Here we are once again with another chapter. Its from here on that things become even more different than the original canon. How is something you'll find out soon enough, but the why is simple, to mix things up. Id like to think that what we've done so far has been a good retelling of things so far. However, its in this chapter that things get more complicated. In a good way mind you, but still. I
I cant wait to hear what you all have to say about it. Feedback and Reviews for this chapter are more important here than they have been in the past, so please, let us know what you think in your review, it would REALLY help us out.
Also, here's some words from GreatKingRat88.
"Greetings! Now, if any of you notice deviations from canon, including in-universe mechanics like the shunko, consider that it may just be intentional. We're doing things differently, big and small."
Well, enough of my rambling, im sure your not here for this, but rather the story! So, lets begin!
Special thanks once again to GreatKingRat88.
Also, id like to take a moment for to thank jcampbellohten for Beta reading for this chapter. Thanks alot. :)
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.
There were no rooftops this time. Instead, when Orihime and Tatsuki turned a corner, there stood two shinigami. The girls nearly fell over out of surprise, having almost walked right into them. Regaining their balance, they got a closer look at the two of them. Tatsuki was the first to realize who they were, or what they were, and her heart sank.
There was a tired-looking man, with messy black hair and bags under his eyes, a badge tied to his arm, and a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. He was just barely taller than Tatsuki herself. Flanking him was a positively tiny person, about two inches shorter than Tatsuki. She was slim, lean, and wore the white haori. A yellow sash ran across her waist, tying her coat together, and two braids with meticulously woven cloth over them ran down from the back of her head. She had the face of somebody who not only had eaten a lemon, but had liked it, and in fact ate lemons for breakfast, lunch and supper. She was small indeed, and could have been mistaken for a student a year or two under Tatsuki, but appearances were nothing if not deceptive.
"Captain... Soifon..." Tatsuki breathed the words out, almost in disbelief.
Captain Soifon: speed specialist, chief assassin, and all around no-nonsense chief of the stealth corps, which as far as Tatsuki could tell sounded like a lovely mix of the NSA, the CIA, and the KGB.
"Oh, shoot..." Orihime said, the gravity of the situation getting through to her.
"You are well informed." The little captain said, her voice perfectly neutral.
"Here's the rub, girls," said the vice-captain, taking the cigarette out of his mouth, "after you beat up that glory-hungry moron, you got tailed. We're not idiots in the stealth corps. You got far enough already, so..." He shrugged, as if the rest was self-explanatory.
"Enough chatter," said Soifon. "Ryoka, in the name of the Gotei and the venerable Captain-Commander Yamamoto, you are under arrest. Surrender any weapons you have, get down on the ground, and come in quietly. That is an order."
There was no mistaking her tone; she was expecting to be obeyed or else.
"Rukia needs us!" Orihime said firmly. "I'm sorry, Miss Captain, but we can't do that!"
"Orihime, that's a captain!" Tatsuki hissed out the corner of her mouth. "You know what they said!"
"Kuchiki Rukia?" the little captain said, sounding surprised. "That is your objective?"
"Could be they're lying," said the vice-captain.
"We'll find out in the interrogation room." Soifon said. "Get down on the ground, now. I won't say it again."
For a moment, Tatsuki struggled with what to do. Erza and Yoruichi had been completely unambiguous on what to do when encountering a captain: surrender, run, or die. No fighting them, period. Captain Soifon was small, looking harmless enough despite the cold look on her face, but even Tatsuki could feel the steady thrum of raw power radiating from her, well controlled. It was at ease now, and Tatsuki feared what it would feel like when it wasn't.
Orihime was, well, Orihime, but Tatsuki had her feet on the ground. Fighting wasn't an option. Then again, neither was running, against somebody as fast as their opponent. So, surrender. Yes, that was the sensible option. They couldn't win and they couldn't run, and as far as she recalled, it was safe enough to surrender to her... relatively speaking. She didn't want to imagine what the cells of second division were like.
But something stubborn inside her reared. Ichigo wouldn't have surrendered. That fact was plain as day. Even if it was impossible, even if the odds were unbeatable, you stood up and you stood tall. But what's the point of getting beaten up, maybe killed, when you could live and maybe find a way out later?
She wasn't sure of the answer to that. Principle, maybe? If so, it wasn't a very smart principle.
She wasn't even finished thinking when she realized that she was rushing forward, staff swinging for the hardest, most precise thrust she could manage. Fluidly, with movements speaking to assiduously practiced form, the captain dodged her attacks with frustrating ease, not even breaking a sweat.
"Sentry, subdue the other one," she said, her voice remaining as calm as ever.
"Got it, boss," the vice-captain said, and advanced on Orihime.
"Santen Kesshun, I-" Orihime began, but her incantation was cut short.
"Hado number one: Shou!" Sentry cried, and the kido slammed into Orihime's midsection, sending her flying. Tatsuki registered it happening, but was too caught up to do anything about it.
The captain had not yet done anything terrifying, but Tatsuki was still filling up with fear, growing like a tumour in her chest. She was completely unable to even lay a finger on her; it was like Yoruichi at her worst...
"The only reason I have not yet broken a few bones on you," said Soifon, as if reading her mind, "is because I recognize your form. It is... familiar. Where did you learn it?"
"None of your business!" Tatsuki snapped, sweat starting to trail down her face. What was she doing, treating a fight like an interrogation?
"The pattern..." Soifon said, sounding almost distracted. "It's very familiar. Almost unique, unless there is quite a coincidence here. I repeat: where did you learn? Who is your master?"
"Why don't you beat it out of me?" Tatsuki sneered, realizing the moment the words had left her lips that it had been a very bad idea to say it. But at this point, she was starting to feel nauseated. To be trapped like a rat, with no options, against a superior foe...
Orihime had time to get to her feet, at least. Her opponent had closed the distance ever so quickly, but seemed to be in no hurry to attack now that he was before her. She had been blown away at least forty meters, and she was surprised she hadn't passed out yet. She could see Tatsuki fight, and hoped she would be okay. Determinedly, she got to her feet, the staff materialising in her hand.
"Shun shun rikka," she said, taking a deep breath.
"Look," said Sentry, approaching her with a relaxed posture, "I need to-"
"Koten Zanshun!" Orihime cried, and the angry little sprite Tsubaki surged forward, intent on cutting their enemy in half. Sentry just dodged, stepped to the side, and moved forward.
"Will you just listen-" he started, but Orihime sent the sprite at him, again and again, forcing him to dodge, duck, evade. He did it brilliantly, but he was stopped from moving forward.
"For pity's sake!" he growled.
"Don't underestimate me!" Orihime shouted, with quite a bit more heart than she actually had.
"Oh, shut up," he said irritably. There was a shudder through the air, and suddenly he was gone. A second later he reappeared behind Orihime, an expert shunpo having taken him there. Quickly he grabbed the wrist of her right hand, where she was holding her staff, and clamped his other hand over her mouth, holding her firmly. Orihime squirmed, trying to break loose, but he was much stronger.
"Listen," he hissed into her ear, "I need to talk to you. Understood? Augh!"
Orihime had bitten the hand clasped over her mouth, stubbornly sinking her teeth into it. When he still held on, she continued to press and grind her teeth, intent on making life as hard as possible for her attacker.
"LISTEN!" The vice-captain snarled frustratedly, gritting his teeth with pain, "I need you to take a message to Erza Scarlet!"
Caught up in the moment, Orihime continued to bite and gnaw for several seconds, before the words sunk in. Surprised, she stopped her dental assault.
"I'm going to let you go now," he said irritably. "Do NOT try to fight me, or standards be damned, I'll knock you across the face so hard you'll feel it months from now. Understood?"
As best she could, her mouth still blocked, Orihime nodded. Slowly, the grip loosened, and he took a step back. Still suspicious, Orihime faced her attacker- or well, actually, come to think of it... she was the attacker here.
"You said... Erza Scarlet." Orihime said hesitantly, still far from convinced this was not a trick.
"Affirmative," Sentry said. He pulled a cigarette and a match from a pocket, then lit the cigarette. He shook the hand that had been bitten and grimaced. "Those are some damnable jaw muscles on you, girl..."
"You said Erza Scarlet," Orihime repeated. "What's going on here?"
"It's a long story," Sentry said evasively. "Short of it is, she saved my life once, in the most fundamental way possible, and I've been her friend ever since. Hell, when she went down for treason, I was the one that busted her out."
Orihime blinked. There was a lot she did not know about that time. Common sense, which had kicked in for a change, told her not to trust him- but at least to hear him out. It was better than fighting, at least.
"So... what do you want?" she said, frowning skeptically.
"I need you to tell Erza that Rod Sentry is the vice-captain of second division, and that he's doing his best to bring her some help she really, really needs." He said simply. "She'll know who I am."
"Rod Sentry, that's... you, right?" Orihime said, her skepticism extending a bit further than necessary.
"...Yeah," he said, taking a puff on his cigarette. "Can you do that for me?"
"And you won't trace us to find her?"
"Smart girl," Rod said. "No, we won't. 'Sides, the entire Gotei is up in arms. We'll probably find her before you. But if you do... tell her that."
Orihime nodded. "O-kay. But um, what about your captain?"
Rod made a face. "Working on it. I'll figure something out." Then, his posture relaxed, and his face came as close to lighting up as it could. "Actually... speak of the devil. I think it just solved itself."
Tatsuki did not even have time to register the first punch. One moment she was continuing futilely, trying and failing to hit the captain, and the next she was reeling back, feeling like she had been hit across the face with a sledgehammer. Blood ran from her nose, and she only barely managed to stay on her feet.
She hadn't seen the woman move. That was the most terrifying thing. She had been hit, hard, at such a speed that she couldn't even register it. What was that power? That skill?
The hit had been little more than a tap, as far as Soifon was concerned, but it was more than enough. This was what it meant to face a captain.
Seeing stars, the world spinning a little, Tatsuki still stood up with her staff held at the ready. Soifon gave her a look, almost curious, and took a step forward. Tatsuki did her best to stay alert, to be ready to counter an incoming attack, but it was entirely useless. Another jab hit her in the face, too fast to even see, and the captain waited just long enough for her to regain her balance before hitting again, slugging her in the chest. Blow after blow hit home, light and perfectly controlled, and Tatsuki was powerless to stop it. She was helpless, at the mercy of an enemy much too strong for her to handle.
If she had been able to think clearly, think at all, she would probably just have given up. She was outmatched, beaten and abused; she had tried and done her best, and failed. But there was no thinking, only what training had taught her body on an instinctual level: remain standing.
Another punch slammed into Tatsuki's jaw, somehow not breaking it, but she lost her footing at last, spinning around a full three-hundred and sixty degrees before falling over. Her arms trembling, she tried to stand up, raising her bleeding, confused head to face her attacker...
Then there was a blur, and Tatsuki first thought it was a hallucination. Something slammed into Soifon, and though the little captain put her arms up in a cross to block, she was flung into a wall.
"Can you stand?"
Tatsuki could barely focus her eyes, but she recognized the voice. Yoruichi.
Yoruichi had not wanted to be in this position. She had seen the ambush, although not in time to warn the two girls, and had watched from afar. Tatsuki had been badly outmatched.
The Shihoin Yoruichi that had once commanded the stealth corps, sent people to their deaths and prioritized the mission above all else, knew what to do. Soifon wasn't close to being serious, although she was curious enough to spend some time knocking Tatsuki around. The two girls would be subdued and brought to the second division barracks for interrogation. From there, Yoruichi could wait until nightfall and rescue them." They would have to endure a few hours of interrogation, which could very well be hellish, but they'd live.
But the other part of her, the one that simply thought of herself as Yoruichi the stray cat, thought differently. She did not want to tell Erza Scarlet that her adoptive daughter, and said daughter's best friend, had been beaten and tortured when it could have been stopped. Being honest with herself, she didn't want to let it happen at all.
Her reason told her to wait. Her heart told her to act. Any field operative would know which one was the more sensible choice. But then again, Yoruichi was no field operative...
Fairy Tail reformed. What a silly idea that had seemed at first. Yoruichi didn't carry the mark herself, but as she launched herself forward in an expert shunpo, she thought she might as well.
Soifon caught herself against the wall at the last moment and pushed back, landing smoothly on both feet only a little further back than where she had started. As the initial shock of the attack wore off and she got a first look at her enemy, it sunk in...
"You!"
She practically breathed the words, pure venom in her voice. Rage welled up inside her, a tide of hatred, and it was only her lifelong practice in self-discipline that prevented her from acting immediately. Traitor! Defector! Rebel!
"Can you walk?" skepticism said Yoruichi, keeping her eyes on Soifon.
"Jus'-jus' barely," Tatsuki said, groggy enough to slur her words. "Holy shit..."
"Get to Orihime. Now," Yoruichi said firmly. "I'll handle this."
Tatsuki had gotten to her feet, starting to stagger her way toward her friend, when Soifon made her first move. In an instant, she appeared behind Yoruichi, her short zanpakutou drawn, held alongside Yoruichi's neck.
"I've waited a long time for this," she said, her voice trembling with hateful excitement, "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" The blade changed,, morphing into a black-and-yellow stinger mounted on the middle finger of her right hand.
Well over a hundred years ago, Yoruichi had run. She had done what was necessary to save her best friend, and as time went on, she had found there were few things she missed about the Soul Society. The responsibility, the harsh realities of running the stealth corps, the corpses she had left in her wake, the unrelenting, unforgiving nature of the Gotei...
There were only a few things she missed. One of them was now trying to kill her.
A hundred years ago, she had run and never looked back for the sake of a friend, yet left another behind in doing so. She had left a little girl who worshipped the ground she walked on, with no other purpose than to live for her, behind. That little girl had grown up remarkably.
Although surprised by the absurd speed, Yoruichi reacted immediately, her body becoming a blur as she moved away, away from Soifon, away from danger. Not half a second later she reappeared further back, a wall to her back, keeping a keen eye on her opponent.
"As I would have expected from you," Soifon said coldly. Her focus was entirely on Yoruichi now; there was nobody else in her entire world. "Skilful. Fast."
"You've grown, little bee," Yoruichi said, with more casual ease than she really felt.
"More than you think," Soifon said with a satisfied, almost gleeful smirk. Yoruichi's eyes widened as she felt a stirring in her reiatsu, a disturbance of some kind. She looked down at her chest, where an oddly stylized pattern had appeared, four wing-like, symmetrical leaf-shaped symbols put together like the wings of a butterfly.
"Nigeki Kessatsu," Soifon said, a focused excitement burning in her voice. "Death in two hits. That is the power of my zanpakutou, Yoruichi. Anything stung twice by this will die, and nothing can fight that."
Yoruichi looked at her former student with surprise, almost shock. She had grown up, indeed. Not only was her form strong and well practiced, not only was her speed comparable to her own, but she had raised a zanpakutou just as lethal as herself. Yoruichi could not afford to take this lightly. She had been sure she had evaded any attack; she hadn't even sensed being stung...
"Cat got your tongue?" Soifon said. She pulled at her sash, smoothly undoing it and dropping her haori to the ground. She took a stance, standing before her in the stealth corps uniform, smooth, form-fitting, practical. Her eyes narrowing, Yoruichi took a stance as well.
There is little that compares, in the world of shinigami, to a battle between true masters of shunpo, the art of movement so fast that normal humans would perceive it as short-range teleportation. A second becomes an hour when a user's focus is strong enough. Every part of one's body becomes a conscious extension of one's will, rather than the bag of flesh people take for granted. To do battle at that speed is absolutely lethal, and the smallest mistake could lead to death, even for a being as sturdy as a shinigami.
Yoruichi had always had a natural affinity for it. She had always been talented, and had outstripped and outdone her mentor at a young age. To run, to run quickly, to move her body and know how every part of it needed to work at every movement... it had always made her feel alive. Run. Move. Strike. She had been known as the goddess of flash, because she would hit like a bolt of electricity- literally with that level of speed.
When Soifon surged forward, Yoruichi had no idea what to expect, but many, many decades of training kicked in, and she formed a plan. Move back. Run. Test her student's speed. See where she stood.
So when Soifon attacked, she ran, dashing up against a wall and running across the rooftops, dashing into alleys, doing her best to shake her pursuer. Soifon was, however, just as quick. Always just a step behind, she followed her former master with zealous determination. Yoruichi had to block more than a few attacks as she made her way away. In less than a minute, they had moved one, two, three kilometres from where they had started, each one appearing as little more than a blurred streak of colour.
Tatsuki had, somehow, staggered her way back to Orihime. She had no memory of it, but she had to have done that, because that shimmering shield was erected around her, rapidly curing what was most likely a serious concussion, along with bruises and broken bones. She still held on to her staff, which felt reassuring somehow.
She became aware, as she turned her head, that there was a shinigami there. It was the vice-captain from before, who had flung Orihime into a building. Gritting her teeth, Tatsuki raised her staff.
"Easy now," he said, holding his hands up. "I really don't want to have to beat it into you, too, that I'm not a threat."
"Hold still, Tatsuki," Orihime said. "I'm not finished yet."
"But..." Tatsuki objected.
"He's an ally," Orihime said, as if it were obvious. "Old friend of Erza's."
"What, you believe that?" Tatsuki muttered.
"I could have knocked you both out by now and taken you in," said Rod, and shrugged. "But here we are."
"So what do you want?" Tatsuki muttered.
"Just a message," he said, and shrugged again.
"He's helping. But like, from the inside. He's a secret agent. Sort of like The Departed, only with ninjas." Orihime said cheerily. "That would be an amazing movie, actually..."
"...Right." Rod muttered. "Just be sure to tell her I'll find her when the time is right. Erza still has friends in the Gotei."
"Can do!" Orihime said happily. "There, all done," she said, turning to Tatsuki. The shield dissipated, and Tatsuki flexed her arms, feeling recovered.
"So..." Tatsuki muttered, standing up, "what are you still doing here?"
"There's actually one thing I need from you," Rod muttered, and scratched his head. "You're gonna have to knock me out. Can't sell this to the captain if it looks like I didn't go through a scrap."
"Oooh, like a real spy!" Orihime said.
"I am a real spy," Rod said, sounding half-offended. "Anyhow, butch girl with staff, care to step up?"
"...sure." Tatsuki said, feeling a bit resentful of his description. Rod turned his back to her.
"Get on with it," he said, sounding less than pleased.
Tatsuki sighed, and shrugged. She raised her staff, letting her power surge, and slammed it into the back of his neck.
To her disappointment- not to mention Rod's- the vice-captain keeled over on one knee, groaning loudly. The hit had not been enough.
"Aaaauwh..." Rod growled, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is what I get for trusting rookies..."
"Want me to try again?" Tatsuki said.
"No, no, I'll play dead..." Rod muttered. "Just go, okay? Go. Get outta here before the rest of the corps shows up."
"If you say so," Tatsuki said. Rod lay down on the ground, pretending to have passed out.
"Seeya later, Mister Spy!" Orihime said cheerily. Tatsuki in tow, she went on her way into the Gotei.
Finally Yoruichi stopped, kicking Soifon in the chest to gain some distance between them. Her former student recovered neatly, regaining her balance well before she hit the ground. They had travelled across the Seireitei, back, and then some in their lightning-quick battle. Right now they were close to the fourth division, both of them having opted for the roofs. Soifon stood one building across, looking confidently at her former master, a singular purpose in her mind. Kill.
"You've really improved, little bee," Yoruichi said, all playfulness gone from her voice. In their chase, she had been stabbed another three times. Not only her chest now, but her face, her thigh, her gut, all of them sported the same butterfly mark. More times than she cared to count, Soifon had come within a hair's breadth of landing that fatal second hit.
Yoruichi had, in all honesty, been caught by surprise. She had kept busy in her time away, certainly. She had sparred with Erza on a regular basis. She had run. But she had forgotten what it was like to fight another martial artist, another speed expert, and Soifon had used that ruthlessly, whether intentionally or not. She had come a long way... she was almost at Yoruichi's level of skill. Almost.
"You've seen nothing yet," Soifon said. "You know why I discarded my haori, do you not?"
"That technique, eh?" Yoruichi said. That was interesting. She had only ever taught Soifon the very basics...
"Shunko!" Soifon cried, as her reiatsu surged. There were gusts of wind, as the environment reacted to the violent discharge of power, and the air crackled with the discharge of kido energy. Under her feet, the tiles of the roof cracked, several of the shards rising up into the air.
"My technique..." Yoruichi said quietly. "Of course you'd lose the haori. The excess energy vents from around the shoulders, shredding anything in the way..."
She had created it as the perfect combination of kido and close combat. Each punch could have the charge of a powerful offensive spell if you so wanted it to, without any incantations. It was the kind of innovative, brilliant thinking that had earned Yoruichi her reputation. Now, she faced it from somebody seeming just as brilliant as her.
"It'll shred you, too," Soifon said darkly. Instantly she was before Yoruichi, and like so many times before, Yoruichi avoided it only by a hair's breadth. There was a powerful gust of wind as Soifon threw her punch, enough to momentarily throw Yoruichi off balance. As the tiling, the very building itself shattered, she realized it was Soifon's personal style- wind was how her version of the technique manifested: wild, dangerous and powerful, controlled only by its user.
Quickly, Soifon slammed a kick into Yoruichi's midsection, and Yoruichi went tumbling. She recovered almost instantly, but it was enough for Soifon to come down with her stinger. Barely catching Soifon by the wrist just in time, she managed to stop it from reaching its target by sheer force, using both hands. She was pushed down to what was left of the roof, desperately trying not to die. However, with both hands occupied, she was left open, and Soifon slammed a fully powered punch into her gut. Yoruichi's eyes went wide as the air was pushed out of her lungs. Feeling her grasp slipping, she managed to at least slide the stinger to the side, making it miss its mark by several inches.
With extreme urgency, Yoruichi brought her legs up, still holding on to Soifon's wrist. Quickly, she locked them across her former students' torso, hoping to pin her. Soifon was wise to her intention, though, and with a quick move she discharged a strong blast of kido energy from her free hand, sending them both tumbling back. They both recovered quickly, Soifon following Yoruichi as she jumped to the next roof.
A fifth mark had manifested, on Yoruichi's side, overlapping scarily close to its nearest neighbour.
"I'll hit you eventually," Soifon said acidly. "It doesn't matter if it takes me all day, or all week. I'll kill you, no matter what it takes."
"You're right." Yoruichi said firmly. She had no choice. It was time to stop playing around. She had hoped to settle this more easily... but there was no defeating her former student without real effort, it seemed.
"Have you accepted your death, traitor?" Soifon said gleefully.
"No," Yoruichi said, and quickly pulled her shirt off, revealing a set of tight-fitting black clothes much like Soifon's underneath. She let her reiatsu rise, and there was a surge of lightning as her own shunko activated.
"Blow for blow," she said. "Let's settle this."
"I perfected it!" Soifon sneered. "Your form is inferior! I learned so much more than you ever could!"
"Then show me," Yoruichi said simply.
With an irritated grunt, Soifon charged forward, and in the span of a second, the two of them had exchanged perhaps a dozen kicks and punches. But Yoruichi was keeping up now, her lightning energy being more than powerful enough to match Soifon's wind. Without it, those punches could well have done serious damage...
But she kept up. More than that, as she started to do her best, she was outdoing Soifon.
As strong as the student had gotten, she was still Yoruichi's student. Against anyone else, she would have been utterly devastating... but Yoruichi had taught her. She knew that fighting style inside and out. As the fight went on, she found it simple to predict where the next punch or kick would be, blocking each one while finding the tiniest opening to return fire. Suddenly, she was the one driving Soifon back.
One solid punch landed, sending Soifon reeling back with blood running from her nose.
"How?" she said incredulously.
"You think you mastered my art?" Yoruichi said plainly. "I guess that would be my conclusion too, if I had no frame of reference. The goddess of flash; that's what they called me. I don't recall giving that title up."
Letting out an incomprehensible scream of frustration, Soifon jumped forward, stinger aimed at Yoruichi's chest. Reading her movement, Yoruichi let Soifon's arm move forward, then side-stepped so that it slid in between Yoruichi's arm and chest. Locking it in place with her arm, she swiftly delivered a punch to her student's throat followed by a jab to the face. Soifon staggered back, and Yoruichi jabbed her in her solar plexus, before following up with a vicious roundhouse kick to the face. Soifon collapsed, sliding down the roofside as she was practically sent flying.
Just before she could fall, Yoruichi moved, grabbing her by the wrist- the one holding the stinger, in particular, so as to not take any risks- and pulled her up.
Why she had done it, she wasn't sure. Soifon was not going to die from this little. She had just... moved.
Soifon stirred, looking oddly pitiful in this state; beaten, broken and bloody. Dirt smeared her face, mixing with little drops of blood, and Yoruichi felt a pang of sympathy. Something in her remembered that young, untrained little girl from so long ago...
"Why?" Soifon said, her voice little more than a whisper. She opened her eyes, looking up at Yoruichi. There were tears, Yoruichi realized, big and unrestrained, running down Soifon's cheeks. "Why? I just... I only wanted you to..."
Yoruichi stood up, letting go of Soifon's hand. She owed Soifon an explanation, and an apology. But right now, she had a job to do, and... however much she wanted to, she couldn't. Part of her was grateful to have an excuse not to.
"I'm sorry, Soifon. I really am. I... I'll talk to you later."
It wasn't much of a thing to say, really, but it was all she could think of. In a flash, Yoruichi was gone, leaving a broken-down Soifon sobbing on a roof.
As contact had finally been made, each one of their motley group of fighters engaging the forces of the Gotei Thirteen, Ichigo had sensed it. Not too clearly, but each one had flared up, then died down a few minutes later, each of the familiar signatures of his friends and family. He hoped it dying down had meant victory.
His mother, being a quincy, had felt it much more keenly. She had informed him that everyone was okay, for now, as far as she could tell. She had also decided that, being a quincy and therefore having some of the best tracking abilities in the group, she should check up on the others, perhaps bring them together again. After using some quincy technique to mend his injuries- or help them heal more quickly, he wasn't sure which- she had been on her way. It had pained her, Ichigo could see, but she had left him to go on ahead alone. He hadn't minded. If the others made it, then he should too.
It could only take so long before he was intercepted, though. As Ichigo came upon a square, a shinigami was waiting for him, wearing the badge of a vice-captain.
She was quite a looker. Dirty-blonde hair, full lips, and breasts larger than Erza's, displayed proudly in a generous cleavage and further emphasized by a decorative chain running down in between them, she was sure to turn heads wherever she walked. Ichigo did not let himself get distracted, though- he was a teenager, sure enough, but in here it was life and death and only an idiot would stop to ogle. Quickly, he pulled his sword from its sheath. The shinigami did the same. Holding her sword low, she said,
"Ryoka, you are under arrest. Surrender."
"Can't do that, sorry," Ichigo mumbled, and debated whether to pull his shikai out immediately. On the one hand, high ranking shinigami were tough as nails and required quite a bit of effort to beat, depending on who they were, as Ikkaku had proven. On the other hand, using too much power could tire him out, and would draw a lot of attention a lot more quickly. Better to stay cautious for now, test the waters. Ichigo rifled through his memory- this had to be vice-captain Matsumoto Rangiku, whom he remembered Erza had said was... capable, although not keen on violence.
She nodded. "I thought so."
There were no grand speeches or bold statements this time, just a soldier clashing with another, fast and hard. Ichigo stood taller, his reiatsu standing taller still, but it was apparent that Matsumoto was no slouch, herself. She closed the distance, and Ichigo had to block a swift cut aimed at his neck. When he tried to counter-attack, she was ready, dodging completely and following up with a stab, which only narrowly missed his chest as he hopped back.
Her style was well practiced, it seemed, and unfamiliar to Ichigo. She was fast, fast enough, and Ichigo struggled. He kept up, yes, in this rapid-fire exchange of blows, but she was nimble on her feet, and whenever he thought he had an opening, she danced out of the way. Irritably, Ichigo grunted. Vice-captains...
"Bakudo four: Hainawa!" Matsumoto cried, and from her extended hand, a bright yellow rope extended, surging toward Ichigo and starting to wrap around him. The kido was weak, doing little more than distracting Ichigo, but that was enough. His guard was down, as he struggled to break the lengths of magically conjured rope, and he was forced to hop back- somewhat awkwardly, as it had gained some hold on one of his legs as well. Her eyes on the prize, Matsumoto sped forward, blade raised.
"Damn it all!" Ichigo growled. "Cut the heavens, Zangetsu!"
His reiatsu spiked as his sword grew, and through sheer physical effort he ripped through the bindings, his sword now having grown into its massive, black form. Sensing the rise in power, Matsumoto halted her charge and put distance between the two of them with one skilful shunpo. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Ichigo took a stance, holding out Zangetsu.
"Nothing for it, then," Matsumoto said with a shrug. Holding out her own zanpakutou, she said,
"Growl, Haineko!"
The sword seemed to vanish, but Ichigo knew better than to take anything for granted. Looking carefully, he could sense it. He could feel it. There was a cloud of grey dust having formed by the blade, and following its master's direction, it came at him. Haineko. Ash Cat. Whatever it could do, he wasn't sure, but he was not keen to find out. Quickly he tried to put some space between him and the oncoming cloud, but it smoothly followed his movements, closing the distance. It surrounded him, despite his dash, and suddenly there was a sharp jolt of pain as there was a cut across his chest. Rangiku had moved the hilt of her sword, apparently directing it.
"Everything in Haineko is a small blade," she explained. "It allows me to cut wherever I want, at my leisure."
"That sounds familiar!" Ichigo shot back, still trying to outrun it.
"Maybe," Matsumoto said, and made another cut across his shoulder.
"Damn it!" Ichigo snarled. Letting his reiatsu surge, he decided to counter-attack; there was no sense in letting himself be hit over and over while just trying and failing to run away. Raising his blade, he let power charge into its length, and brought it down.
"GETSUGA TENSHO!" He snarled, and the moon-shaped blade ran through the air, straight at Rangiku. Momentarily pausing her attack, Rangiku used a shunpo to move out of the way, and Ichigo grunted with frustration.
But then, to his surprise, the cloud of ash retracted, returning back toward the hilt of the zanpakutou.
"You said 'Getsuga Tensho' just now, didn't you?" She said, looking at him strangely.
"Yeah?" Ichigo said confusedly, grateful not to have to endure the ash anymore; it had been like being stuck in a sandstorm made of glass shards.
"And your blade is named 'Zangetsu'." She said flatly.
"Yeah?"
"...Kid, where did you learn that?"
She sounded honestly curious, curious and surprised, as if her interest had been piqued. Not letting his guard down, Ichigo said, "Um. I sort of learned it from my zanpakutou?"
She shook her head.
"There's no way this is a coincidence."
"What is?" Ichigo said, more confused than ever.
"Just tell me one thing, okay?" Matsumoto demanded.
"Shoot," Ichigo said, quickly looking around him to check for shinigami reinforcements. Was this a trick?
"You don't happen to know a guy named Isshin?" She said. "Keeps a short beard sometimes? Likes to smoke sometimes? Makes corny jokes, acts like an idiot even though he isn't, lazes around and works only when he has to, brown hair and a happy-go-lucky attitude? Kind of a character?"
"...That's my dad." Ichigo said, feeling a sinking sensation as the realization hit. His dad had been involved with the Gotei, he knew that already.
"Oh, that son of a bitch!" Matsumoto snarled, putting her palm to her forehead in exasperation. "We're putting this fight on hold, young man!" She said it in an impressively commanding tone, not unlike Ichigo's mother when she was putting her foot down, and as her sword sealed he realized that- luckily- they wouldn't be trying to kill each other. For the moment.
"Son of a bitch?" he said curiously.
"I knew something was off!" Matsumoto said angrily. She sheathed her sword, seemingly so she could ball both fists at once. "That sneaky, stupid, irresponsible, careless, idiotic..."
At first Ichigo thought that eventually she'd run out of adjectives, but it seemed Matsumoto Rangiku was quite the poet when it came to insults.
"...thoughtless, moronic, backwards, brain-relieved, irresponsible- I said irresponsible already, didn't I? Shoot! That complete and utter bastard-"
"Um, er," Ichigo said, more puzzled than ever, "not to rain on your parade of... impressive insults, but uh... mind telling me what the hell is going on?"
"Oh." Matsumoto said, as if she had just registered he was there. "Well. Boy! You're in for a treat, oh yes you are."
"Okay..." Ichigo said, doubting the treat would be very enjoyable.
"Your dad is Shiba Isshin," Rangiku said, anger still boiling in her voice. "Listed as KIA. He was the head of the Shiba clan, and captain of tenth division. Meaning, you're actually inheritor to a noble clan. Congratulations, kid!"
"Um-" Ichigo tried, but she was not quite done.
"That complete moron was in charge of my division back in the day. His zanpakutou was named 'Engetsu'. The Getsuga Tenshou was his signature move. Then, one day he vanishes in Karakura town under mysterious circumstances. Erza Scarlet- who I presume you're here with- reported him as killed in action. I always thought- I always knew something felt off, but all this time he's what, been knocking up human women and... I mean, how is that even possible? How are YOU even possible?" She sounded both exasperated, baffled and angry all at once.
"Um." Ichigo tried. "I... don't know a whole lot. I know dad used to be involved with you people somehow, but he's got no powers now. My mom's a quincy. How I'm possible... actually, I'd rather not think about that part. Obviously I am, so..." He shrugged awkwardly. He felt a little shocked, his mind only starting to process this. His father, a captain? Nobility, of all things? And a deserter? This... would require some straightening out once he got home.
Frustratedly, Matsumoto pulled at her hair, grumbling. "That huge, big, enormous, gargantuan idiot..." She looked at Ichigo. "It was you that got Rukia's powers, wasn't it? That's way too big of a coincidence not to be."
"...Yes." Ichigo said. "Kind of an accident, but... yeah."
"And so you're here to rescue here," Matsumoto said, drawing a deep sigh. "Sure. That makes some level of sense."
"So... do we still fight?" Ichigo wondered. He had lowered his sword during her rant, but not let go of it quite yet.
She energetically shook her head. "No, no fighting. You're coming with me."
"You already tried to arrest me," Ichigo reminded her.
"No, you don't get it," Matsumoto said. "You've got noble blood. The Shibas aren't as big of a deal as they used to be, but you still have rights. You can negotiate."
"I... really?" Ichigo said. It could be a trick, but you'd have to be a hell of an actor to throw that kind of fit and then drop all that information. A peaceful solution hadn't occurred to him. Well... well, why not? At worst, it'd buy him a few moments of peace while he planned his next move.
"Yes, really!" Matsumoto snapped. "This changes everything, you stupid boy! I mean- sorry. It's your father I'm angry with. You're... all right, I suppose."
"Um... and I wouldn't be attacked?"
"Not while you stick with me." Matsumoto said. "Come on- we'll head to tenth. My captain is a big stick in the mud, but he'll hear you out."
"...All right then." Ichigo said quietly. He sealed his sword. It was worth a shot, at least.
Perhaps it was the all-encompassing chaos. Perhaps it was the fact that Erza was strong, fast, and experienced. Perhaps it was the fact that even after two decades, she knew most of the Gotei like the back of her hand. Perhaps it was all of these rolled up in a bundle. Whatever the reason, Erza was the first to reach the stairwell leading to the central holding cell of criminals awaiting judgement in the Gotei- the Senzaikyu, the great tower that suppressed power and left its inhabitants weak.
Ahead of her were two things. The first was the stairwell itself, and the veritable labyrinth of tall pillars surrounding it.
The second was a shinigami.
She had sensed him from afar, and easily at that. His reiatsu blazing with controlled rage, grown and developed since last she had felt it, but still as familiar as could be, Abarai Renji barred her path. As he came into vision, she slowed her run to a jog, which slowed to a walk, which slowed to a crawl.
She remembered her encounter with Izuru just hours earlier- the guilt she had felt, and the sheer, raw anger and frustration he had thrown her way. He had controlled his until she had beaten him, but Renji... she had felt his anger from four-hundred yards away. Determinedly, she forced herself to put one foot in front of the other, but it was still like wading through tar. Izuru had been her student. Renji... he and Momo both had been something more than that. Renji, she had cared for and guided when he was vulnerable, feeling lost, and she had taught him personally how to fight, how to look at the world.
Of course he was angry. It didn't matter that he had been duped, that she was in the right, because part of her still felt guilty as if she had really wantonly abandoned him.
Twenty yards now. She could see his face, twisted into a mask of grim rage, just barely controlled.
Ten yards. He pulled out his zanpakutou, and Erza stopped, looking him in the eye. She could see the hate, the fury, and something inside her wanted to cry.
"Sensei." Renji said.
"Renji." She said back.
"Is that all you've got to say for yourself?" Renji snarled. "No speeches about how wrong I am? No justifications for what you've done? Not even an excuse?"
Erza shook her head. "Renji, I do not want to hurt you..."
"I know what you did earlier," He said bluntly. "Beat Izuru senseless with your fists alone. You got stronger. I don't expect I can win."
"Then why are you here?" Erza said, grateful to have something else, anything at all, to talk about.
"Because somebody once taught me that you do the right thing no matter what. Even if the odds of success are at the far end of a googol, even if you can't win, you stand up and fight. My captain's not here to stop you. I'll just have to do."
"Even if you die?"
"Cut my head off, and another will take my place," Renji spat. "Maybe you were lying when you told it to me, maybe you weren't, but the spirit of loyalty to your own is real, and worth dying for."
He really had grown, not just in power but into a man, into a leader. The Renji she had left behind was young, inexperienced, hot-headed and cocky. The Renji who stood before her now was principled, strong, and though he was the same old Renji, he also was not, in a very fundamental way.
"I'm proud of you," she said.
"I'm disgusted," he said.
Something inside Erza broke. Her old student, that young man who had once been lost and guided by her... she could not bear to fight him. She had come back to the Soul Society knowing on some level that she might have to, but here in the moment, she couldn't. Because he was still Renji. Because she still loved him just as much as she loved all her friends. Clenching her fists, she took a step forward.
"Howl, Zabimaru," Renji said, and ran his free hand down the length of the blade. The zanpakutou changed shape, familiar enough, and he raised it up in a combat-ready stance. Erza took another step.
"Draw your damn sword!" he growled.
Erza took another step.
"Draw your sword and fight!" he cried out, his anger starting to spill over. "Show at least that much goddamned respect!"
Erza took another step.
"I won't hold back!" he shouted. "I'll kill you, traitor!"
Erza took another step. She was almost within striking distance now.
"Damn it all!" Renji cried, and raised his sword. With a powerful strike, he cut up and down, at her shoulder. Just as it impacted, she let her reiatsu surge, but she did nothing else, standing perfectly still. Zabimaru hit clean into her right shoulder, just beside her neck. She felt a sharp jolt of pain as one of its spikes buried itself in her flesh, and she grit her teeth.
But, as a little blood seeped from her shoulder, there was no next strike. Renji seemed paralysed, holding on to the hilt of his zanpakutou as if in a cramp, staring into her eyes with a mixture of rage, surprise, and a look as if he'd seen something incomprehensible.
"What the hell..." he said, his eyes wide. "Fight... back, damn it!"
Gingerly, Erza grabbed Zabimaru's blade with one hand, and lifted it off her shoulder, wincing a little as the spike exited. She dropped it, and Renji let it fall to the ground.
"What the hell are you doing?" he said, sounding just confused.
Erza looked at him, and then her expression hardened as she raised her hand and landed a solid slap across his face. It was hard enough to send him reeling back, but Erza did not follow it up with another attack. As he recovered, sword raised, she cried out,
"Abarai Renji, what in the world do you think you're doing?!"
"You're an enemy!" he cried out, his fighting spirit interrupted, sounding more befuddled than battle-ready. "This is what I'm supposed to do-"
"What in the hell went wrong with you, that you attack somebody who isn't even using a weapon? Without even trying to arrest them first? Did I teach you to be a murderer, Abarai Renji?!"
Erza spoke from the heart, but it was very much a strategy. She did not want to fight him. She wanted him to remember Erza, the teacher, speaking to him with authority. For now, it seemed to be working.
"You- you betrayed us!" Renji snapped. "You betrayed all of us, and, and, and you left us behind! Do you have any idea what we went through?"
A tear found its way down Erza's cheek, followed by another within seconds. "Do you think I would do that if I didn't have a reason?" She shouted the words, loud and angry, her voice booming across the empty space. "Do you really think I'd leave you, my beloved students and friends, behind like this if there wasn't a good reason to do it? Have you forgotten everything I was to you? Because I sure as hell have not!"
"But- but they were lies!" Renji shouted back. "There was evidence!"
"Renji!" Erza said, putting a firm hand on his shoulder and squeezing it, "look me in the eye and tell me you believe it. Do you?!"
"I..." Renji said, wavering. "What the hell am I supposed to believe, huh? You were gone for twenty years, and..."
"Your head is all screwed up," Erza said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm right here, right now, and I came to rescue Rukia. Your best and oldest friend! Why the hell aren't you trying to do the same?"
"Rukia!" He was almost breathless as he said it, and Erza knew her comment had hit home. "You can't be serious..."
"Yes, Rukia!" Erza snapped. "Somebody has to do something. It should be you, but it isn't."
"But it's the law! She- she was sentenced to death..."
Erza looked Renji firmly in the eye. "Renji," she said, "I am going to keep going now. I am going to move forward, get to the Senzaikyu, and get her out. She'd do it for me. I'm going to go, and my back is going to be turned. You're free to cut me down from behind. I won't stop you. I'm sure you can find some crack in my armour. But if you're the man I think you are, you'll fall in right next to me, because we want the same thing! And if you're not..." She shrugged.
"You'd die." Renji said.
Erza just gave him a look, then wiped her tears quickly. She stepped beside him and took one step, followed by another. She held her breath as she started walking. Would he? Surely not...
But one never knew. Going by one's instincts was, she knew, not always the wisest thing, but her heart told her it was the way to go.
Then, to her relief, Renji jogged past her, his sword sealed and sheathed, and put himself in her path. His voice calmed- relatively speaking- he put both hands on her shoulders, and said, "You've got some explaining to do. If I'm going to turn my back on the Gotei, I need at least that much."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "All right..." she muttered. Not the whole truth. Too complicated, and it would take too long. "In a nutshell?"
"Sure," he said and nodded.
"I'm not innocent in all this," Erza said, and took a deep breath, "but I'm not guilty like they say, either. There's a conspiracy going on in the Gotei, and Rukia has somehow ended up in the middle of it. Three captains are traitors, Renji, and the man leading them is..." She hesitated. Could she tell him?
"Who?"
"You won't believe it."
"Try me." Renji said firmly. "'Cause I ain't going another step till I know."
"The man who leads the conspiracy, to overthrow the Gotei and create a new order, the man who conspires with hollows and plans to end the world as we know it... is Aizen Sousuke."
Renji flinched. "You kidding me? That guy is-"
"A total boy scout," Erza said and nodded. "Nobody would ever suspect him of anything. He took great pains to make sure of that."
"But... how do you know?"
Again, Erza took a deep breath. "I was one of his lackeys," she said simply. "Didn't understand what I signed up for. When I did, I wanted out, and the next thing I know I'm being arrested for treason. I... the Gotei must change, Renji. Fundamentally. But not his way. Not with murder and tyranny. I'm a defector, but I did not leave you all behind as a betrayer."
"This... makes no sense," Renji mumbled. "Fuck me..."
"Focus." Erza said. "We're rescuing Rukia, remember?"
"Yeah... sure," he said, seeming to take comfort in that one, simple point. "Rukia. I... I can't say I believe any of this. But, um... it's like you said. We want the same thing."
Erza nodded. "We do. For now, I need you to head over and find the ryoka. They need a helping hand. Look for Ichigo- bright kid, a bit cocky and hot-headed like you. Shinigami robes, and a mop of red hair. You won't miss him."
"Hang on," Renji protested. "Aren't we supposed to... I dunno, rescue Rukia?"
"I'll handle that," Erza said. "We have a plan. Right now, you're more useful from the inside."
"But..."
"Renji, what you have to ask yourself is: do you trust me?" she said, sternly looking him in the eye.
"Fuck..." Renji muttered. "Y'know, every logical part of my brain tells me not to. It's insane. Don't make sense. But..." He shook his head, and exasperatedly threw his hands up in the air. "I do. Somehow. It doesn't make sense, but I do."
Erza nodded. "Then, go. We'll get Rukia out, and..."
"Then what?"
"Haven't figured that part out yet." Erza admitted. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Renji grinned, despite himself. "You haven't changed much, have ya?"
"Not enough, no," Erza said with a smile. "Go on. We've wasted enough time."
"...Okay." Renji said hesitantly. "Damn it all..."
The two of them looked at each other one final time, then parted ways, Renji heading back toward the divisions, and Erza into the heart of the Gotei itself. The Senzaikyu was waiting for her.
Aizen had a natural affinity for the cerebral, in much the same way a fish had a natural affinity for swimming. To plan, scheme and control was where he excelled. It was for this exact reason that he enjoyed the occasional hands-on task; to work with his hands was a strong reminder that power was multifaceted, that although knowledge was power, so was strength, ingenuity, state of mind, and how one chose to apply it.
At this particular moment, his attention was focused on a corpse doll. In the morning he would 'die', ruthlessly slain by evil ryoka, and it would only further the chaos of the Gotei and free his hands to focus entirely on steering the events of the coming day exactly where he needed them to go.
The doll was not just an abstract reminder of the nature of power, but a specific reminder of the limits of his zanpakutou. He could create perfect illusions over time, but maintaining them would be taxing, particularly if they were far away and well out of his sight. His 'corpse' would be subject to close scrutiny. Unohana Retsu herself, the Gotei's foremost medical expert, would likely be called upon to conduct an autopsy. Mere illusion would make it crack at the seams once she touched the 'corpse' only to realize that however much her eyes told her there was a dead body on her table, however much her sense of touch told her there was dead flesh there, something would seem... off.
It had been an enjoyable challenge, knowing this, to create an appropriate substitute. It had taken him well over a year to grow it, using a solution of reishi-rich proteins to create a rubbery mass, whose spiritual signature was identical to his own. It would behave like a shinigami's body when cut. There would be bodily fluids flowing when it was sliced open. It was not a perfect copy of a shinigami body- although that would have been a fascinating project- but it was more than enough for his illusion to do the work it needed to.
His eyes narrowed, he lay out the finishing touches, like a sculptor chipping away the smallest details of a statue. It was gruelling work, but Aizen enjoyed it- to craft something perfectly into small detail was his forte, after all.
His mind wandered as he let his scalpel shape the doll much like a potter moulding his clay. Events had, naturally, played out exactly as he had expected them to. Erza and her crew had gotten inside, and because of the zealous adherence to outdated military doctrines, which made the divisions resemble feudal fiefdoms more than a unified military complex, they had come quite far inside. They had proven surprisingly adept at dealing with even highly ranked officers, but then again, they had come alongside her... and she was remarkable, after all. Through strength, and the incompetence of their enemies, her group had done well.
Naturally, it would all be for naught. If the Gotei's own failed- and he doubted even they were that incompetent- then he had contingencies in place. They would not take Rukia. If they did, if the worst came to pass, he would simply have her killed and extract the device manually.
It amused him. To see the Gotei, in its bloated arrogance, be taken down a peg was a pleasing thing in and of itself, but to think that the shock that would come mere days from then would make this brazen invasion seem like nothing, that thought made Aizen almost want to hum with cheer. They were backward, as prideful as they were ignorant, and before long they would reap what they had sown.
Of course, there was little Momo. He had felt her outburst earlier quite keenly, and it had surprised and even impressed him, in a small way. He had paid a little attention to her low-key studies in the Rukongai, even going so far as to shield her from prying eyes, chiefly because seeking new knowledge in the face of an obstructive establishment was an admirable idea. It was petty magic, certainly, but it had felt less petty than he expected. She had come far indeed, working hard to achieve power...
As blinded and weak as she was, he found it amusingly admirable. She sought rebellion, much like he did, and had gone against the rules, much like he had, and she was prepared to throw it all away for something that mattered enough. She was like an adorable little caricature of himself.
But most of all, Erza had intrigued him. She had not truly been tested yet, and he looked forward to seeing that- in fact, if there was time, he decided he would see it for himself. She had bankai, he knew, and as hard a worker as she was, with twenty years in exile... she should be something worth seeing, at least. How would she fare against the elegance, grace and skill of Kuchiki Byakuya? Or the lethal speed of Soifon, the chief assassin? Or the raw, intimidating might of a berserker like Zaraki Kenpachi?
Aizen was cerebrally attuned, but the martial was a fascinating subject as well. She had a remarkable talent for making friends, too- already, two vice-captains were ready to defect to her side: Momo and Renji.
If she had power close to his own, she would be a rival he would have to crush without fail. Beneath him as she was, she looked quite like a well-meaning, delusional mirror of himself: intent on challenging the corrupt status quo, to take on the giants, give everything a good shake and make a difference. It was impractical and impossible, but an interesting reminder of the importance of everything that made him superior. Intelligence. Wisdom. Planning. Strength. Foresight. Knowledge.
The Gotei would know why they mattered soon enough, and so would she.
At fifth, Momo was dealing with some considerable angst. Her first instinct had been to run away, immediately and with speed, to find Erza. Logic had prevailed, however, as had a sense of duty. Logically, it made no sense to just run away without any clue of where she was, without a plan, no matter how much Momo wanted to. More importantly, Momo still had a job to do. Her captain had returned, but he had promptly shut himself in his office after a quick overview of the situation, no doubt doing some very important work, leaving the practicalities to Momo. He had praised her efforts, which would have made Momo's heart soar if it hadn't been for... well, her life's dream having come true.
She wanted to go to Erza and never leave. But she couldn't just leave her soldiers behind, alone and unguided. She had a duty, and although Momo was fully ready to cast aside the Gotei if she had to, she couldn't just leave them leaderless at a chaotic time like this. Erza wouldn't have done that.
So, she had tried, and almost succeeded, to bury herself in enough work that she would forget about it. It wasn't as if there was nothing to do- the chaos her powers had wrought on the division premises had meant some emergency stabilising efforts, a head count, a redistribution of space to account for the purpose the destroyed buildings had served- which at this point resulted in half the division sharing bunks with the half that hadn't had theirs wrecked- and an inventory of what had been lost and what hadn't, not to mention constant military alert, transfer of the imprisoned ryoka to the second division's arrest...
There had been a thousand and one things to occupy her mind, and Momo had done her very best. But as hard as she had worked, try as she might, the massive impact of the news she had received would not leave. Now a little less overwhelmed with joy, she wondered at Captain Kyoraku's words. They had been strange, oddly specific, and though Momo was no politician, she wasn't unable to read between lines. He had to have known what impact such news would have on her. Think carefully on what you do next, vice-captain...
It wasn't exactly a secret, how Momo felt about Erza. After the first few years, she had kept a lid on it, keeping all of it as low-key as she could, but all of her friends- which included quite a few vice-captains- knew. For all she knew, so did all the captains as well. But it had been he who came there, and he'd told her to be careful. Not to remember her place as a loyal soldier, or to frighten her with what happened to traitors, but to be... careful.
What did that mean? Was he... was he a potential ally? Did he believe like she did? The thought was almost impossible; Kyoraku Shunsui was one of Yamamoto's own pupils, and the more powerful one of the two at that. Then again, he was also the more quote-unquote rebellious one of the two.
What if it was a lure? A trick? No... That, too, seemed odd. That sort of entrapment could perhaps be expected from the stealth corps, but it was not Captain Kyoraku's style.
Momo shook her head. No sense in getting stuck on this. She would be careful, but no matter what, she would act. She would not let this slip. She would have eyes on her, she realized, and if she got caught, she would be imprisoned. If she was tried for treason, she might well be executed. The thought frightened her, but did nothing to phase her determination. Some things were worth dying for.
Tomorrow, she decided. It was already well into the afternoon, the night looming over them, and as far as she could tell, nobody except her had yet managed to detain a ryoka, let alone Erza herself. She would last the night. Then, in the morning, she would find an excuse to join the hunt, and then work from there. It was not the most complicated or best laid of plans, but it was as good a start as she would get.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, when the captain had taken active command again, when things had settled down a bit, Momo would start her own search. She would find Erza, and then...
...Then, she'd figure out what to do next.
Momo was a very dedicated learner, and a capable leader, but she was not much of a schemer.
Well, I dont think any of you saw some of that coming. We figured that we could do a bit more with Soifons problem with Yoruichi, so we've decided to bring that forward sooner than later. I know that in the canon version Soifon learned shunko herself, but we're taking some creative liberty's here.
In particular however, i was really looking forward to Ichigo vs Rangiku. She's not just a very attractive woman, Rangiku is a very powerful vice captain and i figured she would make for a good fight for Ichigo, since until the final arc, Ichigo has never really, truly fought a female enemy.
However, the REAL reason behind it was to have her assist in all this. After seeing Isshin use the Gestuga tenshou ive always found it so weird that NONE of the other soul reapers even question Ichigo having the same move. That's...like, REALLY suspicious. So Rangiku, being Isshins Vice captian, would know about The Getsuga tenshou more than anyone else. She would question it.
The result is her helping him out. The fact is, Ichigo is part of a noble family. In canon, nothing was really done with it. Here though? I say why not. Now dont worry, im not going to go nuts and make him the leader or some shit. He's still in high school, and he still has a life to live...I just figured it would be best to do SOMETHING with it. If not for the fact Aizen was behind all of this, Rangiku's idea COULD work.
Finally, we have Renji. We've planned this from the very beginning. Out off all of Erza's friends and students, the ones she's had the closes relationships too were Momo and Renji. Momo never lost faith. Renji did yes...but it took years for that to happen. He's always WANTED to believe in her, and now that shes here to explain things, and save Rukia (And lets be honest, her getting executed is NOT normal) it makes perfect sense for him to go over to her side.
I really hope these are decisions that you enjoy. Its very risky to change things up like this i realize, but id rather be different and unique than just do the same thing as canon.
Please, do tell us what you think in our reviews. Im very curious to know if you all like the changes and additions we've made to this arc. More are to follow, i assure you.