Disclaimer: I don't own these franchises!

. . . Great late by pretty much a whole year. Sorry about that. I kinda got tied up by writer's block and procrastination. Then, school piled up on top of that. . .so. . .uh. . .Happy New Year and stuff. . .onto reviews!

Guest: A LITTLE random? This whole CHAPTER was random. (。ŏ_ŏ) XD I blame it on my odd mannerisms that day.


Chapter 8: The Scientist

"How do you think Kurosaki-kun and the rest are holding up?" queeried Orihime, glancing over to her bespectacled friend.

Uryu continued walking, pushing up his glasses with his index finger. "They are going to be fine. If I know one thing about Ichigo and Danny is that they are too stubborn to go down without a fight."

Orihime gave a small smile at that. "Yeah, Danny-kun and Kurosaki-kun really are amazing. And you, with all of your Quincy powers. All of you are so powerful, but I'm just holding everyone back."

Uryu frowned and glanced at his friend. "Your abilities may not be as powerful as ours, but your healing and protective powers are truly incredible. Besides, your constant cheer in spite of the situation is really amazing, too."

Orihime beamed with starry eyes and wrapped Uryu in suffocating hug. "Thank you so much, Uryu-kun."

Uryu went slack as his face went red from the hug. . . and slowly began turning blue.

"Orihime, you're choking me," gasped Uryu. Orihime quickly let go and looked very sheepish.

"Sorry about that. . ."

Uryu sighed. "It's alright. We just need to find the rest of the gang. Something tells me we'll need them soon-"

"Hey, you guys lost or something?"

Uryu and Orihime froze.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you guys newbies or somethin'?"

The man stumbled towards them, his cheeks rosy. Uryu sighed. 'He's tipsy. This might be easier than I thought it would be.'

"Well what squad are ya in?"

Orihime winced. "We're in. ."

"Squad 11," finished Uryu.

The man scowled. "Yer in Squad 11, and yer dumb enough to forget yer sword!"

The man paused his advance and narrowed his eyes. "I've never seen ya before. Let me look at ya."

The man stepped forward and grabbed Orihime's arm, staring at an insignia. Uryu cursed his incompetence, silently.

'Of course, all Squads have their own insignia!'

The man glared at them. "This is Squad 12's emblem! Who are you peopl-"

Uryu and Orihime stepped back aghast as the Shinigami fell forward, eyes rolled back into his head. Behind the collapsed man was a group of Shinigami, one of them holding the stick that they brained the shinigami with.

"Sorry about these Squad 11 bastards," said the man with a stick. "They're always trying to start a fight somebody."

Orihime bowed, gratefully. "Thank you, all."

They all smiled, warmly. "No problem. Us Squad mates have to stick together!"

Uryu looked on at the group conversing with Orihime with narrowed eyes. 'This is working too nicely. They're not suspicious of us at all, despite this being an invasion. It's almost like a trap. . .'

"Orihime, your shield! Now!"

Orihime jolted into action, thrusting both hands in front of her. "Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

Orihime erected a triangular orange shield just as a series of explosions went off. The explosions slammed against the barrier, and the ryoka were sent flying back as the barrier shattered. Smoke billowed up into the sky as Uryu and Orihime propped themselves up.

"Are you alright, Orihime?" Orihime gave a small nod as she pushed herself up, grimacing all the while. The doctor inside Uryu was going ballistic as he fought down the urge to go 'full doctor' on Orihime's now injured arm.

However, Uryu's attention was soon brought away by a ripple from a nearby wall.

"Hmm, I should have known those half-witted screw-ups wouldn't kill you two."

A man stepped out of the shadow of wall. He was dressed in an odd mask with two knobs where his ears should've been and one more on his chin. There was a sinister little grin that was almost splitting his face. A regal captain's haori draped over his shoulders completed the outfit.

"Oh well, it's nothing I can't finish myself."


"Come on Ichigo! You will never find the right blade with your fear!" Zangetsu slashed down at Ichigo narrowly missing as Ichigo rolled away. "Dodging won't help you either!"

Ichigo sprang to his feet only to duck as his head was almost taken clean off his shoulders. Ichigo frantically pulled at a sword stuck in the ground, using it to parry the zanpakuto spirit's blow. . . only to have it be cut like butter.

"Use your head Ichigo and stop making decisions based out of fear!" Zangetsu slashed down at the Shinigami as Ichigo parried with his broken stump of a sword.

"Y'know it works better when you actually attack!" Yoruichi advised.

"Shut up, ya stupid cat!"

Yoruichi just grinned cheekily.

Ichigo pulled yet another blade from the ground and attacked with a thrust of his own only for Zangetsu to sidestep the attack. Zangetsu stabbed at Ichigo's head, but Ichigo ducked and cut at Zangetsu legs.

Zangetsu followed up by jumping and landing a double heel kick to Ichigo's face. Ichigo collapsed in heap, heaving and puffing.

"Can we just take like a five minute break or something. . . please?"

Zangetsu gave a sigh of exasperation, walking away. Ichigo gave a sigh of relief as he pushed himself up to his feet.

Ichigo was about to get up when he saw Yoruichi glowering down at him.

". . . What?"

Yoruichi merely pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "You're hopeless. . ."


The Captain had his masked gaze fixated on Orihime.

"That thing you did there, it was quite remarkable. I may just have to keep you for further examination."

Uryu glared at Mayuri, quickly forming a reishi bow with his glove. "Over here you freak!"

Mayuri lazily gazed at Uryu, almost annoyed. "No, no, I have no use for your kind! I've already experimented on hundreds of them. To examine you would be nothing short of redundant."

Uryu's eyes widened slightly, before steeling himself. Putting the captain's quip on the back burner, he quickly assessed the situation.

'He's a Captain judging by the haori. . '

Uryu glanced behind the Captain to see a young woman with bobbed purple hair, a shinigami uniform, and, most notably, an almost emotionless expression. 'And that must be his lieutenant.'

"Who are you?" Uryu demanded.

The man grinned. "I am the lead scientist of the Soul Society. I am the Captain of Squad 12," started Mayuri as he let his spiritual pressure begin to leak out in visible, ethereal waves. "I am Mayuri Kurotsuchi!"

Uryu stood his ground against the newly unveiled spiritual pressure as Orihime looked on with wide eyes. 'Wow, Uryu is amazing! The amount of pressure that he's taking must be suffocating.'

"Are you going to just keep showboating or are you going to fight?" Uryu scoffed.

Mayuri smirked his unnerving grin. Uryu felt the pressure being to slowly fade along with the waves of visible Reiatsu.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand me. I don't want to fight you." Mayuri clasped his hands together in front of his chest. "I only wanted to know where I could find the ghost."

Uryu glared.

"Oh come on, I'm being nice!" Mayuri threw his hands up almost petulantly.

Uryu didn't budge.

Mayuri pouted. "Alright, I'll just beat its location out of you."

Uryu bristled the quick dismissal of him by the masked Captain. "You shouldn't underestimate me."

Mayuri cocked his head, slightly. "Oh?"

In that short instant, Uryu was behind Mayuri with his Reishi bow gleaming, even in the daylight, and taut.

Mayuri's eyes widened as he glanced behind me. 'He's fast!'

Mayuri leisurely began to turn to face the Quincy archer, ignoring the Reishi arrow aimed straight for his head. "I've already finished studying your kind."

Mayuri finished his turn and looked Uryu dead in the eyes. "You may leave now."

And then all hell exploded.

Mayuri's arm stretched out towards Orihime, catching Uryu off guard. Orihime screamed. Uryu materialize an arrow and loaded it into his bow.

Uryu fired.

There was a bright flash and a clank against the stone road. Mayuri's metallic hand fell limp upon the ground as Orihime gasped.

"Run, Orihime!"

Orihime was shocked out of her stupor and shook her head, furiously. "I'm not leaving you."

Uryu scowled. His eyes caught the newly conscious shinigami attempting to sneak away from the ensuing battle.

"Hey, Shinigami! Take Orihime or I will kill you where you stand."

Sweat began to collect on the shinigami's forehead as he looked between Orihime, the Quincy, and the mad scientist.

"I-uh-can't-well-I-"

Uryu snapped. "Do it now!"

Makizō moaned. "Aw man! Come on."

To Orihime's dismay, she was lifted over the shinigami's shoulder and carried off. Mayuri just watched the two run off.

"Well," Mayuri muttered, "You wanted my attention. You've got all of it now."

Mayuri, to Uryu's shock, tore off his arm. "This arm took me so much time to make, you know. Now it's all broken."

Mayuri paused, as if considering something. "What a shame."

"Oh the pain, it hurts so much!" whined Mayuri, pulling out a syringe. "The pain is unbearable!"

Mayuri stabbed the needle into his arm and suddenly a new arm sprouted out from the previous stump. Uryu quickly snapped out of it and launched an arrow.

Mayuri flash stepped onto a building to dodge a Reishi arrow. Mayuri flash stepped back to the ground to dodge another.

And another. And another.

Mayuri drew his sword and sped at Uryu, only for him to disappear behind him and fire another arrow. Mayuri flash stepped away from it as they stood off mere feet from one another, their surroundings racked with holes and craters from their skirmish.

"Hirenkyaku. You truly are advanced, Quincy."

Uryu scowled. "What did you mean? Why did you test the Quincy?"

"It doesn't matter. You are going to die anyway."

With that, Mayuri gripped the hilt of his zanpakuto, in front of his pants. He pulled and cocked his head as if even the sharp sound of the sword leaving its sheath was interesting to him.

Mayuri held the sword hilt in front of his face as bright purple Reiatsu began to emanate from his being. Uryu was held in place, captivated by the Captain's growing Reiatsu.

'I've got to stop him!'

"Rip," called out Mayuri. His voice rebounded throughout the abandoned street. Purple mist began to ooze from the hilt. The sword had transformed.

Three little plates jutted out from the hilt. The hilt expanded into a baby's face that was intricately etched into the the fine gold of the hilt. There wasn't just one blade; there were three jagged, golden blades which extended from the hilt. Two jutted out in either direction while the other shot straight forward. The blade, although odd, conveyed a simple message to Uryu.

Things just got a lot harder.

"Ashisogi Jizo!"

Everything seemed to happen at once.

Mayuri swiped his sword to the side and charged Uryu. Uryu stood rooted to the rooftop as Mayuri closed in. Too late, Uryu tried to dodge.

He felt two arms wrap around and restrict him. Uryu looked down to see a girl staring up at him.

Uryu's eyes widened. 'The lieutenant! She's holding me in place. But she'll get-'

Uryu grunted he felt the blade tear cleanly through his flesh releasing a spray of crimson. Uryu fell with a hard thump to the ground.

He was dimly aware of the lieutenant in a crumpled heap on the ground.

"What kind of a monster are you?! You'd sacrifice your own lieutenant."

Mayuri scowled. "She is just a creation who is doing her duty. No need to get sentimental over such things."

A soft groan called Mayuri's attention away from the Quincy.

"Mayuri-sama, could I please have some of the regenerative serum to me?" cried the lieutenant. She writhed in pain and Uryu noted she was also sporting a large gash across her midsection.

"The wound has reached my lungs. I will not be able to go on for much longer."

Mayuri's scowl deepened as he spun to face her. He stalked briskly over to her, and delivered a powerful kick to her already wounded stomach.

Then again. And again. And again.

"You dare embarrass me like this! You dare imply that I cannot create a being incapable of feeling pain!"

Uryu wanted nothing more than to knock the Captain's arrogant mask right off of his face.

"S-sorry, master. . ."

Mayuri sneered. "Sniveling embarrassment."

Uryu had enough. The air around him began to shimmer as he called the reishi around him to form the intricate, energy strings of Ransōtengai. The strings attached themselves to his limbs and he rose to his feet.

Uryu formed a bow of reishi energy and gripped it tightly. Soon, an arrow was nocked and Uryu let it fly.

The arrow erupted a large explosion of energy as Uryu nocked another arrow. Mayuri had dodged the brunt of the damage, but it had still managed to scorch his clothes.

"Leave her alone."


Renji laid desolate on his bed staring up at his prison ceiling. Imprisonment for fighting the ryoka without the permission of a Captain. Arrested for fighting the ryoka, who was actually trying to save Rukia.

The thought made Renji's skin crawl. He felt as if tangible filth was clogging his ability to think. He and Byakuya went along with this he'd sent Rukia to her death. Her blood, once the execution date came, would be on their heads.

In a way, he was almost glad for this revelation.. He'd never make the same mistake again.

Renji raised a brow as the air shimmered and a familiar presence filled the cell. His zanpakuto spirit sat on the foot of his bed, grinning. "We've got to fight him aga-"

"No, Zabimaru."

Zabimaru's eyes widened. "But-"

Renji glared up at him. "I don't care. He's not our enemy anymore. This entire time I'd been blaming others for my problems, and when Ichigo came along I forced all my hate onto him. I didn't realize it until now, but, now that I know, I'll be damned if I let this continue."

Zabimaru grinned at Renji's determination. "You want to get out of here and save Rukia?"

Renji grinned. "Now you're getting it."


Mayuri gazed at Uryu with a renewed intensity. "Ransōtengai . You truly are more advanced than I gave you credit for."

Uryu narrowed his eyes. "How could you attack your subordinate like that?!"

Mayuri rolled his eyes. "All of you Quincy. All of you spouting on and on about your honor. I'm almost glad for your kinds extermination. You remind me of this one stupid old man. So whiny. Always going on and on about his student."

Mayuri paused his tirade. "I have a picture of him if you wish to see it."

Mayuri reached into his haori and chucked out a photo, listlessly to the Quincy. Uryu had a rising sense of apprehension as he reluctantly let his bow fade. He stooped down to pick up the photo, and felt his blood run cold.

It was his grandfather.

"As much as the old man said it, I can't remember his student's name for the life of me. It's almost on the tip of my tongue."

Uryu seethed as he dropped the photo. His body began to glow with the surrounding reishi. In an instant, Uryu had his bow reformed and an arrow ready.

"You wanna know the student's name. It was Uryu Ishida. That man you experimented on was Soken Ishida, my master and grandfather."

Uryu's grip on his bow tightened. "And by the honor of the Quincy, I'm going to kill you!"

Mayuri stared. "Is that all?"

Uryu roared as he let his arrow fly, but Mayuri batted it away. Uryu fired another arrow only to meet the same result. Uryu grunted as he used a quick Hirenkyaku to get behind Mayuri and fire and arrow. Only to have that blocked as well.

"Give up, Quincy. This grows tiresome. I'll make the dissection quick and painless for you if you give up now."

Uryu scowled. 'I have no choice.'

Uryu let his bow fade. Mayuri grinned.

"Yes, yes. Now come with me."

Mayuri frowned as Uryu reached for his glove. "What are you-"

Suddenly, Uryu felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Danny, glaring at Mayuri. "I've got this Uryu. You don't need to lose your powers over this guy."

Uryu glared at Danny. "This is my battle to fight, Danny! Stay out of it."

Danny sighed. "Sorry about this."

With that the Danny clone faded away as it rejoined with the original. Uryu could only gasp as he was knocked out by the original Danny.

Danny closed his eyes and formed a clone. "Take Uryu away from here, and go find Orihime. I'll be back soon."

The Danny clone picked up Uryu and mock saluted. "Sure thing boss."

With that, the clone and Uryu flew off.

Mayuri scowled. "I'm beginning to grow tired of my subjects just up and leaving."

Danny smirked. "Well, you don't have to worry about me because I'm right here."

Mayuri grinned. "True."

The captain took his sword and charged at the halfa. Danny drew his giant broadsword and parried Kurotsuchi's blade. Danny swung his blade at Mayuri's midsection, only for Mayuri to flash step away.

Danny flash stepped back to him and raised his sword which began to thrum with power. "Getsuga Tensho!"

Mayuri was knocked back by the surprise attack and crashed into a nearby building. Mayuri stepped out grinning. "Interesting. A ghost with the powers of a Shinigami."

Danny sheathed his sword and raised a hand. "Hado 31: Shakkahō!"

A red beam shot out from the ghost's hand, but Mayuri cut it in half. Mayuri charged at Danny, sword raised as Danny raised his own to meet the Captain's.

The two swords clashed with power as both tried to force the other to submission. "Give up ryoka, I'll make the dissection painless."

Danny faltered. It gave Mayuri all the time he needed.

Mayuri stabbed his blade into Danny's shoulder, and Danny grunted in pain. "There we are. Not so hard now, was it?"

Danny writhed on the ground. "What did you do?!"

Mayuri sighed. "This is so tedious explaining the fundamentals of my shikai. You are now paralyzed, but there is a little catch."

Mayuri sheathed his sword and rubbed his hands gleefully. "I knew ghosts would simply shrug this off and fly away. So, I've had my sword laced with ectoranium."

Danny's eyes widened. Then, he did something that shocked Mayuri.

He laughed. Mayuri scowled and drew closer to the ghost boy.

"What's so funny?"

Danny smirked through the pain. "You actually think I'm real."

Mayuri's eyes widened in shock as the ghost boy faded away, leaving only the captain. "That little. . . it was a clone the whole time."

Mayuri grinned. "So very interesting."


A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, but I'm trying to get back into writing this story. I kinda felt like it should end here anyway. Next chapter should be sooner than last time. Hopefully.

Stay classy, people.