A/N: This turned out so much longer than I expected XD. Honestly, this'll be the last part of this three parter, but it'll officially end off next chapter with an epilogue-like wrap up of this arc. This should be fun.

But yeah, enjoy!


Chapter 26: Silhouette: Part 3

The people streaked through the sky. They looked like shooting stars for brief moments before they flew out of sight.

Danny scowled. Jin was here. Jin was here and it was finally gonna end. He felt a strange mix of butterflies and euphoria from the thought alone. Sure, he wanted to take Jin down as much as the next guy, but he wasn't looking forward to meeting Vlad again. Their encounter in his apartment was still fresh on his mind. Unfortunately, the memories of Vlad's past had also camped out in his mind.

The others seemed to be filled with a similar sense of apprehension from their grave expressions.

"Where are Uryu and Dani?" asked Yoruichi.

"They're on their way!" Orihime shouted, heading over to Yoruichi.

"How long will it take them to get here?"

"I-I'm not sure! Maybe a few minutes?"

Yoruichi scowled before snapping her head to the rest of the bunch. Her glare was as refined and deadly as a former Captain's should be. "I want you to send them another message. Tell them to meet us at the Captain's hall."

She turned back to the rest of the group. "Get ready, everyone! We'll be working alongside the Captains on this one, and we'll be deferring to Captain-Commander Yamamoto. Follow me!"

Danny bit back a groan as he ran after Yoruichi. "Who's gonna fight Jin? And where's Vlad?"

"How about you stop yammering and get moving!"

Danny just grumbled as they continued to run along in silence. Instead of focusing on his uneasiness, Danny stretched out his senses in search of his teammates. He could just barely sense Dani and Uryu in the chaos. He could hear some shouts of commotion that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Every now and again, there would be a crash that sent dirt and smoke into the sky.

It felt like Armageddon.

"Hey, over here!"

Danny screeched to a halt and turned to find Dani and Uryu racing down the street. They both looked a little rattled and out of breath, but overall unharmed.

"What's the plan?" asked Uryu. "They've got to be everywhere by now!"

"Come with us," said Yoruichi, returning to a run. "The Captain's will debrief us!"

"They can't send a Hell Butterfly?!"

"They might be on the verge of doing so, but all we can do is run now!"

"Oh!" Danny exclaimed. "So you can answer his questions but not mine?!"

"Shut it, Danny!" Yoruichi retorted.

A flash of movement off to Danny's right caught his eye, but Yoruichi seemed to catch on faster. "Captain Kuchiki!"

The uptight Captain looked just as grave as ever with his stoic expression. He slowed down and came to a run alongside them. "On your way to Captain Commander Yamamoto, I presume?"

Ichigo gave a nod. "Yeah. We're supposed to get debriefed or something."

Byakuya nodded. "Yamamoto-sama has told me what he expects of you all. The Bount threat should not be high, so he simply asks your assistance on any Bount you may find. Keep city damage to a minimum, but you may kill any of the Bounts should the opportunity rise. Kariya and Vladimir, however, are to be left alive, if possible."

Danny's head snapped over to the sound of a nearby explosion. "So, do we have the all clear to spread out?"

Yoruichi sighed as she came to a stop. "Yes. Orihime, Uryu, Noba, and Chad, I want you all to stick together. Dani and Kurodo, you'll be with me. Danny, you take on Vladimir while we're handling everyone else. Ichigo and Ririn, I want you both to take on Kariya. If a Captain tells you anything different, you follow that Captain's orders. Am I understood?"

A chorus of affirmatives went off as the group broke off. Danny flew off in a burst of speed, never looking back. He hardly paid attention to the chaos below him as he locked in on Vlad's Reiatsu.

He caught sight of the older halfa on a rooftop, overlooking the battle. He didn't have the slightest clue that Danny was there whenever he rammed into him. There was a deafening crash as the pavement was upturned. He dimly found some amusement in having broken one of the Captain's rules so early, but it was drowned out by the anger roaring in his ears.

Vlad had messed with Far Frozen. He wasn't gonna get any mercy this time.


Kariya walked through the streets, hands in pant pockets. There had already been ten foolish shinigami who had tried to stop him. They had each met the same fate. It was all so satisfying wreaking havoc on the people who'd caused him so much anguish.

He'd make certain to show them as little mercy as they'd shown him.

Jin turned a corner and found himself in front of an unimpressive building. It was one of many rectangular metal buildings colored in gray. The roof was starting to rust slightly, turning the rich brown into a more maroon color.

He wasn't interested in the building. No, he was there for the power it held within. With a small smirk, Jin raised a hand. He relished in the wind dancing around it just before he slung it into the wall.

It exploded inwards with a powerful bang, kicking up a cloud of dust. With another wave of his hand, the dust dissipated. He strolled into the room, scanning the walls for any sign of the Jōkaishō crest. The walls were lined with unassuming glass rectangles, not unlike honeycombs in a beehive. Each of them were identical with no hint of a crest within.

"Where is it?" Jin murmured. "Where is the crest. . ?"

In a burst of impatience, he shattered the glass with a wave of a hand. His eyes hungrily roved over the exposed openings for any sign of the crest. He found nothing no matter how hard he scoured through opening after opening.

"What is going on here? It should be here!"

As if to confirm his suspicions, his tattooed crest pulsed brighter. It was homing in on the Jōkaishō. The tug he felt was unmistakable. The crest was in the room; he just needed to know where.

Jin glanced up at the ceiling, noting it's thin composition. 'No. . . there's no way it's up there. The roof is much too thin to house it. The Jōkaishō would never be able to fit in something so small. . . so that leaves. . .'

Jin took his gaze to the ground as he felt a grin forming. "Of course. . . Why put it in the walls when you can hide it in the ground!"

Rearing his hand back, swirling with chaotic wind Reiatsu, he threw it back to the ground, cutting the floor with devastating force. He waited impatiently for the smoke to clear. Every second wasted would be another second the shinigami could get closer to catching him.

He could catch sight of a piercing red light that was faintly obscured by lingering smoke. With a grin, he felt his crest pulse again. "There you are-"

"Hey! Kariya!"

Jin bit back a curse. He didn't have to turn around to know it was that orange-haired nuisance behind him. "Ichigo. It's quite a shame to meet under these circumstances. You'll have to excuse me for a moment."

Without waiting for a reply, Jin stomped a foot. In a delayed reaction, the slab of rock under Jin's feet slid down the chasm. He barely paid any heed to the rapid footsteps he heard above him. The shinigami wouldn't dare to come down; the poor boy didn't even have a clue what was happening.

Jin ripped his suit away as if it were tissue paper and stretched a hand towards the Jōkaishō. It looked absolutely magnificent. "Come to me. Lend me your power."

He was surprised by the feeling. He'd been expecting a searing pain or something along those lines, but it was just warm. It spread all over him as he felt his power start to rise.

Just as soon as it started it was over.

Kariya looked down at his hands and laughed. The power was everything he could have dreamed of.

"Hey, what's going on down there?! What is that?!"

Ah yes. The nuisance.

Jin smiled up at the shinigami some several hundred feet above him. "This is the Jōkaishō. It's been sealed down here for years. It helped create us all. Every single Bount was spawned from this device." He paused for a moment drinking in the satisfaction and beauty. There was something truly cathartic of having the Soul Society create their own downfall.

"With this, I have the power to destroy the Soul Society. I'll give them a day. A day to wait in fear."


"We've got to stop meeting like this!" Danny drawled. "It's starting to get embarrassing."

Vlad stood with an unreadable expression, spitting out a mouthful of gravel. He seemed more tired than he'd remembered the man. There had to be something off if he didn't care about the dirt caking his shoulders and cape. "Well, I figured we wouldn't after how adamant you were that we wouldn't ever meet again."

Danny grimaced at the reminder of their last encounter. "Things changed. So why'd you start working with the other crazy?"

Vlad drew a deep sigh. "You'll understand when you're older."

"What type of lies did he tell you? I didn't think you'd be low enough to be his lapdog?"

Vlad's face contorted into a harsh snarl. "Big words from the Soul Society's lackey!"

Well things weren't going so well. He could tell Vlad was about five seconds away from blasting his face in. If he was lucky. "Look. Whatever he's promising you isn't worth it, alright? So why don't you come with me and my parents?"

He hesitated at the word. His fight with his parents was still fresh in his mind as hard as he'd tried to push it back. "I know you don't like my Dad, but you can still be friends with-"

Danny just barely dodged around a pink Ghost Ray. He was starting to feel some of that lingering tiredness from earlier, and if it was anything like last time, he wouldn't be able to last in a fight against Vlad. And naturally, Vlad's face looked more venomous than he'd ever seen it. Just his luck.

"You'd be wise to leave your pity behind," Vlad spat.

"C'mon, can't we talk about this?!"

"The only thing I want to hear from you is your acceptance of becoming my son!"

Vlad launched himself at Danny with an ecto-charged fist cocked back. Danny got caught in the shoulder and was pretty sure that he heard something crack. He bounced along the ground before crashing through a building. He hissed as he felt a jagged piece of rock dig into his skin. He pushed himself up, only to wince as his head slammed into rock. He shook the dust out of his eyes as he gained his bearings. He was trapped under some slabs of stone, likely the remnants of the building he'd been launched into. With a quick phase, he was out of the trap.

Vlad was waiting for him, looking no less pissed off. "What's wrong? No more endearing bravado?"

Danny felt his anger swell, easily numbing his fatigue and pain. He'd tried to be nice. He'd tried to take Vlad's history into account. He'd tried not to fail the mission.

But Vlad was asking for it.

"Alright Vlad. Get ready."

Danny poured Reiatsu into his feet in waves before launching off. Vlad never saw it coming when he got a foot to the face. He went sailing down the street at the speed of sound.

Danny didn't give him a second's rest. He was wailing on Vlad with everything: punches, blasts, kicks, and stabs. In the middle of the barrage, Vlad finally had the sense to phase through the ground. He reappeared a few feet away from Danny, hovering over the ground with his arms spread. It seemed that some of his showmanship had returned despite looking worse for wear.

Danny didn't let him say a word as he shot a Ghost Ray at him. Vlad easily batted it aside and formed a spherical shield. With Vlad's years of prowess, Danny knew he wouldn't be getting inside of that thing anytime soon.

It was then that he realized just out of breath he was. He almost cursed as he remembered his predicament. He'd played right into Vlad's hand and tired himself out. He'd hope that Vlad didn't notice, but nothing got past the damn snake.

"Now, Daniel," started Vlad. "This same old tango we dance over and over. Don't you ever grow tired of it?"

Danny threw his hands up with an incredulous laugh. This was the break that he needed. It was only a plus that it was an opportunity to complete the mission. "Yes! Yes, I do!"

"Then why not save us all the heartache and time and submit to me?"

He wanted to laugh. Anything to keep the white, hot rage in his chest back, but Danny was over it. He thought he was done before, but that was nothing compared to what he felt in that moment. "Do you seriously not realize what the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Vlad seemed to be, for once, at a loss for words, but Danny plowed on. "You want the girl! You want a family! You want acceptance! And you choose to do this?! Terrorize people? Become a fucking monster? What the hell do you gain from this? I know you love my mom, and I know that you found it hard to find acceptance from people, but I know that you need to let it go."

Vlad let his shield fall as he glared at Danny. "You've got quite the mouth on you today, Little Badger. Do you truly believe yourself so wise-?"

"Would you just shut up and listen for a second?! Geez!"

Vlad's jaw shut. He didn't know if it was surprise, morbid curiosity, or some other fruitloop thing that got him to stop running his mouth, but whatever the reason, Danny would take it. "I had people who accepted me. I had Tucker. I had Sam, and I had Jazz. Even had a fan club, although that one I could've done without."

"Your point?"

Danny rolled his eyes but continued. "I thought my parents wouldn't accept me. I had all of that support and love, and I was terrified that they wouldn't accept me. I thought they'd choose their hate for ghosts over their own son. But-"

"They knew the whole time."

Danny's breath hitched. Somehow, Danny didn't think that they were talking about him anymore. "Yeah, they knew." Danny carefully watched Vlad's expression before quickly adding, "I don't know if they knew about both of us though."

"They knew and they hunted you down, for years."

Now Danny was at a loss for words. With the conviction that Vlad had on his face, he thought that he was pissed for his own sake. He'd never considered the possibility that Vlad would be angry for him.

The shock was hardly enough to combat the well that he'd been holding back. Danny bit his cheek, trying to stave off tears. This was it. This was what he'd been so mad about and trying to hold back all of this time. It was all of this. "They were trying to help me in their messed up way," Danny reasoned. "It was without a doubt messed up, b-but they wanted to help."

"Daniel."

Danny glanced up at Vlad, who's facial expression was almost unreadable. "Y-Yeah?"

"Don't make excuses for them. You are not the problem. They are."

Danny sat down on the ground, shaking his head. Everything wasn't making any sense. Vlad was trying to defend him? He could feel his head starting to pound. "You're sick. Trying to manipulate me like this."

"What about your parents? Are they not manipulating you?"

Danny glared up at Vlad. "What are you trying t-to get at? You're talking about my Mom like this? What happened to your love, huh?"

Vlad came over to his side and knelt beside him. His blood red eyes somehow looked softer. "It's still there. I truly believe that it will always be there, but I do believe it has waned over time."

"Then why are you still trying to get to her? You know you don't have a shot, right?"

He was half-expecting a Ghost Ray to the face for that barb, but instead Vlad just laughed lightly. "I've been doing a lot of thinking while I've been at Kariya's side. There are multitudes of things you start to notice after a while with a man like that. You see a bit of yourself, and you resonate with it. But then you start to realize it's warped in a way. It's strange."

Danny stared at Vlad in disbelief and more than a tad of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not entirely sure if I know what I want anymore. You're mother, though I will always love her, has brought me too much pain and I to her. And her to you."

Danny scooted away from him, looking him hard in the eyes. He could hardly read the man, though he could swear that he saw a glistening of tears in his eyes. "Stop."

Vlad looked genuinely confused as he perked up. "What?"

"Stop pretending to care," Danny spat through gritted teeth. "Stop messing with my head!"

Before Vlad could get a retort off his tongue, Danny raised a hand before continuing. "What are you trying to do, Vlad? Are you trying to break me one last time?"

Vlad gave a shuddering sigh and a winning smile. "I'm offering to take you in. Jasmine as well. We'll leave your parents behind and start anew."

Danny's head was spinning. None of it made any sense. He wished that he could claim Vlad was being his typical fruitloop self, but something he was saying was resonating with some part of himself. At this rate, he was gonna get a full-blown migraine. "Wh-What about Amity?"

"What about Amity?"

"Who's gonna defend it?"

Vlad merely waved a hand. "The Huntress should suffice."

Danny found his lifeline. His painful memories of Valerie combined with Vlad's blasse towards his home was like an ice bath. "There it is! You've done so much shit to me! To Sam and Tuck and Jazz! And Dani, you were ready to let her die, and you expect me to go with you?!"

He was standing now and shoving Vlad with every sentence. "Did you just fail at basic comprehension?!"

Vlad grimaced as he scowled, grabbing Danny by the shoulders. "I'm not asking you to live with me permanently. I just wanted to give you a place to stay, away from your parents for a while. Some time to breathe, some time to think."

Before Danny could respond, a portal rippled to life behind Vlad. Out of the portal stepped none other than Jin Kariya. He looked every bit as smug and intimidating as one would expect with his cold stare and tall stature. His shirt had been discarded for some reason and a strange crest was out for all to see.

Jin paid him very little heed as he looked at Vlad and muttered a few words to him. Vlad nodded and turned back to Danny. "I'll let you think on this matter. I'll be back in a day for your answer."

"Hey!" Danny took a step forward "We're not done here!"

"In a day!" Vlad repeated.

And just like that they were gone.


The walk back to the gang was a long one. His tears had long since dried, but his mind had no less cleared. He felt like he was in a perpetual state of numbness. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd ever felt so empty.

When he finally met up with his friends, he couldn't look them in the eye. He couldn't even muster the energy to pretend like everything was alright. He could feel them looking at him to his chagrin.

Dani gave him a couple glances that he refused to return. He dimly noticed a few Captains were in the room. Correction, all of them, which was absolutely wonderful for him. . .

"What happened out there?"

Danny jumped slightly as he met Yoruichi's eyes. He felt fear, though he didn't know from what exactly. He was pretty sure there was a hint of relief that he wasn't an emotionless husk. And that only made him alarmed.

"Danny, what happened?"

Danny focused back on Yoruichi at the sharp voice. She was still hard-faced, but he could see the concern in her eyes. He looked off at the wall instead of meeting her eyes. No matter how low he felt, he didn't want pity. "I fought Vlad, and I saw Kariya. They went off together with the Infi-Map."

His voice came out far more hoarse and small than he'd liked, but Yoruichi made no mention of it.

"Did they give any clues about what they were up to?" Sui-Feng pressed. "Even the tiniest detail can be of use."

"No."

He may have said it a bit too quickly, or too coldly, but he hardly cared. Sui-Feng seemed to care, if her hurried footsteps were any indication.

"Stand down," Yoruichi commanded her former liege. "Pardon me, Yamamoto-sama, but could I have a minute with Danny?"

"Granted," Yamamoto said. "Don't take too long."

Sui-Feng sputtered in protest while Yoruichi bowed once before ushering Danny out of the room. He hardly noticed that they were out in the hallway. It felt like he was dissociated from his body. "What happened back there? I mean, what really happened?"

Danny looked her in the eyes and his messily thrown-up wall just fell. He told her about everything he and Vlad had talked about, his fight with his parents, and his growing uncertainty. It just kept spilling and spilling out of him. Yoruichi, to her credit, didn't interrupt him and listened to his ramblings in silence.

Yoruichi put a hand on his shoulder, making him falter slightly. "I've known your parents for years, and they can be very goal-focused people. They're great at the long-term, but not so much the spaces in between." She paused with a small smile. "I understand your distrust and anguish right now, but that is between you and your parents. Right now, we need you here. The Bounts won't be pulling any punches and the Soul King knows what Vlad is plotting. Can't forget about your mission, after all."

Danny knew that he should, but he just couldn't care. Everything felt like so much more of an effort. He backed away, shaking his head. "I need to go clear my head."

"What but-"

"I'll be back later!"

Without another word, Danny shot into the sky.

The second he did he noticed the air ahead of him begin to ripple, glittering almost like a kaleidoscope. Huge gusts of wind battered him about and made him glad that he'd chosen to eat light. The ripples turned into an opening that formed in the sky. The Bounts and Vlad stepped out from the portal above the Soul Society. He could feel Vlad's piercing gaze fixated on him. He did his best to match the glare. He couldn't have Vlad thinking that he had any power over him, no matter how minor.

Jin spread his arms wide with a blinding smile. "Inhabitants of the Soul Society! I have harnessed the power of the Jōkaishō! The very source that you used to spawn us Bounts will be the same power that I use to destroy you all! I will give you a day of waiting! Cherish your last moments before your home burns to the ground around you! I will take my leave, but remember my words well!"

There was a flash off to his right just before the villains disappeared into their portal. He could hear a curse from the direction of the flash. It was probably Sui-Feng from the sound of the voice. "Hey, if you're done staring off into space, Yamamoto would like you back in the command center!"

Danny shot a glare at her. It felt good to feel something again, even if it was white hot venom. And consequences be damned, he was starting to get sick of everyone's shit. "What could he possibly need me for?"

Sui-Feng's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone, boy. He wants you with us in case of a counterattack from the Bounts. Like what just happened a few moments ago that you didn't even attempt to stop."

Danny raised a brow at her. "You can't be serious right now. I'm not leaving the Soul Society or anything. I'm just going for a flying trip to clear my head. I'll be back before you know it."

"You can fly around the base. You're not going any further."

Danny shot her the harshest glare he could muster. Unfortunately she seemed unfazed. "Just leave me alone, OK?"

Sui-Feng walked across the sky to get closer to him, her piercing glare never leaving her face. "I don't think you understand that this isn't a suggestion. You leave, and I'll hunt you down."

"Dammit just leave me alone!" Danny growled.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He could feel his eyes heat up. He could see her eyes widening just before his vision was obscured by a wave of green. He tried to stop it, but it was already done.

Thankfully, she batted it away as easily as one would a fly. He hardly noticed where it landed as he backed away. "I-I'm sorry. It just came out of-"

Sui-Feng scowled. "You had better come down here, now."

Danny felt his stomach twist. He knew there were probably all kinds of consequences for not doing as a Captain asked, but everything was just getting so overwhelming and the world felt like it was getting smaller. Wow, he didn't think hearts were supposed to beat that fast.

"I-I gotta-!" He shook his head and jerked a thumb gingerly behind him and shot off like a rocket. He didn't know if Sui-Feng was following him, but he didn't stop flying. He just kept moving forward.


He had to walk a careful slope in order to not lose himself these days.

It had been hard after fusing with his Doll, but after drinking the Souls from the Bitto and taking in the Jōkaishō's energy, he felt far more erratic. He was certain Vlad could see it. The man was smart enough and definitely resented him enough. Hell, he resented himself.

Or did he?

He shook his head and rubbed his temples. Now was not the time to lose focus. He couldn't afford to fail the mission. Not after all of the sacrifices, he had made. Especially not with his cohorts so nearby. The Utagawa ordeal was proof enough.

"Kariya-sama, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Jin knew the voice easily as he knew his own. "Koga, what seems to be the problem?"

Koga walked into Jin's makeshift room, carefully watching his step on unsteady rocks. He seemed more reserved, even for his usual self. He came to a stop just a few feet before Jin. "Pardon me for saying this, but you have been out of control lately, Kariya-sama."

Jin raised a brow as he took a couple of deep, silent breaths. He took his time before he spoke. "What do you mean? Is your stomach too weak for this line of work? If so, I'll have someone take you back-"

Koga slammed his fist into the wall, sending a spider-web of cracks through the wall. Jin knew everyone was watching them now, if they hadn't been before. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! What happened to Yoshino was part of the plan. I didn't like it, but I could understand it. Taking the souls of living humans, I can handle that too. They can rot for all I care. I can understand what you did to Utagawa. He was turning on the group and questioning your rule. But what you did to Mabashi-!"

Jin was at his side in an instant with a hand to the burly man's neck, humming with wind Reiatsu. "What about what I did to Mabashi?"

He could hear Koga gulp, but his face kept its steeled. "You forced him to drink the human souls! Like a damn dictator! You know, he didn't want-!"

In a flash, Koga was doubled-over and Jin's fist was sticking out of his body. Jin ripped out his wind enhanced fist from the Bount's abdomen. It receded with a sickening squelch as Koga collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. He would survive; the surrounding reishi would keep him alive, but it would hurt.

And it would send a message to his subordinates.


'Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.'

Danny shot a finger laser into the sky and watched it dissipate. His head hadn't gotten any less clear,but he felt calmer. He absently wondered how long it would take for Sui-Feng to find him. He could just barely find amusement in picturing the irate Captain running around the afterlife trying to find him. He just hoped that Dani wouldn't worry about him.

Danny drew a deep sigh as he shifted against the wall of a building. His mind kept going back to Vlad's words. He wanted to say that Vlad was just being insane, but the man had a point. He couldn't just pretend everything was OK. He'd been doing that for far too long and they'd screwed him up for far too long. Maybe some time away wouldn't be all that bad. . .

"Hey, Danny! Are you there?"

Danny cocked his head to the right, straining to get a good look. It looked like two people who were coming towards him. He couldn't get a good look at their faces to his dismay. He sincerely hoped that it wasn't Sui-Feng or the 2nd Division. He definitely wasn't in the mood for dealing with them.

"There he is!" called a familiar voice.

Danny squinted again before he finally recognized them. 'Oh. Jazz and Momo. Cool.'

He stood up to meet them, rubbing at his eyes. "Hey, I don't think this is a good time. I know Sui-Feng and Yamamoto want me back there, but I just can't-"

"Don't worry about that!" Momo chirped. "Yoruichi-san convinced Captain Sui-Feng to give you some time to recuperate!"

Danny felt a slight amount of tension leave him. "Why are you all here then?" He winced at the bluntness in his tone. The other two didn't seem to notice.

"We wanted to check on you, duh," Jazz said, kneeling next to him. "You seemed stressed out there. It seemed almost like a panic attack or-"

Danny leaned away with a scowl. "Look, I don't need you to psychoanalyze me."

"Danny. . ."

"I mean it! I'm not crazy and I don't need this! I just need some time by myself, OK?!"

Momo glanced at him and they caught each other's gaze. It was only for a moment, but he could see Momo's pain, understanding, and worry. He didn't even need to look at Jazz to know how she was feeling. He was starting to let his attitude get to him.

"I'm sorry," he started. "I shouldn't have taken it out on you guys. How's Dani doing?"

"She's worried. She felt your anxiety."

Danny nodded. "Figured. I just can't wrap my head around any of this. Everything just feels so off. It's felt like this since I've gotten to Japan. I've just been blindsided again and again and again. . . and I just can't. . ."

He cut himself off, shaking his head as he leaned back against the wall. He never wanted to try drinking before, but for a brief moment, he thought it'd be like heaven to escape. Anything to get away from the stress.

"Well, you've got me," said Momo. "And you have Jazz-chan. And Dani-san and Ririn-"

"Oh God," Danny groaned. "Definitely not Ririn. . ."

Momo and Jazz just giggled and he felt a little smile come on. "Anyways," Momo continued, "we've got your back no matter what. You've always been there for us, after all!"

Danny really looked up at them for the first time in a long time, and he went misty eyed for the umpteenth time that day. "Thank you guys so much."

He swept them both up in a crushing hug. He didn't care about his image at this point. He didn't care that he probably looked like a total tool. He was just happy to have some sort of stability in his life.

"I love you guys so much."

It came out muffled from his face being buried in Jazz's shoulder, but he knew they'd heard. To assure him, their voices returned the courtesy. It filled him with so much warmth that he couldn't help the grin on his face. And he laughed. Oh how he laughed.

When he finally found his wits, he leaned back out of their warm embrace and rubbed at his eyes. "Please don't tell anyone about this. . ."

Jazz raised a hand as if making an oath. "As my patient, you have complete confidentiality."

". . . Dang it, Jazz, I'm not a patient!"


The next day. . .

The way that one could be threatening without ever uttering a word should be illegal.

Everywhere Danny looked, there was a 2nd Division member glaring daggers at him. He tried paying them no mind, but they were admittedly hard to ignore. Especially when his head was filled with ideas about the ones that he hadn't seen yet. He couldn't believe he was saying it, but he was thankful for the distraction. It kept him from thinking about his parents, and Vlad's offer. Momo, Dani, and his sister also helped with distracting him. They had talked with him through the night once he'd returned to the group. He couldn't be more thankful.

All good things came to an end, however. He was in another meeting.

"Do we still have no whereabouts on the Bounts?" Yamamoto asked.

"No, Yamamoto-sama," Sui-Feng stated. "I have my personnel out all over the Seireitei. I've even used Urahara's "trackers" for better clues. We've still come up with nothing."

"Maybe your crew would find something if they quit their peeping operation," Danny muttered.

Thankfully, or sadly, he couldn't tell which, no one seemed to hear him as Yamamoto fixed his hard stare onto the 2nd Division Captain. "Nothing."

Sui-Feng hesitated. It had to be killing her inside. Danny was loving every second of it. "Yes, Yamamoto-sama."

"We need to find somebody!" Mayuri stretched. "These damn Bounts attacked my division. They had the gall to do it after they wiped my information! I want their heads to roll!"

Danny watched him with a quirked brow.

"That is most unfortunate."

Danny turned his head to the doorway where a woman stood. She wore gold-rimmed glasses with a large bang falling over her forehead. Her brown hair was bunched up, likely with some sort of pin, and a coat was draped over her shihakusho. She looked strikingly familiar, but he couldn't place the name.

"Excuse me, who are you?!" Mayuri ground out. Danny was already counting down to when Mayuri would snap and blast the lady with a Hado.

"Yoshino. . ?"

Jazz breathed it so quietly that he would've thought that he imagined, if it weren't for her pale face and wide eyes. She looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"I am Ran'Tao," the woman said, drawing Danny's attention. "I was part of the original science team who created the Bounts."

If Danny wasn't surprised before he sure was now. His skeptical meters were going through the roof, but no one had said anything yet.

They all just stood there watching.

"Ran'Tao," Yamamoto murmured. "Ah yes, I remember. Why did you come here? Did you forget your exile?"

Danny gave a low whistle as his eyebrows shot past his bangs. He didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't that.

Ran'Tao didn't look the slightest bit rattled. "I have important info on Kariya's plan. I will be happy to inform you about everything that I know."

"I'm sorry?" Mayuri hissed. "You created these blasted things?!"

Ran'Tao sauntered into the room, casting a long look at the Captain. "Yes, I was among the many, but I am not here to tell you about their origins. I'm here to tell you about Jin's plot."

"Which is?" asked Kenpachi.

"There are a multitude of Jōkaishō that were sealed under the Seireitei after the Bounts' creation. Each was extremely powerful and reactive."

"What's a bunch of relics gotta do with us now?" Kenpachi drawled.

"I believe she was getting to it, you oaf!" Sui-Feng hissed. If Kenpachi was bothered by her rebuke, he didn't show it.

"As I was saying," Ran'Tao continued. "He's already absorbed energy from one Jōkaishō, and he intends to use the energy he's collected to trigger an eruption."

The room became so quiet that Danny was certain he could hear a feather drop.

"Something like that would certainly cause the demise of the Soul Society," muttered Mayuri.

Ran'Tao nodded, clasping her hands together. "It is precisely for this reason that-"

"The Bounts!"

All heads turned to Ririn, who was looking out the door. "The Bounts are here!"

A loud bang tore through the Soul Society. Danny was almost certain that he could see the walls swaying. Not long after the sound, there were shouts ringing out alongside clashes of metal.

"It is time!" Yamamoto boomed. "Captains, squash the Bount threat but keep Kariya and Vladimir alive! Meanwhile, I believe Nemu and Momo should go with Ran'Tao to figure out a manner to stop Jin's plan."

"May I go with her?"

Danny turned with a raised brow. Uryu and Jazz were both standing, briefly sparing a glance at the other. Yamamoto watched them through an annoyed stare before waving a hand. "Go!"

'Sounds like my cue!'

In a flash, Danny was out the door and tearing through the sky.


Danny shot through the sky, keying in on Vlad's Reiatsu easily. Whether Vlad didn't know how to drop his signature or simply chose not to, Danny didn't know. What he did know was that he had a wonderful opportunity for a surprise attack. He came to a float a couple of yards behind Vlad before rocketing off towards him with blazing speed.

Vlad spun around and threw up a shield just in time to block Danny's punch. The shield immediately cracked under Danny's unyielding force. Vlad tried making another shield, but Danny was too fast.

Vlad was launched to the ground with a Ghost Ray to the chest, sending him tumbling. In a blur, Danny was down there with him. He hit him with barrage after barrage of attack until the only thing left was a cloud of smoke. Unfortunately, the old fruitloop wouldn't be done in so easily.

"C'mon out, Vlad," muttered Danny. "I know you're not dead. Yet."

"You're certainly more chipper, Little Badger. I see your arm has healed."

Danny glanced up at a floating Vlad. Many of his scrapes and bruises were healing by the second, making him look as good as new aside from the dirt and dust. "I had people to knock me out of my funk. What about you?"

Vlad sniffed with a snarl that was probably his idea of a smile. "I don't have a "funk" as you so eloquently put it. Did you consider my offer?"

"I did."

"Well?"

Danny crossed his arms and glared up at Vlad. "What did Jin promise you?"

"I told you-"

"I'm not answering your question until you answer mine. What's your deal?"

Vlad rolled his eyes. "He promised that I would have Maddie as my beloved and you as my son. He promised that we'd have all of the realms bowed at our feet."

"And you believed him?"

Vlad scoffed with a derisive snort. "Do you truly think that lowly of me? Words are fickle. Promises are made and broken at the drop of a hat, tall tales are spun with fervor and frequency! You should know this quite well, Daniel."

Danny took a deep mental breath. Everything seemed like it was going smoothly, at least from what he could spot of Vlad's body language. Jazz had been insistent on teaching him a couple of tricks and cues when dealing with enemies. He just hoped he was remembering them correctly. "I do. That's why I've got another question for you. Why should I trust you? My parents lied to me. I know you've lied to me. Why should I believe you now?"

"We're the only ones-"

"Left. Yeah, that's a lie. There's Dani."

"She's not actually one of us, Daniel."

Danny rapidly balled and unballed his fist, attempting to get some kind of a hold on his emotions. "Which is why you were so easily able to throw her away."

"I didn't-"

"What did you do Vlad? You've thrown so many away. Why wouldn't my Mom and I be any different? You don't actually care about any of us. You're just a heartless monster who wants to grab hold of anything he can!"

"I am not a monster!"

"Yeah, then what are you?!"

"I'm only a monster because everyone made me out to be some kind of freak! It was only a matter of time till I became one! Do you think I wanted this? I didn't get to choose this damn life! Everyone forced it upon just like they're forcing it on-!"

Danny blinked in surprise. He was expecting some kind of an explosion, but he wasn't expecting that.

Vlad had gone silent for a moment. His shoulders heaved up and down as his eyes never left Danny's. "Is that what you want from me? Is that what you want to hear?!"

Was that what he wanted from him? It was certainly progress, but it wasn't a full admission. He was still exploring the possibility of Vlad lying, but he wasn't entirely sold that he was. "I-I don't think your Mom hated you."

Vlad had always had an expert poker face, but he looked the most off-guard that he'd ever seen the man. "Wha-? How do you know about that?"

Danny shut his eyes and barely held back a groan. 'Gah! Bad piece of info to share, man! C'mon!' Danny barely managed to stutter out. "U-Um, I just learned some things about you."

Vlad floated down to the ground and stalked over to him, not looking too far off from a lion set to pounce. "What types of things? From who?"

Danny absently backed up a bit and waved a hand. "Ah, y'know. . . like childhood stuff, college stuff. Stuff. Like that."

Vlad swept over him with his searching gaze. "Clockwork wanted you to do something. Something that involves me. What was it?"

Danny licked his drying lips and gave the strongest laugh he could muster. "Geez, egotistical much! Just cause I happen to see your memories doesn't mean. . . yeah, it involves you. . ."

Vlad gave a sardonic laugh. It would've been much more adequate to call it a snort. "So, this is what this is all about? You're intending to use me like your parents."

Danny pinched his nose. Why on Earth did this man have to be so difficult? "Dude, I understand what happened in your past! I mean, I may not get it fully, but I know that my parents felt bad about what they did! They wanted to see you again, but your mother stopped them. And she did it to protect you!"

Vlad was absolutely gobsmacked for the second time that day. "You're lying. My mother hated me."

"You know I'm not lying, Vlad."

Vlad gave a mirthless laugh and shook his head. "In any case, my mother has been dead for years. They could've visited, but they didn't. For all the "sympathy" your parents had, it didn't do much for me."

"Yeah, well you weren't exactly looking for them either!"

Vlad's look turned venomous. He strode up to Danny with more speed than he knew he had. Soon enough, he was towering over Danny. Nonetheless, Danny didn't back down.

"I have been trying more times than I can count," Vlad hissed. "I tried with my peers, I've tried with my mother, I've tried with Jack. I've tried with Maddie. I've tried with Jin. I've tried with businessmen and ghosts alike. No matter what I try, I keep getting burned and exposed for the monster I am. So don't tell me about trying!"

"So you're just gonna quit?!" Danny asked, shoving Vlad. "And don't go acting like you didn't have a perfectly good thing with Dani cause ya did!"

"I am no quitter, Daniel," Vlad retorted, coldly. "I've learned to fight the battles that are worth fighting."

Danny took a deep breath and backed up slightly. Yelling wasn't gonna get them anywhere. Danny would have to try and make the fruitloop see reason, one way or another. "Look, you've been burned. I get that. I've gotten burned more times than I can count. It hasn't been nearly as bad as yours, but I know that you won't find anything if you keep holding on to that bitterness. You've gotta trust people! Not scare them into doing what you want!"

"Oh, how naive you are, Daniel! There is nothing but power in this world. Love and trust are shams."

"Uh huh, then tell me why I'm gonna live with you?" Vlad froze. Third time that day, too. Danny was thoroughly enjoying it now. "What? Cat got your tongue?"

"You can't be serious."

Danny smiled, spreading his arms out wide. "I can. I need some time away from my parents and you need someone who isn't a hologram." His arms slapped back against his sides as he gave a shrug. "It's a match made in heaven."

Vlad stared at him and shook his head. "Well done, Little Badger. You'll become my protege yet."

Danny felt a mix of relief and annoyance, but he squashed them as soon as they rose. "Hey, I've got a requirement first."

Vlad raised a brow. "Learning a bit too quickly, but go ahead."

"You fight with the Soul Society and me from now on. No more of this us fighting each other stuff, got it? Killing my Dad and going after my Mom is off the table too."

Vlad stared at him again for a moment. "Sure."

"Sure?"

Vlad rolled his eyes. "I'm capable of upholding a deal, Daniel."

Danny tried not to think too much about the hundreds of times that he hadn't as he gave the man a tight smile. "Good. The deal starts now. Let's get Kariya."


A/N: I honestly didn't think it would turn out like this, going into it, but I like how it turned out. I think there can be a lot of interesting ways that this Danny and Vlad partnership could go, so this'll be fun to write lmaoo.

But aight the arc is almost over! Just one more chapter to go! It probably won't be as long lol. Thank you to everyone who's been reading! I appreciate all feedback and stuff like that. It really makes my day and helps me improve.

In the meanwhile, stay awesome and safe people!

Uploaded: June 17th 2021