking over to where the tall woman stood, an empty look on her face, as she was flanked by her sister Kiyone. The smaller, sandy-haired woman wad doing her best to comfort her sibling. On seeing this, Retsu glanced to her husband, before departing to approach her second officer, in the hopes of possibly offering some consolation...
Stark folded his arms, looking to the white-haired Captain. "You're lucky Jushiro, you and your mate have a hell of a pack... you both do right by your pack members, and they're devoted to you."
"It goes beyond that." He replied. "What I- we, what all of us- have is family," Jushiro elaborated for the Arrancar. "You, Lilly-chan, Retsu and my son, Shunsui, and all the others, we are- all of us- part of a community, a family of families." The Captain continued. "That's the true Pack."
Meanwhile, another exchange was playing out...
"I feel so... useless right now." Hanataro lamented with a sigh. "Lieutenant Kotetsu is going through so much, and I... I just wish I could so something- anything- to help her."
"Don't beat yourself up, Hanataro," the female Arrancar countered softly, before moving in to capture his hand in hers, in an uncharacteristically sentimental display on her part. "What matters right now, is that you're doing everything you can to help- and not just Isane-san."
He chuckled half-heartedly. "Listening to you... It's amazing to think, that at the end of the day, no one is really truly alone." Hanataro mused. "Because, the Pack looks after its own."
At the same time as this, Stark received knowing looks from both Jushiro and Shunsui...
"So, who else do we know is here?" Lillynette asked.
Hanataro nodded. "Lady Sungsun is here, as well as Major MacAllon." He revealed, gesturing to the sight of the busty woman with her cotton-candy pink hair. She looked to be inconsolable, as the slender female Arrancar stood beside her, doing her best to comfort the Quincy.
He noted, silently, the presence of a clean-shaven Shinzo Abe, who offered him a respectful look.
Beyond this, it would have been hard to miss the presence of the Tercera Espada, Tia Halibell, dressed in her modified Las Noches uniform (with a black armband). Alongside the tall, bronzed, blonde-haired female Arrancar, was her Fraccion Mila Rose and her mate Kyoko Matarabe.
Amongst the others there, was the diminutive pink-haired figure of Yachiru Kusajishi. The girl, usually so chaotic and wild, was little more than a shell of her former self... Her eyes were red and her face was marred by the fact that she had been- and still was- crying in an uncharacteristic display!
Thankfully, Lieutenant Renji Abarai was at her side, doing his best to offer some modicum of comfort to the girl as she wept openly. The heavily-tattooed Shinigami wasn't alone, as his partner Arachne Van Gewindes was lingering nearby, a somber uncertain look on the Arrancar's face.
Captain Rose Ōtoribashi of the Third Division stood alone, while his fellow Vizard and Captain Shinji Hirako and his Lieutenant Momo Hinamori looked on solemnly nearby...
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The unlikely friends, Franz and Kintaro, looked on as a number of individuals arrived on the scene...
Captain Byakuya Kuchiki of the Sixth, along with his Third-Seat Officer Shigeru Kimura and others were the next group to arrive. Both the Co-Lieutenant Sentaro Kotsubaki and Third-Seat Officer Rukia Kuchiki, of the Thirteenth Division had also also shown up on the scene.
At the same time, the former Tercera Espada and Captain of the Fourteenth, Nelliel-Tu Obberschank, was in attendance, along with her Lieutenants, Lisa Yadomaru and Katsuro Onigiri. The third member of the Tres Bestias, Emilia Apacci, was there- with the tall tomboyish female Soul Reaper, Tomoka, standing close beside her, smiling affectionately and holding her hand...
The Vizard and Captain of the Ninth, Kensei Muguruma, along with both of his Lieutenants, fellow Vizard Mashiro Kuna and the Shinigami Shuhei Hisagi, looked on without comment. The green-haired woman was tearing up, and not for the first time, given how red her eyes were.
Soifon, flanked by her partner Ggio Vega and her Lieutenant Shenkai, watched as Shunsui Kyoraku made his way to a podium at the head of the assembly.
Meanwhile, while the tall swordsman took his post- looking across the assembled crowd- the Arrancar Franque Lloydlight wrapped his arm around Kumiko Mitsuhashi in a comforting gesture...
"I've never really been much for speeches..." Shunsui started. "So then, if I happen to make a fool of myself with something I say, I hope you'll all try to keep that in mind and be able to overlook any such faux pas... at least, until more qualified individuals are able to come forward and speak."
"And so, against my better judgment, I've agreed to speak- briefly- on a matter that I believe will prove to be of vital importance to the future." He continued. "Even now, as we morn, change is coming..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Not long after the service wrapped up, a number of those in attendance had met, to discuss meeting up over drinks at a nearby establishment, with the intention of commiserating.
As such, Renji and Arachne were talking, when the former's Commanding Officer appeared, along with Shigeru Kimura and a few others from the Sixth Division!
"Captain Kuchiki?" The crimson-haired Shinigami asked, visibly surprised by his arrival.
"At ease, Lieutenant." Byakuya entreated calmly. "You may recall, that I had previously spoken with you, in regard to the matter of your future career prospects."
"Yes Captain." Renji replied promptly.
"As such, to that end," the nobleman continued. "I believe I need not remind you that the Eleventh is without a Commanding Officer, and so, I have taken steps to remedy this." Byakuya went on to reveal in his usual tone. "Renji Abarai... As my Lieutenant, you have served with distinction."
"It is my belief that you possess something more within yourself, something greater, specifically, the potential to grow beyond what you are." He continued. "And so, with all of that in mind, I ask: are you prepared to take the next step and work without a safety net, to be your own man, to lead?"
The tattooed man was flabbergasted by what he was hearing, struggling to process it all...
"Renji Abarai," Byakuya went on. "Are you ready to take on the mantle of leadership, and to become the Captain of the Eleventh Division?" He asked. "Will you become the man I believe you to be cable of becoming, to show that you have it within you to take on everything that comes with that?"
Arachne looked uncertainly between her mate and his Captain.
"Captain Kuchiki," Renji managed, looking him in eyes. "There's no man that I respect more than you, so if you genuinely believe that I am worthy of the title of Captain, than I accept."
"As I expected." The dark-haired man replied with a smirk. "For now, I advise that you take any such steps ads you deem necessary to properly prepare yourself to come to grips with the scope of your new office in the coming days." He paused. "And, further, I advise that you make the most of the time that you have, before you must come to grips with what it means to be a Captain."
With that, the Captain departed, leaving the equally dumbfounded Kimura in his wake. Renji seized the moment as he looked to him. "Well, Officer, it looks like you'll soon be in line for a promotion."
The bespectacled Shinigami didn't have time to react, as Ylforte appeared. The Fraccion sported a big smile as he draped an arm across his shoulders. "Way to go, Shigeru!" The tanned Arrancar went on to comment cheerfully, before swiftly leaning in to quickly kiss the other man on the cheek.
"Gagh, why you?!" Kimura exclaimed. "No! But where are my manners..." He resumed as he took his hand into his to shake it. "L- no, Captain Abarai, congratulations- you deserve this!"
Renji's attention was diverted back to the spider-like woman next to him, as she smiled gorgeously at him, before remarking "Now, now I'm the Mate of a Captain!"
(- End of Chapter XCVIII... -)
To be perfectly honest, this chapter wound up as being nothing short of a frigging beast!
Of course, as always, I'm just as much to blame for this, as the final revision lead to it being around 20 pages/10k words in length! One of the reasons for this was because this chapter really had to wrap up a lot of plot outstanding plot-threads, while also setting up the various plot points that are going to be resolved in the coming chapters. After all, while this is hardly the end of the story as a whole, my intent was that it would be a clear demarcation point for what was to come...
Again, if this chapter feels over-full of content, it's because I made the choice that rather than split it into two chapters, that it would ultimately be best thing for the pacing if the events of this chapter more or less began and ended within the span of this. And so, that meant going into "Over Time" with this one (even more so than I'd already done in the case of some of the previous chapters). One key reason this happened is because I added a lot more content for the Brethren (and to a lesser extent for Ichigo), and I'm curious as to what sort of direction this might take... All I'll say is that the remaining Brethren still have a role to play.
With that being said, I am curious about a few specific points... Chiefly, what people thought of how I handled the issue of the Eleventh. Also, another plot point I'm eager to hear back on the use of the characters of Franz and Kintaro. I liked the idea of these two ground-level soldiers becoming friends. After all, one of the key points- going all the way back to the beginning of this story- was "what if the pawns stopped fighting?" The only other points I can think of is what people thought of Ulquiorra (as he's behaving far more like a Hollow), Szayel and Urahara getting drunk, or Ichigo's interactions with Nelliel and Rukia.
I realize that's a hell of a lot to close things out on, but I'm always happy whenever I recieve some meaningful feedback, so TTYL!