First of the month, time for a new chapter! Technically this was supposed to be up yesterday, but eh, its only a day late. No real harm done. Now this is a chapter that ive been waiting a very long time for. I'm sure all of you are going to enjoy it as well. How sure? Well, lets not waste anymore time and get right to the main event.
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Ichigo blinked.
"What?"
Yoruichi gave him a look. "I said you need to learn bankai."
"Yes, I heard you," Ichigo said, shaking his head, "it's just that I remember aunt Erza making it very clear that it's the pinnacle of shinigami skill and not something I should even think of before I've mastered the basics. Because it would be like trying to burst into a sprint before you know how to walk. Because it takes actual decades to achieve. Now's not the time to make jokes."
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Yoruichi said. Her face was even, expressionless, free of the cheer that so often came with it. "There is a way. We need it. It's something of a plan B, but it's necessary."
"How?" Ichigo said incredulously.
"We don't have time for a history lesson, so I'll keep it brief. Back in the day, I was a captain. So was Kisuke. He is the original founder of the science division of the Gotei."
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that..." Ichigo muttered. It made some sort of sense. Urahara Kisuke was both crafty and strong, and it had to have come from somewhere.
"He's difficult and arrogant, but he is a bona fide genius. He devised a method of achieving bankai early, albeit at some risk. As far as I know, he was the first person to ever manifest his zanpakutou artificially."
"So how-" Ichigo started, but they were interrupted, as they both sensed them coming. Erza and Masaki, short of breath, sped in through the cave, looking like they had pushed themselves quite a bit getting here.
"Mom! Erza!" Ichigo cried out, relieved to see them both unharmed.
"So this is the rendezvous point, huh?" Erza said. "I'd never have found it if you hadn't given me directions. I guess you weren't full of it when you said you had a proper hideout."
"I'm many things, but not a liar," Yoruichi said smoothly.
"Ichigo!" Masaki called out, and quickly ran to her son. Ichigo did not resist as she caught him in a hug.
"So from here, I guess we take a moment to breathe, and find a new strategy," said Erza.
Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. The first part of it is already in motion."
"Huh?" Said Erza.
"I'm supposed to learn bankai," Ichigo said, gently easing himself out of his mother's grip.
"Absolutely not!"
The cry was simultaneous, from both Erza and his mother at once, both seeming equally as outraged.
"It's way too dangerous!" Masaki exclaimed.
"It is!" Erza concurred. "And he is certainly not ready. When you told me about that technique, I didn't even believe you. Are you serious, Yoruichi?"
"Dead serious," Yoruichi said firmly. "Look at us. What have we accomplished so far? It's a miracle that only two of us have been captured as of yet. We need another captain-tier fighter."
"That is not his cross to bear!" Erza said, her tone heated.
"He is not a child, Erza," Yoruichi retorted, "he stopped being a child the moment you took him with you on a life-and-death rescue mission. He's a soldier. He needs this strength."
"He is a child!" Masaki all but snarled, "and you can't just throw him into some dangerous shinigami technique because you're desperate!"
The three of them began to argue, and Ichigo could sense their tones getting more and more heated. Yoruichi, presenting pragmatic arguments of necessity; Erza and his mother protectively objecting to each one. This was crazy. He took a deep breath.
"Shut UP!" He shouted. The three women blinked, suddenly falling quiet.
"You know it's me this is about," Ichigo said, "so why don't I have a say in it?"
"Ichigo, you're too young-" his mother began, but Ichigo cut her off.
"Yoruichi isn't wrong, mom. You can't keep acting like I'm a kid, not right now. There's no time for it. I'm a... soldier. A warrior. Whatever you wanna call it, that's what I am, right now."
Quickly, before she could object, he turned to Erza.
"Aunt. Are you absolutely sure it's impossible?"
"Of course," Erza said quickly, "gaining bankai isn't something you do overnight. You could wind up hurt, or set back your development with your zanpakutou, or worse!"
"Do you know anything about the method?" Ichigo said sharply.
"Well..."
"No offence, aunt, but we could at least hear her out, then," Ichigo said, and turned to Yoruichi.
"Can I do it?"
"Yes," Yoruichi said firmly, "it's going to be hard- harder than anything you've ever done- and dangerous, and it might very well fail, but if you let me, I can help you gain bankai in no more than three days. That should give us just enough time to make one last attempt at saving Rukia."
"How big are the risks?" Ichigo said, nodding along.
Yoruichi sighed. "I'm not going to lie- I don't actually know. You might die, or nothing at all might happen. At the least, you're bound to offend your zanpakutou. None of them are keen on being forced out. The training is simple enough. You stab your sword into this device I've got, and your zanpakutou is forced to materialize. From there on, you have three days to beat it into submission."
Ichigo nodded. "Okay. Sounds doable."
"Ichigo, don't," Erza said firmly, "we're in the middle of a mission, and we can't just-"
"Can't just what, aunt?" Ichigo said bluntly, "Yoruichi is right. We're getting our asses kicked. This place is full of strong-as-hell people. I got to start pulling my weight, or it won't work. With you, me, mom, Yoruichi... with every one of us together, if we're all strong and play it smart, we might just be able to make it work. Can you honestly tell me we don't need another bankai?"
"I..." Erza said hesitantly, and it was obvious she wanted nothing more than to continue protesting, "well, the thing of it is..."
"You're in charge, aunt," Ichigo said, "so if you say no, I won't do it. But stop and think. We made some progress, but it wasn't enough. So I'm asking you: yes or no?"
"No, of course!" Masaki said quickly, looking at Erza.
Erza herself groaned, and looking conflicted, she stood silent for a while.
"Does it work?" She said, looking at Yoruichi.
"Kisuke did it on himself," she said, and shrugged, "it's not some hastily thrown together experimental procedure. Yes, it does work. It takes exceptional strength and fortitude of will for the user, but I believe Ichigo has what it takes."
Looking agonized, Erza stared at Ichigo.
"I took you all into a war zone..."
"And we didn't know what that meant," Ichigo said and nodded, "none of us could. But it was still our choice. Now, we need to see it through to the end. I've risked my life for Rukia more times than I can count these last couple days- what's one more?"
Erza sighed. "I can't doubt your spirit, at least. I'll... have faith in you. You're still a kid, though." She said the last part with a smile.
"If this ends up hurting him, I'm coming for you both," Masaki said, glancing at Yoruichi.
"Was that a yes?" Ichigo said with a grin, having expected it to be harder.
"Get started before I change my mind," Erza grumbled. "Rest and recover some first, though. Me... I'll have to go out again. I'll see if I can find Orihime. Alone."
Ichigo made a fist, and turned to Yoruichi. "Well, it seems we got an agreement, then."
Momo hadn't quite managed to make a decision just yet. She had started up slowly, doing some paperwork- a laughably trivial chore at a time like this, but doing something rather than nothing felt crucial at this time.
Erza. The division. Erza or the division. It had to be one of the two, and soon. Frustratedly, she dipped her pen in an inkwell, sitting by the table in her office, and filled out another form.
"Vice-captain?"
Standing in the doorway was one of the division's higher ranked officers, fifth seat Takada. She looked a bit nervous, and Momo couldn't blame her.
"Yes, Takada?" She said, making an effort to sound calm.
"There, er, we searched... his office."
Momo clenched her pen tighter.
"We had to, for um, evidence," Takada continued, "second division will likely take over the investigation soon, but we figured..."
Momo nodded. "Yes?" She said, straining to keep her voice calm.
"We found a letter. Addressed to you, vice-captain," Takada said urgently, "it should probably be evidence, but... it only seemed right you should get to read it first. It's from the captain to you, after all."
Momo flinched as the fifth seat spoke, unable to contain herself. A letter? To her?
"That's... kind of you," she said, her voice trembling, "please leave it on my desk."
Takada nodded, quickly walked in, and dropped a small envelope as if it were white-hot. Quickly, she walked out again, with nothing more than a hasty bow to acknowledge Momo.
Momo stared at it. In this little piece of paper, white with a slightly yellow tint, was her captain's last words to her. It had to have been important. There was no other reason he'd have left her a letter, not unless he knew he was about to face his fate. For a minute, she simply stared at it, clenching her fists. She wanted to read it, yet at the same time, she was afraid of what it might say. Then, getting over herself, she snatched the letter up with a jerk of her arm, fumbling a bit with its seal before managing to pry it open.
Breathlessly, she unfolded the letter, and held it up. Slowly, she started to read. Her jaw began to drop.
Dearest Hinamori,
If you read this, I am dead. I write this to you as you lie asleep, knowing full well this may be my last night in life. With no time to waste, I will say what needs to be said. Erza Scarlet is my responsibility, and she always has been. Even as her captain, I saw the warning signs, and I never acted upon them. I never wanted to convince myself she could be less than the heroic, upstanding figure she was to the public. Yet underneath that surface there lay a different Erza, one deeply miserable and malcontent, wanting so much more out of the world than the Gotei could give her. She was a dreamer, and the world crushed those dreams, and it drove her to greater and greater extremes. I tried my very best to guide her right, but I was ultimately unsuccessful. Now, she has invaded our beloved Thirteen Court Guard Divisions, bringing with her a master assassin and arch-traitor. Her intent cannot be considered benevolent anymore. I believe I have located her, and I will try one last time to appeal to peace, to sanity, to what is right. If I fail, I may well die, fallen into a trap. I stake my very life on this, that I can reach out to her and end this madness before anybody gets killed. If you read this, if I have died, then you must know this: Erza Scarlet is beyond redemption. She or her associates have slain me, as they would slay anybody else who got in their way. She is lost to madness, and it will fall on you to resist. It will fall on you, and the rest of the Gotei, to stand up for what is right and put an end to her rampage of destruction.
It is with great sorrow that I put this burden on your shoulders, dearest Hinamori. I have always seen in you the potential for greatness, and I know my division is in good hands with you. I succumbed to weakness in reasoning with her, in my faith that she could have anything left in her from the time before her betrayal, and I urge you not to do the same. You must face Erza Scarlet as a criminal, and capture her for sentencing as a criminal, as is right- or failing that, kill her.
Farewell, dearest Hinamori, and my sincerest apologies for my failure. Be wise, and be strong.
Aizen Sousuke, captain of Fifth Division, humble servant of the Gotei
Momo's hands started shaking as she read the words, and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She had to push the letter down on the desk, pinning it in place, to stop her hand from shaking, so that she could even finish reading. It was unbelievable. How could her captain have said that? Urgently, she checked the letter. It was his handwriting. Unmistakably, it was his signature. The very word order and phrasing was right. Everything told her this was no forgery, that this was her captain's last words to her. But it was Erza. It was Erza. Erza, the saviour, the one who had delivered them all from death. Her dear friend, who she had never stopped believing in.
Yet underneath that surface there lay a different Erza, one deeply miserable and malcontent, wanting so much more out of the world than the Gotei could give her.
The words echoed through Momo's mind. These were the last words of her captain, entrusting her to lead the division in his stead. His last instructions. His last words, his last goodbye. He would never lie to her, especially not facing his own death. Could... could it be? Could it be true? Could it be that, all this time, Erza had been...
NO!
In a sudden fit of rage, Momo grabbed the letter, crumpling it to a ball in her hand, and threw it into the air. Her face twisting with rage, she snarled out a semi-legible spell word, and there was a small bang as the paper disintegrated, instantly reduced to fine ash. A gout of flame licked the wall nearest to where the fire spell had detonated, and Momo quenched it with a snap of her fingers. Fury filled her mind, and suddenly she felt a clarity she hadn't since she first had seen her captain dead.
He was wrong. If that assassin had killed him, Erza would have had no part in it. She stood up, breathing quickly. She knew what she had to do. She looked out the window; the sun would set soon. Good. She was going to go out, find Erza- how didn't matter, she'd do whatever detective work she had to. She was going to get to the bottom of this. The division could wait.
The green-haired shinigami had taken Tatsuki and Orihime below the street levels, through a tunnel system that they had been informed was an old sewer system. It was dark, dank, and smelly, but it was safe.
Orihime had seemed mostly curious, but Tatsuki felt... suspicious. The dark tunnels were the sort of place the fuelled paranoia, and their only guiding light was a small orb emanating from the shinigami's hand; some minor kido spell, she had assumed. It had occurred to Tatsuki more than once that if their guide wanted to, she could leave them behind, and the two of them would be utterly and entirely lost. It wasn't that Tatsuki was normally mistrustful... but the last couple of days had been stressful, to say the least. Relying on the kindness of somebody who should by all means be an enemy didn't help.
"So why are you helping us?" Tatsuki said at last, a little more bluntly than she had meant to. She wanted very badly to break the silence, to put her mind off the oppressive atmosphere of the tunnels.
"I told you, I'm a friend of Erza's," said Nozomi quietly.
"How do we know that?" Tatsuki said, "how do we know this isn't... I dunno, some sort of trap?"
Nozomi slowed down, and stopped.
"I am risking everything, miss Arisawa," she said gravely, "my career, my freedom, my everything, just to help you."
"Yeah? Well..." Tatsuki muttered, still not convinced.
"She means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Orihime said.
Nozomi turned around, facing them. "She does. I... I'm not a shinigami like the others. Not a normal soul. I'm... a mod soul. Artificially constructed."
Tatsuki blinked. "Like... a robot?"
"Or a clone. Whatever you want to call it, I'm artificial. I was somebody else's experiment. They were going to destroy me, back in the day, but she saved me. Put me in school. I owe my life and my everything to her, so I'm risking just that if it helps her."
"...sorry," Tatsuki muttered.
"It's fine," Nozomi said, and shrugged, "hell, anybody in your position would be nervous."
"She did all that for you..." Orihime said, sounding thoughtful, "there is so much about her life here that I don't know anything about."
"She touched a lot of lives in her time here," Nozomi said, nodding, "and before she got caught, she had a lot of friends in high places. She was always a bit... larger than life."
"That didn't change," Tatsuki said.
"You said they were going to destroy you?" Orihime said.
"Mod souls are strictly regulated, and unsanctioned ones are terminated without fail," Nozomi explained, "I don't know what drove her away, but... whatever problems she had with the Gotei, I can tell you she wasn't all alone in them. That's another reason I'll help- I'm tired of being illegal just for existing."
"And she saved you." Orihime said.
"Put me in the academy, and not a soul could tell I was different," Nozomi said, "anyhow, let's get moving. We're almost there."
She hadn't lied; some five minutes later, there was light at the edge of the tunnel, and they exited into a ruined building. They all took deep breaths, Tatsuki and Orihime greedily drinking in the fresh air and the sunlight running in through the cracks of the building walls.
"Do you like it?"
The dry, tired voice was familiar, and the three turned to look. Nozomi smiled, looking relieved. It was Rod, putting out a cigarette with his foot.
"It's an old storage facility. Used to belong to a noble house that crumbled decades ago. Perfect for hiding something."
"Mister ninja!" Orihime said cheerily, waving at him.
"Well... glad somebody's looking out for us," Tatsuki said. "What do we do next?"
"Bide our time," Rod said, "should make for a nice change of pace compared to running away from people who can beat the snot out of you, yes?"
Tatsuki sighed. She had hoped to be useful somehow, but she couldn't argue with that logic.
As entertaining as watching the Gotei fall into chaos, running all over the place like a swarm of ants whose nest had been kicked, it was getting tedious. There would still be a few days before the execution would take place, and although Aizen knew he could push it forward if he so wished, he disliked the notion of changing a well-crafted plan simply out of impatience. That was not him. He had been patient for centuries, and he could be patient for just a little while longer.
He stared out into the twilight, stood in an elegant room that had once belonged to a senior member of the Central Forty-Six. Finding someplace to stay hadn't been difficult; he had had the pick of one luxurious lodging after another, in a place where no shinigami would dare enter. There were servants coming and going, of course, but none of them would have an inkling anything was wrong, Kyoka Suigetsu had seen to that. Lazily, he leaned himself against the window frame. Soon... soon, it would be in his hands, and all his hard work would have paid for itself.
With some delight, he remembered killing the decrepit old men and women whose corpses were now decaying in the main meeting chamber just one floor down. He had enlisted the help of his two lieutenants, of course, weeks ago. They were smelling more than a little ripe at this point, and it was a good thing his blade could control all five senses. All of these self-righteous paragons of authority, so assured in their belief that anything and everything they did was right, was justified... and the looks on their faces as they realized that they were all going to die. Venerable and saintly had turned to fearful and cowardly, as he had ignored their pleas for mercy. They had been a cancer upon the Soul Society, and like a surgeon making his first incision, Aizen had removed them.
"Aizen, sir?"
It was Gin. It was subtle, but there was no mistaking the sarcasm in the way he said 'sir'. He had entered the room quietly, and Aizen had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed him until he was inside the building itself.
"Gin," he said, after waiting a few moments, "what brings you here?"
Inwardly, he felt a little irritated. They were all of them supposed to lay low, Gin and Tosen awaiting orders from him, but Gin was notoriously difficult to control completely. Aizen kept his calm; to in any way show his frustration would be to give him what he wanted.
"Jus' stoppin' by t' let ya know about things," Gin said lazily, "real chaos out there. Everythin's in total disorder, just like ya said it'd be."
"Naturally," Aizen said, and although he recognized flattery when he saw it, he couldn't help but swell with pride a little. Everything was going as planned. Everything was in the palm of his hand.
"What else?"
"Oh, nothin'," Gin said innocently, "'well, 'cept, your cute lil' vice-captain is runnin' around out there inna dark, all by herself. Real shame if somethin' were t' happen to her."
Aizen smirked. So that was the rub, then.
"Tell me, how did she take my little note?" He said amusedly, deliberately dragging it out, not yet giving Gin the response he wanted.
"Oh, I can't rightly tell, me," Gin said, and shrugged, "but runnin' around like she is... I doubt she's out there huntin' for ol' Erza. Least not in the way ya may have wanted, sir."
"What makes you say that?"
"Had a quick look in her office. Warn't no note there, but there was soot on the wall and a pile of ash. Now, what'd make meek lil' Momo abuse her power in the office, like a naughty girl...?"
Aizen's lips curved ever so slightly. What an interesting development that was. Perhaps it was time...
For a moment, he hesitated. He was reluctant to give her to Gin on a whim, if only because he disliked the notion of giving that little psychopath too much free reign. But more than that, he found himself wondering if he wanted to kill her. Like a good dog, she was well trained and adorable, and incapable of seeing the bigger picture. Like a good dog, there was no particular reason to have her put down. But then again... her life wasn't worth more than that of a dog's to begin with. For a moment he thought of her, of her innocent cheer, her dedication, her loyalty and kindness.
Mercy. It would be mercy. She was a kind soul, and the war would scar her badly if she survived it. Her beloved captain, who she had served so well, didn't exist. The blow would surely be crushing to her. To kill her... would be merciful, and would also fuel the chaos of the Gotei.
"Naughty girl?" Aizen said at last. "Gin... there's no need for pretence. I know what you are and what you want. You can drawl and put on that accent all you want, but it's just the two of us."
"All right," Gin said, and his voice was mirthless, direct, the accent all but gone, "let me have her, then."
For a psychopathic serial killer, Ichimaru Gin had remarkable self control, Aizen thought to himself. He nodded.
"Make it quick," he said, making sure to speak clearly, in a tone that was not to be disobeyed, "do as you will, but make it quick. Do not get caught. I would be very disappointed if you upset my plans, even a little."
"Oh, don'tcha worry about that, sir," Gin said mockingly, "I know my place, me. All I want is jus' a bit of fun. Lasts me months, that does."
"Be back in your division within two hours," Aizen said firmly, "if you are not finished by then, you are to leave. Understood?"
Gin just bowed, and eased himself out of the room. Aizen sighed. Thus was Hinamori Momo's fate sealed. He felt a small pang of regret, wishing there could be a kinder solution. But life was not kind. If it had been, his revolution would not be necessary. There were always sacrifices of blood to be made, and in the grand scheme of things, the life of one good dog would mean little.
Soifon had buried herself in work, feverishly leading the operation to locate the Ryoka herself. The one Ryoka in their custody- the second still in thirteenth's holding cells- was currently facing interrogation, although he seemed far removed from leadership of the group. Soifon herself had left the interrogating to her senior officers, personally directing the efforts at the front line. Now alert, lookout stations spread all across the Gotei, no deviant behaviour would go unnoticed. Unfortunately, the constant running around from the other divisions had made it harder to spot hostile action, as paranoid shinigami patrols would jump the gun, sometimes even mistaking other division members for hostiles. The search had been frustratingly short of success, and it occurred to Soifon that when this was over, she would have to get a complete and updated set of plans for the entire Gotei, and devise a plan for searching them effectively.
The day had went on without success, and Soifon had doggedly continued to give her all. It was odd, ironic even, but the scolding she had received from Yamamoto had given her focus. The shame and humiliation had given her something to think about, something hard and concrete, as good a distraction from... that other thing as she could have asked for.
Finally, in the evening, there had been something. Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku had engaged the Ryoka. Within twenty minutes of it happening, a message had been relayed, and Soifon had personally arrived with a team with her most senior, most capable agents to hunt them down. Unfortunately, they had arrived only to find an injured Kyoraku, who had- after too much squirming, in Soifon's opinion- pointed them toward Rukia's prison.
What she had found had at first perplexed her, then hit her resolve like a sledgehammer.
She had found Kuchiki Rukia, sitting next to the prison entrance, weak and helpless to escape. Two agents had quickly brought her back to her cell, and guarded the door until such time that the broken door could be repaired.
She had also found Kuchiki Byakuya. He had stood there, staring at his younger sister, expressionless. At first Soifon had thought he was guarding her. Then, she had wondered why he hadn't defeated any of the Ryoka himself. Then, she had wondered why he hadn't brought her back into the prison himself.
Then, with the sharp attention of somebody trained to notice the details, to read people as a matter of course, she had noticed the small trembling in his fists.
Then she had asked about the Ryoka, and her resolve had been struck.
Shihoin Yoruichi had taken one of the Ryoka, and ran. Where the others had went, he did not know. She had to drag the answers out of him, and it had been difficult enough without having to force herself calm to keep her composure.
Now back at the division, nightfall around the corner, she stared blankly into the wall of her office. There was a stack of paper that awaited her attention, but she couldn't focus.
Lady Yoruichi. She was still there. Of course she was; she wouldn't just leave without catching her objective. The behaviour was typical Stealth Force procedure- seize the objective at appropriate risk. Priority B. Disengage if the risk outweighs objective importance. That meant she and her comrades were still at large, still planning to escape with Rukia, and more importantly, it told her something of how far they were willing to go- and how far they weren't.
But that information was like a side note. Lady Yoruichi. Like a swollen, gargantuan mass of anxiety and anger, she dominated the space in Soifon's mind. She was still there. She was...
This was ridiculous. Disgraceful. She should be able to focus. She was the commander of the stealth force, not a little girl pining for a long lost master. Yet, she could not bring herself to even dip her pen in ink; not even touch the first page of paper needing her approval.
Yoruichi. Still here. Still in the Gotei. It was all she could think about.
Curiously, the hatred Soifon had felt when first she had seen her again did not burn nearly so bright now as it had then. For whatever reason, she knew she needed to find her again- somehow. And then... arrest her. Make her face justice. Yes, that was it- justice. She had let herself slip before, she knew that now. Not a second time. This was personal, deeply personal, but at the same time she could think of nobody better fit than herself to hunt her old mentor down. She would try again. This time, there would be no revenge, no assassination, no petty gloating. Just justice. Due process.
That was what would happen. Feeling herself slightly more at ease, Soifon took the first paper down from the stack on her desk.
When all was said and done, Soifon still had not done much paperwork by the time morning had come.
Night was just about to fall, and it was starting to sink in that Momo was, in fact, neither a tracker nor an investigator. She had tried her best to poke and prod, using her vice-captain's badge, but information was coming and going all over the place, and little of it was reliable. Second division would know best, but they were infamously tight-lipped when it came to sharing information. As the sun set, Momo had reached a point where her determination and gusto had come face to face with reality, and reality had shown zero consideration for her newfound sense of purpose. A little bit dismayed, she walked slowly down an alleyway, heading through a garden in division ten's grounds. It was simply not fair.
"Well, well, well."
The voice sent a shiver down her spine and back up again, slick as silk and as pleasant as a snail's slime. She turned around quickly, and flinched. Standing on a bridge crossing a shallow pond was Ichimaru Gin. His eyes were closed, and he stood at ease, head slightly tilted to the left.
"Captain Ichimaru!" She said quickly.
When he had gotten there, how he had gotten there, she had no clue. Granted, she had been distracted, but for him to just appear like that...
Alone at night with Ichimaru Gin. It was like something out of a horror story. He had a notorious reputation, and was known rather like something of a living, breathing bogeyman... but he was a captain, after all. A trusted, competent leader. She had never heard of him actually hurting anyone. He couldn't be... that bad.
As she stared at him in the dark, she very badly hoped she was right.
"Well, ain't ya gonna answer?" He said bemusedly, "a captain just addressed ya, you know."
"O-of course, captain!" She said quickly, "good evening, captain!"
"Bit past evenin', ain't it?" Gin said, lazily gesturing at the night sky. The moon would come out soon, she knew; night had fallen now.
"Past evenin', well past it, see," Gin continued, "dontcha know it's real dangerous t'be out alone at night these days? Real dangerous folks runnin' around, stabbin' people... I'd be getting myself back home, if I was you."
"Y-yes, captain," Momo said cautiously, and out of instinct, her hand moved closer to the hilt of her sword.
His ever-present smile widening, he took a step closer, then another, drawing each one out as he approached her.
"C-captain?" Momo said nervously, "you're uh, you're right. I should really be getting back to my division-"
"Not so fast, now," Gin said. He was coming closer, standing some four yards away, "seein' how unsafe it is round these parts, why don't I escort ya back? Real safe with a captain next to ya, I reckon."
"Th-thanks, but uh, I'll be fine..." Momo mumbled. Keep calm. He's a captain. He's just... different.
Standing just one yard away now, he looked down on her, and Momo felt like she was a mouse staring up at the maw of a snake.
"C'mon, lil' Momo," he said, "let's go back."
Not sure that she had any other option, Momo turned to walk toward Fifth Division, waiting for the captain to follow her.
"It's uh, this way," she said, and pointed.
"'Zat so?" Gin said, sounding mockingly curious. "Hey, lil' miss vice-captain?"
Momo turned to face him. "Y-yes sir?"
There was a flash, a movement too fast to truly perceive, and something sharp gleamed in the moonlight. Struck in her waist, Momo gasped, coughed, and sunk down to one knee. Holding his short blade forward, sticking into her waist, Gin leaned forwards, and whispered into her ear,
"Toldja it was dangerous at night. Jus' like yer precious captain found out."
That was when things took an unexpected term for Ichimaru Gin. He pulled his zanpakutou free, the satisfaction that had been building up and exploding like an orgasm abruptly cut short when he realized, as the moon shone down on them, that there was no blood on his blade.
"What...?" He muttered.
Swaying a little, Momo stood upright, and through her clothes Gin could see a set of strange symbols a-glowing, running up her forearms, her arms, and onto the upper part of her chest.
"I thought I was paranoid to inscribe these onto my skin," she said darkly, staring into the ground, "but it seems I wasn't wrong to?"
Gin gave a whistle. "Fulla surprises, ain'tcha?"
"That was a glyph of force absorption," Momo said, and as she raised her head to stare Gin into the eyes, he saw something there- ferocity, anger, not unlike a kitten infuriated.
"It takes away damage if I'm hit directly. It wouldn't do a lot normally... but against a small attack like that, it was enough."
She held an arm out, the other reaching for her zanpakutou, and she gave Gin a furious look.
"So it was you who killed him, then. Just as we're being invaded."
"What can I say," Gin said, and shrugged. It had been obnoxious at first to be robbed of the relief to his particular urges, but this... this could be even more fun. Opening his eyes fully, he stepped forward, his short blade just barely extending from one of his sleeves.
He did not get far, however. One of the glyphs on Momo's arms glowed brightly, then disappeared, and Gin caught a glimpse of it as he saw it again on the ground before him. He felt an odd tingling on his chest, and had a moment's time to see the very same rune engraved there, before he suddenly was thrown to the ground with tremendous force, as if he had just had a skyscraper's weight dropped on his shoulders. His face slammed into the ground, and he snarled, irritably forcing his head up. It was as if gravity itself had turned on him; his chest was being pressed into the ground, and he could only barely move his arms about.
"Snap, Tobiume!" Momo proclaimed, her voice having grown dark. Gin strained against the force pushing him down, managing to raise his torso an inch above ground. This was kido, albeit of a kind he was unfamiliar with, and kido always had its limits. Spells ran on the fuel their casters gave it, and the more difficulty it faced, the faster it ran out. He had to hurry, though. Momo had not stood idle. Quickly muttering the words of some incantation, she made a set of complex hand movements with her free hand, forming seals in the air. The seals left golden traces of energy behind them, and had Gin had the time, he could have seen the full range of its complexity. As it was, his attention was focused on the spell holding him down- and how above him, a massive square pillar was forming, some twenty yards high, one yard across, with a pointed end- which was pointing at him.
"...the gate opens, twenty-one hounds howling, the swarm of locusts descend..." Momo muttered, her speech fast and feverish. The pillar was becoming solid, looking like grim, solid steel, and Gin was sure of one thing- captain or not, he did not want to take that head on. Straining fiercely, desperately even, he tried to crawl away. Just as Momo's incantation finished, he managed to roll to the side, free from the seal at last. There was a tremble in the ground as the pillar impacted, rendering the ground next to him to dust with a furious discharge of energy.
Irritated, Gin jumped to his feet. She was quite a pest for a vice-captain. He held his sword up-
-only to be struck in the chest by a storm of lightning, extending from the tip of Momo's fingers. The electric energy literally shocked him, his charge staggering and halting, as he struggled simply to stay upright. Letting out a frustrated grunt, he slipped into a shunpo, moving himself out of the arc of fire. He would slip up behind her, he would feel Shinsou slide in between her ribs...
But as he came up behind her, Momo was already ready, making a wide, sweeping gesture with her free hand, sending Gin flying back with an explosive wave of sheer force. Gin landed on his feet, but before he had even recovered, Momo had sent a fireball from her zanpakutou at him. It impacted squarely in his chest, and there were flames in his clothes. Gin let out an infuriated cry and charged forward, but Momo was ready.
"Bakudo sixty-two: Hyapporankan!" She cried, and surging like a forest of spears, a mass of purple-coloured glowing bars, some two yards long, surged toward Gin. He jumped to the side, dodging them, but as he charged forward, he found himself stopped dead in his tracks, a golden chain having wrapped itself around his left leg, anchored firmly in the ground.
"You need to stop underestimating me, captain," Momo said coldly. Her fear was gone, as if blown away by the wind, replaced by a cool, controlled anger. He had killed captain Aizen.
"One direct spell, and another on each side, bound and delayed, and you walked right into it. You are acting like an amateur."
"I'll show you amateur," Gin said, his voice even and raspy, the accent all but gone. Tugging at the chain with one hand, his muscles bulged as his reiatsu began to strain against the spell.
"The end times approach," Momo began chanting, and Ichimaru's eyes widened. He remembered that incantation, "and the raven flies to fresh wounds. Blood stains the battlefield, thunder ominously rumbles as the winds of fate make ready. The heroes gather, knowing they face their doom, seeking to share the fate of their gods."
Gin's eyes narrowed, and he tugged at the chain harder now, with both hands. Being hit directly by a spell of that level would be gruesome, captain or no captain, vice-captain or no vice-captain.
"The great wolf howls, the world serpent breaks free, and the sun and the moon are eaten by the twin dread wolves. Father slays son, brother slays brother, and the eternal winter comes upon the mortal realm. The final storm gathers! Hado eighty-eight: Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raihou!"
Gin's eyes widened, and he desperately pulled at the chain. It was cracking, but not fast enough. From Momo's hand, a massive bolt of lightning surged forward, electric bolts arcing around it, like some lethal bush spreading its vines wherever it grew. The ground cracked where the spell moved, ripping and trembling, spraying dirt and shredded pieces of tile in the air.
Gin swore, and threw himself to the side as finally, the golden chain broke. Not a moment too soon- but just a moment too late. The huge bolt itself flew past him, and Gin could sense the raw, awesome power of it in the instance it took to pass him, but the arcing lightning all around it hit home, dozens of secondary discharges of lightning striking his side, raking across his left arm. It hurt. His haori had caught fire now, part of his clothes shredded, and he couldn't use his arm. As he slid his haori off, he tried to move his fingers. He could, just barely, but it looked ugly- parts of it were red and raw, badly burnt, and the pain was nearly overwhelming.
Still, Gin was not a captain for nothing, and he quickly launched himself forward. One arm short? He needed only one to stab her with.
Momo had let go of her blade, Tobiume levitating in the air, crackling with energy. She had risen above ground level, suspended in the air by whatever raw power, and suddenly, a mass of golden circles began to expand, seemingly formed from texts and inscriptions. Her hair, the parts of it not tied up in a bun, stood on their ends, lending her a wild appearance. Had Gin not been Gin, he might have found it frightening.
"Die!" She snarled, pointing one open hand at Gin, while the other rapidly moved through the air, seeming to command whatever this sphere of circles was. An explosion erupted right in front of Gin, who only barely got out of its radius with a lightning-fast shunpo. Raining down like artillery, one explosion after another followed him, shaking the ground around them, red and glowing orbs surging from her hands, from the circles; no matter where he was, she had a firing line on him.
But Gin was as genial as he was twisted, and moved swiftly. It had been a long time since he was challenged like this, but he was still a master of every major aspect of the shinigami arts. Neatly keeping himself moving, he kept out of the radius of each explosion, coldly calculating how he would turn the situation to his advantage.
The explosive orbs weren't slow, but they weren't fast either. The crux was that they forced him to keep moving, forced him to stay occupied, while she stood up there safely, able to prepare her next move. She was controlling the pace of the fight. He smiled again. There would be an opening. It was just that he had to put his back into it to find it.
Momo's blood was boiling hot, anger running through her to a point where she had nearly forgotten that she was facing a captain. Her mind was running into overdrive, completely focused on operating her magical construct to hurt him. He deserved it. He had killed Captain Aizen.
Some small part of her mind reminded her that perhaps she had to be careful, that perhaps she should try to run, but it was ruthlessly quashed by vindictive furor. She had never used the full power of this self-made magic before, not in combat, but now was as good a time as any-
It took a couple of moments for her to register it; for a second she wondered just why her construct was failing, why she was losing her footing up in the air, and then she realized that her shoulder had been pierced, that she had lost control of her dominant arm, and the spells she had sent Gin's way were dissipating fast. She let out a pained cry, trying to force herself to remain steady, but she stumbled, wavering in the air like a bird who had lost the feathers of one wing mid-flight.
Gin felt a sense of triumph as he watched her stumble and go into a controlled fall. He had half expected her to set up some sort of shield to deflect or block incoming attacks, but it seemed she had been too focused on attacking to prepare one. Shinsou had done its work, extending at just the right time, spearing the girl before retracting. Her time was coming, and it would be worth all the pain.
Momo collapsed to the ground with a thud, bouncing once and rolling over. It was all she had been able to do to control her landing that much. The mechanism demanded intense concentration, and the pain and shock of being stabbed had thoroughly broken it. Feverishly, she forced herself to her feet, only to see Gin advancing on her lazily, some six yards away. She had lost Tobiume, she realized, the zanpakutou lying on the ground further away. Desperately, Momo lashed out with her functioning arm, lightning arcing from her fingers once more. Quickly, Gin brought his sword up, catching the lightning by the blade. Momo put more power into it, as much as he could, but it seemed to have no effect.
"Real impressive, I gotta say," Gin drawled gleefully, as he came closer, "kido lightnin', released with just a thought? Inventive. Thing is, it's just power. All I need t' do is channel a bit of kido into my zanpakutou myself, and I stop it 'fore it can hurt me."
He stood just two yards away now, and Momo's lightning ceased. Sweat dripped down her forehead in small beads, out of anxiety, out of anger, out of fear. She had lost Tobiume. He was too close for her to manage an incantation before he closed in on her. She could use her glyphs to channel something, but for how long? Quickly, she let one of the symbols come aglow, and a long, golden rope extended toward Gin, snaking around him in a matter of seconds. Almost offhandedly, Gin moved his sword arm with tremendous speed, cutting at the bound spell. Before it could even wrap around him, it was severed, the rope pieces falling to the ground and dissipating.
"Shakkaho!" She cried, a red ball of fire flying from her palm toward Gin. He dodged under it, surging forward, and with his sword aimed forward he went for her. Momo stared at him, at this visage of death, coming ever closer. This was it, then. She had tried, she had really tried, and... it wasn't enough.
But then, something slammed into Gin from the side, with tremendous speed and force. Thrown like a rag doll, the captain was sent tumbling across the ground. Momo took in a sharp breath. In the dark, she couldn't be sure what had just happened, who it was; the moon was not clear enough yet, held back by the clouds. The figure let out a primal sound, a growl, and marched right up to Gin. He had gotten to his feet already, readying his sword, but the figure grabbed his sword arm by the wrist. Holding it firmly, the figure then grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground.
Then, as the captain was manhandled like some petty criminal, the clouds began to clear, and in the pale moonlight, Momo saw it. Long, red hair. Tall and buxom, and with a look on her face like she could kill. She let out a small whimper, a sound of exhausted relief and overwhelming joy. It was Erza! After all this time, Erza!
"You foul, vile, evil little monster!" Erza snarled, the grip on Gin's throat tightening.
"Lil' Erza-" Gin started to say, his voice a croak more than anything else, but Erza brought his head down, slamming his forehead into her own. He made no sound, but he looked beaten, his head leaning over to one side. Erza threw him to the ground. He tumbled once, but didn't seem out of it yet. Slowly, he tried to get up, standing on all fours. For good measure, Erza walked up to him and slammed a kick into his midsection, knocking him over. He tried to stab at her, tried to put his blade into her leg, but she grabbed him by the wrist again, pulled him up into a sitting position, then slammed her fist into his face once, twice, thrice, four times. As if she was disposing of garbage, she flung him back to the ground. Quickly, she put her foot on his sword hand, and pushed down, hard. Steel in her eyes, she reached for her sword, pulling it out at last.
"That it, lil' Erza?" Gin panted, a sneer on his face, "ya gonna axe a beaten man?"
Erza simply stared down at her, and the rage in her face was at once uplifting and frightening to Momo. She had come back to save her. She was furious, for Momo's sake, because Gin had dared to attack her.
"Well, go on then, why dontcha?" said Gin, "ain't no better time. I just tried ta murder yer lil' buddy over there. Go on, hero. Use that sword of yours. Kill the bad guy. Ride off inta the sunset feelin' all righteous."
Erza's face twisted, and she halfway raised her sword. Then she took a deep breath, and stepped back.
"Get up," she said, her voice cold as ice, "get up and scurry back to your master. Tell him it's not over till it's over. And the next time I catch you... you're a dead man."
Slowly, Gin got to his feet, just barely keeping hold of his blade. He shot Erza a hateful look.
"Oh, and... try anything now, and I will kill you," Erza said firmly, "even monsters like you want to live. I may not kill beaten trash, but I'm not some paragon of mercy either."
"Bye, lil' Momo," Gin said, waving lamely with his burnt arm, "be seein' ya both again, real soon."
Erza watched him leave, limping away in the night like a wounded animal. After several minutes had passed, she sighed, and sheathed her blade at last. She balled her fists. Another beaten captain. Another case of mercy. Was she the fool after all, sparing monsters, letting them run loose?
Her philosophical pondering was interrupted, abruptly so, as she heard a high-pitched squeal, and a small body slammed into hers, fiercely grabbing hold of her. Erza's first instinct was to defend herself, but it took all of one moment to realize this was no attack. Momo had all but tackled her, her slender arms wrapped around Erza's waist. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks, and she let out several high-pitched sobs, clinging to Erza like she was deathly afraid she would disappear.
"M-Momo..." Erza said, more than a little taken aback. Compared to how Renji and Izuru had greeted her, this was... different.
"I knew you'd come back!" Momo cried, her voice barely intelligible through her sobs, "I knew you'd come back! I knew you'd come back! I knew you were innocent, and, and, and-"
"...hey, relax," Erza said softly, gently returning the hug. Momo was bleeding, she could see, but her old friend didn't even seem to notice.
"And, and, and-"
"Take it easy, okay?" Erza said, almost feeling embarrassed, "just uh... take a moment to relax. Calm down."
Still overwhelmed, Momo nodded, burying her head in Erza's chest. For a few minutes they stood like that, Momo soaking Erza's shihakusho with tears and blood. Eventually, though, Momo managed to compose herself enough to at least talk.
"Listen, are you okay?" Erza said, concern in her voice, "did he hurt you badly? Do you need medical attention?"
"Who cares about that?" Momo said dismissively, waving her hand as if it were nothing, "I'll get myself patched up later. I can take it. But you... you're..."
"It's me," Erza said weakly, and smiled.
"I never stopped believing," Momo said firmly, "even when everyone turned against you. I knew you were innocent. I knew somebody framed you."
"...I was framed, yes," Erza muttered, deciding that the subtleties of her circumstances could wait a little.
Looking down on Momo's face, wet with tears of joy, an expression of awe, wonder and tremendous happiness on her face, Erza felt deeply moved, and if she hadn't been so on edge, her eyes might have watered a little too. She had met Kira Izuru, and he had bitterly accused her. She had met Abarai Renji, and although she had turned him around, he had snarled at her like she was scum. But Momo... Momo was just glad to see her. Momo had believed. It was a completely unexpected rush for Erza, to know that somebody had had faith, that at least one person- aside from the two who already knew better- had never hated her. She had often thought of her old friends in her time of exile, of how they must view her, and it had pained her each time. That Momo... that Momo was different made her forget all the stress, anger and oppressive doom-and-gloom lying over the mission, the immediate dangers and threat of death, if only for just a second.
"Thank you, Momo," she said quietly, her voice trembling ever so slightly, "thank you so very much."
Momo looked up at her, pure reverence in her eyes.
"You came back to confront him, didn't you?" She said, her voice trembling with excitement, "to come after Captain Ichimaru, right? It was him all along. You came back to set things right, to avenge Captain Aizen-"
"No!" Erza said, and quickly regretted how harsh her voice had turned. Aizen's name still prompted a knee-jerk response with her. Momo winced a little.
"No, I..." Erza said, with a long sigh, "Momo, there... there's a lot more to it than that."
"I understand," Momo said, nodding eagerly.
"There's a lot to say and not a lot of time to say it. I need you to listen without interrupting, and I need you to open your mind to some harsh truths. Can you do that, Momo?"
"Anything for you!" Momo said animatedly.
Erza took a deep breath, and cast a glance around her. Nobody was in sight yet, but the commotion was bound to have drawn some attention. It was blind luck that she had found Momo like this, and she shuddered to think what would have happened if she didn't. Well... the truth, then.
"Ichimaru Gin is indeed as villainous as he seems," she started slowly, "and he is conspiring against the Gotei. You were right in that. But... the truth is much bigger than that. First of all, I am not innocent."
Momo drew in a sharp breath, and let out a sound as if to speak, before restraining herself.
"The first thing you need to know- and I hope you trust me, because this will sound hard to believe- is that Aizen Sousuke is not dead."
"But I saw him!" Momo exploded, unable to contain herself, "I saw his body, I saw the blood and-"
Gently, Erza clamped a hand over Momo's mouth.
"He is not dead," she said firmly, "it's an elaborate illusion. That is his true power. Aizen Sousuke, the man you knew as a good and noble captain, never existed. The real Aizen Sousuke is a conniving, evil manipulative mastermind, heading a conspiracy against the Gotei itself, along with Ichimaru Gin and Tosen Kaname."
"Mmmh!" Momo said, and Erza put her hand down, freeing Momo.
"Quiet, please," Erza said patiently, "how do I know this? Because I was part of that conspiracy. A long time ago, Aizen Sousuke recruited me, promising a new and better tomorrow, a Gotei reformed. For the people, for every lost and ailing soul out there. Power for the sake of greatness and mercy. But when I saw the truth of his nature, I wanted out. The next day, I was arrested. I was framed, but I am not innocent either. Because at the end of the day, the Gotei needs to change. What is here, is not enough."
She balled her fists, took a breath, and determinedly continued.
"Aizen lives. What he wants, I am not sure, but none of it can be good. The chaos you see now, that's all his doing- he just used my invasion to his advantage. We think it has something to do with Rukia, but... we just don't know."
"I-It can't be..." Momo said quietly.
"He is very, very good at convincing you he is a good man," Erza said, furrowing her brows, "especially if you want to believe the best about people. But he is a snake, a wolf in sheep's clothing. That is what I say, that is what I will swear on my life, that is a truth I will die for and a hill I'll go down fighting on. Do you believe me?"
"I..." Momo said slowly, "but... but he..."
Erza sighed.
"It's all right. You don't have to."
"No, wait!" Momo said hastily, "if you say it is that way, then I'm sure you're being truthful!"
Erza nodded. "Well enough, then."
"B-but... what do we do?" Momo said, sounding frightened. "Captain Ichimaru just tried to kill me, and if he's out there..."
"Keep safe, and keep an eye out. Whatever is coming will end soon," Erza said, "so keep calm, and carry on."
Her head snapped in one direction; she could sense somebody coming.
"Hitsugaya," she said, "this is his division, isn't it?"
"Y-yes, but..." Momo said.
"I have to go," Erza said, turning around.
"No!" Momo cried out, grabbing Erza by the sleeve, "not now! Not after you just came back! I'll go with you!"
"You can't!" Erza said quickly, "you have to wait. Stay here and-"
"No!" Momo insisted.
"I'm not going away!" Erza said quickly, hissing out the words, "right now, we're training one of our own in a cave hidden in the Gotei itself. We're going to save Rukia. I may be going, but I'm not going to disappear!"
Quickly, she wrenched herself free.
"Goodbye, Momo. See you soon."
With that, she took off into the night, leaving an equal parts frustrated, happy and despairing Momo behind.
And at long last, our two of our main characters have reunited at last. As a huge fan of both characters, I've waited for this moment for a very long time. Now, granted, they've separated at the end, but i promise you that it will only be for a short while! I'm not THAT much of a tease.
But for now, There is something i think that needs to be discussed, particularity, the battle this chapter had.
First is just Momo. Momo has become a significantly more powerful warrior than she was in cannon. By no means was she a weakling, but here, more o her potential has come to the surface. Now, some may say shes become too strong. While I do understand such possible concerns, i do have a rebuttal of sorts.
Momo has been training for this kind of moment for the last 20 YEARS. 20 years! That's twice the length it takes to master Bankai. Id say studying high level kido and other new, unique and unknown kido for that period of time is more than enough to boost her to this level. Furthermore, she IS a main character, and as the story goes on, she's only going to become more and more important. If Rukia and Renji are allowed to become as strong as they have been in cannon, so is Momo. (In case your wondering btw, hado 88 is the spell Tessai tried to use on Aizen back in the turn back the pendulum arc, and is currently her most powerful spell)
I DO however have plans to show case more of her "zanpaktou's" ability though. Not just mere fireballs, I have a lot more in store for Tobiume to use.
I WILL mention however that Gin was for the most part playing with his food. By the time he wanted to take things a bit more seriously, he just found himself in a bit of a bind is all. Had he gone all out right from the start, the battle would have gone more into his favor. However, due to the injury's he had suffered from Momo...Well, Erza beating up on him as she was should be a obvious fact. Not to mention he didn't want to be caught doing all this.
But now we're going to start reaching the end point of this arc. I believe we'll be finished with soul society in...5-6 chapters. 7 at the most. I could be wrong but that's currently my prediction. Once we get to the arrancar arc however is when things really begin to change.
But that's all I have to say at the moment. I'm eager to see what all of you thought and have to say about this chapter. Im REALLY hopping we can get past 800 reviews with this chapter, so please, leave a review. It would mean a lot.