Trial By Fire and Lightning, Teacher vs Student
Soul Society, Seireitei, Sōkyoku Hill, Execution Grounds
Rukia stood in front of two giant beams of wood with a third at the top.
Around her was only a hand full of captains and lieutenants.
First, there was the captain commander and his lieutenant.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Then there was the second division captain and her lieutenant.
The captain was a relatively petite woman with grey eyes and black hair, which she wore short with two long braids bound in white cloth, each ending in a large golden ring.
She wears a traditional Shinigami captain's uniform with a sleeveless haori and a yellow obi tied around her waist.
And Rukia knew that as the commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukidō, under her haori, she wore a black, backless, sleeveless undershirt, and she had long black armbands. Moreover, instead of wearing the standard Shinigami sandals, she wore traditional Chinese shoes with ordinary white socks.
She was Suì-Fēng.
Next to her was a large man who looked almost twice his captain's height and over four times her weight.
He has black hair and wears the standard Shinigami shihakushō with a sizeable purple collar, with expensive, personalised jewellery.
He was Suì-Fēng's lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda.
Then there was Isane.
Then there was a tall, light-skinned man with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair; he had his hair tied back in a long ponytail and had long bangs that framed the left side of his face.
He had a noticeable amount of body hair on his chest, feet, and arms.
He wears a Sugegasa straw hat and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which he drapes across his shoulders and over his captain's uniform.
He does not wear any tabi with his sandals.
He has thin facial hair around his mouth and on his cheeks.
He was the captain of the eighth division Shunsui Kyōraku.
Next to him was his lieutenant, a slim and youthful girl with long black hair pinned back, with flat bangs hanging to the right side of her face.
She wore a standard Shinigami outfit.
She has slightly light blue eyes with a deep tint of violet and wears glasses with a somewhat oval shape.
Her name was Nanao Ise.
Then there was the Sōkyoku itself, which was a gigantic halberd.
"It seems odd that so few people," Suì-Fēng said as she looked around.
"Uh," Omida asked as he looked down at her.
"Captains and lieutenants from the first and second divisions are here, plus the eighth," She told him as he nodded along, "It's no surprise that the fifth, eleventh and twelfth divisions are not here given the number of casualties," She told him.
She then shook her head, "And I think that Zaraki's lost it," She said before looking up at him, "But where are the rest of the officers I thought that Unohana would be here," She said before she spotted someone walking up to them.
It was a man with slate grey eyes and long black hair, which he kept up in intricate white headpieces called kenseikan, symbolising his nobility as the head of the clan Rukia was a part of.
The Kuchiki Clan.
And he was wearing three on top of his head and another two on the right.
He was dressed in the standard captain uniform, he also had a white scarf, which was woven by the master weaver Tsujishirō Kuroemon III, and Suì-Fēng knew it was a family heirloom, having been handed down from generation to generation and given to each head of the Kuchiki Clan. He wears fingerless white tekkō, which only covers the back of his hands.
It was Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the sixth division.
Rukia looked at him before steeling her nerve and closing her eyes, "Rukia Kuchiki, it is time," Yamamoto said to her, "Any last words before your execution," He asked her.
Rukia looked off into the distance and could feel that Ichigo was almost there, so she had to buy only a small amount of time, "Yes, just one," She said as Rukia looked at him, "Can you let the ones that come to rescue me to return home unharmed," She asked him.
The others looked shocked before Yamamoto nodded, as the Sōkyoku was enveloped in reishi, "Agreed, your last request will be honoured," He told her, "After your execution, I will allow the ryoka to return home unharmed," Yamamoto told her.
"Thank you so much, Captain Commander," Rukia said to him, "Ichigo, it's nearly time; where the hell are you," She thought as she felt him get closer.
Isane looked around her before spotting something in the air above them far away, "He's here," She thought.
Unohana then walked up to her and nodded, telling her that the plan was almost ready.
Members of the Kido Corps walked up and started to undo the Sōkyoku seal, "Release the Sōkyoku's seal," Yamamoto told them.
The reishi became stronger, and the robes snapped, unwound and shot off the halberd.
The connection to the collar around Rukia's neck was disconnected, and the bindings around her wrists vanished as four cubes shot out of the ground and started to lift her up.
She slowly floated up to the cross bead at the top of the wooden structure.
Nanao looked at Rukia, "Come on, Nanao, don't go all emotional on me now," Kyōraku said to her, "Or else I'm likely to come apart too," He added.
She looked down, "Yes sir, you needn't worry; it's just not sadness I'm feeling," She told him.
The halberd burst into flames as Ōmaeda stepped back, "Is that the release of the Sōkyoku," He asked them.
It then started to fly up and change shape at the same time, "The halberds changing shape," Suì-Fēng said in awe of what was happening before her eyes.
"What an amazing sight," Kyōraku said as two flaming wings folded out and started to form a large bird.
"Kikōō," Yamamoto called out to the others, "The blade of the Sōkyoku has taken on its true form to render the ultimate punishment," He told them all.
"When the prisoner's body has been pierced, the sentence will have been carried out," Yamamoto added.
Everyone watched as the flaming bird form of the Sōkyoku went to its target as Rukia closed her eyes.
But it did nothing.
Everyone looked up, wondering why Sōkyoku and they found that a person was holding it back.
Rukia opened her eyes to that Ichigo was using his Hollow Zanpakutō to block the firebird and on his left hand was the letter 'W' that looked inflated like a balloon.
"Sorry I'm late," Ichigo told her with a smirk.
"What took you so long," Rukia asked him.
"Last-minute planning," He told her as he looked down at Unohana.
The Shinigami, apart from Unohana and Isane, looked up in shock as Ichigo held back the Sōkyoku, "This can't be," Suì-Fēng said as it shook her to her core, "He held back the halberd," she said as she squinted to look at him and saw that he was holding it back with.
"But the Sōkyoku has the power of a million Zanpakutō," She said as she looked up, "He couldn't take it on with a single Zanpakutō could he," Suì-Fēng asked everyone.
After receiving no answer, she scowled up at him, "Just who is this guy," She asked.
"That Ichigo," Unohana thought as she took her Zanpakutō from Isane.
"It's almost time," Isane thought as she looked up.
"So your Haō-sama's heir that we angered," Yamamoto thought as he looked up at the teen.
"Nanao, do you think this could be the one that the ryoka was talking about," Shunsui asked his lieutenant.
Nanao soaked up Ichigo's image, "Yes, his appearance certainly matches all the captain reports that we've received," She told him.
Shunsui lifted his hat to look up at the teen, "I see," He said before pulling the hat over his eyes, "I guess it figures that in the end, it was the ryoka who saved the day," He said to her before looking back up at him.
"And to top it all off, he's the heir to our king," Shunsui whispered to Nanao, who nodded once more, "So he's right pissed at us," He added.
Having the delicate ears that she had, Suì-Fēng's eyes shot wide once more, "He's the heir to the Soul King," She thought as it made sense in her mind how he could hold back the Sōkyoku.
But she still had her orders.
The Sōkyoku screeched as it pushed back Ichigo as it moved around, "Ichigo," Rukia called to him.
As said, then turned to look at the flaming bird, "Backing out to prepare for a second attack, huh," Ichigo asked the bird, "Go ahead, bring it on," Ichigo told the bird.
"Stop egging on the Sōkyoku," Rukia screamed at him as the Hollow blade started to glow, "What are you doing. No, Ichigo, don't," Rukia yelled at him.
The blade of Diablo Luna touched the beak, and they both fought who was fighting for dominance, "Now I can only use this at half power; then he's sealed, so it won't destroy you but seal you back up," Ichigo said to them as the glow turned yellow as the small hole formed in front of the blade.
"Boca Infernal," Ichigo called out as the flames of the Sōkyoku were getting sucked into it, but then a robe shot up.
"They're about to destroy it but say with it for a bit longer, and we nearly have it," Diablo Luna told him.
And Ichigo did as the robe wrapped around the neck of the Sōkyoku before the weight pulled the other end of the rope down on the other side.
Unohana and Isane turned to see a tall man with long white hair that he wore in a long ponytail and thin black eyebrows dressed in the standard Shinigami captain uniform.
He had green eyes as he parted his hair on the left side with one long piece that tends to fall over his right with a somewhat emaciated appearance.
His name is Jūshirō Ukitake, and he is captain of the thirteenth division.
At his right was a man with dark hair and a short goatee.
He wears a customised version of the standard Shinigami shihakushō, wearing a thin white headband and straps around his shoulders, tied in a circle at his back.
He was Sentarō Kotsubaki.
On Jūshirō's left was a petite woman with dark blond hair and grey eyes.
She was dressed in the standard Shinigami uniform with the collar of a white shirt protruding over her top and white gloves.
Kiyone Kotetsu was her name, and she was Isane's younger sister.
Unohana, Isane, Shunsui and Nanao appeared next to wight, "Only a few more seconds now," Diablo told him as the mini black hole swallowed the flames after a few more seconds, "Now disconnect," Diablo told him as Ichigo jumped back.
"Hey there, mister handsome," Shunsui said as he placed his hand on the wight, "I was starting to wonder if you were going to show up," He said to Jūshirō.
Yamamoto turned to the two of them before sotting the thing in his hand, "So that's their plan," He thought.
"It took a while to break the seal," Jūshirō said before slamming down a shield, "But this ought to do it," He told him.
Suì-Fēng looked at the seal that was on the shield, and her eyes widened, "That has the Shihōin symbol," She thought; she then turned to her lieutenant, "Stop them; they'll destroy the Sōkyoku," She ordered him.
"Me, what can I do," The fat man asked as Shunsui and Jūshirō drew their swords or one of them in Shunsui's case.
They stabbed their blades into the shield, and the rope started to glow and disintegrate until it reached the Sōkyoku, which exploded as the flames began to rain.
"Well, that happened," Ichigo said as he back-flipped onto the stand Rukia was on while the Shinigami shielded themselves from the raining flames.
As he landed, Rukia looked at him as his eyes turned gold, "Ichigo, what are you going to do," She asked him with wide eyes.
"Isn't it obvious," He asked her as he held Diablo's sealed form above his head.
He then started to spin the blade with his finger in the chain, "This stand is going to tumble down," He told her as her eyes became more expansive.
"Ichigo, you can't; you'll only end up killing us both," Rukia yelled up to him, "The Sōkyoku is too strong," She told him.
"Don't worry about it," Ichigo said to her as he grabbed the blade handle, "Just shut up and watch," Ichigo told her.
"Ichigo," She muttered as she watched him stab the Hollow Zanpakutō into the stand.
Energy started to burst out of the stand before a large explosion happened, covering everyone as Ichigo grabbed Rukia before she could fall to the ground, "Yoruichi told me that you don't want to be rescued," Ichigo said as he stood on a remaining part of the wooden platform, "Then you told her to just go home," He told her as the smoke was cleared.
"You really do talk too much," Ichigo told her, "But then again, I don't listen to you," He informed her.
Under Ichigo's arm, Rukia looked down, "What a fool. I'm not going to say thank you," She told him as Ichigo gained a slight smile, "I won't," She said as the realisation from the last thirteen days had just come to her all at once.
Ichigo had saved her.
"I don't expect you to," He told her as everyone looked up at them.
Unohana, Isane and Yamamoto did not react while everyone else looked shocked by what had just transpired.
"The stand was destroyed," Sentarō said as he looked up.
"What kind of man is he," Ōmaeda asked everyone.
Byakuya glared up at Ichigo as Ichigo did the same, "Ichigo, where is Aizen, and what are we doing," She asked him.
She then looked up at him and saw that he had his pupils changed from one to eight, and she knew that he had the letter 'A' on his left hand.
His eyes returned to normal as his blood started to leak from his eyes, "Renji's on his way, and when he's here, I'm going to throw you to him so that you too can run," Ichigo told her.
"When," She asked him, confused, before hearing the sound of someone getting punched and knocked out.
"Now," Ichigo said as he rubbed the blood out his eyes.
They both turn to a struggling to walk Renji, hobbling his way over to him, "Renji," Rukia called out.
Renji looked up at them before screaming, "Rukia," He called up to her.
"Renji, I'm so glad you are so alive," She yelled to him, bracing for what Ichigo was going to do.
"I knew you'd show up," Ichigo said as he smiled at the redhead.
Renji looked at them, "Uh, what choice did I have? I couldn't just rely on you to save Rukia, could I," He told them.
Ichigo lifted Rukia, and she knew what was going to happen, "Alright, here you go," Ichigo said, gaining a smile.
Renji looked confused
"Ready," Ichigo said as he pulled back Rukia as she closed her eyes.
Renji's face turned on angles as dread set in, "Hold on now," He told Ichigo, "You would not dare," He said to Ichigo.
But he made a mistake.
He said the word dare.
"Look out below," Ichigo called out as he threw Rukia at Renji.
And she flew like a missile.
"AHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Rukia screamed as she flew with tears escaping her eyes.
"Ah, you're insane," he yelled to the teen.
"Look at what you have done to him," Ichigo heard Mond say to Diablo, who was laughing uncontrollably.
When Rukia hit Renjiit forced him back a few meters digging a groove in the ground.
They both shot up after a tiny bit, "Dame it, Ichigo," She yelled at him.
"You idiot, what if I didn't catch her," He also yelled at Ichigo.
"Take her and go," Ichigo told Renji as Rukia remembered the plan.
"I'll tell him when we get away about the plan," Rukia thought as she watched Renji look confused.
"Don't just stand there; get her to safety," Ichigo told him, "Take her far away from here," He added.
Ranji's face shifted as understanding came upon it, "That's your duty," Ichigo informed him, "Protect her with your life," He continued.
Renji's face became one of understanding before picking up Rukia and running off with her.
"Uh Renji," Ōmaeda started before getting cut off by his captain.
"Don't just stand there watching you fool," She told him before calling out, "All lieutenants after them," She told him.
Yamamoto looked at Chōjirō, "Yes sir," He told his captain as he joined Ōmaeda in running after Renji.
As they ran, Ichigo appeared in front of them, and he put Diablo's sealed form away.
The two stopped as Ichigo stood as a sentinel ahead of them.
"Get out of the way," Ōmaeda said as both he and Chōjirō got ready to unseal their Zanpakutō.
"Pierce Gonryōmaru," Chōjirō called out as his sword turned rapier.
"Crush Gegetsuburi," Ōmaeda yelled out as the blade of his Zanpakutō turned into an oversized spiked ball attached to a long chain, similar to a flail.
But once Gegetsuburi had formed, Ichigo smashed right thou it with his fist and kept going until he reached Ōmaeda, knocking him out.
He then moves on to Chōjirō, who tries to stab Ichigo with his Gonryōmaru, but Ichigo moves it to the side and knocks him out with a fast strike to the bottom of the chin.
Feeling someone coming up on his, Ichigo drew the sealed form of Zangetsu and blocked a sword strike from Byakuya.
"I can see your moves Byakuya Kuchiki," Ichigo said to the man.
Byakuya looked as emotionless as always, "Tell me why," He asked Ichigo; as the teen raised a brow, Byakuya explained, "Why don't you just give up, why do you insist on saving Rukia," He asked him.
"Uh, you're her brother, aren't you," Ichigo asked him as anger started to steep into his voice, "So the question that needs to be asked is why the hell aren't you trying to save her," Ichigo asked him in return.
"Such a foolish question," Byakuya told Ichigo, "Even If I had the time to try to explain the principle to you," He said to Ichigo as he closed his eyes.
"Someone like you would never understand," Byakuya continued, but Ichigo had none.
"Please, you're a failer of a brother and don't even try the shit that you a clan head; you have the power to save her, but you didn't," Ichigo said to him with pure hate in his words.
Byakuya stayed quiet for a while before saying, "It seems to talk severs no purpose prepare to die."
Byakuya started to send Reiatsu to his Zanpakutō to try and overpower Ichigo.
But the teen stood firm against the assault, "Is that meant to do something," Ichigo asked him as he held the blade there.
Ichigo then pushed him away as they skidded away from each other before they stopped, "I see only one path before me," Byakuya said as he readied his Zanpakutō, "I will kill you, Ichigo Kurosaki, and then I will recapture Rukia, and this time I'll execute her myself," He told Ichigo.
"Then, to do that, you'll have to get past me," Ichigo said before they used Shunpo to get closer to each other.
With Rukia
Rukia looked around before nodding, "Renji, I have something to tell you," She told the pineapple headman.
"And what is that," Renji asked her as he ran.
"Ichigo found out why I'm to be executed," She told him.
Renji looked down at her, "Why is that," He asked her.
"Right now, all I can say is that there is a traitor within the Gotei, and we think that there is more than one," She told him.
This shocked Renji as he struggled with everything around him, "Who is it, and what are they after," He asked her.
"Sōsuke Aizen, and he wants something called the Hōgyoku, which Kisuke Urahara," Rukia informed him, "And the plan is for Ichigo to draw the attention of everyone while Captain Unohana will find him and reveal this," She told him.
"I see, so where do me and you come into this," Renji asked her as he reached the stairs and started to run down them.
"I've been getting my powers back and something else thanks to my bond with Ichigo; I have something else that only a few have," Rukia notified him.
"How many others," Renji questioned her.
"Not including Ichigo and eight others," Rukia replied, "And in a few minutes, I'll have my powers back," She told him as she held up something.
Renji saw that it was her Zanpakutō that was slowly reforming.
Execution Grounds
Suì-Fēng looked at the ones that had destroyed the Sōkyoku as Yamamoto slammed the ground with his cane, "No one move," He yelled out.
"Captain Commander Yamamoto," Ukitake said as he looked at the old man.
"This crime, a lieutenant, freeing a convicted criminal and aiding in her escape," He told them as everyone, apart from Ichigo and Byakuya, had his attention, "Will be solved by capturing the treasonous officer and putting him to death; thus his fate is sealed," Yamamoto told them.
The ones that destroyed the Sōkyoku looked at the man, "But that is the least of our problems what you three captains have done here today is a crime of far greater magnitude," He told the three of them.
Shunsui looked at Unohana, who was gripping her sword like a Kenpachi.
"Surely you three are unforgivable," He told them.
Shunsui, who was still being a Kenpachi, turned to him, but he shook his head, "Well, we've got no chose," Shunsui said as he grabbed onto Ukitake's shoulder, "Are you ready, Jūshirō looks like were going to have to make a run for it," He told the white-haired man before using Shunpo to run off.
"Ah, Shunsui," Yamamoto said as he opened his eyes to see them running.
"Wait, Shunsui," Ukitake yelled at Shunsui and jumped off the hill, "I can't abandon them," He continued.
"Just calm down; Do you really want to fight old man Yama with all those others around," Shunsui asked him as they fell, "If we did that, a lot of people would have ended up dead," He told him.
As they neared the bottom, Ukitake nodded, "Now it's only the two of us for the moment," Shunsui added before he started to reach out with his senses, "Can you feel it there one more on our side getting closer," He told Ukitake.
Execution Grounds
Unohana stood in front of the members of the thirteenth and Isane as she looked at both Suì-Fēng and Yamamoto, "Not going to run, Retsu," Yamamoto asked her as he looked at her.
"I have to reason, no two of them," She told him.
"Oh, and what are they," Suì-Fēng asked as she walked closer to them before freezing in her place; she felt a blade at her throat as she looked at Unohana.
"He knows that I can beat you both in a sword fight but always loved disciplining both his students," She said her first reason as Yamamoto sped off, showing that she was right, "And for the second, you will fight her," She said as she pointed to something that was speeding at them.
Suì-Fēng only had a small amount of time to spot who it was before getting carried off, "Now then, let us get all these people head up," Unohana said as she held her Zanpakutō, "Release Them of Their Suffering Minazuki," She called out as her Zanpakutō changed form.
And it changed to a giant, green, one-eyed manta ray-like creature, "Minazuki swallow them and started the healing process," She told the creature.
Minazuki nodded as it walked forward, shot its tongue out, took in both and brought them in its mouth, "Follow me," Unohana told the three of them as she walked onto the manta ray creature.
After they walked onto it, "To the fourth place," She said as Minazuki started to fly off.
With Suì-Fēng
Suì-Fēng and her assailant, "Let go of me," She yelled at them, "Just who are you anyway," Suì-Fēng asked them.
"Sutch a fuss; I see you haven't changed," The assailant said as they moved her hand up to the mask on her face, "You have a quick temper like you always do," She said as they revealed themself to be Yoruichi.
"It can't be you," Suì-Fēng muttered as she looked at Yoruichi, "Yoruichi," She said.
"Well, long time no see, Suì-Fēng," Yoruichi said as she gathered energy in her hand, forming a Kidō
The both of them then crashed into the forest below them.
Fourth Division
Minazuki started hovering above the main building before it landed as members ran out, "Captain, we've heard what happened," One of them asked her, "Are you or the lieutenant injured," They questioned Unohana.
"Release the others and return Minazuki," Unohana told the manta ray-like creature.
Minazuki started inflating its stomach before spitting all the people in their gut onto the ground.
She then held up her saya as Minazuki turned into a liquid and filled in the saya as it returned to its sealed form.
"Most of their wounds are not life-threatening," Unohana told them as they looked up at her, "The time spent in Minazuki's belly has accelerated the healing process," She told them.
"Take them to the relief station and monitor them until they awaken," She ordered them.
"Yes, captain," One of them said as they started to carry them into the building.
Isane and Unohana looked to the hill where Ichigo and Byakuya were fighting before they turned around and started making their way out of the fourth.
Third Old City
Shunsui and Ukitake appeared in the runes of a city, "That should do it," Shunsui said as he looked around, "We're pretty far away from everything," He added.
"Yes, far enough to be out of danger for a while at least," Ukitake said as he served the area.
Nanao soon appeared behind them, breathing heavily, "Hey, Nanao, slowpoke," Shunsui berated her slightly.
"I didn't have to leave me behind, captain," She told him before looming shocked as both Shunsui and Ukitake looked at what she was looking at.
It was Yamamoto sitting there watching them, "I must say you got here quicker than I expected you to," Shunsui said as he looked at the old man.
"Chasing children," He said to them as they tensed, "It has been many years since a juvenile delinquent could get away from me," He informed them.
He then opened his eyes, "Let us finish this," Yamamoto said to them as he started to get up, "But I shall be using more than just fists," He told them as he began to let out Reiatsu, which was a bright red.
The area around them started to heat up as he slowly walked towards them.
Nanao began to reach into her clothes for something but then felt the full power of Yamamoto's Reiatsu on her, and she felt his eyes drilled into her.
She then collapsed to her knees as she struggled to breathe, "Leave," Nanao heard Yamaoto's voice boom in her head, "I have neither the time nor the patience to teach a mere infant like you," He told her as she started to foam at the mouth, "Who hasn't learned to breathe yet."
Shunsui soon moved in front of her to protect her from the captain commander, "Take it easy now," He told Nanao as he placed a hand on her head, "Little Nanao, it's going to be ok," He told her.
She stopped frothing at the mouth, but she was still shaken, "I'm so sorry," He told her, "I shouldn't have let you follow us in the first place," He told her before picking her up and carrying her off.
A few seconds later, Shunsui reappeared, "Your Shunpo is impressive," Yamamoto said to him, "You obviously worked long and hard on it to cover so much ground so quickly," He told him as Shunsui stayed on guard.
"Well, thank you," Shunsui said to him.
"Looking back, the two of you always exhibited exceptional strength," Yamamoto told them before looking at Shunsui, "You spent too much time chasing girls, Shunsui," He said the eighth, "And your behaviour was wild," He rebuked the man.
"But you were intelligent, and your ability to see the truth far out showed the others in your class," The captain commander told him before turning to Jūshirō.
"And you, Jūshirō, you had a weak constitution," He told the man, "But you more than made up for it with your daring and popularity," The old man said the white-haired man.
Jūshirō tho slowly started getting ready for anything, "Everyone looked up to you," Yamamoto added.
"And when it came time to battle, you both defied the imagination," Yamamoto praised both of them, "No one else could hold a candle to either one of you," He told them.
Jūshirō and Shunsui drank in their words from the old man, "You had such strong will training endlessly," Yamamoto continued talking, "Continuously honing your strength, my faith in you was reward when you two became the first captains of your divisions," He told them with pride in his voice.
"You were my pride and joy," The captain commander told them, "Like my own suns, I believed in you," He informed them.
"And even though we thought different thoughts, I always felt we walked the same path," Yamamoto told them.
He raised his cane as it was enveloped with his Reiatsu, as the wood started to disappear, revealing a Katana, "Now it appears that I was wrong about you; I am deeply disappointed," He told them as anger took over from the pride.
"Yamamoto-sensei," Ukitake said as the elderly man placed a hand on the Katana.
"Do not say anything time for words has passed," The captain commander told him, "Draw your swords," He told them.
All three drew their swords, but from Yamamoto, a wave was sent out as both Ukitake and Shunsui jumped back.
Yamamoto looked at the two of them, "What is the meaning of this, You two," He asked them as he looked at their swords, "Do not tell me you intend to fight me without releasing your Zanpakutō," The captain commander asked them.
Shunsui adjusted his hat, "We're still trying to avoid fighting at all, Old man Yama, if we can," He replied to his leader.
But Yamamoto was having none of it, "Silence," He ordered the man, "I taught you better than that," Yamamoto told them.
"You both know that there can be no forgiveness for those that defy justice," Yamamoto told them.
"And you also taught us that sometime we must carry out justice on our own, Sensei," Shunsui said back to him.
"That is why we carry these swords in the first place, is it not, master," Jūshirō added for his friend.
But Yamamoto was having none of it, "Sutch foolish talk, you have no right to decide for yourself what is right or wrong," He told them with his grip tightening on his blade, "It is your duty to accept the true justice of the world," He yelled at them.
Jūshirō then shot up, "Then what is the true justice of the world, Sensei," He yelled at the elderly man, "Who determines right and wrong," Jūshirō asked him.
Shunsui got up as well as looked at the older man, "Did you not hare me before," Yamamoto asked them as he stabbed his blade into h ground, "The time for words has passed," He repeated as Yamamoto let his haori fly off and took off the top of his Shihakushō to show off that he was wrapped and scared.
Flames started flowing around him, and he chuckled as he reached for his sword, "Retuse all creation to ashes, Ryujin Jakka," Yamamoto called out as the blade of his sword burst into flames.
Both Shunsui and Ukitake, as his flames washed over them, "How many years has it been since I've seen this form," Ukitake thought as he watched the fire, "How long since I felt this fear like the weight of the deep sea," He added in thought.
The flames encircled both captains, "This Reiatsu, even in its Shikai state," Ukitake thought as he felt the heat around him, "This heat scorches the heavens and consumes even the clouds that blade turns everything to ash," He thought.
"That most terrible Zanpakutō, the oldest and greatest of them all," He added in thought, "Ryujin Jakka," Ukitake said in thought.
"What are you waiting for," Yamamoto asked them, "Go on and release your swords," He told them.
They just stood there looking at him with Shunsui's hat casting a shadow over his eyes, "You haven't much time; surely you don't wish to be burnt without challenging me," Yamamoto asked them as he turned sword as the flame got hotter.
"I guess it can't be helped, Jūshirō shall we," Shuni asked the man next to him.
Jūshirō looked at the captain commander as his eyes softened before lowering his head, "Yes," Jūshirō said.
Jūshirō then brought his blade to his side, "All Ye Waves, Become My Shield. All Ye Thunder, Become My Blade," Jūshirō chanted.
The blade then peels apart into two swords with a large red rope-like chain at the base of the hilt lengthens, and silver metal square charms attached to the chain begin to fall.
The sword blade was thinner than the sealed form, as the tsuba now extended a little bit up the blade and halfway along the length of the Zanpakutō was a second blade that juts out from the inside of the primary blade and extended back towards the hilt, running parallel to the main blade, with the cutting edge of the second blade faces inward instead of outward.
"Sōgyo no Kotowari," Jūshirō called out.
Shunsui grabbed his second sword, and he started chanting, "The Flowery Winds Become Disturbed, The God Of Flowers Sings," Shunsui then crossed his blades, "The Heavenly Winds Become Disturbed, The Devil Of Heaven Sneers, Katen Kyōkotsu," Shunsui called out as he pulled his sword apart as they changed.
The swords change to two massive, black, heavily curved Chinese scimitars with silver edges.
The hilt and tsuba are still the same as in the sealed forms, but they now sport long red tassels dangling from the end.
"Sōgyo no Kotowari and Katen Kyōkotsu, these two were the only two dual Zanpakutō until recently," He told them as he looked at them.
"What do you mean we're the only two," Shunsui asked him.
Yamamoto looked over at him, "No matter how much he tries to hide it, the lieutenant of the ninth has a dual Zanpakutō," He told them as the captain commander moved his arm behind his back, "Then there is the prince Shinigami Zanpakutō that is a dual Zanpakutō," Yamamoto told them as he pulled something out.
It looked like the structure of an atom, "How do you know that," Shuneui asked him before pointing at the thing in his hand, "And what is that," He asked him.
"For the second question, this was made by Kirio Hikifune with some help from the prince and helped disperse the illusion around us and shield us from the traitor," Yamamoto told them, "And for the first, Retsu told me as she aided in teaching him how to use a sword," He told them.
And what shocked them was that Yamamoto was not attacking them as Shunsui and Ukitake looked at each other before turning back to Yamamoto, "Why are you not fighting us," Ukitake asked him.
He looked over at him before raising a brow with a look of amusement, "Would you rather burn," He asked them before both men shook their heads, "I thought so," The captain commander said.
Forest Near Sōkyoku Hill
Two women fought deep in a forest; Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi fought in hand-to-hand combat.
As they parted, they split a leaf in half and landed on two thick trees.
"I'm not impressed," Suì-Fēng said as she gained a smile, "For someone who has spent many years hidden away as you have, it doesn't seem you've gotten any stronger, Yoruichi," She mocked the cat woman.
Yoruichi just kept smiling at her, "Well, you, on the other hand, have let your skill get rather dull and rusty," Yoruichi said back to her.
"I noticed that you have your Zanpakutō," Suì-Fēng said as she looked at the sword on Yoruichi's back.
"If I wanted to become stronger, I needed to accept her," The cat woman said back with her smile still on her face.
"But it's not fit for warriors like us as it's a large sword is not fit for our work," Suì-Fēng said as she gained a smile, "Let's not forget that you're helping the ryoka, who is the apparent prince of the Soul King," She asked the woman ahead of her.
"Did he tell you that," Suì-Fēng asked Yoruichi.
"You sure are talkative today Suì-Fēng," Yoruichi said as her smile became cheeky, "Is it because you get to see your old sensei again after so many years," She asked the petite woman.
Suì-Fēng's face lost the smile that she had, "Or is it you showing your usual anger like the child I remember," Yoruichi added as Suì-Fēng narrowed her eyes, "Well, which is it, commander," She asked the captain.
Yoruichi narrowed her eyes lazily, "Has it become much for you following in my footsteps," She asked the woman.
Suì-Fēng started to reach for her Zanpakutō, "Don't flatter yourself; you still act as if you're better than me," She told Yoruichi, "But those days are gone as I'm the one with all the power now as I'm the one that controls the Onmitsukidō, Yoruichi Shihōin," Suì-Fēng told her as she pulled out her Zanpakutō.
Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly as ninjas appeared around her, each watching her, everyone moving and ready to attack her.
"Let me show you the difference between you and me now," Suì-Fēng said as she stabbed her blade into the tree she was standing on, "As you know, when the leader of the Onmitsukidō draws their sword and execution battle is imminent," Suì-Fēng said to her.
"Any opponent must die, and if that should happen to include a former commander, that is what will have to be," Suì-Fēng told her, an evil smile forming on her face, "You chose to throw away the title that I know hold, just look around you there's no escape for you Yoruichi," Suì-Fēng said to her.
Yoruichi gained a smirk before moving at high speed, knocking the ninja away from her, and they were sent flying past other her and Suì-Fēng; as Suì-Fēng's eyes shot wide at the display before her.
"I really hate being underestimated like that," Yoruichi told Suì-Fēng, "It's true that I threw away the Onmitsukidō title, but there is one other title that I never relinquished," She continued.
Suì-Fēng narrowed her eyes once more at the dark-skinned woman, "Flash Goddess Yoruichi," Suì-Fēng growled as she grabbed her sleaves before tearing them off, "That's not a real title, but since you climbed it, you leave me no chose," She continued as she took off her Haori as she looked Yoruichi dead in the eye.
"But to rip it from you with my own bear hands," Suì-Fēng told her.
Yoruichi looked Suì-Fēng up and down, "You still were the Keisen Shōzoku of the Onmitsukidō, uh," Yoruichi asked her, "I didn't know you were so traditional," Yoruichi said to her.
"Does it make you think about the past," Suì-Fēng asked with a smirk of her own.
"Only a little," Yoruichi said back.
"So think back some more now," Suì-Fēng told her, "And don't hold back," She added.
Suì-Fēng slowly started to kneel down, "Compear us between you and me, which of us shines as the better assassin," She told Yoruichi as she jumped at the woman.
They both started to fight hand-to-hand with the sky above the forest there, neither giving an inch as they parted; it showed that Suì-Fēng had hit Yoruichi in the mouth, and she hand hit Suì-Fēng in the arm.
"It seems that we're even Yoruichi," Suì-Fēng told her.
"So it seems," Yoruichi told her as they both started to enjoy this battle, "Have you got some gimmick hidden in the folds of your uniform," Yoruichi asked as she wiped the blood out of her mouth.
"Are you going to use me," Yoruichi's Zanpakutō asked her.
"Not yet," Yoruichi replied to her, "Your movements have improved, Suì-Fēng," Yoruichi said as Suì-Fēng raised a brow at her.
"Some kind of gimmick," She asked her former sensei, "I guess you could say that; I'll show you," She said before grabbing her Zanpakutō ad disappearing.
She then reappeared behind Yoruichi; she looked like she was trying to hug Yoruichi from behind as he brought her blade close to Yoruichi's neck and put her off-hand on the sword, "Sting All Enemies To Death, Suzumebatchi," Suì-Fēng called out as her sword changed form and release a noise of buzzing.
When the noise and a brief glow were finished, it showed a black and gold gauntlet with a small chain linking it to a stinger-like blade on Suì-Fēng's middle finger.
The "stinger" is about twice as long as the normal length of Suì-Fēng's fingers.
Yoruichi looked out of the corner of her eye at Suì-Fēng before letting out a sigh, "Are you sure you want to do this Suì-Fēng," Yoruichi asked her.
Suì-Fēng did not answer her as she put her on her Zanpakutō and remembered when she got her true Shikai.
20 Days Ago, Soul King Palace, Ōetsu Nimaiya's City, Hōōden
Yoruichi was sitting in front of Nimaiya in his made home, "Now, as Ichibē told me that your Zanpakutō has told you her wrong name, do you have any idea as to why," He asked her.
Yoruichi sat quietly as her brain gave her the answer, "When I joined the Gotei one day before I gained my fake Shikai that should just focus on Hakuda and Kidō," She conveyed to him.
Nimaiya nodded at this, "Now, why do you think she did that," He asked her.
She did not respond for a while as he waited for her to respond, and after a few minutes, she opened her mouth, "To not hold me back thinking that I would not need her," Yoruichi said as something formed next to her.
"Your right," They said to her.
Yoruichi turned to look at the person to see a six-foot t all panther woman that stood on two feet.
She was hardly dressed as her clothes consisted of a moulded bronze harness worn on the chest with metal filigree on the cups and fastened with cords crisscrossed behind the neck and back and a purple silk skirt with separate panels suspended from a metal belt.
Yoruichi opened her mouth to say her name but then closed it, "But now you need my power; do you think you will use it," She asked her master.
Yoruichi stayed quiet for a while, "Can you tell what your weapon form is," Yoruichi asked her.
"No," The panther woman said.
"Are you still a lightning type Zanpakutō," Yoruichi asked her.
"I have an aspect that is lightning but only one part," The panther said as Yoruichi closed her eyes.
"So what do I have to do to earn your Shikai," She asked her Zanpakutō.
The panther woman shook her head, "First, let me ask you this question, well more of a riddle," She said to the dark-skinned woman, "I am one who supports the heavens and the spreads throughout the earth; I am what you are, and the beast I am what am I," The pather woman asked Yoruichi.
The dark-skinned woman did not answer as she looked at her Zanpakutō, "How long do I have to answer you," She asked her.
"Take as long as you need, but the later you answer me, the more time you'll need to use me but let me ask," The panther asked her, "Don't answer now, but when you find out my Shikai what will you do if I'm not the type of weapon that you normally use will you cast me aside once more or will you let me fight with you," She asked her.
Yoruichi got up and looked at Nimaiya, "Can I have some time," She asked him.
"Sure, take all the time you need," He told her as she walked out.
Yoruichi walked thru the halls of the Soul King Palace until she reached a part that overlooked the Seireitei as she sat down to look over it.
"Do you need help," Yoruichi heard someone behind her.
She turned around to see Haō standing there looking at her, "I just trying to figure out something," She told him as she turned back.
"Tell me about it," He asked her.
"My Zanpakutō told me a riddle that I'm trying to figure out," Yoruichi said as Haō nodded.
"What is it," He asked her.
She stayed quiet as she looked down at the Seireitei for a while, "I am one who supports the heavens and the spreads throughout the earth; I am what you are and the beast I am; what am I," She told him.
Haō closed his eyes before nodding, "I think I get it," He said as she looked over at him, "The first part means the sky, the second part is what you did when you were a Shinigami and what Animal she is," Haō said before he looked up, "Oh it's time for my time to teach Ichigo so off I go," Haō said before teleporting off.
Yoruichi looked back down and thought, "So the sky and lightning are the only part of the sky is," Yoruichi thought before her eyes shot wide, "A storm," She said as she rushed off somewhere, there would be paper.
She found a pen and wrote down the riddle before righting down the word storm.
"Now 'I am what you are' what am I," Yoruichi asked herself as she looked up with closed eyes, "And Haō said it was what I was when I was a Shinigami," She asked as she closed her eyes.
"Right when I joined the Gotei, I joined the second, and I was a ninja for all-purpose, so strom ninja," She asked herself as she looked at the paper and Yoruichi stayed there for a few hours as the one paper became two, then three until papers were covering the table she was at.
Ichigo walked into the room she was in and saw her looking ready to tear her hair out, "You ok, Yoruichi," Ichigo asked her.
She looked up at him with dead eyes, "I hate riddles, and my Zanpakutō gave me one to find out the real name," Yoruichi told him.
Ichigo walked over to her and looked down at her papers, "So the first part means sky, but you put storm," Ichigo asked her.
Yoruichi looked back at the papers, "Zanpakutō said that lightning is only a small part of her," She looked back at the papers.
"Oh, that makes sense, so what is the part are you stuck on," He asked her.
She looked up at him, "Why do you think you can help," Yoruichi looked at him with disbelief.
"I'm the third beast in my class, and only Uryu is two places ahead of me, so tell me what it is," He said to her.
"Do you really think you can answer the riddle," She asked him and once she saw his nod, "If you manage to get it once we save Rukia, I'll taker you out on a date," She told the teen as he sat down.
"Right, the second part was 'I am what you are', and as the captain of the second division, I was practically a ninja, but it doesn't feel right," She said to Ichigo with crossed arms.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes as he picked up a piece of paper and started to write something down before he looked up and muttered something before nodding, "Ok, I think I get it and how to help you," He told her.
He handed her the paper and looked and saw the words, "What is a ninja," She read, as she started to think, "A ninja is a warrior, a killer, a," She began as her eyes widened.
"An assassin," Ichigo said as he nodded.
Yoruichi shot out f her seat and ran over to Ichigo, and kissed Ichigo, "Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you," She thanked him over and over before she ran out, leaving a confused Ichigo with a red face.
"Ok, so Storm Assassin and the animal, what animal is she," She said as Yoruichi walked out of where she was, "A cat, no a specific cat, a panther, and her fur was," Yoruoichi was saying to herself before her eyes shot wide.
She then shunpoed back over to Nimaiya's house before opening the door to see her Zanpakutō drinking tea, "Have you figured it out," The panther woman asked her.
"You are a storm assassin, black panther," Yoruichi said as she pointed at the woman.
The panther woman nodded, "Yes, I am, and so I shall."
Present Day
"Strike Like Lightning," Yoruichi called out as her Zanpakutō started to glow and change form and covered her hand, "Arashikyōkan Kurohyō, Inazuma," Yoruichi called out as she turned into a lightning bolt that shot nearby before reforming.
Suì-Fēng looked shocked that Yoruichi saw that she had a black and purple leather gauntlet with metal filigree, "What is that," She asked the dark-skinned woman.
"Meet my Zanpakutō's true Shikai, Arashikyōkan Kurohyō," Yoruichi said as she looked down at the gauntlet, "And to think that I missed out on using her in her true form," She said as she had a sad smile.
Suì-Fēng scowled at that before jumping at her Yoruichi did the same as they both struck each other as they moved past.
On Suì-Fēng, a cat's face from while on Yourichi's butterfly-shaped stamp formed on her chest just below her bust Suì-Fēng looked down at her arm while studying the mark on her chest.
"I see, so she improved her Nigeki Kessatsu," She thought before looking back up, "I see you've improved your skills a little bit," Yoruichi said as she crouched down.
She then placed her hand on the tree as the cat mark formed there before she, "I only need some more time," Yoruichi thought as she
"Yes, and in the hundred years that you ran and hid, I perfected it, and now," Suì-Fēng said as she jumped at Yoruichi with the stinger as they jumped away, each moving at high speed.
Both of them started to get covered in each other's markings as Suì-Fēng, seeing that Yoruichi had more making on her, began to gather Reiatsu, "Soon I'll finish you off and show you that I'm the better one between us, and then I'll go after that so-called prince," Suì-Fēng told the dark-skinned woman as the wind started to form around her as she began to glow a bright white.
"So I was right; she does know that technique," Yoruichi thought as she looked at Suì-Fēng.
"I bet you've never seen a fighting technique like this before having you," Suì-Fēng said as she gained a smile, "It's unique because it combines elements of both Hakuda and Kidō, it's something I created myself," She monologed at Yoruichi who just looked at him.
"Hay, this bitch is not going after our man; show her why you have been named the Queen of the Storm," Arashikyōkan Kurohyō yelled to her mistress.
"Oh, I will, and I'll use the same technique as her," Yoruichi said as she narrowed her eyes at Suì-Fēng.
"You should feel privileged, actually," Suì-Fēng told her as her monologued continued, "This technique has been perfected only recently, so you're the first victim of it in actual combat conditions; it doesn't even have a name yet," Suì-Fēng said to Yoruichi was listening to her talking non-stop.
Finely having enough of her talk, Yoruichi raised one of her arms, "Wrong, it has a name," Yoruichi told her as she closed her eyes.
"What did you just say," Suì-Fēng asked her.
"It's called Shunkō," Yoruichi said as Suì-Fēng's eyes shot wide.
"You don't know what you're talking about," She said to the dark-skinned woman.
"Don't you know why your Keisen Shōzoku has no back or sleeves," Yoruichi asked her as white lighting formed around her fist, "Because those parts would be wasted when this move is performed, a dense Kidō
envelops the user's back and shoulders," She told Suì-Fēng as white lightning started to form around her.
Suì-Fēng looked on in fear at what was happening in front of her, "The Kidō draws power first to the arms and legs, then explodes outward," Yoruichi told her as the lighting sparked everywhere, "In other words, the moment they move has activated any fabric on the arms and shoulders will be blown off," Yoruichi told her as lightning then start to hit the ground destroying it.
Her orange dress started to get ripped to shreds as Yoruichi just stood looking at Suì-Fēng in her back leg and sleeveless leotard with wings of lightning forming behind her, "The fact is I really didn't want to resort to using this technique agist you, but you had said that you would go after my mate," Yoruichi told Suì-Fēng of her eyes became her animal forms eyes.
Suì-Fēng looked shocked as lightning formed around Arashikyōkan Kurohyō to show that there was a small cannon on the top of the gauntlet, "Now, normally, I'll let Ichigo deal with you, but as he's not here, I'll just do it," Yoruichi said as the white lightning and the regular yellow lightning as it formed an oversized orb of lightning.
"Jūjikaminari," Yoruichi called out as the orb turned into a large blast shot towards Suì-Fēng, digging a large groove in the ground, and the marks on Suì-Fēng started to glow purple and black, and the lightning that started struck her in each of the places that had been marked would boost the strength of the lightning blast.
When the blast was over, Yoruichi slowly walked over to Suì-Fēng, who jumped up as her Shunkō was active.
But Yoruichi held her hand under Suì-Fēng as a blast of lightning formed between the two of their hands before Suì-Fēng froze as Yoruichi gently lifted her hand, "You are not ready to use this yet; suì-fēng," Yoruichi told her as white lightning was still lowing around her.
"She used Bakudō #23 Hanki agest me," Suì-Fēng thought as her world started to crumble around her, "She cancelled mine out by crushing it with Kidō of the same quality and strength but with the opposite spin," Suì-Fēng said in thought.
"Dame it, she did it so quickly and effortlessly," She thought as she tried to think about what had happened, "Not agast my Kidō's speed and pressure," Her thought continued.
"Tell me why," Suì-Fēng asked Yoruichi, "I should have surpassed you by now; I'm stronger than you," She screamed at the dark-skinned woman.
Suì-Fēng jumped at Yoruichi and tried to fight her, but she got knocked back and dodged each attack sent her way.
"Why are you still standing; I should have the power by now," Suì-Fēng yelled at the cat woman, "A century of isolation should have made you weaker than me; how can you be dominating me," Suì-Fēng yelled at her.
Both of them used their Shunkō as Suì-Fēng started to attack Yoruichi wildly before the dark-skinned woman kept dodging; she could see the tears forming in Suì-Fēng eyes, and she saw what she needed to do; she made a fist as the lightning from Shunkō and sent it into the ground.
The area around them was destroyed as Suì-Fēng just stood there with tears flowing, "Tell me why; help me understand why didn't you take me with you," Suì-Fēng asked the other woman, "I would have gone anywhere with you; Yoruichi you must have known that," She told the older woman.
While stoic on the outside, Yoruichi internally cringed as Suì-Fēng fell to her knees, "Yoruichi-sama," Suì-Fēng muttered.
"You have gotten much stronger since the last time I saw you, Suì-Fēng," Yoruichi said as she knelt down, pulled the petite woman in a hug, and let her cry.
"There was a reason that I left," Yoruichi told her old student as she heard the sobbing starting to slow, "And even if I was here and tried to bring the truth, I may have dyed," Yoruichi told her.
"Wh-who could have ki-killed you," Suì-Fēng asked her.
"The real traitor of the Gotei," Yoruichi said as Suì-Fēng looked up at her, "Only a few of us on in the plan," Yoruichi told her as she looked around.
Suì-Fēng rubbed the tears out of her eyes, "Who is the traitor, and why is in on the plan," Suì-Fēng asked her master, ready to make up for what she had done.
"Alright, so here is the plan," Yoruichi said to Suì-Fēng, who nodded.
Sōkyoku Hill
Ichigo and Byakuya were closing upon the rocky outcrop, each with Byakuya trying to break thou Ichigo's guard and Reiatsu exploding around them, neither making headway.
"I see you have mastered Shunpo," Byakuya said as he looked over, "Don't think it's do anything," He continued without emotion.
Ichigo just raised his brow at the man, "I thought you said the talk was useless," Ichigo asked the man, "And what's this about trying to kill me as you haven't even put a scratch on me," Ichigo told him.
Byakuya did not respond to him as he raised his sword, "Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya called out as his sword turned into cherry blossoms.
He then sent them at Ichigo, and they washed over him, but his skin gained a slight silver glint.
"So you send your Shikai at me, is it," Ichigo asked as he walked, his skin looking metallic.
Kikōō = Blaze Fledgling King
Gonryōmaru = Stern Spirit
Gegetsuburi = Five-Formed Head
Ryujn Jakka = Flowing Blade Like Flame
Sōgyo no Kotowari = Truth of Pisces
Katen Kyōkotsu = Bones of Heavenly Blooming Madness
Suzumebatchi = Hornet
Arashikyōkan Kurohyō = Storm Assassin Black Panther
Senbonzakura = Thousand Cherry Blossoms