Chapter 14
Yamamoto's voice rings across the field like thunder and many of his Death Gods recoil at the sound of it. "You have spewed enough lies for today, Aizen. Now it is time for you to atone for your crimes."
"I will," Aizen says as he finally draws his Zanpakuto. The time is right, everyone is in position, and targets have been locked onto. "Right after I make you answer for yours," he swears as Urahara, Yoruichi, and Tessai prepare to attack as well.
"Any who choose to continue living within the web of lies this man has told you, can do so," Tōsen says from his spot in the air as he draws his Zanpakuto. "Just know that you will die at his side."
"But, if ya choose ta get ya heads out of yer asses, yer more than wel'come to join us," Gin says, all smiles even as he gets ready to kill many he once thought of as friends. "We won't lie ta ya. Not like him an' we've no plans to return ta The Soul Society either."
"It will be yours to run," Daisy agrees as she moves to land next to Aizen and offers every Death God a kind smile. "We swear to you that once we've eliminated all the corruption you will never see us again."
"Unless you go wandering in Hueco Mundo," Urahara nods, hands clenching tightly onto his cane. "That will be their territory. Theirs and the Arrancars and I would suggest that you do not attack either."
"Doing so will be declaring war," Aizen states. "So choose now."
"Will you die by the side of the man you has lied to you time and time again?" Tōsen asks as he tries to determine exactly how many of them might come to their side.
"Or will ya fight against the injustice t'at has plagued yer once beautiful home?" Gins asks on cue as he drops down next to Daisy. Tōsen will become a target now, he knows and it's just what they need. The first move needs to be made by them. However, whoever attacks him will be taken down before they can so much as take their next breathe.
"We will not make you fight your friends if you do choose to side with us," Daisy says softly as she eyes the Lieutenants because she knows they will be the ones with the toughest decision to make if their Captains don't side with them.
She holds her hands out to them, an invitation, as her eyes lock onto Renji—the child she wished she could have saved from homelessness.
The first body hits the floor then.
It crashes into the ground in a bloody mess, a telling arrow protruding from its back. No one on Aizen's side is too surprised to find it's Hisagi either. He would be the first one to try to attack a vulnerable Tōsen.
"So be it."
The war begins in earnest then. Yamamoto calls the charge and while most spring forward without a thought, some stay back. Indecision grips them so they stand, Zanpakuto in hand, and do nothing as their friends begin to attack.
Rukia is one of those Death Gods and her gaze flickers to the side to find Renji standing not too far away from her. He also stands back, Zanpakuto limp in his grip even as his Captain rushes forward. They share a glance, quick and yet filled with so much meaning before they nod and push forward, decision made.
Kira watches them go, a jumble of emotions freezing his muscles. They keep him in place even though he knows he should attack as well. Nevertheless, he doesn't. Instead, he stands back, a lump stuck in his throat as his gaze flickers up to Gin.
His ex-Captain stands on the opposite hill, Zanpakuto locked in battle with another Death God. Kira cannot tell whom. His brain is a mess of half-finished thoughts and decisions and, while he really should know whose attacking Gin, his mind can't be bothered to pull up the name.
Instead, he continues to stare blankly at his ex-captain He doesn't have anyone to help him make a decision. No one he can lock eyes onto and just know what the right choice is. Hisagi would have been the closest thing he would have had to that but the man's on the floor, unconscious from the unexpected attack. So he has to make the decision on his own but he's brain can't decide what the right thing to do is. He knows that the longer he stands there the worst things will get. Therefore, as his eyes lock onto Gin's, he decides to choose with his heart instead.
"You're outnumbered, Aizen. Just give up," Yamamoto says as he comes to stand in front of The Lord. Aizen just quirks his brow.
"You are severely incorrect," he says as his lower level Espada make their appearance with their Fracciónes. "It would seem as if our armies are even."
He keeps the 'for now' to himself and instead motions for Wonderweiss to make his appearance. It had taken some effort and convincing but the Aizen had managed to get Starrk to allow the young Arrancar to participate in the war. It had taken some more convincing for Starrk to allow him to make special modifications to the young Arrancar.
Wonderweiss appears next to him instantly and releases his Resurrección—his Hollow abilities—without waiting for a command. His body once again resemble the deformed creature he used to be and still kind of is.
It had taken some doing and resources they had only just been able to spare for Aizen to make Wonderweiss useful despite his disabilities. He'd modified the younger Arrancar Resurrección to absorb some of Yamamoto's power. As long as Wonderweiss lives then the old man cannot call on the power of his Zanpakuto to fight and it gives Aizen the advantage he needs to kill Yamamoto.
The man may be old but he is not the Head Captain of all the Death Gods for no reason.
Their Zanpakuto crash together as he deflects a blow aimed directly at the younger Arrancar. Wonderweiss is slow in his current form. His figure has gone from thin to bulky and the young one is sluggish to react to the Zanpakuto headed his way so Aizen deflects it as he waits for the next stage in the plan.
They need to find out if Matilda still lives.
Grimmjow and Ulquiorra make their appearance then. They stand next to Ceci-Anne, who's been completely healed by Orihime much to the Assassins' amazement. They're on the roof of a tall building as the Archer beings to rain arrows on the enemy. She's carefully avoids the Death Gods who have yet to move or attacked any in Aizen's army. Her arrows don't do much damage. Not like the first one that had been back with some power Aizen hadn't bother to explain as he'd handed it to her. Still, the arrows help distract the Death Gods long enough for their opponent to get a hit in.
"The target stands three kliks south of Daisy and Gin," she tells them as she pulls back another arrow. "Nnoitra and Tesra are working to get him alone but their being targeted by the big Captain with spiked hair."
"They won't last long," Ulquiorra says as he watches the Captain laugh with maniacal glee. The Captain is strong, incredibly strong. Nnoitra can do nothing more than scramble to block the swings sent their way. "Keep firing at him, we'll see what we can do."
Ceci-Anne nods as she lets an arrow fly. It reaches it's mark and digs into muscled flesh. The Captain doesn't even falter in his attack. He keeps swinging while a little pink-haired girl breaks the arrow shaft from the Captains shoulder. With a curse, Ceci-Anne notches another arrow and aims from the Captain's hand instead.
She lets it fly.
The arrow is blocked.
The Captain's predator like gaze turns her way.
"Oh, shit."
Ulquiorra and Grimmjow sprint across the field, dodging swing Zanpakutos and Kido Spells aimed at them. They fire Ceros as they go. Helping their allies as much as they can while they make their way to their target.
Something else has caught the spikey–haired Captain's attention. While they worry over the poor soul that now has to fight him, it has given them the advantage they need. Nnoitra now has the Tenth Division Captain a fair distance away from the other Death Gods. While not defenseless, help won't be able to reach the Captain if he calls for it.
There's too many Arrancar between the Captain and his allies. They would have to cut through many Arrancars if they wanted to reach him.
"He's all yours," Nnoitra says as Ulquiorra and Grimmjow appear at his side. The small Captain stares at them impassively even though they know he's more affected than he's letting them see by the pants tumbling from his lips. "Ceci-Anne needs help."
"Go," Ulquiorra tells him and Nnoitra takes off with a nod, Tesra at his heels.
He reaches Ceci-Anne just in time to block the hit headed her way. The archer is not defenseless. He knows that, but she's no match for the Captain in close range combat. He shoots her a glare as he once again gains the Captain's attention.
"Get out of here."
Ceci-Anne shows only a moment of hesitation before she shakes her head and notches another arrow.
"He's too strong for you alone," she says as she lets the arrow go. The distance between her and her target is ridiculously short but it increases the force behind her arrow. It cuts clean through the Captain's left bicep and stops with only the feathers sticking out of the wound.
"Killing you both will be so much fun," the Captain declares, a grin that is all teeth on his face as he yanks the arrow out of his arm. Ceci-Anne curses as she notches another arrow but, before she can draw it back, a comforting Reiatsu settles over her.
She spares a quick look up and heaves a relieved sigh as the last of the Espada make their appearance.
The maniacal Captain is blasted away from them by a yellow cero.
"Harribel," Nnoitra greets and the two Espada share a quick nod before Nnoitra turns. He jumps back into the battle going on the grassy hill. He leaves Ceci-Anne in Harribel's more than capable hands as he goes to find another Death God to fight.
With the stronger Espada's arrival most of the Captain's attention has turned to them, leaving Nnoitra and those lower than him to pick off the Lieutenants. A job he doesn't find too difficult as his hand warps around the neck of a black-haired man. The man doesn't have time to react. Nnoitra lifts him clean off the floor and drives his Zanpakuto through him before he can so much as cry out in surprise.
The first casualty of the war belongs to The Soul Society.
A man with a buzz cut and sunglasses falls lifelessly to the floor. Slice in two, he has no hope of being saved. His body begins dissolving into Spirit Particles before he even touches the ground.
Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba of the Seventh Division falls.
No one stops to look or mourn though. No one can afford to. The fighting continues and, as the body finishes dissolving, the last of the Death Gods finally choose their sides and move.
Captain Retsu Unohana has questions for her once missing Lieutenant but she knows they'll have to wait. The corruption is about to be ended and she can finally sink her claws into the people who threatened to kill her. With maniacal glee that would put her fellow spikey-haired Captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, to shame she draws her Zanpakuto.
She doesn't spare a glance to her first victim. All she is aware of is blood splashing onto her clothes as she sinks her Zanpakuto into the shoulder of some nameless Death God. Cries of outrage and disbelief go up around her but she ignores them as she cuts her way towards her 'Head Captain'.
'The man will pay,' she vows, a bloodthirsty grin on her face. It'd been too long since she'd enjoyed a proper fight. Way too long since she got to maim her last victim but she can still remember her days as The Soul Society's most Diabolical Criminal. There's a reason everyone cowards in fear even at an idle threat from her. One doesn't get a name like that and just forgets everything they'd done to be branded as such.
She remembers the blood, guts, and screams just like she remembers the day Yamamoto had come for her. He'd forced her to join him, promising to end her if she didn't. She'd become some sick parody of a lion at a circus. Being poked and prod into doing Yamamoto's bidding and being threatened death if she didn't.
Now the Lion has been released and she coming for her master.
Her Lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, follows behind her. She goes obediently as ever though no doubt slightly confused. Especially as she finds herself fighting against her fellow Death Gods that have now turned their Zanpakutos towards her Captain. Unohana spares her a quick smile as they fight and Isane realizes, somewhat belatedly, that they have sided with Aizen. She's not surprised or outraged though. As any loyal Lieutenant, she'll follow her Captain to the end without question.
At least not while on the battlefield, afterwards, though, she'll asked just why her Captain chose to side with Aizen.
"Brother!"
The sound comes from Isane left, pulling her attention. She gets just two seconds to duck or Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto would have taken her head clean off her shoulders. She throws her weight forward as she ducks and rolls a good distance away from the Captain before he can think to strike again. Her roll brings her to a stop next to Unohana and she lets out a relieved sigh as her Captain moves to stand in between her and Byakuya.
She's no match for a Captain.
"I won't forgive you if you chose to attack my Lieutenant again," Unohana says, smile on her lips even as her eyes promise pain. Her clothes are as blood stained as her Zanpakuto but the Captain of the Sixth Division doesn't so much as blink.
His face is the same stoic mask as always even as his sister, Rukia, appears at his side and grips his arm to keep him from attacking again. There's a panicked look on the young Kuchiki's face as her eyes dart across the field. She's keeping an eye out for any attack even as she desperately tries to get her brother's attention.
"Brother, listen to me," she pleas as she tugs at his arm but the older Kuchiki doesn't acknowledge her. His gazed is locked on Unohana. "Don't do this, brother. Aizen isn't lying."
"How do you know," he asks without looking her way.
"Because he's not using his Shikai."
The surprise on the older Kuchiki's face is obvious and genuine as he stares down at his sister before snapping his gaze to where he can see Aizen fighting the Head Captain.
"How can you be sure?" he asks but even then, he knows it's true. He cannot sense Aizen's Reiatsu in the air. Even if Aizen had released it, he wouldn't have bothered with such an elaborate ruse. There's be no reason Byakuya can think of that would explain why Aizen, with his power of inflicting hallucinations, would go this far. "Are you positive?"
Why would Aizen not have killed them yet if they've been brought down by Hallucinations?
"Yes," the girl says as she release her brother now that he seems to have no intentions of continue his attack against Unohana. "Listen, the girl, the one dressed as a wolf. She talked to Ichigo, told him to question Urahara and I heard them. He told him the same thing they just said. I didn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it so I went to the Vizards."
"Rukia," her brother cuts her off when he realizes the nerves are causing her to babble.
"They told me the same," she says as she turns her gaze to the supposed enemy. "They said it was an accident but they hadn't yet forgiven Aizen so they weren't sure if they would fight but they swore Aizen wouldn't use his Shikai. He needs our trust."
"Why?"
"Because he's still trying to look for his daughter."
